“May God Protect You” – Kamichama Karin (manga) – 7/10 Pumpkin Pies

The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too. ~Teresa of Avila

Mangaka: Koge-Donbo

Genre: Action/Comedy/Romance/Supernatural/Mahou Shoujo/Shoujo

Review Status: Complete (7 Volumes/7 Volumes)

Licensed: No. It was formerly licensed by Tokyopop.

Art: This has a very distinct chibi-like style for everyone. They’re all amazingly adorable. It’s also great that all the characters are very distinct. It’s very shoujo with almost no backgrounds and lots of toning in the backgrounds.

Summary: Karin is an average girl… at best. She’s not good at sports and gets terrible grades. On top of all that, her parents are dead and her beloved cat Shi-chan just died, too. She is miserable… but everything is about to change. Little does Karin know that her mother’s ring has the power to make her a goddess! (back cover of 1st volume)

Review: Meet Karin, your typical shoujo protagonist. She’s clumsy, she’s rather dumb, and she discovers that she has powers that she never dreamed of. Then things get good. The group of friends she falls in with- and ends up living with and fighting against- are unique in their humor and personalities, from the somewhat sexist, afraid-of-bugs buy Kazune, to the sweet bug-loving Himeka, and the not-really-evil Kirika. The way they interact and the hijinks they get into feel fresh and interesting, so different from the humor you usually find in these series.

Of course, life is not all roses and one-liners. Karin and her friends are fighting against a group that wants nothing more than to destroy them and get at Himeka. Their powers are that of the Greek Gods, borrowed from the Divine so that they can protect those that they love. The fights are simple and don’t last long, though the effects linger into their normal lives. Things ramp up around volume 5, where the stakes are raised and secrets are revealed.

This would have been a fine series if it had followed their daily lives and the occasional fights, because those moments are always hilarious. There are an incredible number of lines that set me off laughing out loud, and situations that were just as funny. They made the series shine. It was when everything tried to tie up that it started to fall apart into some poorly-done clichés and other things that didn’t seem to fit. Characters were forgotten about, plot threads were left dangling, and the status quo was maintained for characters and romances.

The first half of the series was definitely worth reading. It’s one of the best Mahou Shoujo series I’ve read and seen in that regard, and I could not be more thrilled with it. The second half... not so much. Definitely read it if you’re a completist, otherwise just drop it.

Overall, this is a hilarious, adorable series that deserved a better ending than it got.

Recommended: 8+. There’s no language, the humor is spot-on and clean, there’s no fanservice (though at one point, Karin accidentally ends up in the guy’s bath- towels are on!), and there is some suggestive humor in one of the extra stories. Comedic violence, nothing you wouldn’t see in a Looney Tunes cartoon or in a Disney movie.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Sailor Moon (anime and manga)
Pita-Ten (anime and manga)
Card Captor Sakura (anime)
Shugo Chara (anime and manga)

“A Magical Adventure” - The Big Adventures of Majoko (manga) – 8/10 Pumpkin Pies

An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered. ~Gilbert K. Chesterton

Mangaka: Tomomi Mizuna

Genre: Comedy/Fantasy/Adventure/Supernatural/Mahou Shoujo/Kids

Review Status: Complete (5 Volumes/5 Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manga is licensed in the US

Art: It has the shoujo/chibi-ish character designs, but doesn’t rely so much on shades and toning. The color pages are bright and colorful.

Summary: While cleaning her room, a young girl named Nana finds a mysterious diary. As soon as she opens it, out pops Majoko, a rambunctious wizard girl from the Land of Magic! Together, these two girls explore a fantastic world full of magic spells, wondrous creatures, and endless surprises. Every day is a big adventure when Majoko is around! (Udon)

Review: This story hits the ground running and never lets up. From the first page, where Nana is taken to the world of magic, to the last one, there is an adventure every chapter. It’s pretty episodic, with each chapter a different story, but with a few recurring characters. This sets up a great way to see the wonders of the world. It’s created like every child’s dream, from a land of snow and living snowmen, to an orchard that has apples that help you with better grades, to a place where you can buy and sell rainbows.

The various adventures that happen in these places are a mix of the obvious (being ripped off for the apples) to the humorous (having to rebuild a snowman’s face), to the fascinating (needing to borrow monsters for a haunted house). All the stories are pretty funny, and darn cute to boot!

They wouldn’t be half as amusing without the various personalities of the lead characters. Majoko is different from most shoujo leads- she’s the funny man to Nana’s straight one. With a hot temper, a strong mischievous streak, and a penchant for trouble, she really is a quirky and loveable lead. Nana takes a backseat in a lot of the adventures, but is definitely a more level-headed girl. She manages to be dragged along for the fun of it many times. The rest of the group falls more into clichés, such as the spoiled girl who is Majoko’s rival, to the smart guy, but they’re a fun bunch.

The story does fall apart at the end, though, with an unfinished storyline concerning the fate of the magical world. It’s a shame, since it was shaping up to be pretty interesting, and had been a consistent storyline for about a volume before the series ended. The extras almost make up for it, with even more funny moments in it.

Overall, while this did end up falling on a few too many tropes to get a 10, it was still a great adventure story!

Recommended: 6+. There was one chapter where they visited the land of monsters, and they might look a little frightening to younger children.

Other Titles You Might Enjoy:
Happy Happy Clover (manga)
+Anima (manga)

“The Taste Of A Soul” – Soul Eater (anime) – 9/10 Pumpkin Pies

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. ~Winston Churchill

Genre: Action/Comedy/Fantasy/Supernatural/Shounen

Review Status: Compelete (51 Episodes/51 Episodes)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed in the US

Art/Animation: This looks fantastic in all regards. The animation is beyond fluid, the character designs are great and easily recognized, and the colors are deep and vibrant, and often in the darker color palate which matches the mood and the world fabulously.

Dub Vs. Sub: The dub is fabulous. I love everyone in their roles, except I’m less fond of Soul’s VA. It’s a little too deep for his supposed age. I actually prefer the dub over the sub, because I feel the humor of several voices (most notable, Death’s) comes off better to American audiences… or to anyone who has English as their native language. I do prefer some voices in sub, such as Death The Kid’s, but the dub overall has won my heart.

Summary: Maka is a Meister and Soul is her Weapon. As students at the Grim Reaper’s Death Weapon Meister Academy, their study habits couldn’t be more different. But in battle against the supernatural forces of evil, they’re a freakin’ lethal team.
That’s when Soul transforms – literally – into a razor-sharp scythe, and every defeated wicked soul he sucks down makes him more deadly. That’s when Maka unleashes the merciless slayer within, wielding her partner and dropping monsters. Seriously. Monsters. Like the witches, werewolves, and zombies that lurk in the shadows and feed on the souls of the innocent. Every freakish ghoul Maka and Soul take out strengthens their bond, and fighting alongside their fellow Meister/Weapon classmates, Maka and Soul are the world’s last line of defense against evil.

Review: This is one of the top shounen anime for a reason. This has pretty much everything you could ask for- awesome opening and ending themes (my favorites have to be the first and last opening themes), great characters that don’t fall into stereotypes- the lead being a female, for once!- that have some of the more memorable traits that I’ve come across in characters, fantastic battle scenes… I cannot help but sing praise to this show. This avoids the pitfalls that would take so many other shows down.

The world itself will catch the attention of most viewers. From the people that have the ability to become meisters and weapons and witches, to the ever-expressive sun and bleeding-grin moon, the world is a treat to become engaged in. This doesn’t focus on the world all that much, though- it’s about the people in it.

This is where the show shines. The characters are fully-realized, with pasts and goals, people that you can easily get behind. You will recognize some stereotypes turned on their head, like BlackStar who is THE shounen protagonist, made a side character and not the one that eventually defeats the Big Bad. Maka, one of our mains, is the Chick. She would hit you for saying so, and it would leave a mark- there is nothing useless or weak about her. Her constant struggle with what it means to be a Meister drives much of the show, and the relationship between her and Soul is one of the best partnerships/friendships that can be seen in the medium.

This chooses to focus on a few of the students and teachers, but has tantalizing glimpses of the sheer amount of different weapons and abilities that are out there. The way these grow and change in the circumstances they are put under is astonishing. Chrona is the star of this, put into one of the most difficult positions possible. His mother, or his friends? Can he overcome his abuse and reach for a new future?

