Magical X Miracle, Vol. 1
by Yuzu Mizutani
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It’s not my normal genre, fitting somewhere between shoujo, fantasy, magic, and adventure. I’ve enjoyed it on several occasions. It has enough character development to be satisfying, and few enough of the usual scenarios to keep my interest. Nice and sweet. And, as my usual pattern, will probably read it again this year.
Beauty is the Beast, Vol. 1
by Tomo Matsumoto
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is one of my favourite shoujo series (considering how much I read, says a lot for it). I love Matsumoto’s delicate art style combined with a story relatively devoid of angst (at least on the girl’s side). Eimi is the perfect protagonist fully-formed; she already knows exactly who she is. And it’s this characterization which becomes the catalyst for Wanibuchi’s own self-revelation.
It’s lightly funny, lightly romantic, and mostly just a slice-of-high-school-living-in-dorms-kind-of-life. It’s perfection!
Samurai Champloo, Volume 2
by Masaru Gotsubo
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I don’t put high expectations on manga that are based on other sources…
Especially when those original stories are as undeveloped as video game and anime plots. This is the latter. It seems unfare to judge the manga harshly because I’ve watched the original work — which I thought was brilliant, btw. Truthfully, what I found great in the animation doesn’t hold up in the manga, and that’s the dynamism of the fight scenes. Yes, the fighting is exciting here, but it misses that glorious hip hop vibe… the humour and amazement of “break-dance-fighting.
However, I don’t think the manga can really be separated from the anime. Without it, it becomes an incomplete humorous and uninteresting story about random people who meet and form a shallow bond that involves travel and fighting. There’s no depth of character, or actual plot. It’s just barely a story. it must be read with a complete understanding of the original form to be enjoyed… It’s almost like these short vignettes were storyboarded for the anime, but just didn’t quite make the cut… So they decided to use their scraps to write a quick manga.
Obviously, I’m not super impressed. But, I still give it a high ranking because the anime is that worthwhile. If you’re going to read this… Also plan to watch it at some point. Otherwise, in my opinion, you’ll just be wasting time.
Boys Over Flowers: Hana Yori Dango, Vol. 1
by Yōko Kamio
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Tsukushi is a poor girl, from a poor family… and her family has placed her (at great expense) in the most prestigious high school in Japan, in the hopes that she’ll make great connections to benefit her in the future. The student body is made up of kids from Japan’s most powerful families, including the F4 who rank heads above the rest. Not only are they obnoxiously rich, but they are beautiful too. Doumyouji leads the group — and cows the student body with extreme bullying tactics. He sets the entire student body against anyone who “displeases” him. Tsukushi finds herself on the other side of the student body… and becomes a weed that just won’t be trampled.
It’s the classic pride & prejudiced story, modernized, and with a few twists. Okay, maybe that’s a stretch. But, I’d take Doumyouji anyday over Mr. Darcy. This series can get a bit arduous at times, with tsukushi’s pride being a major stumbling point for the couple’s relationship. But, it’s still one of my favourite series to date, to the point that I’ve even bought the Japanese role-playing/dating game (among other things).
p.s. Doumyouji really hates it when you tickle him under the chin. Just saying. (。_゜)
High School Debut, Vol. 04
by Kazune Kawahara
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is my favourite volume in this series. Throughout the series, Kawahara uses repeated panels for comedic emphasis; but the Christmas episode where Haruna is planning her “big date” is her most effective use of it! Perfection!
Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 1
by Kiiro Yumi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The story, art and character development/interaction is fresh and interesting. The conversation about censorship is thought provoking. And, the situation is extreme enough to thrill me. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Dojo sensei is totally my type. hah.
Princess Prince
by Tomoko Taniguchi
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I love Taniguchi’s other series which usually involve a sweet/doe-eyed girl falling in-love with a relatively cute “metal-head”. The stories are sweet to a fault — and I love that!
This story too is beyond sweet and has the same style of pacing and art. But has the fantasy element of magical kingdoms, angel-birds, and prophecies.
I bought this without reading the synopsis and I probably should have. All I was thinking is that I own all her other works, and I found this volume for a decent price online. It completes my collection of Taniguchi in-English.
