Platinum Garden: Vol. 2

by Maki Fujita

Synopsis
Kazura's life has been in constant turmoil. First, her grandfather "gave" her to a boy named Mizuki to be his fiancee! Then, when she moved in with Mizuki, she learned that he resurrects the dead for rich clients! Now comes Kazura's biggest crisis to date: transferring to Mizuki's snooty rich high school. But trouble brews when the jealous student body learns she's Mizuki's "girlfriend" -- and sabotages their relationship!

Review
This kinda plays out as a high school drama in this volume, with girls wanting to make Kazura's life hell just because she's Mizuki's fiancee. But Kazura is a strong girl, something I really like, and she doesn't put up with any of their crap. She stands up for herself and makes them sorry that they tried to pick on her. Along the way, she makes new (if odd) friends, a guy named Kagami and Tsukiko the "high school killer."

The girls constantly try to use Kazura's friendship with Kagami as evidence of adultery, which I would worry about if it worked out, but fortunately, it seems like Mizuki isn't that stupid. He knows that Kagami is her friend, even if he doesn't like it, and it seems like he trusts Kazura to do the right thing.

What isn't shown a whole lot is the relationship between Mizuki and Kazura. I would like to see more of that. I guess it's assumed that they just go on as normal, with Kazura complaining about how fake he is and how much she hates him. I hope the series has more of their relationship, as they've developed Mizuki quite a bit, and I'm really curious if Kazura can help him or not.

Final thought: I'll keep collecting this series.

From Far Away: Vol. 4

by Kyoko Hikawa

Synopsis
A prophecy of doom, passed down from generation to generation, has finally arrived. Manifest in the form of a young girl named Noriko, the awakening promises a new world of frightening uncertainty.

But not everybody lives in fear of this ancient prophecy. Slowly, a group of sympathizers has come together to befriend and protect the vulnerable teenager. One of them, a valorous warrior by the name of Izark, continues to stay by her side despite the danger and complications that lie ahead.

In an attempt to avoid capture, Noriko and her band of allies travel into the White Mist Forest. Danger lurks everywhere, however... especially in this infrequently traveled wildwood!

Review
There is nothing to complain about in this book. I think the events and characters are all logical and normal. I've said before that this is one of the only manga that never annoyed me.

Izark and Noriko finally meet up with each other again, and we learn a strange secret about Izark -- he might be the sky demon. (Actually, I knew this a long time ago, but didn't want to spoil it.) Now I'm really curious exactly how Noriko will "awaken" him. This explains a lot about him too, why he was looking for the awakening, why he wanted to kill her but didn't, and why he left her with a friend. He wanted to kill this awakening because it would do something to him that he didn't want it to do, but when he saw her, he couldn't, because she was innocent, and had no idea what was going on. Finally, I think he left her with a friend because he didn't know what she could do in the future.

The separation wasn't a bad thing, though, as they discovered they could communicate telepathically. Why isn't really explained, but it's interesting, and will probably be useful in the future.

Final thought: I have to keep reading!

Dokebi Bride: Vol. 3

by Marley

Synopsis
Understood by no one, and still coming to terms with her ability to interact with the spirit world, Sunbi ventures deeper into darkness. In a rainy forest, she tries to lure out the impish dokebis, hoping to enlist their aid. Knowing they cannot clean themselves, she throws pain on one decidedly earthy spirit and offers to wash him in exchange for his help. The dokebi agrees to Sunbi's deal -- but will this roguish imp be able to help her defeat the powerful forces threatening her body? Meanwhile, back in so-called real life, Sunbi's classmate Taehoon continues to have feelings for her... and her human family decides she needs psychiatric care! It all comes to a head in Volume 3 of this hair-raising, mind-expanding thriller!

Review
Finally Sunbi finds someone who may be able to help her, a dokebi, a spirit who is neither good nor bad, but who can be helpful. However, while luring the dokebis out was a chore in and of itself, getting one to help her is far from easy. The one she picks wants to kill her for putting paint on him, and then ... he finds out she's a she. He flips out after that, saying how cute she is, and tries to force himself on her. Fortunately, she stops him (I don't quite know how), and he becomes more cowed towards her. Soon after that, they come to an understanding, and he gives her a ring that she can summon him with (by licking it!). I get the feeling that he is enthralled by her, and he brags to his friends how cute she is. It's actually kind of cute to watch them together, as he's quite a lech, and she's always strong and in control. I laughed out loud at his antics several times, and I think things are going to get better for Sunbi.

The only dark shadow that I didn't like was the paranormal stuff. I don't believe in anything like that, but of course, I can suspend my disbelief for a story. The people in the book talk callously about "skeptics" because they think we have closed minds. I think a lot of that is misunderstand skeptics and science, but I also do recognize that this is a story, so perhaps they're only referring to skeptics in their world.

Where's it going to go from here?

Final thought: I'll keep collecting this series.

