What Manga are you reading?

[drill]

Full Metal Alchemist - I was originally turned off by the anime FMA: Brotherhood, where I stopped after the first episode, but the FMA manga seems to have a better pacing and explanation behind the characters than its anime counterpart did.

Although you're not wrong that the manga is superior, it's a rather bad idea to judge Brotherhood on the first episode, since it was an anime-original episode, which I guess they felt they needed to add to start things off differently to the 2003 series. The rest is a pretty decent adaptation of the manga, although like I mentioned, the manga is the best and most complete version of the story.

Okay, that is good to know. Thanks!

[Kaori]

Ansatsu Kyoushitsu ch. 38-42: Nagisa-kun is brilliant.

Kamisama ga Uso wo Tsuku ch. 5 (end): Sad. Beautiful. Understated. Very Japanese. Overall an excellent work of art and the best thing that Ozaki Kaori has yet written. 涙が出たもん。 Overall, I am really impressed all over again by how everything that Ozaki Kaori has written is better than the previous thing that she wrote. Maybe it’s partly because it’s rare for me to be able to follow a particular manga and read their works in order (though I didn’t read hers completely in order), but I just have not ever seen this kind of dramatic improvement in a mangaka before. This manga should be read by everyone, especially people who already like the slice-of-life genre.

Yowamushi Pedal v. 8: I was surprised that the mangaka didn't dwell more on Onoda's experience of using clipless pedals and cycling shoes with cleats for the first time. Speaking from personal experience, this is a Really Big Deal for cyclists and simply awesome, and also falling down when you forget to clip out is a widespread experience that is common to almost everyone who is new to clipless pedals and cycling shoes, so it seemed odd that the part about Onoda using his new pedals and shoes was so brief (and that we didn't see Onoda falling down because of them). Anyways, the volume started on that high point, with Onoda being given those pedals and cycling shoes, and ends with a flashback to an accident, so the volume seems like a bit of a downer just because of the way it's structured.

[MangaRocks!]

Gin no Saji, a.k.a. Silver Spoon, chapter 89: Heh, I quite enjoyed all the little discussions in this chapter-- they were all either interesting or really humorous. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: And oh gosh, that whole bit with Mikage and Hachiken and the food/chocolate...


The Heroic Legend Of Arslan chapter 4: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: For some reason, I have a feeling I'll quite like the new, eccentric character introduced at the end there...


Kimi to Boku. chapter 26: LOL!! SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Oh gosh... all the good-natured teasing and ribbing in this chapter. And all the Chizuru x Mary stuff was really sweet, too. This was easily one of my favorite Valentine's-Day-themed manga chapters.


Taiyou no Ie chapter 32 + extra: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Haha, oh man about the cousin thing and how they all took it wrong. (Well, I mean, not *entirely* wrong, but wrong in the sense that Daiki's not interested, LOL. ) Also, whoops, I had thought that *both* of the turn-downs were going to happen in this chapter, but so far it was just the Hiro-to-Sugimoto one (since Mao thought poor Daiki was just being nice to her ). Whoa, though, I was *not* expecting a Hiro x Mao kiss in this chapter (no less two! ), so that was a great way to end it. (Wonder how he's going to explain that, though, LOL... )


Zetsuen no Tempest chapter 28: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Heh, "War Ceremony," indeed. I think I get what the princess was doing, and it's multilayered and quite clever...


Dawn Of The Arcana vol. 11: Nice twist. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I honestly did not expect the reveal that Loki had a Time Arcana -- but his being a 'forbidden child' (human + Ajin parents, and in this case the human being from Nakaba's tribe, since they're the only ones who had that particular type of Arcana) makes a heck of a lot of sense; and now that Nakaba knows about this, too, that should make things even more interesting. Also: I knew the plan was for her and Caesar to take control of their respective countries and then reform/unite them, but her finally just plain taking the throne by force there at the end (before Loki could do something worse ) was pretty interesting as well. I look forward to seeing how this all plays out in the last two vol.'s.


And Kamisama ga Uso o Tsuku. chapters 1-5 (complete): Read this on Kaori's recommendation, and (as usual! ) it definitely did not disappoint! This was a dark-tinged-yet-lovely little drama about a summer in the life of a couple of 11-year-old kids who have been forced to be far more mature than their age because of their family issues and the knowledge of what each other went through, respectively; and it was a great read.

