AX Volume 1: A Collection of Alternative Manga

This is a brilliant read. One after another, already half way through and cant wait for volume II! My only criticism is that they seem to have translated too much, like japanese shop signs dont have Japanese writing and some of the stories are too much aimed at a western audience. That said I would definitely recommend

When is volume 2 coming out? Been waiting since 2011!

Here are some of the reviews that the book has received: "I have slowly begun to be more and more interested in manga, but unsure where to start reading. This collection from Top Shelf seemed innocuous enough, so I figured I'd dive right in. Reviewing this from the "I don't know anything about manga" perspective, I was pleasantly surprised to find the art as diverse as a collection I'd find from western artists. Yes, obviously not all manga looks like Dragonball Z...I know that now. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed each and every story in this collection, and I was equally impressed by the art. Reading right to left was a little awkward at first, but I adapted to it a lot faster than I thought I would. As an introduction to the Japanese comic scene, this is a wonderful place to start. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys comics." Marilyn Johnson, Amazon.com "Manga artists seem to have a deep understanding of the "structure" of dreams, the incomprehensible scene changes, the kaleidoscopic emotions, the strange sense of loss. This is a collection of 33 dreams. Some I loved, some I hated, but nearly all of them assaulted my perception of what comics can be. For that, I am grateful to the people who put this together--you deserve 5 stars!--and I hope to see more work from some of the artists here. My personal favorites: Imiri Sakabashira's Conch in the Sky, Katsuo Kawai's Push Pin Woman, Einosuke's Home Drama." Mitch Jones, Amazon.com "Wilson has teamed with Asakawa, an editor of the bimonthly Japanese magazine Ax, which prints alternative and experimental comics, to select works from 33 artists for this first English-language collection. As with any collection, there are hits and misses that are dependent upon the individual tastes of the reader. Some of the comics presented here are deep and introspective, others rely on off-kilter potty or sexual humor, and others still are horrific looks into the human psyche. And, lest anyone forget that manga is not a style of art but merely the Japanese word for comic, the artwork in this anthology will be a forceful reminder: it wanders as far across the map of styles as the writing does, ranging from rough, almost childlike pieces to lushly detailed creations. Violence, sexual situations, language, and adult themes reserve this for assuredly mature audiences, but libraries with alternative-comic fans or manga readers looking to move beyond the usual translated works would do well to add this collection." --Snow Wildsmith, Booklist

Very pleased. Excellent service from Amazon.ca

I really enjoyed this book. There are some interesting stories in here, including a story by an artist I recently found & had no idea he created manga. One particular story was a bit disturbing to me, but one way to view it is simply as the creator's form of expression. It is a nice addition to my collection of manga, & I plan to buy any additional volumes.

Excellent. Genuinely absurd, shocking, funny, and sad. The art styles are varied and the stories are well curated. The book itself is beautifully designed. Highly recommended for all fans of comics or good stories. This will give you something truly different.

With only one or two exceptions this is just self indulgence on the part of the creators with the bulk of it being of no interest whatsoever. There's a line between obscure-because-odd and obscure-because-rubbish and this is on the wrong side of it.

Unfortunately I expected more than I received. Multiple short stories and some slightly controversial topics - overall I regret buying this. Most of the stories weren't worth reading and I doubt I'll pick up the book again.