Red River: Vol. 3

by Chie Shinohara

Synopsis
Yuri, a twentieth-century teen trapped in an ancient Hittite empire, learns the secrets of the Iron Age as her quest to return to her own time continues. Her protector, the dashing Prince Kail, finds out that war with a neighboring kingdom is emminent. At the dawn of war, Yuri and Kail express their growning feelings for one another. The romantic adventure intensifies as Yuri's relationship with Prince Kail (and her chastity) is threatened by an unexpected interloper -- the prince's own half brother!


Review
This is really a bridge book. One arc ends, while another begins. Yuri finally wins over Tito's murderer, as unlikely as that is, with her weapon of choice -- an iron dagger. One must remember that these people are still in the bronze age, so iron was not understood very well. This further cements her in people's minds, because only the goddess would have picked a worthless-looking, rusty dagger. Wait a sec, if it was rusty, doesn't that mean that it's brittle and weak? I mean, I'm no chemist, but I thought rust was bad for swords. And the way she did it -- breaking bricks with that sword. Absolutely ridiculous. But anyway, now she's a hero, and Tito's family: his three sisters and father, promise to give their secret of iron-making only to her.

So there's an upcoming war with the Mitanni, and the Hittite King orders iron weapons to be made. Sure, this sounds nice, like they'll have a definite victory, but Yuri never tries to use this power to ensure her or Kail's position. It's called being proactive, and they could have used the leverage here, oh well.

Finally, Kail's half-brother, Zannanza shows up, and takes an instant liking to Yuri. Of course, the queen uses this to her advantage and controls his mind so that he'll kidnap her and "have his way with her." I'm just surprised, as always, that the characters are never as vigilant as they could be. I figured the whole water trick would be common knowledge by now, but no.

Anyway, as a volume, I thought this one was weak. The climax of the last arc should have been more exciting, but I thought it was anti-climatic. The start of the next arc is so-so so far, so I guess we'll see.

Final thought: I'll keep collecting this series.

From Far Away: Vol. 3

by Kyoko Hikawa

Synopsis
With each passing day, Noriko discovers more and more about the strange and chimerical world she now calls home. And the more she learns... the more frightened she gets!

Everyone around her is talking about an ancient prophecy and the awakening that will usher in a new epoch. To some, this foretold era is fraught with uncertainty and danger. To these people, the power of the awakening must be eliminated.

Ever so slowly, Noriko starts to realize that she, somehow, embodies the gift of the awakening. With the help of a valiant hero named Izark, the young teenager has thus far eluded the attention of those who wish to destroy her. But secrets are hard to keep... and with one misspoken word, Noriko could seal her very own death!

Review
Again, the book builds up to something, but I don't know what. It doesn't help that about a third of it is taken up with some other included story, so we're cheated a chapter or two.

Anyway, Izark has finally decided to leave Noriko behind, in the care of a friend of his. This parting is very emotional, especially for her. In previous volumes, Izark has ruminated over what he should do with Noriko. I suppose what made him change his mind is that she accidentally talked about meeting him in the "sea of trees" with some strangers. Fortunately, they didn't figure out what she meant, but since she's learning how to speak better, she's becoming more of a liability.

Noriko takes this all in stride and does her best to move on. She hears about the prophecies of the Awakening and the Sky Demon, and realizes that she may be the awakening, but then reassures herself that she can't be, because she doesn't know any sky demon.

There's more politics in the volume, something that I wish I was more interested in, but the people that Noriko is staying with are being chased by "bad people" (meaning I don't know why they're bad other than they are), and Noriko is left alone again. Meanwhile, Izark gets swept up in some fighting thing against his will, so he can't come to Noriko's aid, even when she calls him telepathically.

Where this volume ends is really frustrating, because I turned the page expecting more, and I get some other story that I don't care about. I never know what to make of these tacked on things, as sometimes they are filler, and other times, more like an advertisement for another story. I usually don't read them, intending to go back later, but I usually forget.

Anyway, I'm dying to read the next book, to find out what happens to Izark and Noriko.

Final thought: I'll keep collecting this series.

100% Perfect Girl: Vol. 2

by Wann

Synopsis
Who can resist a king's proposal? Not even headstrong Jay Jin, try as she might. So after High School, it's off to the Kingdom of Roinne with her fiance, Jarte. But will she survive life as Queen-in-waiting? Can she persue her art studies or make friends from behind a wall of bodyguards? How will she deal with Jarte's tragic past, and the jealousy of every girl in the kingdom? And how long will Jarte wait for her love to bloom before he takes what he wants by force? Beware, Jay Jin, is that sudden flash from the camera of some reporter, or the pistol of an assassin?

Review
Well, I think this story gets more and more foolish as time goes on. I can forgive a lot of strange things, like how obsessive Jarte is, or how rude he is under the guise of caring about her safety. These kinds of things are typical for romance stories. But what really gets me -- and I should know better -- is that there is always some sort of contrived interruption in the characters' relationship. I mean, things are going along well enough, and then at the end, something awful has to happen (we actually find out what in the next volume). In this case, it's kidnapping. Not that I don't doubt it could happen, but geez, how cliche. Gotta find some reason to stop the relationship, because otherwise, they'll get close enough to have sex, and then we'll lose all the sexual tension! Oh no!