[blkmage]

Iris Zero is back from hiatus, I'm so happy.

Someone introduced me to Iris Zero as a way to get over Hyouka finishing. Unfortunately, they failed to mention that the mangaka was on hiatus for what is now a year and a half because of health problems.

Iris Zero is set in a world where kids have eye powers and can 'see' things about people. The main character is an Iris Zero, who is a rare kid without an iris; he sees everything normally, without a filter. This causes him to get bullied throughout his childhood but also forces him to develop some amazing deductive skills. As a result, he just wants to be left alone, so basically, he's Oreki. The female lead is a Chitanda, who is one of those characters that likes to help people and of course, needs Oreki's deductive skill to do it.

tl;dr: Hyouka where everyone has eye powers and Oreki was/is bullied

[ClaecElric4God]

tl;dr: Hyouka where everyone has eye powers and Oreki was/is bullied

Lol, because my sister and I had a full-fledged discussion about how Oreki would react to being bullied.
Anyways, you've piqued my interest. I'll have to check it out.

[the_wolfs_howl]

Silver Spoon chapter 89

D.Gray-man chapters 202-204 - Some really cool and confusing developments!

[MangaRocks!]

Gin no Saji, a.k.a. Silver Spoon, chapters 90-91: This was just the best, LOL. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Holy crap, Okawa was hilariously terrifying. And I loved the ending to the former chapter-- both that Hachiken seemed to have found what he'd like to do, and that Aki actually *did* make him some special chocolate... And then in the latter chapter, with Hachiken really standing up to his father , and all the girls trying to get Aki's chocolates to him yet that day...


Akagami no Shirayuki-hime chapter 42: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Well, Kiki's secret was a surprise. (Poor Mitsuhide. ) But hopefully they can at least get a little closer before she has to leave...

Kimi to Boku. chapter 27: This was so adorable. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Well, I mean, the turn-down was a bit melancholy, of course; however, all of the stuff in the beginning and then the really cute Chizuru x Mary stuff at the end ( + him finally telling her his feelings, too! ) was all really sweet.


Pandora Hearts chapter 88: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: For some reason I found that one little throwaway thought by the dude carrying Sheryl really funny. Also, LOL at Alice's reaction to Break's condition (and Gil's reaction to that). Man, though, all the feels here with Break-- and that last page was awesome.


And Taiyou no Ie chapter 33: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Oh gosh, Daiki...

[DecooPunk]

I found this manga series called Happy Happy Clover. It was pretty cute, even though I usally don't like animal only stories.

[the_wolfs_howl]

Silver Spoon chapters 90-91 - I laughed so hard about the chocolates XD

D.Gray-man chapters 205-208 - I can't believe how horribly everything is breaking apart ._. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: But I totally called Kanda coming back to life

[MangaRocks!]

Oresama Teacher volumes 1-15 (so far):

Bwahaha, this series is great! For one thing, I love its whole 'almost-every-single-character-is-a-delinquent' angle, with the main girl actually being one of the toughest. And for another, to my surprise, the (titular) teacher is one of the very few "jerk"-type characters I've seen who is actually genuinely amusing (as opposed to just angering, LOL)... and, actually, that goes for all of the other characters, too-- many of them may initially seem to be stereotypes, but then they all either end up having some really bizarre quirk/twist or are simply just so darn entertaining that they quickly become unique. Yes, this series never takes itself too seriously (well, unless there's a particularly nasty fight, of course), and that has actually really worked in its favor, IMO. (Also, there even seems to be a little good-natured parody of Otomen on occasion, which is even funnier because Otomen is actually a parody series in and of itself. ) In other words, this is an excellent comedy series (can't even tell you how many times I was cracking up reading it-- in fact, some of it was downright hysterical! ), with the bonus that you actually do care about the characters during the serious moments, too. (Oh yeah, and on a sidenote, I also suddenly fell in love with 4-koma thanks to the little extras at the end of some of the volumes {...seriously-- I hadn't ever really considered reading a 4-koma series before, since the concept didn't seem all that interesting to me at the time; now, however, I'm not only open to trying it, I actually kinda want to! }.) So, yeah, I am really enjoying this series right now, and am quite looking forward to the next volume!

