Manic About Manga

Yakuza Café by Shinano Oumi review

2011-12-09T15:51:00.001-07:00

Yakuza Café

Author/Artist: Shinano Oumi

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Comedy, Romance, Organized Crime

Shinri Irie was raised by his mother and grandmother and never knew his father. But after his grandmother dies he receives a letter from a man, Daigo Irie, claiming to be his father and extending the invitation to live with him. When Shinri arrives at his father’s house he’s surprised to find a café with an interesting theme. It turns out that Daigo Irie was the head of the Fujisaki Clan but decided to disband to give Shinri a place to come home to. They decided to jump on the themed café bandwagon and transformed into Café Fujisaki Clan, a yakuza café. But there is one problem. No one comes even though there are handsome men and tasty food. It turns out that the tea is horrible. Shinri’s grandmother loved tea and handed that down to him. With Shinri’s good looks and mastery of tea it looks like the café might have a chance.

With Shinri surrounded by all these men one stands out. Something about Mikado seems familiar but Shinri is unable to figure it out and Mikado seems awfully overprotective. Will Shinri figure out why Mikado is so familiar?

When it comes to lovely art and silly story lines Shinano Oumi-sensei is an artist that fills that void. I love stuff like that. In the case of Yakuza Café it was a wacky read but could have used a little more character development. The main characters fall into the typical seme/uke roles and we have the forced sex. At least in this case Mikado shows remorse and tries to cut off a finger yakuza style. It seems Mikado goes crazy when someone touches his yakuza tattoo. It turns out that Mikado has been in love with Shinri for quite some time and had spent some time with Shinri when he was younger. Shinri doesn’t really know how to deal with his emotions but it seems that he’s attracted to Mikado as well.

There is also a brief chapter dedicated to Zaoji and how he came to the gang. This chapter is more serious and sad but adds greatly to the book. You’re probably wondering who is this Zaoji guy. He’s the brains behind the café and runs things. He and Mikado butt heads on a lot of things.

This manga is full of cheesy goodness that only Shinano Oumi-sensei can deliver. I stumbled upon some of her titles in scanlation form and was captivated by her art. I’m really excited that we finally have one of her titles in English. I found it to be a fun read and just as long as you don’t take it too seriously you might enjoy it as well.

***Copy Provided by Publisher***

Apologies!

2011-12-09T14:16:00.002-07:00

I know I’ve been doing this a lot this past year but I apologize for the spotty reviewing. I really want to get back on track but it has been taking me a whole lot longer than usual to do that so please bear with me. I wanted to let you all know that I’m going to make a change on how I review. I’m getting rid of the letter grading system. I really struggle on trying to find the right grade so I’m going to just give a synopsis and a few of my thoughts. Ultimately the decision is yours and I hope that the information I provide will be of use to you! Thanks for all of your support!

Maiden Rose vol. 1 by Fusanosuke Inariya review

2011-10-21T18:48:00.000-06:00

Maiden Rose vol. 1

Author/Artist: Fusanosuke Inariya

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Action, Historical

Grade: B-/C+

Today marks the first day of Yaoi-con and since Fusanosuke Inariya-sensei is the Guest of Honor this year I thought that it since I can’t be there I’ll review her manga instead. Though, I’d rather be in Burlingame, California for the con.

I’m having a hard time summarizing this one so here is what Juné has to say:

Taki Reizen is an honorable young aristocrat caught between his call to duty and a forbidden love. Claus von Wolfstadt is the proud Saxon who becomes Taki’s knight in a war against his own people… and his secret lover! Will these two passionate men lay down their weapons once they’re off the battlefield, or will they push the very limits of their sacred alliance?

Maiden Rose is armed to the hilt with fiery men, fierce fighting and plenty of hand-to-hand combat! With the fate of nations hanging in the balance, it’s up to the noble Taki and his devoted knight Claus to strategize the perfect attack… and they’ll only take the right kind of prisoners! Who will be the victor in this all-out war?

This is a difficult title to review. Why, you ask? Let’s start out with the complexity of the plot. It takes place in an alternate world that very much resembles our own in the early 20th century. You have several different sides and I’m still trying to figure out where all of our characters fit. Also it seems that the story starts out in the middle of all of the action instead of the beginning, which confuses me even more. Another reason why I struggle with this title is the fact that it is full of non-con. I’m not one who is into the rape scenario. The weird thing is Taki is so forceful on the battlefield and could easily take Claus down so why he permits the treatment he receives from Claus is beyond me. We know that Claus is super devoted to Taki (giving up social standing and his country of origin) but if it is someone you truly care for, romantically or otherwise, must you rape them? I just don’t know.

There are some positives, though. The art is beautiful and lushly detailed. Claus has a very manly look to him, which plays well with Taki’s softer features. But they both look like men. There is also a brief short at the end that is drawn in chibi/furry form that is simply adorable. I’ve always been a sucker for chibis and it is so cute that the furry aspect makes it that much cuter. Taki, when in military mode, is very powerful and holds his own against those around him that are larger than him. That may have to do with his position within the Royal Family. Claus is also very loyal and would do anything to protect Taki. So, again, I just have a really hard time with the non-con.

I have high hopes for this title (that’s why it has the grade that I’ve given it). I hope that we’ll be able to get further into their past and find out whether their relationship actually is a non-con situation or if there’s more to the story. Juné has done a good job and I look forward to the next installment.

***Copy Provided by Publisher***

Tired of Waiting for Love by Saki Aida and Yugi Yamada review

2011-10-10T16:35:00.002-06:00

Tired of Waiting for Love

Author/Artist: Saki Aida/Yugi Yamada

Publisher: Digital Manga Guild

Rating: M – Ages 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance, Organized Crime

Grade: C+

Kyosuke Sawaragi was determined to start afresh once released from prison. So when Shuuya Kasuga tried to strike up a friendship as a way to escape his situation (being the baddest dude in their cell’s sexual toy) Sawaragi was not going to have it. But as hard as Sawaragi was working to keep Shuuya from breaching his defenses Shuuya was still able to wheedle his way in. Once on the outside Sawaragi put his yakuza lifestyle behind him and became a bartender. Life is never that easy though. One evening Shuuya, roughed up, shows up outside Sawaragi’s bar and quickly passes out. Not able to leave an injured man alone Sawaragi takes him to his apartment. The flame has been lit.

To offer his thanks Shuuya is more than willing to repay Sawaragi with his body but Sawaragi doesn’t want just Shuuya’s body and feels that Shuuya deserves to be happy. But things don’t run as smoothly as we would like and Sawaragi’s yakuza past pays a visit. Not only that but another prison acquaintance shows up to play. Will Shuuya realize what he really wants in time and will Sawaragi be able to give it to him?

For those who don’t already know this is Digital Manga Guild’s first release. Digital Manga Guild (DMG) is a project where titles are localized by groups of fans with the backing of Digital Manga, Inc. (DMI) and the original Japanese publishers. Instead of paying all the fees upfront all parties enter into this agreement and split up the proceeds from sales. It’s DMI’s solution to bring more manga (mainly yaoi up to this point) to the masses legally instead of manga fans accessing illegal scanlations. The titles are originally released on DMI’s eManga site with the possibility releasing them in other digital formats like the Kindle, Nook, etc. It’s been stated that if the titles sell well digitally there may be an opportunity to publish them in print. I know that some manga reviewers and critics have been skeptical (myself included) about how successful this venture will be both fiscally and in terms of quality.

Now that the background of the project has been touched upon I’ll be able to make my comments about this release. I’m probably placing myself in the firing line here but I’m no stranger to scanlations. I don’t read too many now but I do check them out from time to time. Because of this I’m quite familiar with this title and one of my complaints is that Tired of Waiting for Love is actually a spin-off. Takaga Koi Daro is the original piece and deals with Sawaragi’s brother-in-law Izumi, nephew Makoto, and the arresting officer Takatsudo and features Sawaragi’s days as a yakuza and drug dealer. Izumi, Makoto, and Takatsudo make appearances in this spin-off but it focuses on Sawaragi. You don’t have to read Takaga Koi Daro but it makes for a more enjoyable reading experience if you know the original story. I hope that Digital Manga will think about picking up this license.

Although this isn’t an original story by Yugi Yamada-sensei, Saki Aida-sensei is awesome in her own right so it is definitely a title that I would find interesting. If this were a title by any other artist (with the exception of some of my other favorites) it would have received a much lower grade due to the issues I have with the localization (and were it not for the localization issues it would have gotten a higher grade.) I really think that DMI/DMG dropped the ball by releasing this without publishing Takaga Koi Daro first. Secondly, I personally think that the scanlated version was better. The language flowed nicely and the clean up and typesetting looked much more professional. With DMG the localization groups generally consist of three people: a translator, a typesetter, and an editor. However, the group handling this title one person, Ms. Kimiko Kotani, completed all tasks. I have no problem with how the groups break down but in this case I feel that doing your own editing is not in the best interest of the title. Because she did her own editing the language was stilted and awkward within the manga itself. Due to her translation and the font choices reading the author and artists notes at the end were really a chore (especially for Yamada-sensei’s remarks.) I don’t know how much experience Ms. Kotani has with typesetting but you could often tell where the Japanese was removed because there was a smudgy look behind the translated text. Also I wasn’t too fond of some of the fonts that she used for her sound effects. My final complaint is regarding Ms. Kotani’s ethics. In an article at Publishers Weekly (click here for the article) Brigid Alverson states that Ms. Kotani has experience in freelance writing, editing, and reviews. Since I like to keep up on reviews written by others I am familiar with Ms. Kotani. Now that Ms. Kotani is a contracted employee with DMI in most circles it would be expected that she no longer review titles released by Digital Manga’s imprints. However, she continues to publish reviews. In one review she does place a disclaimer (this is for a Juné title) that all opinions are her own regardless of her doing freelance work for the company but in her following reviews for DMG titles there is no such disclaimer. Disclaimer or no I feel that any and all reviews for DMI (and especially for DMG) hold no weight and she should cease and desist due to a conflict of interest. I have no problem with her reviewing material for other manga and book companies but she lost all respect from this reviewer by claiming that she can remain objective. I will not be purchasing my own English copy, digital or print. Instead, I’ll buy it in Japanese.

***Digital Review Copy Provided by Publisher***

I Hope I'm Back for a While

2011-09-02T12:36:00.000-06:00

I know that I've been world's worst reviewer as of late. I post at the beginning of January then disappear for nine months. I didn't disappear for pregnancy but I was working and it was in the wonderful world of data entry. Typing for eight hours a day, five days a week made it so I didn't want to come home and sit in front of my computer and type some more. Now that I'm unemployed I hope to get back to reviewing. Thanks to those who still check out my blog even though I've not been actively reviewing! Be sure to stay tuned!

Manic About Manga’s 2010 Favorites

2011-01-02T06:58:00.011-07:00

I generally don’t like to follow the trend and post “Best of” lists because these lists can be so subjective. One title that I may like some other manga blogger may have that title on their “Worst Titles” list and titles that I might feel a bit squeamish over may show up on a “Best of” list (which actually happened this year-twice.) So I’ve decided that I’m going to post a list of titles that I read this past year that I found myself loving. Be aware that some of these titles are ongoing series (both here and in Japan – with the exception of one it’s done in Japan but still ongoing here) and one series that was actually released a few years ago but I only read this year. Another caveat before I jump in - the titles fall into two publishers DMP/Juné/DokiDoki/801 Media and TokyoPop/BLU and are mainly Yaoi/Shonen-Ai titles. Money was tight last year and I really had to budget (which was tough, do I put gas in my car and pay some bills or buy more manga? I really wanted to buy the manga but sadly reality won out.) I’m hoping that this year there will be more cash for me to be able to splurge on more titles. Without further ado here is my favorites list for 2010! Links for reviews will be provided.

Alice the 101 by Chigusa Kawai (DokiDoki, 2 volumes released, series ongoing) Aristide “Alice” Lang has entered Mondonveille Music Academy to fulfill his grandfather’s dying wish. Only 100 students get accepted into this prestigious school but it seems that Alice is a special case and gets accepted as the 101 student. He has no formal training and can’t read music but he has an amazing ear and perfect pitch. With the help of his roommate Theo and upperclassman Vick will Alice be able to deal with life at school?
Normally manga that centers around music always catches my attention but for some reason I couldn’t get excited about this title. I finally broke down when time was running out with the copy the publisher provided for me (it was an eManga copy) and the second volume was getting ready to hit shelves so I had access to it early. Once I jumped in I found the story to be charming and the art superb. But it was the second volume and the character Georges Saphir (a supporting character) that I found myself hooked. Being a mediocre musician myself (I sing and play the piano) I found many of the scenarios so true to life that I couldn’t help the fact that I was being drawn in. Chigusa Kawai-sensei must have done some serious research because this manga is jam packed with musical information and some great pieces of music that the students play. This manga has everything and can be enjoyed by all. Plus there are shonen-ai vibes all over the place which I simply love.

The Object of My Affection by Nanao Okuda (Juné, 1 volume one-shot) Once small in stature Hiroki Wakamiya saw Wataru Anzai play on the basketball court he knew that one day he was going to surpass Anzai’s skill but also play on the same team, he even challenged Anzai directly. Five years and a growth spurt later Wakamiya was scouted to play basketball at the same university as Anzai but Anzai is nowhere to be found. When the two reunite Wakamiya realizes that his feelings of admiration are actually a feeling of love. Can these two overcome the difficulties facing them and come together?
When I first read through this manga I honestly thought that I was reading a basketball centric version of Dash by Natsume Itsuki. But I liked Dash and found that I really enjoyed The Object of My Affection. Not only do we get the story between Wakamiya and Anzai but it also features other romances between other members of the basketball team. The story is a gentle romance with great art and the humor is very natural and plays well. There are a few sex scenes but even though they aren’t explicit they are tastefully done and very satisfying (I don’t have to have explicit sex for me to enjoy a title.) The characters are very real and accessible. Plus there’s a sequel/spin-off of sorts that I also enjoyed (the sequel is called Honey/Chocolate and features a different couple from the basketball team.) It’s definitely worthy of your time.

La Esperanca by Chigusa Kawai (Juné, 7 volumes released, series complete) Georges Saphir is the unofficial idol at Saint Grollo, a prestigious boys school. To keep from hurting the feelings of his fellow classmates he treats everyone the same. He’s friendly and rather popular with those around him but always keeps them at arms length. That’s the case until mysterious student Robert Jade transfers into his class. Robert is older than the other students and has a bit of a temper, definitely the bad boy type. For some reason Georges is drawn to Robert and vice versa, except in Robert’s case Georges resembles someone from his past that causes him extreme pain. What does the future hold for these two boys?
This series actually came out a few years ago and the final volume was actually published in 2007. I overlooked this title because I didn’t think I’d like it. It wasn’t until I read the second volume of Alice the 101 that I decided to give it a shot. I didn’t know that he had his own series until I read the character profiles. I had fallen for Georges and once I found out that he was the star of La Esperanca I knew I was going to have to read it. I wasn’t disappointed. The art was fantastic. I love how Kawai-sensei draws chibis. Also I was so drawn into the story that I read all seven volumes in one sitting, which meant that I ended up staying up way past my bedtime and was exhausted at work. Oh well, it was definitely worth it. It is so emotionally heart wrenching I couldn’t put it down and found myself crying through the final volume. This is a great series to check out if you are new to the BL genre but seasoned veterans will enjoy it too.

Kyo Kara MAOH! vols. 5-7 by Tomo Takabayashi and Temari Matsumoto (TokyoPop, 7 volumes released, series ongoing) In these volumes of Kyo Kara MAOH! Yuri and the gang go to Svelera to search for a person who seems to be mistaken as Yuri because they are in possession of the Mateki, or Demon Flute, which is also a Demon treasure. Gwendal’s cousin was banished from the kingdom to locate this missing treasure as punishment for past crimes. Yuri and company meet up with Gwendal but on their way to the capital Gwendal and Yuri get separated from the rest of the crew, get mistaken for elopers, actually find and team up with the Yuri look alike, get captured again, etc. Once the Mateki is found and they return to Shinmakoku Yuri assumes he can get back home to Japan because he finished his quest. Sadly he’s stuck in Shinmakoku and is unable to go back. But a new adventure awaits Yuri in the form of a little girl who claims to be his love child but actually turns out to be an assassin. What’s in store for Yuri this time around?
Being a BL-centric reader Temari Matsumoto is a name I know well but all I knew about Kyo Kara MAOH! was the mention of it on the back covers of a couple of her other titles. I then picked up the anime series (my copies are the Geneon releases which are no longer available but Funimation grabbed the license when it became available and is now available once again) when I stumbled upon it. Falling for the anime and then discovering that TokyoPop had licensed and was starting to release the manga series made my day. At this point I can’t get enough of it. The story is great but what really makes this truly a favorite is Matsumoto-sensei’s art. It really brings the world created to life. Now if we could only get the light novels that inspired both the manga and anime I would be a happy camper. Another thing I’m a bit worried about is that there hasn’t been any news regarding future volumes. I know that Kyo Kara MAOH! is up to volume 10 and still ongoing in Japan. I sure hope that TokyoPop will continue this series because you can’t beat a fun story with great characters and amazing art! (Click Here for the review for volume 5)

Calling by Mio Otsuki (BLU, 1 volume one-shot) Kazuaki Hinamura leads a rather boring life. He works in the General Affairs office of his company, lives alone, has no girlfriend, and doesn’t have much ambition. His world is tossed upside down when he meets Kira Aratani. Kira is a rising star in the porn industry and fell in love with Kazuaki at first sight. Kazuaki is not at all thrilled with this news but is willing to be friends with Kira. Will Kira’s devotion to Kazuaki finally win his heart?
Even though I haven't been able keep up on other publishers titles (but I wish I could) I have the tendency to make sure to always stay on top of BLU's releases. I had no experience whatsoever with this artist and didn’t know much about her or this manga. Once I saw Otsuki-sensei’s chibis I knew immediately that I was most likely going to enjoy this title. I was correct in my assumption. It was a refreshing change from the usual yaoi fare available. It features adults living adult lives and behaving like adults, the relationship begins naturally and there is no force involved. I’ve become rather desensitized to the rape=love scenario but when you happen upon a story where that isn’t a factor it’s definitely time to celebrate. Both the story and the art make this a truly enjoyable manga. It’s very sweet and definitely worth your time.

Silver Diamond vols. 5-7 by Shiho Sugiura (TokyoPop, 8 volumes released, series ongoing) Rakan is a being called a Sanome who has the ability to cause plants to grow and flourish. With volume 5 Rakan has decided to go to the alternate world with Chigusa, Narushige and Koh, and Tohji. Once they arrive they are soon in a camp with numbered children who have been abandoned by both family and country. Once Rakan sees the hopeless state that the world is in he decides that he’s going to bring the green back. The adventure starts now.
I picked up Silver Diamond on a whim, I stopped by my local Barnes and Noble to pick up a totally different manga title but wound up with this one instead. I must say that it’s a good thing that I did because I immediately fell in love. Rakan is so clueless but adorable, Chigusa is amazing at how bold he is in his pursuit of Rakan and how Rakan is so clueless regarding it, Narushige is so overprotective it’s crazy, and Tohji is always the one who is always forced to keep Chigusa at bay. But the one who makes it a totally awesome title is the wise cracking, talking snake Koh. The gorgeous art and incredible storytelling make this a compelling read. I was worried for a while because there was quite a large span of time between the beginning of the series and the continuation. I thought that maybe due to low sales it was going to be canceled. Thankfully things have picked up. I know that volume 8 was released here at the end of the year but it will be 2011 by the time I get it read so that is why it’s not on the list. I hope that TokyoPop will still continue to stand behind this title because even though there are 21 volumes (and it’s still ongoing) you’ll have a faithful reader of this title in me.

Blood Honey by Sakyou Yozakura (BLU, 1 volume one-shot) Yuki Akabane is descended from vampires. He doesn’t have much in the way of traditional vampiric traits but one, the love of drinking blood. To help him out with this endeavor Akabane works as a nurse in a blood donation clinic. Osamu Mayuzumi is a blood donor nut. He has a very hot blooded personality and the only way to keep his temper in check is by donating blood. But Mayzumi has a fear of needles and the only nurse who has been able to draw his blood without any pain is Akabane. Because of that Mayuzumi is constantly in Akabane’s clinic. One evening Mayuzumi showed up with a friend’s ID so he could have his blood drawn. Akabane reluctantly draws the minimal amount but doesn’t feel like he should include Mayuzumi’s blood with the rest of the vials so he decides to have a snack. It turns out that his donor nut has the most delicious tasting blood. When Mayuzumi shows up again Akabane has a proposition, since Mayuzumi wants his blood drawn often and it can only be drawn by Akabane, how about they meet at Akabane’s place? It’s a match made in blood heaven.
I love this title. I read it in scanlation form and was ecstatic when I heard it was licensed. As soon as it was available for preorder at Amazon it was in my shopping cart faster than the speed of light. The art is adorable, the story is charming and it is definitely a great read. The characters are fantastic and are rather funny. There isn’t much in the way of sex for our main pairing but the secondary characters definitely get hot and heavy. Those characters are just as enjoyable as our main couple. It’s definitely worth spending some time with.

Isle of Forbidden Love by Duo Brand (BLU, 1 volume one-shot) Aki had a traumatic experience as a child. But it seems that the man who saved him made a huge impression on him. Because of that experience, and that man, Aki has made it his mission in life to serve the people of Edo as a Jittemochi, a common citizen with the power to make arrests on behalf of the police. Lately there has been a rash of kidnappings and strange murders. But the strangest thing seems to be that the man that saved him twelve years ago has reappeared and hasn’t seemed to age at all. Aki apprehended him (sort of) just to find out that he only looked like the man. Kuga and Aki hit it off immediately and while Aki is very up front and honest and while Kuga is helpful he’s also very mysterious. Aki is determined to get to the bottom of the crime, but could Kuga, the man who resembles his Conch Buddha, be the actual criminal?
Isle of Forbidden Love is a mysterious tale that spans time and space. It is lushly illustrated and if you have a thing for traditional Japanese dress you will be in heaven (I know I was!) I’ve never been disappointed by a Duo Brand title but I’ve never really been impressed either so when this came out I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to get it. After reading through a few reviews and being informed that it was a yaoi mystery I decided that I should pick it up. I was not disappointed. I actually love it so much I read it regularly and it has made it on my all time favorites list. The characters are interesting, the art beautiful, and the story compelling it is definitely a must read! Oh, and if you are wondering what the deal is with the Conch Buddha you’ll just have to read it to find out.

Gakuen Heaven: Calling You by You Higuri (BLU, 1 volume one-shot but part of an ongoing series) Keita Ito has settled in happily at Bell Liberty thanks to the friendship of Kazuki Endo, now his lover. Because of this friendship the two were able to win the MVP contest that the mysterious Chairman set up to make it possible for Keita to stay. It turns out that the mysterious Chairman and Kazuki are one in the same. A long time ago Keita and Kazuki made a promise that they would one day attend the same school. Now that the time has come it seems that the Suzubishi Group, parent company to BL Academy, want Kazuki to relinquish his title of chairman and come back to corporate and head up a new venture. Obviously Kazuki has no desire to do that so his father, and president of the company, sends in a new vice chairman to create some chaos within the student body. Keita on the other hand has been roped into helping the student council with the yearly Silver Bell Festival. These two hardly see each other as it is. Now that they’re together again will they be pulled apart forever?
The reason that Calling You is on this list is purely sentimental. It’s a pretty run of the mill BL story featuring a schoolboy romance but I have a soft spot in my heart for Gakuen Heaven and this is my favorite and most natural of the pairings. Because this series is based on the BL game of the same name each volume features Keita with a different partner (he’s not the school bicycle, I promise.) In this volume it follows the main pairing from the original novel as well as the anime. And like I mentioned before is my favorite pairing. The reason why I’m so sentimental about this volume is because this particular manga was the first volume I ever ordered in Japanese after I read the first Gakuen Heaven manga volume in English. I was very new to the BL genre and was having a difficult time finding titles to keep me interested. Thanks to the first volume it kept me in the fandom and I soon found myself searching out anything Gakuen Heaven related. You Higuri-sensei’s work is amazing. Her characters are so impossibly beautiful that you can’t help but be drawn in. The detail is amazing and the backgrounds are just as detailed as the foreground. Honestly I’m in awe every time I read any title by her, but this one holds a special place in my heart and I can’t thank BLU enough for bringing this title to us in English.

ZE vols. 5-6 by Yuki Shimizu (801 Media, 6 volumes released, series ongoing) Ryuusei Kitamura has nothing to do with the Mitou clan even though he has the power of kotodama. Moriya is a masterless kami-sama destined to return to hakushi (blank paper). Moriya doesn’t want to return to hakushi so Waki sends Moriya to Ryuusei with the time limit of one month to convince Ryuusei to accept him as his kami. Ryuusei on the other hand knows almost nothing about kami because he refuses to use kotodama. Will Moriya be able to save himself by convincing Ryuusei to become his master?
I feel I need to mention that the fourth volume came out this year as well but I found myself drawn more to Moriya and Ryuusei than Genma and Himi (which that pairing is featured in volume four). We do get a quick glimpse of Ryuusei and Moriya in the first volume, are introduced to them at the end of vol. 4, and finally get their story in five and six. This series has consistently blown me away because it was featured on my list last year. Shimizu-sensei’s art is gorgeous, lush, and detailed, the characters are fascinating, deep, and real. They’re all flawed in their own ways. I enjoyed this particular pairing because Moriya, the kami, is the seme. It seems in most of the other pairings (with the exception of Konoe and Kotoha) the kotodama-sama is the seme. After reading volume six, which concludes Moriya and Ryuusei’s story, I have to say that this is my second favorite pairing within the ZE universe. My first favorite coupling is still Raizou and Kon (their story is chronicled in the first two volumes and they get a chapter in volume 6) but the series is still ongoing so I may change my mind when we get the story between Shoui (the current head of the Mitou family) and his kami Asari (my heart skipped a beat when we met Asari in the first volume, a true moe moment.) This is definitely a worthwhile series and I LOVE it. Now I must apologize for the extreme fujoshi rant that just went on. Did it even make any sense?

Itazura na Kiss vols. 1- 4 by Kaoru Tada (Digital Manga Publishing, 4 omnibus volumes released, series complete in Japan but ongoing in English) Kotoko Aihara isn’t the sharpest tack in the box and she’s developed a crush on the smartest boy in her grade, Naoki Irie. She writes him a letter detailing her feelings for him but he rejects her outright stating that he doesn’t like “stupid girls.” Kotoko, dealing with her broken heart, is then faced with quite the challenge. The house that they recently finished building collapsed in a small earthquake and the only place they can go is to the house of a friend of her father’s. Unfortunately for Kotoko the friend happens to be the father of her crush Naoki. The two move in and Kotoko’s adventures begin. She gets along well with Naoki’s parents, especially his mom, but his little brother is not too fond of her. Initially Kotoko was going to try to give up on Naoki but being faced with this new challenge she decides to keep pursuing him. What lies in store for Kotoko now?
I rather enjoy this title but I have mixed feelings about it in the future. I know this sounds strange but it’s strictly because I have this weird OCD. Once I start reading a series regardless of whether I like the story or not I have to read it to its conclusion. Unfortunately Tada-sensei passed away before the series was ever finished. So I wonder how it will be handled. Another thing that kept me away, initially, was the fact that this series was started in the 90’s. The art is definitely dated and features typical shojo flowery-ness but once I started reading all of my hesitations flew out the window. It’s simply charming. Kotoko’s determination is simply amazing, and even though I found Naoki rather annoying at the beginning he’s starting to change and I’m starting to like him. Yuuki, Naoki’s brother, is great for comic relief and Naoki’s mom is out of this world. She will stop at nothing to see Kotoko and Naoki together. This title is not only a fun read but it also served as the inspiration for future shojo series. I swear that while reading this I caught glimpses of Marmalade Boy. Even though it isn’t complete it’s definitely a title you won’t want to miss.

Yugi Yamada’s No One Loves Me (Juné, 1 volume one-shot) should have made this list but I haven’t had a chance to get a copy and I’ve only read the scanlation. I really loved the story and was ecstatic that Juné acquired the license and published this title recently. So it gets an honorable mention along with two of her other titles Close the Last Door vol. 2 (I’ve read it online through eManga but I need to get my physical copy and I have it in Japanese) and Open the Door to Your Heart (I have a temporary eManga copy for review purposes – which I haven’t read yet – but I want a physical copy, and again I have this title in Japanese.)