As far as other parts of it go, it's ok. Jay tries to figure out her life as royalty, and finds out how suffocating that can be. At least Jarte's reluctance to fall in love is explained (his mother was kidnapped and killed), and it seems pretty reasonable. Jay is still boring and uninteresting, so I still don't know what he sees in her. The two are getting closer to each other, and it's fun to watch. What's not fun is how Jay keeps pushing Jarte away physically. They joke and laugh about it, and play it down, but it doesn't seem realistic to me at all. Don't women have a sexual drive, too? She always seems to be able to keep a cool head, and not let him get too close. That only seems like it would be that easy if you had no sexual desire at all. Well, whatever, keep up the stereotype that men are animals, and women are frigid.

I don't know why I read the next volume. I guess blind hope that it would get better. Well, you'll see my opinion of that later.

Final thought: I read more, but I'd stop here if I knew what was good for me.

The Other Side of the Mirror: Vol. 2

by Jo Chen

Synopsis
After escaping the confines of New York City, Lou and Sunny start a new life in a small town. But just as things are looking up, the trauma of their pasts wiped clean, fate strikes again... and Lou may lose more than he thought possible.

From celebrated illustrator Jo Chen comes the conclusion to this poignant tale about two lost souls finding themselves -- and each other.

Review
The story only takes up about half of the book, so there's not much to write about, especially without spoiling it. But trouble follows the couple even in a small town, as the convenience store that Sunny works at is robbed. What follows is tragedy, finding out what you really live for, and what is the meaning of life. The ending made me think of Romeo and Juliet, in the way that it turns out, except it's not as tragic. This series is definitely worth reading, and the only problem I have is that I wish it was longer, and developed the characters' relationship more.

Final thought: I'm glad I read this. I wish there was more like it.

Dokebi Bride: Vol. 2

by Marley

Synopsis
With her grandmother gone, Sunbi experiences the twin pains of loss and loneliness as she learns about the eerie world of unseen demons, gods, and spirits all alone. Subjected to frightening and unceasing attacks by wandering stray demons who find her to be an ideal host, Sunbi discovers just how much her grandmother had shielded her from this dangerous hidden world. To survive, she must confront her greatest fear and traverse its terrible depths. What is Sunbi most afraid of? Has her grandmother forsaken her? Watch as she bravely fights against the sinister dokebis in Volume 2 of her strange world!

Review
Now the meat of the story begins. Without her grandmother, Sunbi is very lost. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Not only that, her new family is not very nice: her dad secretly is afraid of her, her step-sister thinks she's stuck-up, and her mother, well ... we don't see much of her. Her classmates don't like her either, because she sees spirits in school and responds to them, to which, they think she's crazy.

Really, we see just how vulnerable she is, as one possession goes horribly wrong, and I'll admit, I was worried about her for a moment. Fortunately, a buddhist monk is passing by and helps exorcise her, and explains to her why these odd spirits are attracted to her. She decides to take her life into her own hands, and find some kind of help. She hears about a nearby mountain that is rumored to have dokebis living there....

Really, this was kind of a sad volume, as I really felt for Sunbi, and I wondered who or what could help her. All I could do was follow along though. This story is really interesting, and the main character is strong, yet vulnerable. I really can identify with her. I can't wait to find out what's going to happen next!

Final thought: I'll keep collecting this series.

Red River: Vol. 2

by Chie Shinohara

Synopsis
Yuri is a normal twentieth-century teen trapped in an ancient Middle-Eastern empire. In this volume, Yuri and Prince Kail return to the queen's palace to rescue Tito, but the queen will not let them in. Later, Tito's whereabouts are made shockingly clear. Yuri tries to get back to twentieth-century Japan, but the queen uses her magic to stop the attempt. Kail, in turn, fights back against the queen using his own magic. Will Yuri succeed in going home?

Review
Well, more irritation abounds. Yuri wanted to go home, but let herself be distracted by the queen's attackers at the crucial moment. Apparently she felt angry at Tito's murderer, which I understand, but she cares more about that than going home? Yeah, whatever. And of course, this was the last time they could try for a year, so darn, she just stuck there now. Also, the queen is obsessed with sacrificing Yuri now. Anyone who's read the Evil Overlord's Handbook should know that if anyone will do as the sacrifice, you shouldn't waste your time on one particular person. She should have just asked for another sacrifice, then sacrificed them, and yay -- her plans would have worked out. You'd think the author contrived things to work out this way, instead of having her characters act logically. The question is why? Could she not think of anything better? Sigh.

Regardless, I'm still entranced by this series, and I can't stop reading it. Yuri is now going to be known as Yuri Ishtar, her goddess name, as most think of her as a goddess after this point. (In fact, when they mentioned her Japanese last name in the first volume, I paused for a second.) It's a ploy, but well done, and I can only hope it serves them well in the future. She lives up to her name as the goddess of war, by turning the tide in an important battle, without really intending to. Of course, this is contrived, too, but at least it makes sense in terms of the story. Unfortunately, Tito's sisters, who misunderstand what happened to their brother, take their revenge, and kill Yuri. That is not a spoiler -- it can't be, there's 26 more books to go. Of course she's not dead. So it leaves us at another cliffhanger.

