Animania

Did You See It?

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:55:11 -0400

For the next week or two, you may randomly see a totally different site if you access this blog via the animania.eclectic-world.com address. That's because I'm hard at work getting the new software that will power this site all set up Look for the complete move coming soon!

Random Update

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:42:35 -0400

I haven't forgotten this blog, I swear! I'm working on changing to a different software to run it, and overhauling my entire website. When I have the new software installed, this blog will really become the featured element of the site :-) I do have some big plans for it, including expanding the scope more and doing more casual, chatty type posts on various topics related to anime/manga and Japan, including discussion current books I'm reading (not just the manga), reactions to things in the news, etc. The new software I'm going to switch too is much easier to run and maintain, is more user friendly for y'all to comment (and me to reply), has better spam filters, and a nicer organization and layout.

Hell Girl, the First Season and its Manga

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:28:53 -0500

I don't remember where I first heard about the anime series Hell Girl, probably the site formerly known as AnimeOnDVD. I watched it via Netflix back in June 2009, and will be picking it up on DVD soon. The 26 episode series aired back in 2005-2006 in Japan, and they have since made a second and third season. The second season was just licensed by Sentai Filmworks, and will start shipping in May. No word yet on the third season. There are also two manga adaptations for this series, the first spanning nine volumes which is currently being released by Del Rey manga (which has released six volumes so far), and a second which was slated to being in 2008 but I could find little else about it other than it seems to revolve around the events of the second season. So for our purposes, I'll be looking at the first season of the anime, and the first five volumes of the manga.

Both the anime and its manga adaptation follow the same basic premise: if you have a grudge against someone, you can access the Hell Correspondence web site at midnight and enter their name to request they be sent down to hell. If she is willing to hear the request, the Hell Girl, Ai Enma, will appear and offer to avenge you, warning though that the deal is a double edged soul. If you accept the contract, the object of your grudge will be immediately sent down to hell, but in exchange when you die, your soul will also go to hell to suffer eternal torment. In most cases, the requestor is given time to think about the request and given a straw doll with a ribbon. If they decide to accept, they pull the ribbon and the grudge will be carried out. Ai is added in her work by three companions: Wanyūdō, an old man who becomes the straw dolls as well as Ai's carriage; Ren Ichimoku, a seemingly handsome young man who can see anywhere by sending his large eye to the location; and Hone Onna, a sultry woman in a half-falling off kimono.

The first half or so of the series is fairly episodic, featuring a new case of someone wanting to send someone to hell. As the series progresses, two new characters are introduced, Tsugumi Shibata and her father Hajime. Tsugumi meets Ai one day, after which she begins going into trances and seeing Ai performing the contractual offers to her various "clients". Hajime is a reporter who has begun investigating the Hell Girl phenomenon. Hajime makes use of Tsugumi's abilities to try to track down Ai's clients so he can attempt to convince them not to seek revenge, but Tsugumi isn't sure if utilizing Ai's service is all that wrong. I think this is really a core theme and one of the best aspects of this series, beyond its beautiful animation and music. Each story leaves the viewer questioning whether seeking vengeance is right or wrong, if this method of revenge is acceptable in the circumstances, and if the price to pay makes it worth it. Some of the cases are truly horrible circumstances, such a victim of stalking whose stalker is ready to kill her, a young man seeking vengeance for his friend's murder, and a girl enslaved by a murderously disturbed woman after claiming the girl's dogs "bit" her. All of Ai's clients are not "victims" though, as is the case where one simply wants to remove a rival for the spotlight.

As the manga adaptation ran in the shojo magazine Nakayoshi, which is targeted at elementary and middle school readers, it has a somewhat different feel from the anime. It is not as dark as the anime, using primarily original stories rather than the more disturbing originals, but it is still considered to be one of the darkest, most serious series to run in the magazine. It adds in a few stories of more everyday occurrences that inspire folks to seek revenge, which I think really make the question of whether using Ai was the only option or the right choice a tougher one to answer. Some of its stories include a girl being bullied by a classmate under threat of losing her reputation and place in a good high school, a student being sexually harassed by her teacher, a high school girl used and hurt by a boy she liked after she surpasses him in test scores, and a seeming best friend betraying the trust of another out of jealousy. It does also include a four or five stories from the anime, though they each have some significant changes, however the entire subplot around the Shibatas is gone (per an author note, it would have been to dark to try to adapt to the manga without ruining its purpose). While it is certainly enjoyable, it is also almost entirely episodic for the first five volumes, with Ai and her companions having less personality and back story. Where the anime frequently shows them at their "headquarters" and interacting, the manga reduces them almost entirely to just appearing when needing and performing the sendings to hell. However, I have seen brief summaries of volume 6 that indicates that it does start exploring the personalities and backgrounds of Ai's companions, and volume three does present a slightly toned down version of how Ai became the Hell Girl. The artwork is well done, with artist Miyuki Eto doing a particularly nice job of incorporating Ai's floral motif into the series and in having a good varied appearance to the characters in each story.