The opponents and situations are genuinely interesting, to boot. While Medusa’s schemes for why she wants the Big Bad out is still somewhat obscure, though her sister’s motivations seem to be pure insanity. The Big Bad himself is quite a character, and I highly enjoyed seeing how insane he could be. It seemed reminiscent of Johan, one of the best psychopaths that I have ever seen in any anime or manga, and that really excited me. While this is a typical save-the-world storyline, I still felt it was pulled off with enough panache and characterization that it is one of the most interesting shounen I have seen.

Something that does bother people that is worth a mention because it bothered me, too, is that one of the characters is ‘brought back’ in a way that seems fairly disproportionate to the terrible things that were going on. In short, it was far too easy. The ending also doesn’t live up to people’s expectations. I have to say that I’m not sure whether I liked it or not. It was somewhat typical but I felt that perhaps it had more to it than what other shounen do with similar moves. The jury is out, probably always will be on it, but it didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the rest of the series.

Overall, this was totally worth my time. Yes, even with that ending.

Recommended: 16+. This has Barbie-doll fanservice quite often in the first 6 or so eps, but cools down to nothing after that. There’s a good amount of blood, a fair amount for purely comical reasons. A few instances of the d-word, and one of the a-word, said very deliberately at a pretty appropriate time.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Shaman King (anime or manga)
Ao no Excorcist (anime or manga)
Pandora Hearts (manga)
Claymore (anime or manga)
Occult Academy (anime)

“One-Eyed Man Is King” – Land of the Blindfolded (Manga) – 9/10 Pumpkin Pies

Every closed eye is not sleeping, and every open eye is not seeing. ~Bill Cosby

Mangaka: Sakura Tsukuba

Genre: Romance/Drama/Supernatural/School

Review Status: Complete (9 Volumes/9 Volumes)

Licensed: This was formerly licensed by CMX manga. They have gone under.

Art: It’s shoujo. Very typical shoujo art.

Summary: Kanade believes that most people go through life seeing with blindfolds on- they cannot see what will happen in the future or the past. Occasionally, her blindfold slips, allowing her to see somebody’s future. One day, she meets someone who’s blindfold came off long ago, who sees the past. Can their love work out, or do they see too much?

Review: You would think that seeing the future or the past would be a good thing, right? You could see what the answers to a test were, or what had happened at great battles… but this manga shows that it comes with a downside. Kanade is scolded for getting in people’s ways (trying to keep them from getting run over), Arou is shunned for knowing things there’s no way he could have… She manages to keep a happy outlook on life while his has been one of sadness and misery. But when they meet, they connect over their abilities, and life gets better for both of them.

This manages to keep from being too outrageous. There’s no flying from buildings, no feats of astonishing foresight, these characters only see things that really could happen, from torn-up plants from a jealous friend, to a dog dying because it has been abandoned. Throw a third member in the mix that can see the future better than Kanade, and things get interesting!

I really like that they avoid the stereotypical love triangle. The main couple is the main couple, and while their relationship grows and matures, so does their friendships and other relationships. The revelation of their secrets brings about several awkward moments and misunderstandings, brilliantly told in how it’s not immediately accepted, and how it can go wrong when someone knows.

It does happen to go off the deep end at the end, with Arou’s power becoming so powerful that his life and existence is put at risk. Aside from that particular qualm, this is a sweet, lovely story about people who are a little different, but just want to help.

Overall, this is a great romance title, and definitely a good read.

Recommended: 12+. There is one scene where Arou sees back to Kanade undressing (by accident!) but you see nothing but her back. There is some innuendo, with words that sidestep around sex but never mention it, in one section of a later chapter. It will probably go over the heads of younger readers. Perhaps one use of the d-word. Arou’s mother falls off a cliff with another boy, but they are uninjured. The pasts and futures that they see are sometimes violent, even deadly, but these are only talked about.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Fruits Basket (manga)

“Frozen In Time” – Frozen Essence (VN) – 8/10 Black Cats

People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates. ~Thomas Szasz

Genre: Mystery/Romance/Fantasy/Action/Supernatural

Review Status: Complete

Licensed: It’s licensed and free for download at http://games.renpy.org/

Art/Animation: Not too shabby! The art is clean, vibrant, and nice to look at. There’s a large variety of character designs and nice backgrounds. It’s not as professional-looking as it could be, but there’s very little to complain about. This being a VN, there’s really no animation to speak of, but the transitions are very nice. My only issue was with the ‘slap’ effect- it was far too often and in some inappropriate places for the story. I was quite annoyed by it by the end.

Voice Acting: There are no voices in this, just the dialogue and background music.

Summary: You play a girl that has been trapped for 1000 years, but is suddenly released from her prison of ice. When she wakes, she has no memory of what happened or who she is. With three guardians and an oracle that make it their business to protect her, she tries to discover who she is and what happened so long ago…

Review: This is a full-on VN, with many endings and an interesting storyline. The thing is that when you have more than one path to follow, you not only need to make the beginning interesting (and it is), you need to make each and every potential path have something to draw you in. This VN has them. With 14 different endings, you need them! There are so many choices that affect what is going to happen to you. There are certain things you need to do to get certain paths, and the variety of choices and events that happen based on them and when you choose them is astonishing!

Each path involves you getting close to another character. Each path has unique things revealed about the story, and you will learn about the pasts of those around you as you get their paths. Getting the paths in the first place can be an… interesting experience. Some are far easier than others. Some require some smart thinking for your choices. Sometimes it’s impossible to tell which path your choice will lead to. But regardless of the path you choose, you will discover more about the circumstances surrounding your identity.

Each person you choose for your path is well-developed. Some are great guys. Some… not so much. You can’t tell who is and isn’t until you’ve pursued their paths. It fleshes them out in terrific ways, and they’re all quite different and unique to each other. Their paths are as varied as the characters. Some of the good ends are downright gloomy, while the bad ends can get dark. There are some good ends that I wasn’t entirely fond of, to be honest, because they seemed as dark as the bad ones in their own way. That’s okay, and the variety of paths means that I am okay with that. There’s always another one to check out.

Overall, despite some of the issues with transitions, and the occasional repetitiveness of gameplay at certain points, this is one of the best free VNs out there- definitely worth playing.

Recommended: 13+. There is some mentions of being grabbed inappropriately and some rude comments, there is also the risk of death/imprisonment/etc for you and for other characters.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle (manga)
Hanasakeru Seishounen (anime)
Ouran Host Club (anime and manga)
Fuushigi Yugi (anime and manga)
Ayashi no Ceres (anime and manga)

“Dream A Little Dream Of Me” – After School Nightmare (manga) – 9/10 Black Cats

People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates. ~Thomas Szasz

Mangaka: Setona Mizushiro

Genre: Romance/Mystery/Drama/School/Supernatural/Psychological/Gender Bender/Fantasy

Review Status: Complete (10 Volumes/10 Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manga is licensed in the US.

Art: Lovely. The art is reminiscent of CLAMP’s style, with elongated limbs and some gorgeous bishies. The panels are clean and easy to read (the flow is great, too). Some of the choices in

Summary: You have just awakened to find your darkest secret revealed to a group of people who would do anything to destroy you: your classmates! That’s what happens to Ichijo Mashiro, whose elite school education turns into the most horrifying experience of his life when he’s enlisted to participate in an after-hours class. The only way for Mashiro to graduate is to enter into a nightmare world where his body and soul will be at the mercy of his worst enemies. Can Mashiro keep the life-long secret that he is not truly a “he” nor entirely a “she” – or will he finally be “outted” in the most humiliating way possible?

Review: First impressions are everything in the world, and Ichijo does the best to keep his the way he wants it- as a guy. This is harder than it seems when his top half is definitely masculine, but his bottom half is most definitely not! However, when he’s entered into a class where nightmares become reality and he must face the inner selves of himself and his classmates. The thing is, his inner fear/self happens to be himself… but with a girl’s uniform on, making him instantly recognizable to those who cross his path.

His classmates take an immediate interest- a girl that’s been broken by her abusive father and a rapist, a playboy that thinks Ichijo is the prettiest thing that he’s laid his eyes on but has inextricable ties to his sister, others that would use him as they saw fit. They all have their own demons to fight. Others come and go as they ‘graduate’, disappearing from the hearts and minds of their classmates. Some are unable to overcome their issues and merely disappear.

