A different kind of magical series.

Spring is usually by far the biggest season of the year for sheer number of releases, usually of the highest quality as well. Unfortunately, I can’t really remember it as anything more than average at best. Maybe it was the general feeling that something had utterly lost its way and would never come back feeling of this season. I’m probably just imagining that though. It was probably a good season on reflection.

Today’s look back begins with Bus Gamer. Seemingly a three-part OVA which was supposed to a larger TV series that never happened. The premise behind this is major corporations recruit groups of three people off the street to participate in a series of street brawls. This was pretty flawed as who would include a group of 3 random people when it would better just to pay and train 3 great fighters at a much lower cost with respect to the prize. There was never more than 2.5 episodes of content in this anyway.

Next is another OVA in School Days ~Magical Heart Kokoro-chan~. The trailer for this was already special, using a Beretta as a weapon in a magical girl sense would be unique, but the actual OVA consisted entirely of self-parody. At least in one episode it can pull this off and still be entertaining to watch, though in typical fashion it has more to do with shock value than actual content.

There was also the To Heart 2 AD OVA. Like the first OVA series, it is largely single character dumps structured around some sort of slice-of-life background. Only two episodes here, and I’m having a problem remembering anything of note from either episode. Perhaps, that’s the biggest problem here.

My single-night marathon session of Chi’s Sweet Home took place before the birth of Lower Mid-Table, though that might be a good thing. As a children’s show it is at a high level, though I couldn’t resist drinking a lot as I watched. There’s not much of a story until the latter sections, where Chi befriends a larger cat, but it is mostly just Chi doing inane things around her owner’s apartment. Unfortunately, I can remember the pet shop employee having the most annoying voice I had heard in ages.

Kure-nai is a completely different animal to those four. It’s the story of a teenage body guard, who has to put up with the annoyances of his daily life, while worrying about taking care of the daughter of a rich family. This was probably one of the few shows this decade where I could tell that there was a fun on the production side, after all the musical episode was one of my favorites from last year. The story was a little cliche for my taste, but it was an entertaining watch.

To-LOVE-Ru is probably more interesting for the arguments that come from pronouncing it than the actual content. Week after week, I kept coming back to this hoping for anything encouraging at all. It never came, though it did pull off the feat of making everything else seem like a masterpiece in comparison. However, my opinion seems to contrast with the intended audience, so what can I say?

Kanokon would seem like a similar show at first, at least the fanservice in every shot makeup of the thing. However, Kanokon seems to be comfortable knowing exactly what it is and doesn’t do anything more that it should. It’s basically the story of a boy and the fox deity girl in the same school who likes him and would ravage him at the first opportunity. There’s nothing much more than that as the time and place change along with the introduction of a rival. Part of me hates to say this, but this might actually be the model to follow when it comes to modern ecchi-fest series.

Finally I wrap up with one of my favorites of the decade in Kaiba. I went into this with pitifully low expectations about 3 months after this finished mainly because the character designs would not look out of place in the early 1960s. That was easy to forget in the vivid worlds that seem to exist in the dystopian universe of the series. It’s pretty much a classic science fiction tale which questions the meaning of physical existence in a world where bodies and memories are freely changed and exchanged. It takes a bit of effort to get into this, but it’s something I would recommend to a lot of people.

Highlights from Unseen or Unfinished Items

The second season of xxxHOLiC seems to have a comically high average rating. It can’t be that good can it? I haven’t seen the first season either. Macross Frontier and Code Geass R2 brought established reputations to the table going in. Why haven’t I finished either and why do they seem to mark some sort of end to heavy real robot action? Itazura na Kiss looks like a pretty typical shoujo story, but highly rated nonetheless. I could probably say the same thing about Special A. Vampire Knight and Soul Eater are also highly rated. Junjou Romantica seems to be the one shounen ai series that is popular and good. Golgo 13 resurrected the classic series and the episodic action format worked in what little I saw of it.

ooo this is a sooo kawaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii manga !!!!! and I love it’s it gives me a warm feeling. It’s reminds me of kids pictures books but its still good. The pictures is super kawaii and the story line is SUPER kawaii.

Summary

This series follows the adventures of Chii, a lost kitten taken in by a young couple with a toddler. While the family never intends to keep the kitten, Chii slowly claws herself a niche in their family, winning over everyone with her kitten idiocy and charm.

Alternative Name チーズスイートホーム,Chi’s Sweet Home

Years of Released 2004

Status Ongoing
There is no fixed release schedule for this series.

Author(s) Kanata Konami, Kanatakoide Konami

Artist(s) Kanata Konami

Genre(s) Comedy, Seinen, Slice Of Life

click on the link to read

Chii’s Sweet Home Vol.01 Ch.001: Cat Gets Lost

When I’m reading this manga I’m listening to this ^_^

Just love her music she is sooo good

Hello! I’d like to show you more images of Chi – a very cute kitty from”Chi’s Sweet Home”. I hope, Kamila will like them.