On the whole, I'd have to say that I would highly recommend the original anime. The stories are thought provoking, if sometimes disturbing, and the thread with the Shibatas is well handled. As I mentioned earlier, the animation is just plain gorgeous, and the healthy production budget is easy to detect. The voice characters all handle their respective roles well, especially Ai's voice actress who states the line "Do you want to see what hell looks like" with the absolute perfect inflection. I hope the second season was able to keep the same cast. If you don't mind the more episodic nature, I also do recommend picking up the manga. The original stories are also well written and in keeping with the general idea of Hell Girl, even if they are somewhat tamer.

Anime Rating: A

Manga Rating: B+

Kitchen Princess

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:36:52 -0500

I first encountered Kitchen Princess while browsing the manga shelves at Barnes and Noble. I picked up volume 6, which contains a critical turning point of the story, and was hooked. As soon as possible, I acquired the first five volumes, and I got the remaining ones for Christmas. Written and illustrated by Miyuki Kobayashi, this ten volume shojo series was originally published by Kodansha from 2005 through 2008. The English translated version was released by Del Rey Manga, from 2007 through 2009. In addition to the ten manga volumes, there is a light novel follow up that I intend to read at some point. The series introduces Najika, a girl with an absolute sense of taste and an amazing cooking ability. In search of her "Flan Prince", a boy who rescued her as a child, she transfers to the prestigious Seika Academy where she is placed in the A class, a class where everyone has a special talent. There she befriends two brothers, Sora and Daichi, who barely speak to one another, while being ostracized by her classmates who don't think she belongs there. This sets up a fairly obvious love triangle, as both brothers vie for Najika's attention, while one classmate who loves Daichi is determined to destroy her. As the series progresses, Najika enters a multi-stage cooking competition that will have a dramatic affect on the story, and the appearance of a third rival brings to question just which guy really is Najika's "Flan Prince" and which will she love?

This is an all around great series that I really enjoyed reading. Najika is absolutely adorable, with a cute design and a sweet personality and abundance of optimism, and a hint of naivety. That doesn't mean she is a pushover though, not by a long shot, and she has no problem telling her stuck up classmates just what brats they are. The child of two famous chefs, she has an amazing talent for not just cooking, but eating as well, able to remember any taste, even years later, and replicate it perfectly. Najika finds her place in Fujita Diner, a run down second cafeteria on campus that she turns around with her amazing food and winning personality, eventually winning the respect her of classmates. Daichi and Sora are as different as night and day, and barely get along. Sora seems like an ideal prince, but he has secrets and underneath the surface he has a bit of a ruthless side, having no qualms about lying to get what he wants. Dauchi is more of an average, awkward, if handsome, guy with a strained relationship with his family out of hatred over his father's remarrying. I also really liked Akane, who wasn't afraid to fight dirty for Daichi, but was also not so proud that she couldn't admit she was wrong, and clearly felt some guilt over her inappropriate actions.

On the whole the series is well-written and well drawn. The characters are very distinguishable, and some of the twists done in this story were unexpected and well played. I love that all of Najika's recipes used for the titles of the chapters volume are included at the end of each volume. Del Rey seemed to do a good job with the release. I noticed no issues with typos nor the printing. Like most publishers, we get no color pages, despite the $10.95 price tag per volume, but they did license and release the follow up light novel, Kitchen Princess: Search for the Angel Cake, which is set after the end of the series. Probably my only complaints about the series is that the ending felt somewhat rushed, and the whole introduction and gimmick with Seiya was a bit contrived. I also felt Daichi and Sora's father's change in nature a bit unbelievable, for the short time frame in.