Watching Ichijo desperately try to figure out the feelings he has about his own identity and the romantic struggles and drama that occur while it happens is interesting, if slightly obvious by the third or fourth volume. I think most people will be able to guess what’s going to happen, and while that disappointed me because of how one of the wheels gets shunted aside, the fact that they’re able to overcome that and still be good friends who care for each other is something unique and wonderful in this genre. It also plays into them finding themselves and their inner strength.

The meaning behind needing to discover themselves and their strengths, as well as what’s happening in the school, managed to be a wonderful surprise twist. The inner struggle Ichijo goes through takes on a far greater significance, with the two sides to him perhaps not being as philosophical as suspected, and the need to graduate being more than just graduation. It all snowballs into one of the best romance/mysteries that I’ve come across in quite a while.

Overall, this was a very interesting look at the psyche and had a great twist I hadn’t expected!

Recommended: 18+. There is incest (blatantly stated but the act is merely implied). Sex is mentioned (and occurs. Genitalia is not shown and the few sections it was in were *brief* and I didn't think it was happening until I read comments that happened later. Kissing and the leadup to sex does occur. There is violence- people get slashed with swords, torn apart, dug into- but there is no gore and it's not graphic, though blood is shown. There are also a handful of minor swears.

Other titles you might enjoy:
I.S. Intersexuality (manga)
Wandering Son (anime and manga)
Revolutionary Girl Utena (anime)
Hour of the Mice (manga)
Arisa (manga)

“Everything You Wanted” – Petshop of Horrors (manga) – 9/10 Black Cats

Somewhere between chance and mystery lies imagination, the only thing that protects our freedom, despite the fact that people keep trying to reduce it or kill it off altogether. ~Luis Buñuel

Mangaka: Matsuri Akino

Genre: Comedy/Supernatural/Fantasy/Horror

Review Status: Complete (10 Volumes/10 Volumes)

Licensed: Formerly licensed by Tokyopop, currently unlicensed.

Art: It has a 90’s feel to it, but has aged better than its contemporaries. It overall has a rough feel to it, but isn’t too shabby.

Summary: A smoke-filled alley in Chinatown harbors Count D's Pet Shop. The pets sold here aren't your everyday variety and the Count prides himself on selling Love and Dreams in the form of magical creatures that come with an exclusive contract. But buyers beware. If the contract is broken the Count cannot be held accountable for whatever may happen. A fascinating and macabre look into the very soul of human nature. (Source: Tokyopop)

Review: The saying is ‘be careful what you wish for, you just might get it’. Count D’s shop is all about fulfilling wishes and dreams- at a price. Whether it’s the promise of cake or something to be gathered later, “D” gives warning to those who buy his pets that things can happen if they don’t follow his instructions- so humans ignore his instructions at their own risk, and often pay the ultimate price.

There’s a policeman onto D – the name he gives himself since he’s not actually the count, just his grandson- and Leon Orcott, member of the NYPD, isn’t going to give an inch! The reader gets to see him as he investigates the strange deaths that are connected with the shop, and is either thrown off the trail or left with nothing to book D on. That interplay is always hilarious. Hardened cop vs sugar-addict prettyboy! D is as wily as Leon is thick, and they make quite a duo as they argue and deal with one another, eventually becoming friends. Chris, a character that’s introduced a little into the series, makes an interesting in-between. Able to see the truth of the shop, but too young and unassuming to really make much of it, he can be as baffled as his older brother when it comes to what is going on.

The cases themselves range from creepy to hilarious. From the mermaid that is the spitting image of a dead bride, to trying to hatch a dragon, all manner of amazing creatures of myth and legend are contained within these pages. Often I was grateful for the pages in the back that explained the origin and tales of them, as they were from Eastern folklore that isn’t heard of much in the West. These stories manages to bring in character development and strengthen the bond between the three as Leon becomes less suspicious of the Count, knowing that there were odd creatures and things happening, but later unable to believe D really has much to do with them.

It’s a great manga up until the last volume. There was a definite environmental message that popped up from time to time, but it was never really overbearing or preachy- not until the last two volumes or so. That was where things got really odd and eye-rolling. Cloning, spiritual memory inheritance, and someone threatening to destroy all humankind because of the damage they were doing were involved.

Thankfully, D’s escape from the FBI holds up to the rest story, and the last few pages really made me smile.

Overall, while the ending didn’t quite hold up to the promise of the rest of the manga, this is definitely worth the read.

Recommended: 18+. The F-bomb is dropped a few times per volume, as well as a variety of other swears. It’s not every line, and since most of it comes from Leon and thugs, it feels as offensive as the average cop movie. There are occasional glimpses of boobs- Leon’s room happens to be decorated with half-nude posters of women, and you see it once or twice. What appears to be Count D about to have sex with a man turns out to be him attempting to lure a mythological creature (in disguise) to join his pet shop. He states that another man is bisexual, but not gay.

Other titles you might enjoy:
xxxHolic (anime and manga)
The Tarot Café (manga)
Nightmare Inspector (manga)

“Running Out Of Time” - Chrono Crusade (manga) – 9/10 Black Cats

Clocks slay time... time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life. ~William Faulkner

Mangaka: Daisuke Moriyama

Genre: Action/Adventure/Historical/Romance/Supernatural/Shounen

Review Status: Complete (8 Volumes/8 Volumes)

Art: Nice, sleek lines. It seems like a cross between shoujo and shounen, with more
shoujo-ish eyes (big and shiny and expressive), but more shounen styles for everything else. The backgrounds tend to be surprisingly detailed. The color pages are vivid and well-done.

Summary: America in the Roaring 20s. On the surface, it's a positive, peaceful time after the violence of the Great War. But lurking in the shadows is a dark element ready to snatch that peace away. Sister Rosette Christopher, an exorcist working as a part of the Magdala Order, has a duty to fight the demons which appear and cause destruction. But along with her companion Chrono, she usually ends up causing more destruction than the demons themselves! On one particular mission, they meet a young girl with a beautiful voice named Azmaria, who is being targeted by her own stepfather. As Rosette and Chrno work to save her, more is revealed about the relationship between them. There is more to these two than meets the eye. (ADV)

Review: Action, adventure, romance… This is a manga that has it all, and wraps it in a lovely coat of bittersweetness. The story seems pretty simple- a nun and her demon companion are fighting others that want to destroy the world. As you go along, the story becomes less straightforward. Her brother was overcome by evil long ago, and now seeks to destroy humanity. They must dredge up skeletons in the closet- hers, Chrono’s, and find the courage to defeat him before the world can end.

With great characters, this manga makes it all work. Rosette is almost impossible not to root for, with an indomitable spirit and loving heart. Chrono is far more level-headed, but fun and a genuinely nice guy that repents for what he’s done in the past. Their friends are awesome characters that you feel for when things happen. Things happen because they take charge and refuse to be defeated, though a fierce toll is taken in the battles they encounter.

There are a lot of elements that make this memorable, from Rosette’s slowly dwindling lifespan and the inevitability of her death, to the love between her and Chrono that seems impossible to be realized. The ending isn’t the joyful one that is expected in many of these stories. It is one that leaves you with mixed feelings, though- in the best way possible. Every ending should tug at the heartstrings like this one does.

Overall, this was a moving and memorable action manga, and definitely worth reading more than once.

Recommended: 14+. There is some fanservice here and there (less than I feared after I got through the first volume), no full-on nudity though. There is death, with some gore including bodies and parts of bodies. Nothing terribly graphic, but it is there. There are some mild curses throughout.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Black Cat (anime and manga)
Pandora Hearts (manga)
Seirei no Morinito (anime)

“Apples And Oranges” – Fruits Basket (manga) – 10/10 Black Cats

It's surprising how many persons go through life without ever recognizing that their feelings toward other people are largely determined by their feelings toward themselves, and if you're not comfortable within yourself, you can't be comfortable with others. ~Sydney J. Harris

Mangaka: Natsuki Takaya

Genre: Romance/Comedy/Drama/Supernatural/Shoujo

Review Status: Complete (23 Volumes/23 Volumes)

Licensed: Formerly licensed by Tokyopop, it has not been relicensed yet.

Art: Somewhat generic character designs, but then again that might be because a lot of shoujo now take after FruBa as the model. Uncluttered panels that are easy to follow, with occasional heavy and blunt uses of toning.