[the_wolfs_howl]

D.Gray-man chapters 209-211 - Interesting developments, to be sure.... *thoughtfully strokes nonexistent beard*

[MangaRocks!]

Karneval chapter 73: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: LOL, I love how Gareki asked the sheep if Tokitatsu was for real. Anyway, that whole conversation they had was pretty awesome, and I was not expecting that kind of position to be offered to him. I think it's quite interesting, though, and I hope it works out well. (Although, with that incoming attack on the school... )


Pandora Hearts chapter 89: Oh, wow. This mangaka really doesn't miss any plot detail-- everything is touched on eventually. (I mean, I knew that already, of course; but this chapter just reinforced that even more. ) Case in point: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: The backstory on Echo, her split personality, the real name(s) of her chain, how said chain's powers work, and how she met Vincent, etc. were all finally revealed here! (And I was quite surprised at which personality was the original one. Also, holy crap, Vincent was actually capable of some sort of kindness when he was young? ) And then the end of the chapter-- oh no no no! I couldn't quite tell if Ada was actually killed or not (because of the shadows conveniently darkening/covering her head and neck), but it certainly *looks* like she was... (And if she really is dead, that would be rather shocking-- both because of how sudden it was, and also how unexpected... )


Taiyou no Ie chapter 34: This was a really nice Daiki-focused chapter, with a little progress with Mao's family, too.

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun chapters 45-46: Aw -- the rest of the make-up was really sweet. And also LOL about the SPOILER: Highlight text to read: runaway imagination and the countermeasure. Plus, oh my gosh, Haru was actually totally serious about the tuna-fishing thing? But I'm glad he changed his mind (although he's still going to be on a boat, LOL). Haru and Yuuzan sort-of making up a bit was nice, too.


And Vampire Knight vol. 17: Well, at least the plot is finally moving again after the glacially slow pacing of the previous few volumes. *Where* that plot is apparently moving, however, is not impressing me. I mean, I'd always kinda figured that at least one of the three main characters SPOILER: Highlight text to read: would have to die at the end of this series, but I have to say that, IMO, the way that Kaname is going about this is pretty stupid. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I mean, no matter how much he wants to 'protect' Yuki, and no matter how much he wants to carry out the progenitor's will, none of this was really necessary-- murdering a bunch of vampires who were mostly just minding their own business, completely alienating every other character ( + turning half of those he'd alienated quite bitter, besides!), etc. etc. etc. My only conclusion is that he still always wanted to die even *after* falling in love with Yuki. I mean, seriously, he actually could've had some good long years of happiness with her at one point if he just hadn't gone off like this; but, unfortunately, I highly doubt that's possible anymore. And, even more unfortunately, I've never liked the Yuki x Zero pairing (in a romantic sense) at all, so if that is indeed how this ends... On a somewhat-more-positive note, Ichijo was always my favorite character of the series, so SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I was both happy and sad at the bit of focus on him here in this volume-- happy because we finally got to see into his thoughts for once, and sad at the things he'd come to realize. Also-somewhat-positively, I was glad that Ruka-- with Yuki's encouragement-- finally released herself from her infatuation with Kaname, *and* that Kain finally got his feelings across to her, as well. That said, it's kinda sad how far downhill this series has gone since about volume 12/13 (because up until that point it was great, IMO); but oh well. The art is still as lovely as ever, and there's only two more volumes to go, so let's see how this ends...

[the_wolfs_howl]

D.Gray-man chapters 112-113

[Mullet Death]

Yamada-kun and the 7 Witches Chapter 35

[MangaRocks!]

Gin no Saji, a.k.a. Silver Spoon, chapter 92: The apartment stuff was really amusing. Also, LOL at Okawa SPOILER: Highlight text to read: not wanting to accept his diploma, but being made to. And I really liked how Hachiken was working on making plans and connections with his fellow students with his goal in mind, too.


The Heroic Legend Of Arslan chapter 5: LOL! Oh man-- I had a feeling that I'd end up really liking Narsas, and I most certainly did. This chapter was awesome, haha. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: And I especially loved the part when Arslan gave Narsas that offer (+ the ensuing reactions).


