And yet again I waited way too long to post this, LOL...
Please pardon the length... 
Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun chapter 60: The Kashima x Hori was (so delightfully! <3 ) strong with this one.
And that cute (and rather surprising) little admission of
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Nozaki's + Sakura's priceless delayed reaction! 
The Heroic Legend Of Arslan chapters 9-19: I finally got a *full* (instead of just anime
) subscription to Crunchy now (...although it turns out I needn't have bothered, LOL, because they gave full manga access to the anime-only subscribers literally right afterwards, but oh well
), so I was finally able to get caught up with this series.
And ah-- so
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the masked guy is against both sides, then? That makes more sense, although he's definitely *not* a good guy, either. 
In fact, pretty much the only likeable characters in the story are Arslan/Daryun/Narsus <3
-- seriously, Narsus is awesome!
/Elam/
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Lady Farangis; as for everyone else, (most of) the invaders are horrifyingly backward and cruel, the invaded are (or, rather,
were) thoroughly decadent and corrupt, the thief dude is just in it for himself (and money and girls, apparently...
), and the masked guy is completely uncaring of who gets killed (by his own hands or others') so long as his 'plan' goes well.
As you can imagine, that doesn't make for very...
nice reading at times (particularly earlier on)
, but that doesn't mean it isn't good-- indeed, it *is* good, and not only is it still keeping me interested in reading more despite the occasional unpleasantness, it's getting more and more interesting as it goes on.
(And with the reveal of
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: who the masked guy really is in the most recent chapter, things make a lot more sense, too.
) Also: The smaller-force-using-strategy/tactics-to-beat-a-larger-one seems to be a bit of a trademark of the original author (Yoshiki Tanaka, of
LOGH fame), and what there has been of that element here so far has been as interesting as expected; and I really like the way that the characters around Arslan are constantly both evaluating his worth and teaching him all at the same time, as well. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to the next chapter.
Hibi Chouchou chapters 55-56:
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: GAHHHHH!!! 
And he was really going to do it, too... 
That said, though, it was good that Suiren got out all that other stuff. And Kawasumi did think about what she said, and it seems that they're both going to try to do better. Still, though... Kamisama Hajimemashita, a.k.a.
Kamisama Kiss, chapters 123-125: Holy crap, this was emotional.
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I guess Yatori was not exaggerating how short Nanami's remaining time is ATM... 
I have to believe that this will somehow have a happy ending, since most shoujo do (though, granted, there are some that do not, and there is certainly a possibility that this could end up being one of the bittersweet ones); but even with that hope/belief, the first of these chapters still made me tear up. 
(Those tengu, though... <3 ) Also, whoa-- did Yatori just say 'Kuromaro'? As in, the fallen god from that mountain that did the whole curse thing with Tomoe, and who everyone assumed was dead? Now *that's* a twist... One Week Friends, a.k.a.
Isshuukan Friends., chapters 25-26: This is all new to me now (this part wasn't adapted in the anime).
And ahhh, all the Shougo (and Shougo x Saki!) in the first chapter...!
<3 <3
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Oh wow, though-- the depression at the end of the second chapter... Pandora Hearts chapters 100-101:
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Whoa-- the Core's new form was creepy as heck. And oh my gosh, Leo... and Oz... and then the bit with Oswald and Lacie... and Leo and Oz again... Gah, my heart...! <3 Plus, it all coming back around full-circle with the seal on Oz' chest ending up being the key to getting to where they need to be-- see, this mangaka really does think of everything! Spirit Circle chapter 32: Oh my gosh, what even...
(This mangaka is just the best, LOL.
) *Ahem*-- seriously, though, it's truly amazing that despite how outright bonkers this chapter was, it still totally worked.
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: First: LOL, now that's a gender-swap done right! (I'm serious-- I think this might be the first time I have actually wholeheartedly loved how characters were portrayed as/when gender-swapped. ) And second: That sci-fi madness! I mean, there's been plenty of sci-fi in this series already-- the 'roof' over the mountain and the time-traveling robot were par for the course-- but the rest of it was completely unexpected. (ROTFL at Fortuna calling this one 'dull,' 'unremarkable,' and 'uneventful'... and then SUDDENLY ALIENS! {...Who happened to know all about Fortuna's 'evil plan' + tried to take steps to prevent it, besides... }) Really, Fuuta's reaction to what he'd just seen at the very end was *perfect,* LOL.
I can't wait to see how all of that eventually meshes with the rest of the story (and I have no doubt that it will do so, and do so brilliantly, given the author); and, until then, I'll just enjoy how hilariously, awesomely nuts it was.
Taiyou no Ie chapter 49: AHAHA, YES!!
Oh man, this chapter *more* than made up for that just-plain-cruel cliffhanger in + wait after the previous chapter!
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: ROTFL at Daiki's face when he saw Hiro asleep on the couch, and also at the writing on Hiro's forehead... Also, LOL at both Mao's reaction to Hiro's text and her step-mom's expression when peeking in, bwahaha. Then, on the actual date-day: I loved how it lampooned the previous interruptions! And Mao's reactions to the ice skating and the Christmas lights (and Hiro's own reactions to hers) were perfect, too, bwaha. Finally: Ahhh, yes, Hiro finally said it! <3 <3 And then the cute banter for a minute, and then it being all romantic again, with them both finally letting their feelings out openly (and kissing multiple times!)... <3 So yeah, this chapter was *great.* Now, according to what I've heard, the series is actually going to officially end within the next chapter or so (with some extra/side-story chapters set to be released afterwards); and while admittedly I was kinda hoping that the series would last a little while beyond this point (y'know, into their actual-couple phase), I don't think it's actually necessary (since we pretty much already know what they'll be like as a couple anyway, LOL ), so it should be fine to end it around here. And
Dengeki Daisy vol. 15:
SPOILER: Highlight text to read: The way they tricked Kono, LOL... Anyway, this was as great as expected, from the aforementioned trick, to Teru's logic and resolve (multiple times!), to the way she and Kurosaki reunited (and the way they trust and rely on one another), to some more heavy stuff with Akira (and Teru's whole scene stopping him), and finally to that cliffhanger (...because even though you know that they *did* manage to escape, obviously, it's the *how* that provides the cliffhanger this time. Between what Kurosaki said and the little bits of text from that electronic diary that were shown, there was a 'cheat'-- an escape-- built into the system; finding out what exactly that 'cheat' was should be interesting).
Love the detail, love the intensity, love the action. I want Arakawa-san to draw all the manga. All of it.