Oi!!^^

  Notícia boa e kawaii, o mangá Chi’s Sweet Home (aquele do gatinho) foi licensiado nos E.U.A pela editora Vertical.

  O mangá conta a história de um gatinho que, após se perder, é encontrado por um garoto que o leva para sua casa. A família do garoto tenta passar o gatinho pra frente, mas não consegue. Tendo que, por fim, ficar com ele.

  Chi é uma graça e já ganhou duas temporadas de anime. Ví a notícia no Anime News Network.

XOXO

Mallu

The song keeps playing in my head & I’m tempted to sing it in the most kiddish voice I could muster. The voice for Chi is soooooooooooooooo cute… *hearts melts*

This is the opening 30sec of every episode.

Hello Again!

I haven’t posted in awhile because, I’ve been kind of busy lately…

You know what, I CAN’T DO THIS! I’m a liar! I’ve haven’t been busy! I’ve been lazy! But, as long as I’m deciding to come back to this I might as well show you what I HAVE BEEN doing!

First off:

I decided give a piggy bank I found in my bottom drawer a little make over! Honestly, I have no solid evidence that this pig was in fact a girl, so I could have just turned him into a cross dresser! lol!

Second!:

I have started watching the most adorable anime I have ever seen! It’s called Chi’s Sweet Home! It’s all about this kitten that was separated from it’s family and then is found by this young boy, Youhei and his parents!

I’m only on episode 29 so far and I’m already in love! And to top it off the episodes are only 3 minutes long! (Don’t worry there is 104 of them) In my opinion it doesn’t get any better then that, because each episode is so short you don’t have time to get bored! Not to mention the animation I think is very good! It’s like that simple style that makes cartoons great!

The episodes are all found on Youtube.com quite easily, I can’t say if all of them are there, but it looks that way. So lemme now if you decide to watch! I promise you won’t regret it, and if you do.. maybe you’re not a cat person! Lol!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NecY_z-Ht0

There’s a link to the first episode! Enjoy!

Hello all! I’m Krawky, back with another blog! Let’s hope I don’t quit on it!

To start, I’ll post my Anime list!

Watching: Haruhi Season 2, Kannagi, Chi’s New Address, Keroro Gunso

Watched: Lucky Star, Mahou Sensei Negima!, Azumanga Daioh, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Negima!?, Toradora!, Chi’s Sweet Home, K-ON!

On hold: Cardcaptor Sakura, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Pani Poni Dash!

I really must finish some of those On Hold anime some time…

Niemand ist unschuldig. Niemand.

Points for my most honest post title ever.

Ok, ok, so its anime that is both in the queue and actually being watched right now. But whatever it is, its still a purely self-absorbed thing on my part to make a post out of it. But having a blog of any sort in and of itself is a fairly vain act, as it supposes that what one has to say about something is worthy of being read by others. So I may as well simply further that act by doing posts like this in which I tell you about crap you don’t care about.

Currently Watching

• Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae - I’m eagerly awaiting the subs of the final few episodes, and hoping they leave the door open for a fourth series (and somewhat curious as to what they’d designate that series as if it ever happens). Watching this also tempts me to go buy the first season, since Funi released it and its mainly in bargain bins now.
• Fullmetal Alchemist – The original series, not the new one. I’m actually not re-watching the entire thing, though, I’m going from about the two-thirds point or so, as I simply felt like re-viewing it. I also recently ordered the movie, so I’d like to have some reminders of occurrences prior to watching that.
• Axis Powers Hetalia - This show is so weird. Half the reason I watch it, I’m sure, is due entirely to its seriously short length – three minutes apiece? I can do that. The deranged ‘fuck’ box thing kind of made it all worth it, though.
• Gundam X - I started re-watching this and realized I actually never finished it the first time I watched it, much to my dismay (in my defense, I first watched part of it three years ago). I’ve been claiming its one of my favorite Gundam series for a while (along with Turn A Gundam), so I’m embarrassed now to admit I didn’t actually see the final eight episodes of it. Whoops.
• Himitsu~The Revelation~ – This came out last spring, but has been an extremely slow fansub job, hence the fact that I started it back then and am still only through sixteen episodes. I’m just glad they started subbing it again, though, as it looked for a while like there was absolutely no hope of it getting finished.
• Chi’s Sweet Home - I’ve re-watched the first twenty-five or so episodes of this around three times, but never quite gotten past them; I’ve now dedicated myself to getting it all watched so I can watch the new season.

