Title: マブラヴ (Muv-Luv) Vol. 2
Artist/Author: 高雄右京 (Ukyou Takao)
Original Creator: Age
Book Size/Pages: B-6, 137pp., w/o furigana
Original Serialization: Monthly Dengeki Daioh 4/03-12/03
First Printing: 8/15/04
Rating: 4/4

The more I'm in contact with this game, the more I want to play it. First it was volume 1 of this manga, then it was the bonus story on the Kiminozo fan disc, and now it's volume 2. There's also a new series starting in this month's Dengeki Daioh (I started my subscription just in time!).

Anyhow, even if I didn't have the game, this volume was pretty good as it finished a coherent story. This volume has two primary stories, the first two chapters is one plot, and the other chapters make up the 2nd plot. I'm getting a feel of what the characters are like, but I'll probably know them better once I start the game.

There's a bonus 2 chapter manga where the Takero dreams of a mecha battle.

7. Episode 7: 珠瀬壬姫 (Miki Tamase) has been challenged 天野原水子 (Harasuiko Amano), mostly because their fathers have a long grudge and are title with 99 victories a piece in head to head competitions. The challenge this time is in archery. Takero, Meiya, and Takero help her train, but she's very self-conscious and can't perform while people are watching her. Takero gets the idea of using dolls facing her, but even with that, Miki still obstructs the dolls view.

8. Episode 8: With the help of some more dolls, including a cursed one stolen from Mana, Meiya's maid, Miki enters the competition. They end up tying with the parents declaring the next competition being which daughter gets married earlier.

9. Episode 9: In an argument with Kei, Chizuru falls from the stairs onto Akane, seriously injuring her. Being the popular person Akane is, the other students blame Chizuru for hurting Akane. At the hospital, Akane's doctor seems to know Kei, and Kei dashes off immediately. They don't listen to her even though she's the class leader and spread rumors about her,

10. Episode 10: Takero bumps into Kei on the street while looking for Chizuru and takes her to see Akane in the hospital. Kei asks Takero to be her boyfriend as the doctor is a stalker, or so she says. After Kei disappears again, Takero and the doctor have a talk and Takero finds out that the doctor had a relationship with Kei's mom when she was a nurse previously, so that's why Kei is so bitter. Takero goes to Chizuru's house just as she's about to leave home. He tells her that her mom is worried about her, but Chizuru gives him a slap saying that her mom doesn't care. He later sees Kei and tells him what the doctor said and he gets slapped again for meddling in other people's business.

11. Episode 11: Kei apologizes to Takero the next day, and sorta accepts the doctor's explanation. In front of the hospital, Takero notices Chizuru's mom walking by. She says she's just out shopping, but in the hospital a few minutes later, they see her being wheeled through. Akane, who's awake, hears the story about Chizuru and the abuse she got from her classmates as well as Chizuru's mom searching all night for her and finally collapsed. Akane gets enraged by this news. Takero asks Suzumiya and others to try and find Chizuru. They find her in a sketchy part of town being dragged into a love hotel.

12. Episode 12: They save Chizuru and Akane goes to class and yells at the classmates. Things are back to normal and friends are friends again.

Title: 魔法騎士レイアース２ (Magic Knight Rayearth 2) Vol. 1
Artist/Author: CLAMP
Book Size/Pages: B-6, 210pp., w/furigana
Volume: 1/3
Original Serialization: Nakayoshi 3/95-7/95
First Printing: 1/23/03
Rating: 4/4

More of the same good stuff. From what I remember of the anime (yet again, long time ago. I bought both R1 boxes at the and just marathoned through them), this season was pretty unartistic. Nothing but interiors and any outside shot was pretty dull.

What I'm surprised was that this second series was published immediately after the first one ended. I guess they didn't need for an outcry for a sequel to start this one.

Bonus contains an interview with 山之内秀樹 (Hideki Yamanouchi) who's worked with Kodansha in the girl's comics division as well as Young Magazine.