Kimi to Boku. extra: ROTFL! This was a cute and hilarious little extra focusing on the manga club kid who had asked Yuuki to draw some manga a while back. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Here, he's trying to write his own manga using Yuuki as his protagonist, because Yuuki is basically his hero; but he knows Yuuki's personality so well, and that personality is so... well, him, that it basically takes over the poor kid's stories and thus they never come out on the page the way he wants them to, LOL. And then that ending... so cute.


And Taiyou no Ie chapters 35-36: I loved how Daiki and Chihiro actively helped each other out in the first of these two chapters, SPOILER: Highlight text to read: and I'm even happier that Oda *did* finally decide to let Chihiro in! I was also quite happy that Daiki finally got through to Mao, first with the most blatant hints possible in the first chapter, and then at last just straight-up telling her that he liked her (and asking her to seriously consider him) at the end of the second-- and that was a possibility that had never even entered her mind before then (which, interestingly enough, also means that she hasn't actually rejected him yet...). Though right before that there was that nice little bit of Mao x Hiro, with him confirming his commitment, which made me ship those two all over again... but then there was that great confession from Daiki... gah! ...Y'know, I think this is the first love triangle I've seen where I actually cannot choose a side, because I like both of them so much (and so equally); nor is it even entirely set in stone which one Mao will choose in the end, either (despite what originally seemed obvious-- even up until a couple chapters ago). That said, regardless of what happens, I'm looking forward to seeing how things work out.

[MangaRocks!]

Karneval chapter 74: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Bwahaha at Tokitatsu being so scared of Hirato once he made him angry. (Actually, Tokitatsu's just pretty amusing in general. ) Also, gah-- poor adorable, innocent little Nai... his crying because he thought he messed up Gareki's studies was almost lethally heart-piercing. (Nice tsundere comeback by Gareki to it, though. ) Finally: ROTFL at Ranji's comments (especially the one about Tsubame's heart). Man, I hope those kids are going to be okay...


Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun chapter 47: Wow, I was not expecting the vast majority of this chapter SPOILER: Highlight text to read: to be completely wordless-- and it worked really well, too! Sad there's only one chapter left of (the main portion of... there are still some special chapters after) this, but it's had a great run, and it's been well worth every minute reading it.


La Corda d'Oro vol. 17 (finale): It took me forever to read the last volume of this, at first because I was waiting for one of my libraries to get it, and then because I honestly didn't really care, LOL. But I finally did... and yeah, as expected, the ending of this series was just as mediocre as the rest of it. Oh well; at least now it's over with...


The Surprise Of Haruhi Suzumiya (novels #10-11): These two volumes were really fascinating. For one thing, I'm always impressed by how this author can weave tiny, seemingly-insignificant details from previous volumes into the larger plot, and that was no exception here. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Some examples are the truly surprising revelation of who Taniguchi had been dating a while back (which was brilliantly played, BTW ), and an old comment about the clubroom possibly being another dimension. (I also quite liked the little nod to the time-travel-inventor-kid with that seemingly-random cab driver actually being his dad. ) And not only did Taniguchi (and, later, even Kunikida, with the apparent reveal that he likes Tsuruya {or at the very least sees her level of genius as a goal to reach himself and/or something to continually push him further...}) get some surprising character development, the nasty time-traveler, Fujiwara, had some development that was even more surprising. (And really pretty tragic, as well... ) As for Koizumi: The reveal that he was actually the one who built the esper agency (though supposedly everyone in it, including himself, is equal in rank) was unexpected, but made perfect sense (...just not to poor Kyon, LOL )-- and at the end, when Haruhi was captured, it was nice to actually see him truly angry as well. As for Kyon: I found all the discussion about him and his 'role' very interesting indeed. I also really liked the glimpse he got of the future, and loved how he finally allowed his mind to accept his feelings. Oh, and as for how the story itself was actually structured, IMO the way that the timelines came together was quite ingenious, too.


