Title: すぱすぱ (Spas-pa) Drama CD LE
Original Creator: 三宅大志 (Taishi Miyake)
Release Date: 9/24/04
Catalog No.: AFC-3016
Rating: 4/4

I've had this CD since it was released, but I've been waiting until I finished volume 3 of the manga, just in case the story was included in that volume. But it turns out that the drama CD contains an original script. I can't really say it's one of my all-time favorites, but it's still pretty good story.

Off the top of my head, the only seiyuu that I recognize immediately is Haruna's voice actress, Akemi Kanda, who plays Asuna in Negima. However, that's only from the cast list. Haruna speaks with a very slow prosody and a lot of uncertainty which is a stark contrast to Asuna's independence, so it's hard to make the connection that they're from the same seiyuu.

The background music is cute, although there are other drama CD BGMs that I like better.

Like the Karin Drama CD, the limited edition comes with a bonus CD with 10 short drama tracks and a long seiyuu free-talk. The conversations with the seiyuu isn't as interesting as the one that came with Karin. Akemi Kanda isn't even a part of the conversation and only has a pre-recorded message that they play back at the very very end. LE also includes a postcard.

1. Story starts off with Itsuki being followed by an evil spirit. Rin and Suzu are there to exterminate it. Itsuki then introduces Suzu as a world class ghostbuster and childhood friend, although he doesn't remember much of it. Suzu reminds him that she's also his fiance at which time, Rin jumps in and gets introduced too.

2. In the morning, Itsuki wakes up to find Suzu in his bed. Rin and Enki barge into his room to find the two together. Before the two of them can fight, Itsuki tells him to start their morning chores at the shrine. While he's sweeping the grounds, Itsuki's father drops by and makes suggestions that he and Suzu should get married. When Itsuki dismisses his talk, the father piles on guilt trip and even brings up his deceased mother. The kids leave for school, but Itsuki is already beat and has an upset stomach from Suzu's cooking. Little do they know that they're being stalked by two ghosts, Sakon and Ukon, who think that the two girls, Rin and Suzu, are disrupting the order. They plan to bring back their boss ghost. At school, Itsuki introduces his classmate, Haruna and Chihaya. During lunch, Suzu and Itsuki have some pastries.

3. That night, Itsuki's father brings up that the summer festival is next week and fortunately there's Rin and Suzu to help out. There's a hugh storm caused by Sakon and Ukon and during the night, Suzu and Rin both want to sleep by Itsuki. The two spirits manage to revive their boss with the storm.

4. The next morning, the skies are clear and they leave for school. Meanwhile, the spirits show their boss, who has taken a human form for now, this world which he hasn't seen in 500 years. The boss fumbles around this society full of cars and bikes. As Suzu and Itsuki are walking to school, Suzu senses the presence of spirits. The boss sees Suzu and thinks she's adorable. During lunch, Itsuki ends up having some lunch with Haruna who just happened to make too much and is more than willing to share. The boss spirit sees the two and thinks Haruna is cute too and is jealous of Itsuki that he goes for the attack. Suzu jumps in just in time to fend him off, but in the aftermath, Suzu sees Itsuki having fallen on top of Haruna. The two sidekick ghosts try to convince their boss not to pursue those girls, but he won't give up.

5. After some failed attempts, Rin teaches Suzu how to make some miso which Itsuki can finally enjoy.

6. At the summer festival, everyone's busy at work. The boss spirit transforms into a clone of Itsuki and convinces Suzu to go to the woods without her ghostbusting gun. Chihaya and Haruka see Suzu and the fake Itsuki together and both freak out, but then the real Itsuki comes with Rin. Rin tries to eliminate the ghosts with her oversided brush pen, but it's suprisingly ineffective. Suzu apologies to Itsuki for being suckered and then asks Itsuki to kiss her so she can turn into her adult form and fight. He does so and she manages to rid the evil spirits.

7. After the fight, Suzu and Itsuki apologize and thanks each other. However, their romantic moment is interrupted when Chihaya, Haruka, and Rin catches Itsuki with a semi-asleep Suzu.

Title: すぱすぱ (Spas-pa) Vol. 3
Artist/Author: 三宅大志 (Taishi Miyake)
Book Size/Pages: A-5, 132pp., w/furigana
Original Serialization: Monthly Dragon Age 11/03-5/04
First Printing: 9/1/04
Rating: 4/4

I don't know who to cheer for, Haruna or Suzu. I'd probably say Haruna right now as she's better at cooking. However, Suzu in her adult form wouldn't be a bad choice either. In the author's letter, he says that this series is planned for 5 volumes. These volumes are rather short, so I would like it to go a bit longer as I've come to like this series.

Bonus includes two bonus chapters and the cover under the dust jacket contain a couple more panels of comics.