Just Started

• Valkyria Chronicles
  
• 07-Ghost
• Pandora Hearts
• Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Currently Stalled

• Battle Athletes Victory – I’m stalled on this one currently at episode seventeen, having powered through the first fifteen during my winter break and then been totally deprived of time/inundated with new shows. This is my first re-watch of the show, having originally seen it when I was twelve years old, and its been a bit of an eye-opener – there’s a lot of racial stereotyping that I don’t think could get into a TV broadcast these days. I’ve probably been avoiding finishing it because it had one of the worst endings for an anime ever…
• Clannad~After Story~ - Another one I’m stalled on, although in this case because I know it’ll make me cry like a baby. I’ll probably force myself to watch it to-morrow, though, so I can knock it out in one go – I know I’ll like it once I get myself watching it, but its hard to build oneself up to watching stuff this depressing.
• Kuroshitsuji – I’ve watched twenty-three episodes of this, but I’ve just yet to finish it. It hasn’t been particularly good, so I’m not really excited to see the end… this was a combo of the source material not being so hot at points, and the fact that it just was a really crappy adaptation at points – ideally, they should’ve kept it to thirteen episodes and gotten rid of the original manga’s crappy portions, but instead they sort of added to the crappy portions/retained them. I feel like I should finish it since I’ve gotten so far already, but I just can’t motivate myself.
• Kaiji – I just sort of watch this when I’m bored. Manly tears are awesome, but everything is just so dragged out.
• Munto TV - I keep meaning to finish it, but Yumemi’s pretty boring, and I’m stuck at the point where she gets spirited off to Munto’s world and leaves behind characters who are actually interesting.
• Mouryou no Hako – STILL WAITING FOR THOSE SUBS!!! I’ve probably watched the eight episodes three times each, all the while vainly hoping that someone cares enough to finish the job.

With the Spring Anime season starting just next week, I took a look at the new series and made my own picks for shows to check out.  This is not a full preview of the new season, just my own impressions of a few select shows.  If you want a good preview for the season, check out THAT Anime Blog’s coverage.

Must Sees!

Chi’s Sweet Home Season 2: KITTY!!!! The continuation of the adorable story of the kitten named Chi who finds a family and is generally adorable beyond all reason. With each episode only three minutes long, it’s a great way to perk up your day. Needless to say I can’t wait. (And just in time for my finals as well!)

07-Ghost: Action-fantasy-mystery show done by Stuido DEEN. I’ve heard about this one since last year and thought it looked fantastic.

K-ON: KyoAni’s anime about a group of high schoolers trying to save their music school, based off a 4koma of the same name. Music+4koma base+KyoAni=win? They’ve had big hits with Haruhi and Lucky Star, so needless to say I expect big things form this one.

Checking Out

Hanasakeru Seishounen: Reverse-harem show, which I’m generally a sucker for. The story involves a political mystery in the Middle East. If the plot’s a dud I’m out, even if the boys are pretty. Jun Fukuyama is one of the boys, so I may stick in longer because of him…

Saki: A show about mahjong, where the girls turn into warriors when they play? The premise is insane, but that’s not why I’m checking it out: Jun Fukuyama is the leading male. (And Rie Kugimiya is also one of the girls, which makes me happy.) Considering it’s a JunJun show, I may stick it out longer if it turns out to be too echhi, but I figure it’s worth at least a look.

Hatsukoi Limited: It’s a slice-of-life show about eight girls in middle and high school, done by JC Staff. Not a lot of seiyuu I know in this one, but I usually enjoy slice-of-life/romantic comedies like this, so it’s definitely worth a shot. (As long as it’s better than Hyakko)

Who Knows

Haruhi Suzumiya: The “rebroadcast” of the first season is supposed to be the same, but rumors are about (mainly due to Aya Hirano discussing dubbing new material) that this may in fact be the second season. If it is, I’m in. If not, guess I’m marathoning Haruhi-chan and Churuya for awhile…

Wait, you’re probably not watching it?

FMA: Confession time- I’ve only seen a few episodes of the first series, and never got around to finishing it. I’d rather go and watch that before seeing the new series. That may change if the season doesn’t have enough shows to keep my interest (I doubt this) but you never know.

First off, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone else in the States!! Second off, I totally forgot my blog anniversary two days ago (even though warriorhope reminded me a couple times, I’m just way too forgetful for my own good…). xD So I guess we’ll just consider this as the celebration for that… Thirdly, sorry this took so long, I got caught up in school work and other real life things, so it took a whole lot longer than I expected it to. :[ Let’s see…other things, I have at least 3 more of these posts planned, one for more shojo that I accidentally passed over the first time (whoops), another for other manga to be excited about (like series finales, omnibus editions, etc), and one for Japanese/light novels. Hope you enjoy! : D Oh, and if you have any more series you know of that you’d like added to the series, please let me know! : D

Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji) by: Yana Toboso
Ongoing with 7+ volumes
US publisher: Yen Press
Volume 1 January 2010, Volume 2 May 2010, Volume 3 October 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: When a terrible fire claims his parents, Ciel Phantomhive must step up as the head of his father’s company and as Earl of Phantomhive Manor. It would be a lot for the young boy to handle were it not for his faithful butler, Sebastian. Ever at Ciel’s side, it seems there’s little Sebastian can’t do, whether it’s saving a dinner party gone awry or probing the dark secrets of London’s underbelly. He’s almost too good to be true…or at least, too good to be human…
My ramblings: The anime for this series is great, so I’m excited to be able to check out the manga, and the fact that Yen Press is handling it is another plus.

