What Manga are you reading?

[Kaori]

Still haven't gotten much farther in Galaxy Express 999 (only one volume), but I've read a bunch of stuff in English.

Joou no Hana ch. 10A. Cunningly devised and executed military strategy.

Mahou Tsukai no Yome ch. 1-24 (shonen). This is really good. Really beautiful at times, particularly the wisdom from dragons.

I know this comment was ages ago, but in response to the complaint about the cat story arc, SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I'm pretty sure that the husband went crazy because of something that that young-looking villain did to him. I didn't think that the manga was glorifying his obsessive behavior at all; I thought that originally he was a good person who loved his wife, and it was because the villain cast some sort of spell on him or something that he started killing cats, i.e. it wasn't his real personality and that Chise restored him to his true (non-evil) self.

Otome Youkai Zakuro ch. 1-44. Seinen. Also really good. Youkai, hanyou, historical setting, romance, spirited female lead, solid artwork. Recommended if you like any of those things I just listed.

My Shining World ch. 1-3 (manhwa). The premise is that the female lead can see people's ill-will and malice towards others (people with those emotions turn black), and this causes her to have crushing social anxiety and to avoid interacting with people. Then she meets a guy with whom she just happens to be able to interact with naturally and whom she feels at ease around, we can all see where this is going. I find the premise about her ability and the psychological difficulty it causes her to be interesting, but the way she just happened to meet this guy with whom she is miraculously able to get along with really well seems facile to me. I personally also find myself really thrown off for some reason by the Korean cultural setting and the way it is a little bit similar to Japanese culture but also really different (i.e. that it's a bit overlapping but not at all the same). This hasn't been the case with previous manwha I have read, just this one for some reason. Anyways, with such a mixed reaction to this manwha I perhaps won’t read more.

Lien no Tou Yori ("From Lien's Tower"). Josei oneshot. This is about a girl living in a post-apocalytic underground setting who is attracted to a boy who is an android robot. It's a beautifully-written and -drawn story that is ultimately about the comfort of staying in a familiar place and the risk and beauty of pressing forward and starting life in a new place.

Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen (Kaguya wants to be confessed to: the geniuses' war of love and brains) ch. 1-4. Seinen. The premise is that there are two students who are incredible geniuses, and they both are interested in dating each other but both feel like being the first one to confess means that they "lose" the "battle" and take a submissive role in the relationship. So instead of confessing to each other they play elaborate mind games and tricks to try to get the other to concede. The male lead is unbearably proud, the female lead is unbearably cunning and fake, the mind games are just not intellectually interesting at all, and it strikes me as being very unrealistic psychologically, so I wouldn't recommend it.

Aozora Yell ch. 1-6. Have only read a little bit of what’s available so far, but this is a school life manga by the author of Koukou Debut. It’s about a girl who enrolls in a high school known for its baseball team and wind ensemble because she wants to learn to play the trumpet and cheer on the baseball team. She meets a guy who is on the baseball team who is also a new freshman, and they are continually encouraging and supporting each other in their respective goals, the guy’s goal of playing at Koushien (location for high school baseball nationals) and the girl’s dream of being able to become good enough to be one of the musicians cheering on the baseball team there.

The female lead is one of those shoujo heroines whose main thing that she has going for her is that she tries hard—but she is also pretty nice. The male lead is incredibly, mind-bogglingly kind and encouraging. Overall it is very heartwarming and abounding in warm fuzzy feelings; I would very much recommend it to anyone looking for a romance with a male lead who is actually nice (since this seems to be a category that is sought after from time to time).

Galaxy Express 999 v. 15 (Japanese). This volume is the first volume of the second story arc of this manga. The first arc was written from 1977-1981, and the second arc began in 1996, so there is a pretty big time gap between the end of the first arc, which was intended to be the final end of the series with no plans for a continuation, and the second arc, which despite being sequel that was originally not planned for does have a great bit of continuity with the first arc and seems like it might tie up some loose ends that were not previously resolved (e.g. it seems likely that Maetel might SPOILER: Highlight text to read: recover her original body).

So far, it seems like Matsumoto was pulling out a lot of stops to ramp things up compared to the first arc. For example, there are some new characters, a female android robot body for the train’s engine (which previously had an AI but not a separate body) and Tetsurou’s pet cat. There’s also another cameo appearance of Captain Harlock, and skimming ahead in other volumes it looks like he will be putting in pretty regular appearances. Also there are lots of explosions, including exploding planets (a frequent occurrence in the first arc).

Again, this is just “so far,” since I am basing this on only one volume, but it seems like in this second arc there is a stronger overriding goal and a stronger resolution and forward push towards that goal (confrontation with a villain mastermind whose identity is not yet known), and the tone seems more serious and intense. In the first arc, there was an overall goal that Tetsurou had in mind, but that was mostly in the background and the manga was more of a bildungsroman and a leisurely episodic travel narrative, a series of vignettes that could be at times reflective and elegiac and at times comical or pulpy. But in the second arc, the existence of the enemy (whose identity is so far unknown) that Tetsurou wants to face off against is an ever-present reality that readers are continually reminded of. Basically the characters are embroiled in battle from the very beginning.

Overall, compared to the first arc, it very much remains true to the spirt of the first arc while being a flashier and more ramped-up, but also more serious and focused, continuation; I enjoyed this volume have high hopes for the rest of the series (six more volumes remaining).

By the way, fan translations of this series are now on v. 3, for those who are interested in reading this classic manga (and don’t mind reading scanslations).

[Mouse2010]

Yeah, so, you know how I was just asking for recommendations on manga that had FINISHED? And I got some good recommendations, too.

But see, the thing is, while I was looking up some of them on Crunchyroll, I stumbled on this ongoing seinen cooking story called "Sweetness and Lightening." It was love at first volume, maybe because the manga makes me so darn hungry. (I am actually going to try the Salisbury steak recipe; maybe some of the other ones, too!) So instead of picking up some supernatural romance while I wait for the next volume of Noragami, I am reading a slice-of-life dinner table drama, which comes with a side helping of student-with-a-crush-on-her-teacher. I'm not thrilled with the student-teacher crush thing, but it's being done very well and is (so far) not creepy, so I can put up with it.

Still planning on trying some of the recommendations, but that will have to wait until I get caught up to the current issue of "Sweetness and Lightening." This is the first time I have read a simulpub, actually, so that's cool!