The three girls are still bummed about what they did in Cephiro at meet back at Tokyo Tower where they are summoned back to the distant land. They arrive to find a barren planet. They meet people they befriended during their last adventure, including Prescia, Ferio (who they find out was Emeraldo's brother), Alcone, Ascot (who has grown), and of course Clef. Clef informs them that since there's no pillar praying for Cephiro's prosperity and protection, 3 competition worlds have built roads to come and take over. As the Magic Knights are fighting against Eagle from Autozam, a man on a steed with a fairy appears and interrupts them. They come back and LaFalga tells them that it's Lantis (and fairy, Primera), Zagato's brother who left for Autozam and came back right after the Magic Knight did their business. Hikaru tries to apologize to him. Afterwards, the two other competing countries are introduced, Asuka of Faren wants to become the next pillar and there's also Tarta and Tatora from Chizeta. Cephiro continues to crumble and the volume ends with Lantis saying that he wants to rid the Magic Knight legend.

Title: 鋼鉄天使くるみ (Steel Angel Kurumi) Vol. 7
Artist/Author: 介錯 (Kaishaku)
Book Size/Pages: B-6, 172pp., w/o furigana
Volume: 7/11
Original Serialization: Monthly Shonen Ace Next 3/01-8/01
First Printing: 10/1/01
Rating: 3/4

Looks like Karinka's going to be featured a little more as the fact that she has two Angel Hearts has some relevance in the future. The last two stories were pretty good as it was a whole story, not just an chapter long short episode like the others.

Bonus includes a mini-comic with a tour of Kaishaku's new studio and the back of the cover has a maze.

35. 真・鋼鉄天使 (True Steel Angel): Kurumi has become super/true Kurumi. To counter, Amato asks Excelia to show him how much he loves him by cutting his own wrist and telling her that he'll die if she doesn't win. She loses regardless and Amato asks for her to use her latent power, the Karinka System. They get stopped before she's activated by a teacher who Nakahito thinks is one of Shinobu's descendants.

36. 天城零子の裏（表！？）仕事 (Reiko Amagi's Other Job): Kurumi is reading manga on the job and has gotten Karinka and Saki interested in it. They find out that the author is their own Reiko. Reiko explains that the restaurant is actually her secondary job. Kurumi and Karinka try to draw the comic. Despite their artist skill, they get booted because of their fighting. Nakahito is at Jinkuji-sensei's house where he's asked to take off his clothes.

37. うるか参上! (Uruka Visits!): Uruka, Jinkuji-sensei's little sister, arrives just in time to stop her older sister from her little fetish with Nakahito. She tells Nakahito to stay away from their house. Back at the restaurant, Kurumi and gang have been featured in a magazine, so the restaurant is jam-packed with fans. They ask to take a picture of Kurumi, but she won't smile for anyone but Nakahito and causes another explosion at the restaurant. Soon after, Nakahito sees that Reiko's helper is Uruka.

38. カリンカのなかよし大作戦 (Karinka's Big Strategy): With her two Angel Hearts, Karinka saves Excelia from a couple of bullies. Karinka invites Excelia home to take a bath and tries to build a better relationship with her.

39. 鋼鉄戦艦（上） (Steel Battleship, First): The school has been attacked by a battleship/Steel Angel without a master, "Odin." The school sends it's Steel Angels with their power limiters disabled, but only have 2 hours to defeat the enemy before they themselves wear out.

40. 鋼鉄戦艦（下） (Steel Battleship, Last): The Steel Angel trio, Maki, Megumi, and Asuka defeat the Steel Battleship's sister, Ein who explains to Saki that she just wants to protect her sibling as she's lost yearning for her master. Hearing this tale and being able to sympathize with the sisterly love, Saki tries to protect the ship, but the school's defenders destroy the ship. All is not lost though, as Odin's Angel Heart is recovered.