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Yet another Saturday afternoon My trip to San Diego has been postphoned since the bookstore there doesn't have the new PowerBooks yet. So next week it is. In the meantime, I'm done with reviewing all my manga that are read, but not reviewed/shelved. I've really been taking myself out of the political arena recently. While I keep up with the news and read my Atlantic Monthly and Harper's, I've been trying to keep myself numb from all the asinine decisions made in the government. It's hard trying not to be emotional about it, but I think I'm managing. As long as I keep myself in the make-believe world of manga/anime, I can endure. |
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君が望む永遠 (Kimi ga Nozomu Eien) Portrait*2
I'm very impressed with Minami Kuribayashi. Not only is she a talented singer, she pretty much wrote or co-wrote all the songs from Kiminozo, both anime and game. This CD includes the ending theme plus another character single. Both songs, like Mitsuki's CD, have relevant lyrics. In comparison to the game's ending theme, if you take out the emotional attachment I have to the game's ending, I believe that this song is much more pleasing to my taste. The second song on the CD is good, but it pales in comparison to the first. |
Title: 君が望む永遠 Portrait*2 凉宮遥 (Kimi ga Nozomu Eien Portrait*2 Suzumiya Haruka) |
君が望む永遠 (Kimi ga Nozomu Eien) Portrait*1
This is the first of four character singles from Kiminozo anime. What I like best about these two songs is that the lyrics are actually relevant to the characters, whether it's singing about a summer day or a ring. The first song included is a cute, pop-ish song. The second song is quite slow, but it's appropriate for the things she's singing about. My CD case came slightly cracked. At least it's a just a regular thin CD case that I can get replacements for. |
Title: 君が望む永遠 Portrait*1 速瀬水月 (Kimi ga Nozomu Eien Portrait*1 Hayase Mitsuki) |
君が望む永遠 (Kimi ga Nozomu Eien) OP Single
Of all the intros to Kiminozo that I've heard, the original game, the PS2 game, the Dreamcast game, and the opening to the DVD re-release on PC, this is my least favorite opening of them all. The original, PS2, and DVD intros all had "punch" to them and had high energy. The Dreamcast was a soft melody. This intro is somewhere in-between, and doesn't succeed at doing either. I do appreciate that the lyrics has some relevance to the main story. The other track on this CD probably ranks the same as intro song. It's not bad, but not great either. |
Title: 君が望む永遠 (Kimi ga Nozomu Eien) Precious Memories |
妹 (Sister) Vol. 1
From the back of the book, this series was originally serialized quite sporadically from 1996 to 1998 in Weekly Shonen Jump. Probably one of those special chapters that appear every so often. However, it looks like it got a formal serialization as there's 13 volumes for the second story of this manga. Anyhow, I was able to read a few pages of this manga at Book-off ($4 bucks, not $1) before I got it so I knew it was something that I would end up liking. This story is yet another about brotherly love. Unlike Koi Kaze though, this is more focused on a guy who has saved enough money to finally be able to "buy back" his little sister after they split when their mother died. The character actions remind me of Shamneko's style (which I really like). The drawing varies in detail, but is mostly pretty good. The story itself is pretty funny and has some suggestive themes. Akane, the main character is regularly terrorized by males who try to show their dominance, but is pretty tame for a "Young" comic. There aren't any bonuses in the book except for a color first page. 1. 再会 (Reunion): After their parents died, 雨宮真平 (Shinpei Amamiya, 18) has been trying to reunite himself with his step-sister, Akane (16). After years of working and saving up, he's finally saved up enough to get an apartment and them live in the same place instead of her living at their uncle's. Akane, meanwhile is terrorized by her teachers at school because she's poor and so they feel like they can take advantage of her. They accuse her of theft at which Shinpei offers to pay, even though she didn't actually commit any crimes. Later that night, she goes back to reclaim the money from the teacher. She gets molested, but Shinpei comes in and kicks some butt for the sake of his sister. 2. ひまわり (Sunflower): They are currently living in a temporary place until they can find a new apartment. Through Shinpei's friend, Akane finds out that Shinpei works terribly hard to save money. So, when the apartment broker that Shinpei consulted comes and offers her some money and other favors for a "photo shoot." She goes. She gets abused and yet again, Shinpei comes and saves her. After they're safe, Shinpei starts crying (he's really not a brave fellow, but will do anything to help his sister). 3. 