And Re Collection chapters 1-2 (so far): This is a new series by Ichigo Takano, mangaka of the absolutely fantastic Orange (which is finally restarting-- on a monthly-alternating basis with this series-- in February! ). This new series is about a just-starting-out schoolteacher with sudden amnesia, and a being who calls himself 'God' who's hanging around him... Now, amnesia as a plot device can go either way, depending on how well it's implemented; however, here, not only was it *not* annoying, it was actually really funny (at first, and then intriguing afterwards ). SPOILER: Highlight text to read: ROTFL at Kanade's reaction when he looked in the mirror (plus his expressions throughout the whole first chapter, too. Actually, all of the expressions were really priceless ). Also, I wasn't expecting Toyo to have the personality she does-- it's fierce, but in a slightly different way. And the whole mystery of why Kanade lost his memory, and what's up with 'God' and the people who can see/hear him, is pretty interesting so far, too. Quite looking forward to seeing where this goes...

[the_wolfs_howl]

Silver Spoon chapters 92-93 - Funny as usual, and really interesting to see what direction all the characters' lives are taking!

[MangaRocks!]

Gin no Saji, a.k.a. Silver Spoon, chapter 93: Great chapter, as always. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: ROTFL at Mikage's expression when she was a kid seeing her first horse competition. Oh gosh at the end, though-- Hachiken's dad is coming as well...

Hibi Chouchou chapters 36-37: So... cute!


Kamisama Hajimemashita, a.k.a. Kamisama Kiss, chapters 104-107: Hmm... somewhat mixed feelings about this arc. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I mean, on the one hand, I quite like the fact that both of Nanami's normal friends finally know the secrets about her and the guys now (well, Ami will hear the whole story later, but... ). Also, loving that Kurama's self-interest is starting to crack a little bit for Ami's sake. On the other hand, however, the end of chapter 107 was... bizarre, and I didn't like that at all. I mean, taking energy via kiss is one thing; but what Kirihito did... well, that's something else entirely. That guy has some serious issues. (And, I mean, I knew that already, obviously; but, still... Was not expecting it to go that far {though saying that implies I actually know what exactly he was doing, which I'm not *entirely* sure, since it didn't appear to be quite what it originally seemed like. Regardless, though, it was still pretty darn bad... }).


Karneval chapter 75: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Yikes. ...Well, that's one way to infiltrate them... Also: Yogi.


Kimi to Boku. chapter 28: More cuteness. That race ended pretty much exactly like I figured it would (LOL ), and it was neat to see SPOILER: Highlight text to read: that side to Kaname-- that he really looks up to Azuma.


Millennium Snow, a.k.a. Sennen no Yuki, chapters 15-16: Well, story-wise, this series has mostly just been 'meh...' , but I do have to admit that I did like chapter 15. Though, I gotta say, in regards to the romance at the end of 15 / beginning of 16, well... SPOILER: Highlight text to read: ...wow, that escalated quickly. Also, the drama at the end of 16 was a bit forced. But whatever; this series is almost done anyway.


Taiyou no Ie chapter 37: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: LOL, that jealousy. (It's Hiro's own fault, though. ) As I mentioned before, this is one of the best love triangles I've seen, and it's really nice to see Mao finally understanding and deciding to indeed seriously consider Daiki. Looks like this is going to get even more interesting now...


And Yotsuba&! vol. 12: Y'know, looking back now, I can't believe that I didn't like this series all that much in the beginning. This is incredibly adorable!

[the_wolfs_howl]

Silver Spoon chapter 94 - Hachiken's dad is so intimidating, but I can tell something awesome is going to come of this.... ^_^

[MangaRocks!]

Gin no Saji, a.k.a. Silver Spoon, chapter 94: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: ROTFL at the reactions everyone ( + even the animals!) gave Hachiken's dad when he appeared! And I loved how both Hachiken and Mikage stood up to him at the end, too. And then Hachiken's return gift to Mikage, and the other girls' reactions to her choice...


ReCollection chapter 3: As mentioned in the news thread , both ReCollection and Orange are now being simulpubbed by Crunchyroll, and I have to say, RC's new chapter was great! SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Toyo and that other kid hearing/seeing 'God,' respectively ( + getting into an argument with him, in the former case! ), and then hearing the story from Kanade; some progress with the girl who likes the absentee kid; and a great revelation right at the very end that makes for a very intriguing cliffhanger-- yep, I'm really liking this.