So tell me, do you agree, disagree, or what are some of your favorites from 2010?

Digital Manga info from Yaoi-con

2010-10-31T04:02:00.002-06:00

I mentioned in my last post that I would let you know what I could dig up from DMP's panel at Yaoi-con. From what I can tell (info found at Anime News Network) the licenses were announced at their website a couple days before so it wasn't really news, to me. So I apologize for jumping the gun on them. The only other news was to announce the Digital Manga Guild, a project that has been in the works. This is their experiment to work with fans in translating and localizing manga (more info can be found at their website.) Again not a huge shock, I learned about this in an bimonthly newsletter I received early Saturday morning.
Sadly none of this was new news to me so I'm kind of disappointed. Oh well!

Upcoming Titles from Digital Manga Publishing

2010-10-30T05:23:00.003-06:00

Yesterday while goofing around on the internet I noticed that Digital Manga had updated their release schedule up through May 2011. So as a service I'll provide you a list of the titles, authors, imprints, and any commentary I feel like adding! And like always dates are not set in stone and may change at any time!

November 2010

Juné
Treasure vol. 1 - Riyu Yamakami
Kiss Blue vol. 2 - Keiko Kinoshita
Finder vol. 2: Cage in the Viewfinder - Ayano Yamane
My Bad! - Rize Shinba
No One Knows Me - Yugi Yamada - I found out about the licensing of this title not too long ago and I simply cannot wait for this one to be released (along with my editor at J LHLS, Ginger Mayerson.) Plus anything by Yugi Yamada is worth the wait!
Close the Last Door vol. 2 - Yugi Yamada - FINALLY! I thought this sequel would never get released. I even purchased the Japanese tankobon to find out how it ends. Since this title was caught up in the Biblos/Libre mess it's nice to see it finally be released in English.
No Touching at All - Kou Yoneda

Digital Manga Publishing
Itazura na Kiss vol. 4 - Kaoru Tada - This title has surprised me. Even though it's got some dated looking art work it is a very fun story. You can't beat clumsy heroines!
Knights vol. 2 - Minoru Murao
Yashakiden: The Demon Princess vol. 3 Omnibus Edition - Hideyuki Kikuchi

December 2010

Juné
The Spiral of Sand - Yuna Aoi
Intriguing Secrets - Rize Shinba
Open Your Heart to the Door - Yugi Yamada - The spinoff/sequel to Close the Last Door featuring Honda's two older brothers. Honda and Nagai show up in this story as well and it is a worthwhile read (again I have the tankobon.)
Temperature Rising - Souya Himawari
The Tyrant Falls in Love vol. 2 - Hinako Takanaga
Cold Fever (novel) - Narise Konohara/Nanao Saikawa - The third and final volume in this trilogy and it sounds like it's going to be quite the ending. This has been an utterly moving series and look forward to it's conclusion.

DokiDoki
A Place in the Sun - Lala Takemiya

January 2011

Juné
Blue Sheep Reverie vol. 3 - Makoto Tateno
Kizuna Deluxe Edition vol. 2 - Kazuma Kodaka
Love Syndrome - Yura Miyazawa
Then Comes Love - Riyu Yamakami

February 2011

Juné
All You Need is Love vol. 2 - Jinko Fuyuno/Noboru Takatsuki - I've been waiting forever for this one! Anything with Noboru Takatsuki's name attached is enough for me to be interested. I enjoyed the first one and I look forward to the continuing adventures. Plus it's a Yakuza/Salaryman pairing!
Finder vol. 3: One Wing in the Viewfinder - Ayano Yamane
Honey Colored Pancakes - Keiko Kinoshita
Intense Rain - Shinri Fuwa - This title keeps getting pushed back so I hope that this time it will get released.
Kabuki vol. 3 - Yukari Hashida - Another title that they keep pushing back and I'm getting rather impatient. I love this series and want to see it finished!
Right Here, Right Now! vol. 2 - Souya Himawari

March 2011

Juné
Treasure vol. 2 - Riyu Yamakami
Yellow 2 vol. 2 - Makoto Tateno - Another chapter continuing the lives of Goh and Taki!

Digital Manga Publishing
COUNTDOWN 7 DAYS vol. 1 - Kemuri Karakara
Itazura na Kiss vol. 5 - Kaoru Tada
Replica vol. 1 - Kemuri Karakara
The Beautiful Skies of Houou High vol. 1 - Arata Aki

April 2011

Juné
That was Good - CJ Michalski
The Tyrant Falls in Love vol. 3 - Hinako Takanaga
Your Story I've Known - Tsuta Suzuki
Great Place High School - Student Council vol. 2 - Naduki Koujima

Digital Manga Publishing
Fafner - Dead Aggressor vol. 2 - XEBEC

801 Media
The Desert Prince - Shushushu Sakurai - Finally we get some Shushushu on these shores. DramaQueen holds several licenses but at the rate they're publishing I'll be dead before the books get published. I can't wait she's funny and smutty all at the same time, right up my alley!

May 2011

Juné
Bad Teacher's Equation vol. 1 - Kazuma Kodaka
Blue Sheep Reverie vol. 4 - Makoto Tateno
Border vol. 1 - Kazuma Kodaka
Butterfly of the Distant Day - Tooko Miyagi - This is one of the sequels of Il Gatto sul G. In my review of the third volume I reqested this title to be licensed so you can all thank me! I'm kidding! The licensing process takes a while and I'm pretty sure this was already in the pipeline by the time I wrote my review. But I am truly grateful that they are bringing this title to us!
Men of Tattoos - Yuiji Aniya
Rabbit Man, Tiger Man vol. 1 - Akira Honma

It looks like we have a great year approaching us and I look forward to many of these titles! Since Yaoi-con is this weekend I'll try to see if I can find some info from their panel for you later!

La Satanica by Momoko Tenzen review

2010-10-21T05:00:00.002-06:00

La Satanica

Author/Artist: Momoko Tenzen

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – for ages 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance, School Life

Grade: A

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org. Check it out! ***

Motoki Matsushima is one of the most popular guys in class. Girls are always confessing their love for him but there’s only one Matsushima has his eye on, Shoji Mashita. Mashita comes across as quiet and brainy but in all actuality he has a cruel streak. Mashita knows how Matsushima feels about him and Mashita enjoys teasing him mercilessly. The two are really close friends and the chances are pretty high that Mashita feels the same way. Unfortunately the secret comes out when Mashita gets jealous of a mutual friend (the friend, Natsuki, has known Mashita for a long time) because Matsushima was getting the dirt on Mashita. Mashita may be able to keep his cool in everyday situations but when passions are high its Matsushima who’s in control. Will these two be able to get together or will Mashita’s inexperience with the physical aspects of their relationship hinder these two from moving forward?

Sorry for the poor synopsis but action packed this manga is not. It feels like it moves slowly but it’s over before you know it. This definitely falls into a unique category. When I first read it it took me a while to get the right name with the right face because the names are just too similar (at least in my mind). But once I got past that aspect of story I was able to sink in and truly enjoy it. Matsushima is like a giant puppy and an ongoing joke is that he grew out his hair because the person he liked said it reminded him of his dog’s hair. Of course Mashita has a dog and the two do share similarities. Mashita does have a mean streak but it’s pretty obvious to everyone (except Matsushima) how he feels. Of course true love does not run smooth so there are a few bumps that these two will need to overcome.

As always I rather enjoyed this title. It is, of course, a Momoko Tenzen title and will get my attention simply for that fact. She is a rather interesting story teller. Not only does she approach things in a little bit different way but she doesn’t always follow the yaoi conventions. Like in this story it’s the uke who seems to be the cruel one in everyday life. Now following the typical conventions it’s almost always the seme that has the cruel streak. I noticed, too, that at the beginning of the manga we jump right in to the middle of their story and then backtrack a little bit (I noticed the same pattern in her title Suggestive Eyes.) But the thing I love most about this title is the art. Tenzen-sensei’s men are impossibly beautiful (with thick lips and windswept hair) yet still have an everyday man quality too them. She isn’t shy to include beauty marks on her characters (that is a statement over all, none of the characters in La Satanica have any that I’m aware of but in some of her other titles you’ll catch them) which makes them more realistic to me (no one has flawless skin). Because much of her stuff falls into the realm of drama there isn’t much need for chibis but when she inserts some humor her chibis are darling.

When it comes to Tenzen-sensei I’m running out of things to say because I’ve said it all once before in previous reviews. She continues to be a favorite mangaka of mine and unless she ends up writing some really weird, distasteful manga she will continue to be a favorite of mine. I really enjoyed La Satanica for the storytelling, the art and the pacing. Some may not feel the same way. But if you enjoy pure romance you’ll like La Satanica.

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Live for Love by Itsuki Sato and Jun Mayama review

2010-10-20T05:00:00.004-06:00

Live for Love

Author/Artist: Itsuki Sato/Jun Mayama

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: D+

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org. Check it out! ***

In Shinjuku’s Nichome neighborhood (for those not in the know this is the neighborhood well known to cater to Tokyo’s gay community) is a small Detective agency run by Yasuie Kiryuuin and his assistant Yoshiyuki Nomura. There’s one problem they have no business and Yasu is terrible with money. Yoshiyuki seems to handle all of the business aspects of the detective agency and Yasu tries to drum up business by taking care of the cats of many of the ladies who work in Kabukicho (Tokyo’s red light district) and sexually harasses Yoshiyuki. They face a bleak future but they seem to get through it together until Yoshiyuki’s father falls ill. You see Yoshiyuki is adopted and when his adoptive parents have a child of their own he feels out of place. Eventually Yoshiyuki hits rock bottom and that’s when Yasu finds him and offers him a place to belong. That lasted for a while but his parents would like him to come back home, work in his father’s company, and start with marriage interviews. It seems like it’s going to be a tough decision for Yoshiyuki. Does he stay poor and follow Yasuie, the man who gave him a place to belong, or go home with a family and live a secure life?

Live for Love is a title that I’m going to have a hard time recommending. Why, you ask? Well many of the yaoi stereotypes are alive and thriving in this manga. I will warn you now that there is a non-con (non-consensual or rape) scene because Yasu is just so overcome by emotion when he finds out that Yoshiyuki is tossing around the idea of going back home. At least in this case Yasu realizes what a boneheaded move that was and would understand if Yoshiyuki would want nothing to do with him. Yoshiyuki is the typical tsundere type character; he seems to say one thing but means something completely different. Yasu has redeeming qualities, he’s a total goofball and that is something that I love in my semes, but he does push the line way too often.

While the story falls into typical yaoi territory the art is not really my style. Mayama sensei’s chibis are kind of weird looking and even the normal art in many places looks off. I liked the art on the cover and on the back but once I cracked it open I wasn’t as impressed. Juné did a good job on it though. I didn’t catch any spelling or grammar mistakes and they did a nice job on the production.

I will admit that there were a few spots where I enjoyed the humor. If you don’t mind setting your values aside involving non-con who knows, you may enjoy this title. But I’m leaving the decision up to you. For another view on this title be sure to catch April Kimm’s review.

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Kyo Kara MAOH! vol. 5 by Tomo Takabayashi and Temari Matsumoto review

2010-10-19T05:00:00.001-06:00

Kyo Kara MAOH! vol. 5

Author/Artist: Tomo Takabayashi/Temari Matsumoto

Publisher: TOKYOPOP

Rating: T – 13 and up

Genre: Shojo, Shonen Ai, Comedy, Drama, Action, Fantasy

Grade: A

Something strange is going down in Shinmakoku. It seems that someone in one of the neighboring countries is claiming to be Yuri and if caught this person will face execution. Worried that somehow Yuri was summoned without the knowledge of those left in charge while Yuri is away (the three handsome Mazoku brothers and Gunter) Gwendal sets out for Svelera. It seems that the imposter also has a demon treasure in their possession, the Mateki or the demon flute. This treasure has been missing for a very long time and the reason Gwendal was the one who was sent was because it was a relative of his that was banished from Shinmakoku to locate this long lost treasure. Because of Yuri’s benevolent nature he insists on heading to Svelera as well.

Gwendal is not too terribly excited to see Yuri show up to assist in the search. Once they head out to the main city a Sandbear (a sand colored panda that lives in the sand) traps most of the Shinmakoku troops and leaves Yuri and Gwendal together. Gwendal is still grumpy, fussy, and kind of scary to Yuri so having just the two of them together is something that Yuri is a bit nervous about. While in town Yuri and Gwendal get mistaken for elopers and are handcuffed together as they await their punishment. They escape and head towards the capital city to have the handcuffs removed (they are handcuffs that use human sorcery so they can’t be removed by demon magic.) It’s on this trek that we meet the Gwendal that loves all things cute and that he doesn’t dislike Yuri. While in the capital they hit up a church but instead of getting the handcuffs removed they pick up a bride who also happens to be the imposter. Will Gwendal and Yuri get the handcuffs removed, locate the Mateki, and figure out the story behind Yuri’s imposter?

The biggest surprise with this volume of Kyo Kara MAOH! didn’t come between the covers but was actually on the back cover. I had no idea that my recommendation was going to be used. I purchased a copy at my local Borders and didn’t bother reading the back because I knew that I was going to be purchasing it (with titles I’m not sure about I’ll read the back blurb to help me decide.) It wasn’t until the next morning when I was going through my purchases and getting ready to curl up in bed (the joys of working the graveyard shift) that I discovered my comment on the back. I’m not trying to toot my own horn but it was rather exciting. I know I’m easy to please.

OK, back to the actual content of the book. This continues to be a favorite of mine. Combining Takabayashi-sensei’s storytelling and Matsumoto-sensei’s art makes for a fun read. Who better to portray Takabayashi-sensei’s story all about guys than an amazing BL artist like Matsumoto-sensei? It’s gorgeous to look at. This is a series that stays consistently by my bed and I’ll just pick it up at random just to stare at the amazing art. Currently there are 10 volumes of manga and it’s a pretty lengthy novel series. With my crazy OCD once I start a series I’ll stick with it to the end. In many cases I’m cursing myself because I want to stop reading a series because I’ve had enough with it (case in point Nana by Ai Yazawa, don’t stone me I just don’t think it’s as wonderful a series as many critics and manga reviewers say it is) but can’t because once I start I have to finish it. With Kyo Kara MAOH!, however, has enough going for it to keep me hooked, at least at this point in time. In this volume we really get to see Gwendal as the big softie that he really is. He knits, loves cute things like kittens, and is the “Foster Father of all the small animals of Shinmakoku.” We’re also introduced to some new characters in this volume. First character up is Anissina von Karbelnikoff and her crazy inventions (Anissina shows up much earlier in the anime.) She is one of the three great female demons and a childhood friend of Gwendal’s. Next is Nicola, she is the bride and the Yuri imposter. The third major character we meet is Griesela Geigenhuber. We don’t actually meet him personally but he plays a major role in the story as he was sent on the fruitless task of locating the Mateki and has been dwelling in the human lands for the last twenty years. We don’t have all the details as to why he was sent on the task at this point in the story but do get a few glimpses towards the end of the volume. If you’ve seen the anime then you actually get more details but that’s neither here nor there at this point (there are extra stories in the anime than the manga.)

I know for a series that I love so much I would generally give it an A+ (and actually the first volume did get that grade) but I have a few issues. I’m not fond of the printing. I feel that when I’m done reading it there is more ink on my hands than there is left in the book. I also wish there were a few more translation notes made. They were kind enough to inform us that Giant is a character in Doraemon but who is Paaman Nigou and what on earth is amigurumi. I love when they leave cultural references and Japanese terms and words but if you don’t clarify things for those who may not know the meaning behind the references then I find it rather pointless. One thing I will point out that I did appreciate is that if you compare the paper in this volume to the paper in the last volume it is definitely a higher quality, it’s not quite so newsprinty (I know that’s not a word.) I love the matte covers and the color schemes that they’ve chosen. Other than my few nitpicky issues it’s still a very fun read.

I can honestly say that I still highly recommend Kyo Kara MAOH! Fish out of water stories are always fun and Kyo Kara MAOH! is one of the best. You have swashbuckling bishies and gakuran clad heroes (OK Yuri is the only one in a gakuran – the high neck black school uniform that is prevalent in manga, especially BL – but still) to make any fangirl’s heart flutter. Pick it up. Also if you’re interested feel free to read my reviews of vols. one, two, three, and four.

***Review Copy purchased at Borders***

Brilliant Blue vol. 2 by Saemi Yorita review

2010-10-18T05:00:00.000-06:00

Brilliant Blue vol. 2

Author/Artist: Saemi Yorita

Publisher: DokiDoki

Rating: YA – ages 16 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: B

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org. Check it out! ***

Nanami and Shouzo are back in the second volume of Brilliant Blue. It seems that Shouzo has flipped Nanami’s switch. It’s obvious that the two of them are attracted to each other but being in a small town does have its drawbacks. Things haven’t progressed but when a college friend from Tokyo, who also happens to be female, comes for a visit Nanami becomes jealous and finally admits to Shouzo that he’s in love with him. Shouzo feels the same way and the two enter into a relationship. But things don’t move as smoothly as one would like. The first problem they encounter is Shouzo getting Nanami into bed. He’s ready to move to the next level but Nanami can’t seem to read the mood. Next problem happens to be the two families. Because of the Douwaki mess in the first volume Nanami’s protective older brothers are even more overprotective. In Shouzo’s case he won’t be able to have a family to inherit the family business. Soon after their date Nanami’s brother finds out about the relationship between the two. Will these two be able to show their loved ones that they do truly love each other? Also included is an extra story that takes place six months after the end of the main story.

I have to say that I do really like this series. There were times when I really struggled with a few things but overall I found this to be an enjoyable manga to read. Your characters aren’t typical for the genre. Really the only thing I struggled with was trying to figure out what was up with Nanami. He’s not stupid seeing how his math skills are top notch and has quite the memory. But he seems like he’s emotionally stunted and that what stands in the way. Does he have a disability like autism or is it something else. In reading the series quite a few times I’m trying to figure out what the author intended. The way I’ve decided to look at it is that he’s been babied by his older brothers to the point where he really can’t do too much on his own. And his brothers failed him because instead of challenging and helping him they’ve mollycoddled him and if anything was too hard they just let him quit. At least that is my take on Nanami.

The extra story at the end is just like a cherry on top of a sundae. It has the feel of a day in the life of these two lovers as they deal with working together and their interactions with their coworkers around them.

This is another quality release of a DokiDoki title. I kind of like the smaller size, it makes it easier to throw the manga in my purse and take with me to read later. They also did a great job editorially, thumbs up to DokiDoki.

I recommend this title for those who want to read something a little different within the genre. School boys and salarymen are great but sometimes you need to read something with a different angle. There is a little sex but it is very brief and very tame so if you want something more explicit you won’t find it here. For another viewpoint be sure to read Linda Yau’s review as well. You can also read my review of the first volume and Linda Yau's review of the first volume, too.

***Review Copy provided by DokiDoki***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Brilliant Blue vol. 1 by Saemi Yorita review

2010-10-16T11:56:00.005-06:00

Brilliant Blue vol. 1

Author/Artist: Saemi Yorita

Publisher: DokiDoki

Rating: YA – Ages 16 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: B

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org. Check it out! ***

Shozo Mita never planned on coming back home. Even though he followed in his father’s footsteps and entered into the construction management field he had no intention of working in the family business. That was until his father sustained a back injury and is laid up. Living in a small town things haven’t changed much, you know everybody knows everyone and their business. But one thing has definitely changed, Nanami Ushijima. Nanami once was a heavyset kid that everyone teased but now he looks like he just stepped out from the pages of a shojo manga. Even though Nanami may have changed physically he’s still the somewhat childlike person he was in high school. You see Nanami isn’t the brightest when it comes to some things but he’s extremely good at his job as an electrician and has a knack with numbers and complicated diagrams.

Now that Shozo’s back in town Nanami seems to have taken a shine to him and it’s entirely possible that Shozo might have developed some feelings for Nanami as well. But there’s a bit of a problem. Because of Nanami’s childlike innocence he finds himself in some pretty strange situations. It seems that he’s in a strange relationship with one of Mita Construction’s clients and it doesn’t look Nanami is enjoying it. Will Shozo be able to help Nanami and win him over?

I found myself enjoying Brilliant Blue. It is a great tale of two socially awkward people (Nanami does seem to have some learning issues and in other reviews people have said that it looks like he’s somewhat autistic, and Shozo has no tact or inner monologue) coming together and making it work. It’s not your typical yaoi which made it that much more enjoyable. There isn’t much yaoi content within the pages. There is a sweet little kiss on the forehead towards the end but that’s about it. The story does move a bit slowly but who says that that’s a bad thing. There were a few scenes that were a bit hard to digest. Those were the scenes between Nanami and Douwaki (Mita Construction’s client.) Other than that the book was rather enjoyable. If interested be sure to check out Linda Yau’s review as well.

I like the look of the DokiDoki line. The books are smaller, about the size of an 801 Media title (and Juné’s new size) and instead of having a tacky branding bar (I was never a fan of Juné’s pink bar on the bottom of the books) the imprint’s name is in the corner with a scrolly (I know that’s not a word) design in a color that blends with the colors used in the illustration. Visually they did a good job. I didn’t notice any major spelling goofs or grammatical issues. Good job guys!

I found Brilliant Blue to be a great addition to my manga library due to the fact that it isn’t a typical run of the mill yaoi tale. With pretty art, cute chibis and an interesting story I feel comfortable recommending this title and I definitely can’t wait to read the next volume. But if you are looking for something a bit more explicit you may want to sit this one out.

***Review Copy provided by DokiDoki***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Finder vol. 2: Cage in the Finder by Ayano Yamane review

2010-09-12T22:22:00.002-06:00

Finder vol. 2: Cage in the Viewfinder

Author/Artist: Ayano Yamane

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – ages 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Action, Organized Crime

Grade: B

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org. Check it out! ***

Akihito Takaba can’t seem to stay away from Ryuichi Asami for very long. Always searching for the next big story Takaba is approached by another cop (you’ll have to read the first volume for the details on that whole scenario) and he has special access to the exclusive Club Sion, run by Asami himself. Once inside will Takaba get the story he’s looking for or will Asami show up and foil Takaba’s plans?

The majority of the volume is dedicated to Fei Long Liu’s backstory, how he and Asami met, and why there is some massive animosity between these two crime bosses. Fei Long was adopted into the Liu family and was raised like the head of the family’s own son but Fei Long didn’t feel as though he truly measured up to his older brother. Yan Tsui was ruthless in his treatment of both Fei Long and his enemies. Because he was the older of the two it’s expected that Yan Tsui will be taking over the family business but it seems that Fei Long is more capable and more liked. But all is not well in Hong Kong’s criminal underworld and Asami seems to have a hand in it.

The final part of the book is a new chapter starring the two students from Plants in Love. This time around it’s DNA in Love and Mizuno has it tough. His mom is out of town and his dad is in charge. It soon comes to the attention of Hiyama’s dad that his lover’s son happens to attend the same school as his own son and uses Mizuno’s illness as an excuse to head over to the Mizuno household. Not only do the dads seem to get some action but Hiyama and Mizuno enjoy some alone time as well.

This is a rather advanced review but I was given the opportunity so I figured that I’d take it. Luckily I still had my friend’s copy of the second BeBeautiful release and was able to handle it the way I did with the first volume. In comparing the two volumes the art hasn’t been changed. In the comments section of my own website one person commented that BeBeautiful did edit some of the artwork in the second volume if you compared it to the original Japanese version. I don’t have my original Japanese copies yet (I’ll probably be getting them later on in the year or the beginning of next, like y’all needed to know that.) At least compared with BeBeautiful’s version everything is the same, with the exception of the original interview conducted by BeBeautiful’s staff and that the book licensed by Juné is the one released by Libre in 2007 so the author’s afterword is different as well. Even though the artwork hasn’t changed Juné’s version is far superior. The translation is of a higher quality and they’ve included a full color cover sheet that is simply beautiful.

I love Yamane-sensei’s art, it is truly gorgeous. I’m still hanging in there in hopes that the story will truly hook me. I would like to see more of the Takaba x Akihito relationship. I have enjoyed it but I’m not as rabid about this series as others are in the fandom. So far I think I prefer her other English released titles (The Crimson Spell and A Foreign Love Affair) but I haven’t given up hope yet. There are still 3 more volumes to be translated and it is still an ongoing series. If it continues on its current trajectory chances are I’ll be converted.

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Finder vol. 1: Target in the Viewfinder by Ayano Yamane review

2010-08-09T20:14:00.006-06:00

Finder vol. 1: Target in the Viewfinder

Author/Artist: Ayano Yamane

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Action, Organized Crime

Grade: B

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

Akihito Takaba is a freelance photographer who got a hot tip and a huge scoop involving politicians and the criminal underworld but unfortunately the story was quashed. The crime boss Ryuichi Asami won’t have Takaba butting into his business so to intimidate Takaba he kidnaps and rapes him. But that won’t keep Takaba down. He’s determined to get the story one way or another. But he’ll need to watch out now that he’s entangled in Asami’s world. Not only is Asami after Takaba (he’s attracted to him) but it seems that Takaba’s caught the eye of the Chinese Mafia and their boss Fei Long. Man, poor kid! How will he handle these rough (but gorgeous) men? Also included are a few one shots: Love Lesson involves high school students, Plants in Love feature two classmates who find out their dads seem to be having an affair, and Risky Society is about a secret crime fighting group where the members have superpowers. Sorry for the poor synopsis but I really don’t want to give away the story.

This has to be one of the biggest, and most anticipated, releases of the year. Since the demise of BeBeautiful fans have been clamoring for any yaoi publisher to license this series. Earlier this year Digital Manga, Inc. announced that they had acquired this license just on the heels of the announcement that Ayano Yamane was going to be this year’s guest of honor at YaoiCon. Digital Manga announced that the title would be released through their Juné line. Initially there was excitement to be had but then worries about the fact that Juné was releasing it and not 801 Media (Digital Manga’s more explicit boys love line). Since Juné is Digital Manga’s mainstream BL line it’s a known fact that in the past they’ve been known to make some content edits to make it possible to sell their titles in more places i.e. brick and mortar stores like Borders. To try and quell the fear Deb Aoki at about.com spoke with the folks over at DMP regarding this title (click here for that article.) Now just to let all of you know I don’t own the original Japanese tankobon (I will eventually) or the BeBeautiful series that was released several years ago (by the time I started reading yaoi it was out of print). But thanks to a friend of mine she did have a copy of the first two volumes and lent them to me so I could compare the two against each other.

Now I can inform all you rabid fangirls out there that you have nothing to worry about. This is a beautiful release and you will be pleased. In my opinion it is a far more superior than the BeBeautiful version. They’ve included a full color cover page. The translation read smoothly and they’ve kept the honoriffics (-san, -sama, etc.). For someone who is new to the series and only read the BeBeautiful version right before the Juné volume the Juné translation was clear and made it easier for me to understand what was going on. In the volume Finder is only the first third of the book and the rest are brief one shots. In the BeBeautiful version the one shots Love Lesson and Plants in Love have aged up their characters and either state that they are university students or imply they are college age. But looking at the artwork they look like they are high school students (uniforms and the like). In the Juné edition it is vague. There is no statement of their ages but you know they’re high school students. With the new translation I was able to enjoy Risky Society a lot more and it made much more sense. And finally no artwork has been altered in any way, at least comparing it to BeBeautiful's version. All in all I have to say that the Juné’s is miles ahead in quality over the BeBeautiful volume. I’m sure that there are people who will prefer the other volume but for me Juné wins.

Ayano Yamane-sensei is a fan favorite and I can see why. Her art is simply stunning and her men ooze sexiness from every pore. The sex is hot, explicit and leaves very little to the imagination. Yamane-sensei is also known to be very protective of her work. She insists on the highest quality and won’t settle for less. Because of this fact I was one of the few fans (of sensei’s, not of Finder seeing how I haven’t read it until now) that knew that Finder would get the best treatment and there wouldn’t be anything to be worried about.

All of the characters are impossibly beautiful, extremely ruthless, and everything you would expect in the criminal underworld. You can’t help but feel sorry for Takaba getting roped into all of this. The Finder story starts out with non-con and some pretty kinky stuff so if that isn’t your thing you may want to stay away but this series is a piece of yaoi history created by one of the genre’s most gifted artists. Do you want to be left behind?

