right-to-left, right-to-left ...
The last time I wrote this up, I was at #37. Now I'm at #70. :D For not starting until the middle of October, I'm ending the year on a positive note.
And, yeah, it's all shoujo again. (I'm working on venturing into other things. Just not very successfully.)
I'm going to organise this a bit differently from my other entries. These were all read between December 10 through 29.
Hani-Kimi, Hisaya Nakajo.
Volumes 4-8 (#38-42), 9 & 10 (#50-51).
In my last entry, I mentioned that I was planning on marathoning the next few volumes. I did. *grins* With the jdrama & the manga, I'm over the moon with Hana-Kimi right now. I talked about the drama just a few days ago, so this is all about the manga.
I really, really love Mizuki. And Sano! He knows he loves her, but won't tell her because things would get complicated. Like he told Julia, he has to keep her secret to keep her close. He tries so hard to protect her; her love for him is the thing that keeps the series going, but I find myself getting emotional when Sano has his inner dialogues about her. The tension between Akiha Hara & Sano was very well-played, as was the (unresolved sexual) tension between Akiha & Umeda.
I've got volumes 11 through 14 to marathon my way through next. ;D I have to read more of the manga before I continue on with the drama, but I'm finding it hard to do either because ... *cries* I don't want it to end!
Beauty is the Beast, Tomo Matsumoto.
Volumes 2-4 (#43-45).
I can't say that I understand Eimi at all, but there is just something so adorable about her. She's spunky and she does things without thinking. She's oblivious to the fact that someone loves her and she's also seemingly unaware that the guy she is in love with is probably in love with someone else. Eimi has a pure heart.
I got my hands on the fifth (and final!) volume a few days ago, but I haven't had the chance to read it. (That's the excuse I'm going with. It has nothing to do with the fact that I'm afraid to see how the series ends, for fear that my OTP hopes will be crushed. *waves a Eimi/Wanichin flag*)
Yeah, I am huge Eimi/Wanichin fangirl. I went so far as to photocopy the 'reunion' scene in Volume 3 so I could stick it on my wall. (It's the scene where Eimi sees Wanibuchi for the first time in ages, as the girls were trying to wean her off him so that Shimonuki would have a chance. It's also the scene where this icon was made from. I wish I'd kept the original file to show you.)
Fruits Basket, Natsuki Takaya.
Volumes 1 (#46), 2-3 (#62-63).
Tohru is all kinds of nifty. I like how she doesn't feel sorry for herself, even when her life is pretty 'glass is empty'. The Sohmas are a very interesting family, to say the least. I wasn't sure I was going to like Kyo initially, but he grew on me. I liked Yuki almost immediately. (Which would probably make Kyo angry... if he were a real person, heh.) I had figured Shigure to be a perv, but nothing interesting has happened so far. :P Kagura can get on a person's nerves fast; I can see why Kyo isn't too thrilled to be her object of affection. Hatori & Momiji are both fairly new characters, but I think they're cool -- for different reasons: Hatori's wish for Tohru to have a normal life free of the Sohmas was admirable, and Momiji's youthful glee can be contagious. :D
Aishiteruze Baby, Yoko Maki.
Volume 2 (#47).
For as young as she is, Yuzuyu is awfully emotionally manipulative. I hope that Kippei can find a balance between caring for her and living a 'normal' life, which includes a relationship with Kokoro. (I didn't like Kokoro at first, but I started to sympathise with her after finding out more of her life's story.)
Wild Act, Rie Takada.
Volumes 2-3 (#48-49).
Ryu can be an asshole sometimes, but I really like how he & Yuniko interact.
... Just my luck to get attached to a series that is out of print. Argh. I'm planning on hounding the ILL department at the library to get my hands on the other volumes. (Because, seriously, don't tempt me with accidental incest. I'm weak ... and a bit of a perv, really.)
Paradise Kiss, Ai Yazawa.
Volumes 3-5 (#52-54).
As mentioned previously, I have a thing about not wanting to finish a series because I'm afraid of how it'll end. That's why it took me ages to sit down with the last three volumes of Paradise Kiss.
