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
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: Sumimaru Koichi
Complete at 1 volume
US publisher: Tokyopop
April 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the Mangaupdates: A collection of .hack parody in 4 koma format.
Serializes in .hack//GU The World Magazine
My ramblings: 4koma are usually cute, and the .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
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.

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
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
Price: US $10.95
From mangaupdates: This is a story about the teenage fantasies of Asumi, a girl who wishes to become an astronaut, and of her friends.
One day, Lion’s space vehicle fell from the sky and crashed, unfortunately killing Asumi’s mother. Asumi then met the spirit of Lion, who told Asumi many stories of space. By listening to these stories, Asumi was inspired to realize her dream of becoming an astronaut.
Embracing her dreams in her heart, Asumi is now in third grade of junior high school. It is time to decide her path for the future…
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.

Neko Ramen by: Kenji Sonishi
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 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: TBD (presumed to be US $12.99)
From Deb Aoki of manga.about.com (here): Gente rejoins the crew of suave, older gentlemen who serve Italian food and charm women at Casetta Dell’orso restaurant and follows them in their day-to-day lives.
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 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!

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: TBD (assumed to be US $9.99)
From mangaupdates:t’s not easy to become and live as a mangaka, as Mashiro knows from his late uncle.
At 9th grade, while trying to keep up with reality, school and then a normal job, he left his notebook with a sketch of Azuki, a girl he likes. Takagi, a first-rate student found it and tries to convince Mashiro to draw a manga with his story. Mashiro doesn’t like the idea and declines.
Takagi, however, sticks to his dream and found out that Azuki wants to be a voice actress and has already gotten a good reply from a production company. Takagi then brought Mashiro to her house and told her his dream… Mashiro then tells her that he will write a manga with Takagi and will ask Azuki to voice their anime.,
Out of confusion, Mashiro asks her if their dreams become reality, will she marry him? She says yes, only if their dreams become true, and not otherwise!! Now, the lives of wannabe mangakas begin!!!
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.

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.

Fushigi Yugi [VIZBIG Edition] volume 3
by: Yuu Watase
published by: Viz Media [Shojo Beat/VIZBIG imprint]
summary: Tamahome’s love for Miaka has broken Nakago’s hold over him, and his memory has returned. Miaka, thinking she now has all seven Celestial Warriors, starts the ceremony to summon Suzaku, only to discover that one of the warriors is an imposter–he’s really the Seiryu Celestial Warrior Amiboshi! But when the real warrior Chiriko is discovered, the ceremony will no longer work. Now Miaka must travel to Genbu to find another way to summon Suzaku with a sacred treasure called the shentso-pao. Meanwhile, Yui learns that she too must travel to Genbu to summon Seiryu! (from the inside flap)

Ramblings: I know I’ve gushed about the VIZBIG versions the last two times I’ve talked about them (both other Fushigi Yugi volumes), but seriously they’re fantastic! The book itself is of fantastic quality at a wonderful price. I think my only complaint is that more of Viz’s older series aren’t getting the VIZBIG treatment. For people who didn’t get into a long series at the beginning and like me tend to be leary about getting into a long series, VIZBIG versions are the perfect option.

The original volumes (7-9) in this omnibus are classic Watase shojo. With Watase’s shojo you know someone is going to be hurt or die, there’s going to be romance (but it’s going to be heartwrenching at times), and of course the humor; all of which is in this volume. This volume was the half-way point in the series and while I’m loving it  so far, I’m not sure how Watase is going to be able to string it along for another 9 (of the original) volumes…I suppose I’ll just save my doubting though and see how things turn out.

In this volume, we also get a lot of the backstory of the Priestess of Genbu, which is of course the main story of Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden. Based on what is given in this story, I’m incredibly interesting in reading Genbu Kaiden (despite it being on hiatus right now in Japan and despite the fact that the series will inevitably be a sad one).

Again, definitely get these VIZBIG versions of Fushigi Yugi if you hadn’t gotten into the series before, or are just curious about the series (since it’s such a long series, 3 volumes is a better indication than just one would be). Volume 4 of the VIZBIG version comes out December 8th, volume 5 on March 16, 2010, and volume 6 [final] is TBA. Watase’s Arata: The Legend (Arata Kangatari) will also be available from Viz on March 9, 2010, and from what I’ve seen it’s kind of a shonen Fushigi Yugi and definitely something to check out.

