Title: 君が望む永遠 Portrait*5 鳴海孝之 (Kimi ga Nozomu Eien Portrait*5 Narumi Takayuki)
Original Creator: Age
Vocals: 谷山紀章 (Kisho Taniyama)
Release Date: 7/22/04
Catalog No.: LACM-4137
Rating: 2/4

Do fans of bishojo games really care about the guy? It really struck me as odd that they would release a song sung by Takayuki, who never had a voice until the anime. The unique thing about this CD is that Kisho wrote the lyrics to the songs himself. The other 4 were written by Minami.

The first song included sounds like a typical rock song. He sounds like he's really stretching his voice to hit the notes (and probably has some help with post-production). The lyrics don't have much to do with the show and just describes a bit about his character. The second song is slower, but still features an electrical guitar and rock style rhythm. It seems like it's more in his range, but still isn't very spectacular.

I like his impromptu song, the "Stupendous Cat Samurai," he did on the radio CD a little better than these two. They should have included an extended version of that, even if it's an inside joke.

Title: 彼氏彼女の事情 (His and Her Circumstances) Vol. 12
Artist/Author: 津田雅美 (Masami Tsuda)
Book Size/Pages: Small B-6, 207pp., w/furigana
Original Serialization: Monthly LALA 5/01-9/01
First Printing: 10/10/01
Rating: 3/4

The story about Kazuma and Tsubasa comes to a close, and an abrupt one at that. I did enjoy it, but there were times when it got a little to psychological. Maybe that's a criteria for Shojo, but I thought it carried a bit too long. After the kinda surprise ending, it then starts focusing on Rika. I really wish she'd go back to Yuki-non, but I guess her and Arima's story is pretty complete compared to the other characters.

Rather than a Tsuda Diary, this volume comes with a mini-comic about two of the band members.

54. ACT54 BORN: It's the end of summer and Kazuma decides that he's going to move out and take a break from school for a while to be with the band. His mother doesn't really mind, but Tsubasa isn't happy about it.

55. ACT55 YING AND YANG: Ying and Yang are topping the charts and their music is playing everywhere. Kazuma decides to finally quit school and pursue music. Tsubasa refuses to listen to it and ends up conditioning herself so that she no longer can hear it.

56. ACT56 TSUBASA: While walking through Shibuya, Tsubasa sees Kazuma projected on a building and passes out. In the hospital, Kazuma pays a visit to her and tells her that he left because he loved her and says that she's still very important to him. With this, Tsubasa starts feeling better.

57. ACT57 YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE: Tsubasa contemplates on her own nature and how she has always kept herself closed up. Kazuma sends her a ticket to see him in concert as well as his latest album titled "Tsubasa" in which he sings "You Light Up My Life." Tsubasa takes the words to heart and to the surprise of everyone at school, decides to go to the concert. After the performance, Kazuma comes back and asks Tsubasa to marry him.

58. りかちゃんリイフ (Rika-chan Life): Rika explains the people she hangs out with (a rehash of all the characters introduced so far) and gives a glimpse into her crush on Aya's older brother, 恭 (Kyo).

Title: 少年マガジン (Shonen Magazine) Vol. 35
Issue Date: 8/11/2004
Publisher: Kodansha
Pages: 436

The lottery number that came with last week's magazine didn't match the winning numbers presented this week. It's okay, I couldn't claim it even if I did win. This week's feature is the soccer teams, primarily Japan but also has coverage of other coverage as well as a previous of Van Helsing movie.

No Tsubasa nor Changing Now this week.

Hamanaka Ai: ０４４夏期合宿２ (Summer Training 2): Rin-ko tells a horror story but only scares herself and asks that Ayana, the class leader, to sleep with her to keep her safe. In the dark, Ayana tries to find Rin's sleeping bag but makes a mistake. Misaki wakes up to find her sleeping with Masahiko.

Suzuka: ＃２３和輝 (Kazuki): A flashback chapter to when Suzuka was in middle school, first year and had Kazuki as her senior. Kazuki always teased her but at the competition the next year, gave her some encouraging words in the tournament. While she didn't qualify for the nationals, he did and before he left, he told her that he loves her (in his own way, hence the teasing) and awaits her response when he gets back. He never came back.

Negima: 62時間目　ドキッ！　南の島で、うちあけないで (Thump! Don't Confess To Me In the Southern Islands): Nokoda and Yue talk with Negi trying to find out why Asuna's avoiding him. They narrow down to the trip in the library as one of the problems and ask how they can help out in terms of being partners/mages themselves. Ayaka talks to Asuna and eventually has her apologize to Negi out in the ocean in the middle of the night.

Title: ヤングマガジン (Young Magazine) Vol. 35
Issue Date: 8/9/2004
Publisher: Kodansha
Pages: 472

Covers like this really don't make me feel bad for not renewing my subscription. Both females feature are J-cup sized (the smaller one is only 18 years old). Love Lucky is off next week, so this is the last time I'll be reading it. I don't think it's something I'm going to follow in tank form, but who knows.