I liked the ending. It wasn't completely out of the blue, it tied up all the threads, & it was believable in regards to all the different characters' motivations throughout the series.
Kitchen Princess, Natsumi Ando & Miyuki Kobayashi.
Volume 1 (#55).
It wasn't particularly what I expected, but I liked it well enough. I would like to read more before I really form an opinion. (I do plan to attempt a few of the recipes, especially the rainbow jelly one. :D)
Please Save My Earth, Saki Hiwatari.
Volumes 1-2 (#56-57).
This is a classic & thus I felt the need to educate myself and read it. I'm not too sure about it. It wasn't horrible -- obviously, I read two volumes of it -- but I wasn't that impressed. I'm not sure I'll continue with it.
Crimson Hero, Mitsuba Takanashi.
Volume 1 (#58).
I really liked this, which surprised me a little. I'm not an athletic girl; my experience with sports has always been in a strictly managerial fashion. Yeah, this is a manga about volleyball but, more importantly, it's a manga about a girl who gives up everything to follow her dream. That's the kind of thing I can get into.
Ouran High School Host Club, Bisco Hatori.
Volumes 1-2 (#59-60).
On the back cover of this, it came recommended for Hana-Kimi fans. I think that's spot-on.
I did not expect to like the boys of the Host Club; upon first introduction, I assumed they were jerks & were going to make Haruhi's life miserable. I was so horribly wrong. The Host Club is ♥, seriously. I can find something to love about every single member. And that makes it rather difficult to 'ship Haruhi with anyone! I think a relationship with any one of them would be interesting. (That said, Tamaki & BOTH of the twins are leading the pack OTP-wise.)
Your & My Secret, Ai Morinaga.
Volume 1 (#61).
Momoi is a bit of a bitch, ain't she? Yikes. And Uehara is her complete opposite. ♥ I feel so sorry for him in this first volume, though ... I like them switched, because they are both better at being the opposite gender.
It looks like the publication status of further volumes is up in the air, after ADV put it on hold. *sigh* I really wanted to see some more of the Uehara/Senbongi stuff. ;)
Girl Got Game, Shizuru Seino.
Volume 1 (#64).
Alright, it should be fairly obvious by now that I'm developing a thing for gender-bending manga. My impression of Volume 1? Hana-Kimi, the Basketball version!
I think Kyo is a pretty interesting heroine. She's got a mouth on her, she can be bratty, but she really cares about people -- even when they give her no reason to be nice. (I'm thinking of v1 Chiharu here.)
I look forward to reading more. :D
Kare Kano, Masami Tsuda.
Volumes 2-3 (#65-66).
In volume 1, I wasn't sure I was going to like Yukino because of her personality. Now that she is letting her 'true self' show, I quite like her. I think she & Soichiro are perfect for each other. (Throw in Hideaki & we have the makings of another OT3.)
Volume 3 ends on an unfortunate note for Yukino & I'm anxious to see how she handles it. :/
Hands Off!, Kasane Katsumoto.
Volume 2 (#67).
I didn't know that subtext could be this texty. At one point, Yuuto warns Kotarou's girlfriend not to look in on Kotarou & Tatsuki because she might get jealous (of how close they are). She looks in! She gets jealous! Heee. Yuuto is awesomecakes. And poor Tatsuki. I just wish he'd follow Yuuto's advice and come clean with Kotarou, but then there wouldn't be anything left for Kotarou to angst about, I guess.
Tokyo Boys & Girls, Miki Aihara.
Volumes 3-5 (#68-70).
When I finished volume 3 yesterday, I was happy that I had the next two volumes on hand because I was on a roll. I was really excited to see how everything turned out.
And I was not disappointed! I thought the ending was fan-flippin'-tastic. The mangaka mentioned in the author's note that she was leaving it open on purpose. I love her for that. I don't want to spoil the ending but I will say that it's the perfect ending, considering the characters, their ages, & the love-pentagon they are all swept up in.
And that's it for now! Whew. :D I'm trying to tell myself no more manga until the new year so I can concentrate on other things. >.< But there's a huge pile that's already tempting me. I am weak, I tell ya.