[Rusty Claymore]

I was gonna recommend "Sweetness and Lightning", Mouse, but hadn't cause it was ongoing. I actually can't believe I didn't. I'm current with it, and love it more than when I first started. The style took me immediately, as I'm always enamored by people who can draw a character caught in the peak of emotion, in this case bliss, and even more so when they're experiencing conflicting emotions. The artist's effect for eyes is amazing, too. And Tsumugi's hair is so fluffy!
Combining the cooking tutorial and the stories blends exceptionally well, and I only started flipping through them out of greed for more story. (bad, bad habit of binge reading manga til 3-4am.)
I wasn't thrilled with the student-teacher thing either, at first. I was really surprised how it's handled though!
Hope to hear future reviews on this one from ya. >_<
I was gonna rec "the Lucifer and Biscuit Hammer", but it does have instances of barbie doll nudity, and I just found out it's not actually done. (I thought it was, the previous chapter felt like a conclusion.)
*edit: It is actually done, that new chapter was the last chapter. It said so. >_<*
I guess "Arakawa Under the Bridge" classifies as a supernatural romance... the kappa isn't wearing any clothes, though. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Or so he says. (it's primarily a comedy though.)

[artisticDreamer]

One Punch Man 1-105
Noragami 28-50
Ao no Exorcist 1-74
Minidura 1-10
Salaryman Exorcist: Okumura Yukio no Aishū 1-18
Bakemono Recchan 1 (oneshot)

[MangaRocks!]

...Well, due to some personal circumstances (mentioned elsewhere), I hadn't really been able to post about my reading here for several months, and then once I could, I didn't have the time to write it all up until now ... so here comes a post several times more massive than usual (LOL)! (Actually, I'm going to break it up into two posts again, one for continuing stuff and one for new stuff. But they'll still be massive. ) First, the continuing stuff:



Akagami no Shirayuki-hime chapters 69-71: LOL at Lata (and Shirayuki and Obi's reactions, etc.). I love the fact that the tea they made a long time ago actually came back around to being somewhat plot-relevant (even the 'kids will like it' part!), too. And all of this stone/flower research is surprisingly interesting...


Boku dake ga Inai Machi chapters 32-34: Whoa. Here we actually got some backstory for/insight into the killer. And... yeah, wow, that character was even more messed up than you already knew (both externally and internally). Wow. And then that nearly-wordless sequence brilliantly and beautifully building up to SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the MC finally opening his eyes after a many-year coma... And the latter chapter was equally beautiful, with SPOILER: Highlight text to read: that note from his best friend + the fairly-well-done explanations for SPOILER: Highlight text to read: his survival at all, as well as his muscles still being useable (good heavens, his mom is incredible...! ). Oh my gosh, this series...


Cheese In The Trap chapters 172-173: LOL, that was way cuter than it had any right to be. (Also, his perception really is uncanny...) And I laughed out loud at the 'advice' that SPOILER: Highlight text to read: stalker-boy gave the annoying guy, because what he really needs to do is take that advice himself. Why is this series so darn addicting...


Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun chapters 70-72: First, 70... LOL at Sakura's reactions and Nozaki's eventual 'experience-to-manga,' as well as the fact that this time his editor is just plain speechless. 71: ROTFL!!! The Mikoshiba and Sakura ones were particularly hilarious, but I completely lost it at what happened when they drew the first three cards. And last but not least, 72: Not only was this chapter just perfectly hilarious, of course, WE ACTUALLY GOT SPOILER: Highlight text to read: A HUG~~!!!


Haru x Kiyo chapter 12: Yikes... the 'translation' of this chapter was rather more incoherent than usual. Anyway, oh well, it looks like the brother is going to be interfering for a while yet...


The Heroic Legend Of Arslan chapters 27-30: Hmm... I know this series is objectively pretty good, but for some reason I've still been getting a bit bored with it; however, the first of these chapters was much better than it had been recently, between the new character (and his interactions with the mask guy) + the nice bit of background on/development with Arslan. ...Aaand then the next chapter went back to the fighting again, LOL. (I don't know why, but the fighting is just so uninteresting in this series for some reason... ) However, the bits afterward with Narsus and the new girl (and said new girl SPOILER: Highlight text to read: shamelessly hitting on him and wanting to be his wife, and his reactions in return ) were pretty darn amusing.


Isshuukan Friends., a.k.a. One Week Friends, chapters 34-38 (end, minus an epilogue chapter which apparently exists but has not yet been translated): Well, that was... not entirely unexpected, but still annoyingly/disappointingly weak. Not only were they interrupted right at the critical moment (man, I'm really starting to loathe that worn-out trope... ), but then he couldn't even work up the guts to say it for real once they were alone. Now, granted, he *did* say 'for the last time,' so you could imagine him saying the other thing later; but, seriously, I really dislike endings as open as this. (I seriously just dropped my MAL rating of it by 2 full points because of that...) ...Still holding out a little hope for that epilogue chapter...


Minidura chapters 6-10: More amusing Durarara!! cuteness.


Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii chapters 32-37 + volume extras + chapters 38-45: First, the volume extras were actually what was featured in the opening episode of the anime adaptation (which I'd thought was anime-original, but maybe not, depending on when the extras were released? ) + an interesting brand-new bit of flashback to Livi just before he had sent for a Rain Kingdom princess. As for the rest of it: I LOL'd at the "unexpected survival arc starts" text , but I do have to say that it got more than a tad creepy (that is, even creepier than it already was ) there for me with that guy and Luna (she even says so out loud, LOL ), as well as a bit predictable/cliché besides... I mean, I know stuff like that used to happen historically (and sometimes even still does in some countries today ), but, really... Even the 'revelation' about his (supposed) 'true character' (and the fact that he might have actually been planning to cancel the engagement once his plans went through, too) didn't mitigate the creep factor all that much. Thankfully, however, that little arc doesn't last very long. Aaanyway, moving on: Haha, that little bit with Nike realizing that Livi's growing (and the ensuing reactions on both sides) was adorable. <3 And the Birthday thing was really, really sweet. Oh man, though... it was hinted early on, but never elaborated upon until now-- so there *were* some bad things done by Livi which he doesn't ever want Nike to know... And not only did she already notice his carefulness about keeping her away from certain historical subjects (to the point where Bard had to outright admit so to her), but the cat's already out of the bag in terms of her starting to get the truth of it from Livi himself. (I quite like the fact that this looks to be the 'past-catching-up-with-him' arc. Looking forward to finding out just what happened with this Ice Kingdom...)


