Mixed bags of fluff, slice-of-life, Samurai, and suspense
8. Voices of a Distant Star (ほしのこえ ,Hoshi no Koe, lit. "Voices of a Star"). Quote: Mikako Nagamine: You can take a picture of something and it never does it justice... I think about that sometimes when I see a picture of you... "
from Wiki
from IMBd
from Rotten Tomatoes
from Anime News Network
- The story is pretty much the same but I like the manga much better - story wise and art wise.
9. 11 episodes of Samurai Champloo (サムライチャンプルー ,Samurai Chanpurū). Quote: Jin: He doesn't understand the meaning of "restraint."
from Wiki
from IMBd
from Rotten Tomatoes
from Anime News Network
- I've shied away from this anime for 2 reasons (bloody and hip-hop - neither is my cup of tea!) even though I heard good things about it. Anyway, since it's on rightstuf sale, I got 3 dvds that they have - and now I wanted more. But most of the dvd's are either out of stock or in $20+ price range (my pocket isn't that deep!) maybe I'll start a netflix queue or something.
- Vol 1, 2, and 7.
- I like Fuu. She's a strong female character.
- My favorite character is Jin, though. What a shock!
- Mogen grows on me at the end of volume 7.
- The three characters travel together to find Fuu's Sunflower Samurai. They got in and out of troubles.
- The ending is similar to Princess Tutu ending - happy ending but unsatisfying for me!
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31. 1 volume of Astral Project (月の光).
wiki
Manga updates
Written by Kyoichi Katayama
from CMX website:
A modern tale of the supernatural by the author of the Eisner Award-winning Old Boy. ("marginal" is one of several aliases by creator Garon Tsuchiya.) Masahiko is estranged from his family and lives a dead-end life in Tokyo, working as a chauffeur for high-class call girls. When his sister dies under mysterious circumstances, he inherits an unlabeled CD from her possessions. Listening to the jazz music it contains, he is propelled into an out-of-body experience. As he repeats the experience, he begins to wonder if this was how his sister died. Masahiko is determined to find the cause of her death, and the mystery behind the CD.
Some points:
- It seems a bit dark. I didn't think I'd check it out but I saw it at a used bookstore, so ...
- The story flows slow but not too slow, it kind of gently eases the reader in the mystery and suspense.
- There seems to be a conspiracy theory in the work.
Bottom line, it's a mystery and suspense that I probably will follow since it has only 4 volumes.
32a. The Walking Man (歩くひと - Aruku Hito).
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Manga updates
Written and illustrated by Jiro Taniguchi
from Ponent Mon website
Who takes the time these days to climb a tree in bare feet to rescue a child’s toy? To stop and observe the birds? To play in the puddles after a storm? To go down to the sea to put a shell back? The Walking Man does as he strolls at random through urban Japan - often silent, often alone - with his vivid dreams that let time stand still.
Some points:
- There are preview pages on Ponent Mon website.
- It's slice of life, each chapter is one story or one walking trip exploring the area/life.
- Interesting book.
Bottom line, I probably reread it once in a while when I want to slow down or detox.
32b. I O N (イ・オ・ン ).
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Manga updates
Written and illustrated by Arina Tanemura
from Viz website
Ion Tsuburagi chants the letters of her first name as a charm to bring good luck when she needs it. Then she meets Mikado Hourai, the president of the Psychic Powers Research Society at school, and touches a mysterious substance he's been developing. Now chanting "I-O-N" gives her telekinetic powers!
Some points:
- This is one of the earlier work of Arina Tanemura, I think. I like the art here better than in Gentlement Alliance +. It's cleaner and sparser. It's totally sweet and fluff.
Bottom line, standalone is a good size for this story :)
32c. Call Me Princess (姫ってよんでねっ ,Hime tte yonde ne).
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Manga updates
Written and illustrated by Tomoko Taniguchi
from Manga Updates:
A heart-warming tale of teen romance, Miss Taniguchi's intricate art and true-to-life storytelling pull the reader into the story and won't let you go. Tomoko Taniguchi's work was previously seen in Colleen Doran's A Distant Soil.
Remember your first high school love? Everyone does. And Call Me Princess will help bring back memories of those innocent days of dreamy eyes and embarrassed blushes in classrooms and corridors. The story is told by Mako, a young freshman, as she is torn between her feelings for her first love, Yo, and newly arrived bad boy, Ryu.
Some points:
- I got this manga for $1 at a local comic store - with price like that what's I've got to lose, right? It does have the usual shojo tropes (boy-girl live in the same house, misunderstanding between best friends, boy turns out to be not as bad as he seems ...) but it's intesting, nonetheless.
- Very cute. The story resolves in a book and doesn't drags on. I wouldn't mind read it for another 1 or 2 volumes. She has a book called Popcorn Romance. Must check it out :)
Bottom line, total fluff and sugary, one volume is ok, though.
Continuing series:
Shinobi Life 2
eta: Tokyopop has recently updates their series website to show the links to the other volumes of the same series which they used to have in the old interface. I'm glad it's back.