Kail and Yuri are starting to get a little bit closer at this point, but still not that much. Yuri is debating whether she likes him because he saved her or because of who he is. I do have to credit the author for making me think Kail was a playboy, when really, it's all a ruse to explain why he hasn't married anyone yet. Apparently, he might be King at some point, and his (future) wife would be a very powerful woman, so he'd better make the best choice he can, lest she be an evil woman like the current queen. The idea that he'd love only his wife, though, and not take any concubines... I'm not sure I buy that as it sounds too much like modern sentimentality. I don't doubt that a man could love only one woman, but to not have concubines when it was expected of you? Unlikely, especially back then.

Final thought: This series is interesting enough to obsessively collect continue.

Tail of the Moon: Vol. 2

by Rinko Ueda

Synopsis
Usagi is the granddaughter of the leader of prestigious ninja village, but she's such a klutz that she's never made it out of the kiddie class. Frustrated with Usagi's lack of progress, her grandfather sends her to marry Lord Hanzo and have lots of ninja babies. But the lord has no interest in her or her childbearing potential!

Usagi's mission to bear Hanzo's child is not going well. The father of her future babies has no interest in her, and she has a beautiful, brilliant rival. In order to regroup, Usagi goes back to her home village, arriving just in time for the annual Ninja Games -- and the prize is a love potion! In order to win the race, Usagi agrees to team up with her ex-fiance Goemon... and then Hanzo drops by the village unannounced! Who will win in this game of love?

Review
So much happens in this volume. Usagi wins the love potion, and rightly gives it to Hanzo, because she wants him to be happy, even if he gives it to princess Sara (technically, I think that should be lady Sara, because she's not a Princess). I was touched by how selfless she is (even though she thinks she's being selfish(!)), that she didn't secretly try to give it to Hanzo to make him fall in love with her. I won't spoil what happens, but this event seems to change Hanzo's mind about Usagi, and he rescinds his "I'm never getting married" mantra, and agrees to marry either Usagi or Yuki if they can qualify as ninja. I'm not really sure what changed his mind, though. Perhaps he began to notice Usagi's cheerfulness and resiliency and it touched him.

I shouldn't give too much away, but Usagi finally does get noticed for her herbalism skills, and is offered what is likely a prestigious position, even if she doesn't see it that way. All she can think about is how now she won't become a ninja, and therefore can't marry Hanzo. Again, I know she's single-minded about her goal, but I can't help but think that someone with herbalism skills, and someone who's close to Tokugawa Ieyasu, would be a great asset to a ninja, but Usagi just doesn't think that way. I guess that is one thing she doesn't have is confidence in herself. It would probably be hard at this point, considering she's been told she's stupid and a failure her whole life.

Still, I laughed a lot during this volume and want to see where it goes, and how Usagi's and Hanzo's relationship develops.

Final thought: I'll keep collecting this series.

Mars: Vol. 2

by Fuyumi Soryo

Synopsis
Rei promised Kira that he would protect her from anything and everything, but he never knew how soon his chance would come. When a conniving classmate steals Kira's original painting, Rei quickly stands up for her, but his efforts are hardly rewarded. He gets kicked out of school, and now it looks like he might become a permanent dropout. Suddenly, "good girl" Kira finds herself in the middle of a bad situation. She'll need more than a little luck if she ever wants to rescue Rei and salvage her hopes for a future romance.

Review
There's really two things that happen in this volume. The first is Kurosawa, a fellow art student, steals Kira's mother and child painting, which he uses to win an art contest. Interestingly enough, Kira doesn't care about that, she cares that her painting was stolen, because now she can't give it to Rei like she promised. Rei, however, becomes much more upset, and beats up Kurosawa. I, personally, was furious that he stole the painting, and was quite gratified when Rei taught him a lesson. I would never do such a thing, but it's nice when a character can do what you can't. You sort of live vicariously though them. It's pretty scary too, how Rei can just do stuff like that. I've heard of soldiers sometimes turning the conscious part of their brain off so that they are able to kill people. I get the same feeling from Rei, and while it is scary, he's not really a sociopath. It's just that he's not worried about consequences, like the rest of us are. I wonder why.

The second thing is that Rei had an identical twin brother, Sei, who died. He's still really affected by it, by the way has these attacks whenever it affects him too much. Not much is really discussed about Sei in this volume, though.

Kira and Rei are definitely getting closer in this volume, they share their first kiss and such. Kira even skips school to check on Rei. I keep looking forward to what's going to happen with them.

Final thought: I'll keep collecting this series.

From Far Away: Vol. 2

by Kyoko Hikawa

Synopsis
Transported into a fantastical world of high adventure, a confused and frightened teenager discovers she holds the key to a profound power borne of an age-old prophecy.

Scared and on the run, Noriko strikes up an alliance with a mysterious rogue swordsman named Izark. But now, weakened from a recent battle, this swordsman has become dependant on his young charge to nurse him back to health.