Taiyou no Ie chapter 38: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: ...Well, that was quick. I mean, with all that buildup, I thought the love-triangle was going to go on a bit longer than that, especially with how good it had gotten now that Mao finally knew about it and had to make a choice. (Poor Daiki... ) Also, if that bit at the end was meant as a lead-in to some future Daiki x Sugimoto, that just seems like weird chemistry to me. In other words, IMO this chapter felt really rushed. (Oh well...)


A Bride's Story vol. 5: Wow, that wedding was really something. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Also: Both sets of twins were really funny and adorable (especially the girls, of course ). As for the rest of the volume: The little day-in-the-life with Amira was cute, grandma on the goat was epic, and the chapter with the hawk was both cute and sad. It's interesting, too, how the mangaka has been very slowly building up the Russian invasion in the background of the series-- a fact which I suspect will be quite impactful later on...


Also, Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii chapters 1-12 (so far): I'm really liking this. The main female character is spunky, won't take any crap from her betrothed young king (or anyone else, for that matter), and can easily take care of herself (and him, too, when necessary); and while said young king is on the slightly mean end of tsundere at first because of a not-so-pleasant upbringing/workload/difficulty connecting with and trusting others, he's actually more mature than he appears (...well, except when he's in a teasing mood, LOL ), and under her influence does improve fairly quickly. (Plus, the two of them are seriously adorable together. ) As for the world it's set in, I like the idea of separate 'sun'/'rain'/'sea'/etc. countries, with the different weather phenomena sticking almost entirely to their respective countries unless magic is involved; and the magic itself is kinda neat, too (the rain magic in particular is cast via song, the melody and lyrics of which have to be properly aligned with both the surroundings and the hearts of the practitioner/wisher/etc. for it to work, and it's not supposed to be used lightly either, since it is also meant to work on and for the hearts of the people that the rain is falling on, etc.). Looking forward to more!

[SierraLea]

I tried A Devil and her Love Song a week or two ago, and it was freakish how much of myself I saw in the main girl. But after the concert finished, it kind of just went romantic and lost the interesting factor of how someone like her fits into the world. I liked her better when she was being scathing and harsh.

[KazeShiki]

Oyasumi Punpun finally finished. It is definitely 18+ with lots of mature (mostly sexual) content. But it's because it's so blatant with this stuff that it did such a good job portraying humans being humans: messing up, being selfish, and repeating mistakes while being lost on the path of life in society. It gives a lot of food for thought and topics to chew on. I wouldn't even say it was an enjoyable read really, but it did strike a few chords with me because it wasn't afraid to just be realistic about certain things.

[DecooPunk]

I read Yotsuba volume 12. It was so cute! SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the part when she got paint everywhere was probably the funniest part of the book. XD Yanda was in it too! Yay!

[MangaRocks!]

Gin no Saji, a.k.a. Silver Spoon, chapter 95: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: LOL, I love how even a chapter about moving out and making leftover-food-mystery-stew can be so entertaining. Also, the stuff about the spoon at the end was neat, and I'm quite interested to see where the principal is going with it...


The Heroic Legend Of Arslan chapter 6: Not much to specifically comment on here, just that it's still good.


Pandora Hearts chapter 90: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Whew! I kinda figured she wasn't dead, but man, that convenient shadow over her neck at the end of the previous chapter really had me scared, LOL. Also, oh crap-- I knew that (unfortunately) wasn't going to be the last of Jack, but man, his current form is creepy. And the 'deal' kinda surprised me, too (but I think I know why it's necessary). Man, though, the way this chapter ended left me desperate for more... these final-arc cliffhangers are just incredible!

Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii chapter 13: The beginning of this was adorable. That cousin of hers, though... SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I mean, yes, it was obvious that was where it was going; but I just hope it gets resolved quickly.


And Spirit Circle chapters 1-20 (so far): Another Crunchyroll manga pickup, this is a brand-new series by Satoshi Mizukami, the author of the absolutely fantastic Lucifer And Biscuit Hammer (one of my all-time favorite series)-- and, as expected, it definitely does not disappoint! The mangaka's gift for a brilliantly deceptive appearance/synopsis (as evidenced before with Biscuit Hammer) strikes again here-- because make no mistake, this is a seinen, and even though the main characters in their current lives are still quite young, their past lives were far from childish. Speaking of past lives, the way all of the different characters' past/current/future lives SPOILER: Highlight text to read: (and deaths) in their respective cultures/time periods have intertwined with and affected each other for both good and ill is fascinating; and man, is Mizukami-sensei at his emotion-evoking finest here, expertly making you fall for the characters SPOILER: Highlight text to read: (and then moving you by their ends) over and over again. Now, all that said, there is a little bit of detailed (female) nudity in this-- though most of it's not for fanservice-- but it's something that should just be mentioned. Otherwise, however, this has been an excellent and thoroughly engaging read so far, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here!