Love Lucky: 11天と地 (Sky and Earth): Fuuta and Kirari move into their new apartment, enjoy the lavishes and contemplate their new life as husband and wife in this posh place.

Redlight: 15: Satoshi decides to move out of his house due to his brother and pregnant girlfriend. He tries to find a place with Chiko, but doesn't have enough money for most places decent. When he finally finds a place, it burns down the first night he's there.

Minamike: 14たくらんでる (Conspiring): Chiaki comes home to find that Kana has invited her classmate, Fujioka, over. Haruka tells Chiaki that he reminds her a bit of their father. Chiaki, who doesn't seem to have known her father, decides to cozy up to him to see how it feels to have a dad.

xxxHolic: 55: Kimihiro tries to invite the two kids at Yuuko's, Maru and Moro to the summer festival, but Yuuko tells them that they don't have soul's and can't leave the house. At the festival, he see the boy with wings get in a brawl. Afterwards, his wings get bigger.

Title: 恋愛出世絵巻えんxむす (En x Musu) Vol. 5
Artist/Author: たかひろ瀬口 (Seguchi Takahiro)
Book Size/Pages: Small B-6, 192pp., w/furigana
Volume: 5/6
Original Serialization: Weekly Shonen Champion Vol 19, '03 - Vol 30, '03
First Printing: 10/25/03
Rating: 2/4

I'm still pretty mixed about this series, even though it's almost over. On one hand, I think the story is interesting in that it's dark and somewhat evil. But there's just something about it that doesn't seem right. Dunno. This volume focuses on a lot of "helping the enemy of my enemy" situations to the point where you don't know who's going to help Gisuke at the end.

No bonuses here, not even a character intro page like the previous books.

36. 解と公式 (Informality and Formality): Yanagi is a bit unhappy and gets on Gisuke's case about his recent performance on a test. She tells him that he should still study despite being a potential successor to the Dragon Group. She then heads back to her own house where the servant reveals that it's Yanagi's birthday, but her dad is still too busy to be with. Gisuke then finds Yanagi on the street and takes her to a hill overlooking the city. He asks her what type of guy she likes, to which she responds a tall, rich, and smart man, completely different from him.

37. パワー (Power): As Sonya, Gisuke, and Yanagi are walking on the street, a truck cruises past them and into a building. They find out that the owner of the building won't sell, so the gang decides to destroy it by running an auto into it. As Gisuke tries to intervene, he gets beaten down by the gang, headed by a young female. Koan, another candidate who has saved Gisuke in the jungle, comes to his aid again by telling the gang that Gisuke is part of the Dragon Group. Upon hearing this, all of them bow down and apologize profusely.

38. 太陽 (Sun): Koan invites Gisuke into a very luxurious apartment where he tells him that unlike the other candidates, he doesn't want any of his charms, but wants him to be his underling. He then shows Gisuke to the lavish bath where he has that young female from last chapter, 出雲たける (Takeru Izumo), give him a bath as punishment. Afterwards, Koan tells her she is no longer needed, but Gisuke shows her compassion. Koan tells his maid that what he's doing is giving Gisuke all the power, money, and fame he'll ever need and wants to see if he can handle all that.

39. 運命の黒い系 (Black Thread of Fate): Koan has Yanagi marry Gisuke. Gisuke is a bit surprised, but seems to play along. However, it seems that Yanagi is just what Koan tells her as he has power and money, qualities she admires in her man. Koan also has some "fun" with her.

40. 本性 (True Self): Gisuke leaves his house for school with Yanagi and at lunchtime, is accosted by his old bullies. Koan's servant tries to buy them off when Asuka comes over. Yanagi tells her that it's a private Dragon Group and she's married to Gisuke. Asuka runs off in disbelief.

41. オトナの世界 (Adult World): Koan's maid has Gisuke try to be the vice-chair of Koan's group, but he's not respected by the board. He apologies and says he'll do better. Meanwhile, the maid invites Gisuke to a soccer game while Koan and Yanagi go to his house to talk to Sonya.

42. メイドの墓場へ (To the Maid's Grave): Yanagi convinces Sonya that she's a pest now that Gisuke's married and convinces her to leave. As she's being driven off, Gisuke arrives just in time to stop them.

43. 商売繁盛 (Business Prosperity): On his way to the game, Gisuke gets intercepted by Ryoko (yet another candidate) who tells him that Koan's charm, Business Prosperity, doesn't just relate to money. He can also "buy" people's hearts and souls. With this information, he comes back to save Sonya. They return to the house to find it seized by the court. Koan has also frozen his accounts.

44. コドモの選択 (Child's Choice): Gisuke, Sonya, and Asuka are now living in a box under the bridge. Sonya gets a lot of help from owners of food shops.

45. おカネ (Money): Takeru comes to their hut and decides to help him out with people and money.