INVU, VS, Dragon Sword and Wind Child
33a. 4 volumes of I.N.V.U.
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Story and Art by Kim Kang Won
From RS: (since I returned the books last week)
Vol 1: When 16 year-old Sey's mom leaves suddenly for Europe, she leaves Sey with a new family, the Kangs. Her new "family" is supposed to be normal, but when her foster brother turns out to be a sister, she begins to think that her new home is weirder than her old one.
Sey looks for a job so she can get her own place and escape her crazy life, but the more she finds out about her new sibling, the more she finds out that their lives are intertwined.
Vol 2: Sey Hong's world has been topsy-turvy for as long as she can remember. And just as she thinks there's a glimmer of hope for a normal life, things get crazier. Terry, the son of the family that she's staying with, is really a cross-dressing daughter named Hali.. who just happens to have a crush on the same teacher that Sey has been in love with for years, the handsome Mr. Cho. That's not all. Siho Lee, boyfriend of Sey's friend Rea, has decided that he's interested in Sey. Will things heat up between the two of them? will things heat up between Mr. Cho and Terry ... er, Hali? The answers are in this dramarama-filled volume of I.N.V.U.
Vol 3: Things heat up between Hali and the high school's most eligible bachelor, Mr. Cho. And bad boy Siho finds his feelings for Sey becoming more intense. Will he win her heart over or is she too love sick about Mr. Cho to see a good thing in front of her.
Rea's career takes a sudden turn when her dad finds out about her moonlighting gig as a model.
Vol 4: Hali gets tickets to see a musical along with her manager, but runs into her teacher and crush, Hajun Cho. He's there with his future wife. What can Hali do to fix her "little" problem?
Some points:
- Borrowed from ILL - by the author of Queen's Knight.
- It probably didn't do well, because the French licensed it but only published to #4, Tokyopop to #5 (which is oop, btw). So very unlikely to be rescued but I think it would fit Yen!
- I like it so much I had to buy them even though it's incomplete! I'm crazy.
- Another strong heroine whose mother moved to Italy and left her behind with a family with a tragedy!
- Hero with questionable backgrounds!
- I've found #5 on Midtown comics website and have ordered it and it's on the way.
Bottom line, fun incomplete series.
33b. 3 volumes of Versus: VS ([VS] バーサス, VS Bāsasu, aka. "Versus").
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Story and Art by Keiko Yamada
From RS:
Vol 1: Sometimes it takes a person who has shared your dream to make it come true.
For Reiji, a gifted violinist with no formal training, success may be the key to escaping from his miserable home life. Mitsuko was also a prodigy until an accident left her unable to play. Now she is going to help Reiji achieve the goal she could never attain. Passions and rivalries play out against the backdrop of the music world.
Vol 2: Sometimes it takes someone who has shared your dream to make it come true. Reiji is determined to become a professional violinist, but does he have what it takes to go the distance? His teacher - the former prodigy Mitsuko - is driving him hard. Reiji goes head to head with another gifted young artist, and the competition gets fierce. Meanwhile, a famous conductor takes a special interest in Reiji's progress.
Vol 3: Reiji has one chance to get to New York and see his sister Michiru: he must win the spot of soloist with the Hakuto Philharmonic. But his rival, Aoi, is determined to take that honor away from him. Things look promising when Reiji is taken under the winds of a musician with a special interest in mentoring the young prodigy. But this mysterious benefactor's past connection with Hane puts a cloud over his true intentions.
Some points:
- Borrowed #1 from ILL - by the author of Limited Lovers and got 2-3. I've seen this title but didn't think I'd like it. After reading Limited Lovers, I thought that I should give it a chance!
- Very dramatic - I rolled my eyes lots of times. I really like the way the author presented the classical music piece. It reminds me of Swan.
- Reiji looks like a girl sometimes!
- I'm glad that I guess wrong regarding the contest!
- Cosplay at the end of volume #3 is funny :)
- I've ordered the rest of the series.
Bottom line, fun dramatic series.
34. Dragon Sword and Wind Child (空色勾玉 - Sorairo Magatama, Sky-Colored Jade). First sentence: "In her dream, Saya was always six years old."
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Written by Noriko Ogiwara
From Viz website
The forces of the God of Light and the Goddess of Darkness have waged a ruthless war across the land of Toyoashihara for generations. But for 15-year-old Saya, the war is far away and unimportant--until the day she discovers that she is the reincarnation of the Water Maiden and a princess of the Children of the Dark.
Raised to love the Light and detest the Dark, Saya must come to terms with her heritage even as she tumbles into the very heart of the conflict that is destroying her country. The armies of the Light and Dark both seek to claim her, for she is the only mortal who can awaken the legendary Dragon Sword, the fearsome weapon destined to bring an end to the war.
Can Saya make the dreadful choice between the Light and Dark, or is she doomed--like all the Water Maidens who came before her…?
The magatama are stones of destiny, magical amulets passed down to a chosen few. But all knowledge of the stones' true nature has been lost, and each bearer must discover the power of the magatama to calm the Dragon's destructive spirit before it destroys the world.
Some points:
- Borrowed from ILL. Hardcover.
- I like Saya a lot. She's full of doubt but she's a doer, too.
- The relationship between Princess Teruhi and Prince Tsukishiro (I should have said that) the feelings Prince Tsukishiro harbors for Princess Teruhi feels like incest. But then I think about Adam and Even - there are some similar. I don't know, maybe I'm stretching it since I feel sorry for Prince Tsukishiro? With everything said done, Prince Tsukishiro seems to see things a bit clearer than Princess Teruhi. And Saya sees where/to whom Prince Tsukishiro's feelins lie.
- I love the gentle feelings between Saya and Chihaya and how naive Chihaya is and how much he grows at the end and he still has much to learn.
- Torihiko is so funny, mischievous, and cute. Poor body.
- I like the chararacters.
- This story reminds me of The Twelve Kingdoms series. I wonder why there isn't anime series on this.
- I'm getting both this one and its sequel.
Bottom line, reread? definitely. Recommend? Yes.
- Continuing series: Manga
- V.B. Rose 13 - Japanese Takobon
- The Secret Notes of Lady Kanoko 3 - Japanese Takobon The End
- Arisa 2
- Twin Spica 7
- 20th Century Boys 14
- Rambling
- Thanks to Lys's suggestions, I score this Nana Illustration. It's a bit strong for my taste but it was nicely drawn and beautiful. Lots of pictures on couples and Blast as a band. Go to amazon.jp for more images
- I have borrowed too many chapter books from the library this week: 3 on the tbr piles, one is ready for pick up! Eek.