Spirit Circle chapters 39-41: Oh man... the two-chapter finale of Fortuna's tale was amazing. I mean, the entire series is, of course; but this really tied the last few things together brilliantly-- SPOILER: Highlight text to read: that Fortuna's life, while being his soul's 'first,' was actually the farthest in the future, even beyond the sci-fi one (given that the sci-fi-high-tech object was considered 'ancient,' etc.-- which also confirms what they realized about the world not actually being completely destroyed during that catastrophe ); his full plan; how he and Koko got 'connected' in the first place; the fact that, as far as Fortuna could see, Fuuta was going to willingly give up his life without even attempting to resist </3 ; and, finally, Fortuna actually forcibly taking over Fuuta's body... And then that foretelling of imminent tragedy... And, finally, the beginning of the inevitable, epic battle of Fuuta and Fortuna's minds... Oh my gosh, I was literally on the edge of my seat when I finished. This manga is just too awesome!


Zetsuen no Tempest chapters 38-40: Well, that went as expected-- Mahiro was more relieved than anything, Yoshino's response was precisely him, and Hanemura's response was surprising, amusing, and priceless. And aw, the flashback to when the boys were little and just about to meet Aika was kinda adorable, and the later flashback when Aika and Mahiro did meet was pretty insightful (especially with him being the one to actually SPOILER: Highlight text to read: encourage Aika and Yoshino to meet, too , which makes things make much more sense now in terms of his {non-}reaction later). Plus, we also got the equally-great flashback of Yoshino's first meeting with Aika. And ah, so Mahiro is going to take full responsibility for the plan to 'accomplish the impossible,' eh? Finally: Yoshino's comments about his and Mahiro's perspective changes were quite interesting, as was the actual flashback showing just how much Mahiro had matured. (Oh, and SPOILER: Highlight text to read: "...Isn't that just natural?" was one of the best lines of the manga, IMO. <3 <3 ) So good~


...Oh, and I dropped Blood Blockade Battlefront, a.k.a. Kekkai Sensen, after vol. 4, because I was getting really tired of all the sexual stuff , and it was way less interesting than the anime, besides (which as you all know is really saying something, coming from me! ).

[artisticDreamer]

Hikaru no Go vol. 4-5
Natsume's Book of Friends vol. 1

[Mouse2010]

I've read up through Chapter 20 of Sweetness and Lightening. I had to take a break for awhile because of work and travel, but I've really liked the last few chapters, especially the Christmas one. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Yagi playing Santa was very cute. I like watching the cast of characters grow.

AND I made the Salisbury steak recipe from the first volume! It was easy and pretty tasty; definitely something I might make again.

[artisticDreamer]

Ashe of Purgatory- Title's a little misleading; this is a one-shot about witch trials in a fantasy world. It was adorable, though, and I would definitely read this again.
Ao no Exorcist ch 75
Ryuu wa Tasogare no Yume wo Miru cp 1-6- Apparently this only has 6 of the 11 chapters translated into English, which is really disappointing for me.

[the_wolfs_howl]

I don't know why, but the fighting is just so uninteresting in this series for some reason...

Really? Huh. I've always found the fighting in Arslan engaging and interesting. Maybe not as cool as the fighting in FMA, for example, but then, the characters in Arslan don't have alchemy to add that extra flair I especially like how much of it is done on horseback or with huge armies - FMA is epic, but pretty low-scale in terms of numbers (except for flashbacks of the Ishbal War, we mostly just see individuals or small squads fighting). It scratches the epic fantasy itch very well for me ^_^
(In case it's not clear: I'm comparing Arslan to FMA mostly because it's the only other Hiromu Arakawa manga I've read - other than Silver Spoon, which doesn't really count because it's a high school story with no fighting )

Anyway, I've read:

No.6 chapter 9

Ahh, things are about to hit the fan pretty soon. I like this momentary lull, though.

Bakuman chapter 10

One of the things I really like about this manga is that there are so many different story ideas thrown around, a lot of which sound pretty promising. I wonder if any of these were ones the creators thought up before their first works.... It also keeps me guessing as to what's going to finally get Mashiro and Shujin published.

Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer chapter 13

Ooh, a bit of backstory! Adds some much-needed interest to Hangetsu, who I've actually found kind of boring so far

[MangaRocks!]

...And now for the new stuff!



Bakuman. Bangai-hen, a.k.a. Bakuman.: Age 13 / 14 special chapters 1-2 (complete): This was adorable and awesome-- the perfect little prequel. <3



The Case Study Of Vanitas chapters 1-2 (so far): This is the new series by Pandora Hearts mangaka Jun Mochizuki, and I already fell in love with it right from chapter 1! I knew Mochizuki-sensei's take on steampunk/vampires would be trope-twistingly amazing, and oh my goodness it is. For example, I'd figured that the MC would SPOILER: Highlight text to read: turn out to be a vampire (and apparently a good one), and I was also expecting SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the long-haired character to be the holder of the book; but I did *not* expect literally anything else that occurred. (Also, holy crap, that giant airship was stunning. I mean, I've always adored her art, but whoa. ) And the second chapter features more amusing adorableness from the MC along with more great art and plot. Can't wait to see where this is going to go from here!



Can't See Can't Hear But Love chapters 1-83 (complete): ...Well, this was a disappointment. At first, I was quite impressed at how it dove into some very real and very dark subjects (the terror of suddenly becoming unable to see {especially when there's no one to help/guide the person}, the difficulties handicapped people face {both physically and socially}, attempted suicide {multiple times!}, attempted molestation/abuse, etc.). This could've easily been a 10/10 masterpiece if it had been done properly... however, for some reason it quickly descended into suspension-of-disbelief-breaking OTT melodrama instead. And don't even get me started on that ending... not only does it not make any sense if taken at face-value, the author also somehow felt the need to top it all off by throwing in a completely random, unnecessary, and infuriating bit of animal cruelty in the outro/finale (which left quite a bad taste indeed)! So... yeah, not sure why I've seen so many people raving about how supposedly 'great' this was, because it *really* wasn't. It *could* have been (and oh, how I wish it had), but unfortunately, it was not even close. Don't even bother with this one.



Death Note: L FILE No. 15 special chapter(s) (complete): Part 1 - Little L was cute. Part 2 - Not sure if serious, but amusing in its ridiculousness all the same.