Fushigi Yûgi [VIZBIG Edition] Volume 2
by: Yuu Watase
published by: Viz Media
story: An embittered Yui has sworn revenge on Miaka, believing that her best friend had no intention of rescuing her from the Qu-Dong empire. Now Yui has become the Priestess of Seiryu, the enemy of the Hong-Nan empire, and a rival for Tamahome’s affections! Tamahome leaves Miaka to travel to Qu-Dong in an attempt to stop a war between the two territories from breaking out, and Hotohori starts to woo Miaka in his absence. Laden with Hotohori’s gold and a big appetite, Miaka embarks on a journey to find the remaining three Celestial Warriors, who will help her in her quest to save the Hong-Nan empire and return home. But her search leads her into a lair of bandits and to a plague-cursed town where she has to die to survive!

Ramblings:
I really can’t say how much I absolutely LOVE these VIZBIG editions of manga. Especially since, like I said in my review of volume 1, I hadn’t read Fushigi Yugi yet, and was kind of leary of getting into an 18 volume series when the whole thing was already out…VIZBIG however makes it super easy to get the series, since there are only going to be 6 volumes (since they’re 3-in-1), and it’s going to be a hell of a lot cheaper this way too (which is always a plus for a poor college student who just had to order a $200 tv)!! The one thing about them that I’ve realized I don’t like (other than the fact that they’re kind of hard to read and could be used a a weapon) is that the color gallery in the back isn’t on nice glossy paper. :[ I’d totally be willing to pay another dollar or two to get those like 10 pages on really nice glossy paper.

But enough on that and on to the actual contents of the series, after the cut. : DOk, so I kind of understand all the people that bitch and moan about how all Miaka ever does is freak over Tamahome (not to mention scream his name). On the other hand, I really can’t blame her. She found someone that she loves (that admitedly seems to have grown out of nothing fairly quickly) in a time and place that isn’t her own and that she knows to be very violent, so it’s not like she doesn’t have a reason to freak out about him leaving her…

I’m not going to lie though, one of the characters is really starting to bother me. Hotohori is just grating on my nerves. :/ I’m not entirely sure why, but it probably has something to do with the fact that he keeps hitting on Miaka, even when he knows she’s in love with Tamahome… I know he’s going it because he loves her too, but it’s just driving me nuts.

Yui is also kind of pissing me off. I’m not really sure why she thinks she can blame Miaka for the fact that she was raped and then tried to kill herself.  Uh, she wasn’t there and there’s no way she could have known about it. And the whole suicide thing…not a fan. I know people who commit suicide always seem to say they thought there was no other way out, but I really don’t understand that. Add blaming it on Miaka and you have someone who is just a selfish bitch (in my opinion anyway).

On a slightly happier note (lol), I was really surprised at how quickly Miaka was able to gather the constellations, since I knew the series was 18 volumes and I’m only a third of the way done. And then of course, something went wrong and now they have to go about the ceremony to summon Suzaku another way. lmao. Why am I not surprised? xD I don’t mind though, really, since now I’m really curious as to how Watase pulls off making this series so long.

I can’t wait to get the next volume, and it comes out in September which is almost next month!! Man I sure took a long time to get this volume, didn’t I? xD But anyway. Like I said on my review of volume 1, if you didn’t get into Fushigi Yûgi when Viz first published it, go for the VIZBIG edition right now!! : D You will not regret it!

It is not well known, but my favorite manga series is Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden. You can find out more about FYGK here: #mce_temp_url# An acquaintance of mine recommended it to me a few years ago, but I had long since known of the author/artist, Yuu Watase, who is—surprise, surprise—my favorite manga author & artist. Watase has also authored and illustrated other manga, like Ayashi no Ceres, Absolute Boyfriend (Zettai Kareshi), Imadoki, and Fushigi Yuugi: Mysterious Play. Watase is incredible, and I hold her in high esteem as I do for Rumiko Takahashi, the creator of Inuyasha.

I’m not certain whether I have or not, but I feel like I’ve written fan fiction for FY Genbu Kaiden. I had a strange habit of writing all my fan fiction in spiral notebooks at school—usually during math class—and I would type them up when I got home. So, it may be possible that I’ve written a Genbu Kaiden fic, but never got around to typing it up or posting it. Nonetheless, I do plan to write a fic or two for Genbu Kaiden. I absolutely loved Takiko and Uruki, and each and every one of the other celestial warriors. I preferred Genbu Kaiden to the original Fushigi Yuugi, Takiko was a lot more admirable and not so airheaded. 

Takiko, the priestess of Genbu, with her Celestial Warrior and love, Uruki.

Estado: Mangás Novos!
Números disponíveis: 01, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 10
Preço: R$ 3,00 cada

SINOPSE

Miaka, uma estudante colegial que está enfrentando exames na escola, um dia vai junto com a sua melhor amiga, Yui, para uma biblioteca, nela Miaka entra em uma sala com um aviso de “proibido a entrada”, abrindo um livro que chama a atençao de Miaka, Ela e Yui são sugadas para dentro do livro onde tudo acontece na China medieval.

