reading update part 2: manga
Zombie Powder Vol 3 by Tite Kubo-It makes me sad that there's only one volume left...at least it should wrap up the current storyline. Friendship in this book is defined rather like it is in Samurai Deeper Kyo, ie-"I don't have friends, I have people around me who might be just as good as I am and we claim that one day we're going to fight to the death but really, we'll find an excuse not to. Oh, and if you're some poor soul we dragged along for the ride, then it's your own fault if you can't keep up and we won't save you if you get in trouble(but really, if you can't get out of it we will...we'll just have a good excuse for why it's not really the reason)" Seriously screwed up manga characters are just about the best thing ever.
Negima Vol 13 by Ken Akamatsu-Part of me says "finally, the school tournament is over!" and the other part says "aww, the school tournament is over..." I really enjoyed it and would love more, but I'm also ready to get back to the main storyline(rather like the chunin exams in Naruto, except those lasted an eternity...a fun eternity, but an eternity) It was nice to finally meet Nagi properly, and I hope Kun:El plans to hang around for a while.
Platinum Garden Vol 3 by Maki Fujita: Again, slightly sadistic spawn of Fruits Basket and It Started With A Kiss. With evil relatives. And insane would-be-fiancees. And near-shipper friends.
Rose Hip Zero Vol 2 by Tohru Fujisawa-Ok, Kasumi is absurdly cute. I mean, I should not be watching the girl strap on guns and a lot of ammo should not make me go "awww...cute." I generally avoid shoot-em-up mangas, but I quite like this one. It needed more of Kido, though.
Threads of Time Vol 9 by Mi Young Noh-Increasingly better and better. Though, I really need to stop liking Sali Tayi so much...I know I tend to like the messed up guys, but I think he's beyond that. Since this book comes out once in a blue moon, and thus, I talk about it about that often, Threads of Time is about a modern boy who is(apparently) the reincarnation of a 13th century Korean general's son...the twin sister of the general's son pulls him into the past to take revenge on the mongols who destroyed their family(the twins have been catatonic since they were children, so the reincarnation-or time displaced soul-we don't really know which yet-version was the only option) There, he falls in love with a mongol princess(who's unwillingly engaged to Sali Tayi, the general who murdered their parents, among other things) gets EXTREMELY unwillingly drafted into the mongol army, escapes, and is currently busy building an army of peasants(or at least trying to keep them alive for a bit) The first couple volumes are a bit confusing because of the time jumps(until you reread it) but it's an excellent read.
Faeries Landing Vol 15 by You Hyun-And so ends(sadly) the(quite good, if long) trip to the past. For Ceres fans think of Ceres's backstory...if Ceres's daughter grew up thinking her parents had a fairy tale life then learning the truth through her mother's eyes. And Oran...rrrr...rrrr...you were already on my bad list for what you've been doing to Fanta all this time, but...it's not bad enough you named your son Pain so that neither of you would forget he was the product of rape, but you erase your daughter's memories and then tell your son to never forget all the horrible things he's seen, not because you think it'll protect him, but because you want someone else to share your suffering(YOUR SIX YEAR OLD SON!!!!!!) and you tell him to remember even if he has to brand it all over his face...grrr...No wonder poor Pain is so messed up *cuddles him even though she's not the type he prefers to be hugged by*