Summary: Tohru Honda was an orphan with no place to go, until the mysterious Sohma family offered her a place to call home. Now, her ordinary high school life is turned upside down, as she's introduced to the Sohma's world of magical curses and family secrets. (Amazon.com description)

Review: This is a manga I avoided for the longest time simply because I wasn’t a fan of the anime. I deeply, deeply regret this now (and love my local library- yay for having the entire series at my fingertips!). There is a reason this is considered one of the best shoujo manga out there.

The first seven volumes consist of getting you introduced to the characters and the appearances of the Sohma family. This is what the anime covers. What comes after are the depths of the emotional instability and abuse that perpetuates within the household as the curse slowly unravels. At the heart of it is Akito and his relationship with his parents and the members of the Zodiac that keep him from venturing into the world and being true to himself.

Circling him are the members of the Zodiac, caught up in their forced love (and subsequent loathing) of their “God”. Akito manipulates and uses them to cure his own loneliness and self-hatred, while the parents of most of the Zodiac members fear and revile their children, leaving them with guilt and scars that they seek to heal in myriad ways. Tohru is caught up in it, with her love for Kyo and the others driving her to comfort them and befriend them, comforting them in any way she can.

Her journey in this world of conflicting roles and dark histories brings its weight to bear on her. When she finds that sometimes, there is nothing she can do, it starts making her feel that she could break. She Tohru goes from Mary-Sue-esque character to believable, real person in a heartbeat in this manga, and all the characters around her are as damaged but loveable- even the worst of them becomes sympathetic as the story unfolds.

There may not be any huge fights or adventure to distant lands, but this is nevertheless an epic story about people- coming together, moving on, and earning their happy endings.

Overall, this is a beautiful manga that deserves all the praise it gets.

Recommended: 15+. The language is really heavy in the first three volumes (Kyo has a mouth on him!) but rarely does it get worse than the d-word. There’s implied sexual relations between several characters.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Searching for the Full Moon (anime and manga)
Cat Street (manga)
Karakuri Odette (manga)

“Something Borrowed, Something Blue” – Pig Bride (manhwa) – 10/10 Black Cats

Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. ~Simone Signoret

Genre: School/Comedy/Romance/Supernatural/Shoujo

Review Status: Complete (5 Volumes/5 Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manhwa is licensed in the US

Art: Lovely. More detailed than the usual shoujo, with very lovely character designs and little things that make the art stand out. The color inserts are fabulously bright and colorful, a treat for the eyes. It adds a detail that makes me smile- the guy has pink hair and eyes!

Summary: Lost in the mountains on a trip to summer camp, eight-year-old Si-Joon fears he'll never make it out alive. When a strange girl in a pig mask appears before him, he follows her to a house deep in the woods, where he is told that he must marry the pig-faced girl to atone for the sins of their ancestors. Si-Joon's not too keen on getting married, but that wedding feast looks so delicious! It's only afterward that he realizes what he's done and...wakes up. Now in high school, Si-Joon Lee has been dreaming about the pig bride for as long as he can remember. But it's all just a dream, right? (Amazon.com)

Review: This is a modern-day fairytale. A boy, lost in the woods, finds himself the unwitting husband of a girl in a pig mask. She finds him when he turns 16, determined to make him fall in love with her and break the curse that’s upon her- a curse that she brought upon herself many hundreds of years ago. She must also prove herself worthy to his family, and maybe…. Just maybe, then they can have a happy ending.

This had some wonderful twists on the standard take. The ‘prince’ is lazy and somewhat selfish, and not at all pleased with the girl he’s stuck with! In love with another, he finds that Mu-Yeon may not be the most up to date girl, a ‘country bumpkin’ in the truest of ways, but she’s sweet and genuine. Mu-Yeon herself is a lovely character, wild over Si-Joon and really wants to win him over. Even if she comes off a little strongly… and a little odd (almost every night she asks him to consummate the marriage with her), she has strength of character- when her old rival from her past life tries to get revenge, Mu-Yeon isn’t afraid to fight fire with fire.

What’s really nice is the relationships between the side characters are just as entertaining and interesting as the main couple. They aren’t just background noise and character foils. I have to admit- one thing that drives me up a wall is that those relationships aren’t quite as resolved as I normally would like them to be. Regardless, I was still highly entertained.

This puts together a great story. Not only are the characters immensely likeable- even Si-Joon’s other love interest Doe-Doe- but the story flows well and has some great moments. From Doe-Doe’s misadventures with Mu-Yeon’s mask, to attempting to pick between Mu-Yeon and “Princess”, there were a few times I nearly laughed out loud or was surprised by the twists that this took!

Overall, this was an adorable and funny manhwa that definitely deserves a little more attention!

Recommended: 10+. There are two swears in this manga, the b-word and d-word. Mu-Yeon does proposition Si-Joon a few times, but it’s not aggressive or offensive. Si-Joon also walks in on Mu-Yeon changing, but you only see her back. He walks in on her rival in the bath, but you only see her shoulders and below the knee. There is some comedy violence, but in a flashback you do see Mu-Yeon’s rival die (this isn’t graphic or lingered on- surprisingly, it manages to be funny, but not dark-humored).

Other titles you might enjoy:
Gakuen Alice (manga)
Bride of the Water God (manhwa)
NG Life (manga)
½ Prince (manhua)
Mixed Vegetables (manga)
Kuragehime (anime and manga)

"Just A Taste" - Millennium Snow (manga) - 5/10 Black Cats

We build statues out of snow, and weep to see them melt. ~Walter Scott

Genre: Romance/Supernatural/Shoujo

Review Status: Complete (2 Volumes/2Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manga is licensed in the US.

Art: The art style is typical for Bisco Hattori. Clean lines, strong shading, cute character designs, this has it all.

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Chiyuki Matsuoka was born with heart problems, and doctors say she won’t live to see her next snow. Toya is an 18-year-old vampire who hates blood and refuses to make the traditional partnership with a human, whose life-giving blood would keep them both alive for a thousand years.

Chiyuki makes the most of the time she has left, even though things aren’t that exciting- until she comes across a reluctant vampire late one chilly night. Can Chiyuki teach Toya to feel passion for life, even as her own is ending? (Back of 1st volume)

Review: I’ve heard a lot of people give praise to this particular series, and after reading it, I can’t see why. Hattori dropped this and started Ouran Host Club soon after, and for very good reason. The plot of this does seem like a good one at first- a vampire that doesn’t want to force another being to go through a thousand years of loneliness with him befriends a sick girl. However, in execution, this comes off terribly.

Chiyuki admits that she loves him because he can save her life. This is a damning statement. She loves Toya because of what he can do for her, not because of who he is. That’s not love- that’s using someone. Toya fells terribly for her because of her condition. Who wouldn’t? So after seeing an attack he decides to stick around. That’s not love either- that’s pity and guilt that he’s mistaken for love. Both fall into a twisted facsimile of a relationship.

This adds a third wheel into the mix to add some shallow drama. I know that it’s common to have vampires and werewolves in the same story, that it’s very popular, but in the end we all know who she’s going to end up with. It makes every scene of her ‘torn’ between both guys seem forced.

Millennium Snow also goes for big drama but pulls it off in all the wrong ways. Somehow, but the second volume they can all afford a vacation in the Alps (they’re all 18 and under, and have no signs of an inheritance. Really?), and Chiyuki has gone through a kidnapping by a crazed admirer. This first situation seems ridiculous, while the second is pulled off decently well-after all, he had discovered that Chiyuki’s friend was a vampire- but ends in a way that seems too convenient. And the reason why he went crazed in the first place also is silly. Three men in love with her in two volumes? It’s pushing the boundaries of believability.

There are some redeeming qualities to this manga, with some of the stories being very cute or touching. Even the story who’s premise I dislike immensely (the one in the Alps) has a redeeming story to it… even if the way it relates to the character’s situation is for too obvious.

Overall, with everything said and done the bad parts are equal to the good ones. An indifferent manga at best.

Recommended: 13+. There’s very little language, but there is a small amount of blood (not graphic), and some violence- Toya attacks Chiyuki once to bite her, and Chiyuki’s friend and Toya fight a bit.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Ouran Host Club (anime and manga)
Full Moon wo Sagashite (anime and manga)
Gakuen Alice (manga)
Junketsu + Kareshi (manga)

“Just A Drop” – Chibi Vampire (manga) – 8/10 Notebooks

“All changes are more or less tinged with melancholy, for what we are leaving behind is part of ourselves.” ~ Amelia Barr

Genre: Romance/Comedy/Supernatural/Drama/School

Review Status: Complete (14 Volumes/14 Volumes)

Licensed: This manga was previously licensed by Tokyopop. As they have gone under and no one has yet picked it up again, it is currently unlicensed.