Quando as duas percebem, elas são atacadas por bandidos e do nada aparece Tamahome, que salva as duas. E Miaka, sem saber, Yui misteriosamente volta para a Biblioteca e acompanha tudo que acontece com Miaka pelo livro, so que Miaka sem saber para onde foi a sua melhor amiga, acha que o Tamahome sequestrou ela e então resolve seguir.

Mais para frente, Hotohori, o rei de Suzaku descobre que ela é uma garota lendária do outro mundo que iria invocar Suzaku, que traria paz ao reino e realizaria 3 desejos, mas para isso ela precisa primeiro reunir os 7 guerreiros de Suzaku (Dragon Ball??), um deles é o próprio Tamahome.

Fushigi Yuugi, ou “Jogo misterioso” em português é uma linda história de amor entre Tamahome e Miaka e briga entre ela e sua amiga Yui, que também se apaixona por Tamahome.

Manga title: Sakura Gari

Mangaka: Yuu Watase

Scanlator: Watase’s Sorai (http://www.yuuwatase.org)

Type: Series, ongoing

Rating: 5 stars

For years we’ve known Yuu Watase as the mangaka of very popular shoujo manga with mature themes, especially Fushigi Yuugi and Ayashi no Ceres. I’ve always enjoyed her story concepts and characters but personally I’ve always thought it was one huge soft porn fest. Before you slap me, here’s a disclaimer: I’ve only watched the anime, never read the manga. The anime was too much of a turnoff for me. I must say, I love Hotohori as much as any FY fan, so there.

I find this effort from the mangaka surprisingly excellent (damn you stupid FY and AnC anime versions for lowering my expectations of this brilliant mangaka, damn you to hell!). Sakura Gari is one of those stories that grip you for its atmosphere and story development. If you’ve read the oneshot Boy Next Door by Kaori Yuki you’d know what I mean. The art is gorgeous, especially if you like your boys pretty and angular jawed.

The story goes a little like this: The story is set sometime in Japan around WWI era. Saiki Souma (long hair, cute) is the young master of a (what else?) prestigious and noble family. You’ll soon quickly find out that he plays both the antagonist and the protagonist. In comes Tagami Masataka, a seventeen year old student who enters the Saiki household as a working student. The story is centred around the two, but if you expect some sort of cookie cutter master-servant yaoi story, prepare to be surprised.

I enjoy the reading experience of each chapter, only because each is so long and requires you to pay close attention to the dialogue and character movements. That is no hardship, considering the art is so gorgeous and realistic. There is no such thing as white space for this mangaka. The backdrops are detailed and make many contemporary mangakas look like slackers.

Also, the mangaka excels in adding subtle nuances to her character interactions. For example, in a few frames, Saiki watches Tagami, and when he sees Tagami looks in his direction, Saiki drops his eyes. I haven’t seen such realism in a while.

A high point of this manga is the mangaka’s deliberation and talent when it comes to unfolding the story. I don’t doubt that this story sets out to be a tearjerker – if you like your stories to be epic and dramatic.

Be prepared for the disturbing themes spread throughout the story. While I doubt they will shock most readers, it’s the type of thing that will take you aback when you first encounter it. This story has mature themes, and I mean, MATURE. Don’t disregard the ratings.

I cannot fully convey how much I have enjoyed this manga, but it’s probably not for everyone. This is like the final Harry Potter with the Forbidden Forest chapter recycled four times over. It’s dark, it’s disturbing, and it’s good, mature storytelling at its best.

Előszónak annyit, hogyha szeretted a Chobits animét, és nem bánod, hogy a szituáció itt fordítva van (=a fiú “robotszerű”, nem a lány), akkor mindenképpen ajánlom ezt a mangát.

A főszereplőnket, Riiko-t idáig minden fiú visszautasította. Egyik nap véletlenül talál egy mobilt a földön, és furcsa események következtében egy érdekes alakkal szemben köt ki (Gaku), aki mindenképpen valami árut akar rásózni. Nos, ez az áru végül egy fiú lesz… egy robot, amit szeretőnek terveztek. Elvégre ez az, amire Riiko vágyott: egy tökéletes párra. Egyértelműen semmi sem olyan egyszerű, mint aminek látszik (?): nem sokkal miután Night, a lány androidja megérkezik egy szép nagy dobozban, a szomszéd fiú, Soushi, Riiko talán egyetlen igazi barátja, szerelmet vall. És végül ott van a legfőbb kérdés is: hogyan fizesse ki Riiko Night árát, ami igen drágára sikeredett?