Kitchen Princess is a combination of sweet romance, comedy, and drama wrapped in an adorable and delicious package. At ten volumes, its a fairly fast read and short commitment, and I highly recommend it.

Rating: A-

First Manga of 2010

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:21:06 -0500

I'm not dead, I swear, and neither is this blog. I have some big plans for reviving things this year, after the long hiatus while I dealt with the loss of my database, and finally accepted that it will be ages before I get the desktop back online and its archive recovered, then my DB resynched. My lack of commentary lately was also caused by a lack of reading of late. I haven't lost my love of manga, of course, I just hadn't been able to buy much with the holidays and making the hard decision to focus more on paying down debt versus spoiling myself with manga. I also realized I was putting way too much pressure on myself by trying to get a new review/commentary type entry per week, so now I'm going for one per month. Most of the coming reviews will be a mix of older titles, and some of the newer stuff I started reading last year before my self-imposed manga hiatus.

Meanwhile, I've received my first new manga volumes for 2010! These are all Christmas gifts (I have an awesome best friend, eh) and include several titles I plan to review in the coming year.

Kitchen Princess 7 & 10 (6, 8-9 backordered and will ship when back in stock) - I flipped through volume six of this ten volume series at Barnes and Noble random volume of this and read a huge plot spoiler that actually made me go "wow!". After glancing at the rest of the volume and seeing the cute artwork and getting the gist of the premise, I decided to start reading it. I have 1-5 already and am loving it; it is sweet and sad, and in some ways reminds me of Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne. As soon as the other volumes get in, I'll be rereading the whole thing and reviewing it here!
Magic Touch 3 (4 & 5 on backorder) - previewed this one in Shojo Beat before its unfortunately demise, and I liked the unusual set up for the romance and characters, and Chiaki is just too adorable! Looks like it is a 9 volume series in all, with the English release of vol 6 coming in February. From the release schedule, the last volumes should all come out this year, so I'll probably wait till then to review.
Bleach 28-29 - still enjoying this series, as noted in my earlier review of volumes 1-25, which is still on-going in Japan and up to 42 volumes there. Unlike some other series *cough*Inuyasha*cough* it is still managing to maintain some freshness with the volumes I've read. We'll see if I say the same when we hit the mid 30s though
We Were There 6-7 - though this is a shojo series, in some ways its as mature as Tramps Like Us in its focus on a serious train-wreck of a relationship between one seriously screwed up guy, and immature, insecure girl who finds herself having to grow up fast because of this relationship; I've been spoiled to most of the ending but still enjoying reading how things get to that point. It is actually at 13 volumes in Japan and apparently still on-going, so will be curious to see how they take it from the point I know of. Planning to review the first seven volumes this year.
Ouran High School Host Club 13 - bulk bought most of this in February 09 because it is seriously hilarious, while also being touching and sweet. Its still on-going in Japan with 15 volumes out so far, so will likely review after reading 13.
Hot Gimmick Big Edition 3 - interestingly, I never had any interest in the series before, but after reading a bit of it, I got hooked. Ryoki and Azusa, the leading males are just so screwed up! Since Viz is doing the Big Editions, I decided to buy it that way, making it my first manga series I've bought in this format. The final volume, 4, will be out in March, covering the 12 original volumes. May also pick up the novelization, which goes for an apparent fan favorite ending :-D

So those are the new additions to my bulging bookcases! What about anime? None yet, but I suspect it will be Romeo x Juliet having enjoyed watching it on Funimation.com already and quite liking it.

Random Update

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 20:17:23 -0400

Yes, its been quite awhile since my last post, not even my normal purchasing posts! Alas, I was never able to recover my laptop's hard drive data, so my library and DVD collections are completely out of sync and I'm having a harder time tracking anything since the crash. Still working on getting my desktop back on-line and basically rebuilding my entire 1000+ book database for easier maintaining. I'm hoping to move my entire website to a ColdFusion-based so I can better manage the content as well. Meanwhile, going to work on posting more regularly, and also hope to start (somewhat randomly) posting reviews of non-fiction books on manga, anime, and Japan.

Skip Beat!