Art: Nice, clean, bold lines. It reminds me a bit of Toradora!, but the art tends to be sharper than that for Toradora! All the characters are distinct and memorable, while the backgrounds can be terrifically detailed.

Summary: Karin is a cute little girl who also happens to be a vampire… with a twist. Once a month she experiences intense bleeding from her nose- we’re talking gushers! In other words, she’s a vamp with blood to spare, so rather than stealing blood from humans she actually gives her blood to them. If done right this can be an extremely positive experience that benefits the ‘victim’ as much as the vampire. The problem is that Karin can never seem to do things right! (Tokyopop)

Review: Because this is the first manga I ever read, I definitely had some nostalgia filters on my memories of it. Thankfully, since I own it I was able to go back and re-read it to see whether it was as good as I remembered it to be. While it wasn’t the 10/10 I remembered it to be, this is still a solid romcom manga.

Karin has known she was different for a long time- she didn’t really ever want to leave the human world, and when the time passed when she should have managed to get her vampire powers, disaster struck- she had a massive nosebleed that showed that she would never be a normal vampire. When you’re in a family where the oldest is most definitely a vampire and the youngest is a vampire prodigy and turning to a full vampire early means that the rest of the family worries for her. Things escalate as they discover that there is more to her than the fact that she’s giving blood- like the fact that he little quirk could kill her.

At the same time the family realizes they can no longer protect her from the sun, so they leave her daily care in the hands of Kanta Usui, a classmate that witnesses one of her nosebleeds and nearly is bitten himself. They share what’s wrong with her and he volunteers to be bitten when she needs it- if only he can actually get her to bite him! However, Karin’s growing feelings for him make her nervous and unsure about doing it, since it does affect and change the person who’s bitten for a temporary time.

This manages to mix interpersonal drama- between Karin and her family, between Karin and Kenta, between Kenta and his family- with a rather good overarching story. Karin is drawn into a problem the vampires have with reproducing, which is key to her own strangeness. And while she’s at it, she must deal with balancing school, work, her budding romance, and one interesting family. I love the characters in this manga, from Karin who’s not always bright and perky like most shoujo heroines, to her little sister who’s collection of possessed dolls is a scream, to her parents and grandmother that have quite an interesting dynamic between them. Kenta is also a charmer. He’s hardworking and determined, and really very smart. I also feel so bad for his mom, who’s past history with men is full of misery, but still manages to provide a warm and loving home for her son. While some of the problems that they all encounter border on unbelievable, most of it I’ve seen happen to various degrees, adding a feel of realism to this story that I can enjoy and empathize with the characters.

It’s not perfect-score material, though. The jokes can fall a little flat, and it can fall into ‘silly’ and ‘melodramatic’ at times. Certain parts of the story can feel stupid, like Kenta’s mom fooling the police into closing down a prostitution ring. That wasn’t the bad part, but the execution felt very off. However, the ending seemed fitting, since Karin was never able to live in both worlds.

Overall, this was a sweet romance that had a somewhat bittersweet ending.

Recommended: 16+ is what they have on the back, and I think that’s about right. There’s an instance or two of Barbie-doll nudity, or where the genitals have been covered up. There is a handful of rough language, from the d-word to the b-word. Karin’s older brother is also a playboy, and while it’s never explicitly stated it’s clear he’s both draining blood from and having sex with the girls he picks up. And the fanservice never crosses the line into ecchi, though there are a few boob-grabs and mentions of how jealous someone is/how big they are.

Other titles you might enjoy:
NG Life (manga)
Hana to Akuma (manga)
Vampire Game (manga)
Tsukiyomi: Moon Phase (anime and manga)
Tsukihime (Visual Novel)

“Layer Upon Layer” – Serial Experiments Lain (anime) – 9/10 Beach Balls

The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had. ~Eric Schmidt

Genre: Sci-fi/Mystery/Psychological/Supernatural

Review Status: Complete (13 Episodes/13 Episodes)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed in the US. However, it is out of print.

Art/Animation: This goes for pretty realistic artwork, but with slightly rounder edges. Think Saotshi Kon but a bit cuter.

Dub Vs. Sub: I preferred the sub ever so slightly on this- Lain’s voice was just a tad too high in the dub for me to enjoy listening to her. However, all the other voices were equally good in the sub and the dub.

Summary: Lain Iwakura appears to be an ordinary girl, with almost no experience with computers. Yet the sudden suicide of a schoolmate, and a number of strange occurrences, conspire to pull Lain into the world of the Wired, where she gradually learns that nothing is what it seems to be... not even Lain herself. (ANN.com)

Review: When one thinks of mind-bending anime, Serial Experiments is the one that most people are familiar with, the one that most people will recommend right off the bat. Lain doesn’t start off flashy, nor is it one that goes for strange things right off the bat. It’s a slow build into the strange and unusual. She gets an email from a classmate who supposedly committed suicide… but the email is too recent, too strange to not be from her. In an effort to find out more, Lain asks for a new computer. Though she has no skills, she reads up on them, and builds and modifies. Time progression can be measured in how complex and complicated her computer gets, taking over her room until there is almost nothing left.

While she is doing this, Lain encounters people that say they know her, but she has no memory of having encountered before. She encounters things that were dropped or left by this other Lain, things that allow her to delve deeper and deeper into the wired. As she becomes more involved in the Wired, looking for the other Lain, looking for answers as to what’s happened, Lain begins to open up and make friends. Alice, a classmate, begins to wonder about her, and as she and Lain grow close, things begin to speed up and complicate Lain’s life.

Serial Experiments has spawned a thousand theories- what is Lain, exactly? What are her powers? What is the overall message of the anime? During the course of the anime, many questions are brought up about this. She is obviously more than human- the fourth episode makes that clear. But things are brought up during it that conflict and contradict eachother. Is she an alien? A god? Something more? These are things that the person viewing must decide for themselves.

As those who are close to Lain and come into contact with her fall to terrible fates, and Lain is isolated even more than she was, she must make a decision: Will her presence here make those she cares about more miserable, or should she try to stick it out in the ‘Real World’?

Overall, this was a great anime that threw me for a loop. This is definitely something for those who like mysteries and conspiracy theories.

Recommended: 14+. This has some seriously disturbing scenes in it. A man becomes a creature that cannot be described in words, but is disgusting. There is some drug use. There are several implied suicides and murders that happen offscreen, and one death by fear/psychosis that happens onscreen (non-gorey, just some thrashing around). Because the friendship Lain has for Alice is so deep, this has been accused of having shoujo-ai undertones.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Kara no Kyoukai (anime)
Darker than Black (anime)
Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge (manga)
Aoi Bungaku (anime)
Haibane Renmei (anime)
Ghost Hound (anime)
King of Thorn (manga)
Paranoia Agent (anime)

“Live And Let Go” – Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutashi wa Mada Shiranai (anime) – 10/10 Pools

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. ~From a headstone in Ireland

Genre: Slice-of-life/Supernatural/Drama

Review Status: Complete (11 Episodes/11 Episodes)

Licensed: No, this anime is not licensed in the US

Art/Animation: Very nice. The lines are crisp and clear, the colors bold and bright (no pastels here!). The animation on-par for what a slice-of-life should be, pretty smooth.

Dub Vs. Sub: There is no dub for this anime.

Summary: A group of childhood friends drifts apart after one of them, Meiko "Menma" Honma, dies in an accident. Years later, the leader of the group, Jinta Yadomi, has become withdrawn and lives as a recluse. An older Meiko appears to him, and says that she must have a wish granted, though she does not know what it is. (Wikipedia)

Review: Death is inescapable. How we deal with it differs, though. As adults, most of us have gone through various stages of grief and grieving. Children, though, are much more complicated. How can they deal with death when one of their friends dies? For this group of friends, they all still carry wounds from that day. Every one of them feels that they contributed to her death in some way. Mix that with complicated emotions that they were dealing with at the time, issues left unresolved, and all of them have had their lives affected in big ways.