Trapped in a strange world and unable to speak the native language, Noriko must find a way to save her fallen warrior... and save herself, too!

Review
Not much more is revealed in this volume, other than Izark seems to have a mysterious illness that comes and goes at will. Of course, bad people come to take advantage of his weakness at this time, and most of what happens is how Izark and Noriko fight off the bandits. Here again, Noriko shows off her strength and actually protects Izark for a time (not by fighting, of course), something which she doesn't wonder, whine, or cry about. She just does what needs to be done. I'm really loving her character more and more.

Another character, Keimos, is shown a bit more, and it's likely he will become the antagonist. He's arrogant and full of pride, and thinks he can take on Izark by himself. Unfortunately for Izark, a man and his fortuneteller whisk Keimos away from the battle before he can become hurt, as they want to use him for some purpose.

It's not the greatest book, but it's interesting, and it's likely a bridge to other more exciting things.

Final thought: I'll keep collecting this series.

Yurara: Vol. 1

(aka Yurara no Tsuki, Yurara's Moon)
by Chika Shiomi

Synopsis
There are two sides to every ghost story....
Yurara Tsukinowa is a quiet girl who can see spirits and sense their emotions. Not wanting to seem abnormal, she hides her secret until she meets Mei Tendo and Yako Hoshino, two guys who use their spiritual powers to ward off vengeful spirits. The dormant guardian spirit in Yurara arises and a strong-willed beauty with the power to release souls emerges!

On Yurara's first day of high school, she finds her assigned seat is occupied -- by a ghost! Mei and Yako cannot banish the spirit, and Yurara's other self is released....

Review
Basically, this is another magical girl type of story. At present, it seems a bit like monster of the week, as there's always a new spirit to help in each chapter. This may change, I don't know. It's also very goofy, and is not serious at all. And it's not a good kind of funny, it's the typical slapstick Japanese comedy I've come to loathe. This is really too bad.

I've noticed that the guardian spirit character definitely overshadows Yurara. She's far more serious and interesting, and I think it's too bad that she isn't the main character. I think Yurara herself is an afterthought. It seems like the two guys think highly of the guardian spirit too, as they start developing crushes on her, which will likely lead to fighting over her.

It has an interesting premise but I have no idea where this might go, or if I'm even interested enough to find out. Not that I regret reading this book, but it didn't really grab me. In fact, I feel like I've seen this somewhere before. Oh yeah, Dokebi Bride, which was far more interesting and written far better.

Final thought: Maybe if I can't find anything else to read....

Seimaden: Vol. 1

by Higuri You

Synopsis(from the back of the book)
Two men battle for the soul of the woman they have lost. Can one man sacrifice everything for love? Centuries ago, Laures agreed to become a demon to rescue his one true love from evil -- only to find that the only way to save her was through death. Laures has waited centuries for her spirit to be reborn to reclaim their love. But now that she is reincarnated, can she possibly accept the love of a creature of the underworld?

Review
The synopsis doesn't really match what happens in the story, but I wonder if they have extra information or something. That's what made me interested in reading it, but in reality, it's more like the story of a girl who has lost her memory, yet has two men, possibly ex-lovers fighting to get her back. One is the prince of darkness, Laures, and the other, the last of the Azelle (presumably people with the power of light), Roddrick.

This volume doesn't explain much at all, and all we really learn is who the major players are. I really have no idea who to like or root for, because I don't know enough about any of them. The woman, Hilda, is a little different than typical heroines, it seems that she can stand up for herself some of the time, at least. There's nothing particularly likable about her, though, so I wonder what the men see in her. Oh yeah, she's pretty and she's a dancer. Maybe that's it.

This seems like a really serious manga to me. So why, during some moments do we still have to have the whole SD thing again? An example: in one part, Laures steals a kiss from Hilda, so she punches him. It shows her holding her fist, and she's drawn SD. Is hitting people funnier if you're short and cute? Would it be too much if they looked normal? I don't get it, and I think it's weird, particularly because the author doesn't do SD much.

So, if I want to know more about what's going on, I guess I have to read more.

Final thought: I'll pick up the next book.

Fairy Cube: Vol. 1

(aka, Yousei Hyouhon, Fairy Specimen)
by Kaori Yuki

Synopsis(from the back of the book)
Ian and Rin used to just see spirits. Now Ian is one. Using the Fairy Cube, Ian must figure out how to stop the lizard-spirit Tokage from taking over his life and destroying any chance he has of resurrection.

Rebirth
Ian is transported to another world by the fairy Ainsel, who promises to help him stop Tokage upon their return to the human plane.


Review
That's a rather useless synopsis. What is should read is: Ian can see the fairy world, but no one believes him, even to the point that they call him "Ian the liar." Rin is the only person who would believe him, and because of her belief, he can help her and others see the things he can. Ian also has an "other" attached to him, Tokage, who has green hair and red eyes. Tokage is jealous of what Ian has, and plots to take it away from him.