And, yeah, it's all shoujo again. (I'm working on venturing into other things. Just not very successfully.)
I'm going to organise this a bit differently from my other entries. These were all read between December 10 through 29.
Hani-Kimi, Hisaya Nakajo.
Volumes 4-8 (#38-42), 9 & 10 (#50-51).
In my last entry, I mentioned that I was planning on marathoning the next few volumes. I did. *grins* With the jdrama & the manga, I'm over the moon with Hana-Kimi right now. I talked about the drama just a few days ago, so this is all about the manga.
I really, really love Mizuki. And Sano! He knows he loves her, but won't tell her because things would get complicated. Like he told Julia, he has to keep her secret to keep her close. He tries so hard to protect her; her love for him is the thing that keeps the series going, but I find myself getting emotional when Sano has his inner dialogues about her. The tension between Akiha Hara & Sano was very well-played, as was the (unresolved sexual) tension between Akiha & Umeda.
I've got volumes 11 through 14 to marathon my way through next. ;D I have to read more of the manga before I continue on with the drama, but I'm finding it hard to do either because ... *cries* I don't want it to end!
Beauty is the Beast, Tomo Matsumoto.
Volumes 2-4 (#43-45).
I can't say that I understand Eimi at all, but there is just something so adorable about her. She's spunky and she does things without thinking. She's oblivious to the fact that someone loves her and she's also seemingly unaware that the guy she is in love with is probably in love with someone else. Eimi has a pure heart.
I got my hands on the fifth (and final!) volume a few days ago, but I haven't had the chance to read it. (That's the excuse I'm going with. It has nothing to do with the fact that I'm afraid to see how the series ends, for fear that my OTP hopes will be crushed. *waves a Eimi/Wanichin flag*)
Yeah, I am huge Eimi/Wanichin fangirl. I went so far as to photocopy the 'reunion' scene in Volume 3 so I could stick it on my wall. (It's the scene where Eimi sees Wanibuchi for the first time in ages, as the girls were trying to wean her off him so that Shimonuki would have a chance. It's also the scene where this icon was made from. I wish I'd kept the original file to show you.)
Fruits Basket, Natsuki Takaya.
Volumes 1 (#46), 2-3 (#62-63).
Tohru is all kinds of nifty. I like how she doesn't feel sorry for herself, even when her life is pretty 'glass is empty'. The Sohmas are a very interesting family, to say the least. I wasn't sure I was going to like Kyo initially, but he grew on me. I liked Yuki almost immediately. (Which would probably make Kyo angry... if he were a real person, heh.) I had figured Shigure to be a perv, but nothing interesting has happened so far. :P Kagura can get on a person's nerves fast; I can see why Kyo isn't too thrilled to be her object of affection. Hatori & Momiji are both fairly new characters, but I think they're cool -- for different reasons: Hatori's wish for Tohru to have a normal life free of the Sohmas was admirable, and Momiji's youthful glee can be contagious. :D
Aishiteruze Baby, Yoko Maki.
Volume 2 (#47).
For as young as she is, Yuzuyu is awfully emotionally manipulative. I hope that Kippei can find a balance between caring for her and living a 'normal' life, which includes a relationship with Kokoro. (I didn't like Kokoro at first, but I started to sympathise with her after finding out more of her life's story.)
Wild Act, Rie Takada.
Volumes 2-3 (#48-49).
Ryu can be an asshole sometimes, but I really like how he & Yuniko interact.
... Just my luck to get attached to a series that is out of print. Argh. I'm planning on hounding the ILL department at the library to get my hands on the other volumes. (Because, seriously, don't tempt me with accidental incest. I'm weak ... and a bit of a perv, really.)
Paradise Kiss, Ai Yazawa.
Volumes 3-5 (#52-54).
As mentioned previously, I have a thing about not wanting to finish a series because I'm afraid of how it'll end. That's why it took me ages to sit down with the last three volumes of Paradise Kiss.