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Calling by Miu Otsuki review

2010-07-30T05:00:00.004-06:00

Calling

Author/Artist: Mio Otsuki

Publisher: BLU

Rating: M – for ages 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Comedy, Drama, Romance

Grade: B+

Kazuaki Hinamura leads a rather boring life. He works in the General Affairs division of his company, he lives alone, has no love life, and no ambition. Every day is lived in a rut. That is until his life is turned around by his encounter with Kira Aratani. One day while Kazuaki was headed home he decided to cut through the park. He accidentally came across a couple getting it on in the bushes. In an attempt to try to make a hasty retreat he accidentally trips on a can and spills his groceries all over the ground. While gathering up his scattered goods a rough looking young man with a beauty on his arm emerges from the foliage. Truly embarrassed Kazuaki apologizes and heads for the hills fearing for his life.
Thinking that he made it out safely Kazuaki tries to go on with life but he has no idea what’s in store for him. Waiting for him at the train station is the man from the park. It turns out that Kira is a porn star and they had just wrapped up filming when he ran into Kazuaki and it seems that Kira has fallen in love with Kazuaki. Kazuaki tries to ditch Kira but all Kira wants to do is hang out as friends with the hope that more will develop later on. Kazuaki has no idea what to do but he eventually agrees to it. Will Kazuaki fall for Kira like Kira wants?

I really didn’t know much about this story and I don’t know much about the artist but because I read a lot of yaoi I decided to order it. I am so glad that I did. I immediately fell in love with it after the first chapter. The story spans the entire book but it is written well enough that it leaves you feeling satisfied. One thing I appreciated about this title is that both characters are adults and behave as such. Another thing that’s great about this manga is that it even though its yaoi it doesn’t seem to follow the usual stereotypical plot devices. Kira waits patiently for Kazuaki to come around and doesn’t force anything on him (with the exception of his declaration of love - which is the typical love at first sight scenario, and a very passionate kiss). There is one female character that has a recurring role. Natsumi is a porn actress who often works with Kira and happened to witness the very first encounter between these two (she was the beauty on Kira’s arm.) Often in yaoi when women are portrayed they are generally used as set dressing or play the villainous roles. In the case of Natsumi she’s the opposite. She supports the relationship from the moment that Kira steps on Kazuaki’s tofu (hence Kazuaki gaining the moniker "Mr. Tofu, just read it, it makes more sense in the book.) The characters are charming and immediately latch onto your heart. I loved this manga!

The art is simply adorable. Because this is a comedy Otsuki-sensei utilizes chibis regularly and they are so cute, but I’ve always been a sucker for cute chibis. Something that I’ve noticed in yaoi is the artists will draw the seme with smaller, narrower eyes while the ukes are drawn with big, bright shojo heroine type eyes. In the case of the leads in Calling there are no distinctions between the seme’s eyes and uke’s. It’s a really fresh change and I liked it. Also you are able to distinguish between all of the characters. They are unique in their looks so there is never any confusion. I have been so impressed by this single volume that I hope we’ll get a chance to see more from Miu Otsuki-sensei.

Now I know it seems strange that I’m giving a title that I loved so much a B+. Honestly I normally would have given this an A but my issues stem with production quality of this title. I have a love/hate relationship with Blu. For the price one pays for one of their titles (the cover price is $14.99) you would expect a higher quality product than what you actually get. Yes, they include a full color cover page but the quality of paper that the rest of the manga is printed on leaves much to be desired as well as ink on your fingertips. Also there could be some improvements on the placement of text inside the bubbles. Finally the way that the sound effects are dealt with could be done better. Instead of translating the sound effects they generally leave them alone and not translate them or completely remove traces of the Japanese and replace it with the translation. I really wish they would make up their mind, translate them or not but don’t do it half way.

Even though I have issues with the actual physical product I love the story contained within. For someone looking for a fun, sweet yaoi featuring something other than schoolboys Calling is definitely for you.

***Review Copy purchased through Amazon.com***

Il Gatto Sul G vol. 3 by Tooko Miyagi review

2010-07-28T05:00:00.001-06:00

Il Gatto Sul G vol. 3

Author/Artist: Tooko Miyagi

Publisher: Juné

Rating: YA – 16 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: A

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

Riya’s life is spinning out of control. When we last left off Atsushi and Black Riya had attended Saki’s concert (for all info you need feel free to check out my reviews of volumes one and two) so Saki could witness for himself the dual personality. While at the concert Riya runs into Kousaka. Every time Riya has been around Kousaka he’s been in White mode but today he’s Black. He tries to pretend to be the White personality with disastrous results. Riya blows his own cover and then Kousaka gets angry and strikes Riya when Atsushi shows up. Atsushi and Riya head back home. Riya comes on to Atsushi to help dull the pain and initially Atsushi goes along with it until he truly discovers he loves Riya in a romantic way not familial way he initially started off with. Atsushi confesses his feelings and tells Riya that he doesn’t want to hurt him. Due to this shock Riya again reverts to White.

Atsushi has made the decision that he’s going to continue as a housekeeper but no longer wants to live with Riya. Riya on the other hand remembers nothing for the past 10 days and it really freaks him out to find out everything that’s happened. He escapes to school where he now has to face Kousaka. Kousaka offers himself up as a refuge because he feels that Riya has no one to support him and also spills it about the other personality. Riya’s emotions reel out of control and he skips school. While Riya is supposedly at school Saki arrives to spend some time with Riya before he heads back to New York. Sadly the only person there to greet him is Atsushi. Saki wants to know why Atsushi wants to move out and Atsushi tells Saki that he’s fallen in love with Riya. Saki accepts this news but insists that Atsushi know more about Riya’s past. Riya has definitely had it tough and I’ll leave it to you read about it. But Riya’s not out of the woods yet. Can he get things together or will he spiral out of control to complete destruction and who will he choose, Atsushi or Kousaka?

The final volume definitely dials up the drama to 11 (sorry for the lame Spinal Tap reference). We find out all about Riya’s childhood and how he developed his multiple personalities. It’s really rather sad and tough to read through but it definitely is an important part of the story. I’m still trying to figure things out with that section of the book and I’ve read through it many, many times and still pick up new information. Child abuse and mental illness are subjects that you don’t see much in manga (or at least the manga that I’ve come across) but it is handled well and I will inform you that it does have a happy ending and in the authors notes she states that her publishers have given her the go ahead to continue on with the story. According to mangaupdates.net (the link is to Tooko Miyagi’s page not the two titles) they have a couple titles listed as sequels to Il Gatto Sul G. I would love to read them but they don’t look like they’ve been gathered into tankobon form and one of them is brand spanking new. If the opportunity arises to have them eventually be available for license here in the States that would be absolutely fantastic.

As a series this is definitely a worthwhile and emotional read. It does follow some of the stereotypes that are prevalent in yaoi but it’s nice to see that Atsushi doesn’t follow them, it’s mainly Kousaka. It’s that attitude that I like to bully you and that’s how I show you my love. It can be true in real life (you know when you like to tease the one you like) but it’s taken to extremes which again are in typical yaoi. This would be a good introductory yaoi title because it’s not really graphic but definitely packs a heavy emotional punch.

Juné published this title after they made the move to remove the dust jacket, which makes me sad with this particular title. Also the paper isn’t as high quality as it used to be but compared to other publishers it’s definitely better. The cover has a shiny finish which doesn’t quite go with the matte finish of the first two, but I’d rather get the final volume in its current state instead of never getting the title.

Pick it up, it’s definitely worth your while!

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Il Gatto Sul G vol. 2 by Tooko Miyagi review

2010-07-26T10:57:00.005-06:00

Il Gatto Sul G vol. 2

Author/Artist: Tooko Miyagi

Publisher: Juné

Rating: YA – ages 16 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: A

Life is getting more complicated for Atsushi Ikeda, Riya Narukawa, and Haruto Kousaka (Riya’s sempai.) When we last left off Kirimine High was preparing for their big concert featuring some of their most talented musicians. Riya was one of the featured violinists but some of his upperclassmen were not OK with him being chosen. After competing against Kousaka Riya is officially chosen as the representative but because of his mental instability Kousaka has taken on the role of understudy. Riya both admires and despises Kousaka. It seems that Kousaka is rather talented yet unmotivated but after witnessing one of Riya’s masterful performances it seems he’s found his muse. Kousaka enjoys teasing and bullying Riya (which is why Riya despises him). Things progress with Kousaka faster than one would like. Riya loses Atsushi’s apartment key and it turns out that Kousaka is the one who finds it. Using the key to lure Riya over to his apartment Kousaka then forces himself on Riya.

In the meantime Atsushi waits around for his cat (Riya with his Black personality) to show up. When Riya does appear he’s beyond ticked off at Atsushi. He admits that he is aware at what’s going on while the White personality is in charge but White, on the other hand, is completely unaware that Black exists. Plus Black Riya hates that everyone seems to prefer White Riya, including Atsushi. Atsushi tries to calm him down by stating that he makes no weird distinctions between the two personalities. Unfortunately that doesn’t appease Riya at all and he returns the key while confessing that White Riya slept with an upperclassman.

Atsushi hates that things left off the way they did so he blows off school to attend the Kirimine concert. Luckily Riya has reverted back to the White personality but things aren’t smooth sailing yet, nor are they likely to get better with the introduction of Riya’s cousin Saki Narukawa, famed pianist. After the concert Atsushi and Saki are introduced and to Saki’s surprise Riya seems to be rather attached to Atsushi. Another reason Saki is surprised with Atsushi is because of the fact that Atsushi knows the Black personality. Saki arranges for Atsushi to move in with Riya to work as a housekeeper and to keep Saki up to date on what is going on with Riya’s mental health. Will things work out for the better, or will Riya’s fragility cause him to break?

I still really like the story. It’s definitely a love triangle tale that I’ve never encountered before. Writing compelling stories that are riveting and interesting is definitely a talent that I don’t have and sometimes can be a difficult for anyone. Plus trying to portray characters with flaws realistically can be tough as well but so far I think that Tooko Miyagi-sensei has done a bang up job. I don’t know much about Multiple Personality Disorder but I know that it can be brought on by abuse. Was Riya abused as a child? Does Saki really know what’s going on? I’m pretty sure that all of that will be answered in the third and final volume.

The only real struggle I have with the story is Kousaka. He’s jealous of Atsushi, which can be expected when you have a crush on someone, but for some reason he feels the need to be violent at times. He claims to have feelings for Riya but doesn’t show them well. You often see this characteristic in semes in yaoi and I’ve never understood it. I can understand the whole "I want to tease them" behavior but I don’t get the "I want to mess them up" attitude. But it’s something that I have to deal with because this is an often a plot device that is used often in yaoi.
Juné has again done a beautiful job with this release. It has a matte dust jacket (it was released before Juné dropped the dust jackets) and brilliant white paper. I also love that on the inner flap of the dust jacket has a picture featuring a chibi Black Riya and Atsushi. What can I say, I’m a sucker for chibi’s. The book is a bit stiff but you don’t have to wrestle with it to stay open.

I’m looking forward to how this is going to turn out. It seems that Atsushi’s feelings for Riya go deeper than he originally thought and he has to deal with the fact that White Riya seems to be somewhat attracted to Kousaka. And Kousaka is struggling with the discovery that Riya does indeed have multiple personalities. The third volume is definitely a title that I’m excited to read!
If you’re interested feel free to check out my review of the first volume of Il Gatto Sul G.

***Review Copy purchased through Akadot Retail***

breath vol. 5 by Chifumi Ochi review

2010-05-25T17:41:00.004-06:00

breath vol. 5

Author/Artist: Chifumi Ochi

Publisher: Yaoi Generation

Rating: M – 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: A-

It's so hard to write a synopsis for the final book in a series. You don't want to give anything away yet you want to be informative as well. I'll try my best without spoiling too much.

Arata and Yanagi have finally expressed their feelings and are ready to move forward. But there is a huge obstacle in their way. That would be Ten, Arata's younger twin. Ten will stop at nothing to keep his brother out of the clutches of anyone, not just Yanagi (read vol. 4 for more details). Now that Ten knows that Yanagi and Arata are back together he's turned into a raving lunatic. After locking Arata in his room he's roped Kashiwagi (more like threatened him) into his plan by taking him to Yanagi's home. Yanagi was worried when he sent Arata home seeing how Ten would blow a gasket if he found out that they spent the night together (too late). Luckily Ten failed to confiscate Arata's phone but when Yanagi calls to make sure everything was OK Arata was unable to warn him on what horrors await him. What will happen to our lovers and the psycho brother?

The final volume of breath contains the ending of the main story, a side story featuring Yanagi and Arata, and two chapters starring Ten and the man he meets after leaving his brother. I feel that the ending was a bit rushed but I'm pleased with how things turned out. I don't mind angst as long as there is a happy ending. The only thing missing is the steaminess between Arata and Yanagi. We don't get any sex whatsoever. Another thing that was missing was a true ending regarding the situation with Ten. I really wish that there was more closure but I'm satisfied nonetheless.

Now the book isn't devoid of sex, trust me. It just shows up in the side story featuring Ten and the sexy doctor that he shacks up with. In these chapters we are able to see Ten in a different light and it redeems him in my eyes. He definitely has some major issues going on upstairs and I would have liked more development but beggars can't be choosers.

This is a great series and I'm glad that Yaoi Generation brought it to us. To me breath started out as a story of sketchy, but super hot, consensual sex with a bully of a seme and a spineless uke. I quickly changed my tune as we got to know these characters and saw them in a new light. As the story progressed it truly hooked me and made it so I couldn't wait for the next volume to come out. The characters that started out as kind of stereotypical, stayed somewhat stereotypical, but morphed into characters with more depth and made it a more interesting story.

For a first off series Yaoi Generation did a great job. I must say that I appreciate the fact that they started the series and finished it instead of getting over their heads and publishing several titles all at once. In today's economic times and the closing or missing manga publishers starting series and then going under before they finish them I really like the fact that Yaoi Gen started the series then finished it before moving on to the next. If they keep up the great work and continue to license interesting titles and release them with their fantastic production qualities they'll continue to get my support!

If interested here are my reviews for vol. 1, vol. 2, vol. 3, and vol. 4.

***Review Copy provided by Yaoi Generation***

RIP CMX

2010-05-25T16:12:00.003-06:00

I know that this news has been out there for a bit now but with the demise of CMX I feel like there was something that I was probably missing. So I'm asking you readers what CMX titles should I get my hands on now before they're all gone. I have read Gals!, Emma, and Seimaden. The next series that I'm waiting on is Tenryu: The Dragon Cycle (they're in the mail as we speak) and I plan on procuring King of Cards (because it's a Makoto Tateno title and I don't know why it's taken me so long to even toss around the idea of buying it.) I've tossed around the idea of From Eroica with Love but I still don't know. What are your suggestions?

While we're at it with the disappearance of Go!Comi what are some of their titles I ought to check out? I'd love any suggestions that you might have!

Sorry!

2010-05-25T15:37:00.003-06:00

Hello to those who check in with me from time to time. I apoligize for my silence these last few months. Again life hasn't been kind and I've been trying to deal with it. I'm hoping to be more active in the future. I'm trying to work out a schedule so I get some reviewing done as well as deal with work. It's just really hard when you spend eight hours a night doing nothing but typing and then come home to do more. But I need to get my butt in gear and get over it because I have a gigantic pile of manga that needs to be reviewed! It may take a while to get back in the groove but I hope that you'll stick with me!

Ciao Ciao Bambino by Momoko Tenzen review

2010-04-03T12:28:00.003-06:00

Ciao Ciao Bambino

Author/Artist: Momoko Tenzen

Publisher: Juné

Rating: YA – ages 16 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance, School Life

Grade: C-

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

On Kaname Imai's first day at work is somewhat jazzed up when he saves young Yuuta Fujimoto from some aggressive men. Initially Kaname thinks Yuuta is an adorable young girl but Yuuta is all male. Kaname is a cram school teacher and a year after he saved Yuuta; Yuuta attends his cram school. It seems that Yuuta has developed a crush on Kaname, but there are some objects in the way. Kaname is a college student and kind of clueless and Yuuta is a middle school student and likes to look out for Kaname's best interest. A relationship at this juncture is not in the cards but Yuuta is determined that one day he'll seduce Kaname.

A related story called Honey Citron features Yuuta's two friends Kei and Makoto. It seems that Makoto may have developed a crush on Kei but doesn't know how to deal with the possibility of the change that may appear in their relationship. The volume is rounded out by Brand New Wednesday, which is the tale of a high school student falling for his tutor.

This is a title that I really wrestle with. Any time there is a student/teacher pairing I always proceed with caution. When we deal with a high school student I'm usually able to look on but in this case we are dealing with a middle school student here and it just doesn't sit quite as well. I guess the only thing that makes it a bit more palatable (only a bit, not very much) is that Yuuta is the aggressor in the relationship. Kaname also seems to be a bit reluctant to enter into a more physical relationship. But still there is a seven-year age difference and we're not really sure how old Yuuta is when they finally consummate their love. He's still in school but I don't know if it's middle or high school.

The other two stories are great though. Honey Citron shows us the turmoil that Makoto finds his feelings in. Kei is rather clueless and Yuuta worries that he was the one who planted the idea that Makoto likes Kei as more than friends. In this case we see first love develop and we are dealing with characters that are of the same age. Brand New Wednesday was also a good read. The age spread wasn't as large and Kana (the student) is in high school. It is a little older story and features some of Tenzen-sensei's older art. I have to say that I much prefer her newer art style because some of the features are softened somewhat.

Art wise this is a beautiful volume. It features typical Tenzen-sensei art, which are thin lines, perfectly windswept hair, thick lips, and long lanky limbs. She is rather detailed with her character sketches but backgrounds are sparse yet when there is a background involved it is done with painstaking care and are very detailed as well. I think that Juné is a great publisher for Tenzen-sensei. She's not terribly explicit but is a great mangaka in her own right. With Juné's larger trim size makes it that much more amazing to look at. Juné's new branding is an improvement over the pink branding bar by leaps and bounds.

I'm going to struggle with recommending this title because of the issues of dealing with a relationship between a middle school student and his college aged cram school teacher. It's a must have for Tenzen-sensei fans which I am one but I'm leaving this up to you to decide.

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Seven by Momoko Tenzen review

2010-04-02T03:07:00.002-06:00

Seven

Author/Artist: Momoko Tenzen

Publisher: Juné

Rating: YA – ages 16 and above

Genre: Shonen Ai, Romance, Drama

Grade: B

It was originally supposed to be Momoko Tenzen week but it looks like March turned out to be Momoko Tenzen Month. I better get cracking on the rest of her titles if I want to get this wrapped up by the end of the month! Pfft! Yeah right, like that'll happen!

Nana has no memory. Mitsuha has no home. These two with mysteries abound come together due to interesting circumstances. Nana was picked up off the street by a man who gave him his name (nana can mean no-name in Japanese, it also means seven hence the title!) It seems that the man was rather cruel. But to someone who doesn't remember anything about his past this help was accepted. Now in the present the man has passed away and the man who now owns the business has allowed Nana to stay on. Here is where Mitsuha enters.

Mitsuha grew up in an orphanage and now has become an author. He travels around the country and writes about his adventures. As it turns out the new owner of the business that Nana works for and lives above happens to be from the same orphanage. Not only is Mitsuha looking to have adventures but he's also trying to locate his little brother Nanao. Sadly Nana isn't Nanao but Mitsuha seems to be intrigued by Nana and convinces his pal to let him crash at the apartment above the shop, where Nana currently lives. Will Nana be able to allow someone else into his life? And is Mitsuha really interested in getting to know Nana or is he just a replacement for his brother?

The second story in Seven, called Within Plain Sight, features another story with a Nana and the struggles between a brother being attracted to his brother. If you have issues of lovin' in the family, blood related or not, this may not be a story you'll enjoy.

OK, I first need to apologize for the really poor synopsis of the plot. There are a lot of characters and back-story, which makes it difficult to try and describe it in just a few short paragraphs. So reading the back blurb might be your best bet.

It took me a while to actually pick this title up. Every time I saw the cover I thought the character on the left (who happens to be Mitsuha) looked way too much like Steven Tyler from Aerosmith and that thought just creeped me out. But that's what you get when you are looking at an image off the net, they have the tendency to not be that clear. Another reason why it took me so long was I didn't know if I was going to like Momoko Tenzen-sensei's work. But I finally broke down when I found a copy at my local Borders (and by that point I had read The Paradise on the Hill and fell in love with Tenzen-sensei). I discovered that Mitsuha doesn't look at all like Steven Tyler and that the physical book is really quite beautiful. Because this is an older release it features the older look with the pink branding bar at the bottom and a dust jacket. But they chose to use a beautiful matte finish on the jacket as opposed to the glossy finish. With that choice it makes this release classier.

The story takes a while to get going and when it does it ends and we switch stories. Luckily we get another glimpse of Mitsuha and Nana at the end of the book which helps wrap the story up nicely. I liked the story but it isn't one of her stronger ones. Probably I gave it a higher score because I love Tenzen-sensei so much. With her thin lines, thick lipped, and perfectly coifed characters the art is very classy indeed. I've read this book several times and I still have questions that I feel need to be answered. Because of those issues I felt the book could have much to improve on.

So do I recommend this title? Well this would be a great title to be an introduction to the genre if it is something that you're not familiar with. It's also a must have for hardcore Tenzen-sensei fans. But other than that I'll leave it up to you to decide whether you want to read it or not!

***Review Copy purchased at Borders***

More Info on breath vol. 5

2010-03-25T05:57:00.003-06:00

WAHOO!!!!! Yaoi Generation has made it official. The scheduled release date is April 30th and pre-orders begin April 15th. If you pre-order from their website you'll also get some swag to go with it. For more information be sure to stop by their site and get more details on the freebies. This is a series that I've become obsessed with and I absolutely cannot wait!

Unsophisticated and Rude by Momoko Tenzen review

2010-03-17T06:22:00.003-06:00

Unsophisticated and Rude

Author/Artist: Momoko Tenzen

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance, School Life, Anthology

Grade: B-

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

Momoko Tenzen-sensei seems to have a thing for schoolboys. Unsophisticated and Rude is an anthology chock full of high school and college guys.

The book gets its title from the first story in the collection, Unsophisticated and Rude. Satoshi has a crush on Nao-sempai, a member of the same basketball team. What he doesn't know is that his best friend Hiroto also has a thing for Nao-sempai. Who will Nao-sempai choose? Pretender is about Katase and Manaka. These two attended the same junior high and have a lot in common now that they are in high school. Katase fell in love with Manaka but kept it hidden even after Manaka confessed to him. Will these two ever get together? The third story is by far the best in the collection, Midori Vivid in My Eyes. Takamiya "rescues" the campus eccentric from a caterpillar attack. Sonoda is so grateful to (and taken by) Takamiya that he begins to shower him with expensive gifts. Takamiya doesn't know what to do because he's finding himself somewhat attracted to Sonoda as well. Will Takamiya be able to look beyond himself and accept Sonoda's attention? Second Love focuses on Haruno and Uenaga. At an elementary school class reunion (they have those?) Haruno recognizes everyone but Uenaga. It seems that despite Haruno's amazing memory he just can't place Uenaga. The two again strike up a friendship but not remembering Uenaga annoys Haruno and Uenaga doesn't want to bring up the past either. Will Haruno remember the past and if he does will the new friendship end because of it? The final story is I Want to Be Your Number One. Not only is this story the oldest of the collection but it's also the most formulaic. Tomo and Yukihiro have friends for a long time. Now that they're older Tomo seems to be making the moves on Yukihiro. The thing is Yukihiro doesn't know if Tomo is joking or is serious. When push comes to shove will Yukihiro be able to recognize Tomo's true feelings as well as his own?

This is the first anthology collection that I've read from Tenzen-sensei. The only other one that might come close is Manhattan Love Story but those stories are all interconnected so it really doesn't fit in does it. That is one of the things that I like about Tenzen-sensei, she has the tendency to focus on one story for a volume of manga. But even in anthology mode I still enjoy her work. The stories have the usual BL feel to them and are somewhat predictable but because she creates beautiful characters, lush backgrounds, and a feel of pure romance I feel that she does a great job. She utilizes fine lines, thick lips, and windswept hair to make all of her characters absolutely stunning. Be they women or men they all inhabit a very attractive world. The art has a somewhat sparse style but that is what makes it so great. It has a very sophisticated look to it.

This book features Juné's new look. What I mean by that is there is no dust jacket (even though they look great and it's kind of nice that I don't have to wrestle with the dust jacket but every once in a while I miss them.) They've also moved the branding bar to the side with the binding and have designed it to fit in with the look of the cover. No more noxious pink branding bar at the bottom of the book. Good work!

If you like your stories sweet and romantic or are a fan of Momoko Tenzen-sensei you'll definitely enjoy this title. But it is an anthology and if you are a bit tired of them then you might want to stay away. Another thing is Tenzen-sensei isn't terribly explicit, there is sex in this volume and it's steamy but if you like your sex plentiful and graphic then you're probably not going to enjoy it. I really liked it but I'm going to leave it up to you to decide!

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Have No Fear breath Will Be Here Soon!

2010-03-08T17:01:00.003-07:00

With all of the economic issues facing our manga publishers I was somewhat worried what was going on with the release of the fifth volume of breath by Yaoi Generation. The book had a release date for December 2009. But when December came and went (along with January and February) with no word from the publisher. I feared the worst and decided to contact them to find out what information they would share with me. It sounds like I worried for nothing (PHEW!). This isn't "official" by any means but I want to share this info with those who were worried about their upper body strength because of the cliffhanger ending (lame joke, sorry). It seems that the printer that they used for the first four books has been one of the casualties of the poor economy and they had to hunt for a new one. It also seems that the domestic companies they checked with turned it down due to the fact that this is a hard yaoi title. I guess they had to find a printer overseas to handle the work and because of that they had to extend the release date. As soon as the proofs are approved they'll start on getting these books to us. Look for the opportunity to possibly pre-order at their website by the end of this month or beginning of next. Cross your fingers that everything will fall into place and thanks Yaoi Gen for responding so quickly! That's why I love ya!

Suggestive Eyes by Momoko Tenzen review

2010-03-02T10:22:00.003-07:00

Suggestive Eyes

Author/Artist: Momoko Tenzen

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – ages 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: B

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

We all know that breakups are hard. Megumu Okazaki is a popular grad student who is trying to put his life back together after a heart-wrenching breakup. Hisashi Kina is a handsome 3rd year college student who seems to have fallen for Megumu. The two end up in bed together after Megumu runs into his ex. The problems arise when both Kina and Megumu have no idea what direction their relationship is headed. Do they love each other or is Megumu only using Kina as a rebound fling to heal his broken heart?

Another couple, professors at Megumu and Kina's university, also makes an appearance in their own story. Kikugawa and Shibata attended the same college and now teach at said college together. Kikugawa is quiet and comes across as somewhat aloof. Shibata, on the other hand, is social, personable, and gets along with everyone. This is truly a sweet romance where opposites attract and that if you are truly compatible you can have long, fulfilling relationship.

Suggestive Eyes is definitely the style you've come to expect from Tenzen-sensei. The stories are dramatic, romantic and beautifully drawn. But the way sensei presented the story is somewhat interesting. Instead of starting the story by introducing us to the beginning of their story, we jump into the middle of their romance. Kina is unsure of Megumu's feelings and Megumu wants to end their relationship because he's doesn't know what his own feelings are. When we pick up the second chapter its there that we find out how Kina and Megumu met. Megumu is a grad student working with Shibata-sensei and Kina is a 3rd year student. After witnessing Megumu crying over a pack of cigarettes (which Kina actually left in the classroom). Megumu seems to be drawn to Kina but when Kina finds himself being somewhat attracted to Megumu he finds out that Megumu was only interested in the cigarettes. It comes out at a drinking party that Megumu dated a guy that smoked the same brand and the relationship ended badly. Once we finish this story then we continue on with what normally would have followed what happened after the first chapter. It is really kind of confusing if you ask me, but upon the third and fourth readings I found the lineup intriguing.

The couple who really makes this manga worth picking up is the story of Kikugawa and Shibata. They may be professors at the same school but these two have a rather long history together. They started out as classmates. Kikugawa can be rather intimidating but it's just because he's quiet. Shibata is bubbly, friendly, and has the tendency to be the center of attention. The two struck up an unlikely friendship and soon found themselves attracted to one another.

