Natural #5, Hanakimi #5, Harukanaru #10
Natural #5 - NARITA Minako
Miguel is a Peruvian boy growing up in a harsh environment. He met a Japanese anthropology professor whom his biological mother serves as a maid. After the professor caught him in a gang war holding a gun, he decided to give Miguel a better place to grow.
He and Miguel fly home to Japan and met his adoptive mother and older sister, Riko. Riko is an avid fan of basketball so she teaches Miguel how to play basketball with a help from a friend. She also has a special ability that enables her to see something in the future.
Most of the time, Miguel is overprotective of his older sister; he also dislikes Riko praising another men. His adoptive mother had said that he is "like a husband". When he left for a vacation without Riko, he asked his mother to take care and protect Riko for him (*^^*). At this volume, it is not yet clear whether or not Miguel has love affection towards Riko beyond siblings’ affection. （￣ー￣）
Miguel loves his adopted country, family, and friends, but he still feels insecure about many things. Just like any other teen, he is afraid of making mistakes, feels annoyed by losing to someone better, and is haunted by previous mistakes. As the series continue, we see how Miguel and his friends come to term with those insecure feelings.
This is yet, another great work from NARITA Minako-sensei, with consistent theme. This author manages to compose another great, deeply thought, and thoroughly-researched work of detailed art in this series. If you have doubts on your roots and your future, this is the manga you should read.
The manga also introduce many tourist attraction in Aomori (manga-ka's place of birth), the place where Miguel and his friends went for "the vacation".
If I’m not mistaken, one of the mangaka’s works titled Cipher has been licensed and published in the US by CMX. This one has not been licensed in Indonesia. What we got over here are Alexandrite and Alien Street. Both are beautiful and enjoyable.
[EN] http://users.skynet.be/mangaguide/au1302.html (Mangaka's list of works)
[ID] http://www.elexmedia.co.id/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=613 (Natural discussion in the publisher’s forum)
For you in full blossom #5 - NAKAJO Hisaya
I'm sure you guys in US are ahead of us, since we only reach #5 this month.
It's the last day of Ohsaka Gakuen school festival. All dorm members worked hard to win the competition and of course "great prizes". There was a little "incident" and "indecent" happenings surrounding Miss Ohsaka Gakuen pageant, but it turn out well and funny.
I loved how the mangaka drew Sano on chapter 22 cover. （ ﾟ 0ﾟ）
This manga is published by Level Comics, a mature line from Elex Media Komputindo (one of the major manga publisher in Indonesia.) I disapprove the choice of font for the cover. It's too dark and a bit macho for a shoujo manga. But, what can I say?
There’s a Taiwanese drama (Hua Yang Shao Nian Shao Nu) for this series that started on November 2006, I hope it will air it on our local TV.
Harukanaru Toki no Naka de #10 - MIZUNO Touko
This manga was created after a successful romantic adventure game by the same title. It is serialized in LaLa, manga magazine published by Hakusensha.
The story depicted Akane, Tenma, and Shimon whom was taken to a world that similar to Kyoto in the Heian period. In that world, Akane was treasured as a sacred miko and she was entrusted to look for hachiyos, her guardian and protector. They struggle to keep balance of the place from the Oni clan wrong-doing.
At this latest volume (for the Indonesian edition), Akane went after Eisen whom was in trouble, as he met with Iktidal from the Oni clan. The meeting caused a loss at their side, despite the success in retaining one of the Cardinal directions card. Akane was heavily disheartened with the lost and Yasuaki felt that flow of emotions and was heavily disturbed and confused with these emotions that he had to lie to Akane.
What kind of adventures waits for them after this?
Maybe this manga is not my cup of tea, there were too many explanations that I had to re-read previous volumes whenever a new one is out. Despite that, I like how pretty the mangaka draw the characters. And some of the scenes about each hachiyo’s past really touched my heart. I am collecting this one to savor all in one reading.
