Excel Saga Series by Koshi Rikudo

Series Description: Today the city, tomorrow the world! That's the plan of II Palazzo, the haughty, pretty-boy leader of ACROSS, a secret society based somewhere deep beneath the streets and sewers of Fukuoka, Japan... moreSeries Description: Today the city, tomorrow the world! That's the plan of II Palazzo, the haughty, pretty-boy leader of ACROSS, a secret society based somewhere deep beneath the streets and sewers of Fukuoka, Japan. It's a good thing he's starting small, because ACROSS begins its bid for global domination with just two members, II Palazzo and Excel, the teenage girl smitten with him! After setting up house in a cheap apartment, II Palazzo explains that the budget for world conquest and the budget for room and board must regrettably be kept separate. Their neighbors are a trio of regular guys, whom they hope will all overlook their strange comings and goings; not to mention the sound of screams, struggles, and gasoline explosions! less

Stories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game.. moreStories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game... Too bad neither will let their underlings in on it!Excel and Hyatt's nice, normal, next door neighbors Watanabe, Iwata, and Sumiyoshi are just a bunch of regular guys--who are about to start suffering from Excel Saga 's chronic irregularity. The mysterious Dr. Kabapu and his devastating secretary Matsuya have recruited these jobless youth for the Environmental Security Administration--to be among the few (the five, actually), the proud, the protectors of Fukuoka. What are the odds that this joy will bring them in conflict with Excel and Hyatt, who just happen to work for their own, rival, scantily-staffed covert organization...dedicated to taking Fukuoka over? Exactly five to two in favor! less

Stories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game.. moreStories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game... Too bad neither will let their underlings in on it!There's always an election coming up, and the city of Fukuoka won't be spared either. But what petty party stooge is this so-called "candidate for mayor" who dares presume to take control of a town Lord Il Palazzo has already stamped "Property of ACROSS"? Excel and Hyatt go undercover by volunteering for the campaign, and discover that democracy Japanese-style will have you begging for hanging chads. Vol. 03 of Excel Saga stays strong on the issues like health care reform, which must be why the girls have dressed up like nurses and snuck into the local hospital--where awaits everyone's favorite butcher, I mean, lecher: I mean, Doctor Iwata, M.D. Then: Not a dream! Not an imaginary story! One night, when the whole apartment's asleep, enter a place where even Freud would fear to tread: the REM state of our characters! Refreshed, Excel Saga's neighbors get up and go to work as their secret alter egos: yes, in this issue! the good guys and bad girls (DISCLAIMER Designations "Good" and "Bad" subject to the requirements of public policy) make dim first contact in the city sewers. Will it end senselessly in a waste of human life, or just in human waste? less

When Excel disguises herself as Hyatt in order to scam dental care, she falls under the drill (and roving fingers) of a lecherous, incompetent dentist strangely reminiscent of a character from Volume 1. Meanwhile, everyone's heading for the obligatory swimsuit scene at the public pool.

In this entry, spunky little schizoid Ropponmatsu II has moved in to brighten everyone's lives, and when Excel and Hyatt try to find a little quiet outside, they run smack into Lolita Orphan Annie: little lost Hiyoko-chan, object of the scientific affection of the admittedly even prettier Dr. Shino-ji. The tragic duty of getting Excel Saga's story moving again must then fall to Ropponmatsu I, who induces a strange communication between the two would-be masters of Fukuoka.

Just because Sumiyoshi has the weight, sight, and speech patterns of the CS/EE major doesn't mean that he is one. But then, just how much memory does he have stashed inside that room of his? Also in this volume, the chickens of the sea have come home to roost for Fukuka's big Birdman-by-the-Beach contest, where various freaks and losers, including most of Excel Saga's cast, pit their feeble thrashings against Earth's gravity in pursuit of a million yen.