not simple by: Natsume Ono
Complete at 1 volume
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
January 2010
Price: US $14.99
From the publisher: Ian, a young man with a fractured family history, travels from Australia to England to America in the hope of realizing his dreams and reuniting with his beloved sister. His story unfolds backwards through the framing narrative of Jim, a reporter driven to capture Ian’s experiences in a novel: not simple.
My ramblings: This seems to be a series that Viz was fairly happy about acquiring, and it looks interesting. Most of the Viz Signature series are really fantastic, so it’s probably worth checking out.

Bokurano: Ours by: Moiro Kitoh
Complete with 11 volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Volume 1 February 2010
Price: US $ 12.99
From the publisher: One summer, fifteen kids innocently wander into a nearby seaside cave. There they meet a strange man who invites them to play an exciting new video game. This game, he explains, pits one lone giant robot against a horde of alien invaders. To play the game, all they have to do is sign a simple contract. The game stops being fun when the kids find out the true purpose of their pact.
My ramblings: The first 5 chapters are already on sigikki.com, so I checked out the first chapter and it seems rather interesting. Seems like a slightly different take on the whole teens use giant robots theme.

Deadman Wonderland by: Jinsei Kataoka and Kazuma Kondou
Ongoing with 6+ volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 February 2010, Volume 1 June 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Ten years have passed since the Great Tokyo Earthquake, and the people’s memories of the disaster have faded. Ganta Igarashi, a middle school evacuee, has finally begun to live a normal life…That is, until the day “Red Man” appears at his school and Ganta’s fate is changed forever. His entire class is brutally murdered, and although innocent of the crime, Ganta is sentenced to death and sent to the bizarre prison known as “Deadman Wonderland.” An insane and brutal game of prison survival begins!
My ramblings: I myself am probably not going to be checking this out, since I’m not really all for blood and gore (which I’ve heard there’s quite a bit of), but it seems like a really interesting concept, and I’m guessing it’ll be at least somewhat of a hit for Tokyopop.

Arata: The Legend (Arata Kangatari) by: Yuu Watase
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shonen Sunday imprint
Volume 1 March 2010, Volume 2 June 2010, Volume 3 September 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: An action-packed shonen fantasy from the acclaimed author of Fushigi Yûgi! In a mythical world where humans and gods co-exist, Arata has the unfortunate honor of being the successor to the matriarchal Hime Clan. This means he has to pretend to be a girl or face death if his true gender is discovered! On the day of his inauguration, an assassination plot forces him to flee—and he somehow winds up in modern-day Japan! Meanwhile, a boy named Arata Hinohara gets sucked into the first Arata’s world and finds himself dealing with people after his life!
My ramblings: Yuu Watase was one of the first mangaka that I started to follow (I have most of her works in English), so I’m really excited that Viz picked this up. I’ve read what’s up on shonensunday.com already and it’s lots of fun. It’s a little different from normal Watase stuff, since it’s shonen, but it’s still great.

Hanako and the Terror of Allegory by: Sakae Esuno
Complete at 4 volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 March 2010, Volume 2 August 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: The “No-mouth Woman,” “The Man Under the Bed,” and the “Human Faced Fish” are supposedly urban legends. But what few people know is that just at the moment when someone believes them to be true, they become reality and appear before them! Enter Daisuke Asou, a folklore detective who deals with such cases. He calls these fantastic creatures “allegories.” What’s a folklore detective to do?
My ramblings: This series seems rather strange, but kind of interesting at the same time. The story is definitely off the wall, but it seems like the kind of story that gets convoluted and loses itself, but since it’s already complete at just 4 volumes, maybe that’s not the case for this series.
EDIT: The first 17 pages of this series are up on Tokyopop’s site (at least for now).

Ristorante Paradiso by: Natsume Ono
complete at 1 volume
US publisher: Viz Media – Signature imprint
March 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: At the age of 21, Nicoletta travels to Rome to find her mother, Olga, who abandoned her long ago. Nicoletta finds her at Casetta dell’Orso, a charming little restaurant owned by Olga’s husband. The staff of bespectacled gentlemen welcomes Nicoletta warmly, but Olga’s reception is not so pleasant. Olga has never told her husband that she ever had children–and he must never know.
My ramblings: Since this was apparently popular enough to get an anime adaptation (now on Crunchyroll), I figure it must be pretty good (granted, that could be off, but…). There’s also quite a few of Natsume Ono’s works on this list (Viz has picked up 4 of them lately), so they must be pretty confident about her works. Natsume Ono’s art style seems interesting, and a little more graphic/cartoony that a lot of other works.