Haikyuu!! chapters 1-190 (so far): Started reading this immediately after watching the first season of the anime (both seasons of which so far are fantastic adaptations, BTW! )-- and as you are probably all aware by now just how awesome I think this show/manga is as well as how much I recommend it (...seriously, if you haven't already, please just go and watch/read it right now to get a hug for your soul <3 ), I'll just note here something that I haven't really mentioned before, which is that the characters' growth, development, and friendships are all really great. And particularly pleasantly-surprising are the at-first-seemingly-minor characters Ennoshita, Yamaguchi, and Tsukishima-- Ennoshita goes from presumed background character to SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the next in line for captain of the team (!); Yamaguchi's personal growth, when it finally pays off (at just the right time, too!), is cathartic as heck; and Tsukishima's long, gradual, and beautifully subtle transformation from an apathetic fatalist to wholly pouring his mind, body, and heart into the game-- to the point of actually becoming SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the mastermind of their defense (and the coach actually telling him that he's the MVP! <3 ) is amazing. Oh my goodness, this series...



Horan, a.k.a. Okimono Kimono, one-shot: Randomly read this on a whim because CLAMP, LOL. It was only a few pages long, but its subtle fairy-tale-like element and almost melancholically-sweet tone made it a cute enough one-time read.



Hotarubi no Mori e short story collection (both versions): This is a short story collection by Natsume's Book Of Friends mangaka Yuki Midorikawa, including the title story, which was adapted into an anime movie (and which I also recently watched and reviewed in the anime section ). There were two versions of this collection printed-- the original, which is what MAL has in its database, and a reprint, which includes the title story but with an extra + several different one-shots than the original volume had. I read all of the above, and these are my thoughts, starting with the new edition's one-shots (because I think they're weaker than the original ones, actually): "Taion no Kakera / Remnants Of Your Warmth" - The girl in this one has no issue telling the boy exactly how she feels (which is both refreshing and amusing), and she does eventually win him over despite his emotional scars and self-denial. It could've done with one extra page there at the end, but otherwise a nice ending. "Hoshi no Mienai / Even When The Stars Can't Be Seen" - This time the boy is the focus, and he's kinda frivolous, LOL (which is a pretty unusual character type for this mangaka to create). And, of course, it's his complete opposite (a serious girl) who gets his attention. That said, there's actually no conclusion to this one , and the lead isn't as likeable as her characters usually are, so I didn't end up liking it all that much; but oh well. *shrug* And now for the original (and better) one-shots: "Overhearing A Flower Song" - This was a gently-sweet little story including a gruff guy, a guitar, and a happy ending. <3 "The Falling Of Autumn Leaves" - This one features a couple (by the end, I mean ) who are childhood friends, and the girl can not only easily take care of herself but also the guy, who she is very protective of (although he does not necessarily want this... at least, in terms of the way she goes about it -- yet both of them actually help each other grow because of it). Minus the slight suspension-of-disbelief-stretching of SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the height they fell from towards the end leaving them with only minor injuries, LOL , it was fairly adorable. "Deepening The Scar" - Wow... this features a subject I never would have expected Midorikawa-sensei to touch on-- but, just as to be expected from her, she handles it with both sensitivity and a realistic ending. That topic being SPOILER: Highlight text to read: a brother and sister from a broken home who, when their parents are reunited after 8 years, begin to realize that they have feelings for each other that go beyond familial, and the realistic ending being that they know SPOILER: Highlight text to read: that it would destroy everything if they gave in to those feelings, and thus they self-impose their own separation. It's not a feel-good ending, obviously, but it's a mature and realistic one, and was excellent for it. And then last but not least, of course, the title story + special extra - I watched the anime adaptation of this story before I read it, and it was one of those rare adaptations that actually improved upon the original (which is still very good in and of itself, of course). And the (unadapted) extra just adds another level of heartbreak, LOL. Overall, this collection was certainly worth the read (particularly the one-shots in the original version).



Mikado no Shihou, a.k.a. The Emperor's Treasure, chapters 1-2 (so far): While most of this was predictable, it was still just so darn cute that I ended up enjoying it. <3 (And I literally LOL'd at the little revelation at the end of chapter 1. ) It is fairly adorable and amusing how tiny she is despite being SPOILER: Highlight text to read: 18, as is everyone always being surprised when they find out, too, LOL. And ch.2 is just like ch.1-- predictable, but cute all the same. This'll be a nice bit of occasional fluff.



Noragami, volumes 1-9 (so far): First: Yeah, so as you can probably guess, the 'theology'/mythology here is *very* Japanese (if you know what I mean). And second: There is a fair amount of fanservice. However, those things aside, this is quite a good series. It doesn't shy away from surprisingly heavy topics SPOILER: Highlight text to read: (bullying, suicide {both attempted and actual}, and even serial murder ), the MC's are hilarious and snarky and sweet and endearing and awesome <3 , and even tropes like the guy avoiding the girl/trying to 'cut ties' with her for her sake are wonderfully turned on their heads. I'm enjoying this.



One Punch Man chapters 1-3 (so far): LOL. The art is unbelievable (in both detail and dynamics), and I couldn't stop laughing at all the parodying of superhero/villain tropes. Looking forward to more.



And QQ Sweeper volume 1 (so far): This is the new series by Dengeki Daisy mangaka Kyousuke Motomi. And, as she says, it is indeed a 'weird cleaning story,' LOL. Basically, the MC's have to destroy these giant (and rather horrifying, LOL) supernatural bugs which represent (and feed upon) negativity in people's hearts and minds, and they do that via a combination of fighting them directly, getting the affected people to open up about their issues, and literally just cleaning. (And they actually get people some real counseling help afterwards, too, which is a nice, more-realistic touch.) And another nice thing about this series is that the female lead is strong on her own (as all of this mangaka's female MC's are <3 ). Also: There's actually a minor but very sweet in-story reference to Dengeki Daisy, which apparently takes place in the same universe-- namely, that SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Teru and Kurosaki are engaged now, and the wedding is soon! <3 Finally: Apparently, this series starts off with 3 volumes with this title, and then the rest of the series will be titled Queen's Quality. I'm looking forward to the rest of it (in both names!).

[the_wolfs_howl]

Silver Spoon chapter 114

Hmmmmm, now I'm really intrigued to find out what Komaba's up to....