[the_wolfs_howl]

Silver Spoon chapter 95 - Yay, finally we get to learn the meaning of the title! XD The part about the stew was also really funny. I swear, these kids seem way more like college students than high school students....

[MangaRocks!]

Karneval chapter 76: It's nice to see how Gareki has matured here, knowing his own limits and holding himself back for the greater good of the mission, and asking Hirato to SPOILER: Highlight text to read: save them instead. Also, while I'm looking forward to seeing Tsubame kick some Varuga butt , I just hope she'll be okay...


Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii chapter 14: Have to admit I was pleasantly surprised/impressed by this chapter. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: After that rather cliché development last chapter, I was really hoping that the situation wouldn't get dragged out like many other manga might do... and, in fact, it actually did nothing of the kind! Livius was quite shrewd about the whole thing, and turned the tables quickly. Looking forward to seeing how he gets that key, and what will happen after that!


Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun chapter 48: This was a pretty nice end to the main story, with closure for the main couple and some hints of what the other characters are up to. That said, I *would* have liked a little more development/closure with those side characters; however, there's still another volume of special chapters yet to go, so technically it's not quite done yet. Anyway, great series overall.


Dengeki Daisy vol. 13: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I thought that was a neat little touch that everything kinda came full-circle with the phone. Also: That had to be the best posthumous message/prank ever, LOL! SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I mean, it was really genuinely touching, and helpful (well, at the very end, I mean ), and yet still completely ridiculous/hilarious, too. (Oh, Soichiro. <3 ) Anyway , there are only three volumes left now, and everything (both plot-wise and romance-wise) is obviously starting to build to a head. This excellent series is definitely going to be missed once it's over, but it's so good that I'm really looking forward to these last few volumes, regardless!

Kimi ni Todoke vol. 18: This volume was so sweet! SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Shota and Sawako finally had a good talk, the girls (and Kento, LOL ) had some really cute chats about their respective romances, and the party was awesome. (And Sawako's dad, LOL. )


And Skip Beat! vol. 32: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Oh dear; 'Ren' is cracking... And that was quite a way to end the volume...

[ClaecElric4God]

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun chapter 48: This was a pretty nice end to the main story, with closure for the main couple and some hints of what the other characters are up to. That said, I *would* have liked a little more development/closure with those side characters; however, there's still another volume of special chapters yet to go, so technically it's not quite done yet. Anyway, great series overall.

Yeah, same here with the side characters. Although, SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I'm not sure whether to be happy or sad that Sasayan and Natsume don't seem to have been "paired up". Sasayan being my favorite character, and me not being much of a romantic, I almost think I'd be happier if they didn't. Sasayan just seems like a free spirit that I can't imagine cramping into a relationship. I dunno...

[MangaRocks!]

SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I'm not sure whether to be happy or sad that Sasayan and Natsume don't seem to have been "paired up". Sasayan being my favorite character, and me not being much of a romantic, I almost think I'd be happier if they didn't. Sasayan just seems like a free spirit that I can't imagine cramping into a relationship. I dunno...

SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Well, in my case I'm actually a complete romantic, LOL ; so while I was a little disappointed at first, between the hints over the past few chapters + Natsume giving that little tease that her school was going to be close to Sasayan's + them still being 'together' three years later (asking Haru and Shizuku out for drinks or whatever as a pair), I think all that was enough to say that they probably did become a couple later (though, again, really kinda wanted more closure than that with them, LOL). Still, we'll see what happens in the specials.