.hack//4Koma by: Koichi Sumimaru
Complete at 1 volume
US publisher: Tokyopop
April 2010
Price: US $12.99
From Mangaupdates: A collection of .hack parody in 4 koma format.
Serialized in .hack//GU The World Magazine.
My ramblings: 4koma are usually cute, and .hack is a franchise that seems to do well for Tokyopop most of the time.

Diamond Girl by: Takanori Yamazaki
Ongoing with 3+ volumes
US publisher: CMX
Volume 1 April 2010, Volume 2 August 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: To seek a quieter and happier life as an ordinary high school girl, Tsubura’s just moved from a big city to her grandmother’s house in the countryside. On the first day at her new school, she gets through an awkward introduction to her class, when, an errant baseball shatters the window from outside. To everyone’s surprise, Tsubura leaps into action, catching it and whipping it into the mitt of the pitcher below. Her rather acrobatic catch-and-throw makes boy students get down on their hands and knees and beg Tsubura to join their school’s baseball team. Although the boys have tried to get into the division championships, the team is too weak. For Tsubura, baseball is exactly what she wanted to avoid, so she flat out refuses to join the team. Will Tsubura bow to peer pressure and ultimately take the pitcher’s mound?
My ramblings: This reminds me of a mix of Saki and Taisho Yakyuu Musume, so I’m not too sure how it will turn out, but it looks at least somewhat interesting.

House of Five Leaves (Saraiya Goyou) by: Natsume Ono
Ongoing with 6+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Volume 1 April 2010
Price: US $ 12.99
From the publisher: Masterless samurai Akitsu Masanosuke is a skilled and loyal swordsman, but his naïve, diffident nature has time and again caused him to be let go by the lords who have employed him. Hungry and desperate, he agrees to becomes a bodyguard for Yaichi, the charismatic leader of a gang called “Five Leaves.” Although disturbed by the gang’s sinister activities, Masa begins to suspect that Yaichi’s motivations are not what they seem. And despite his misgivings, the deeper he’s drawn into the world of the Five Leaves, the more he finds himself fascinated by these devious, mysterious outlaws.
My ramblings: Another of Ono’s works, this one is already up on sigikki.com, so I checked out the first few chapters and was definitely intrigued. The art is kind of hard to get used to, but the story is definitely interesting, and I’ll definitely keep reading. Oh, and damn good timing on the part of Viz, since this recently had an anime adaptation announced.

Kingyo Used Books (Kingyoya Koshoten) by: Seimu Yoshizaki
Ongoing with 7+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Volume 1 April 2010, Volume 2 October 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: A businessman discovers how his childhood memories can brighten his day. An art student finds inspiration. An archer hits a surprising bull’s eye. A housewife rediscovers romance. A teenager discovers his true self in the pages of a manga magazine. Welcome to Kingyo Used Books, a place where people find their dreams in manga…
My ramblings: I love reading this on sigikki. I’m afraid it’s the kind of series that might get repetitive, but right now I just love it!

Spice and Wolf (Ookami to Koushinryou) by: Isuna Hasekura and Keito Koume
Ongoing at 3+ volumes
US publisher: Yen Press
Volume 1 April 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Kraft Lawrence has been walking the lonely path of the itinerant merchant for seven years. His life changes forever when he meets Horo, the wolf-god of the harvest, and the two begin traveling together. Soon they discover a unique opportunity to exploit the depreciating silver currency of the kingdom of Trenni, but their plans go awry when a competing organization captures Holo and threatens to turn her over to the oppressive, monotheistic Church.
My ramblings: Again, I haven’t read or seen the novel, manga, or anime for this series yet, but I’m assuming that there’s a reason for the two seasons of the anime and how much people love it.

I’ll give It My All…Tomorrow by: Shunju Aono
Ongoing with 2+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Volume 1 May 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: Shizuo Oguro is living his dreams… sort of. A complete waste of a human life until now, 40-year-old Shizuo breaks free from the corporate rat race and charts himself a fairly random and new career course: to become a published manga artist. Sure, he lacks the talent, discipline, or any other skill necessary to become a success in the manga industry–but that’s not enough to stop Shizuo!
My ramblings: This series is a little too slice of life for my tastes, and I’m not really in the target demographic at all, but it’s alright for what it is.

KOBATO. by: CLAMP
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Yen Press
Volume 1 May 2010, Volume 2 May 2010, Volume 3 August 2010
Price: US $11.99
From the publisher: Hanato Kobato is on a mission: she has a wish she wants granted. To do this, she has to mend the wounded hearts of the people she meets on her journey and fill up a magical bottle with the suffering she has relieved. The only catch is, she can’t fall in love with any of the people she helps. It seems like that’s the least of her problems, though; Kobato has no clue how to mend hearts…especially since each person’s heart is different. So what’s Kobato to do? Well, she has Ioryogi-san, a cute blue dog with a seriously bad attitude, to help (read: nag and critique) her… Yikes! Looks like the road to getting her one wish is going to be a long and hard one. Will Kobato get her wish in the end? And just what is it that Kobato wants?
My ramblings: Kobato. is love! The character herself is adorable, and so far the series too is adorable! It’s more of the Cardcaptor Sakura-type CLAMP than series like Tsubasa or RG Veda, but it’s certainly got that sadness to it like the later series.