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:27:49 -0400

Another anime series I recently tried via CrunchyRoll is Skip Beat!. Based on the on-going manga series by Yoshiki Nakamura (currently being released by Viz Media), the 25 episode anime series ran in Japan from October 2008 through March 2009 and appears to cover only the first twelve volumes of the manga (which is currently up to 23). Like the manga, it focuses on teenager Kyoko Mogami, who forgoes high school to move to Tokyo with her childhood friend Shotaro after he asks her to support him in becoming a star. She lives frugally and works to maintain an expensive apartment, while he works to become a big star. However, when she learns that he only asked her to have her continue acting as his maid and that he doesn't care anything about her, Kyoko undergoes a transformation from a mousy pseudo-housewife to a woman-scorned hell-bent on revenge. She joins the agency of his top rival determined to become an actress and a bigger star than him, but his betrayal left her unable to love anybody, a major problem for any actress who must be able to love her fans.

On the whole, I liked the premise of the series as it seemed pretty promising. I'd been curious about the manga and seeing the anime was available on the Crunchyroll, I decided to give it a whirl. Unfortunately, I was sadly disappointed. The animation is top notch at times and the English subtitles had no glaringly obvious issues that I noticed. Kyoko is a great character. I particularly like that she doesn't do the stereotypical crying of rivers over Sho's betrayal and instead goes a little nuts. Her losing her ability to love was a great twist, and well played as she is otherwise an okay girl with a few twisted quirks. However, the series as a whole is fairly predictable and it emphasizes the comedy too much for my taste, to the detriment of the story. A lot of otherwise great scenes are ruined by chibi animation, exaggerated physical gags and facial expressions, screaming, and just plain silliness. This just does not suit me at all, and I found it quickly turned me off to the series.

I also found the series quite predictable, to the point I only watched the first 4 episodes, scanned two middling episodes, then skipped to episode 25, and wasn't lost at all. It because pretty easy to guess how Kyoko would react to situations quickly, such as her stalking of the agency representative, and his coming to grudgingly admiring her (while fearing her) enough to support her efforts. Ren Tsuruga, Sho's rival whom Kyoko is seen cursing early in the series, was the obvious one to become her real love interest (and presumably true love by the series end). Though really, his attraction is hard to understand since he seems to have as much personality as a blade of grass. The childhood connection that is eventually revealed between them was an interesting twice I didn't expect, but left unexplored by the end of the series and largely unknown to them. The anime itself also doesn't really end at all. It stops right in the middle of an actual bit of trouble then just leaves it there without resolution. It also leaves Kyoko and Ren's romance largely up in the air, which is a secondary annoyance.

All in all, if you like over the top romantic comedy with a lot of gags and exaggerations, you'll probably like this series. If you actually want a romance with a little comedy that has the right amount of drama and good story that would go with the stated premise, look elsewhere. From reading reviews of the manga, it seems the same problem exists there regarding the comedic element, so while it appears to have a more fleshed out story-line (and Sho actually remains a rival for Kyoko's affections), I think I'll be skipping it as well.

Rating: C-

La Corda d'Oro ~primo passo~

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0400

La Corda d'Oro ~primo passo~ is one of several anime series I've watched recently via CrunchyRoll.com, who licensed Aniplex's English subtitled version. This twenty-six episode anime series is based on a romance simulation game for women, so as you might expect, it has a central female character surrounded by a plethora of gorgeous males. Fortunately, its way more than just the typical reverse harem situation. The main character, Kahoko Hino, goes to Seisou Academy, a school divided into a General Education segment, which Kahoko attends, and an elite music department that houses some of the creme de la creme of up coming musical talent. The school was founded hundreds of years ago by a music lover. This main once saved the life of a music fairy named Lili, who in turned blessed the school for music and has lived there ever since. For a long time, though, no one has had the ability to see him until Kahoko, a girl who has never played a musical instrument in her life. Thrilled to be seen again, Lili rings a set of magical bells that signal the start of a musical competition in the school and gives Kahoko a magical violin that can be played competently by anyone. Now stuck in the contest, Kahoko does her best to perform to the high standards set by the various gorgeous men around her, while struggling with her own conscience and to hold her own in the competition.

This series features absolutely gorgeous music and animation, making it well worth the watch to me. It also has some interesting story elements that work well. Usually in this kind of story, where some girl is given a magical ability, she's just happy to have it and uses it to the best her ability. However, Kahoko struggles with feelings of guilt that she is able to play beautifully with no real work or talent, and in doing so is besting those who have true talent and have played since childhood. As she grows to know her competitors, her feelings of guilt increase, yet she also cannot just walk away, give up her new found passion, nor let Lili down by dropping out of the contest. And though the violin will allow her to play, that doesn't mean Kahoko is instantly a perfect violinist. She has to struggle to learn to read music, lear more about musical styles and composers, and practices her violin for hours on in. I really like this element of the series, and the final results.