編入試験 (Transfer Student Exam): Shinpei wants Akane to go to school and as he flips through her old report cards, he finds out she's quite smart. He tells her to apply for a private and very prestigious high school and when she gets in, he'll pay tuition. She passes with flying colors, but the teacher there doesn't like her because she's poor. Since the principal already set up an interview, the only way to prevent her from being admitted is if she made a bad impression. So the teacher, 猫田 (Nekota), asks the parent of a denied applicant to kidnap her before the interview in exchange for his daughter's acceptance. She talks her way out of captivity and shows up at the interview ragged. The principal suspects the Nekota had something to do with it. 4. PRIDE: At school, Akane is picked on by the other students because of her social status. As such, she tells Shinpei that she wants to quit. He gets angry and she leaves to stay with a friend. However, the people her friend hangs out with aren't the best of characters and they rob Shinpei as he's desperately trying to find Akane. Akane hears about this, takes back the money, and moves back with Shinpei and learns to tolerate the other school kids. 5. ともだち (Friend): まりな (Marina) is another student picked on by the popular students in class. Akane saves her from being one incident where she was picked on and they quickly become friends. The popular kids don't like this, so they trick Akane into meeting them, have some guys beat and hold her and ask Marina to thump her with a baseball bat. Marina refuses. 6. 兄貴はつらいよ (Brother is Mean): Shinpei's friend, 鉄 (Tetsu), is in love with Akane and isn't doesn't like the fact that Shinpei, who doesn't not share the same blood, is living together with him. So he concocts this plan where he would ask Shinpei to look for a tattoo on her body while she's sleeping. She's supposed to wake up, catch him in the act, and move out. However, things don't go according to plan. Akane catches them, but forgives them. |
Title: 妹 (Sister) Vol. 1 |
dear Vol. 1
I'm pretty pleased with first volume. The character design is great and the story is interesting. I'm going to hold off reading vol. 2 (there's 4 volumes as of 4/27 when vol. 4 is released) and catch up on his older works, My Wolf and The Other Side of Lycanthrope. They seem to be somewhat related, even if it's just using the same wolf-type character, so I might benefit with that background knowledge. There's a color first page, 4 panel comics on the inside front and back covers, another comic on the inside flap, and a mini-comic in the last few pages. 1. あなたと、夜の虹に (With You In the Rainbow at Night): There are two types of people, those who can use magic (monsters) and those who can't (humans). There's a third kind with even more power than the previous two, the Lycanthrope. A monster has attacked the villiage and he is slain by 妃扠 (Kisara). While he looks like a human, he has the ability to heal himself. A young girl, 散葉 (Chiruha) comes into town. She's a Lycanthrope who's been living by herself and has only seen humans on TV. Now that she's in town, he finally gets to mingle with the real thing. As she's resting, she gets accosted by a monster. Kisara comes and help her and they start talking. Later on, the same monster comes, recognizes that she's neither human nor monster, and attacks. She's saved again by Kisara, but this time, with all that stress, she transforms and grows wolf ears. 2. 降り積む思い (Heavy Memories): Chiruha moves in with Kisara and works where he works, and some rumors fly among his co-workers. Her ears sometimes appears and he has to hide them. However, despite his niceness, he talks with his superior about her true identity. 3. あの日の約束 (The Promise That Day): Chiruha is learning more and more about the humans and she collects human junk. As they're walking at night, she promises him that she'll protect him. Monsters appear and they almost get the best of Kisara, but Chiruha is able to keep her promise. Meanwhile, Kisara's superior, the general, is heading to town. 4. 隊長の気持ち (The General's Feelings): The general, ケイン・クレバート (Cane Crevat?) comes to see this Lycanthrope. The two of them go out. Being mesmerized by the water, she falls off a bridge into the river. Cane wants to see her use her powers, but she doesn't and gets washed ashore because she was holding a balloon. |
Title: dear Vol. 1 |
シュガ～ (Sugar) Vol. 2