Maoh: Juvenile Remix by: Kotaro Isaka and Megumi Osuga
Complete at 10 volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shonen Sunday imprint
Volume 1 May 2010, Volume 2 August 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: High school student Ando has the special ability to make others say out loud what he’s thinking. But will this be enough to uncover Inukai’s secrets and stop the plot to control the city?
My ramblings: I read the first chapter on shonensunday.com and it was a whole lot more violent that I expected it to be, but it was also really, really interesting.

Polyphonica: Cardinal Crimson (Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica – Cardinal Crimson) by: Ichiro Sakaki and Tomo Hirokawa
Ongoing with 3+ volumes
US publisher: CMX
Volume 1 May 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: In Earth’s parallel world, Polyphonica, spirits and humans live together. Spirits survive on the music played by “Dantis”, humans who have the ability to play special music that summon the spirits. Dantis are highly respected in Polyphonica, and the higher the skills of a Dantist, the more powerful and obedient spirit can be summoned to serve the Dantist.
One day, a female spirit, Corticarte hears a song being sung by a young orphan named Phoron. She appears before Phoron and makes him a deal: the next time Phoron sings the song; she’ll appear and protect him from all manner of evil beasts and wickedness to come. Years later, Phoron attends Commandia Academy, a prestigious music school for Dantists, but he is a mediocre Dantist who has not been successful summoning spirits. Feeling melancholy, he offhandedly sings the song that called Corticarte years before, but his unconfident singing voice summons a bad-tempered, insanely jealous Corticarte that causes all kinds of problems around him at school!
My ramblings: OK, this one might just be me, but I really enjoy the Polyphonica anime, so I’m really excited about finally seeing some of the manga over here too!

Ratman by: Inui Sekihiko
Ongoing with 5+ volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 May 2010
Price: US $10.99
From Deb Aoki of manga.about.com (here): Ultimo and the X-Men aren’t the only manga-superhero comics combos out there. Sekihiko Inui, the creator of Comic Party and Murder Princess puts his own hilarious / action-packed manga spin on superheroes in this new 4-volume series. Ratman about a high school guy who gains superpowers thanks to some medical experiments gone awry. Will his new powers help him win the heart of the girl of his dreams, or will his numerous encounters with bumbling super-villains make him regret his transformation?
My ramblings: I don’t really know much about this series, but the title sure is interesting… I might just have the check out the first volume to see what in the world it’s about just because of the title.

Sasameke by: Ryuji Gotsubo
Complete at 5 volumes
US publisher: Yen Press
Volume 1 May 2010, Volume 2 September 2010, Volume 3 December 2010, Volume 4 March 2011, Volume 5 July 2011
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Rakuichi Nagahama, age sixteen, is a former soccer whiz, back from three years in Italy and now attending Chikubushima Public High School. Rakuichi thinks he’s quit soccer for good, but reunions with childhood friends, chance encounters with gorgeous blonde girls, and other events of this nature get him back on the field…or not…
My ramblings: I really, really like the style based on the cover, and I don’t really have anything against sports manga (though I know a lot of people do), so I’m pretty sure to check this one out.

Saturn Apartments by: Hisae Iwaoka
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Volume 1 May 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: Far in the future, humankind has evacuated the earth in order to preserve it. Humans now reside in a gigantic structure that forms a ring around the earth, thirty-five kilometers up in the sky. The society of the Ring System is highly stratified: the higher the floor, the greater the status. Mitsu, the lowly son of a window washer, has just graduated junior high. Five years after his father disappeared and was assumed dead, Mitsu must take on his father’s occupation. As he struggles with the transition to working life, Mitsu’s job treats him to an outsider’s view into the living-room dioramas of the Saturn Apartments.
My ramblings: Another of the series already up on sigikki.com, this one is kind of sad…The first chapter alone gives off an air of sadness, but it was really interesting. I’m curious as to whether or not the volume will have the color pages.

Twin Spica (Futatsu no Spica) by: Kou Yaginuma
Complete at 16 volumes
US publisher: Vertical
Volume 1 May 2010, Volume 2 July 2010, Volume 3 September 2010
Price: US $10.95
From the publisher: In a Tokyo in the not too distant future, a young girl studies deligently with ambitions of soon attending space academy. And yet, everytime she looks up to the stars with tremendous hope for the future, there is a sense of melancholy in her heart. A sadness surrounds Asumi, as the very concept of space exploration has profoundly changed her life for as long as she can remember. But she is not alone. A young man wearing a lion’s mask is always beside her. He speaks of the constellations and galaxies as if he they were home. He knows what it is like to love the stars. Now in spirit he will forever be with Asumi guiding her on her path to space where she hopes to be reunited with the spirits of not only her space traveler friend, but the mother she lost more than ten years ago.
My ramblings: This series sounds sweet and Vertical always picks up things they think are the cream of the crop, so it’s probably definitely worth picking up.