With this story I liked how even though this book featured two different couples the two stories are intertwined and the four of them have to interact with the others. I liked the Megumu/Kina story but I would have to say that the better of the two is the one that features Kikugawa/Shibata. It is very romantic, which you come to expect when you read a Tenzen-sensei manga. Her soft, thin lines and excruciating detail make what could be a typical yaoi story something beautiful and entertaining. Tenzen-sensei could illustrate boring instructional manuals and I would automatically pick it up and enjoy it.

The book is up to Juné's usual standards and is beautiful. The translation seems smooth and I don't remember seeing any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors, but it's entirely possible that I over looked them because I have to turn off my proofreading mode sometimes. I have to give my thanks to Juné for licensing and publishing works by Momoko Tenzen. She is a gifted mangaka that I recommend!

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Mangaka Musings - Momoko Tenzen

2010-02-28T22:21:00.005-07:00

Looking at my gigantic pile of manga that needs to be reviewed I’ve noticed that there is one artist that has prominent showing. That mangaka happens to be Momoko Tenzen. To kick off what I’m calling Momoko Tenzen Week I'm going to share my thoughts about this very cool mangaka. Momoko Tenzen is one of my favorite artists of all time. I have kind of a weird way that I rank my favorite mangaka. Because there are many artists that I really like I struggle with ranking them in order of favorites. When I rank them it turns out that they seem to fall into groups of three. Let me give you an example. If I had to choose my number one favorite artist I have three that I can’t choose to put on top, so my number one mangaka features three artists. It continues that way down the list. Momoko Tenzen falls into the spot of favorite mangaka number two (along with Yugi Yamada and You Higuri).

Initially I didn’t have much desire to pick up anything by Tenzen-sensei (I’ve noticed that there is a trend, I don’t have much of a wish to read something but due to boredom I pick it up anyway and end up loving it). I had picked up almost all of the explicit titles that Juné had released and I was looking for more BL. All that was really left were the two Momoko Tenzen-sensei titles (at least at the time). I decided to grab The Paradise on the Hill. Initially I thought that the two characters on the cover were not all that attractive due to the pointy-ness of their chins. I know that’s a bizarre way to decide whether you should read a title but at the time I didn’t really know how to go about choosing my manga. Yet once I opened the book I discovered how much I really loved this title. It was sweet, romantic, and simply beautiful. The art and the story worked so well together that I was immediately enraptured that I couldn’t put it down and knew that I was going to have to read more by this artist.

Tenzen-sensei is extremely talented. Her artwork is gentle and sparse but very detailed. That detail is present in every aspect from character design, costuming, and even backdrops. Her lines are delicate and thin and has a very classy feel to it. Her use of screentone is appropriate and lends itself to give it a very clean look. The faces may seem to be somewhat angular but that just makes them that much sexier. She gives her characters full lips, long limbs, and gorgeous heads of hair. Because her work tends to be on the more dramatic side of the spectrum she doesn’t use chibis very often (hyper-mutation to characters used often in comedic moments) but when she does they are rather adorable.

Her stories are sweet and romantic. I’ve heard some refer to them as boring but I find them to be touching and subtle. She seems to like the school setting and features tales that reflect that atmosphere. Her men seem sophisticated yet have an everyman air about them. Her stories tend to be more dramatic but she isn’t afraid to have a moment or two of comedy. Her characters vary in personality. But they all are caring and considerate in their own way.

Her tales often fit into the stereotypical yaoi mold and like I mentioned earlier some people find her to be boring or a regular run of the mill mangaka but to me she takes a regular story and applies her beautiful artwork and weaves a magical spell that entrances. Feel free to share any opinions about the talented Tenzen-sensei in the comments section. Also, if you’re interested you can check out my reviews for A Paradise on the Hill, Manhattan Love Story, and Suggestive Eyes.

Manic About Manga's Wishes for 2010!

2010-02-22T09:14:00.004-07:00

Hey! Sorry it's been a while since I've posted. Man, working for a living is for the dogs! My main goal for the new(ish) year is to post at least once a week but preferably more. Having goals in life make it worth living, right?

Actually the point of this post is to make some wishes on what I would like to see in the world of manga and anime. I'm pretty sure none of this will come to pass but a girl can dream. So here is my list of things I would like to see:

More titles in English from Shiuko Kano
I want to see the third season of Kyo Kara MAOH! (the anime)
I want the Kyo Kara MAOH! light novels released in English (according to mangaupdates.com it states that TOKYOPOP has acquired the license for the novels, what does that mean? I have no clue!)
See such awesome manga publishers like Aurora/Deux/LuvLuv and Go! Comi get back on their feet
Get the final volume of Magical JxR published and continue on with the releases of Star Project Chiro (you listening UDON?)
Find a company that would release the whole Duck Prince by Ai Morinaga series (CPM started it but then dropped the license halfway through and has now gone out of business)
Get the fifth book of breath published by Yaoi Generation
I would love to see more from the Italian team Dany&Dany
Have NETCOMICS release the third volume of Roureville and the final four volumes of Do Whatever You Want (vols. 1-3 are available out of the seven volumes) in print and not just online
Find a publisher to bring us the awesome new content in the world of Hajin Yoo's Totally Captivated
Have Libre (in Japan) release the rights for Haru Wo Daiteita, plus we would need a US publisher to want to publish it because BeBeautiful is now defunct and won't be bringing us anymore Embracing Love
I want more Hyouta Fujiyama
Where's my Gakuen Prince Del Rey?
And finally more hours in the day and a faster internet connection (we're still in the stone age with our dial up connection around my house)!

That's all I could think of at this particular moment but I'm sure there will be more! What are some of the wishes that you guys would like in the world of anime and manga? And it doesn't have to be yaoi either, it's just that's what I love. Feel free to leave any comments, wishes, etc. in the comments segment. Inquiring minds (at least my mind) want to know!

EDIT: 2/24/2010 - I knew I forgot a few things:

Have a company (preferably BLU seeing how they hold the license for the first two) pick up the next two Gakuen Heaven books. The one published after the Nakajima story is my particular favorite out of the four. And I love You Higuri's art.
I want more Ellie Mamahara. DokiDoki has picked up one of her titles and Amazon shows that Baseball Heaven will be coming out later this year. But three books aren't going to satisfy me.

OK, I think that's it but I know I'll remember something later and kick myself for forgetting all about it (that's what happened with the Gakuen Heaven thought!)

Kyo Kara MAOH! vol. 4 by Tomo Takabayashi and Temari Matsumoto review

2010-02-22T08:42:00.005-07:00

Kyo Kara MAOH! vol. 4

Author/Artist: Tomo Takabayashi/Temari Matsumoto

Publisher: TOKYOPOP

Rating: T – ages 13 and above

Genre: Shojo, Shonen Ai, Comedy, Drama, Action, Fantasy

Grade: A

Having recovered Morgif things seem to be looking up for our group of Mazoku heroes. But it turns out that to activate Morgif’s demonic powers a human life needs to be absorbed. Their plan of witnessing a death at the nearest hospital fails all thanks to Wolfram’s beauty. The next plan of attack comes thanks to a flier that Wolfram gets his hands on. It advertises that they need an attractive young man with his own sword to witness a death. Because they need the life and are somewhat desperate Yuri applies for the position. Once he secures the post he learns that the job isn’t quite as innocent as the ad made it sound. It seems that this is a gladiatorial type event and Yuri is the one who will take the young man’s life. Will Yuri be able to set aside his personal beliefs for the greater good of his country?

When it comes to fish out of water stories this one is definitely one of the best. I’m still enamored with it. Matsumoto-sensei has really brought Takabayashi-sensei’s story to life and filled it to the brim with beautiful bishies, gorgeous costumes, and stunning backdrops. The characters are coming into their own and we get to witness these different sides to each character. It is apparent that Wolfram in settling into the role of fiancée well. Seeing how I love the world of BL I’m trying to figure out which character will be the top and which one will be the bottom, because the way I see it both Yuri and Wolfram are both bottoms. But that’s the fangirl in me speaking. One of the most surprising characters is Gwendal. He comes across as a grumpy, fussy, ball of intensity but regardless of how serious he is he knits cute stuffed animals and loves all things cute. Underneath his crusty exterior is a kind, caring and thoughtful man. The other surprising character is Gunter. It seems that before Yuri became king Gunter was serious, studious, and capable of everything. Since Yuri’s arrival Gunter is known to be prone to constant nose bleeds, moments of pure insanity, and bouts of paranoia. Of course he’s still able to fulfil all his duties capably and quickly.

I would have given this volume an A+ but there are few issues that I have with the production. Since the story spans many volumes I’ve noticed that there seems to be some spelling continuity issues. The first one is the spelling of the name of the island that Morgif resides. The first time the island’s official name shows up as Vandervia Island (Kyo Kara MAOH! vol. 2). In subsequent volumes it is spelled Van Der Veer Island. The next spelling issue is with the name of the former monarch and Gwendal, Conrad, and Wolfram’s mother. In the first volume she says to call her Celi but the spelling is always changing. In the last few volumes they’ve been using is Tseri which would be the way you could see it being used for the Japanese translation but by using both spellings it makes it kind of annoying (at least to me). The final thing is more of a comparison between the anime and the manga. In the anime the only people who refer to Conrart (the official pronounciation) as Conrad are those that are from Earth. In the manga they all call him Conrad be they those in Shinmakoku or those from Earth. That’s just me being weird and my proofreading coming out to play.

Volume 4 is a pretty skinny volume but it pretty much wraps up the quest for Morgif and introduces us to the next adventure that Yuri finds himself experiencing. Regardless of my petty issues (that is just my obsessive/compulsive disorder coming out to play) I still highly recommend this series. You can’t beat bishies, nosebleeds, and string bikini underwear! Oh, and the story is fun too!

If you're interested feel free to check out the reviews for any of the previous volumes:
vol.1, vol. 2, vol. 3!

***Review Copy purchased through Amazon.com***

My Apologies

2010-02-04T07:19:00.003-07:00

Hello my readers. I am so sorry for taking a month off without letting anyone know. The thing is I hadn't planned on it myself. With the data entry that I do for my job and two of the busiest seasons (the month of December and W-2 season going on now) for the Postal Service have left me exhausted and not wanting to look at another computer after I get off work. It has left me with a humongous pile of manga to be reviewed (it has been all read just not reviewed). I'm hoping that starting this weekend I'll be back so please be patient with me.

Thanks for all of your support!

Manic About Manga's Best of 2009

2009-12-30T13:00:00.014-07:00

Wow! I'm really waiting until the end of the year to get my Best of the Year list done. I didn't do one last year because I like to be contrary and not follow the crowd. But I thought that this year I'd be wild and crazy and compile a list, but my list is just a bit different. How is it different you ask? Most lists contain ten titles but mine has nine (pfft! big deal right?), the way I chose the titles is more along the lines of either "This title was much better than I thought" or "I think I need to read the second volume before I decide" and then found myself sucked in. The final reason this one is different is I haven't ranked them. You'll see that several of the titles are yaoi because that is a large portion of what I read. Where my review is available I'll provide the link and feel free to share any thoughts in the comments section.

Love Machine – Amayo Tsuge, published by Deux Press
Kokuyo is a workaholic. He's constantly in and out of the hospital due to exhaustion. He has no family and only one friend, Seiki. Since Seiki is the one who has to pick Kokuyo up from the hospital he dreams up a grand scheme. You see Seiki works for a company that develops androids and feels that their newest model, ETOWA (Every Time Only With Affection) would be a great improvement for Kokuyo. Kokuyo has always lived alone and thinks only of himself. He's not happy with the idea but he gives in and welcomes Shiro into his home. Shiro is clumsy and adorable but will he be able to warm up Kokuyo?
In the past I was always squeamish with the whole android/human pairing but thanks to Dany&Dany's Anima I was able to set aside some of that uncomfortableness and read it without too many issues. I found myself immediately engrossed in the story and drawn to the interesting interpersonal relationships between not only the humans and androids but also the relationships that develop with the androids. There were even a couple times I found myself bawling my eyes out. Not only is the story interesting but the art is totally adorable and you can't help but falling for Shiro's adorable clumsiness!

Love Full of Scars – Psyche Delico, published by NETCOMICS
Love Full of Scars explores the boundaries of the yaoi genre. Yoko is a heartthrob reputed to have quite the technique in the bedroom. One day Yoko comes to school covered in bandages, and fellow student Yukio vows to protect him. But does he really know what he's getting himself into? In another story, Ishimoto discovers that he and his driver's ed. instructor share the same passion for an old action hero cartoon. It seems, though, that their unexpected common interests might be leading them to an entirely different kind of passion. In a tale of forbidden love, Fumi is quite taken with the handsome man his brother has become while studying abroad, perhaps even a little too taken. In a different type of high school romance, Kanda falls secretly in love with a fellow thug he beats up on a daily basis. Will the two be able to overcome their bad habits to become a couple? And what will happen when Kanda's older brother, who just so happens to be a queen, finds out about their relationship? The stories in Love Full of Scars tell of both the physical and emotional marks tough love can leave on a person. (Description from Akadot Retail)
I normally like to write my own synopses but in the case of Love Full of Scars this synopsis is one of the reasons it is on this list. The second reason it's on the list is because it is one of the best yaoi titles I've read this year. This description describes some other title. Love Full of Scars is HILARIOUS! Each story is unique, charming, and funny. This is not your typical yaoi title in the way it takes the usual yaoi plot devices and turns them on their heads. What I mean is there aren't many pretty boys and the uke/seme stereotype is completely thrown out of the window. I think sensei has a thing for facial hair because each story has a man with facial hair (with the exception of the final story dealing with a drag queen). I get somewhat tired of one shot anthologies but it was so worth picking up this title. You get gay thugs, action figures found in a somewhat questionable position, and a pretty boy who loves hairy men. With the above description this is a title that I had originally passed over but decided that I'd check it out at the NETCOMICS website. I knew after the first chapter that this was a title that I was going to have to purchase. This is not only one of the best titles of the year but has made it onto my favorite titles of all time list.

Oishinbo A la Carte – Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki, published by VIZ Signature
To celebrate Tozai News being around for 100 years it has been decided that there would be a column dedicated to the Supreme Menu, food items that are truly represent Japanese cuisine and culture. Placed in charge of this task is Shiro Yamaoka and Yuko Kurita. It turns out that Shiro is the estranged son of famous ceramist and gourmet Kaibara Yuzan. The father and son don't get along and their opinions about who should be able to enjoy gourmet food vary wildly. In between the story of Shiro and Kaibara we get a glimpse into Japanese culture through the food.
Like I said in my review, who knew that a manga about food could be an entertaining read. But I was pleasantly surprised to find this manga so enjoyable. You get a personal story because of the relationships between the characters, an introduction to Japanese culture through their food, and it all plays very well together. A worthy read indeed!

Dog x Cat – Yoshimi Amasaki, published by 801 Media
All Atsu ever wanted was a dog but living in an apartment made it impossible, at least until he met Junya. Junya on the other hand has only wanted Atsu. These two are the same age, grew up together, and are very close. When Junya tells Atsu that he loves him in the way that he wants to have sex with him. Atsu has no idea what to do and if he feels the same way. When Atsu realizes that not only is Junya important to him he realizes that he wants Junya the same way.
When this title was announced at AX in 2008 I really couldn't find out much about this title. I figured that this would be your usual PWP yaoi title with little story and lots of sex (PWP meaning Plot? What Plot?). Yes it's what you would expect from 801 Media but I found myself loving this title much more than I thought. It's funny, and I mean really funny. Amasaki-sensei weaves the dog and cat theme throughout especially with Atsu and his catlike personality. The last two chapters are a bit serious and seem a bit out of place but I find that the way it is handled makes it much more important because when you get rape (sorry I gave it away) in yaoi its generally dealt with differently where in this case Atsu was much more empowered. Dog x Cat was definitely a surprise hit for me!

Ze – Yuki Shimizu, Published by 801 Media
Raizou has no where to go now that his grandmother has passed away. Thanks to the help of the mysterious Genma he is sent into the Mitou home. He's given room and board in exchange for taking care of the cooking, cleaning, and general household upkeep. But there's something strange about the Mitou's. It seems that they are Kotodamashi (spell casters) and use Kamisama (living paper dolls who have the ability to heal their Kotodamashi). But there is one Kamisama who seems to be without a Kotodama, and that would be Kon. Kon is Raizou's roommate and was the one originally taking care of the house. Now that Raizou is there what will Kon do?
Ze is a series that is still ongoing in Japan and is one of the titles that I had to read volume two to truly decide that this is actually an amazing series. The first volume is somewhat confusing because we are thrown a whole bunch of characters and a somewhat foreign idea. But there is something about Shimizu-sensei's art that keeps you interested and pushed me to read the second volume. Of course with the continuing of the series we meet more characters including the mysterious Genma and a possible connection between Raizou and Genma and things are explained more. But to me the main thing that kept me is the presence of Asari. He's one of the Mitou family Kamisama and is visually stunning. For anyone who knows me know that I find Shiuko Kano's representation of men the finest out there and Asari rivals many of them. I know that's a dumb reason but if the art is good enough to at least keep me interested then chances are I'll continue, that and my obsessive-compulsive tendencies. In the case of Ze it's definitely worth continuing after you get past the first volume of confusion.

Sayonara, Zetsubo Sensei – Koji Kumeta, published by Del Rey
Nozomu Itoshiki is a middle school teacher and only has one goal in life… to die. But he seems to be rather unsuccessful at it. He has quite the interesting class and he's not above using interesting teaching methods like telling his students not to worry about aiming high. He's a socialist at heart and seems to have an air of apathy around him but he cares for his students regardless.
I never had any intention of reading this title. Whenever there is something highly praised I usually run the other way from because I generally wind up disappointed (there are a few exceptions). I wound up offering to review it despite my dislike of all things popular and found a funny, biting manga that definitely made me laugh, and laugh hard. As the series has continued I find myself laughing at all of the hijinks that Itoshiki-sensei finds himself in. I've been letting a coworker of mine borrow this series and I've got her hooked as well. Whether it's Kafuka (one of sensei's students and super positive) inviting Admiral Perry into class to celebrate the opening of Japan (where he then insists on opening up everything be it books) to not celebrating Sensei's birthday because he knows he was conceived on Christmas Eve (the majority of the Japanese people aren't Christians and Christmas Eve is spent like Valentine's Day). This is a great series and I'm glad I got over myself to pick it up!

Merry Family Plan – Sumitomo Morozumi, published by NETCOMICS
Merry Family Plan is Morozumi-sensei's first manga. It is a collection of one-shots that feature a story of a high school boy that can't seem to keep his girlfriends because he doesn't seem to fully invest himself into his relationships. Until he meets the new male student in class. A quick tale of a guy who has a mask fetish thanks to his dentist. There's a story about two lovers who can't seem to be able to move their relationship forward. Another tale is one of two lovers who haven’t been able move forward in their relationship because they can't decide who is going to be the bottom and who is going to be the top. The final story is about a pilot who doesn't really want to be a pilot and then becomes possessed by a spirit who has a uniform fetish.
OK, so the above description stinks but it's hard to describe one-shot collections. I knew very little about this title and things I was reading about it was not very popular. Sometimes though titles that aren’t very popular can be rather good (at least in my opinion). I decided to give it a chance and found myself pleasantly surprised. You can tell that this is a first attempt for this mangaka because the art isn’t as polished. Story wise I found it enjoyable and I see a lot of potential. There was one section where one of her characters was in a thought spiral and portrayed this thinking with a visual of a merry-go-round. I caught myself thinking "How clever!" I was very surprised that I enjoyed this manga even though the characters looked rather young. I hope that Morozumi-sensei will continue to hone her (I assume) skills and we will be able to read them in English!

Cut – Toko Kawai, Published by Juné
Chiaki is gorgeous and popular but hides a deep secret. Eiji is quiet and doesn't seem to draw attention to himself. He hides a secret as well. These two young men find themselves drawn to each other. Chiaki is being sexually abused by his stepfather and Eiji's mother was crazy and tried to get rid of him by attacking him, neglecting him, etc. What these two young men find in each other is something that they need and soon begin a relationship. With them both of them hiding physical as well as emotional scars can they continue a healthy relationship?
Mental illness and abuse is always a touchy subject with me, knowing first hand what it's like (the mental illness part at least). You can't go wrong with Toko Kawai, but knowing that this was going to be an emotional read for me I had to proceed with caution. What I found was a truly amazing tale of hope, optimism, and love. I generally don't talk to my mom about yaoi titles I've read but in the case of Cut I had to bring it up because it was so poignant (I just left out the m/m and sex factors when we talked). I was moved beyond words by the way Kawai-sensei presented this story, especially the way she told of Eiji's past. I am so glad that Juné licensed this title because not only has this made my top of 2009 list but is also on my top manga titles of all time!

20th Century Boys – Naoki Urasawa, published by VIZ Signature
Kenji had a big imagination as a kid and had visions of greatness. Now he's the owner of a local convenience store, living with his mom and raising his niece that his sister basically abandoned. You'd think life would be boring but there's something going on and Kenji is going to have to save the day. Who knew that his big imagination and the death of a childhood friend was going to change his life forever. It seems that there is a big threat looming on the horizon and it is all based on a story created by Kenji and his friends one summer in the 60's.
I hadn't really thought much of reading anything by Urasawa-sensei until I asked readers to give me suggestions on non-yaoi authors and titles that I should check out. As it happens Urasawa-sensei was mentioned by a couple people so when the opportunity to get a review copy presented itself I jumped on the chance (sad thing is I haven't gotten it reviewed yet). This is another title that I didn't know if I was going to be continue reading until I read the second volume. I was a bit confused and generally action and sci-fi type stories just aren't my thing but I was hooked by the second volume. It tells a story that spans decades and jumps between Kenji's childhood and Kenji's current life. I can now see why Urasawa-sensei is so popular. He is a very gifted storyteller. I have really enjoyed reading 20th Century Boys and I give thanks to the readers who suggested I give Urasawa-sensei a shot!

Pop Japan Travel and their Cold Steel tour

2009-12-19T07:26:00.006-07:00

I've wanted to try one of these -

POP JAPAN TRAVEL (http://www.popjapantravel.com/) – a division of Digital Manga Inc, is looking for people who wants to have fun in Japan!

This holiday season, do something unforgettable! Travel to a winter wonderland of ice sculptures with us on our Cold Steel 2010 tour!

http://www.popjapantravel.com/tours/34/Cold_Steel_2010_Tour

Share it, give it, or request it, and we'll take care of making it magical!

During this tour you will have the option to meet Nizo Yamamoto! The art director for some of the most well-known anime films of all time including Princess Mononoke, Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa, Perfect Blue, and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time!

This tour will attend the annual Yuki Matsuri (snow festival) in Sapporo where you'll see life-size ice structures and maybe even your favorite anime characters made of snow! Not only that, we'll be touring through Tokyo so you'll get to stop at all the best anime shops and locations! Full Package includes two flights - round trip flights from Narita to LAX and round trip flights from Tokyo to Sapporo. Experience the best of both worlds - anime style! In addition to the Sapporo Snow Festival we will celebrate Setsubun (a celebration of the beginning of Spring) and also visit the infamous Ghibli Museum.

The deadline to apply is January 2nd, and space is limited, so sign up today! http://www.popjapantravel.com/tours/34/Cold_Steel_2010_Tour
For any inquiries or questions, contact: popjapantravel@gmail.com

Oishinbo A la Carte - Japanese Cuisine (vol. 1) by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki review

2009-12-15T05:00:00.001-07:00

Oishinbo A la Carte – Japanese Cuisine (vol. 1)

Author/Artist: Tetsu Kariya/Akira Hanasaki

Publisher: VIZ Signature

Rating: T – 13 and above

Genre: Seinen, Drama, Comedy, Slice of Life

Grade: B+

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

Food… its something that we all need. Not only do we need it to sustain life but it also is very important to society. We all have dishes that are essential to our culture and one mention of these meals people immediately know where that food comes from. Scotland has Haggis, Russia and borscht goes hand in hand. When you think of Italy pasta comes to mind and where would America be without its apple pie. Even though food is essential you wouldn’t imagine making an entertaining manga out of it. Well it has been done, and done very well.

Oishinbo A la Carte focuses on the Teito Times and their project called the Ultimate Menu. Shiro Yamaoka and Yuko Kurita are the two employees in charge. It turns out that Yamaoka is the son of renowned gourmet and famous artist Yuzan Kaibara. Yamaoka and Kaibara have been estranged for many years and the two don’t get along. They have very different views on how gourmet food should be approached. Yuzan feels that only those with culture and discriminating taste should be recognized as gourmets. Yamaoka feels differently. He feels that everyone should be able to enjoy good food and that gourmet meals can be found everywhere, not just in super fancy and expensive restaurants.

Oishinbo A la Carte is presented in a new and interesting way than most manga series. Usually they start a series with the first volume and follow the stories in the order that they were published. In the case of Oishinbo A la Carte it is handled like the title implies, a la carte. The volumes focus on a food type and each story focuses on that particular menu item. They introduce the series with a very apropos food choice, Japanese Cuisine. Each chapter focuses on a menu item. Not only do you have the food but the interpersonal relationships between the characters that make the manga interesting. You find yourself drooling over the manga while reading the descriptions of the dishes. Not only do you get an interesting look into Japanese culture through the dishes that have been passed down through the generations but the folks at VIZ have provided recipes for a dish or two that were featured in the volume (they may have been included in Japanese volumes but I have no knowledge of that).

Some of the artwork in Oishinbo A la Carte does have a somewhat dated look to it and some of the stories take place several years in the past. Oishinbo is a series that was started in 1983 and is still ongoing. According to mangaupdates.com there are currently 102 volumes out and it’s still plugging along. This is one of the first VIZ Signature titles that I’ve checked out and I have to say that I’m impressed with quality of this release. The books are a little bit bigger than a usual VIZ release (they’re about the same size as a DMP volume). They don’t have dust jackets but have attached flaps that give it a higher scale look. The paper is also a heavier stock and has an heirloom quality to it. The recipe pages are presented in color to make the food look that much better and drool worthy. Because of these features the books are little more expensive but because of the high quality and overall great job in production it is worth the higher price.

For a manga about food I have found myself truly enchanted and I’ve found myself hooked by this series. What better way to learn about a fascinating culture like the Japanese than through their culinary feats!

***Review Copy provided by VIZ Media***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Hey, Sensei? by Yaya Sakuragi review

2009-12-14T12:49:00.003-07:00

Hey, Sensei?

Author/Artist: Yaya Sakuragi

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Comedy, Drama, Romance

Grade: B

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

Written in the corner of a test Tomohiko Isa catches the note "I love you, Sensei" from one of his students. Isa is a stoic high school math teacher. The surprise comes from who left the note, male student Takashi Homura. Homura happens to be the younger brother of his college girlfriend. It was in this relationship that Isa discovered that he was gay and he figured that Homura was using this as a way to get back at him. Bombarded by Homura’s constant sexual attacks he discovers that Homura’s love confession was in fact real and had no idea that Isa was gay.

Isa doesn’t have a lot of experience with matters of love and struggles with the fact he’s falling for his student who is ten years his junior. Homura on the other hand wants to appear to be grown up and be a suitable partner for his lover. Isa reluctantly agrees to start a relationship with Homura. Homura, being the youthful soul that he is, is ready and raring to go whereas Isa, being a responsible adult, wants to take things slowly. Will these two be able to overcome their obstacles and truly love each other?

You may recognize the work of Yaya Sakuragi-sensei. She is the artist behind BLU’s Tea for Two which is a great read all in itself. Because I’ve been enjoying that series I was really looking forward to Hey, Sensei? and I wasn’t disappointed either. It is a very sweet story with humor and romance and dealt with very human emotions. I found it very endearing that these two were both trying very hard to impress each other. Isa was constantly reminding Homura of their age difference and Homura was always trying to act older than he really is. It seemed that as soon as they admitted to themselves that it was ok to be who they really are their relationship really improved.

One thing I really liked about this release was the art. Sakuragi-sensei creates manly looking men. There are no girly looking ukes in this story. I find myself drawn to characters that are drawn lanky, lean and long. That’s exactly what you get from Sakuragi-sensei sexy, tall, manly characters. Another thing I enjoyed was the short personal comic in the Afterword. It has nothing to do with the story at hand but it gives us a little glimpse into her life. In regards to the physical look of the book it’s typical Juné. With Sakuragi-sensei the larger size makes it much easier to enjoy her art. But that’s just me.