Anyway, the point is, he succeeds, and now Ian has to get his body back before Tokage destroys the world. This story is really interesting, and I'm really curious to see where it goes. There's nothing that really irritates me about it, which is nice for a change. Ainsel has her irritating moments though. She's a little too bitchy for my taste. It's pretty cliche, actually, and I tire of the bitchy woman cliche.

What's not explained is Tokage's motivations for everything. I can understand that he was jealous and wanted a life of his own, where he could interact with the world, but it seems that he wants to go farther than that. It better not be that he's evil for evil's sake. I will hate it for that.

One little remark about the layouts. I found myself getting really lost in the beginning, about who was talking, and what it was in relation to. I think it's because the author isn't always that great about separating one scene from another, so in my mind, they bleed together. Once I got farther in the book, it wasn't nearly such a problem, and in re-reading it, the beginning was a lot clearer.

It seems like the story is really building towards something, and I really want to find out what's going to happen!

Final thought: I have to get the next book.

Canon: Vol. 1

by Chika Shiomi

Synopsis(from the back of the book)
Canon is the only student who survived the bloody vampire attack that took the lives of her fellow classmates and turned her into one of the undead. Struggling against the terrible needs that compel her, she commits herself to use her powers for good and to do whatever she can to avenge the death of her friends and her own terrible fate. Joining forces with Fui -- a talking, vampire crow -- she begins her quest to find Rod, Lord of the Vampires.

Review
Another vampire story. They can be interesting, but it always depends on what the author decides to do with it. Canon is a servant, meaning one who has drunk vampire blood, yet, she doesn't act like one. She's proud that she has remained human, instead of becoming a mindless zombie with a thirst for blood. She's out for revenge, trying to find the vampire with silver hair and blue eyes, but also, she helps return servants to their human form. At first, I was worried that this might become a "monster of the week" type of story, but it doesn't at all.

Traveling with her is Fui, a very annoying crow, who is mostly used for comic-relief and general sidekickery. I have to say, I hated the crow from the very beginning. His continuous insults, inane comments, and arrogant attitude just grates on me. He's not incredibly essential to the story, so I was able to skip many of his comments, though sometimes he does have something interesting to say. As his purpose seems to be comic relief, I will say that I did not find him funny in any way. So, fail.

The story finally turns interesting when Sakaki is introduced. He's another vampire, who also wants revenge on Rod for killing his family. He's very mysterious, though, and has his own motivations for everything, including why he wants to help Canon. She seemed to have a crush on him right away, so who knows where this will go.

All in all, it's not a bad story. I'm sure more will be developed later on.

Final thought: I'll pick up the next book.

To Terra: Vol. 1

(aka, Tera e)
by Keiko Takemiya

Synopsis(from the back of the book)
The future. Having driven Terra to the brink of environmental collapse, humanity decides to reform itself by ushering in the age of Superior Domination (S.D.), a system of social control in which children are no longer the offspring of parents, but the progeny of a universal computer. The new social order, however, results in an unexpected by-product: the Mu, a mutant race with extrasensory powers who are forced into exile by the system.

The saga begins on educational planet Ataraxia, where Jomy Marcus Shin, a brash and unpredictable teenager, is nervously preparing to enter adult society. When his Maturity Check goes wrong, the Mu intervene in the great hope that Jomy, who possesses Mu telepathy and human physical strength can lead them back home, to Terra....

Review
This is an older manga, but you should never let that deter you. It's a dystopic, futuristic, sci-fi. It introduces us to a world in which adults aren't created in the traditional way, they are raised by surrogate parents, until they are fourteen, at which time they have a "Maturity Check" which decides if they are ready to leave home and become part of the system that will choose their future. People are separated into an unchangeable (except for down, perhaps) caste system, where the elites rule over all. It seems also that Terra is "the" place to go, as the children are indoctrinated to long for it, but only a few will ever actually go there.

Into this we are introduced to Jomy, a young boy with incredible latent telepathic powers. He is chosen as Soldier Blue's "heir," in other words, he will inherit Soldier's experience and memories, as well as his leadership over the Mu. He does, of course, and Jomy will lead them back to Terra. I don't know why though. Why would they care about Terra? It seems more likely that they would find somewhere else to live, even if it's not a "perfect" planet. But this is the premise, so I suppose we must accept it. What's not shown is Jomy's feelings about this. No one has consulted him to find out if he wants to lead the Mu, it's just assumed that he will. Also, once he's given his job, he just does it without complaint. There is no transitionary period, or anything remotely resembling character development, as he comes to grips with who he is, and what his duty is. None of this makes the story bad, but I think it's rather unfortunate. Such elements would help me identify with the character better.

Also introduced in the second part is Keith Anyan, and enigmatic elite who has made it through the maturity checks, and is studying on Station E-1077, a training facility. He will likely become an influential figure in later volumes (my bet is on the antagonist). Already it is clear that his is not like his fellow students, and perhaps, not even human? He is explained a lot better than Jomy is, actually, so I think his character and behavior makes sense for him.