Chi’s Sweet Home by: Kanata Konami
Ongoing with 6+ volumes
US publisher: Vertical
Volume 1 June 2010, Volume 2 August 2010
Price: US $13.95
From mangaupdates: The adventures of Chi, a lost kitten taken in by a young couple with a toddler. While the family never intended to keep the kitten, Chi slowly claws herself a niche in their family: winning over everyone with her kitten idiocy and charm.
My ramblings: I didn’t watch the anime on Crunchyroll, since I thought it sounded kind of silly, but everyone seems to love this series, so maybe I was wrong. Vertical always does a good job with their works, so this is probably worth purchasing. And holy crap that proposed cover is adorable!!!!

Neko Ramen by: Kenji Sonishi
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 (Hey! Order Up!) June 2010
Price: US $10.99
From mangaupdates: International chain? Instant packaged cup-noodles? No chance! “Taishou” the cat is going to run a first-class noodle shop in this 4koma or die trying. But first, Taishou has to make ramen soup people can actually eat…! Will the taste improve? Can Taishou find hired help who will actually serve water, not just drink it? Could it be the Matrix Move will do the trick? And who is this new “cook”  Taishou has hired…?
My ramblings: Apparently this has just been listed on Amazon, and hasn’t been announced by Tokyopop, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they really have it. The anime is another on Crunchyroll, and I did watch this one, and I can say that it was rather amusing. A cat fixing ramen sounds silly, and well, it was silly, but silly in a good, funny way.

.hack//Link by: Megane Kikya and Cyberconnect2
Complete at 1 volume
US publisher: Tokyopop
June 2010
Price: US $10.99
From mangaupdates: The story takes place in the year 2020, just three years after the events of .hack//G.U.. The story will take place not only in the new version of “The World” known as “The World R:X” but in the real world as well. The lead character is a middle school student named Tokio Kuryuu. He lives a normal life as a gamer until a mysterious girl named Ayaka Amagi transfers to his school.
My ramblings: More .hack from Tokyopop, and really who’s surprised anymore? It looks interesting, and really, look at the creator’s name.

Omamori Himari by: Milan Matra
Ongoing with 6+ volumes
US publisher: Yen Press
Volume 1 June 2010, Volume 2 September 2010, Volume 3 December 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Sixteen-year-old orphan Yuuto Amakawa has terrible cat allergies. So when he finds himself suddenly face to face with a beautiful girl who makes those allergies act up one morning, he’s left wondering about her identity. And when she saves Yuuto and his friends from a demon spirit with a very real, very sharp sword, she reveals herself as a sworn protector of the Amakawa family and a demon spirit to boot! Poor Yuuto, now that he’s living with an otherworldy samurai catgirl, his runny nose is the least of his worries!
My ramblings: This series certainly sounds interesting enough, and the anime is supposed to start sometime in January in Japan, so I think I’ll try to check this one out too.

Code: Breaker by: Akimine Kamijyo
Ongoing with 7+ volumes
US publisher: Del Rey
Volume 1 July 2010
Price: US $10.99
From mangaupdates: Sakurakouji Sakura is a girl who appears modest and graceful but in reality is skilled in martial arts. After witnessing a boy burning people with his blue flame, she is startled to see that the same boy is a transfer student, Oogami Rei. Oogami is a Code Breaker, one who “does not exist”. He is a seemingly cold-blooded killer who follows the principle of “an eye for an eye”, to “use evil against evil”. Convinced that killing is not right, Sakurakouji sets out to stop him and penetrate his icy heart.
My ramblings: I almost always love Del Rey’s manga, though they seem to be going down lately, so hopefully they’ll do well with this one.  This is the most recent work from Samurai Deeper Kyo author, so it should do fairly well.

Gente (Gente – Ristorante no Hitobito) by: Natsume Ono
complete at 3 volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Volume 1 July 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: Welcome to Casetta dell’Orso, a quaint little restaurant in the heart of Rome. The food’s delicious, but the handsome staff of bespectacled gentlemen is the real draw. Follow these dashing men home and witness their romances, heartaches, hopes and dreams in this delightfully whimsical continuation of Natsume Ono’s beloved Ristorante Paradiso.
My ramblings: I think it’s great that Viz picked up the sequel to Ristorante Paradiso so quickly, and that there really won’t be any lag between the two series, since the original volume will be out in March and then the first volume of the sequel series comes out in July.