I really like this title and can see myself reading this on a regular basis. If you like sweet romance, manly looking characters, and the teacher/student scenario doesn’t bother you I recommend this title. For another view be sure to catch April Kimm’s review.

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Psst... Aurora Sale and Update!

2009-12-14T12:34:00.002-07:00

For those who are in need of some inexpensive manga for either themselves or for gifts be sure to head on over to Aurora Publishing's website and check out their sale (or you can click here for it too). You can get full series or single volumes for very little green. So if there are titles that you want to check out, now is the time!

Plus in their latest newsletter they let us know that the next title that's coming out is Kinky But Kind. This is from their Deux Press line and is the third and final book in Naduki Koujima's Naughty But Nice series.

Manhattan Love Story by Momoko Tenzen review

2009-12-02T05:00:00.001-07:00

Manhattan Love Story

Author/Artist: Momoko Tenzen

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: D

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

Manhattan Love Story is a collection of related vignettes tied to a midtown flower shop. Dan "Diamond" Loving is the manager of a flower shop in midtown Manhattan that is owned by his lover Rock Melville. Rock is a powerful CEO and is rather busy so the time that the two of these men is few and far between. They love each other but Dan has a hard time dealing with not being able to see his lover as often as he would like.

We also get stories featuring Dan’s employee Kanan who falls in love with a Japanese high school student who is in town visiting family, Kenji’s (the Japanese high school student) nephew falling for his teacher, and Rock’s secretary Jessie is dating an old college friend of Rock’s. Jessie met Louis at a bookstore he was working at. This is the couple that adorns the front cover.

I had high hopes for Manhattan Love Story because Momoko Tenzen-sensei happens to one of my favorite mangaka. I find her stories calming and interesting and her art, though sparse, has a very classy, high art feel to it. With the cover of this manga you definitely get that impression. But once I cracked open the book I found that this is one of sensei’s weaker titles. The main character Dan honestly looks like a flat chested girl (which really comes across on the back cover). He also acts somewhat girly. And the names Diamond and Rock, how cheesy is that. I realize that you can get some pretty bizarre names here in the states but I think sensei’s pushing it a bit. I did like the stories with Kanan and Kenji (the Japanese student) and Jessie and Louis’s story, although I would have used a different spelling of Jessie (the spelling used seems to be the more feminine spelling, I would have used Jesse which is much more masculine looking.) But the story that sinks this volume is The Angel and the Hydrangea, the teacher and student story. Normally I’m not too against this particular plot device because they are usually dealing with high school students. But in this case we are dealing with a teacher and a thirteen-year-old. Not only is he sleeping with several of his students, but seems to be obsessed with the young boy. Creepy! Many of the titles that I’ve read, sensei uses teacher love on a regular basis but this one just crosses the line. I know when I was thirteen I wasn’t looking to hook up with my teachers (most of them were old anyway). I feel that this story drags down the entire volume.

You can tell that this is one of sensei’s older titles because when you look at her newer works (like La Satanica also published by Juné) the art style has changed. The characters have very sharp chins and extremely long faces. She’s definitely improved over time but her art regardless of when it was drawn has always attracted me. I am so glad that Juné has decided to license many of her works. She is definitely one of my favorites and whenever I get my shipment of review books I always save hers for last because I enjoy her work so much (unless I get a Makoto Tateno book in the shipment then that is the last one I read). Sadly with the case of Manhattan Love Story I can’t praise it like I wish I could. I just found The Angel and the Hydrangea so distasteful that it tainted my opinion of the rest of the book.

It is beautifully published and I love the cover (with the exception of the clashing pink bar on the bottom, but it was published before Juné got its new makeover). But a beautiful book doesn’t make it worthy of your time. I can’t really recommend it because of the shota aspects of the third story. The rest of the book is OK but it’s not stellar. I’m leaving the decision up to you!

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

A Strange and Mystifying Story vol. 1 by Tsuta Suzuki review

2009-12-01T05:00:00.002-07:00

A Strange and Mystifying Story vol. 1

Author/Artist: Tsuta Suzuki

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Comedy, Supernatural

Grade: B-

Aki Yamane’s family seems to be cursed, everyone dies too young. While Aki’s grandfather is on his deathbed he tells Aki that if he ever needs anything the family has a protective spirit and all he needs to do is call upon it. But not long after his grandfather’s death he falls ill as well. He seems to be consumed by an unidentifiable illness and figures he’s not long for this world. Aki isn’t ready to die quite yet. Coming upon a fossilized tooth on the family shrine he summons the family’s protective spirit. Aki is in for quite a shock when the spirit materializes as a hunky wolf-man.

Once the spirit is summoned Aki must give him a name and tell him what he wants. At one time Aki’s grandpa summoned him and named him after his deceased wife Setsuko, so being the creative soul that he is calls him Setsu. Aki’s wish is for Setsu is to get rid of his disease but the way that Setsu goes about ridding Aki’s body is rather sensual and Aki becomes self conscious. Aki changes his mind and no longer wants Setsu around but doesn’t know how to go about it. But since Setsu is around Aki’s life doesn’t seem to be quite so lonely anymore and he does feel a lot better.

When Aki gets to the point of feeling pretty good he’s able to go about his business as usual and goes back to work. He’s a civil servant and works with an old childhood friend and his boss happens to be an old friend of his grandfather’s. But things are not bound to run smoothly when you have a sexy wolf-man living in your home. How is Aki to explain Setsu’s presence to his coworkers?

A Strange and Mystifying Story is just that, strange and mystifying, but is also intriguing, beautifully rendered, and humorous. But I do have a few hang-ups. The story is kind of confusing because we don’t get much back story into why Aki’s family is cursed and why Setsu has been protecting them all this time. It is a series, however, and I figure that answers will come in time. Another problem I found is Aki says one thing then behaves in another. This is a common yaoi plot device that can get somewhat tiring. Aki complains about being with Setsu but Setsu is the one who is healing him and Aki doesn’t really seem to appreciate it but then turns around and wants feel accepted by Setsu. Weird. Finally the secondary characters seem to be more colorful and interesting than the main ones (actually I should just say main character) especially Aki’s boss Minamura. It turns out that he met Setsu in his previous incarnation as Setsuko and was healed by him. He claims that Setsu was his savior and his first love (and seeing Setsu I can totally see it). It also seems that Aki’s childhood friend possibly has a crush on the boss. Interesting office!

Overall though I did find it rather enjoyable and it turned out to be a great escape. I don’t recommend this title to new yaoi readers though. Setsu has the cosplay thing going for him where he has ears and a tail but one of my first experiences with animal/human and human pairings was early on in my yaoi reading and I almost left boys love titles in the dust. He does go in and out of animal form (not much) and does have the ears and tail quite regularly, but can look like a normal human as well. Now if you are a yaoi veteran and can read anything then you’ll probably enjoy it.

Juné did a pretty good job. The translation seemed to flow ok and I don’t recall any spelling or grammatical errors. The dust jacket fits nicely. The only thing that sticks out is that the cover has an orange hue but then there’s the pink Juné branding strip (with their new look the second volume looks much better). It does take away from the cover illustration, but you get over it pretty quickly.

For anyone who likes their yaoi with a touch of fantasy and supernatural you may want to check out A Strange and Mystifying Story. If you are new to yaoi you may want to put it off until you become a little more familiar with the plot devices and conventions used (and I don’t mean conventions like Yaoi-Con) and tackle this title then. But it’s completely up to you, you may really enjoy it, but I’m personally glad I waited to read it when I was a little more familiar with the genre.

***Review Copy purchased through Yaoi Club***

Princess Princess Plus by Mikiyo Tsuda review

2009-11-30T14:04:00.007-07:00

Princess Princess Plus

Author/Artist: Mikiyo Tsuda

Publisher: Doki Doki

Rating: YA – ages 16 and up

Genre: Shojo, Comedy, Gender Bender, School Life

Grade: B

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

There is a somewhat strange tradition at the all-boys Fujimori Academy. Instead of having a more traditional style of mascot (you know something along the lines of Jaguars, Cougars, Spartans, Bees, etc.) they have the Princesses. A few of the prettiest boys are chosen to dress in drag and cheer on the various clubs on campus. Mikiyo Tsuda introduced us to the Princesses in her series Princess Princess and continues the concept in Princess Princess Plus.

Kiriya Matsuoka and Tomoe Izumi have been chosen to be this year’s Princesses. Both decide to take on the job but for various reasons. Being a Princess has a few perks but is also very hard work and the two new princesses will have to go through a crash course to learn the ins and outs of the job. And their new drill sergeants are none other than last year’s princesses Tohru Kouno, Yuujirou Shihoudani, and Mikoto Yutaka. Becoming a princess is hard work but Matsuoka and Izumi take it all in stride and work very hard together. But things change very quickly when Izumi invites himself over to Matsuoka’s house. Matsuoka and his siblings lost their parents when they were young and they live in a small apartment. Izumi on the other hand was born into a very rich family and wants for nothing, except a true friend. Izumi assumes that because he and Matsuoka are now princesses together the two should become close friends. But when Izumi tries to get to know Matsuoka better, his plan backfires and soon Matsuoka comes to despise Izumi. Things get so bad that even the previous princesses notice that something is wrong. Will Izumi and Matsuoka be able to set aside their differences and become friends, or will pride continue to get in the way?

Princess Princess Plus is one of the first books released by Digital Manga Publishing’s Doki Doki line. Doki Doki is a partnership with the Japanese publisher Shinshokan (in Japan Shinshokan publishes the manga magazines of Wings, a shojo mag, and Dear +, a boys love magazine). This line seems to focus on shojo and boys love titles aimed mainly at a young adult level (Juné and 801 Media titles are geared toward adult readers). For their first book Princess Princess Plus isn’t too bad of a choice.

Mikiyo Tsuda has created an entire universe that these characters inhabit. There are a couple of spin-offs that feature the Princess Princess characters (The Day of Revolution, Family Complex, and of course Princess Princess). The original Princess Princess series was published by DMP and contains five books (if you are interested in reading Ginger Mayerson’s review of this title click here). In the original series the story focuses mainly on the job of being a princess and stars Kouno, Shihoudani, and Yutaka. In Princess Princess Plus the princess responsibilities take a back seat to the personal story between Izumi and Matsuoka. Matsuoka has a huge complex because he lost his parents when he was young and his older brother works as a host to make ends meet. Izumi, on the other hand, is the only child born into a very wealthy family. Because of this wealth he is generally taken advantage of by his friends but he yearns to find a friend who will see him for him and not for the money his parents have. The point of this story is to watch the friendship between Matsuoka and Izumi blossom.

With this being one of Doki Doki’s first titles I was looking forward to how they were going to look production-wise. The books are the same size as 801 Media titles (sister company to Doki Doki) but have about the same quality and price point as a Juné title. Another nice feature is that instead of using a bar on the bottom of the book to brand it they used a nifty scroll pattern with the Doki Doki logo in the corner. One thing I did wonder about was how they were going to handle the under the cover comic. Mikiyo Tsuda is famous for throwing in a gag comic underneath the dust jacket. With this title there is no jacket but luckily it is printed at the end of the book.

Overall I did enjoy this title because the story focused on the interpersonal relationships between the characters whereas the original series seemed to be focused mainly on the princesses’ duties and costumes that they wore. The personal stories seemed to be secondary. It is assumed that you’ve already read the first five volumes of the original series so they figure that you know the basics of the story (like why they have princesses as mascots as opposed to anything else). This can be read as a stand alone title but it does make more sense if you’ve read the first series. It is also a one-shot because Tsuda-sensei mentions in her ending comments that she’s done all she can with it and it has been a very fulfilling project for her. This is one that Tsuda-sensei fans won’t want to miss. I will however make the comment that you may want to avoid this title if you don’t have a thing for cross-dressing in your manga. It can get tiring after a while. While I’m not a rabid Tsuda-sensei fan I found this to be a fun title that is a great distraction from everyday life!

For another point of view be sure to check out I-hsiu Lin’s review.

***Review Copy provided by Doki Doki***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Il Gatto Sul G vol. 1 by Tooko Miyagi

2009-11-27T05:00:00.001-07:00

Il Gatto Sul G vol. 1

Author/Artist: Tooko Miyagi

Publisher: Juné

Rating: YA – ages 16 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: A

Atsushi Ikeda is the quintessential nice guy. He rescues stray cats and helps clear the streets by picking up stray furniture on the way to the dump. One day on the way home he finds a high school student in front of his apartment. The young man’s hand is injured quite badly so Atsushi brings him in, treats his injury and even feeds him. He can’t seem to get any information from the young man, but because Atsushi is the caring soul that he is he wants to help this kid out any way he can. He soon learns that the guy he helped out is none other than famous violinist Riya Narukawa. Atsushi finds himself worrying about Riya and so he takes it upon himself to take him under his wing. But the more he sees of Riya the more he learns about how troubled Riya is. It seems that Riya suffers from multiple personalities.

Riya seems to be timid and shy but his other personality is much bolder. Atsushi met the less timid personality first. Atsushi gives Riya a spare key to his apartment and tells him that he can come over anytime and use it as a refuge. The two start to get to know one another but it seems that the timid personality doesn’t remember what happens when the bold personality is in charge. It’s the beginning of a complicated relationship with many twists and turns ahead.

Anytime you combine yaoi and a musical storyline you are definitely going to get my attention. Il Gatto Sul G is a three volume series by Tooko Miyagi. I’m not too familiar with Miyagi-sensei so this was really a first for me. The only thing of sensei’s I’ve ever checked out is the Juné light novel A Promise of Romance, she was the illustrator. Since this is the first volume we’re just setting up the story and introducing the characters. In this one it’s a bit more complicated because we have the black (bold) personality being attracted to Atsushi and the white (timid) personality is attracted to his sempai (we’re introduced to him in this volume but his part is minor). I find myself drawn to this story not only because it has a musical story to it but anytime you have characters that deal with mental illness in any way, shape, or form is going to pique my interest. Mental illness is a tough thing to deal with and when you present it in an interesting way you can bring attention to a much stigmatized issue.

This is a beautiful release. It has a matte dust jacket which gives it a very sophisticated look. The paper is brilliant white but is rather flexible and makes it a pleasant read. The translation is smooth and I don’t recall any editing mistakes. It is a very nice presentation and is Juné at its best.

Be prepared for a heart wrenching, emotional, rollercoaster ride. But it is definitely worthy of your time!

***Review Copy purchased through Amazon.com***

Happy Thanksgiving, Get Your Shopping Done Early!

2009-11-26T10:02:00.003-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

As we sit around our tables and give thanks, surround ourselves with loved ones, and stuff ourselves silly with turkey, a few online destinations are getting a jump on their Black Friday sales!

Yaoi Generation will be celebrating the holiday from 11/26 to 12/01. They may be out of the office but are offering a deal for any order that comes in on any date that falls on one those days. Be sure to use coupon code THGV30 and you'll get a 30% discount. All orders will be processed and shipped on 12/02/2009. If you haven't checked out breath yet, here is a great chance to pick up this great series!

One of my favorite places to shop for manga, anime, and all things otaku is Akadot Retail. All orders from 11/25 through 11/29 you can get a 15% discount when you use the coupon code thanksaka (a minimum $25 purchase must be made to qualify for the discount). You can also get free shipping on all qualifying orders of $15 or more as well. Those Makoto Tateno stickers and Junjo Romantica post-its are sooooo tempting!

Have a happy and safe holiday, don't kill those relatives that may drive you crazy, and be sure to send all of your packages through the United States Postal Service (hee-hee)!

Disclaimer - I am not an employee of Yaoi Generation or Akadot Retail and don't receive monetary compensation from these companies. I do receive free review copies of manga from Yaoi Generation and Digital Manga Publishing (parent company of Akadot Retail). I am, however, a US Postal Employee and want to keep my job, so I'll pimp them any way I can!

Clan of the Nakagamis: The Devil Cometh (vol. 2) by Homerun Ken review

2009-11-26T05:00:00.002-07:00

Clan of the Nakagamis: The Devil Cometh (vol. 2)

Author/Artist: Homerun Ken

Publisher: Juné

Rating: YA – 16 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Comedy, Romance

Grade: B

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

Everyone says that their family is crazy (believe me I’ve used that excuse a time or two) but in the case of the Nakagamis, they are truly crazy. You have a family obsessed with the middle son Tokio, an older son who is a cross-dressing shojo artist, and a younger brother who is somewhat gullible when it comes to his older brother. But the siblings are just the tip of the iceberg. The mom and dad are eternally youthful and look much younger than their children and the grandfather is the youngest looking one out of the bunch, if you didn’t know any better you’d think he was around the age of ten or so. If you’re interested in checking out reviews for the first volume you can read mine or a great male perspective by Tom Good.

Things seem to going OK with Haruka Iijima and Tokio Nakagami but they aren’t moving fast enough for Iijima thanks to the butting in of the rest of the Nakagami clan. But an ominous wind blows in the son of the head of the family and president of the Nakagami Group, Hibari Nakagami. It seems weird to the rest of the family that Hibari just shows up out of the blue to collect Grandfather Mitsuru (the ten-year-old looking grandpa). But instead of leaving with Grandfather he seems to have taken Tokio’s heart with him leaving Iijima, and the rest of the family worried. Only they’re worried about different things, Iijima feels that Hibari is taking his beloved sensei away from him, and the Nakagami clan figure that Hibari is using the fact that Tokio once had a thing for him to take advantage of him and his youthful appearance. Will Iijima and the rest of the Nakagamis be able to rescue Tokio before anything horrible will happen to him?

The second half of the book features a story starring Takamaru (the third son), Hibari, and Kijinojyo (the eldest son and the cross-dresser). Takamaru gets lost on an island famous for its mushrooms and its pirate legend while searching for a legendary mushroom that will save Tokio from a dreaded family disease (which turns out to be just a joke that their father told them). But who knew that while on the island they were going to be roped into the mystery of the pirate treasure.

This series is honestly a hidden gem. There are many hardcore yaoi fans that wouldn’t pick up this book because it has a YA rating. Usually with that rating it means that the sexual content isn’t as prevalent. But if you haven’t read this series you are missing out, big time! It is absolutely hilarious. The story is far-fetched but that’s what makes it fun. There is a scene in the first story where Hibari and Tokio are having dinner but to protect Tokio’s innocence Iijima, Kijinojyo, Takamaru and eventually Gokurakuchota (the father) show up in various types of dress but they’re all wearing different types of neckties because it is a requirement for men (and Kijinojyo is in his cross-dressing mode). I laughed out loud, which I usually don’t do (I choose to just snicker to myself). The storytelling is done well and the story moves rather quickly. It is a quick read but definitely worth you time.

Not only is the story great but I have found that I really like Homerun Ken-sensei’s art style. It is very clean and detailed and the characters actually look Asian (which often times the look is more generic). Everyone is gorgeous and beautifully designed. The art will really blow you away (at least in my opinion). The art and the story work really well together and the characters are well developed.

Since Juné decided to lose the dust jackets they store better and look rather nice on a shelf. I do admit that I miss the dust jackets because on the inner flaps you usually get a blurb written about the author. Without the jacket you don’t get them and I miss those comments, they were always good for a giggle. But, oh well, I think I’ll live. The translation was done smoothly and they did a great job on the clean-up. But Juné usually does a bang up job when it comes to high production value.

I don’t know if there is a third book in the works but in the Afterword sensei makes it seem like the chances that she’ll (I assume it’s a she) continue the series. I really hope so because not only do we have the Tokio x Iijima pairing, but we also have the new couple of Takamaru and Imaizumi, and there is the building sexual tension between Hibari and Kijinojyo. I’ve found myself completely entranced by sensei’s work and hope that more will be brought to the English-speaking market.

If you haven’t checked out Clan of the Nakagamis, you should really pick it up. You can read it as a stand alone story, but I do recommend reading the first volume before you read The Devil Cometh. It makes more sense that way and is way more enjoyable. I do recommend this series and I think you ought to check it out!

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Hey, Class President! vol. 1 by Kaori Monchi review

2009-11-25T05:00:00.002-07:00

Hey, Class President! vol. 1

Author/Artist: Kaori Monchi

Publisher: 801 Media

Rating: M – 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance, School Life

Grade: C

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

For any yaoi reader you know that when you have an all-boys school there is going to be hooking up. In Kaori Monchi-sensei’s Hey, Class President! there is plenty of sex to go around.

Kokusai and Chiga have been in the Judo club together but recently Kokusai has been elected as class president. It seems that the school’s tradition in to elect the most wanted guy. And that guy is Kokusai. Kokusai gets to select his vice president and that lucky soul is Chiga. Chiga doesn’t understand why on earth anyone would want to elect Kokusai as the class president. He’s slow and clueless to things that are going on around him. He’s a stalker and pervert magnet and he’s always being groped by strangers on the train. Now that Chiga is in the picture he keeps creeps at bay. Chiga is a known womanizer and never has a shortage of girlfriends but since he can’t seem leave Kokusai alone he finds himself attracted to Kokusai as well. What will happen to these two?

With Hey, Class President! I’ve found it hard to explain the plot of the story because I don’t really understand what is going on. Not only do you have the things going on in the school and the dealings with Kokusai and Chiga but you also have other things going on outside of school. There seems to be a stalker making the rounds in Kokusai’s neighborhood and actually has set his sights on Kokusai. Since this is the first of four volumes we won’t find out who the stalker is for a while. One thing I have figured out is Monchi-sensei writes whatever she wants regardless of whether it makes sense or not.

Right now I don’t know if I like the series. The story is kind of all over the place and doesn’t make sense in some places but that might clear up as the series goes on. The art is definitely unique and you can tell immediately that it is Monchi-sensei. The sex is hot and plentiful towards the end (you get a lot more in the second volume.) And I must say that this has one of the longest self loving scenes I have ever read in a manga. Dang!

With this being an 801 Media release you know the smut factor is going to be high and with this one it is definitely smutty. I like 801’s productions values. The books are about the same size as the Japanese originals and they always include a full color cover sheet. One thing I really liked was the font choices. Normally I take it for granted, but when the font is off it really pulls you out of the story. 801 (and DMP in general) always do an amazing job on their translation, cleanup, and design.

Do I recommend this title? Well… it’s still early in the series. Since it doesn’t make much sense to me right now doesn’t mean I’m ready to give it up (besides being obsessive/compulsive like I am once I start something I finish I have to see it through.) So let’s all give this a chance, cool?

***Review Copy provided by 801 Media***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Close the Last Door! vol. 1 by Yugi Yamada

2009-11-24T07:48:00.004-07:00

Close the Last Door! vol. 1

Author/Artist: Yugi Yamada

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – ages 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Comedy, Romance

Grade: A+

Atsushi Nagai has got a problem. He has a monster crush on co-worker and kohai Toshihisa Saitou. Not only does he have this crush but he didn’t realize that he had this crush until Saitou told him that he was getting married. Broken hearted at the wedding he decided that he would drown his sorrows at the bar. While getting smashed he met a coworker of the bride’s. It seems that Kenzou Honda had a thing for the bride at one time. After the wedding the two got drunk and fell into each others arms, who knew that all hell was about to break loose.

It seems that Remi, Saitou’s bride, ran off with a co-worker and former lover. She married Saitou in hopes of forgetting her former love. Satiou is now broken hearted and seems to giving off some serious crushing on Nagai pheromones. Nagai has gotten himself into quite the dilemma. He and Honda get together a lot to drink and do more. Saitou is trying to forget his wife and is spending more and more time with Nagai (and Honda since the two spend a lot of time together). This is one bizarre love triangle that is going to take some work to get things resolved.

Yugi Yamada is one mangaka that never fails to disappoint me (see my first Mangaka Musings post). In Close the Last Door vol. 1 we are introduced to this crazy love triangle. There seems to be some serious chemistry between Nagai and Honda and they like to use the excuse of them being drunk as a jumping off point to jump into bed together. Nagai also can’t refuse Saitou but I honestly think that his affection for Saitou is like a pet owner has for a pet. He can’t bear to have someone take Honda away from him but he’s all flustered over Saitou as well. Since this is a first volume who knows what is going to happen! The story moves quickly with twists and turns but isn’t confusing. I love Yamada-sensei’s portrayal of men. They look like men, they behave like men, and show emotion like men (which means they don’t know how to show or deal with them). With these three characters they all have such unique personalities and unique looks makes it easy to differentiate between them.

This is one quality release from Juné. It is an older title so it has the dust jacket, but unlike some of Juné’s older releases the paper is very flexible. I’m so glad that DMP has licensed many of Yugi Yamada-sensei’s titles and I hope that we can see more. The sequel was held up due to the Biblos bankruptcy and because for some reason sensei doesn’t sell very well here in the States (which is bizarre because wherever you turn people are constantly slathering on the praise for her work.) I can’t wait for the second volume to come out which we won’t see until the end of 2010 (boo!)

I highly recommend this title for the sheer awesomeness that is Close the Last Door vol. 1. It is amazing in art, and sensei’s ability to tell a great story that will hook you from the moment that you crack open the book. Read it, you won’t be disappointed!

***Review Copy purchased through Akadot Retail***

Love/Knot by Hiroko Ishimaru review

2009-11-14T10:10:00.003-07:00

Love/Knot

Author/Artist: Hiroko Ishimaru

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – ages 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Suspense, Romance

Grade: D+

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

By day Keigo Someha works as a somewhat unsuccessful private investigator. But for his evening job, an assassin for hire, he's much more successful. On his way back from his evening job he finds a young man who'd collapsed in front of his house. This young man has a unique look and piques Keigo's interest. When the young man awakens in a strange environment, he freaks out. Keigo, like a good host should, introduces himself and learns the young man's name, Emiya Nozaki. Emiya is very wary but poses an interesting proposition. Since Keigo is not the best detective, Emiya gives him some information about a person he is currently looking for. If the info is correct Keigo has to let Emiya stay with him. Of course Emiya's information is spot on so Keigo allows him to stay. But while on another job he that a top secret government experiment escaped and that he may be getting a call. It turns out that Emiya is the government experiment. He possesses a high intellect and seems to have ESP abilities. Now that Keigo has accepted Emiya into his life will he be able to hand him over to the government, or will he protect him from having to go back to the place he tried so hard to get away from?

Oh man, the plot had so much potential but sadly it falls so very short! If the story focused on building the relationship between Keigo and Emiya it probably would have worked better. But we were introduced to the characters and then almost immediately they were professing their love. With the opportunity to have a great action/love story Love/Knot misses the point. I had hoped that there would have been more action because Keigo wants to keep his assassin side hidden and Emiya would have been fighting to stay out of the government's clutches but as quickly as these points are made they are quickly forgotten. Everything is just disjointed and things are kind of messy (just like this review). I found myself hoping for the ending to come quick which isn't a good sign for any book, manga or otherwise.

Digital Manga always does a great job when it comes to the physical production of the book. With the larger trim size it makes it stand out on a shelf and the illustrations are clear. I do kind of miss the dust jackets, but they are easier to store. Juné brought us another Hiroko Ishimaru title, Total Surrender and honestly preferred that title to this one.

I will admit I do like the art and the characters are all very attractive and are well proportioned. If you choose to read it at least the art is appealing. The story is not new and sadly Love/Knot hasn't really changed my life in this presentation of this story line. I've seen it done over and over again, and better. But I'm going to leave it up to you; you may really like it!

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Awaken Forest by Yuna Aoi review

2009-11-12T23:43:00.005-07:00

Awaken Forest

Author/Artist: Yuna Aoi

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – ages 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: D

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

Yoshimori is a newcomer to the editorial department but for some strange reason he's been tasked to retrieve the manuscript of the well-known and very talented author, Orito Suga. He had the opportunity to meet Suga-sensei and his brother at a work function. These two brothers are beyond handsome and Yoshimori is looking forward to spending a little time with these two handsome men. But behind these two gorgeous yet mysterious brothers lies a secret that can be the end of these two, and with Yoshimori not only living with the Suga brothers but also feeling an attraction to Masato something dangerous seems to be lurking.

Included with the main story of Awaken Forest are two short one shots. Loose Bonds is a tale of two childhood friends, one of which has had a crush on the other and will do anything to keep his friend by his side. Be With Me 'Til Morning and Be With Me 'Til Night is a story where a playboy realizes that his friend is the only man for him.