I liked the ending. It wasn't completely out of the blue, it tied up all the threads, & it was believable in regards to all the different characters' motivations throughout the series.
Kitchen Princess, Natsumi Ando & Miyuki Kobayashi.
Volume 1 (#55).
It wasn't particularly what I expected, but I liked it well enough. I would like to read more before I really form an opinion. (I do plan to attempt a few of the recipes, especially the rainbow jelly one. :D)
Please Save My Earth, Saki Hiwatari.
Volumes 1-2 (#56-57).
This is a classic & thus I felt the need to educate myself and read it. I'm not too sure about it. It wasn't horrible -- obviously, I read two volumes of it -- but I wasn't that impressed. I'm not sure I'll continue with it.
Crimson Hero, Mitsuba Takanashi.
Volume 1 (#58).
I really liked this, which surprised me a little. I'm not an athletic girl; my experience with sports has always been in a strictly managerial fashion. Yeah, this is a manga about volleyball but, more importantly, it's a manga about a girl who gives up everything to follow her dream. That's the kind of thing I can get into.
Ouran High School Host Club, Bisco Hatori.
Volumes 1-2 (#59-60).
On the back cover of this, it came recommended for Hana-Kimi fans. I think that's spot-on.
I did not expect to like the boys of the Host Club; upon first introduction, I assumed they were jerks & were going to make Haruhi's life miserable. I was so horribly wrong. The Host Club is ♥, seriously. I can find something to love about every single member. And that makes it rather difficult to 'ship Haruhi with anyone! I think a relationship with any one of them would be interesting. (That said, Tamaki & BOTH of the twins are leading the pack OTP-wise.)
Your & My Secret, Ai Morinaga.
Volume 1 (#61).
Momoi is a bit of a bitch, ain't she? Yikes. And Uehara is her complete opposite. ♥ I feel so sorry for him in this first volume, though ... I like them switched, because they are both better at being the opposite gender.
It looks like the publication status of further volumes is up in the air, after ADV put it on hold. *sigh* I really wanted to see some more of the Uehara/Senbongi stuff. ;)
Girl Got Game, Shizuru Seino.
Volume 1 (#64).
Alright, it should be fairly obvious by now that I'm developing a thing for gender-bending manga. My impression of Volume 1? Hana-Kimi, the Basketball version!
I think Kyo is a pretty interesting heroine. She's got a mouth on her, she can be bratty, but she really cares about people -- even when they give her no reason to be nice. (I'm thinking of v1 Chiharu here.)
I look forward to reading more. :D
Kare Kano, Masami Tsuda.
Volumes 2-3 (#65-66).
In volume 1, I wasn't sure I was going to like Yukino because of her personality. Now that she is letting her 'true self' show, I quite like her. I think she & Soichiro are perfect for each other. (Throw in Hideaki & we have the makings of another OT3.)
Volume 3 ends on an unfortunate note for Yukino & I'm anxious to see how she handles it. :/
Hands Off!, Kasane Katsumoto.
Volume 2 (#67).
I didn't know that subtext could be this texty. At one point, Yuuto warns Kotarou's girlfriend not to look in on Kotarou & Tatsuki because she might get jealous (of how close they are). She looks in! She gets jealous! Heee. Yuuto is awesomecakes. And poor Tatsuki. I just wish he'd follow Yuuto's advice and come clean with Kotarou, but then there wouldn't be anything left for Kotarou to angst about, I guess.
Tokyo Boys & Girls, Miki Aihara.
Volumes 3-5 (#68-70).
When I finished volume 3 yesterday, I was happy that I had the next two volumes on hand because I was on a roll. I was really excited to see how everything turned out.
And I was not disappointed! I thought the ending was fan-flippin'-tastic. The mangaka mentioned in the author's note that she was leaving it open on purpose. I love her for that. I don't want to spoil the ending but I will say that it's the perfect ending, considering the characters, their ages, & the love-pentagon they are all swept up in.
And that's it for now! Whew. :D I'm trying to tell myself no more manga until the new year so I can concentrate on other things. >.< But there's a huge pile that's already tempting me. I am weak, I tell ya.