In this anime, they have a chance to heal. Menma has appeared to one of them, and with that he realizes that she needs to move on. However, his emotions war with that. As a child he loved her, and those feelings haven’t died. His guilt over what happened- having run away from the clubhouse caused her to follow him, and she subsequently ended up drowning. All his friends deal with similar issues, from Anjou’s love for Jinta and guilt for being happy Menma was dead, Yukiatsu’s unrequited love for Menma and being unable to stop her as she ran after Jinta, Tsuruko’s jealousy over never being able to have Yukiatsu’s love… Even Poppa hides some serious guilt and agony over her death.

Jinta’s friends struggle to believe that Menma is actually back, they come together regardless to support each other because of their strong ties with one another. Their guilt over what happened and lingering bonds of nostalgia and friendship are what keep them coming back, even when they don’t truly believe.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that all is well. Each person has their own level of belief as to whether Menma is really there, and their grief plays into that. Yukiatsu was so driven by his grief that he has a tendency to ‘become’ her- he dresses in a wig and dress similar to what she looked like, and tries to use it to cast doubt on Jinta’s claims. Poppa is so driven by being unable to stop her death that he fully believes that she has come back and is unable to rest properly.

Trying to find out what her last wish was, why Menma is back and unable to rest, drives them together as their belief is sharpened through several unmistakable signs that she is there. Seeing it all come together is beautiful. Each step brings them closer to what her final wish is. Each episode shows more of their past and what fuels their guilt and brings them together so many years together. The last episode may leave some wanting, as the issues that they are dealing with were aired out, but they aren’t truly resolved. However, that’s the first step to healing, and they still have a lot of that to do. All of them do end up with resolution over Menma, and are able to say a final goodbye- something that they desperately needed.

Overall, this was a beautiful anime about love, loss, and the healing that comes after.

Recommended: Yes. Ooooh, so yes. 13+ due to some sexual innuendo- there is an allusion to Jinka getting ‘excited’ when Menma sits in his lap (the look on his face and the sound effect conveys it all). He also peers between his fingers to her covered bosom to mention that she hasn’t grown that much. Anjou is nearly forced into a love hotel against her will, and there are two mentions about her virginity. Rumors spread around school about her being a prostitute. Jinta and Yukiatsu nearly get into a fight, and Yukiatsu ends up strangling Jinta for a bit. I can only remember one swear in the entire series- one instance of the ‘d-word’ in a very appropriate situation.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Grave of the Fireflies (anime)
The Music of Marie (manga)
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 (anime)
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (anime)
Rainbow (anime)
Ginban Kaleidoscope (anime)
Millennium Actress (anime)
Utahime

"A Turn Of Fortune" - Mistress Fortune (manga) - 4/10 Pools

I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value. ~Hermann Hesse

Genre: Romance/Comedy/Fantasy/Supernatural

Review Status: Complete (1 Volume/1 Volume)

Licensed: Yes, this manga is licensed in the US.

Art: Very, very typical shoujo. With super-big eyes, small noses, thin, clean lines, this fails to distinguish itself stylistically from any other shoujo art out there.

Summary: Fourteen-year-old Kisaki Tachikawa has psychic powers. She works for the PSI, a secret government agency that fights aliens. She’s in love with her partner Giniro, but PSI won’t allow operatives to get involved. Just when Kisaki thinks she may be getting closer to Giniro, she finds out she’s going to be transferred to California! (from back cover)

Review: Kisaki, a teenage agent with the PSI, is in love with her partner. But how can she confess her attraction when she is forbidden to by the PSI, and has to deal with fighting aliens and Giniros’ own perverted personality? This is a story told in three chapters- the first introductory chapter, the second one where more drama is introduced, and the third with resolution! This also has two bonus chapters to fill out the rest of the manga.

The first chapter consists of Kisaki and Giniro working together to stop one of the EBEs, little aliens that are invading the world. Why? Who knows! However, one is on the attack in town, and they must stop it. You get to see how Kisaki has issues with her powers, and how far she has to catch up to Giniro. Due to a mistaken wish on her part, an EBE is set loose on town. Eventually it’s captured, giving the manga it’s requisite cute mascot. The second one starts out with the EBE having learned to talk and having joined them for various unexplained reasons. The team of Mistress Fortune comes closer together as they deal with yet another EBE, and find a way to communicate outside of the agency. The third, starting out with Kisaki having been called to America, is about how Giniro comes for her, admitting his feelings, and they manage to find a way to talk to his mother who has been in a coma for many years.

This is so very shoujo. Unfortunately, it doesn’t fall into the ‘so-bad-it’s-good’ territory. Kisaki is a very typical shoujo heroine- not very good at what she does, unable to speak her feelings to the guy she likes, and somewhat hot-tempered when it comes to her man. She’s a cookie-cutter of a hundred other shoujo girls. Giniro is a little more perverted with most, and with only three chapters manages to stay out of the cold-hearted stereotype that plagues the genre. To top it off, this is a manga you should never put in front of someone who knows their science. I was both frustrated and annoyed by how this explained things. I won’t go into details, since it would be passable to those who don’t know anything about physics or electromagnetic waves, but this is one to avoid if you know what you’re reading about.

Even the mangaka acknowledges how very mediocre this manga is in the back notes. Even though Arina Tanemura says that it was fun to do a majou shoujo for once, she says she might come back to it someday. Most mangaka give bright notes that they had such fun with it and hope to do more on it one day. It’s minor, but very obvious when one has read many of those author notes.

The two side stories are just that: minor stories that are just for fun. The first is about EBE and how it wants to get a nice place to live- and so goes out to find a job. This completely breaks the world that the story is in, since EBE is obviously not human, and yet the PSI is trying desperately to keep these things out of the public eye. It’s rather fun and sweet, but a typical storyline that I see in this genre. The second is about how the two members of team Mistress Fortune are trying to discover whether their team leader is a guy or girl- which can be slightly hard to tell given his very bishie long hair and looks. However, their ways of telling are either very stereotypically masculine (having a messy house) or very culture-specific (how he eats his ramen in the PSI cafeteria). Also somewhat typical in these stories, but still somewhat fun in execution. However, they don’t save the main story from being a mess.

Overall, this wasn’t anything special- I would read something else instead. Preferably her amazing series The Gentlemen’s Alliance or Searching for the Full Moon!

Recommended: No. Um, 13+ because Giniro keeps talking about her breasts and how large they are. In most cases, this is less violent than Looney Tunes, as it tends to be off-screen or you only see the light from the attack.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Gakuen Alice (manga)
Fruits Basket (manga)
The Gentlemen’s Alliance (manga)
Searching for the Full Moon (manga or anime)
Shugo Chara! (manga)
Time Stranger Kyoko (manga)
Kamichu! (anime and manga)

“A Love In Time…” – Red River (manga) – 9/10 Pools

Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past. ~Anonymous

Genre: Historical/Romance/Supernatural/Action/Shoujo/Adventure

Review Status: Complete (28 Volumes/28 Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this manga is licensed in the US.

Art: This was started in ’95, and it does show a bit. Our main’s hair is a little on the large side, and her clothes are very much from that era. However, the lines are clean, the shading is well-done, the detail in the pictures looks very nice. If you can forgive the slightly-dated look, then this is above-average.

Summary: A seemingly ordinary modern day teenager, Yuri, is suddenly whisked away to the Hittite empire in ancient Anatolia, where an ambitious queen wants the girl for a blood sacrifice in order to murder all heirs but her son, thus seizing control of the throne. Luckily, the timely intervention of Prince Kail saves Yuri from the queen's grasp. Kail promises to send Yuri back to her home, but the queen's persistent schemes to kill them both, plus their growing feelings for each other, keep those plans delayed. (Source: Wikipedia)

Review: They don’t write a whole lot of shoujo like this one. From the beginning, this marks itself out as a gritty, fairly realistic historical manga, mixing a few bad clichés (such as Yuri being irresistible to every powerful foreigner that comes along) with a whole ton of inventiveness and novelty. The good guys are flawed, the bad guys are repulsively evil. You get a taste of this in the first two volumes, when two people that helped Yuri and looked like people she loved have terrible ends- one by being skinned, another by being hanged.