You might recognize the art in Awaken Forest. Yuna Aoi is another penname for Tamotsu Takamura the artist who created Jazz, also released by Juné. I never read Jazz and after reading Awaken Forest I probably won't. The story in Awaken Forest is a bit jarring with an incest angle. Plus throw in some non-con sex and that's about all there is to Awaken Forest. There is very little story, honestly. It goes from newbie editor going to authors house, finding out the secret behind the two brothers, being raped, to end of story. I sat scratching my head thinking "What crap did I just read?" Then following the story of Awaken Forest you have Loose Bonds which is almost as disturbing as the first story. Ren has had a thing for Aki since they were kids and will go to extreme lengths to make sure that Aki depends on Ren only. Ren has been pulling all kinds of crap to deceive Aki to keep him in his clutches. This type of story line doesn't appeal to me either. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with angsty plots but in the case of these two stories I didn't like them one bit. The third story is the only one that is half-decent but is rather typical of the genre.

Not only was the story lackluster but the art was rather unimpressive as well. There is little detail and the characters seem to all look alike. The only difference is the hairstyles on the characters. They seemed to have unnaturally large eyes, especially when children were portrayed. It really pulled me out of the story, which is bad when I'm not really fully invested to begin with. Honestly this title is one that you can miss. If you want to read it I say go for it but just know that in my opinion the only story that is half decent is Be With Me 'Til Morning and Be With Me 'Til Night.

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Mangaka Musings - Yugi Yamada

2009-11-11T10:42:00.005-07:00

I've wanted to spend time yammering on about some of my favorite mangaka for quite some time but I could never decide with whom to start so I never got around to it. But since word on the net is that Yugi Yamada just isn't as popular here in the States I just have to put in my two cents about sensei's work.

I'm the first to admit that I wasn't one bit interested in Yamada-sensei's work. Every time I saw one of her covers I thought that the cover art was ugly and being new to the whole yaoi scene I truly judged every book by the cover (I've learned now that you can't do that because some of my favorite titles are those very books I thought were ugly). I was somewhat upset because I was running out of Juné titles to read and when I started reviewing for J LHLS I was usually battling with other reviewers for the Juné and 801 Media titles. I had requested a couple 801 titles but for me to get them sooner I had to request a couple more books for my editor to spend the money on postage. The only titles that were available were vols. 1 and 2 of Don't Blame Me. Since I really wanted my 801 books I decided that what the heck I'm not paying for the books I can just read them, slam them and get on with the titles I really wanted. What I didn't expect when I opened up my package of books was getting hooked on Yamada-sensei's work.

When it comes to yaoi titles that I like to read I love humor, I love my characters to behave like men (seeing how that’s what they are), and I like rich, interesting characters with art that matches the story. I especially like unique art styles that compliment the storytelling. That's what I found with Yamada-sensei. I picked up the first volume of Don't Blame Me and within just a few pages I was sucked in immediately. The characters were interesting, unique, and I found myself laughing. I couldn't put the darn thing down. The next thing I knew I had powered through the first volume and was impatiently ripping off the shrink-wrap dying to continue. Now, you see manga doesn't take too long to read but I simply had to read these back to back and immediately because I had to find out how the story ended. Once I finished it I was converted. The story moved quickly with wit, humor, and depth that is honestly rare to find in yaoi. Even the art grew on me and now she is one of my favorites. After I read Don't Blame Me I honestly ran to my nearest bookstore that sold yaoi to purchase the rest of the titles that were released in English. I even went so far to check out many of her titles that had been scanlated and found several more of her titles that I've really enjoyed and would love to see them brought to our shores.

The title that really spurred me on to write this little (yet crappy) editorial is the release of Close the Last Door vol. 2. Juné licensed several of Yamada-sensei's titles but seem to have a difficult time selling her books. Close the Last Door was one of the titles that they licensed before the Biblos bankruptcy. You see Biblos was one of Japan's largest boys love publishers but due to poor management the company went bankrupt. Libre was then created and picked up the Biblos licenses and all the English publishers had to go back to renegotiate the terms for releasing the titles. Close the Last Door was a fun, crazy story about a guy who was in love with his kohai but when said kohai got married he was so upset he ended up drunk and slept with the kohai's wife's coworker. This story was released several years ago and was caught up in the Biblos mess. But it seems that Juné worked through all those issues and are back on track with publishing these titles. But it seems that because Yamada-sensei just doesn't seem to sell all that well we’re going to have to wait until the end of 2010 to get that book. I realize that they have to make money and I don't blame Juné. I blame all those people who haven't given Yugi Yamada-sensei their time. I'm sure that there are people out there who feel like I did (you know thought her art was ugly and so on) but once you crack open one of her stories I know you'll be hooked. We need to show this popular mangaka (in Japan) that we American readers love her work as well. Then maybe we'll get some more of her work (including one of my favorite titles Taka ga Koi Daro [which this was actually written by Saki Aida author of S]).

If you are interested in seeing my reviews of some of her titles feel free to click on the links:
Don’t Blame Me vol. 1
Don’t Blame Me vol. 2
Spring Fever
Glass Sky
Laugh Under the Sun.

Yugi Yamada-sensei is a hidden gem in a mountain of mediocre yaoi and deserves to be read. I would love to hear your opinions on Yamada-sensei and her greatness (or lack thereof if that's how you feel) in the comments section!

breath vol. 4 by Chifumi Ochi review

2009-11-06T08:43:00.006-07:00

breath vol. 4

Author/Artist: Chifumi Ochi

Publisher: Yaoi Generation

Rating: M – 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: A-

I want to first make it known that there may be spoilers in regards to previous volumes of the series, and I heartily apologize. Now that that's out of the way lets get to the review!

Ain't nobody happy in the fourth volume of breath. Now that Ten has successfully separated Arata and Yanagi and he's somewhat happy that Arata is back within his grasp, or is he? Arata has always dealt with a huge inferiority complex towards Ten but because (in Arata's mind) Yanagi chose Ten he no longer wants to spend any time with his brother. He's so heartbroken he has no appetite and what he does eat he vomits almost immediately afterwards. Arata isn't the only one who's screwed up over this. Yanagi goes back to his playboy ways only more so. He's drinking more and sleeping with just about anyone without really thinking about whom he's sleeping with. It seems that those around him are a little concerned.

One evening Yanagi and Arata bump into each other on a crowded street. Because Arata hasn't had a proper meal in ages, he passes out in the middle of the crowd. Yanagi swoops in to rescue the damsel in distress. Their feelings finally come to the surface, but because of this meeting things take a dramatic turn in the end.

Chifumi Ochi-sensei has dialed up the angst yet again. I really appreciated this volume because it delves into Ten and Arata's relationship and how Arata's inferiority complex became so engrained that he became dependent on Ten. Also Ten's true colors are showing, and he is Satan in human form. OK, that may be a little over the top, but he's pretty darn evil. One thing I liked about this particular volume is at the end Ochi-sensei presented us with a gag chapter featuring all of our favorite characters in a Snow White setting. Arata is Snow White and Ten is the wicked Stepmother (tee-hee). It was definitely a great addition to the book.

I am thoroughly and totally addicted to this series. Not only does it have physically attractive characters, but also the sex is hot, the story is engaging, and is a great title all around. That is one thing I like about series. You are able to delve more into the characters and really get a feel for them. With a story like breath there is no way you could make it an interesting story with just one volume. Each character is fascinating and interesting and seeing how their minds work is what makes this a really great read.

I know I say this every time but I love Yaoi Generation's way of publishing. The books are about the size of the original Japanese tankobon, they have a full color cover sheet, the paper is brilliant which makes the images leap right off the page, and it's so easy to hold and read.

I so can’t wait for the final volume, especially the way the story ended this time around. I am going to have a very hard time waiting for it. This is a title I definitely recommend and I've even bumped up the rating because I've been enjoying it so much. To quote LeVar Burton from Reading Rainbow "but you don't have to take my word for it." You'll find other glowing reviews of this series all over the net, or check out my reviews of vol. 1, vol. 2, and vol. 3.

***Review Copy provided by Yaoi Generation***

Utahime - The Songstress by Aki review

2009-10-26T08:44:00.004-06:00

Utahime – The Songstress

Author/Artist: Aki

Publisher: Digital Manga Publishing

Rating: YA – 16 and above

Genre: Shojo, Drama, Fantasy

Grade: A+

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

There is an uncertain future for a far off land. You see for centuries the land has been protected by the nightly singing of the songstresses. The songstress sings a song of protection toward the capital where the ruler resides. The ruler has always been male while songstresses are always born female. But there is a wind of change. In one of the villages that sprung up around the songstress' tower the unthinkable has happened. A male songstress has been born. Not only that but when the ruler of the land's wife gives birth to a daughter, are they doomed?

In Utahime – The Songtress we are introduced to a heartbreaking yet hopeful tale that honestly moved me to tears. I realize the above paragraph is lacking in information but I'll try to take the complicated story and explain it a little more here. In the land the ruler is only able to produce a male heir so when a daughter is born things get a little hairy. In the case of the Utahime (the songstresses) they are able to give birth to both male and female children but the songstresses abilities are only passed on to one daughter. So it is important for the songstress to give birth to make sure the gift is passed on to the next generation. By having a songstress in the village it gives those who live there a boost in their economy, but protection from enemies as well.

Utahime – The Songtress focuses on a small songstress village and the main cast involves the village chief's son, Thomas, and the son and daughter of the songstress, Kain and Maria. Kain and Maria have been raised up in the mountains because they are the children of the songstress. It is assumed that Maria is the songstress and Kain is put in charge of protecting Maria from the greedy villagers. Thomas, the son of the chief, feels in necessary to meet the songstress and her children. He then becomes quite close to Maria and somewhat close to Kain and sees the difference in treatment the villagers show towards the twins. They shower Maria with gifts and attention and ignore Kain. As he sees the relationship between Thomas and Maria grow, he feels like he's no longer needed and decides to run away, not knowing that he's the songstress. Thomas truly shows concern as he searches for years to try and locate Kain. Maria finds out the true nature of the villagers as her mothers health is on the decline and wonders if Thomas' gestures are just to get with her, Kain is out having the time of his life, Maria discovers she's not a true songstress and Kain finds out that he is.

DMP has made a genius choice in publishing Utahime – The Songstress as the title to kick off their new look. Not only is the cover design a much-needed improvement (I wasn't a huge fan of the purple band across the bottom) but the amazing job that Aki-sensei has done with this title has moved me beyond words. I often come across titles that are really very good and are emotionally moving but I think that Utahime – The Songstress blows them all out of the water. Not only is the art truly stunning, but the story is told using the whole spectrum of emotions. One minute I was laughing and the next I was on the verge of tears. There were so many aspects of this story that I could relate to on a personal level that made this a truly amazing read. I hope that we'll be able to get more from Aki-sensei because I am truly impressed.

Another reason why this was a great title for DMP to publish is because with their larger trim size you are able to truly appreciate everything. Plus with their new look and no dust jacket does make it look very snappy. Keep up the good work!

***Review Copy provided by Digital Manga Publishing***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Chocolate Suprise by Lily Hoshino review

2009-10-21T11:25:00.004-06:00

Chocolate Surprise

Author/Artist: Lily Hoshino

Publisher: Deux Press

Rating: M – 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance, Anthology

Grade: A

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

Kakiuchi is the hottest guy in class and has devised a game where there is a bag of chocolates (some spiked with an aphrodisiac), a group of girls, and the possibility of sleeping with Kakiuchi. The rules are whichever girl picks the spiked chocolate gets to sleep with Kakiuchi. One day Ogasawara, a guy, is invited to join in on the fun but they amend the rule that if Ogasawara chooses the spiked chocolate he can choose whichever girl he wants to (at least that’s playing the Mix Chocolate game.) When it turns out that Ogasawara picks the chocolate, he allows Kakiuchi to help him out. Is this the beginning of love?

Chocolate Surprise is a collection of sexy stories created by Lily Hoshino. Whatever you enjoy chances are Hoshino-sensei has covered here in Chocolate Surprise. I enjoyed most of the stories. There was one that I wasn't too fond of, A Condition for Love, but the rest were rather enjoyable. The reason why I didn't like A Condition for Love is because one guy confessed, the other guy said he'd only go out with someone experienced and offered to help the poor guy out with no intention of really continuing the relationship. Of course it gets the happily ever after moment, but it's not really a story line I enjoy. The rest of the stories are much more enjoyable, at least in my opinion.

One thing I found somewhat exciting is in My Only King, published by Juné, continues the story between Ogasawara and Kakiuchi. It seems that Kakiuchi may have had a thing for Ogasawara long before either of them knew it.

Hoshino-sensei is a mangaka that has the tendency to grow on you. When I first started reading yaoi I wanted my men to look like men (I still feel that way but I've expanded my horizons a bit). In the case of sensei's few titles on the market had very girly ukes on the front. I immediately judged her work without reading it and ended up eating my words (mmm…they're tasty too). Yes, I will admit that her ukes can be a little bit on the feminine side but she is a very talented artist. When I finally read through my first title of hers (Love Quest published by Yen Press) I immediately fell in love with her apple-cheeked, dewy-lipped boys.
If you haven't checked out any of Hoshino-sensei's titles I think that Chocolate Surprise is a great starter book. It is on the graphic side of things so if you have issue with detailed art in intimate moments, be aware. The stories are short but are fulfilling, unlike so many one-shot collections out there. And not all of them are smutty either. A couple of the adorable stories that I love aren't graphic at all. They're just sweet!

Deux Press has knocked another one out of the park with this release. Not only is it a great collection of stories but they've done a great job. The translation seems smooth and I didn't catch any editorial errors. They also did a bang up job on the cleanup. This is definitely one of their greatest achievements!

***Review Copy provided by Deux Press***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

The Government at Work

2009-10-21T11:13:00.001-06:00

Ah, the FTC! I didn't find it surprising when the new rules of disclosure came out, and in some cases I feel that truth in advertising is a very important thing. Because I've always felt that honesty is important and that those who choose to read my reviews should know whether I received the title from the publisher or I purchased the manga myself. So you see the new FTC ruling doesn't have much impact on things over here at Manic About Manga. The only change you'll see is I will no longer provide the links to the websites where I purchased the manga, I'll only inform you where I got it (i.e. purchased through Amazon, Akadot, etc.).

Future Lovers vol. 2 by Saika Kunieda review

2009-09-23T08:54:00.004-06:00

Future Lovers vol. 2

Author/Artist: Saika Kunieda

Publisher: Deux Press

Rating: M – 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Comedy, Romance

Grade: A+

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

Since we last left Kento Kumagaya and Akira Kazuki the two had been dating for almost a year. In this volume the two continue their relationship but instead of the emphasis being on the joy of falling in love it focuses on their continuing relationship and the struggles they face. We have the opportunity to meet Akira's mom and the man who inspired Akira to become an art teacher, Kento's more serious side shows up in a few stories, and there are a couple more light-hearted stories that tackle some serious issues.

Akira's mom doesn't know he's gay (or so we assume) so when the two are introduced Akira introduces them as colleagues. Kento is none too pleased to find out that Akira hasn't shared this info with him. Akira knows all kinds of things about Kento but Kento knows so little about Akira. Can Kento catch a glimpse of the real Akira behind the mask?

If the description of the plot is so sketchy, I apologize. But the book covers their relationship by showing it to us in several vignettes. The two have been together for over a year now and have to deal with the problems that pop up in relationships. Not only do they have to deal with the ups and downs of continuing their affair but they also have to deal with the fallout that comes with being gay in a society that is not as accepting. It covers such things as how they introduce one another to family, friends, and acquaintances, how to keep things fresh in their relationship, dealing with family members who wish things worked out differently, and looking at their long-term relationship (and we even get a glimpse into the future!)

I really love this series. The art is sketchy and not as smooth as you normally see but because of the comedic aspects of this manga it works really well. Akira is gorgeous but kind of a slob and we caught a glimpse of his bizarro fashion sense in the first volume. If you thought his fashion was out of this world crazy in that volume, then you won't be disappointed. Akira's shirts are as crazy as ever! That is one reason why I love this series. Akira marches to the beat of his own drummer and is proud of that fact! Kento on the other hand is so stiff that it's amazing that these two got together. Yet another reason why this is a great series to pick up. The sex is plenty, just like you want, but is tastefully done and really quite attractive.

Like all Deux Press releases, the publishing quality is top notch. The pages are crisp and clean and they use a higher quality paper that really showcases the artwork. The books are flexible and easy to open and hold. They did a great job on the translation and clean up. Banzai!

I highly recommend this book. Of course reading the first volume will help you keep the characters straight and introduce you to these characters. Read this series, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how great it is!

Other review links you may enjoy:

Future Lovers vol. 1 by Kris
Future Lovers vol. 1 by Linda Yau.

***Review Copy provided by Deux Press***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

News from Deux Press!

2009-08-28T05:44:00.003-06:00

After months of no new releases from Deux Press and their fire sale prices at their website, I was really worried that they were done for. But thanks to the incomparable Elisa Tung I have some great news! Spicy but Sweet by Naduki Kojima (sequel to Naughty but Nice) and Cigarette Kisses by Nase Yamato (a title I have been anxiously awaiting for over a year now) are coming out September 23. Not only that but they'll be taking pre-orders and offering another special sale starting today (at least that's what she said). Keep checking out their website for updates and be sure to pre-order these titles as soon as you can so we can keep them afloat and be able to continue to read their great titles!
UPDATE! (8/31/2009): Here is a link for their newest sale (they've called it their Back to School Sale). They are selling some titles for three bucks, other titles for five bucks and the pre-orders are nine dollars. Not only are you able order their titles but they also have $1 Grab Bags (I've already placed my order for $10 worth of grab bags - the most you can order). Check out the link above for all info!

breath vol. 3 by Chfumi Ochi review

2009-08-24T02:59:00.004-06:00

breath vol. 3

Author/Artist: Chifumi Ochi

Publisher: Yaoi Generation

Rating: M – 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: B+

In one of my favorite SpongeBob Squarepants episodes is where SpongeBob and his best friend Patrick are waiting next to SpongeBob's mailbox with baited breath for a much-anticipated package. As soon as the mail fish's truck is spotted they start doing a happy dance until the mail fish makes his delivery. You're probably wondering how on earth a SpongeBob Squarepants episode and a review for a yaoi manga have anything in common. Well me waiting for this third volume of breath by Chifumi Ochi was much like SpongeBob waiting for his package!

Things seemed to be heating up between Arata and Yanagi, but when Yanagi ran into his first love, Kashiwagi, the two hadn't gotten together since. Arata is somewhat confused by his feelings and because of this confusion his co-workers are seeing that Arata is human after all and they want to get to know this new Arata that they see. Ten (aka Takashi), Arata's twin brother, has discovered the relationship between Arata and Yanagi and won't stand for it. So he devises a plan to sever the bond between Arata and Yanagi and reclaim Arata for himself. Ten is rather thorough in his planning. By using drugs, time, and the information Ten got from Kashiwagi, he is sure that his plan will work. He figures that once Arata catches Ten and Yanagi in a compromising position that will be that. But the nail in the coffin is sending Kashiwagi over to Yanagi's to comfort him.

This volume's focus seems to be on Ten really being a blackguard and Yanagi and Kashiwagi's relationship in the past. Chifumi Ochi-sensei has turned up the angst to an all time high. If you thought that Yanagi was the jerk of the century then get prepared for Ten, the devil incarnate! Of course Kashiwagi comes in a close second behind Ten. You can't but help feel for poor Yanagi. If it weren't for Kashiwagi's attitude towards love, chances for Yanagi and love would have been better. But we still have two volumes left and I have hope! Yet it is going to be torture having to wait, and wait, and wait for the next volume.

There was one thing that was always in the back my mind while I was reading this third volume. If you remember Yaoi Generation chose to omit two pages from the second volume but still provided the text letting us know what Yanagi was thinking. I realize that censorship is a big deal but after reading these two volumes back-to-back and then stumbling upon this statement from Yaoi Generation posted in their forum, it really made me think:

As a rule (and with the advice of our lawyers), Yaoi Generation does not publish material showing minors, even fictional, in explicit sexual situations. I believe most, if not all, other publishers pretty much follow the same rule. The two pages we censored contain such material. We are aware of this from the beginning and proceeded only after knowing that the censorship would not hurt the main storyline. As the matter of fact, during the licensing and publishing process, we discussed this with both the original Japanese publisher and the author, and we have their blessing in the decision, and the author herself approved all modifications to the script to link the storyline together in order to ensure that the author’s intent still retains. In this case, the alternative of avoiding the age issue or modifying the character’s age would hurt the story more than the censorship. If you decide to follow through to volume 3, you’ll see why.

We're not lawyers, so we can’t claim to know the law inside out to argue it. We can only do what our lawyers advices us to do, and their goal is to protect the company, staff, distributors, readers, and everyone involved against not only current laws, but also against what they foresee as the direction in which the law leans when it’s vague/debatable, such as the obscenity law, in case of a lawsuit. And the general public tends to lean against sensitive material containing minors.

After pondering this whole thing I feel that just as long as the author's intent came through, that it was the publishers choice to omit the images, and the artist had no qualms then all I can do is support them through their decision. If I remember correctly the whole Christopher Handley mess was going on at the time this volume would have been in translation and printing (if you don't know what the Christopher Handley mess is, just Google it). They were trying to be safe. If it sounds like I'm a cheerleader for censorship, I'm not. Especially if it's the government that is doing the censoring. If I'm not making much sense, I apologize I'm exhausted and my synapses are most likely misfiring! But just know this, breath is a fantastic series and even though they chose to omit two pages isn't going to change the fact that this is a great series and Yaoi Generation has done a great job with the physical publication!

If you're interested feel free to check out my reviews for vol. 1 and vol. 2.

(Permission granted by Yaoi Generation to repost their quote, all spelling errors are theirs and theirs alone)

***Review Copy provided by Yaoi Generation***

Gakuen Prince vol. 1 by Jun Yuzuki review

2009-07-21T08:29:00.004-06:00

Gakuen Prince vol. 1

Author/Artist: Jun Yuzuki

Publisher: Del Rey

Rating: OT – ages 16 and up

Genre: Shojo, Comedy, Drama, School Life

Grade: A-

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

Jyoshioka Private High School, a.k.a. as Jyoshi (or Joshi) High, was once an all girls school but within the last few years they've started admitting guys. The girls outnumber the guys like no other and so to try and keep things somewhat quiet, all of the guys are in S-class. Every girl in school wants to be in S-class, except Rise Okitsu. Rise's goal in life at Jyoshi High is to be invisible. It seems that she was bullied in her old school and wants to avoid it in her new school so to hide her stunning good looks she pulls her hair up in pigtails and wears clunky glasses.

Azusa Mizutani has recently enrolled at Jyoshi High not really caring that it was once an all girls high school. He seems indifferent to the whole thing. But little did he know that he would soon become the target of hormonally charged, sex crazed girls. After being chased around twice in one day, he runs into Rise who was hiding in a storage room. Rise is the only girl who doesn't seem to be at all interested in Azusa so Azusa tries to convince the wild throngs of girls that he and Rise are an item. Does it work or will the throngs of crazy girls take it out on Rise?

I'm going to be straight up honest with you, when I first read Gakuen Prince I was so unimpressed. I perused several reviews of this manga and they were all glowing. I just didn't get it. I do admit that I don't read a lot of shojo manga and when I do they are usually comedic stories and have girls with personality. But I've recently changed my opinion of Gakuen Prince after reading a manga that is the ultimate in soap opera and the one of the main female characters is a complete doormat (*cough* Nana *cough* *hack*). Gakuen Prince is smart, funny, and gorgeous. I am so glad that I gave it another chance.

Rise is hilarious. She wants to be invisible but at the same time she wants to be able to tell people how she really feels. So when she's caught in those situations she comes off looking awkward yet it is so funny. Mizutani is a clueless guy and doesn't really understand the consequences of his decision. It is a well-crafted story with beautiful art. Not only is it nice to look at and fun to read but it shows how cruel girls can be. Not only physically but also psychologically. Bullying is a real problem and when you are dealing with girls, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. Luckily Rise shows an amazing strength and piece of mind to help Mizutani even though Mizutani doesn't realize what Rise is having to put up with.

You can expect some great manga reading when you read something from Del Rey. They are of pretty good quality and are easy to read and hold. They always leave the traditional honoriffics and even have a page explaining what they mean. At the end they have a section with translator notes to either give explanations on what they may have changed from the manga or notes on the Japanese words that they left in story. Sometimes they'll even give you a preview of the next volume in the traditional Japanese form. Del Rey is definitely one of the better manga publishers on the market.

If I had written this review when I first read this title it would have been very negative and I wouldn't have recommended it. Now that I have seen the light in regards to Gakuen Prince I can definitely recommend it. But I must warn you that it is Shojo with an edge had is thisclose to being smut. I would advise you that you'll probably want to follow the age recommendation of 16+ and it is shrink-wrapped which usually means there might be something you might find objectionable in it. But definitely give this manga a chance. It is truly a unique manga with great humor and is a bit edgy. It's worthy of your time.

***Review Copy provided by Del Rey***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Naughty But Nice by Naduki Koujima review

2009-07-19T01:53:00.004-06:00

Naughty But Nice

Author/Artist: Naduki Koujima

Publisher: Deux Press

Rating: M – 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Comedy, Drama, School Life

Grade: C+

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org. Check it out! ***

Mr. Wakasa is Kakeru Kiba's homeroom teacher. Everyone loves Mr. Wakasa, he's handsome and kind. But Kakeru is a bit of a klutz. Because of this weakness of his he learns that Wakasa is not the kind teacher he sees at school but is actually a bit of a jerk. What happened was Kakeru was out running errands for his mom when he saw someone that looked like his teacher being threatened by thugs. But this man was drunk and rather rude, so how could it be Wakasa? Just as the thugs go to punch out Wakasa Kakeru ends up distracting everyone, slips on a can, and pushes Wakasa into a river. Oops!

Feeling guilty, Kakeru takes Wakasa to his home. Once Wakasa wakes up he seems to be suffering from amnesia. Since Kakeru knows who he is Wakasa takes advantage of the situation by preying on that guilt and makes Kakeru take care of him. But once Wakasa's memory comes back he's still a jerk towards Kakeru. It seems that he behaves the way he does is because he had to be on his best behavior around his step-brother, but he's really a jerk in sheep's clothing (I know that's not the metaphor but this describes him the best.) Kakeru is the only one who gets to see the Wakasa behind the mask. Because of this Wakasa is determined to make the moves on Kakeru and he doesn't know how to deal with this!

Also included in Naughty But Nice is a one shot called Bouquet of Love. It is a sweet tale of a building owner who falls in love with a florist that works in a shop in one of the buildings that his family owns. There's one downfall to falling for a florist though, the owner is allergic to flowers.

There are a few things that define Naughty But Nice as typical Naduki Koujima. First, it's the art. Her ukes always have ginormous eyes that take up half of their face, but are well defined. She stated that she spends a lot of time working on the eyes to really bring out the emotion (I read that in one of the authors note sections at the end of one of her books…I think). Next is when her ukes are protesting they seem to grow fangs and look like adorable small, threatened animals. And trust me she has nailed the protesting uke and has turned it into her thing. Which brings me to my final point. It seems that in almost every Koujima-sensei title that I've read contains a very forceful seme and a loud, somewhat annoying, contradicting uke. I wonder if sensei is trying to corner the market on the "tsundere" character. She's definitely mastered the "Your mouth is saying no but your dick is saying yes" type of story. Out of the two stories in the book Bouquet of Love is the better story. It's a bit more believable and the relationship starts out more normally. Plus we don't get the rape=love story line.

Naughty But Nice is the first of three in a series so there is always the hope that things will improve. For another insight into the story be sure to read April Kimm's review!

***Review Copy provided by Deux Press***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Hitohira vol. 3 by Idumi Kirihara

2009-06-29T19:21:00.003-06:00

Hitohira vol. 3

Author/Artist: Idumi Kirihara

Publisher: Aurora Publishing

Rating: T – 13 and up

Genre: Shojo, Seinen, Drama, Comedy, School Life, Slice of Life

Grade: A

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

The time has arrived! It's the day of the school festival and by the end we'll find out which club gets to stay and which club must close its doors forever. The Theatre Research Group has worked very hard and will do their best in performing the play. Of course Mugi is so nervous she continually passes out. But there is one problem that might be bigger than Mugi freezing on the spot. That problem is Nono's voice. Nono has a vocal condition that causes her to lose her voice. Nono knows that this may be a problem but insists that the show must go on. The crew decides that if Nono's voice is going to disappear she'll give a sign and they'll improvise their performance.