Nyankoi! by: Sato Fujiwara
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: CMX
Volume 1 July 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Since the day that Junpei kicked a soda can and accidentally knocked the head off of a cat statue on his way home from school, he’s been cursed with a spell that transforms him into a cat. The only chance he has to break the curse is by carrying out one hundred good deeds protecting cats in his town. To make matters worse Junpei is allergic to cats! The curse also allows him to hear conversations between his and other cats. Although he is ridiculed by his classmates for being able to “hear cats’ conversations,” it also brings him closer to Mizuno, a cute classmate that he has a crush on. Later, Junpei learns from a priest’s cat that he must not let any others know of his curse. The results would be two-fold: the bearer of the news would also be cursed and the curse would spread at a faster rate!
My ramblings: The anime  for this series is also adorable. It’s sort of a harem, but only in so much as there are quite a few girls. Junpei only really has his sights set on Mizuno, so in that sense it’s not really a harem, which is nice. And really, the cats are all just so much fun!

Peepo Choo by: Felipe Smith
Ongoing with 2+ volumes
US publisher: Vertical
Volume 1 July 2010
Price: US $12.95
From mangaupdates: Milton, who lives in downtown Chicago, is a hardcore otaku. He admires Japan for producing his favorite manga. Gill spent his time in prison, and now he is a comic shop owner with an attitude in the town. Morimoto, a young yakuza called “Rockstar,” is a rising star of the yakuza world in Japan. He is addicted to American TV dramas. One day, Milton wins a chance to go to his dreamland Japan.
My ramblings: I looked into this series a little bit, and basically it’s the ultimate otaku series…and I’m not kidding, just look at that summary! I think it will most certainly be interesting, but with the cover, I’m not sure how well it will sell…

Shisso Holiday by: OSTUICHI and Hiro Kiyohara
Complete at 1 volume
US publisher: CMX
July 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Mystery, intrigue, deceit and humor combine in this twisted tale of fake kidnapping plot gone awry. Young Nao’s widowed mother marries a rich husband. Things are looking up until her mother unexpectedly passes away. Nao’s situation turns even bleaker when her stepfather remarries a younger woman. Concerned about her standing with her new parents, Nao tests their level of commitment to her with a daring scheme: she’ll fake her own kidnapping! With the help of Kuniko, the new family maid, with her plot work? Will her stepparents make every effort to get her back? Or should Nao be more concerned about Kuniko? You’ll be guessing until the very end!
My ramblings: This is just a oneshot, and since OTSUICHI is the author, I’m definitely going to try and check it out. I actually haven’t read any of his works yet (I’m hopefully getting ZOO for Christmas), but everyone seems to love them, and I’m glad this little known work is getting published.

Bakuman. by: Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
Ongoing with 5+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shonen Jump imprint
Starting in Shonen Jump in May 2009 issue, Volume 1 August 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Average student Moritaka Mashiro enjoys drawing for fun. When his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. But what exactly does it take to make it in the manga-publishing world? Moritaka is hesitant to seriously consider Akito’s proposal because he knows how difficult reaching the professional level can be. Still, encouragement from persistent Akito and motivation from his crush push Moritaka to test his limits!
My ramblings: Bakuman. is a lot of fun, from what I’ve seen of it, and I definitely suggest it! Super glad that Viz picked this one up. Though I’m sure it was kind of a no-brainer, since it’s from the creators of Death Note. And again, great timing with the recent announcement of the anime.

World Embryo by: Daisuke Moriyama
Ongoing with 5+ volumes
US publisher: Dark Horse
Volume 1 August 2010
Price: US $10.95
From mangaupdates: A deadly virus is spreading across mankind, turning humans into gruesome monsters known as ‘Kanshu’. Yet no one knows of their existence, except for the organization called ‘F.L.A.G.’, dedicated to hunting down and destroying the source of the infection. Its members possess extraordinary powers, capable of unleashing righteous fury on their enemies.
One day, a cell phone message from a dead relative leads estranged youth Riku Amami unwittingly into the conflict between F.L.A.G. and Kanshu – and to a mysterious cocoon that would change his life forever, for better or worse…
My ramblings: This one seems to be a fairly typical scifi story, but interesting none-the-less, and Dark Horse usually takes great care in their titles.

51 Ways to Save Her by: Usamaru Furuya
Complete at 5 volumes
US publisher: CMX
Volume 1 September 2010
Price: US $9.99
From ANN: February 23rd, 20XX. Looking for a job in the famous TV station at Odaiba, college senior Jin Mishima attended the recruitment orientation. Not far away from the station, Nanako Okano, a gothic lolita trying to attend a concert, found out that her friends tricked her about the concert ticket because of jealousy. The two bumped into each other and “reunited” — they were junior high classmates — moments before an earthquake of Richter Scale 8.1 turned the island (the entire metropolitan area, in fact) into ruins.
My ramblings: The art (from the cover at least) kind of reminds me of Death Note, but I’m not sure how far the similarities go.