No.6 chapter 10

Aw, that was a great realization for Inukashi to make. Just goes to prove that Nezumi was a sweetheart under all that from the beginning *is sliced to death by a thousand rats*

Bakuman chapter 11

Lol, those poor girls.... Don't try to get between two mangakas and their passion! Also, that's quite an encouragement they've gotten on their work! I would be thrilled in their position ^_^

D.Gray-man chapter 221

Phew, we finally seem to be out of that confrontation that's gone on for I don't even know how many years! Because of the hiatus, the scene just dragged on and on forever. I'm not sure I completely understand what's going on even now, but I think I'm following decently well. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: But will Allen ever come back? Or will we be stuck with Nea forever? :C The announcement of another anime is exciting, but I mostly just want Funimation to finish dubbing what's already there (I'm not familiar with the new seiyuu they've got for Allen, but Todd Haberkorn > Sanae Kobayashi any day.)

[Mouse2010]

Caught up on Sweetness and Lightening , including the recently released Chapter 31. I really like this series, and I'm sometimes surprised by how thoughtful it can be. In particular, there've been a couple of chapters dealing with the issue of death and grief that I thought went into more depth than you usually see in anime. Plenty of animes deal with a character death, but this one seemed to me to focus on the aftermath of a loss in a very different way.

In the chapter called "Liars," SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I was interested and maybe a little taken aback to see that Inuzuka thought of himself as a liar for telling Tsumugi that her mother was in Heaven. This may have resonated me a bit because our preschooler is very interested in death and Heaven and what happens to his pets who have died. (He hasn't lost any relatives yet.) It's hard enough answering these questions as a Christian, given that I'm talking about things I hope are true but haven't experienced; I don't know what it would be like answering questions like that without a religious framework. OTOH, I found the way Tsumugi's great-grandmother dealt with Tsumugi's SPOILER: Highlight text to read: desire to die soon so that she could be with her mother to be a helpful way of answering that kind of thought.

[Kaori]

Galaxy Express 999 v. 16. Second volume of the second story arc. In this volume SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Earth's solar system is utterly wiped out in a supernova, Tetsurou SPOILER: Highlight text to read: kills someone, and Captain Harlock, Queen Esmereldas, and the Space Battleship Yamato all make appearances (there are some pretty awesome one- and two-page spreads of all of those spaceships, also). Even with all that going on, though, it feels like with this volume we are still in the exposition and a lot of groundwork is being laid for the rest of the story.

Moving on right away to v. 17. Since I own the rest of the series already, I will probably read straight through the rest of the volumes before moving on to any other manga.

[the_wolfs_howl]

Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer chapter 14

Okay...woah. Did not expect something like that to happen in such a light-hearted manga.

HaruXKiyo chapter 4

Sometimes I really find this manga hard to follow. Not sure if it's the translation, or the manga itself, but sometimes I have to read the page a couple times before I understand exactly what's going on. Part of that is definitely because I can't remember anyone's name, though Which, in turn, is partly because everyone seems to call each other different things because of the different kind of relationships they have. Ah well, I'll get a handle on this at some point, and even when I'm confused, it's still very cute.

[Mullet Death]

Caught up on Sweetness and Lightening , including the recently released Chapter 31. I really like this series, and I'm sometimes surprised by how thoughtful it can be. In particular, there've been a couple of chapters dealing with the issue of death and grief that I thought went into more depth than you usually see in anime. Plenty of animes deal with a character death, but this one seemed to me to focus on the aftermath of a loss in a very different way.

In the chapter called "Liars," SPOILER: Highlight text to read: I was interested and maybe a little taken aback to see that Inuzuka thought of himself as a liar for telling Tsumugi that her mother was in Heaven. This may have resonated me a bit because our preschooler is very interested in death and Heaven and what happens to his pets who have died. (He hasn't lost any relatives yet.) It's hard enough answering these questions as a Christian, given that I'm talking about things I hope are true but haven't experienced; I don't know what it would be like answering questions like that without a religious framework. OTOH, I found the way Tsumugi's great-grandmother dealt with Tsumugi's SPOILER: Highlight text to read: desire to die soon so that she could be with her mother to be a helpful way of answering that kind of thought.

I haven't read that far ahead yet, and so am avoiding your spoilers, but Sweetness and Lightning is a wonderful manga that warms my heart every time I read it. Really hope it gets animated some day.

[NekoNinja16]

We've been on vacation, and went to a Books-a-Million, where I was pleasantly surprised to see Behind the Scenes!!, or as I knew it before (when I read the first chapter online), Urakata!!. It's a new manga by Bisco Hatori, (mangaka of Ouran Highschool Host Club, one of my fave series ever) and I picked it up since I liked whatever I remembered of the first chapter. Love it!! Hope more will come out soon, and it will be a successful series like Ouran. I love the main character, Ranmaru. Even tho he's pessimistic, it's so hilarious seeing him freak out at everything, and he's adorable too. XD Didn't really have to 'censor' anything either, only found the word h*ll. (plus a very short zombie scene, since it was part of a film shoot near the beginning) I'm also happy about the size of the volume (in relation to the price). The volumes of My Neighbor Seki are smaller, the art isn't as nice, and they cost more... (BtS= $10 MNS=$12-13) The five chapters in it just felt fulfilling, I guess. ^^ SPOILER: Highlight text to read: (although, I'm a tiny bit annoyed by Ryuji's apparent love of using evolution as motivation, or whatever. He keeps telling the main guy to 'evolve' if he's not happy, and referenced dinosaurs once. Dinosaur part's fine, but evolution, no plz. XD)

[the_wolfs_howl]

No.6 chapters 11-12

Wow, Nezumi looks even more soft and innocent in the manga than he did in this part of the anime! It's amazing how much the two of them change through the course of the story - and it's not even halfway over yet!

Bakuman chapters 12-13

EEEEEEE, this is so exciting! They've done a really good job of ramping up the tension and making you root for the main characters. I guess part of that is because they make the rival so weird and unlikable (at least to me). But I really want Mashiro and Takagi to succeed.

Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer chapters 15-16

Again, I'm really surprised at how emotional this part of the story has been, though it never goes too far from the humor. I wasn't expecting to have this many feels over this manga.

HaruXKiyo chapter 5

I'm really growing to love Haru's awkwardness. And probably if Mineta was in my class, I'd be crushing on him just as much as she is XD

[Mouse2010]

Noragami volume 11! Um, this one is really emotional, guys. There were two different stories that made me tear up a bit.

But just so we're clear, it was definitely a good volume. I feel like I gush too much about this series, but still . . . I love how we are learning more about Yato's past in bits and pieces. And the shipper in me SPOILER: Highlight text to read: really liked Yato and Hiyori's interactions in the amusement park, although I was surprised by Yukine's reaction. Is he jealous because he likes Hiyori? Or jealous because he doesn't want anyone getting closer to Yato? Or just angry that Yato might have something (a relationship, I mean) that he can't have? Or something else?