Things start off rocky. Mugi is so nervous you can barely hear her. But thanks to Risaki she is able to gain a little more confidence. But Nono gives her sign that her voice is gone and Mugi freaks, yet again, but regains her composure and gives a performance no one will forget. But will it be enough to keep the Theatre Research Group's doors open? Plus Mugi's friend Kayo seems to be hiding something from Mugi and Chitose (member of the official Theatre Group) has her own troubles dealing with her feelings for Takashi. Oy, it's tough being a girl!

I am so glad that Aurora brought us this beautiful series (feel free to check out my reviews for vol. 1 and vol. 2). For some reason I've read in several spots that people are upset that Aurora is marketing this as a shojo title instead of a seinen title. I guess that Hitohira appears in a seinen magazine that appeals to men who like shojo story lines. If that's the case I don't see a problem in marketing it a shojo, especially if that helps sell more books. Hitohira is a fun coming of age story where Mugi must learn to step beyond her comfort zone and grow and that is most apparent here in the third volume. I don't want to give too much away because there is much divulged in this volume that will propel the story forward.

The art never ceases to amaze me. It is truly gorgeous and must be enjoyed just for that fact. I can't imagine how hard this mangaka works to get this title to look so good! Pick up this title if it's just for the art and then get hooked on the series because it is definitely worth the time you spend on it.

***Review Copy provided by Aurora Publishing***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Love Round!! by Hinako Takanaga review

2009-06-09T09:22:00.005-06:00

Love Round!!

Author/Artist: Hinako Takanaga

Publisher: Deux Press

Rating: M – 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Comedy, Romance, Sports

Grade: B

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***
Kaoru Komatsuna is very sensitive. He has a feminine name and has soft feminine features. Everyone knows that this is a hot button issue with him and not to approach it. Well, all but one person. Junya Kubo happened to pick up Komatsuna's student notebook and made the mistake of commenting on his name. Next thing Kubo knows is that some adorable shrimp knocked him out, which is a shocking thing in and of itself. Why, you ask? Well Kubo is a boxer who is in training to become a pro.

Once Kubo has come to he decides that he needs to convince Komatsuna to train to become a boxer at his gym. Komatsuna thinks that boxing is the ultimate in manly sports and decides to take a whack at it. One thing that Kubo and Komatsuna didn't expect is for Kubo to fall in love. Will Kubo's determination be able to win over Komatsuna, who can only punch out Kubo every time Kubo makes a move?

Hinako Takanaga-sensei has a wonderful ability to write madcap comedy with the best of them. Love Round!! is definitely like a yaoi manga version of a Three Stooges episode. OK, bizarre comparison but I hope you get what I mean. Komatsuna consistently knocks Kubo out and Takanaga-sensei is kind enough to keep count for us (a total of 18 knockouts) just in case you weren't keeping track for yourself. Another thing about the knock out scenes is there are always girls in the background screaming, if it wasn't crazy enough that a kid half the size of the boxing champ is able to knock him out with just one punch. But that's Komatsuna for you.

Takanaga-sensei has an interesting art style and is rather popular here in the states. She has some very dedicated fans. You're able to recognize her work from a mile away. It's sketchy and sparse but adorable nonetheless. Not only is Takanaga-sensei capable of drawing adorable schoolboys but she's able to create some of the sexiest adult characters as well (but none of those appear in this title). Takanaga-sensei's art compliment her story lines perfectly. In the case of Love Round!! there's plenty of blushing and embarrassment to go around and makes for the perfect one-two punch (sorry for the pun, it's pretty lame, I know).

Kubo and Komatsuna make an interesting couple but it seems to work well. If you are looking for a fluffy fun romance with a different feel to it I suggest picking up a copy of Love Round!! I enjoyed it.

***Review Copy provided by Deux Press***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Aurora Still Appreciate Their Fans

2009-06-09T09:15:00.002-06:00

It looks like Aurora Publishing in continuing their Fan Appreciation sale indefinitely. You can grab most of their titles through Aurora, LuvLuv, and Deux Press for only $5.00. For $9.00 each you can get Deux Press' May releases. I highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity if you haven't yet. And get to it because you don't want your title to sell out do you? Support your favorite manga companies so we can continue to see titles from this great publisher. I know I love them!

MIA!

2009-06-05T14:17:00.002-06:00

Sorry to those of you who follow my blog and reviews. I really do appreciate the love and support that you show me. I know things have been rather scarce but I've either been busy with work, proofreading novels for Wapshott Press, ill, or stumped by writers block. I want to play around with my writing style but everything comes out terrible. So please continue to be patient with me. I promise I'll be back in top form!

breath vol. 2 by Chifumi Ochi

2009-05-12T09:30:00.004-06:00

breath vol. 2

Author/Artist: Chifumi Ochi

Publisher: Yaoi Generation

Rating: M – 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: B

Kohshi Yanagi and Arata Kirishima are still holding to the master/slave contract that Yanagi came up with in last volume (if interested click here to read my review). Things seem to be going OK, well at least OK enough when forcing someone into a sexual relationship. Yanagi started bringing Arata to his home instead of a hotel because of convenience, which this fact really does come in handy. Arata has the tendency to not eat, especially when he's busy. Soon Yanagi starts cooking meals for Arata. As far as I know when you're blackmailing someone you usually don't show much compassion. Yanagi is a bit confused by this new feeling. But Yanagi isn't the only one who is confused. Arata is also feeling something but he doesn't know what it is.

Complications soon arise. Life is busy for Arata at work and he is initially unable to meet up with Yanagi. Yanagi gets worried (another emotion you'd think you wouldn't feel when it comes to blackmail) and waits for Arata in front of the door to his apartment. Things look like they are progressing to falling in love with each other. But soon Ten (Arata's twin brother and one of Yanagi's sex friends) becomes suspicious because Arata seems to be eating. Soon a clue falls into his hands in the form of a cell phone. It seems that Arata and Yanagi accidentally switched phones and Ten does some snooping. The final complication comes in the form of the first man Yanagi slept with.

I have found myself thoroughly and utterly drawn into this story. The forcing someone into a sex contract, blackmail, and rape are common yaoi plot devices. Also you see a lot of falling for your attacker, which is the case with breath. Even though Arata agreed to sleep with Yanagi the first time, he's now just trying to save face because he doesn't want his precious brother to find out what he's been doing. But Arata is starting to fall for Yanagi, and vice versa. I find the character of Ten to be rather intriguing. Initially he seems to be a happy-go-lucky guy but it seems like he conceals darker sides that I'm pretty sure we'll have the opportunity to see it further develop in subsequent volumes. With the introduction of Yanagi's first love also throws a wrench into the plot. I guess there were a few pages that had to be cut due to the law here in the states so at the end they just included the text without images, which now makes curious to see what those pages contained image-wise. I guess I'll either have to be in the dark forever, or pick up the Japanese version.

The art is spectacular. There really are no words to describe it. Chifumi Ochi-sensei has good eye for detail but doesn't overdo it. She has a great sense of humor in some of her outside comments. She uses great placement for her chibis but doesn't go overboard with them. This may sound really bizarre but the thing I love most about her characters are their noses. I know that sounds really weird but often times with manga (and anime) is that the characters often have small turned up noses but here prominent noses abound (and I love it!)

Yaoi Generation has been doing a great job with this title. It looks like they are going to focus on getting this title finished up before they move on to their next series. The physical books are gorgeous. The books are a little smaller than your typical manga volume but with a story that packs a big punch, like breath, it doesn't have to be a larger trim. It has a beautiful glossy cover that is scored near the binding to make it easier to open the book and keeps the cover from getting an ugly crease. There is a full color cover sheet featuring Yanagi and Arata on the verge of kissing. The paper is a brilliant white, which makes Ochi-sensei's beautiful artwork jump right off the page. With this paper the volume is a little bit stiffer than what your mainstream manga publishers use, but it's still flexible enough that it's not uncomfortable to open. The translation is done smoothly and is an all around great read.

I recommend this title first, for the beautiful art, second, for the fact that the characters have gorgeous noses, third, for the quality of the physical book, and fourth, it's a fascinating story. I guess I should have listed the fourth reason first. The characters possess a certain depth that grabs your attention and keeps you hooked and leaves you wanting more.

***Review Copy provided by Yaoi Generation***

Deux Press Fan Appreciation Sale Extended!

2009-05-05T08:44:00.004-06:00

While checking out the news over at one of my favorite publishers, Deux Press, I found some interesting news. It looks like Deux Press has extended their Fan Appreciation Sale through the end of May. The same goes for the Aurora and Luv Luv titles as well. Go to:

Deux Press - http://www.deux-press.com/images/booksale/DeuxBooksSale.html
Aurora Publising - http://www.aurora-publishing.com/images/booksale/aurorasale.html
Luv Luv Press - http://www.luvluv-press.com/images/booksale/luvluvsale.html.

Stop by to see what titles are available and get instructions on ordering! But you'll have to hurry because it ends May 31st.

Sayonara, Zetsubo-Sensei vol. 1 by Koji Kumeta review

2009-05-05T06:55:00.005-06:00

Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei vol. 1

Author/Artist: Koji Kumeta

Publisher: Del Rey

Rating: OT – ages 16+

Genre: Shonen, Comedy, School Life

Grade: A

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org/. Check it out! ***

I'm the type of reader that whenever I hear (or in this case read) a lot of hype surrounding a particular title, I tend to shy away. Actually, I'm like that with more than just books but that's beyond the point. Really the only reason why I decided to volunteer to review this manga was because I was trying to round out my shipment of review materials from the editor here at J LHLS. I have to say I can see why the buzz surrounding this title is so positive. It's a really wacky title. Many say that this title is mostly geared to the otaku (major manga and/or anime freak) but I think that the layman, like me, can enjoy it.

Nozomu Itoshiki is a high-school teacher. He's also one very depressed man. He basically feels that he's no good so his goal in life is to find the perfect place to die. But he is the beloved teacher to a class of misfits. In this first volume we meet these unique female students. You have Kafuka Fura the most optimistic person on earth and every cloud has a silver lining to this young girl. She seems to cancel out all of Itoshiki-sensei negativity with her positive attitude. Next up is Kiri Komori. She's the class shut in. Matoi Tsunetsuki is the third in line. She's always falling madly in love with her crushes that she soon becomes an obsessive stalker. Abiru Kobushi always shows up to school with weird scrapes and bruises, is she being abused? Kaere Kimura is a Japanese student who spent time abroad and seems to have a split personality. One being like an aggressive American and the other personality being like the meek ideal Japanese woman and she cycles between these two extremes regularly. Meru Otonashi doesn't speak, well at least not like others in the class. She chooses to use text messaging to get her points across and they are poisonous in their tone. Chiri Kitsu probably suffers from a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder; everything has to be precise. If things aren't like the way she wants them she freaks out. Taro Maria Sekiuchi has moved to Japan with her entire family by hiding out in a shipping container. Finally we have Nami Hitou. She wants to be pitied and feel special so she behaves in such a manner that she can get sympathy but in this class of misfits Nami is only an ordinary girl.

What kind of influence can Itoshiki-sensei have on his students?

I found this to be a very fun manga. Not only does it have obvious humor but there are some inside jokes as well. It seems that when it comes to shonen manga there are particular things that need to show up (like the regular panty shots). Not only do these things show up but it is done in a tongue-in-cheek manner that makes it that much funnier.
Each of these characters are so unique and crazy you can't help but love these girls. I especially found myself relating to Chiri Kitsu, the obsessive-compulsive girl. Plus anyone who knows me will see me in her as well. Even though the girls are charming in their own wacky way you can't help but love Itoshiki-sensei. Even though he's negative he cares for his students and goes out of his way to help them, even if it's not needed.

The art is very low-key and rather simplistic but for this story it works very well. Plus Itoshiki-sensei wears more traditional clothing like kimono and hakama. Everyone seems to look similar yet they are so unique in the way that they are portrayed story wise they are easy to tell apart. The art and story aren't the only thing that make this a stand out title. Del Rey definitely did a great job not only with the physical aspects of the book but also the extras that they provide. The volumes are slightly larger than normal sized manga titles and this particular book has a matte cover that has a velvety fell (what can I say I'm really into tactile sensations). In every volume they always provide a section for Translation Notes. Because this is a rather deep and layered with irony title the Translation Notes do come in handy for someone who is not seeped in Japanese culture, like myself. It points out the puns and have explanations on what the normal everyday reader might not pick up on. I have read some other Del Rey titles and have been very impressed with their high quality.

Whether you are an otaku or not I can't see why you would want to miss this title. I know I'm kicking myself for avoiding Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei for as long as I have. Since this is a series, I have high hopes for the upcoming volumes and I can tell you now that I won't miss them.

***Review Copy provided by Del Rey***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Yaoi Generation's Release Schedule

2009-05-03T23:54:00.002-06:00

Hot from my email account! This is Yaoi Generation's release schedule for the year:

05.15.09 Breath Vol.2
07.31.09 Breath Vol.3
09.30.09 Breath Vol.4
11.25.09 Breath Vol.5
http://yaoigen.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yaoi-Generation/50577268016
http://www.myspace.com/yaoigeneration.

breath is an intriguing title by Chifumi Ochi. If interested you can read my review here. I look forward to getting my grubby little paws on the next volume!

Doki-Doki Fukuseigenga!

2009-04-24T17:12:00.005-06:00

The next two DokiDoki books are coming in soon!

We'll be getting a limited supply of Taishi Zaou's Living ForTomorrow and Saemi Yorita's Brilliant Blue Vol. 1 pretty soon! Bothare May titles, but we'll be shipping out books early, as soon as theycome in!

Like our first two books, we're giving away promotional items withthe books if you purchase through Akadot Retail<http://www.akadot.com/>.

Again, the items will be fukuseigenga, which are large prints of original pages. You can see them below:

Pre-order now at Akadot Retail to make sure you get one of these great items before we run out! Just follow these links!

http://www.dokidokibooks.com/blog/236/new-dokidoki-pre-order-giveaways (link added by me to the DokiDoki blog for promo items)

Living For Tomorrow<http://www.akadot.com/product_info.php?products_id=28477>
Brilliant Blue Vol. 1<http://www.akadot.com/product_info.php?products_id=28478.

The above information is from the DokiDoki newsletter regarding the pre-sale of the next two titles. You can get the awesome fukuseigenga that they offered with the first two releases. If you don't know what a fukuseigenga is, it is the original print from the manga publisher. These ones in particular are from Shinshokan and are autographed by the authors.

In the picture I have the fukuseigenga next to the picture in the book so you can see the size difference. I apologize for the quality of the picture but when all I had was my cell phone camera you make do. I really appreciate this swag because it is truly beautiful and I hope to frame and display these pages (I just don't have the spare wall space right now).

Be sure to check out Lissa Patillo's more in depth post over at Kuriosity (http://www.kuri-ousity.com/?p=2838). Her input is very insightful because she's an artist where as I'm just a wannabe at everything.

Cool Stuff at NETCOMICS

2009-04-21T07:21:00.003-06:00

I spend quite a bit of time over at NETCOMICS.com. Well, not as much now because Totally Captivated has come to an end, but I still check out what they have going on. They've started a new serialization of an est em title called Age Called Blue. I may not be one of em-sensei's rabid fans but if you liked Seduce Me After the Show and Red Blinds the Foolish (which the storytelling in Red Blinds the Foolish is top quality even though I don't really like her art style) chances are you'll like Age Called Blue.

Not only has the serialization for Age Called Blue started but NETCOMICS is also featuring titles published by Deux Press starting with I Shall Never Return (a series I definitely recommend). They've also started serializing Chihiro Tamaki-sensei's Walkin' Butterfly. This is a title published by Aurora Publishing, and a pretty dang good one at that. It looks like Aurora is going to provide their titles in print as well as providing them through NETCOMICS which is a great way to get their titles (they've been serializing Luv Luv titles over there for a while now). So if there's a title that you've wanted to check out through one of Aurora's three imprints but you haven't wanted to spend the cash to purchase the books you can now indulge by visiting NETCOMICS. Plus you still have a few more days to indulge in Aurora's fan sales!

Kyo Kara MAOH! vol. 3 by Tomo Takabayashi and Temari Matsumoto review

2009-04-21T07:10:00.003-06:00

Kyo Kara MAOH! vol. 3

Author/Artist: Tomo Takabayashi/Temari Matsumoto

Publisher: TOKYOPOP

Rating: T – ages 13 and up

Genre: Shojo, Shonen Ai, Comedy, Drama, Action, Fantasy

Grade: A+

Yuri, Conrad, and Wolfram are continuing with their journey to Van de Veer Island to fetch the demon sword Morgif. But because of a pirate raid (in girls' sailor suits to boot) plans change. The pirates ticked Yuri off to the point of awakening Maoh Yuri, which in turn got Yuri, Conrad, and Wolfram arrested. By this point a new face has joined our three demons, Josak Gurrier. Josak is half human/half demon like Conrad and Josak and Conrad have been friends since childhood. Josak doesn't seem to be as taken with Yuri like the rest of the kingdom has and doesn't hide his hostility.

Yuri doesn't know how to deal with Josak. Plus once Morgif is located we discover that this sword is a living object an actually bites Yuri in the process. Can Yuri win Josak over and recover Morgif all at the same time?

This volume mostly deals with the journey to recover Morgif and it's a pretty skinny volume. Beyond that it's still as enjoyable as ever. The issues that I pointed out that plagued the second volume have been worked out and things read easier this time around (if intereste here is also a link to my review for the first volume). I don't recall catching any grammar and spelling boofs. TOKYOPOP had raised the price on their manga not too long ago so you will be paying a dollar more for titles. As long as the quality continues to be ok then I won't complain.

Usually I go on about the book qualities toward the end of the review and my opinions of the story and characters before, but hey we all need a little change now and then. Josak makes for a fun, new character. He enjoys cross-dressing and uses the excuse of work to dress like a woman. What makes it unique is Josak is a big, burly, buff dude so it's amazing that he can pass himself off as a woman. Wolfram continues to show his spoiled side yet he truly cares for Yuri and flies into jealous rages on a regular basis because he thinks that Yuri is a player. Yuri continues on the path of reluctant ruler with Conrad faithfully at his side. Conrad is still much of a mystery and Yuri is catching bits and pieces of his past that makes him more curious about this handsome man who is always by his side.

Everything is great about this series. There's humor, drama, action, and even a little fan service for us BL fans. The story is engaging and exciting and there is never a dull moment to be had. Not only is it a great story but Temari Matsumoto-sensei's art is truly gorgeous and works well with the story Takabayashi-sensei wrote. In the Afterword she even pays homage to the anime by drawing a longhaired Yuri (in the anime when Yuri switches to Maoh mode his hair gets longer). This is a title that I highly recommend! Trust me you won't want to miss it!

***Review Copy purchased through Amazon.com***

Magical JxR vol. 4 by Lee Sun-Young

2009-04-19T01:34:00.004-06:00

Magical JxR vol. 4

Author/Artist: Lee Sun-Young

Publisher: UDON Entertainment

Rating: Teen – 13 and up

Genre: Shojo, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

Grade: A

I really love this series! This most recent volume was originally supposed to come out in February, but for some reason it was delayed. Luckily we now have it!

Jay, Aru, and Cho-Ah are kicking butt and taking names on the magic school contract. They've already captured three gems and only have three more to go. The next card shows up in the form of a romance between one of Cho-Ah's friends and their homeroom teacher. You would imagine that things would work out how you would expect but two tan guys and white hair with moons on their cheek show up to thwart this assignment. It turns out that the principal of Jay and Aru's magical school has a sister who runs a rival school that teaches the dark arts, hence the moons. They also have a graduation test: disrupt the other school's students' test and capture the jewels. It seems that there is more on the line for Jay and Aru though because of the opposing power sources they use. There seems to be a disruption in the Magic World and it's going to come to a head.

They were able to pass one test but the next one doesn't seem like it's going to be as easy, especially with the winds of change blowing. What's in store for Jay and Aru?

I have thoroughly been hooked by this manhwa. It's funny, clever, and touching all in one. The characters seem real. I have to say that the one who is the most real is Cho-Ah. She so wants to be someone else even though she is awesome how she is, but Jay and Aru truly respect her for her and like her the way she is - a tough chick with a killer high kick, but thoughtful, kind, and caring. Aru cracks me up. He may seem a little dumb but he has a huge heart and doesn't like to see his friends in pain. Plus he has a soft spot for candy, especially lollipops, which has gotten him into way more trouble than he needs. Jay may be cold on the outside but he truly cares for Cho-Ah and Aru. He just doesn't want anyone to see that side of him. In this volume we don't see much of Mr. S, or should I say Sa-You. He does appear but not as prominently as he does in the other volumes. You secretly root for Cho-Ah and Sa-You to get together, but since there's only one more volume who knows where the story will go.

UDON has done a great a great job with this title. The book is a little larger trim size and there is a fold out, full color cover sheet, it's really beautiful. There were a few spelling and grammar mistakes but it wasn't enough to ruin the story. You can tell by the beautiful art that Lee Sun-Young cares for these characters and this story. It shows in the painstaking execution of the work at hand which makes the art literally jump off the page and into your heart.

Since the economic downturn Magical JxR is one of the series that has been placed on hold. It breaks my heart because we end with a cliffhanger and who knows if we'll ever be able to see the end. In December Ed Chavez over at MangaCast had a list of titles placed on the hold list and UDON had Magical JxR there. It's so sad especially seeing how the fifth book is the last of the series! I support this series and I hope that you will too. The more you support a title that will send a message to the publisher. If the publisher sees that people are purchasing the title it might convince them to bring us the final volume! This is definitely a title worth picking up. I love it and I'm sure you will too!

If you're interested here are the links to my reviews for volumes one, two, and three.

***Review Copy purchased through Amazon.com***

Higurashi When They Cry vol. 2 by RYUKISH07 and Karin Suzuragi review

2009-04-18T05:42:00.003-06:00

Higurashi When They Cry vol. 2

Author/Artist: RYUKISH07/Karin Suzuragi

Publisher: Yen Press

Rating: OT – 16 and up

Genre: Shonen, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural

Grade: C

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org. Check it out! ***

The mysteries of Hinamizawa continue in Higurashi When They Cry vol. 2. The strange and mysterious deaths from the past several years are now bearing down on Keiichi Maebara's frayed psyche. He's been approached by a detective from the next town over and has asked for his help. Ooishi, the detective, seems to be the culprit behind sewing the seeds of doubt in Keiichi's mind. Ooishi has also asked Keiichi to spy on his friends and report back to him any bizarre behavior. Because of this Keiichi is now trying to act normal all while trying to suppress his fear and anxiety. Things go from bad to worse when he finds a needle in the ohagi that Mion and Rena drop off at Keiichi's house. Because he's already overly paranoid by this point he sees this as a sign that he's next on the list to be offed. When he turns to Ooishi again Rena's mysterious past comes to light and freaks him out even more. What will become of our paranoid friend Keiichi?

When I volunteered to review Higurashi When They Cry vol. 2 I had to pick up the first volume. I always struggle with starting in the middle of a series so because of my obsessive-compulsive personality I knew that I couldn't read this one without reading the first one. Feel free to check out my micro-review here. Now that I've read both in the series I have to say I probably won't continue it and after reading this series I've decided that the horror genre is not for me. It was a gripping story and Yen Press has done a great job in the actual properties of the book. The paper is a higher stock, the translation was smooth, and it's a high quality product all around. The art and story go well together and you can see how the artist lovingly created the characters to fit into the story, but it just isn't enough to cause me to fall in love and be hooked. You see I've always enjoyed suspense type stories, but when it comes to horror I've never really enjoyed it. Blood, possession, etc. have never been my cup of tea and Higurashi When They Cry definitely falls into this category.

Even though I may not have enjoyed this simply on the reason that I'm not a fan of the genre doesn't mean this isn't a title to check out if you like tales such as this one. Yen Press has loving brought this title to our shores and has done an excellent job delivering it to fans. The story is suspenseful and I will admit that I was gripped and had to read the two books in one sitting. For that reason alone I will recommend it. Just because I'm not into horror doesn't mean you shouldn’t check it out if you enjoy horror and suspense in your manga. I'm leaving the decision up to you!

***Review Copy provided by Yen Press***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

I Promise I'm Not Dead!

2009-04-18T05:27:00.000-06:00

I'm writing this to apologize to my readers who have been wondering what on earth I've been doing because I've been missing. Since getting my job I've had less time to spend typing up my reviews, plus I do data entry. Who wants to spend 8-hours sitting in front of a computer screen only to turn around and spend more time in front of a screen? But have no fear I still plan on continuing to write my reviews, but you'll have to continue to be patient with me while I get back on track. Thanks for all your support!

Higurashi When They Cry vol. 1 by RYUKISHI07 and Karin Suzuragi review

2009-04-07T18:52:00.004-06:00

Higurashi When They Cry vol. 1

Author/Artist: RYUKISHI07/Karin Suzuragi

Publisher: Yen Press

Rating: OT – 16 and up

Genre: Shonen, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural

Grade: C

Keiichi Maebara has recently moved to the little sleepy village of Hinamizawa. You would think that life would be boring but Keiichi loves every minute of it. Whether he's dodging traps set by underclassmen to just spending time with Rena and Mion his two best friends that he's made in the village, he couldn't be any more content than he is right now. That is until he meets Tomitake, a freelance photographer. Tomitake relates a story of how Hinamizawa might look like a quiet, country village but it actually has a grisly past. There was a horrible murder and dismemberment of the body several years ago and they still hadn't located all of the body parts. Of course Keiichi has a hard time believing this. He even goes out of his way to ask Rena if she knew anything about it. She dodges the question. The seeds of doubt have been planted in Keiichi's mind. What is really going on in Hinamizawa?

Higurashi When They Cry is based on a doujin novel game. You know it kind of falls into the category like Gakuen Heaven (a BL game that exploded in popularity so it spawned manga, anime, and more games). I've been impressed by Yen Press' titles so far but in regards to Higurashi When They Cry I'm not too sure. The quality is fantastic. You get a few colored pages peppered throughout, and the quality of the materials is really good. Plus their titles are reasonably priced. So I guess my hesitance isn't with Yen Press itself. I guess it has to do with the story. I enjoy suspense but horror isn't quite my cup of tea. Sure, the art is gorgeous, but hmmm… I still am on the fence with this title. I guess that I'll have to read the second volume to decide whether I like this title or not.

I found myself confused but wanting to know more so I'll continue to read the series to decide whether I'll keep reading or not. Why are the natives keeping so many secrets? I'll have to read more to find that out.

Aurora Publishing's Official Fan Sale

2009-04-05T01:03:00.000-06:00

I just got word from Elisa Tung over at Aurora that they are simplifying things for their sale. Head on over to one of their three sites (Aurora, Deux Press, or Luv Luv Press) and follow the instructions that they provide. It streamlines things making it easier on both you and them. Here are the direct links:

Aurora – http://www.aurora-publishing.com/images/booksale/aurorasale.html

Deux Press – http://www.deux-press.com/images/booksale/DeuxBooksSale.html

Luv Luv Press – http://www.luvluv-press.com/images/booksale/luvluvsale.html.

But you must act quickly because the sale ends April 30th. I just got my shipment today and I am giddy with joy!

Laugh Under the Sun by Yugi Yamada review

2009-04-01T04:00:00.002-06:00

Laugh Under the Sun

Author/Artist: Yugi Yamada

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Comedy, Romance, Sports

Grade: B+

Sohei Shirai wanted to be a boxer, or at least he made up his mind after reading the manga Ashita no Joe. But these days he just moves from girlfriend to girlfriend. You see Sohei is definitely a good-looking guy. Now you're probably wondering why he's now a kept man as opposed to being a world famous boxer like he wanted. There was an unfortunate accident early on in his career that scared him and now he can't bear the idea of being a boxer. The sad thing is, is that everyone around him are successful. His two closest friends Naoki Suzuki (recognize that name?) and Osamu Chikazawa have even moved on up. But Naoki and Chika are there for Sohei regardless of the past.

Chika has been crushing on Sohei for years but because Sohei is straight Chika just does what he can to remain friends. Of course Sohei knows that his two best friends are gay and it doesn't bother him (too much). Eventually Chika convinces Sohei to go back to boxing. Now Sohei has to get back into boxing shape. He's 25 and hasn't trained for years and all of the young punks at the gym treat him like a geezer. Plus Chika's advances seem to be increasing, putting even more pressure on Sohei.