Yuu Watase stílusa írásban és rajzban is lenyűgöző. A Zettai Kareshi szereplői több dologban hasonlítanak a Fushigi Yuugi, vagy az Ayashi no Ceres szereplőire kinézetben, és néha tulajdonságokban is. Sikerült őket élethűen ábrázolni, és emiatt könnyen bele lehet élni magunkat a történetbe. Igazából egyiket sem lehetne egyetlen egy szóval jellemezni, mert mindig képesek valami újat felmutatni, amitől érettebbnek, gyerekesebbnek, stb. mutatkoznak.

Példának veszem Riiko-t, aki eleinte csak egy pasihajhász átlagos lánynak bizonyul. Először talán senki sem gondolna rá, hogy erre mélyebb oka van: magányos, amiért teljesen egyedül él. Sőt, miután rájön, hogy nem akarja Night-ot visszaadni a Kronos Heaven-nek, a cégnek, aki gyártotta, megláthatjuk a felnőttesebb oldalát is, amikor mindenképpen próbál valami munkát találni.

Ebben a mangában is volt bőven humor, dráma, szerelem, és akció is. A cselekményt egyáltalán nem tartom kiszámíthatónak, talán már csak ezért is megéri elolvasni a 6 kötetet.

Azt is érdemes megemlíteni, hogy a Zettai Kareshi-ből készült egy 11+1 részes dorama is.

Spoileresen tovább…

… a végét kicsit befejezetlennek éreztem, amikor Night (a maga módján) “meghalt”, és végül Soshi-t kérte meg, hogy vigyázzon helyette is Riiko-ra. Ezzel a mangával is úgy voltam, mint a Chrno Crusade-del: miután elolvastam, enyhén depressziós lettem, és sírtam. Ettől függetlenül, mindig, amikor már kezdtem volna továbblépni, megint elolvastam a végét, és egy ördögi körbe léptem. ;P Ennyire magávalragadó a történet.

Yuu Watase è costretta ad uno stop sull’opera “fushigi yugi special” prequela della serie che in Italia ha riscosso un buon successo. Le condizioni di salute della mangaka e le numerose scadenza per altre serie hanno costretto Yuu a rimandare almeno alla primavera del 2010 il ritorno alla serie.
La Watase ci tiene a rassicurare i propri lettori che la loro pazienza verrà premiata con l’uscita di un fanbook. Vi ricordo che, sia la serie “Fishiji Yugi” che il prequel “Fushigi Yugi Special” sono editi dalla Planet Manga.

This 32-chapter manga is written by Yuu Watase, same creator of Fushigi Yuugi. The story is about a high-school girl named Riiko Izawa who got dumped by the guy she confessed to. Then, she purchased a robotic guy online. It was delivered the very next day and he insisted that he is Riiko‘s ideal boyfriend. After learning about Riiko’s “boyfriend”, her childhood friend is starting to show affections on her. Thus, a light-hearted love story has begun.

Honestly, when I first read a chapter of it on one issue of Shoujo Beat, i thought that this is just a bizarre comedy love story with full of fanservice in it. That made an impression of me. Few months have passed, while searching on shujo manga titles that I’m going to read next, I came across with this title again. This time, I gave it a try. From then on, Zettai Karshi or ABsolute Boyfriend proved that I’m very wrong in judging it right away.

The plot is not that unique since there are also other stories like that about human-robot relationship and its very shoujo-ish. There are also some fanservices (mostly by Night..XD). It started fast and the mood is light. As the story progresses, it makes you want to know more what will happen next. The ending is good. i’m really contented in how it ends since it’s realistic and makes me love it more.

The heroine is, of course, the usual type. An ordinary girl surrounded with bishies. On some occasions, she can be dumb and be overwhelmed by her emotions. One good point of hers is the growth of her character. Night, on the other hand is really awsome (well, he’s programmed to be like that) but it will also give me creeps if there’s really a guy like that.

If you’re a fan of Fushigi Yuugi, then most likely you’ll find some striking resemblance of the characters of both stories. Girls ( who love bishies) would enjoy reading this as the guys were drawn beautifully.

Overall, this is a worth reading manga that even if you’re not a fan of Yuu Watase’s work, you’ll surely love this.

Note: The live adaptation of this was shown in Japan last year starring Hayami Mokomichi as Tenjo Night, Mizushima Hiro as Asamoto Soshi, and Aibu Saki as Izawa Riiko.