Some questions entered my mind as I was reading this book. It's never explained why the Mu are the enemy. For the time this was written, it was probably revolutionary, but having seen many other speculative fiction stories, I cannot accept that people who are different are hated for absolutely no reason. I guess it's hinted that they're a threat to the system, but that still doesn't answer why they couldn't be incorporated into it. It's another one of those things that we just have to accept.

I usually don't comment on this, because it hasn't been a problem in other books lately, but I have noticed that out of three main characters, there are no women among them. It's likely a product of it's time, but it's still glaring, especially because the author is a woman. The closest is the "advisor," Physis, but she is not shown much, and doesn't seem to be influential. I'd hate this more if it was modern, but I still can't help but wonder why not make a female main character? Gender seems irrelevant in this series. What a shame.

For all that, the story is interesting, if you forgive the slight faults. There's clearly going to be a conflict, and we'll see if whether one will conquer the other, or if they can live in peace.

Final thought: I'll pick up the next book.

Real Love

(aka Ai Darou, Love I Guess)
by Mitsuki Oda

Synopsis(from the back of the book)
Can happiness be found in the delicate balance between passion and love? Twins Shun and Shu have had no luck in love. However, a chance encounter reunites former lovers Shu and Naomichi after their breakup of three years ago. While the two had a budding relationship in the past, things fell apart and they went their separate ways. Now, fate brings them back together once again. Could it be that a relationship like the one they shared in the past is what they have been looking for all along? Can they both find the meaning of real love?


Review
More mature material, just FYI.

First off, this has two stories in it. The first, Real Love, is very weird. Shun and Shu are opposite gender fraternal twins, but still look alike. This is important to remember. Apparently Shu and Naomichi used to be a couple, but now they're not. They start to get back together in this story, but it had a lot of elements that turned me off. I guess the fact that the story was difficult to follow was a major flaw. I couldn't keep track of people or events. Naomichi isn't a very nice character, and I have no idea why Shu likes him, or keeps having sex with him. It's not even hot or erotic, since she doesn't seem to want to be there. Blah. Then her brother is extremely rude to her every time he sees her, but it's revealed that he has is own issues. I'm not sure what the point of this story is. I guess they get back together in the end. Yay. Why did I even read that? I sure couldn't follow it.

The next stories, Baby and Love Star, is about a runaway who makes her living as a busker. She gets discovered by an acquaintance, who really works for a record company. The story is about their ups and downs, and what it means to write a song with feeling, and so forth.

This story was better than the first, and easier to follow. It's not enough to recommend the book for, though. All in all, I'm pretty disappointed with this book. It's like sex for sex's sake isn't enough to keep me interested. There has to be more, but these stories don't want to offer it. Is this the best josei there is to offer? I'm having real doubts about this LuvLuv line.

Final thought: I'm sorry I bought the book.

Kaze Hikaru: Vol. 1

by Taeko Watanabe

Synopsis(from the back of the book)
In the year 1863, a time fraught with violent social upheaval, samurai of all walks of life flock to Kyoto in the hope of joining the Mibu-Roshi -- a band of warriors united around their undying loyalty to the Shogunate system. In time, the group would become one of the greatest (and most famous) movements in Japanese history ... the Shinsengumi!

Into this fierce milieu steps Kamiya Seizaburo, a young would-be warrior who, though lacking in combat experience, possesses a fiery enthusiasm to both aid the Mibu-Roshi in their mission and to avenge his wrongfully murdered family. One of Mibu-Roshi's most gifted (and immature) swordsmen, the legendary Okita Soji, agrees to take Seizaburo under his wing. What no one suspects, least of all Soji, is that Seizaburo is actually a girl named Tominaga Sei in disguise!

Review
I'd never heard of the Shinsengumi, so I went to Wikipedia to look it up. Although I understand it better, I'm not sure what that has to do with this series. I know most samurai dramas are usually serious, something which I've become accustomed to; however, this series is not serious at all. It has goofy, often sexual humor, directed at the main character, Kamiya. I don't really know what to make of this. It's not funny at all to me, in fact, I think it's rather boring and cliche. I don't mind this kind of humor, but it does not work here at all.

I suppose to someone in Japan, who'd grown up with knowledge of the Shinsengumi, this series would make a lot of sense, because they'd already know about the main characters and events that took place. To someone like me, who has no idea about anything, it's really hard to remember who everyone is supposed to be, especially when they all look very similar. The author doesn't help this situation, either, by throwing all the characters at you right away, so I admit, I've forgotten most of the characters already. This isn't to say that I hate historical fiction, I don't. I just don't think the author introduced things in the best way possible.

I'm sure the story for this series is very interesting, but I find that the weird humor, and hard-to-remember characters really puts me off. I find myself skipping over parts, wishing they'd get back to the story, or that something interesting would happen. As it is, it's just a comedy with a cross-dressing girl.

Final thought: I suppose if I can't find anything else to read, I'll continue....

Sand Chronicles: Vol. 1

(aka Sunadokei, Hourglass)
by Hinako Ashihara

Synopsis(from the back of the book)
After her parents get divorced, Ann Uekusa and her mother move from Tokyo to rural Shimane. Accustomed to the anonymity of city living, Ann can't get used to the almost overbearing kindness of the people in her mother's hometown. But when personal tragedy strikes, Ann discovers how much she needs that kindness.