Per someone's recommendation, I'm also reading Fushigi Yugi. I am not a huge fan of the artwork in this manga, but there are some genuinely funny moments that keep me reading for now.

[Kaori]

Galaxy Express 999 v. 17.

This volume was really good. By this point it is even clearer than before that Tetsurou's travels this second time around (in the second arc of the story which started with v. 15) are not the leisurely journey of the first arc. The first arc really had a coming-of-age feel, with Tetsurou considering questions like what life is and what is important to him, those sorts of things. But in the second arc he has a determined goal and a mission, and in this volume everything, every single chapter, contributes something definite to developing who the enemies are and what they are like, and there's a sense of urgency that is reinforced especially at the beginning and end of this volume. In the middle is a two-chapter story with some a very well-executed and eerie story, so the volume is quite strong throughout.

In addition, there's strong use of visual details and visual symbolism, some moral nuance in the way that the villains are not painted as entirely evil and Tetsurou is considering things like that they have families and are life-forms that are just like humans in many ways, and the artwork is great (well, not his human figures, but everything else: the landscapes, cityscapes, outer space scenes, spacecraft, and so on).

Just as a side note, I don't think I previously mentioned when talking about this second arc, but the Japanese is much more difficult. No furigana, NGU kanji are sometimes used, and I'm learning words like "exothermic" and "nuclear fusion."

Anyways, I am highly enjoying this more focused and driven second arc of the story, and this volume might be the best yet since v. 4.

[the_wolfs_howl]

Silver Spoon chapters 115-116

I have to admit that watching the anime and reading the manga at the same time (the anime being much farther back in the storyline) makes it kind of hard to remember what's going on in either one Yeah, won't be doing that again!

The Heroic Legend of Arslan chapters 30-31

=_= I always feel like I missed something at the end of the previous chapter, because I don't remember how Narsus got into this situation. But it's hilarious all the same I was surprised at how young he is, though! He's not that much older than me, and he's already a war hero/hermit/renegade warrior <_<

No.6 chapters 13-17

Ah, now we come to my favorite part of the story: the Correctional Facility >:D

Bakuman chapters 14-16

I figured it would probably end up like that. Hope they can pick themselves back up soon!

Hoshi no Samidare chapters 17-20

I'm repeatedly amazed at how inspirational and moving this manga is, while still remaining rather ludicrous and funny.

HaruXKiyo chapters 6-10

>3< I'm loving this more and more! Mineta is astonishingly hot when he wants to be *fans self*

[Mouse2010]

Chapter 32 of Sweetness and Lightening did not disappoint. Again, more thoughtful exploration of the loss of a family member-- this time, with even more emphasis on what grief might look like to a young child. I keep saying "this is a thoughtful series," and I'm sure that line is getting old, but I am increasingly seeing the ways in which this manga is largely about coping with loss and moving on. And it is not just about the loss being part of the main characters' backstory, as is so often the case, but about how they grow and change as they slowly learn to live without the lost person.

Also, I'm really enjoying getting to see Tsumugi's grandparents!

I have to agree with Mullet Death that this is a series that I would love to see animated. I don't know if that will ever happen, but seems like there have been a LOT of food-related animes recently, so maybe?

[MangaRocks!]

I have to agree with Mullet Death that this is a series that I would love to see animated. I don't know if that will ever happen, but seems like there have been a LOT of food-related animes recently, so maybe?

Actually, your wish has already been granted!

[the_wolfs_howl]

Bakuman chapter 17

Though I'm a little skeptical that their mainstream effort will work out (I guess I'm kind of biased against mainstream ), it looks like Niizuma Eiji is heading towards his own demise. Which...I am inordinately gleeful about

[Kaori]

Galaxy Express 999 v. 18 was really not that great. Of course after coming after a volume that is one of the best in the series, the next volume is likely to suffer in comparison, but still. There are some interesting things that can be drawn from it in terms of what the volume reveals about Japanese values--what kind of attitude and mindset the Japanese particularly value and particularly despise--but in terms of actual storytelling and characterization, to me the volume felt like it fell pretty flat. Also the artwork, which I was just praising in my previous post, in this volume had several panels that just looked sloppy and careless.

Only three volumes left in this series, but I have just not had time yet to push forward and start reading volume 19. Probably will do so soon, since being this close to the end of the series is a pretty strong incentive.

[NekoNinja16]

I've been re-reading MegaMan NT Warrior (I have volumes 1-10, still missing 11-13), mostly since I bought 1-6 @ 1/2 price books after reading them online. (long storyish)

Also been reading OHSHC, I bough volumes 5-8 at half price, and just picking up vol 9 at Books-a-Million. ^^

[Mouse2010]

I have to agree with Mullet Death that this is a series that I would love to see animated. I don't know if that will ever happen, but seems like there have been a LOT of food-related animes recently, so maybe?

Actually, your wish has already been granted!

WHAAT? How did I miss that? So exciting. I am hoping that Crunchyroll will pick up this series.

[the_wolfs_howl]

No.6 chapter 18

I love and hate the Correctional Facility at the same time. The story is quickly coming to a close, but there's still so much left that needs to happen....

[Kaori]

Love so Life v. 17 (complete). Glad I finally got to read this last volume. The ending was SPOILER: Highlight text to read: happy, and if anyone wants to know the specific details, SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the twins and their father successfully move in with the twins’ grandparents, there’s a six-year time skip, the twins are still keeping in touch with Shiharu-san regularly, Shiharu-san has a job at a daycare center, her friend is still dating Matsunaga-san’s friend (though he is often away backpacking in exotic locations), Matsunaga-san is still working like a dog, and Shiharu-san finally gets to start dating Matsunaga-san after only a six-year wait instead of the ten years that he originally suggested, which is still a sufficient amount of time for Shiharu-san to be adult by a good safe margin. I was mildly disgruntled by the fact that SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Matsunaga-san studiously avoided Shiharu-san for six years without explaining why, and then when he chased after her and caught up to her at the end he got off just by apologizing with a kiss and saying that he wouldn’t have been able to control himself if he had been spending time around her. I see what the author is doing with using Matsunaga-san’s avoidance of Shiharu-san as a plot device to maintain a little bit of romantic tension until the very end, and it works in terms of storytelling because it’s fiction and readers don’t actually have to spend six years in misery thinking that the person that they love doesn’t have any feelings for them anymore. For us it is only a chapter. But Matsunaga-san’s behavior was truly rude and I don’t think that apologizing with a kiss and that kind of explanation is really adequate. If it were real life, he should instead have shown her some more consideration during those years instead of just avoiding her without giving any explanation, which was very unfair to her. However, overall the manga is very cute and heartwarming.