This is yet another comic where I have to disagree with the cover. Doesn't her eyes just look a little wrong? The drawings inside is better, though. While the series is cute, the plot is very ho-hum. I don't have any emotions either way and can't really relate to the characters. Maybe because this was adapted from the anime and quite short (only 3 volumes long). In comparison to the first book, I like the pianist story in here, but yeah, it's nothing I would really rave about. There's only a colored first page and a mini-comic at the end of the book that's related to the author everyday life. 5. クマのピアニスト (The Bear Pianist): A performing troupe has come into town. In the coffee shop where Saga works at, a customer comes in. He asks for the "blend" but comments that it it has an uneasy taste to it. All the schoolkids (and kid fairies) go to the performance which is love tragedy with a piano playing bear. During the credits, the bears is revealed to be the person, Vincent, who was at the coffee shop. 6. 尊敬するピアニスト (The Respected Pianist): The troupe asks for coffee service and Saga is on the job, partially to prove that her blend does taste well. She talks with Vincent who tells her that he looks up to the famous pianist who used to live in this town, Saga's mother. However, when he's practicing, he seems to abuse the piano and that gets Saga quite annoyed at him. 7. 私のなりたいもの (The Thing I Want to Become): Vincent comes to the piano store and almost touches Saga's mother piano, but she stop him and then runs off. Vincent runs after her, but gets in a car accident. She has angst, but hears of Vincent's condition so she substitutes for him at the next performance and through the process, forgives him. 8. 決めた！！ (I've Decided): Through talking with Vincent, Saga decides that she wants to be a pianist, just like her mother. Meanwhile, Sugar has issues with her plant. It's wilting and she's told that it might be sick. 9. きらめきによせて (Approaching "Twinkles"): Sugar is told that if the flower dies, she'll go back into being in an egg. So she rushes to try and find the "Twinkle" that will save the plant (and her). Saga tries some non-magical remedies, but it isn't until they help out a little girl that they begin to understand what "Twinkles" is. Saga then remembers some musical scores hidden in the attic, one of which is "The Twinkles of Snow." |
Title: シュガ～ (Sugar) Vol. 2 |
A.I.が止まらない (Love Won't Stop) Vol. 2
Another $1 book from Book-off. I'm still not that impressed with this series, sure the story are nice, but they lack impact. I'm still not accustomed to the artwork, however, I did take a sneak peak at volume 8 (I needed to know if there were only 8 volumes), and the artwork there looked a lot more like what I'm used to from Ken Akamatsu. So I expect the artwork to get better. There's a color page and some bonus pages with detailed sketches of the art used in the original release. My lucky number, located on the book cover, is 11160. 8. ハッピーorアンハッピーBirthday (Happy or Unhappy Birthday): Hitoshi's birthday is coming and he is looking forward to sharing the day with Thirty. However, Thirty doesn't seem to notice for most of time on his birthday. Hitoshi mopes, but Thirty comes through and acknowledges the day. 9. 憧れの美食ライフ (A Desired Delectable Life): Being a little fed up with Thirty's inability to cook, Hitoshi sends her to get some training in the culinary arts. After some effort, she can finally make curry that actually taste decent. 10. 嵐を呼ぶ少女 (A Girl Who Summons a Storm): A storm's been giving Thirty abnormal hair growth. As she's flipping through Hitoshi's albums and sketchy books, a floppy disk falls out in which he has labeled forbidden. Despite that, he sticks it into his computer. Storm causes power outages and surges, and just like how Thirty came into being, the program on the disc, Twenty, comes to life. 11. お姉さまはイケイケ娘 (Sister is a Bitchy Girl): Twenty was a previous program Hitoshi created, one whose body is perfect. However, like Thirty, she isn't too bright. In an attempt to repair the leaks in the house, she causes more problems than she fixes. 12. プールサイドでなげキッス (A Thrown Kiss by the Pool): It's opening day at the pool so Hitoshi and his two numbered girls head out. Twenty tries to seduce Hitoshi by pretending to drown, but Thirty is the one who jumps in. She herself gets in trouble (for real) and Hitoshi saves her. Twenty then tells Thirty that Hitoshi has already asked her to be the girlfriend. 13. 恋のトライアングル (Love Triangle): Thirty, feeling like she's not good enough, tries to make herself as pretty as Twenty in an attempt to reclaim Hitoshi. However, Hitoshi tells her that he likes her the way she is. Twenty then abducts Hitoshi. 13. サーティVSトゥエニー (Thirty vs. Twenty): Twenty takes him to an amusement park (it's nighttime, but she turns everything on). Thirty finds them there and while riding the rollercoaster, they get in a predicament where Hitoshi is hanging off the rails with one girl in each hand. He has to decide who to save. Thirty voluntarily lets go, but Twenty prevents her from falling. 14. Mountain Happening: The three of them decide to go to the mountains to watch a meteor shower. They meet Kimika there who doesn't get along with Twenty at all. Some hilarity ensues when Twenty takes advantage of Kimika's family's summer house. 15. 星に願いを！ (Wish on a Star): Kimika has a van-full of equipment to properly view the heavens and take the best picture for the astrophotography contest. Hitoshi only has a telescope. Through of sabotage by Twenty and calculations by Thirty, Hitoshi is able to take the best picture in the competition. |
Title: A.I.が止まらない (Love Won't Stop) Vol. 2
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