Review
This is an interesting series that I look forward to reading more of. It starts with the main character, Ann, at age twelve, and seems like it moves through events in her life as she grows up. The ages presented in the volume are twelve and fourteen. As it's slice-of-life, nothing really exciting or spectacular happens, but it keeps your interest anyway.

As the synopsis says, she moves to a backwater town, where mostly elderly people live, because her mother isn't feeling well and can't work. She manages to make friends anyway, and this story is about her adventures with them. She pairs off with Daigo almost right away (even though they don't realize it), which I thought was too bad, because I like Fuji better. This is probably because he's shy, and I identify with shy people, who are often misunderstood. But I digress.

The theme of time and hourglasses, seem to permeate through everything in this book. The preciousness of time, how fleeting events are, and how precious people are really came through to me while reading. The future isn't certain, of course, and I can only guess at what's going to happen next.

Final thought: I have to get the next book!

The Missing White Dragon

by Park Young Ha

Synopsis(from the back of the book)
Come and enter the world of Asian folk tales and Asian urban tales.... All with a romantic twist!

Review
This book has five short stories in it, some fantasy, some modern, some non-asian. I usually don't like short stories, but these were well-done and interesting. They tend to be funny and goofy, which can be annoying to me at times, but it was forgivable.

The first story, the title story, has to do with an arranged marriage between a human and a demon; the second story, Hannya, deals with a gifted doctor, who has nightmares, who has an unlikely savior who looks like her dead brother; the third story, Dispel Magic, is about two childhood friends, one of whom is practicing magic, but her friend turns her into a half-dog; the fourth, the Romance of the Crying Thunder Sword, has to do with a girl who steals the family sword, because it was going to be sold, and meets a mysterious man; and the fifth, A Magician's Proposal, is about a fairy and her magician master who seems to want to marry rich women.

Some stories are better than others. I particularly liked Romance of the Crying Thunder Sword because many of the unrelated events come to have meaning and significance at the end. I would have liked to see this turned into a longer story. All of the stories were interesting and enjoyable, and I'm glad I read this book. I think I'd like to read more of the author's work.

Final thought: Good enough to own.

Missing: Vol. 1

(aka Missing: Kamikakushi no Monogatari, Missing: Story of the Mysterious Disappearance)
Story by Gakuto Coda
Art by Rei Mutsuki

Synopsis(from the back of the book)
Kyoichi Utsume, aka "His Majesty, Lord of Darkness," is a dark and compelling mystery -- so much so that his fellow Literature Club members would rather discuss him than books! When "His Majesty" vanishes in front of their very eyes, his friends are left with several unanswered questions: what is the source of Kyoichi's long-standing obsession with the "other side?" And just who is Ayame -- the eerily ghostlike girl Kyoichi brought to school as his girlfriend the day before he disappeared?

Review
I really wanted to like this story. I wonder if the novel is better. Simply put it's: a weird goth kid disappears, and now his friends want to find him. Apparently it's supposed to be mysterious, and scary, and it's supposed to suck you in, but I didn't really care. The friends are more like talking heads, for the way they just talk about this and that, but don't really have any personalities of their own. I think the most interesting character is Kyoichi, but he's gone, and I suspect that we're not going to hear much from him in later volumes, but I could be wrong. I think his adventure could be the most interesting, to see what he sees in the "other side," but I'm sure it's going to be about the friends' adventure to find him.

There isn't much to say about this book; for all the pages, it really goes nowhere fast. I really wasn't interested enough to continue reading, but I forced myself for the sake of reviewing it, which admittedly, skewed my view of it. It's too bad, it could have had potential.

Final thought: I give up on this series.

The Other Side of the Mirror: Vol. 1

by Jo Chen

Synopsis(from the back of the book)
In the dismal backdrop of New York City, Southern-belle-turned-prostitute Sunny meets the college-educated Lou, who makes a living by out-drinking people at bars. What first starts as a night of drunken passion quickly spirals into unexpected love, as together they begin to search for meaning in a world that has all but deserted them....

From celebrated illustrator Jo Chen comes an emotional and moving story about seeking redemption and finding everlasting love.

Review
Now this is slice-of life-done well. The author is very good at developing her characters right away, so we care about them. Then we follow their ups and downs, trying to survive in a cold, harsh world. These characters didn't choose their pathetic lives, they were forced into them by circumstances around them.

I really like the characters, and I can't help but root for them as they try to do the best with what they're given. Sunny is the naive optimist, in complete contrast to the pessimistic Lou. But they fit together really well, as she shows him that life is still worth living.

The most enjoyable part of this book is how the characters grow together, and decide that they don't want to live such miserable lives anymore, so they make their own destiny together. There's something refreshing and hopeful about watching people's lives slowly begin to improve, and as the reader, it actually made me feel happier. The book ends on a bittersweet note, and I can't wait to read the rest.

Final thought: I have to get the next book!