I always include this title in the list of Naoki Suzuki stories. Even though this story revolves around Chika and Sohei, Naoki does play an important part in this story. Of course he's always a bright spot in any story and if Yamada-sensei were to write more with him in the plot you'll always have my attention. But since this is about Sohei and Chika I guess I'll have to stick with them. I really liked this story. Since I've been converted to Yugi Yamada-sensei I can't seem to get enough of her works. This is of course typical Yamada-sensei. Men who actually act like men (with the exception of Naoki but that's to be expected), men who actually look like men, and she captures the essence of maleness in general. The story moved along nicely and was very well paced. My only major complaint is the stiffness of the actual book. Other than that I have no qualms. You don't need to be familiar with Naoki's story to be able to enjoy this manga but there's no harm in reading them, you'll just find out how wonderful Naoki really is!

I am now a dyed in the wool Yamada-sensei fan and I look forward to every release that comes out from her. She has a great sense of humor and her sketchy art style. The perfect 1-2 punch (OK, I think I need to avoid lame puns like that one!) I recommend this title because you get Yamada-sensei's humor and Naoki Suzuki.

***Review Copy purchased at Borders***

Mr. Flower Bride by Lily Hoshino review

2009-03-31T04:00:00.001-06:00

Mr. Flower Bride

Author/Artist: Lily Hoshino

Publisher: Yen Press

Rating: M – ages 18 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: B+

The Souda family has kind of a weird tradition. If the oldest son gives birth to a son all younger sons must marry a man. This rule was put into place to keep the succession from being a huge hassle. So as soon as it is discovered that Shinji's brother and sister-in law are having a boy things move forward for Shinji's marriage to another guy. If marrying another guy is bad enough his new "bride" happens to be Aoi Uno. Aoi is in the same class as Shinji and the two do get along. But Aoi doesn't seem to be phased. It seems that Aoi has been crushing on Shinji for ages and now is his chance to get with Shinji.

The two marry in secret because marrying someone of the same sex is against the law, and they move into an outbuilding on the Souda property. Even though they go to the same school they can't let on that there is anything out of the ordinary going on between them. Now they just have to make it through everyday life.

In Mr. Flower Bride we also get a short called Mr. Flower Groom. This introduces the story between Ritsu and Kouichirou. They are in the same situation as Shinji and Aoi. This story line and characters appear in Mr. Flower Groom that will be released in July.

On a whole I enjoyed Mr. Flower Bride. Some parts didn't really make sense and I found the fact that one minute Shinji was adamantly against marrying Aoi and then the next minute he was all for it a little strange. Aoi seemed to be the only one with the steady character. The situation where the two men must be married is definitely a new plot point I've not read in yaoi before and does set things up for an interesting run. I am looking forward to reading more in the Mr. Flower Groom story line.

I have to hand it to Hoshino-sensei; she draws dewy young boys very well. My only complaint is that sometimes her male characters look like flat chested girls. In Mr. Flower Bride the final one- shot If I Can See You Anytime… features one of these ukes. It's also the one with the most detailed when it comes to fully fleshed out male appendages.

If you are looking for a cutesy yaoi tale I think that Mr. Flower Bride fits the bill. With Hoshino-sensei's dewy, adorable boys, and original story makes it one to pick up. I know that I initially complained about her girly ukes, but I must admit that she is definitely a talented artist.

***Review Copy purchased through Amazon.com***

CUT by Toko Kawai review

2009-03-30T06:00:00.004-06:00

CUT

Author/Artist: Toko Kawai

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: A+

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org. Check it out! ***

Life is tough. If there is anyone out there that says any differently they are lying through their teeth. CUT by Toko Kawai shines a light on some serious but real problems that face not only teenagers but adults as well in today's world. I am going to inform you now that CUT deals with some very intense and heavy subject matter and it is a manga not for the faint hearted. Because of that if the synopsis seems a bit spoilery it's actually like that so you are aware of how deep this story really is.

Chiaki Sakaguchi is a popular guy at his high school. That's not really surprising he's good looking, has a great sense of humor and is an all around good guy. But underneath this exterior Chiaki is hiding a huge secret. Chiaki is being sexually abused by his stepfather. At a nearby park while being "attacked" by his father the whole scene was witnessed by innocent bystander Eiji Yukimura. It turns out that Eiji also attends Chiaki's high school. As soon as Chiaki discovers that, he wants to make sure that Eiji keeps his secret about his stepfather. Due to this confrontation Chiaki discovers that Eiji hides a very deep and long scar on his arm and he can be a bit violent. Because of the secrets these two hide they start an unlikely friendship.

We learn that not only does Chiaki have to deal with a sexually abusive stepfather but his father died in an auto accident when Chiaki was just a child. Chiaki blames himself (as well as his mother) so to try to escape from that emotional pain he cuts. Eiji on the other hand wants to grow up as fast as he possibly can so he'll no longer be a burden on his legal guardians. Eiji's mother was a young teenager when she conceived Eiji and because she wasn't ready to be an adult yet she took it out on him. The scar on his arm is a gift from his mother. Even though these two have found each other and find it easier to deal with their misery together things aren't going to progress as easily as one would wish.

CUT is a heart wrenching manga. It'll take hold of your of your emotions, rub them raw, and return them to you in a big jumbled mess. I'm not saying this is a bad thing because CUT really causes you to think. I must say that it isn't for the faint hearted but worth the time. It deals with some very difficult subject matter like sexual abuse, cutting, teen pregnancy, and abuse in general. If you suffer from any type of mental illness be sure to take you medicine before you read this. If you are lucky and are on an even emotional keel you'll want to make sure to be prepared for this heartbreaking tale.

In Ginger Mayerson's previous review she focuses on the fact that these two are royally screwed up thanks to their parents but I saw things differently. Yes, the parents passed on their traits to their children and screwed them up, but Chiaki and Eiji were willing to rely on each other and deal with their pasts together. The things they need they find within each other. Chiaki has a mothering type personality and Eiji is gentle and caring. CUT is character driven and emotionally charged.

Toko Kawai-sensei's art is beautiful as always. The only issue I have with it is that she only has a few body types, faces, and hairstyles that she uses so all of her characters regardless of the story they all look alike. But she is a pretty good storyteller and CUT is by far her best work. Ginger brings up the fact that it was a huge undertaking for Juné to be able to bring CUT home for English readers and I must give them my thanks for going through all that work. CUT truly is an amazing piece.

I highly recommend CUT but be aware that it deals with very heavy themes and it earns its mature rating. Yes they have lots of sex to warrant the M rating but it also deserves it for those intense and heavy plot points. Once you pick up CUT you won't be able to put it down and you definitely won't forget what you've just read. It will definitely make you think.

***Review Copy provided by Juné***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Spell by Hyouta Fujiyama review

2009-03-29T04:35:00.003-06:00

Spell

Author/Artist: Hyouta Fujiyama

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M – for ages 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance

Grade: A+

Takamasa Natori grew up in a small town near the mountains. His life didn't really start until he started college in Tokyo. He's constantly being invited to mixers but soon finds himself bored. Not only that, he gets chewed out by childhood acquaintance Yasuha. But this time around he's unable to get out of it. While at this mixer he meets Junpei Kisugi, one of Takeda's friends from high school (Takeda is the dude organizing the mixer). Kisugi and Natori hit it off immediately and start spending a lot of time together. Natori thinks that Kisugi is one groovy dude (did I just type that?) but when Natori finds out that Kisugi is bi you'd think that this small town boy would freak. Surprisingly he doesn't and the two are still as inseparable as always.

The more time the two spend together the more Natori finds himself attracted to Kisugi. He knows that Kisugi is currently in a relationship but comes onto him anyway. Not only is this a crazy situation but Yasuha also has the hots for Natori. So when she witnesses a passionate kiss between these two she's more confused than ever. Can things possibly work out for all involved?

Fujiyama-sama is one of my absolute favorite mangaka. I haven't read anything of hers that I haven't enjoyed. Spell is at the top of my favorite titles list. Even though we have a typical yaoi story, it's still original and fresh and the characters are more realistic. With Kisugi he doesn't shy away from the fact that he's bi but he doesn't go around and announce it to the world. Japan is just like many other countries where opinions of homosexuality are mixed. So in Kisugi's case he doesn't mind when Takeda shares the information with Natori. Natori also deals with this information that he receives. At first he's a bit weirded out and really doesn't know how to feel about this information but because he enjoys spending time with Kisugi he quickly gets over it. Yasuha starts out as the typical yaoi female, you know whiny, obnoxious, annoying, but by the time you reach the climax of the story Yasuha plays a very important part to the story.

Not only do we have a great story but you can't lose with Fujiyama-sama's art style. It's got a kind of sketchy feel to it and her men have an everyday guy quality. Because of that it makes it irresistible. It seems that Juné has a corner on the Fujiyama-sama market which in my opinion they are the best to showcase her work. With the larger trim size it really showcases her amazing talent. I'm just waiting for them to bring the rest of her works out (with the exception of Crescent Moon Story, which has been picked up by Yen Press and from what I've seen of them as a publisher they'll also do a great job.)

This is a total aside but Digital Manga, Inc. has many ventures. They of course publish manga but they also have other business ventures. One of them are the Pop Japan tours that they conduct. Every year they have the Fujoshi Paradise tour for those who are yaoi connoisseurs. They arrange the meeting with a mangaka. The mangaka they meet with regularly is Makoto Tateno. For this reason I've been tempted to take this trip, but if they were to arrange a meeting with both Makoto Tateno and Hyouta Fujiyama I'd be on that plane so fast they wouldn't know what hit them.

OK, with that out of my system I recommend Spell for any and all yaoi readers. I feel that any of Fujiyama-sama's titles are great for beginners because even though you do get some steamy sex it is very tastefully done and is a great way to ease into more graphic yaoi manga.

***Review Copy purchased at Borders***

Me and My Dramatic Side!

2009-03-23T17:07:00.002-06:00

I know that my original post in regards to Aurora's situation I sounded the alarm bells, but we all know that I love to be a little over the top. This time around I'm going to be much more positive which is how I'm actually looking at this whole situation (plus Elisa Tung got after me so as a favor to her I'm cheering things up a bit).

Aurora is truly a gem in the manga publishing world. They consistently produce high quality work and they aren't afraid to go out on a limb and publish titles that others might shy away from. They also take care of their readers and answer any questions or concerns when you contact them. I don't know much about the world of publishing so when Yaoi Press brought the spotlight to shine on the return issue which is affecting Aurora's bottom line I found it very enlightening (click here to read that article).

Yes, we know that the economy has stalled to a halt because of the scary situation that we see. Does that mean that you have to stop spending any and all amounts of spare cash you have? Me, I'm a bit of a shopaholic so for me to stop buying anything is true torture. I save a little, pay my bills, but I also indulge on a guilty pleasure or two. If we focus solely on the negative, life's outlook is grim and we all need an escape. For me that escape is manga, but I can't keep the manga business afloat all by myself people!

Aurora is trying to make up some of their losses through the returns through this sale. Personally this is a great deal. I've already made my order and will be able to boast that I own every book that Aurora/Deux Press/Luv Luv Press has ever published. Their fate is not set in stone and I know that every business has both ups and downs. In today's economy it seems that everyone is in the down cycle. I know this for a fact because even though I recently got a new job they are also struggling with all of the dips in the economy and it is a federal institution. But we can still do our part. Support your favorite manga companies. Aurora happens to be one of mine and I will do all I can to show them my love. The outcome that they are looking at isn't set in stone, and like I mentioned they won't really know anything until after Anime Expo in July. That is several months away which is plenty of time to turn things around!

To help you out I want to give you some recommendations of some of the titles that they have brought us.

Aurora

The Manzai Comics by Atsuko Asano and Hizuru Imai
Hitohira by Idumi Kirihara
Queen of Ragtonia by Chika Shiomi

Deux Press

Hate To Love You by Makoto Tateno
Spring Fever by Yugi Yamada
Yakuza in Love by Shiuko Kano
Kiss All the Boys by Shiuko Kano
I Shall Never Return by Kazuna Uchida
Ruff Love by Tamaki Kirishima
Oh my god! by Natsuho Shino
Future Lovers by Saika Kunieda
Mister Mistress by Rize Shinba
Two of Hearts by Kano Miyamoto
Red Blinds the Foolish by est em
Take Me to Heaven by Nase Yamato
Love Round!! by Hinako Takanaga
Maid in Heaven by Hisami Shimada

Luv Luv Press

Make Love and Peace by Takane Yonetani
Make More Love and Peace by Takane Yonetani
Pretty Poison by Yutta Narukami
Sounds of Love by Rin Tanaka

So there are my rcommendations and go out there and support one of manga's greatest publishers! With our support Aurora will be able to get through this trying time and be with us long into the future!

Dash! by Isaku Natsume review

2009-03-23T02:09:00.004-06:00

Dash!

Author/Artist: Isaku Natsume

Publisher: Juné

Rating: YA – 16 and above

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance, Sports

Grade: A

Akimoto decided to attend Miya High for one reason and one reason only, Saitou. Akimoto has been practicing Judo since childhood. He was about ready to quit when he witnessed a match between Saitou and a much larger opponent and Saito gracefully took him down. This was a revelation to Akimoto; he must go to Miya High and compete against Saitou at least once. Now that Akimoto is a freshman at Miya High he's in for the shock of his life. Saitou is not at all like Akimoto imagined. He's rude, demanding, and cocky, not to mention he's no longer practicing and competing. Now that his imagined Saitou image is shattered what will Akimoto do?

Cheeky is the other story contained in Dash!. Ohyama is a college student and on the basketball team. One day out of the blue his cousin Yoshirou calls and wants to crash at his place. Instead of his cute little cousin appearing in front him it's a snarky, sassy, gorgeous high schooler. It seems that Yoshirou is having trouble at home and wants to hide out at Taka's place (Taka is Ohyama). Yoshirou has definitely changed. He goes on paid dates, has girlfriends, boyfriends, etc., and uses Taka's apartment as a love hotel. Now Yoshirou is turning his attention and affection to Taka and he just doen't know what to do.

Dash! doesn't seem to be your typical yaoi tale, which is great. You have to have a change once in a while to stave off boredom. Instead of dealing with schoolboys, salarymen, and all the typical story lines that you come across, this time we deal with jocks. This is an interesting take on yaoi, hot athletic boys surrounded by other hot athletic boys. But instead of them being all over each other there is an actual story there. Akimoto actually struggles with his feelings of attraction to Saitou. In many yaoi tales they decide they are in love with someone of the same sex and just think "OK, I love you so who cares it you are another guy." When Saitou finds out how Akimoto feels he doesn't get freaked out and continues to treat Akimoto the same as always. The characters develop well-rounded personalities and are very interesting. I preferred Dash to Cheeky but I did enjoy them both. I think my hesitancy for Cheeky stems from my being slightly uncomfortable with cousins falling for one another. It doesn't bother me as much as it used to, probably because I've gotten so used to this plot point in yaoi.

One reason why I found Dash! to be endearing it the art style. It has a very shonen feel to it even though it’s a yaoi title. The lines are solid and there isn't a huge reliance on screen tone. The background isn't as detailed but that helps the focus stay on the action at hand. The action panels are done very well and you feel like you are included in the action. The panels are also laid out well and you are able to follow the story very well, there's no getting lost with this tale. I only have two minor complaints, and they are kind of lame. First of all the dust jacket isn't as tight fitting as others and where the folds are placed the writing that should be over the spine are a little off center. My other complaint is the stiffness of the book. The paper used is very high quality and bright white which does have a positive by causing the art to pop of the page beautifully but makes it terribly stiff and hard to keep open. At least my complaints had to deal with the physical book and not the story!

With an Older Teen rating Dash! is a great title to pick up if you are a yaoi beginner. You are introduced to some interesting stories and great art. It is definitely a fun title to read. There's humor but enough drama dashed throughout to keep you interested. You are introduced to yaoi plot points but it isn't so in-your-face to make you uncomfortable. It definitely belongs on any gotta read yaoi list!

***Review Copy purchased through Yaoi Club***

Support Your Favorite Manga Companies!

2009-03-19T19:23:00.001-06:00

I received a very frightening email today from Elisa Tung over at Aurora. We all know that the economy is suffering due to the craziness on Wall Street, home foreclosures, and unemployment. But the news she shared with me caused my heart to sink. Aurora Publishing, home to Deux Press, Luv Luv Press and Aurora, is in danger of going out business. This is one of my favorite publishers and I can't imagine my manga shelf without their titles. To recoup some of their profits they are having a big sale. If you contact them directly you can get some really great deals(you can contact Elisa at e-tung@aurora-publishing.com). You can get most of their titles for $4.00 a piece (all releases up through January). For February, March and April's releases they are selling for $8.00. That is a fantastic deal!

Elisa said that they probably wouldn't know what would happen until after Anime Expo but from the tone of her email the outcome is pretty grim. So please pick up the titles that interest you by going straight to them and let them know that you think that they are a valuable asset in the manga field.

It also makes me wonder, is the Cigarette Kisses license a bad luck charm or something? Just kidding, I love Nase Yamato and desperately want to read this manga!

AH! BL for the shopoholic!

2009-03-15T21:36:00.002-06:00

I love Akadot Retail. I personally buy a lot over there and they probably roll their eyes every time an order comes in from me. Since I am so lucky to be able to be on DMP's reviewers list I often get my manga before it reaches my local bookstore. But over at Akadot they have a huge deal going on, and I have the scoop for you. You can purchase all of DMP's March releases in one large order. So here is the deal - by using the code "privilege0309" in the search box you can get the deal of the century. That deal includes all of the releases for March, which are:

Ai no Kusabi vol. 5 - Darkness by Reiko Yoshihara(yaoi novel)
The Lonely Egoist by Hikaru Masaki (yaoi novel)
Our Kingdom vol. 6 by Naduki Koujima(yaoi manga)
Manhattan Love Story by Momoko Tenzen (yaoi manga)
CUT by Toko Kawai (yaoi manga)
Hey! Class President vol. 1 by Kaori Monchi (yaoi manga)
Utahime - The Songstress by Aki (manga)

Not only do you get all the books for the price of $85.65 but it will include a box of Strawberry Pocky (one of my personal favorites), an Our Kingdom shitajiki (pencil board), and a Wild Rock clear file. Plus throw in exclusive packaging and $5.00 shipping on qualifying orders and you have an awesome deal. But you'll have to hurry because the offer is only good until March 26, 2009. If interested, here's the link:

http://www.akadot.com/product_info.php?products_id=28245.

St. Dragon Girl by Natsumi Matsumoto review

2009-03-15T21:22:00.004-06:00

St. Dragon Girl vol. 1

Author/Artist: Natsumi Matsumoto

Publisher: VIZ Media

Rating: T – 13 and up

Genre: Shojo, Comedy, Drama, Romance, Action

Grade: A-

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org. Check it out! ***

Kenpo. Many know of this martial art but don't know much about it. Kenpo, literally translates to "Fist Law". Here in the United States we use the term Kung Fu to designate any form of Chinese martial art (just like Karate is often used to designate any form of Japanese martial art). In Japan the term Kenpo is used to describe Chinese systems. You're probably wondering why on earth I'm defining martial arts terms. I found that knowing the difference with terms helped in making St. Dragon Girl a much more enjoyable manga to read.

Momoka Sendou is the daughter of a martial artist and her family owns a Kenpo dojo. Because of that fact Momoka has been learning Kenpo from an early age and has earned that nickname "Dragon Girl." One of Momoka's closest and dearest friends is Ryuuga Kou. He's Chinese and is a descended from a long line of magic masters. The Kou family deity is a dragon (are you starting to see a pattern?) One afternoon Momoka finds out through Ryuuga that there is a demon that is after one of her best friends and Ryuuga's cousin Shunran. Shunran is a powerful psychic and because of that she's always being pestered and possessed by various spirits. Since the time they were children Momoka and Ryuuga have protected Shunran. But this time the Serpent King is too powerful for them and almost kidnaps Shunran. Feeling powerless Ryuuga decides to call upon the Kou family deity (yes, a dragon) to possess him but because of a strange twist of fate the dragon possess Momoka instead.

St. Dragon Girl is an eight volume series that is beautifully illustrated. It is a typical shojo manga in every sense of the word. Momoka has a crush on her childhood friend but can't admit those feelings aloud. Of course those around her all know that she's crushing on Ryuuga, and Ryuuga is pretty sure that she has feelings for him too. Even though he's not as obvious as Momoka, I'm pretty sure Ryuuga feels the same way.

I found myself really enjoying St. Dragon Girl. I'm pretty sure one of the reasons I liked it so much is because I've dabbled in Chinese martial arts myself and found the action beautifully drawn. Momoka is a very skilled martial artist and has earned her nickname. In the martial art style I studied (Shaolin Ch'uan Fa Kung Fu) the Dragon is the final animal that you tackle because you incorporate everything you learned and have internalized all of the other animal techniques to the point where you are able to act instinctually. That is definitely Momoka.

Another reason why I liked this manga is because of the costuming. Instead of using a gi Matsumoto-sensei uses a traditional Chinese yifu. Also there is use of Chinese dress that, in my opinion, rivals the kimono for beauty and grace. Even though the story takes place in Japan it definitely mixes these two ancient and fascinating cultures. Matsumoto-sensei richly illustrates an interesting story with extraordinary detail.

***Review Copy provided by VIZ Media***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Wanted by Matsuri Hino review

2009-03-15T05:02:00.003-06:00

Wanted

Author/Artist: Matsuri Hino

Publisher: VIZ Media

Rating: T+ - ages 16 and up

Genre: Shojo, Drama, Comedy, Romance, Action

Grade: B

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org. Check it out! ***

Pirates are hot, especially ones created by famed mangaka Matsuri Hino (mangaka behind Vampire Knight and Captive Hearts). Thanks to Johnny Depp and popularity of the Pirates of the Caribbean pirates are hip once again. Wanted was published in Japan in 2005 after original movie was released. Was that the inducement for creating a pirate manga? I don't really know, but pirates are definitely cool.

Armeria lost her family while she was young and was adopted into a traveling musical troupe. Armeria possesses a beautiful singing voice. During her travels she meets Luce, the nephew of a rich landowner, and falls in love with him. One evening while performing at their estate the infamous pirate crew led by Skulls kidnaps Luce for ransom. On that night Armeria vows that she will find and rescue Luce. She knew who she had to find due to the unique tattoo that Skulls had.

Several years pass and Armeria has located Skulls' crew. Concealing her identity Armeria joins the crew as the young cabin boy Arto. Not long after she joins the crew her cover is shot (no pun intended, she actually gets shot) and a female on board a bunch of sex-crazed is dangerous. Once her identity is discovered she asks about Luce's whereabouts and is told by Skulls that Luce is dead. Armeria isn't so easily fooled and is determined to find out what happened to him.

There is also a brief one-shot called Spring Cherry Blossoms. It takes place during the Meiji Era. Sho wants to become a doctor but because of customs her marrying a young man of an influential family comes first. She meets a young man at the bookstore. This young man is dressed in traditional Japanese dress but has on one piece of clothing that makes him stick out, a ten-gallon hat.

For a quick read with beautiful artwork Wanted is a great choice. If you want something thought provoking Spring Cherry Blossoms is definitely an interesting look into Meiji era Japan and introducing us to a story that is both similar and foreign all at once. As a whole I enjoyed Wanted as a great diversion. It's not terribly deep and it moves quickly so if you want something with teeth you might not be too impressed with it. I think that the story would have benefited more by being a series. I wish that there was more character development so we could delve more into the psyches of the characters. The revelation of what happened to Luce and the current situation comes too quickly and then things just become a tad ridiculous. The story of Wanted also doesn't really wrap up as nicely as Spring Cherry Blossoms. In the brief Afterword Hino-sensei mentions that she doesn't know if she'll continue the story of Wanted. I think that it could benefit everything greatly if sometime in the future she decided to add to it. I think that back story would be a good addition to the story.

I must say that one thing this manga has going for it is Hino-sensei's art. She is really quite gifted. From lush costuming to detailed backgrounds she definitely has some major talent. I've had the opportunity to check out some of her other works and it is just as visually amazing. VIZ is a great company to bring us her work because they bring manga titles to the masses and always present them for a reasonable price. It's no wonder that many of their titles sell a lot of copies. They are always publishing titles that they know will sell which in this economy is always important. Matsuri Hino-sensei is a mangaka that definitely appeals to a wide audience.

If you are looking for a title to distract you from reality for an hour or two set sail with Wanted! Also feel free to check out Linda Yau's earlier review for Wanted as well.

***Review Copy provided by VIZ Media***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Make More Love and Peace by Takane Yonetani review

2009-03-09T21:05:00.003-06:00

Make More Love and Peace

Author/Artist: Takane Yonetani

Publisher: Luv Luv Press

Rating: M – 18 and up

Genre: Josei, Comedy, Drama, Romance

Grade: B+

*** Review originally appeared at The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society at http://liheliso.org. Check it out! ***

The adventures in and out of the bedroom for Ayame and Koichi continue in Make More Love and Peace. This time around things are a bit more rocky from Ayame's point of view. After catching a girl shoplifting at a grocery store Ayame invites the girl over for dinner (the girl claimed she hadn't eaten for two days.) But a surprise is in store for Ayame. The girl, Nono, is just a common trouble making delinquent who had been taken in to the police while Koichi was working. Nono is just looking for attention and plays Ayame for a fool. Because Ayame is such a sweetheart she can't refuse when Nono begs to tag along on Ayame and Koichi's date. Nono plants seeds of doubt within Ayame that her kindness is just a front and that Ayame is just a fake.

Of course Ayame struggles with all of these emotions and Koichi tries to be the good boyfriend and reassure her that she's wonderful. Once everything is back to normal another woman is thrown into the mix. This time around it's Koichi's ex-girlfriend from high school, Tamaki. Tamaki is impressed with how Koichi has turned out and makes the comment to Ayame that she wants to steal him away from her. Ayame knows that Koichi is in love with her but she can't help but worry. Man, being in love is hard.

There are also two brief one-shots included as well. Just Like a Romance Novel is about a librarian who compares her new romance to the romance novels that she loves to read. The Way You Look at Me is the tale of a make-up artist who hides a secret beneath her makeup and frets when she decides to show her new boyfriend what's behind her makeup.

As a sequel to Make Love and Peace, Make More Love and Peace is more of the same. I really enjoyed the first one but this volume just adds more smut to the mix. Don't get me wrong I liked it but it wasn’t groundbreaking or earth shattering. It's a fluffy, sugary manga that is a great to read when you want something quick and light to read. I must say though that I really liked the one-shot Just Like a Romance Novel. It was a really sweet story where the girl loves books and compares life to books. It's a fun mix of sweetness and creativity. I was a bit disappointed with The Way You Look at Me. The character is much more shallow than she tries to let on and the way I see it she wanted to put the blame on her boyfriend. Oh well, you win some you lose some!

The art in Make More Love and Peace is definitely beautiful. It has the look of a high quality shojo title but the sex thrown in to make it an adult title. If you have an aversion to sex scenes in your josei titles then you'll probably want to skip this title because there is a whole lotta sex going on with our couples. As a whole I did like the manga but I still prefer the first one. But I'm still going to recommend it to those who like fluffy adult manga. Keep up the good work Luv Luv Press!

If you are interested here are some other review links from this series:

Make Love and Peace – review written by Kris
Make Love and Peace – review written by Linda Yau
Make More Love and Peace – review written by Linda Yau.

***Review Copy provided by Luv Luv Press***
***Reposted with permission from The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society***

Blast! That Thing Called Life!

2009-03-03T16:15:00.003-07:00

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank those of you who stop by and check out my reviews, thoughts, etc. If you haven't noticed I love to be dramatic so this posting isn't as serious as my title makes it out to be. I had been unemployed since October of last year, which you might figure out seeing how I went from 10 posts a month to 30+posts a month. Now that I've rejoined the working force my time will be a bit more limited. But, my loyal readers, have no fear, I'm going to continue reading manga and reviewing them because it's something that I enjoy. You just won't see as many posts that you have seen for the last few months. Who knows maybe I'll keep up the pace? It all depends on how exhausted I feel after spending eight hours in front of a computer and typing non-stop!

Thanks again for sticking with me through thick and thin and offering thoughts, comments, and suggestions. If it wasn't for you I'd just be filling a hole in the internet with my inane ramblings and drivel!