I gave it a fairly low rating, which I wasn’t expecting to have to do. This story was ordered in a peculiar way (was this taniguchi, or the English editor?). The side stories and other short stories were splayed intermittent between the main “Princess Prince” chapters. Usually this stuff is collected and put at the end of a volume, which works much better. Also, I frankly just miss the metal heads…
The Devil Does Exist, Volume 1
by Mitsuba Takanashi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Mitsuba Takanashi is one of my favourite character fashion artists. Every day the characters have a new look, a new hairdo, a new style… even the boys. This just proves to me what a great artist she is. That she can actually vary a characters appearance but still not confuse the reader. There are some artists who just do not have the skill to pull this off.
The other thing that’s great about Takanashi is that she seems to have a great handle on human-nature. Her angsty series seem to actually come from somewhere, rather than just being angsty because that’s what teenagers do. Her teens are thoughtful and actually change and accept new situations. Her series are always satisfying, if not a little frustrating while we wait for characters to resolve their issues.
This is a series about Kayano — a typical teenage girl in her second year of high school. In her group of friends she’s the dopey meddlesome friend which they eventually label as the “heroic” type — and Takeru, a first year student, the bad boy of the school and also the principle’s son. As it happens, Takeru’s father and Kayano’s mother have decided to get married, which means Takeru and Kayano will soon be brother and sister. The story begins when Takeru finds out one of Kayano’s secrets and starts to blackmail her. But eventually she realizes he’s not as bad as he seems. And, as Takeru and Kayano become closer, they must try to resolve what that means for their future happiness as a family.
Love love love, this series! I don’t care who you are, this series is worth the read.
Very! Very! Sweet Volume 1
by Ji-Sang Shin and Geo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Very! Very! Sweet is just as the title describes: very. very. sweet. Loved it! It is the story of classmates Tsuyoshi and Be-Ri.
Tsuyoshi is a Japanese boy from a well-to-do family who is ordered by his grandfather to move to Korea and discovery his ancestry. Tsuyoshi has a terrible family secret about his past which has been making him feel “Not quite complete” since his childhood. His grandfather has been keeping it from him, and is hoping that it will be revealed on his trip. He’s a bit of a playboy and his been involved with a girl Erica who follows him to Japan.
Be-Ri is one of his new Korean classmates — and his new neighbour. She’s earnest and straightforward, and they share a love of cats. Be-Ri is also involved in a significant love triangle: In love with her older sister’s boyfriend, and loved by her loud-mouthed classmate Mi-Hyuk. She’s in a tough situation — and because she’s so straightforward and honest has a hard time actually understanding her changing feelings.
It is a really sweet comic. It was touching enough to bring tears to my eyes. It’s well drawn — and there are some nice elements. I especially appreciated the way the failed relationship between Tsuyoshi and Erica was handled… It was quick and less painful than it would normally be. Sometimes these relationships are just so painful to read.
Personally I found that the conclusion included too much information. Too many revelations revealed in the last few chapters. I think they dealt with too much personal angst in the last volume that didn’t have enough lead-up in the previous volumes. However, It was definitely worth the read. Plus, the boys were so cute… *sigh* so cute
Karakuri Odette Volume 1
by Julietta Suzuki
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
It was worth my time and money, and I will probably read it again (and again). It’s about a girl-android “Odette” (named after “swan lake”, I’m assuming) who wanting to be human convinces her maker to let her go to high school. There she ponders after what it means to be human, and tries her best to fit in.
It starts off a bit rough. As though the author is either unsure of where her story is going, or whether the magazine hadn’t quite decided to serialize her. I was surprised by the first volume, as it fails to really establish the character, or purpose. But, it was easy to read, and therefore easy to continue — and it becomes a delightful, and engaging story.
I’ve read online that a few people were comparing it to Chobits by CLAMP, and certainly the android girl aspect is comparable. But, I personally think the story is more closely comparable to Cheeky Angel by Hiroyuki Nishimori — about a boy who wishes to be the coolest & strongest ever, and subsequently is turned into the coolest & strongest girl ever. He learns what it means to be a girl, and even has a love interest in the school gang leader. This parallels well with Karakuri Odette, with Odette’s friends and persona becoming quite different than she was hoping — in the best possible way.
I recommend it!
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