Ayashi no Ceres cuenta la historia de Aya Mikage y su hermano mellizo Aki. Al cumplir 16 años, Aki y Aya son llamados por su abuelo para celebrar en su casa el cumpleaños junto con el resto de la familia. Aunque en realidad lo que querían era ver a Aya para comprobar si era la reencarnación de una diosa llamada Ceres, quién regresa reencarnandose en miembros de la familia, especialmente en mujeres para vengarse de la familia Mikage, puesto que Aki es la reencarnación de aquel hombre que le robó su manto para volver al cielo sin el cual se vio forzada a casarse y tener hijos. En la prueba se corrobora que Aya es la reencarnación de Ceres e intentan matarla, pero, se convierte en Ceres y hace volar el cuarto. Acto seguido es salvada por Tooya, un misterioso hombre de quién se enamora a primera vista. Más tarde, viene en su ayuda Yuuhi y su hermana, que es una descendiente de la doncella celestial y escapan quedando separados Aya y Aki por su destino.

Por otra parte, Tooya que está tratando de buscar en su memoria perdida, es contratado por el primo de Aya para capturar a Ceres y a cambio hablarle a Tooya de su pasado, sin embargo, duda de que hacer porque no quiere dañar a Aya.

Fushigi Yûgi [VIZBIG Edition] Volume 1
by: Yuu Watase
published by: Viz Media

Story:
Miaka is a junior high school student studying for entrance exams for Johan High School, the top school in the city. Not academically inclined, Miaka would rather forget studying and spend more time eating snacks–her favorite pastime–but she’s cramming for the exam to please her mother. While studying at the library with her best friend Yui, she finds an old book called The Universe of the Four Gods. Upon reading the book, the girls are transported to a land resembling ancient China. Immediately on their arrival, a pair of bandits attempts to abduct Yui! A mysterious young man with the kanji for “demon” on his forehead comes to their rescue, but now he wants to be paid for his act of heroism! (from Viz)

So, in case you didn’t know, VIZBIG is the Viz line of omnibus editions of manga. They are 3 volumes in one, and are fucking massive. Seriously, this thing is a behemoth!!! It’s 600 pages, a truely massive manga. But on the other hand, the price tag is not so massive. While the cover price for VIZBIG editions is $17.99, I only paid $14.03 for it on Amazon. Which is $15.94 less than you would pay for the first three volumes of this series if you bought them singularly. So that is a huge plus!!! Especially since I’d wanted to read Fushigi Yûgi for a long time, but wasn’t really looking forward to buying all 18 volumes of this behemoth of a shojo classic (I seem to like the word behemoth today, don’t I? lol). Seriously, it’s going to be a savings of almost $100 to buy the series this way. : D

Insert: I freaking hate fire alarms that go off at random times in residence halls. :[ Ok, so it isn't raining/snowing/sleeting and it isn't 30 degrees outside, but it's still not cool!!!

Back to the review:
This is printed on amazingly nice paper! I don't think I've seen a nicer print quality in a manga. The binding is also really well done. The cover itself is of a slightly higher quality than normal, and has flaps folded to the inside with really nice illustrations. Speaking of illustrations, one of my favorite parts about this book is that it has a rather sizeable color image gallery in the back. : D There are 11 full-color illustrations included (there are 13 pages of color in the back, some of which are 2-page spreads, so I only counted those as one illustration). There are also some color pages at the front, but they're not really anything important.

Something that you probably can't tell from the cover image is that the words, "Fushigi Yûgi" are gold foil (also on the back and side of the volume), which is cool. those on my copy are all scratched, but since I got it through the mail, I'm honestly not too surprised.

On an slightly bad note, it is incredibly hard to read this, since it is so big... :/ But so far, everything else that I like about this has outweighed this one slight fact. :]  Ok, so after finishing reading it, really the only times it was hard to read were when I was reading pages in the front and the back, in the middle of the book it was fine.

On the subject of the story, I really like it so far! I’ve always heard there’s a lot of “Tamahome!”s and “Miaka!”s, and it’s not a lie, there really are a lot of them, but I don’t see what the big deal is… Compared to Watase’s newer works like Absolute Boyfriend and Arata Kangatari (a shonen series that’s not yet licensed), the art is a lot, well…crappier…. But even Watase herself says that her style wasn’t complete and that she was still waiting for it to transform.

But even so, it’s not like the art is terrible, and I have a soft spot for Watase, since Alice 19th was what got me into manga. Ok, technically, it was Sailor Moon, but there was a period of a few years between me reading Sailor Moon and Alice 19th in which I had completely forgotten about manga, so it really was Alice 19th.

If you haven’t read Fushigi Yûgi, the VIZBIG edition is definitely a great way to start. :]