The ultimate goal of trying to get Yuri back to her time, avoiding her death and foiling the plans of Kail’s stepmother, is remembered throughout the series. That is what all the plots center around, all the internal politics that swirl around Yuri and Kail, and the international politics between Anatolia and Egypt. These hold true to events that occurred during that time, as far as historical records can enlighten us. The things that might be less detailed still hold to a great deal of realism, with nepotism and birth order and murder all entwining to make things difficult for our heroine and her Prince. They have serious opposition from both family and rulers of city-states, and must deal with civil war as well as the threat of invasion.

What was nice was that it was realistic and gritty enough that my brother ended up perhaps even more addicted to the series than I was. He enjoyed the action and politics, and found the relationship aspects to it to be realistic and low-key enough to not bother him. So this title is definitely one that has a strong crossover ability for its demographic.

The characters help pull this story off beautifully. Kail may have taken Yuri in as seemingly a whim, but is clever enough to have known it would vex his stepmother. He has depth as a character, deftly manipulating politics to favor him, while being more than just a typical love interest to Yuri. Yuri is a modern girl, and her sensibilities and knowledge of that both are an advantage and disadvantage. What might gain her popularity among the commoners often works against her in court. She grows from a somewhat impulsive girl to one that thinks over her actions, acting out of thought and wisdom. As they work together and deal with various incidents that threaten both their lives, the attraction grows from lust into genuine feelings. It’s far from overnight, and feels deeper and more real (and realistic) than those of many shoujo manga.

This isn’t always happy. There isn’t a good ending for a good deal of characters. Those that manage to survive don’t have easy lives ahead of them. But this does have its moments where there is tenderness and joy, and affirmations of life and love.

Overall, this is a shoujo that pushes traditional boundaries, and becomes memorable for it.

Recommended: Mature readers only! 16+ at least, since there is death both on page and off page. Some tend to be particularly powerful ones. There is attempted rape a few times, and undetailed scenes of sex are occasionally depicted, or sex is implied. There is some language, but it is relatively rare and never more powerful than the b-words.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Emma: A Victorian Romance (anime and manga)
Fushigi Yuugi: Mysterious Play (manga or anime)
From Far Away (manga)
InuYasha (manga or anime)
Saver (manga)
The Story of Saiunkoku (anime)
Twelve Kingdoms (anime or manga)
Samurai Champloo(anime)

“It’s A Revolution!” – Le Chevalier d’Eon (anime)- 8/10 Pools

To know the truth of history is to realize its ultimate myth and its inevitable ambiguity. ~Roy P. Basler

Genre: Historical/ Supernatural/ Action/ Mystery

Review Status: Complete (24 Episodes/ 24 Episodes)

Art/ Animation: Abso-freakin-tastic! The art is lovely, with an amazing amount of detail put into the clothes and backgrounds (having been in Paris, most of the scenes there were like reliving my memories). The clothes for the most part remain true to the Rococo era (except for one dreadful allowance to a lolita outfit). The characters… Well, the faces can look fairly similar. The animation ranges from decent to astounding, especially for the swordfighting scenes, which are top-notch!

Summary: 18th Century, France. Lia de Beaumont, loyal servant of Versailles and its King, Louis XV, is found dead in the river Seine. Floating inside a coffin, on which the word "Psalms" was written, her body had been poisoned by mercury, thus preserving decay. According to the Church, the soul that belonged to a corpse incapable of being consumed by the soil will forever wander in the human realm, unable to go to Heaven.

This greatly affects D'Eon de Beaumont, Lia's brother and one of the king's spies. He vows to discover by whom - and why - she was murdered. But he never expected that the one who conducting the revenge would be Lia, now possessing D'Eon's body! And what will the knight do when this quest might risk France itself?

History is retold in this supernatural tale of vengeance, loyalty and betrayal. (MAL.net)

Review: This is a title that is not afraid to play around with history, yet still manages to stay true to the stories, personalities, and politics of the time. Virtually every character in this story existed in some form or another, from D’Eon, who had existed, to his sister Lia, who was his alternate personality in real life. The characters are all fantastically brought to life, with each having their own motivations and stories that are brought to light over the course of the anime. All of this has to do with the Royal Psalms, and ancient book that foretells the future of the world and gives power to rule it to those that possess it. Each character’s story weaves around it, from commoner to noble, and no one is left untouched by its power.

The story itself is ingeniously done. Politics of the time hold very true to the era and what was happening then, and things that seem insignificant at one point can later have great consequences. And the line between fantasy and reality blurs with each political move made and historical figure introduced, as real events are often accurately depicted, with some bits of imagination thrown in.

The pacing is very slow and deliberate, with bits and pieces of the story behind the psalms and the politics behind them coming to light with each episode. It isn’t until the last four episodes that most of the clues and information that were givenares brought together for a heart-pounding climax. Even so, the anime can seem to move at a snails’ pace, with a decent amout of action to liven up a story that is mostly political.

However, the sheer complexity does have its downsides. I found myself needing to marathon it and write down people and connections as I did to keep track of what was happening. Some of the answers seem stretched to fit the occurrences. Some answers seem nonsensical… and sometimes the answers don’t come at all. Not all the symbolism- such as the passages used to create magic- are explained fully within the show. However, for all the things that happen, a remarkable amount of the story is explained and makes sense within the context of the story. And most of the plotlines also lead to the heart of the story- what it truly happening in France, and the future that is coming for it.

Overall, if you’re a fan of historical or political anime, you might want to look at this.

Recommended: Probably not for those under the age of thirteen. There is a decent amount of violence- people get shot and stabbed, though none of it is graphically violent. You do see dead bodies and hear about how they’ve been desecrated, and rather terribly at that. There is some language, but it’s mild and rare. This does have something that could be considered sacrilege, in that some Bible passages can be used for magic. This doesn’t hold true for every Bible, only special ones. There is a specific one, passed down from great leader to great leader, which holds the ones that can change nations.

Other titles you might enjoy:
20th Century Boys (manga)
Towards the Terra (anime and manga)
Rose of Versailles (anime)
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (anime)
Romeo x Juliet (anime)

“Listen And Learn” – Princess Mononoke (anime) – 9/10 Flowers

He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words. ~Elbert Hubbard

Genre: Action/Supernatural

Review Status: Complete (1 Movie/1 Movie)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed in the US

Art/Animation: Fabulous, as always! Ghibli’s usual round-cheeked characters look more sleek and adult, while the animation and art is top-notch: Fluid, smooth, and brightly colored. The fight scenes are astoundingly fluid and a treat to watch.

Summary: Inflicted with a deadly curse, a young warrior names Ashitaka sets out to the forests of the west in search of the cure that will save his life. Once there, he becomes inextricably entangled in a bitter battle that matches Lady Eboshi and a proud clan of humans against the forest’s animal gods… who are led by the brave Princess Mononoke, a young woman raised by wolves! (from the back of the DVD cover)

Review: “You’re under a curse? Well, so what? So is the whole d--- world.” These are the words of one of the characters, a truth that echoes throughout the story of Princess Mononoke. Humans and spirits are converging in a battle around a little village in the West, and it may be a battle to see who survives… and who doesn’t. You see those words describe exactly what’s happening between the two factions- the humans are angry and upset that the Gods do not want them to continue growing and expanding, while the Gods and spirits are upset that the humans raze forests without care and turn good animals into stupid, cruel ones. They are cursed by a deep misunderstanding, an unwillingness to listen to each other, and it almost leads to a great amount of pain and destruction on both their sides.

One of the things that always amazes me is how real these characters seem. The ‘bad’ guys are not necessarily evil through and through. For all the trouble Lady Enoshi causes, she has nonetheless saves women from being slaves in whorehouses and gives them an amazing amount of freedom and equality for that day and age, and shows kindness and care to lepers that everyone else would shun. The wolves and boars aren’t cruel creatures- they are losing their homes and families, and are trying to save themselves. Both sides have valid reasons for fighting each other, none more right or good than the other.

This is part of what makes the story so intriguing and interesting to watch- you see both sides equally, why they feel that it is so necessary to make the choices they do. And that is why it is so nice to see the story develop as the movie goes on. The pacing of the story is slow but sure, with each side eventually coming to a sure conclusion that they must work together in order for them to live peacefully.

There are other small things that add to how great this is- such as how the dub is equal in quality to the Japanese voice actors. The only thing that brings down my score is that the environmental message can come across a little too strongly.

Overall, this was an amazing action anime where man meets and faces the Gods.