Against this backdrop, we learn more about the pasts of the various male competitors of the contest, each with their own hardships and pains from their love of their instruments. Of course, being a harem style series, some of them do fall in love with Kahoko, though not always in the ways one might expect. I do wish they had also covered Fuyuumi's past a bit, but for the genre its not surprising that the other female characters as basically background noise. The main characters however are generally well done and well-rounded. I love Kahoko's personality. Even at her low points, she is generous natured and an all around good person, despite her rather lack of ability to notice the obvious affection swirling around her.. Hihara's effusive personality is fun, especially as he grows fonder of Kahoko. Tsuchiura and Tsukimori's clashes were well-played, with just the right amount of balance between personal dislike and respect for each other's talents. Azuma is a downright hoot with his double-sided nature! Also interesting to me is that with the introduction of Lili in the first episode, I expected him to be the annoying "mascot" character, but he isn't. He usually appears most episodes, but only briefly and never in a really annoying fashion, which again is a nice touch.

The ending of this series managed to surprise me in multiple ways, some good, some okay. Generally in these series the girl ends up having to make a choice of who she loves the most, and Kahoko's choice was both unexpected and yet not a total surprise when one really rethinks the series as a whole. The events around the final leg of the contest are also different from what one might expect in this type of series, but also fit well with the story as a whole and actually made for more pleasant viewing. The story does have a two-part special, La Corda D'Oro ~secondo passo~, which quickly introduces a new musician who is hiding his abilities after suffering a set back and to fall in love with Kahoko. It isn't a bad add on, but it doesn't really add much to the series either except to repeat how the others felt about Kahoko's music and to show where she is with her "love". There is also a ten volume manga adaptation which has been published by Viz Media. I haven't had a chance to read it yet beyond a one chapter preview, but I plan to see if I can find it in stores locally to check it out.

As a whole, I do recommend the anime. Despite a few flaws, it held my attention enough that I stayed up till 4 in the morning watching most of the series straight through, and as soon as I woke up I watched the rest. I will caution that Aniplex's subtitles are not super top notch and almost every episode has one or two grammar issues, but it isn't so bad that it kills the enjoyment of the series. All 26 episodes, plus the two episode special are free for viewing without requiring membership, so in the end, it costs nothing but time. Of course, if you love it, you still won't be able to buy it on DVD, which is one drawback.

Rating: A-

The Quiet Times

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:21:37 -0400

The manga alcove in my Library - already low on space!

With my home desktop down since I moved in August, having my laptop die a few weeks ago was a serious blow! I had no recent backups and the hard drive suffered from massive mechanical favor. I lost ten months of my life! So I haven't abandoned my baby here, just haven't had much time to do reviews because I had to get a new laptop and get it all set up, then try and rebuild what was lost. I still haven't gotten my book and video databases going again, so my online lists are behind for the first time since I launched them. I'm working on getting my home desktop back on-line. I have all the parts and am getting it all installed and set back up. Also finally, after years of being so lazy, implemented a real backup system. At the same time, I've been working on getting all of my books unpacked from the move. Yes, TEN months later, all of my babies are finally shelved again!

That means I can get back in the groove! Coming up I plan on reviewing Ristorante Paradiso and La Corda d'Oro, two series available free (legally) on Crunchyroll. I may also review Crunchyroll itself and Skip Beat. For manga reviews, I have Ballad no Shinigami and Hot Gimmick in the review queue. So stay tuned!

Kimera OVA

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:41:47 -0400

Kimera is a 45 minute OVA released in 1996 by and licensed for English release by ADV Films. It is apparently based on a two volume manga series of the same name, also licensed by ADV. It basically features the story of the nerdy looking Omaru, a cereal salesman, who encounters Kimera, a vampire-like creature encased in an ice capsule. Unable to forget the beautiful feminine looking creature, he along with his friend Jay seek her out at an Air Force where Jay's father works, eventually finding and releasing her. Two vampire brothers, the beautiful Kianu and the deformed Ginzu, are also seeking her, with Kianu trying to kill her and Ginzu wanting to capture her. As the episode progresses, we learn about the past of these three vampires and their motivations for their actions.