[faithb4sight]

I've been reading Ouran High School Host Club. Back in October I bought the entire series and started re-reading from the beginning. I've finally caught up to where I left off years ago. Around volume 11, I think. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I'm at the point where Hikaru/Kaoru realize their feelings for Haruhi. Wah! It's too much! I love the character development in this series, especially in the manga. It reminds me a bit of Fruits Basket, though I prefer Fruits Basket because of Kyo. Kyo may be my favorite manga character, ever. Actually, I know he is

As for Ouran, my favorite character is hands-down Hikaru. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: For some reason I love how Hikaru is so clueless about his own emotions. That said, seeing Kaoru all sad and willing to give up Haruhi tugs at my heartstrings. Kaoru is currently close second after Hikaru, but that is a recent change. Honestly, he isn't characterized very well in the anime, and in the manga he didn't get a lot of emotional time until recently.

I am also very fond of Kyoya and Takashi. They are the quieter of the group but I think they still stand out pretty well. I also like Tamaki and Hunny, the louder characters, because they keep things interesting. Haruhi makes for an interesting heroine, she's so funny because she just goes with the flow. She's neither a ditz nor a strong-woman character, and I really like that about her.

Oh, I guess all the main characters are pretty great! It's odd that I'm so fond of the series (one of my favorites), as I usually opt for the fantasy genre. I guess, though, that the vast amounts of money the school has makes it seem like a fantasy, because anything you can imagine may pop up at any time just because a character felt a whim. i.e. elephants, an indoor rainforest, giant cakes...

The manga is surprisingly clean given the idea that the club is meant to "entertain" the girls of the high school. A refined setting where the girls drink tea and eat sweets while the guys tell the girls that they are pretty is mild to me, anyway. It doesn't really go beyond that in the club. There are a few things about Ouran that I have to skate over, however. The "brotherly love" that the twins try to sell is annoying, especially since it's obviously not the kind of bond they actually share. Plus the cross-dressing father (and his friends) can be awkward. I do like how all of the main characters genuinely care for one another, even when they don't get along. It's such a humorous series... I don't laugh out loud very often when reading but with Ouran, well, I sometimes can't help myself - it can be so ridiculous! Plus, Hikaru makes me smile in general. Yay, Ouran!

[MangaRocks!]

Gin no Saji, a.k.a. Silver Spoon, chapter 96: The rest of the spoon explanation was really cool, as was the explanation and appreciation of all the research history stored in the school. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: But ROTFL at Okawa making a horrendous mess of poor Hachiken's apartment... oh my gosh...


The Heroic Legend Of Arslan chapter 7: Not a whole lot to specifically comment on this chapter, although SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I was rather amused at that slight comeuppance the dude got with the money , and I'm curious as to if (and if so, how) he and the Queen get past the enemy...


Kimi to Boku. chapter 29: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Haha, at first I was like, "Wait, what?! Did a chapter get missed or something?" But then I got to the next page and LOL'd because I realized it was actually a different character than I'd been thinking (plus that page was amusing anyway). Actually, the entire chapter was really amusing, and somehow even managed to make me (well, *slightly*) like Shun's annoyingly-pervy brother, no less! Oh, and of *course* they all 'covertly' (...not! ) tailed along on his date (and then still mainly just goofed around while doing so). LOL! (Oh my gosh, though, I nearly ROTFL'd when Shun roared his brother's name so loud that it freaked out all the people outside. And I loved how Shun told him off after finding out that the girl had been crying, too. Actually, I just love how the normally sweet and meek Shun {quite rightfully!} gets all furiously-scolding-mother-hen when it comes to his brother's behavior. )


Millennium Snow, a.k.a. Sennen no Yuki, chapter 17 (end): Huh. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Well, at least it wasn't something stupid like him leaving because he got insecure or whatever, as it had originally seemed. I mean, it was still an annoying plot device, of course, but at least it was mitigated somewhat by the fact that he was actually legit searching for something. And they did have a happy ending, etc. Still a quite mediocre series, though, IMO. *shrug*


Taiyou no Ie chapter 39: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: It was nice to see Hina finally open up a bit, and agree to go on the trip. Also, LOL at all the interactions with Daiki. And the gift/hug bit was nice, too.


And the Haruhi Suzumiya short story Rainy Day: Meh. Somewhat to my surprise, this was actually not anywhere near as good as the actual (excellent!) novels. But oh well; at least it did provide a neat little tie-in to SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the origin of one of Kyon's favorite phrases.