Recommended: 13+. There are perhaps three swears in the film, usually the d-word. This has an unusual amount of gore for a Ghibli production- early on, you see a boar killed with an arrow through its eye (just the arrow hitting is shown- no bloodhappened when it is shot), there are soldier attacking a few villagers, and one of the attackers has his arms ripped clean off from an arrow- no blood spurts but you do see the wounds clearly. Some fighting happens, and this includes explosions and some boars dying. Early on, one of the wolf gods is shot. The girl gets the bullet out by using her mouth to suck it and the infectious agents out. A few men fall off a cliff- the implication is that all but two of them die, though their bodies are not shown. Some blood is shown being spat and around her mouth. The ‘curse’ that affects Ashitaka and others can be a bit disgusting- it looks like oily, black worms. The village where this takes place is made up of women that were saved from brothels, and reference is made to this as well as a few flirtatious remarks. Ashitaka does get shot, and he does bleed.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Spirited Away (anime)
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (manga and anime)
Origin: Spirits of the Past (anime)
Earth Maiden Arjuna (anime)
Seirei no Moribito (anime)

"Cryin' Right Now" - Asura Cryin' (Season 1) (anime) - 4/10 Leprechauns

The mind, that ocean where each kind / Does straight its own resemblance find; / Yet it creates, transcending these, / Far other worlds, and other seas, / Annihilating all that's made / To a green thought in a green shade. ~Andrew Marvell

Genre: Mecha/Action/Supernatural/Ecchi

Review Status: Complete (13 Episodes/13 Episodes)

Licensed: Yes, this anime is licensed in the US

Art/Animation: The character designs are rather bland. In some scenes, they actually seem deformed. The animation is sub-par for when it was made.

Summary: Natsume Tomoharu is a normal high-school student in every way with one exception: he’s being followed by the ghost of his best friend, Misao.

After moving into his brother’s old house, Tomoharu expects to continue living his normal life but is one day left with a mysterious and locked briefcase without any instruction. At first he plans to leave it in storage, however his house is soon invaded by multiple groups of people after the briefcase. Although still not knowing the purpose of the briefcase, Tomoharu and Misao attempt to escape with it.

From there on, Tomoharu tries to learn the secrets behind the briefcase, the connections between it and Misao and why it has the power to change the world. (MAL.net)

Review: You don't necessarily have to know what's going on to enjoy a show. Asura Cryin' takes that idea and runs with it. For the first episode, you have Tomoharu getting a mysterious package, dealing with having a ghost floating around him, and having two factions fight over him.

Then it starts falling apart. Unlike Darker than Black or The X-Files, where you may be drawn into a story along different arcs but never get a sure answer to the mystery that they're solving, the story is choppy and haphazard that most interest is lost in it.

Half the epsiode is filled with lighthearted comedy that involves partial nudity, sexual innuendo, and boob jokes. Usually, it's completely unnecessary to any character development. Then you have some action. Someone attacks Tomoharu and his harem that seems to grow with every episode, after that there might actually be some plot or you learn a fact about the Asura Machines, and then there might be some more action. I can even tell you about how much of every episode each part will take up.

Part of the problem with this is that the plot is driven by the mystery and purpose of the Asura Machines- so to only get one piece of information an episode, and then have no plot to back up the story being told is very frustrating. With X-Files, for instance, you had a plot (ex.- to get the kiler), and pieces of the puzzle were scattered throughout the episode(s). When there is no purpose to half an episode for Asura, there is little reason for watching at all. It's even worse when the fact that they reveal was already told in a different episode, which makes the entire episode rather purposeless.

To top it off, there is little explanation to all the rest of the elements. What is the purpose of the Science Club? Why are they at odds with the Student Council? Why is there more than one Student Council? Doesn't anyone find it wierd that the student council president has a really funny robe that he wears out in public?

Some things just make absolutely no sense when put into the context of the world this anime occurs in. For instance, why is everyone okay with Misao being a ghost and attending classes? Most people can't see ghosts, presumably don't believe that they don't exist, but when Misao shows up out of nowhere, floating, it's totally accepted and okay.

The other problem is that they continually add more and more elements to this, making it confusing to follow. I actually needed to make myself a list of terms and ideas so that I could keep track of who was who, their backstories, what the deal was up with contracts and handlers, and why I should care about them. When you need to be reminded of why you should care about someone after 13 episodes of watching about them, it's a bad sign.

This anime just tries to do too much with too many characters. Having a billion characters that show up with little to no explanation, and trying to be a mystery and action and ecchi.... it's too much. And they spread it over too many episodes to make a compelling, coherent story.

Overall, while this has some interesting aspects to it, I wouldn't watch it again.

Recommended: No. But 16+ due to the nature of the humor- much of it is sexual, having to do with sex, and in one case comes within a hairsbreadth of porn. It highly rembles it, at the very least. And there's at least one risque joke every episode, in addition to the bouncing ladies' chests.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Eureka Seven (anime)
Code Geass (anime)
Darker Than Black (anime)
Escaflowne (anime)
Full Metal Panic! (anime)
Heroic Age (anime)
Xam'd: Lost Memories (anime)

"Taking To The Skies" - Air (anime) - 8/10 Leprechauns

Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death. ~Anonymous

Genre: Drama/Romance/Supernatural

Review Status: Complete (1 Movie/1 Movie)

Licensed: This anime is licensed in the US

Art/Animation: Very nice, though perhaps a little strong on the CG effects. But the movement is fluid and the colors are bright. There is also a fondness for contrasting overly bright scenes with darkness and shadows. The one thing that got rather annoying/frustrating was the use of split-screen and various other techniques, which in some places was constant and unnecessary. It's mostly very nice to look at- after all, it is KEY!

Summary: Young Misuzu, despite her innocent cheerfulness, is a very sick little girl; a victim of a curse. She befriends Yukito, a traveler on a journey in search of the legendary Girl With Wings. As a school assignment, Misuzu decides to study the heart-wrenching story of Princes Kanna, a prisoner who longs to find her lost mother.

In this cinematic retelling of the award-winning television series, past and present become inexorably linked, while Misuzu and Yukito discover how the struggles of history have shaped their individual journeys of today. (Back of DVD cover)

Review: "If you know where you came from and where you're headed,you are not on a true journey. When you're on a true journey, you've long forgotten where you came from, and you have no idea where you're going." Everything is coincidence, according to Yukito, our protagonist. But when he meets a young High School girl, things start changing in his life.

This story makes use of parallel storytelling to give the past and present of the romance that's happening. Long ago, a young maiden and a guard fell in love. Due to her curse, she ends up dying. It seems that Yukito and Mizusu's relationship is going the same way. It switches between the stories to show where they are similar and how they develope.

The stories themselves are very beautiful and tragic. The lovers from history who were forced to stay on the grounds of the castle, with the winged woman trapped, plays out like a fairytale. There is gentle laughter and small joys, even with their tragedy. The present one feels more like a modern love story, but contains elements from the other that tie them together and make it more emotional than I suspect it would otherwise be.

The storytelling isn't as refined as it could be. You're given brief glimpses of Mizusu's personality- childish antics, a happy face, but very little depth is given to her other than she is trying to put a brave face on despite her tragic illness. Yukito and the others are much the same, with superficial personalities. Any side characters are glossed over.

The music is very nice- some very nice orchestral music is used in it, The VA's did a wonderful job in the Japanese version. And I have to say that the English dub was also very nice. Honestly, you couldn't go wrong listening to either version.

Overall, this is a very beautiful love story that will leave you with a bit of a bittersweet feeling.

Recommended: Sure. 16+, for a little play one the puppet going poo, and a mother that walks around for a bit in some underwear and a see-through negligee. Without a bra. This mother drinks and drives. No one gets hurt from it, thankfully. 2 or 3 use of the d-word, and some slight non-sexual nudity, that is for the most part covered up by light effects. There is also a brief scene of two characters becoming intimate, and you do see some of the girl's chest in the scene. It shows up twice. There's also a little more language in the dub, the worst of it being a 'son-of-a-b*word'. There are two fight scene where soldiers are obviously dying, but there's no blood- just holes and light flashes where gore would otherwise be.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Air (anime)
Kanon (2006) (anime)
Clannad and Clannad Afterstory (anime)
Romeo x Juliet (anime)
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (anime)
Watashitachi ni Shiiwase na Jikan (manga)
The Music of Marie (manga)