I have said this before, but I want to reiterate again that Love so Life is a really excellent manga to use for learning Japanese. The two leads use very standard, polite Japanese with each other, the vocabulary and phrases that come up are very useful things that you can use in everyday life, the vocabulary level is also not too difficult compared to other manga because it’s about everyday life and everyday situations (and the fact that so much of the story centers around young children means that a lot of the characters are using simple vocabulary, which is really helpful), and there’s a lot that can be learned culturally. For example, in this manga you can observe that the two leads use polite form with each other (this is appropriate because of the babysitter/employer relationship and the age difference) and address each other always by family-name-san; people who are close friends or immediate family members use plain form with each other as appropriate for a close relationship; anyone who is talking to the twins uses plain form because that is how you talk to children, and the twins always use plain form because young children only know how to use plain form; and characters like Shiharu-san and Matsunaga-san are using polite form when talking to the twins’ grandparents but the grandparents use plain form when talking to them (this is because of the age difference). Also, Shiharu-san exemplifies all the qualities that the ideal Japanese housewife is supposed to have, and both she and Matsunaga-san are pretty much ideal characters, and you can also see how Japanese salarymen are both expected to work like dogs and are admired for it when they do so (his schedule, how much he works, and how exhausted he is when he gets home are all pretty much spot-on).

There were really a lot of very useful phrases in this manga, so much so that I wrote down a few of them as notes to myself, e.g. in a “this is the sort of polite phrase that you can use in this sort of situation” kind of way. For example, there’s a scene where Shiharu-san has a meal together with everyone at Matsunaga-san’s house, and she gets told she doesn’t have to help with the dishes, but she says, “Since I was treated to a meal, at least let me do this much.” (ごちそうになってしまったのでこれくらいさせて下さい). As another Japanese tidbit, this sentence also gets used: [～て form of a verb] + いただけないでしょうか。 This is keigo and it is a very graceful way of asking someone if they will do something for you; it is more indirect and therefore more polite than [～て form of a verb] + くれませんか。

[the_wolfs_howl]

The Heroic Legend of Arslan chapter 32

I love how we get such a sweeping view of the big political things that are happening...but when do we get back to what Arslan's doing?

[MangaRocks!]

...Oh dear; not having posted anything in this thread in a number of months + having read a bunch of new stuff means another massive double-post is incoming! First, the continuing series:



Akagami no Shirayuki-hime chapters 72-73 + 73.5 + 74-75: It's nice to see a little bit of Ryuu character development~ <3 Whoa, though, that's quite a timeskip! And ahhh, Mihaya and Kazuki made a surprise visit! I was *not* expecting that! (And LOL at Obi's "As master's knight, should I stop him...?" when Kazuki gave Shirayuki a flying hug~ ) Cute. There was also some really good stuff in here character-wise with Izana and Zen. (And Zen/Kiki/Mitsuhide's whole discussion of 'marriage proposals' was downright hilarious {especially once Obi got brought into it!}. ) And the little bit of politics in this new mini-arc seem intriguing so far. Finally: Oho, it looks like this thing with the twins is going to be quite interesting~! (And I already love Zen's interactions with them, and all the stuff going on under the surface there... )



Boku dake ga Inai Machi chapters 35-40: Best. Response. Ever! Satoru's mom continues to be best mom. <3 (Also, Kenya best bro. <3 ) And Airi also being a boss, as usual! That next chapter, though-- HOLY CRAP...! That SPOILER: Highlight text to read: perspective shift/twist was unbelievable! And the end of it just gave me chills... *shiver* Next: Nice reveal on the SPOILER: Highlight text to read: 'disguise.' And aw, Jun's letter was so sweet~ <3 And oh man, so SPOILER: Highlight text to read: that possibility of a future with Airi really is going to be sacrificed, then (as I thought it might-- given that SPOILER: Highlight text to read: they have no connection in this timeline). My... heart... </3 Also, I know the implications are very far from amusing (the flags are everywhere for that poor little girl... ), but I do have to admit that I laughed at that descriptive line about the hospital's camp thing... I mean, I know it's a setup, and I know it was intentional to draw Satoru out, but still... Finally: Gahhh, the suspense is too strong!! Can't wait for the next chapter!



The Case Study Of Vanitas chapters 3-5: LOL... welp, I already knew that Vanitas was completely off his rocker (and that his moral compass was very... interestingly skewed) , but... It's actually kinda hard to tell sometimes if he's being serious/trying to complete an objective or if he's just trolling for the fun of it. He clearly has a pretty intense backstory, though (his personality + the few unusual reactions he's given to things Noé has said + those scars {usually kept well-hidden by those long gloves} + the whole thing with him having the Book in the first place {and did he really SPOILER: Highlight text to read: get bitten and all that stuff he said when he was stalling, or was some of that just a bluff, too?}, etc.)-- and it's going to be a heck of a story when it's finally revealed. <3 The end of chapter 4, though-- ohhh crap, what the heck was *that*?! And finally: Interesting new bit of background on Noé (apparently he's actually SPOILER: Highlight text to read: an "Archiviste"-- a vampire who can see the memories of those whose blood he drinks-- which has clearly not been pleasant for him. Also, that clan is supposed to be extinct...... ), as well as the also-interesting namedrop of an event that apparently rewrote the very laws of nature. Plus, we finally got a little better explanation + glimpse of what that 'thing' was at the end of the previous chapter. That ending was totally LOLWUT, though SPOILER: Highlight text to read: (Noé's fiancee??). This series is so darn addicting...



Cheese In The Trap chapters 174-179: This was so adorable. <3 And the family even kinda made up! And whoa man, Jung's manipulation level was off the charts here... I LOL'd so hard though at stalker-dude (not using his name because he doesn't deserve it ) first getting run out on by the MC and her best friends, and then In-Ho suddenly showing up and (very well-deservedly!) scaring him + turning the tables by faking getting beat up/etc. (and then looking all proud of himself afterwards). And then whoa, that new flashback... I mean, Jung certainly has his (sociopathic ) issues, but it's no wonder he was so ticked...



Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun chapters 73-76: OH MY GOSH, Kashima actually said it!!! (Although I know she probably didn't mean it precisely in that way, LOL... Still, wow~! <3 ) Also, LOL, so Seo's big bro finally meets Waka, then...? Bwahaha, oh man, the misunderstandings between them were *golden.* And the letters were hilarious, too. Finally: Oh my gosh, the whole thing with Mikoshiba and Mayu at the mixer was hysterical!



Haikyuu!! chapters 192-203 + 203.5 extra + 204: This match between SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Nekoma and Fukurodani is great! And I literally LOL'd at the whole exchange from the coach talking with Kenma to Kenma's conversation with Lev (complete with all the facial expressions). Next: WOW. Nice one, Furudate-sensei-- you genuinely surprised (and impressed) me. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Nekoma actually lost (...2-0, no less)! ......Aaand then never mind, because there just so happens to be SPOILER: Highlight text to read: a third spot, and they're obviously going to smoke the other team for it. The surprise was good while it lasted, though (and I can't even really complain, because I really like both SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Nekoma and Fukurodani, so whatever ). Anyway: LOL, the (under-the-breath so the ref can't hear it ) trash-talking by the Snakes was off the charts , as was their level of guile (as you'd expect from a team with that name, of course ; however, this kind of manipulation is on a level unlike anything seen in the series before, so it's really interesting). Also, it was so funny to see (now-captain) Kuroo and (libero) Yaku so diametrically opposed in the past until they were asked what their goals were. (Also LOL at Kenma telling Kuroo to work harder. ) And the extra was downright hysterical (oh my gosh, Karasuno at their school's sports festival...)! Finally: Yes, Lev just got a little development, too! <3



Haru x Kiyo chapter 13:

. . . Mineta is astonishingly hot when he wants to be *fans self*

^ Indeed he is! Anyway , yay! Not only is the translation actually readable again (LOL ), but this entire chapter was just too amusing/adorable! <3 I love, love, love how Mineta understands things and then just goes ahead and does what needs to be done accordingly <3 ; and I literally LOL'd at that whole "magic phrase" bit (oh my gosh that was hysterical!).



Kimi ni Todoke vol. 23: I teared up when Sawako (and Kento, too) told Ayane just how kind she is in response to her belief that she's a terrible person. <3 And as for the SPOILER: Highlight text to read: breakup between Ayane and Kento here, I, too, knew this had to be coming. They were both really mature about it, though, and surprisingly the whole thing was actually really cathartic, with this entire volume focusing on Ayane's personal growth + her breaking free from her self-destructive tendencies.



Noragami vol.'s 10-11: Oh man, volume 10... Yato finally SPOILER: Highlight text to read: releasing the stray; asking Yukine to guide him and show him the way to make people happy; and confessing his past to both Yukine and Hiyori (and even more so to Yukine) was so beautiful. <3 Also, that reveal of who his 'Father' really is (now)... And as for volume 11: Oh my gosh, the whole 'Cayperland 2' bit was hysterical, especially once Kofuku wheedled Daikoku into a date of their own there, and disaster inevitably followed. And oh my gosh, Yato actually SPOILER: Highlight text to read: proposed (!!!) <3 (although Hiyori didn't get to see it... ). Oh man, though, that bit of backstory with Kofuku and Daikoku was heartbreaking. </3 And yikes, that 'greatest secret' (which obviously has something to do with the memories of the Shinki) does not sound like it's going to be a good thing...



QQ Sweeper vol. 2: This volume explained a lot. I mean, it was obvious that Fumi would turn out to be Fuyu, of course; but (part of) what was going on with her was made more clear here. Also, it makes way more sense for the Sweepers' work in the 'void'/others' minds to actually be SPOILER: Highlight text to read: an out-of-body experience, so that was a good little bit of info, too. Finally: The bit where Fumi goes to Kyuutarou after her nightmare was hilarious (and sweet ). <3



Skip Beat! vol. 36: Ah, Kyoko finally got that Ren meant SPOILER: Highlight text to read: kissing *Sho* wouldn't work a second time... and she *almost* got why, too. (Also: LOL, "handcuff myself for another reason..." ) Seriously, though, wow-- Ren really is beginning to move on! <3 Finally: Ohhh snap-- so the mother is finally going to appear. Cue the "I have a bad feeling about this" meme...



Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii chapters 46-52: Yikes-- that was quite the mental breakdown, Livi... I did approve of the fact that Nike would not promise anything to Neil one way or the other, because she needs to hear the facts from Livi himself before she decides what to do. Welp, though, Livi pretty much went yan... again. And the whole thing with Nike SPOILER: Highlight text to read: jumping in front of the attack was really predictable... At least there was finally a little bit of info about Livi's dad, though; and the latest chapter did make up for the previous ones with Nike finally getting through to Livi. <3 Although then, of course, the end was ominous... (Really, though, IDK what's been going on with this series for a little while now... ever since the SPOILER: Highlight text to read: loli arc, it's kinda gotten a little mediocre; which is a shame... )



Spirit Circle chapters 42-45 (end, unless there's an extra in the upcoming volume release): That. Was. Awesome!! Fortuna getting surprised, all of his lives looking on (and their comments ), and then that kicker of a twist ending made me literally laugh out loud. And I laughed again when SPOILER: Highlight text to read: he ran away. Seriously, though, I actually teared up when Fuuta did... And I nearly cheered out loud at SPOILER: Highlight text to read: all of his previous lives breaking through Fortuna's control... and then laughed again at SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Fuuta just pulling the net down over Fortuna's (spirit) head. (Although it was a very special net. ) And Fortuna's SPOILER: Highlight text to read: 'defeat' was absolutely beautiful, too. <3 And to have not only the rings be 'spirit circles' but to also have SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the reincarnation cycle itself truly be a circle as well was beautiful, too <3 ... as was SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the 'spirit circles' being given up and East and Rune being able to be reborn as normal humans. <3 (But I laughed sooo hard when Rune-- and then even East, too!!-- said that their condition was that they wanted to be born as Fuuta and Koko's kids {and oh man, the looks on those two's faces at those statements-- and at Spacifica saying that could be arranged! -- were utterly priceless, bwahaha}!! Too adorable!!! ) ...And then of course it was moving again... And then that surprise kiss at the end... Plus, the finale even (brilliantly) revealed that all of Mizukami-sensei's manga take place in the same (multi)verse! Mizukami-sensei is a genius <3 , and I couldn't be happier with how this has turned out. <3 <3 Highly recommended!



And Zetsuen no Tempest chapters 41-43: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Hanemura vs. the pillar was *epic*! And that last exchange between Mahiro and Yoshino was absolutely perfect.