[JP] http://www.hakusensha.co.jp/mangaq9902/11_mizuno/index.html (an interview with the mangaka)
All manga rated for teen
Miguel is a Peruvian boy growing up in a harsh environment. He met a Japanese anthropology professor whom his biological mother serves as a maid. After the professor caught him in a gang war holding a gun, he decided to give Miguel a better place to grow.
He and Miguel fly home to Japan and met his adoptive mother and older sister, Riko. Riko is an avid fan of basketball so she teaches Miguel how to play basketball with a help from a friend. She also has a special ability that enables her to see something in the future.
Most of the time, Miguel is overprotective of his older sister; he also dislikes Riko praising another men. His adoptive mother had said that he is "like a husband". When he left for a vacation without Riko, he asked his mother to take care and protect Riko for him (*^^*). At this volume, it is not yet clear whether or not Miguel has love affection towards Riko beyond siblings’ affection. （￣ー￣）
Miguel loves his adopted country, family, and friends, but he still feels insecure about many things. Just like any other teen, he is afraid of making mistakes, feels annoyed by losing to someone better, and is haunted by previous mistakes. As the series continue, we see how Miguel and his friends come to term with those insecure feelings.
This is yet, another great work from NARITA Minako-sensei, with consistent theme. This author manages to compose another great, deeply thought, and thoroughly-researched work of detailed art in this series. If you have doubts on your roots and your future, this is the manga you should read.
The manga also introduce many tourist attraction in Aomori (manga-ka's place of birth), the place where Miguel and his friends went for "the vacation".
If I’m not mistaken, one of the mangaka’s works titled Cipher has been licensed and published in the US by CMX. This one has not been licensed in Indonesia. What we got over here are Alexandrite and Alien Street. Both are beautiful and enjoyable.
[EN] http://users.skynet.be/mangaguide/au1302.html (Mangaka's list of works)
[ID] http://www.elexmedia.co.id/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=613 (Natural discussion in the publisher’s forum)
For you in full blossom #5 - NAKAJO Hisaya
I'm sure you guys in US are ahead of us, since we only reach #5 this month.
It's the last day of Ohsaka Gakuen school festival. All dorm members worked hard to win the competition and of course "great prizes". There was a little "incident" and "indecent" happenings surrounding Miss Ohsaka Gakuen pageant, but it turn out well and funny.
I loved how the mangaka drew Sano on chapter 22 cover. （ ﾟ 0ﾟ）
This manga is published by Level Comics, a mature line from Elex Media Komputindo (one of the major manga publisher in Indonesia.) I disapprove the choice of font for the cover. It's too dark and a bit macho for a shoujo manga. But, what can I say?
There’s a Taiwanese drama (Hua Yang Shao Nian Shao Nu) for this series that started on November 2006, I hope it will air it on our local TV.
Harukanaru Toki no Naka de #10 - MIZUNO Touko
This manga was created after a successful romantic adventure game by the same title. It is serialized in LaLa, manga magazine published by Hakusensha.
The story depicted Akane, Tenma, and Shimon whom was taken to a world that similar to Kyoto in the Heian period. In that world, Akane was treasured as a sacred miko and she was entrusted to look for hachiyos, her guardian and protector. They struggle to keep balance of the place from the Oni clan wrong-doing.
At this latest volume (for the Indonesian edition), Akane went after Eisen whom was in trouble, as he met with Iktidal from the Oni clan. The meeting caused a loss at their side, despite the success in retaining one of the Cardinal directions card. Akane was heavily disheartened with the lost and Yasuaki felt that flow of emotions and was heavily disturbed and confused with these emotions that he had to lie to Akane.
What kind of adventures waits for them after this?
Maybe this manga is not my cup of tea, there were too many explanations that I had to re-read previous volumes whenever a new one is out. Despite that, I like how pretty the mangaka draw the characters. And some of the scenes about each hachiyo’s past really touched my heart. I am collecting this one to savor all in one reading.
[JP] http://www.hakusensha.co.jp/mangaq9902/11_mizuno/index.html (an interview with the mangaka)
All manga rated for teen