On the whole, this wasn't a bad little OVA. In some ways, its a fairly stereotypical depiction of vampires, except they come out during the day and there appears to be some different "levels" though this is never really explained. The art in the series is fairly good, with nicely detailed backgrounds and great character designs. In particular, during the opening sequence a hunting dog is shown and I was happy to see that it was fairly realistic depiction of one rather than the usually cartoony style dogs seen in most anime series. That was a nice touch to me. As a note, it does have one partial rape scene, which is well drawn but borders on the hentai line.

If you aren't bothered by that one scene, it is certainly worth watching once, but I probably wouldn't bother buying it. There are too many plot points left unexplored because of its short length to have it really be a top notch story. I'd be curious to read the manga to see if it goes into some concepts more, particularly the past events.

Rating: B-

April 2009 Purchases

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Sat, 02 May 2009 22:48:44 -0400

More lovely manga sales! Though now I also have several series missing volumes that I need to fill in

Fruits Basket, Volume 22 (04/01/2009)
Hell Girl, Volume 02 (04/01/2009)
Castle of Dreams: Stories from the Kare Kano Creator (04/03/2009)
We Were There, Volume 03 (04/03/2009)
Ghost Hunt, Volume 03 (04/04/2009)
Pearl Pink, Volume 01 (04/04/2009)
Platinum Garden, Volume 02 (04/04/2009)
Platinum Garden, Volume 03 (04/04/2009)
Ultra Cute, Volume 01 (04/04/2009)
Ultra Cute, Volume 02 (04/04/2009)
Ultra Cute, Volume 03 (04/04/2009)
Ultra Cute, Volume 04 (04/04/2009)
Ultra Cute, Volume 05 (04/04/2009)
Ultra Cute, Volume 08 (04/04/2009)
Chibi Vampire, Volume 13 (04/14/2009)

Mars

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:32:12 -0400

Looking back at an older series, Mars is a shojo series written by Fuyumi Soryo. Spanning fifteen volumes, plus a "prequel" volume, the series first premiered in the Japanese anthology Bessatsu Friend in the late 1990s through till 2000, with the prequel chapters actually being released before the series finished. Tokyopop picked this one up in 2003 and has since released the entire series. At first, Mars seems like the classic "good girl with a bad boy" story, with high schooler Kira Aso as a shy, withdrawn painter meeting Rei Kashino, a popular school skipping, seemingly rough thug who rides a motorcycle.

In the first volume, we are introduced to these two as they meet unexpectedly at a park when Rei asks for directions and Kira, without answering, quickly sketches some on the back of a picture she drew. When Rei later sees the picture, he keeps it thinking its beautiful, then realizing Kira is in her class, he starts bothering her until she answers wanting to know more about her art. It also introduces Harumi, another classmate who wants Rei for herself and quickly is infuriated by Kira being the new object of his attention, and Tatsuya, Rei's best friend. Of course, Harumi resorts to bullying as the two grow closer, while Tatsuya deals with his own crush on Kira while realizing Rei is falling for her.

As the series progresses, though, each of these seeming "stereotypical" characters branch into conflicted, multi-dimensional characters. Rei is rough, he can be violent, and is a known player, but with Kira he finds the gentler side of himself and a sense of peace as he struggles to remember, then face, the multiple tragedies in past and the deaths of his mother and brother. He also quickly is shown to not just be someone motorcycle hobbyist, but a professional racer with both the ambition and skills to become a world class champion. Through their sometimes rocky relationship, Kira not only comes to terms with her own haunted past, she finally mends the part of herself broken long ago and finds her own inner strength in her love for Rei. Of course, things aren't completely easy, as not only do they have to deal with Harumi, though she quickly turns around and becomes Kira's best friend after seeing just how strong the quiet girl can be, but also a thieving upper classman, disapproving parents and teachers, and a downright psychotic kid from Rei's past who doesn't like seeing Rei changing. As noted earlier, the main series is 15 volumes long. There is also a sixteenth volume, Mars: A Horse With No Name, which is a "prequel" story in that it tells how Rei and Tatsuya first met, but it really is best read after the main series.