Good morning, angels of death! The elegant Elgala is here, to now make three (human) members in the - what's the opposite of elite? - strike force serving ACROSS. But you know Lord Il Palazzo's name ain't Charlie, and this spiral-sideburned siren will fail to provide a moderating force between Excel and Hyatt. In fact her drilly tresses prove an auger of bad tidings, and before you know it the trio is screwed - phrasing carefully crafted to restrain your laughter, for homelessness isn't funny... moreGood morning, angels of death! The elegant Elgala is here, to now make three (human) members in the - what's the opposite of elite? - strike force serving ACROSS. But you know Lord Il Palazzo's name ain't Charlie, and this spiral-sideburned siren will fail to provide a moderating force between Excel and Hyatt. In fact her drilly tresses prove an auger of bad tidings, and before you know it the trio is screwed - phrasing carefully crafted to restrain your laughter, for homelessness isn't funny. Except, of course, when it happens to the cast of Excel Saga, in which case it's a laff riot! When their apartment burns to the ground, the good guys in residence can at least crash at the office - but when you work for ACROSS and your office is a flooded basement studio (1BA, 1THRN), it looks like the bad girls are going to have to get their beauty rest under corrugated cardboard. less

Stories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game.. moreStories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game... Too bad neither will let their underlings in on it!"Fukuoka 911!" Perhaps the stress of the hobo lifestyle has led Excel Saga 's characters to crack and imagine themselves cast in a badly edited retrospective on Japanese cop shows. But back in The Real World--no, not the MTV version, but the one with all the poverty, squalor, and filth--life brings surprising new fortune to Hyatt, Excel, and Elgâla, as they are mysteriously led to new digs equipped with--dig!--CABLE! Yet even that mercy packed syringe known as the remote cannot long keep them from their responsibilities, as both sides in the battle for the city and their shadow war to fight it out in the streets with lots of guns and lots of robots! Will the cynical masses respond to this awesome demonstration of power, or will they assume it's just violent guerilla marketing for the next Power Rangers sequel? less

Finding a ready (and willing!) audience at a small-town retail outlet, Excel preaches the word of ACROSS. She's a smash success (as a performance artist), until Iwata and gang arrive in robotic attire. Poor Excel...does she have what it takes to right the wrongs of society - or will the elegantly military El Gala take her glory away? In a crisis of faith, Excel strikes out on her own - leaving a note behind for her beloved Il Palazzo... moreFinding a ready (and willing!) audience at a small-town retail outlet, Excel preaches the word of ACROSS. She's a smash success (as a performance artist), until Iwata and gang arrive in robotic attire. Poor Excel...does she have what it takes to right the wrongs of society - or will the elegantly military El Gala take her glory away? In a crisis of faith, Excel strikes out on her own - leaving a note behind for her beloved Il Palazzo. Meanwhile - who knew? - Sumoyoshi's tasty little sister comes to town on a visit. Then, if there wasn't already enough isolation and despair in the world, the whole group is transported back to High School Daze (remember, this book is rated "T" for teen!). Yes, head-master Kabapu, we like beach volleyball, especially when the gorgeous girls of ACROSS are involved...saving the world, one bikini at a time. less

Hard cash is the theme of the day, as the women of ACROSS discover the promise of domestic peace to be a gold brick - literally. Nor do public-spirited paupers like Watanabe receive all that many of your tax dollars, which could seal the tomb on his nearly-necrophilic affection for Hyatt. It seems that for someone so closely beckoned by nthe spirit world, Hyatt can be a remarkably material girl - that must be why she and Watanabe are on a romantic date down to the local ATM... moreHard cash is the theme of the day, as the women of ACROSS discover the promise of domestic peace to be a gold brick - literally. Nor do public-spirited paupers like Watanabe receive all that many of your tax dollars, which could seal the tomb on his nearly-necrophilic affection for Hyatt. It seems that for someone so closely beckoned by nthe spirit world, Hyatt can be a remarkably material girl - that must be why she and Watanabe are on a romantic date down to the local ATM. Will their cold, still love hang upon his balance? less

Stories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game.. moreStories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game... Too bad neither will let their underlings in on it!Sitting on a park bench…no, it's not Aqualung, but Dr. Shiouji, whose view of the slides and swing sets is being blocked by a beautiful girl--tall, voluptuous, just turned eighteen…in other words, not his type. But who is the mysterious Miss Umi, and why is she trying to get the Doctor's attention, pandering to him and the readers alike by dressing in a nurse's outfit, a maid's outfit, and yes, in desperation, a schoolgirl's outfit? Meanwhile, Watanabe is lost at sea with a dead albatross named Ha-chan around his neck. Will he give into the Coleridge-like temptation? less

Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life?A: EXCEL SAGA. Two groups of neighbors in an apartment lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game.. moreQ: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life?A: EXCEL SAGA. Two groups of neighbors in an apartment lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game...too bad neither will let their underlings in on it!Signs and wonders mark the escalation of the battle for Fukuoka! But can even giant visions in the sky awaken the jaded citizens to the struggle - or Dr. Kabapu's revelations convince his own staff that he's not more of a loony than they thought? And will the final sign be the appearance of the most feared individual in all of EXCEL SAGA, the University of Illinois' own Dr. Miwa Rengaya, the Courtney Love of science...and Shiouji's mother? less

Stories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game.. moreStories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game... Too bad neither will let their underlings in on it!Last volume, ACROSS tried and failed to capture a member of the City Environmental Security Agency. This time, Dr. Kabapu tries to capture a member of ACROSS--and succeeds! Vol. 14 of EXCEL SAGA not only proudly offers further plot development--never to be taken for granted, as in lesser manga--but shamelessly panders to base reader instincts with a romantic date, a muddy catfight, and two lavish bath scenes, one of which unfortunately involves Dr. Kabapu. less

Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life?A: EXCEL SAGA. Two groups of neighbors in an apartment lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game.. moreQ: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life?A: EXCEL SAGA. Two groups of neighbors in an apartment lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game...too bad neither will let their underlings in on it!While Watanabe proposes marriage and desperately studies how to have "sex," nothing can come between him and Hyatt - nothing, that is, except the return of her lord and master, Il Palazzo. Meanwhile, Excel and Elgala are sent to a forsaken women's prison colony - yeah, chains, sadistic warden, the whole bit. But soon EXCEL SAGA leaves these cheap thrills behind, in favor of capital-intensive thrills, as ACROSS attempts to beat Kabapu at his own game: money and respectability! less

Stories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game.. moreStories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game... Too bad neither will let their underlings in on it!Dr. Kabapu be ILLin', as the stunning success of Il Palazzo's eponymous electronics firm is turning him literally sick. But even while ILL's president--the stylish, corporate Excel--carries out her CEO's directives, kindhearted Umi discovers another version of her: a woman in a torn prison outfit with little memory of her past. Dressing the stranger from her extensive cos-play wardrobe, Umi brings the mystery girl into the Shiouji household, only to let her fall into Aunt Miwa's clutches. And that's not a figure of speech! less

Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life?A: EXCEL SAGA. Two groups of neighbors in an apartment lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game...too bad neither will let their underlings in on it!Usually Elgala knows too little.. moreQ: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life?A: EXCEL SAGA. Two groups of neighbors in an apartment lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game...too bad neither will let their underlings in on it!Usually Elgala knows too little...but now she knows too much! Sent out by her Lord to live as a fugitive on the streets of Fukuoka, the poor purple-haired girl is back to the king of homeless lifestyle she used to whine about to Seniors Excel and Hyatt - but now, she's all alone...except for, awww, a small white doggy. Somewhere on those same streets is the person Elgala insists exists...the real Excel. But Excel doesn't know who she is - and is she becoming so much a part of the Shiouji family that contentment will trump conquest? less

Stories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game.. moreStories the director himself said they didn't dare put in the anime!Q: What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? A: EXCEL SAGA . Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they're trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they're trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game... Too bad neither will let their underlings in on it!Excel cannot long survive in the artificial body of Isshiki; the tragedy is that she has no incentive to leave it, as she’s finally the faultless servant of Lord Il Palazzo she’s dreamed of being. By contrast, Iwata seems to have made a recovery under Matsuya’s care—but in coming back to his old self, he tells her secrets beyond what a lover would. And Miwa makes her next move by revealing a few things her son has kept to himself. They say a little knowledge is dangerous—and if it’s in the hands of Umi...? less