Mars is one of my absolute favorite shojo series. I honestly re-read it 2-3 times a year, or more. The story has a lot of depth, with interesting twists and turns that are, at times seemingly over the top, and yet amazingly realistic. While Soryo does include some "standard" elements of this type of story, she also avoids taking the easy way out of situations, and doesn't wrap up many of the subplots in neat little bows. Her art is well done, with a wonderful range of expressions in her characters and an amazing attention to detail in scenery and, particularly, the many motorcycles seen throughout the series. She also does well in including just enough information within scenes to explain the motorcycle world to those who may not understand it, without overloading. Tokyopop's translation of the series is not bad. There are a one or two places with pretty obvious grammar errors that make sentences awkward, and I suspect they tried to "Americanize" a little, but for the most part, its well done. It is easy, to me, to see how this series was one of the top selling ones in Japan when it was released, and as all of it is still available, I still highly recommend it.

Rating: A+

March 2009 Purchases

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:23:43 -0400

Bleach, Volume 26 (03/03/2009)
Nana, Volume 15 (03/03/2009)
Hell Girl, Volume 01 (03/07/2009)
Hell Girl, Volume 03 (03/20/2009)
Hell Girl, Volume 04 (03/20/2009)
Hell Girl, Volume 05 (03/20/2009)
Prétear, Volume 03 (03/20/2009)

Some anime for a change thanks to BestBuy's dumping all titles at 50% off!

My-HiME, Volume 7 (03/03/2009)

Ouran High School Host Club: Season 1, Part 1 (03/03/2009)

Ouran High School Host Club: Season 1, Part 2 (03/03/2009)

Ghost Hunt: Season 1, Part 1 (03/08/2009)

February 2009 Purchases

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:38:36 -0400

Oh yeah...I went just a wee bit nutty :-D Though in my own slight defense, Ouran was a gift, Juline was acquired for only $2 a volume at the Giant Book Sale, and much of the rest were acquired at some nice sales *grin*

Magic Touch, Volume 1 (02/07/2009)
Ultra Maniac, Volume 4 (02/07/2009)
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 01 (02/13/2009)
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 02 (02/13/2009)
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 03 (02/13/2009)
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 04 (02/13/2009)
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 05 (02/13/2009)
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 08 (02/13/2009)
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 11 (02/13/2009)
Juline, Volume 02 (02/17/2009)
Juline, Volume 03 (02/17/2009)
Juline, Volume 04 (02/17/2009)
Juline, Volume 05 (02/17/2009)
Kiss Blue, Volume 01 (02/19/2009)
Red (02/19/2009)
Sunflower, Volume 02 (02/19/2009)
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 06 (02/20/2009)
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 07 (02/20/2009)
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 09 (02/20/2009)
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 10 (02/20/2009)
Ceres, Celestial Legend, Volume 04: Chidori (02/24/2009)
Fushigi Yûgi, Volume 02: Oracle (02/24/2009)
Fushigi Yûgi, Volume 03: Disciple (02/24/2009)
Fushigi Yûgi, Volume 07: Castaway (02/24/2009)
Fushigi Yûgi, Volume 09: Lover (02/24/2009)
Fushigi Yûgi, Volume 10: Enemy (02/24/2009)
Fushigi Yûgi, Volume 11: Veteran (02/24/2009)
Fushigi Yûgi, Volume 12: Girlfriend (02/24/2009)
Fushigi Yûgi, Volume 14: Prophet (02/24/2009)
Fushigi Yûgi, Volume 15: Guardian (02/24/2009)
Nana, Volume 14 (02/24/2009)
One Night Lesson (02/24/2009)
Passion: Forbidden Lovers (02/24/2009)
Rave Master, Volume 32 (02/24/2009)
Say Please (02/24/2009)
Ultra Maniac, Volume 01 (02/24/2009)
Ultra Maniac, Volume 02 (02/24/2009)
Ultra Maniac, Volume 03 (02/24/2009)
Ultra Maniac, Volume 05 (02/24/2009)
We Were There, Volume 01 (02/24/2009)
We Were There, Volume 02 (02/24/2009)

January 2009 Purchases

collectonian@eclectic-world.com (Collectonian) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:31:54 -0500

Also late...short month here. Making up for it in February. :-D

Chibi Vampire, Volume 12 (01/10/2009)
Ceres, Celestial Legend, Volume 03: Suzumi (01/17/2009)
Ceres, Celestial Legend, Volume 06: Shuro (01/17/2009)
Ceres, Celestial Legend, Volume 07: Maya (01/17/2009)