13. ２人きりの夜 (Two of Us Alone at Night): Itsuki's dad and Rin have to go attend a service so Suzu and Itsuki are left alone for the night. After failing again at cooking, Suzu is taking a bath. As she's coming out, she sees a mouse running around so she runs into Itsuki's room. She gives him a kiss and turns into her adult self. However, just as things are getting romantic, an evil spirit comes in and ruins the situation.

14. 文化祭と春奈の夢 (The Cultural Festival and Haruna's Dream): It's the for the cultural festival at school and Itsuki's class decides to do a cosplay cafe. Haruna remembers how she's always wanted to dance with Itsuki at the bonfire after the festival, but never had the courage to ask. This time though, she gathers her courage and asks. Itsuki accepts, but during the dance, they trip over each other's feet and Itsuki lands on top of her. Chihaya and Suzu aren't too happy.

15. 聖なる夜に小さな奇跡を (A Small Miracle on a Holy Night): On Christmas Eve and Suzu wakes up feeling sad. She's sharing her feelings with a deceased girl, 美沙 (Misa), who had promised her former boyfriend to meet her underneath a Christmas Tree tonight. Suzu and Itsuki help her by going to the promised location and the boy and the spirit have their reunion before Misa disappears into the night sky.

16. 星空の下で (Underneath a Starry Sky): The family is on vacation at a hot springs and Itsuki and Suzu accidentally go in the springs not knowing that it's mixed bathing. They enjoy the night sky in the warm water and Suzu tells him that she loves him. However, Rin catches the two together.

17. それぞれの想い（前編） (Various Feelings, First Part): Haruna accidentally sees Itsuki on the roof giving a kiss to Suzu (since she's fighting an evil spirit, but Haruna doesn't know anything about that). She falls down the stairs and twists her ankle. Itsuki hears the crash and carries her to the nurses office. In the nurses office, Itsuki tells Haruna that the kiss was an accident. Haruna feels a little less worried as he hasn't committed yet, so she takes the opportunity to tell him that she loves him. Suzu is outside and overhears their chat.

18. それぞれの想い （後編） (Various Feelings, Last Part): At home that night, Suzu feels like she's been rejected, but Itsuki tells her that she didn't listen to his answer to Haruna's confession. Itsuki isn't ready to make a decision yet, but when he does, Suzu will be the first to know. So, Haruna and Suzu are still competing for the same guy.

Title: 真月譚　月姫 (Lunar Legend Tsukihime) Vol. 1
Artist/Author: 佐々木少年 (Shonen Sasaki)
Original Creator: TYPE-MOON
Book Size/Pages: B-6, 226pp., w/o furigana
Original Serialization: Monthly Dengeki Daioh 10/03-4/04
First Printing: 6/15/04
Rating: 4/4

Tsukihime is another series that I'm trying to catch up on in Dengeki Daioh, but unfortunately, this book ends a few months short of when I started my subscription. The art is good, the story is good, and maybe I should have gotten the anime for this too. It looks like this series has a large following as there's a plethora of doujinshi manga. I tend to shy away from series that are really popular where I can't get the original story/media (i.e. getting the game for Kiminozo, the manga for Love Hina, etc...). I'll probably keep this as manga only.

No bonuses, just a colored first page.

Prologue. As a child after a bad car accident, 遠野志貴 (Shiki Toono) began seeing these dark lines on everything. The doctors though it was just shock, but Shiki realizes that he could break anything just by applying pressure at the locations designated by the lines. It started driving him crazy. After running out into the field, he met a woman who gave him glasses that would eliminate those lines from his vision.

1. After 8 years, Shiki moves out of his relative's house to his own house with his sister and their servants. He goes to school where they talk about the recent killings by vampires. On the way home, he sees a mysterious woman and something lures him into slicing her up along those dark lines that he still sees when he takes off his glasses. After the deed, he thinks it's only a dream, but on his way to school, he sees that woman again.

2. He runs off, but the woman follows him and subtle reminds him of what he did to her last night. At school during lunch, there's more news about the random killings around town. After school a female classmate, 弓塚 (Yumizuka), asks him if they can walk home together. Along the way, she reminds him of an incident two years ago when he was able to free her and some other students from a locked storage shed. After Yumizuka heads off to her home, Shiki sees the mysterious woman again.

3. The woman introduces herself as a vampire who in the business of killing vampires. Since Shiki chopped her up, she says her powers have weakened a bit and asks him to help her do her job. A dark panther appears and attacks the two and she fights it off. She introduces herself as Arcuid Brunstad (?). I'll just call her Arc.

4. The two of them go back to her apartment where she takes a rest. She asks Shiki to be on the lookout while she rests, but he goes out. When he comes back, she scolds him, but he explains that he just went to get some medical supplies as he noticed that she was bleeding. After bandaging her up, he accidentally drops his knife. She sees it and is curious as to if that's the weapon he used to kill her.

5. Some evil looking dude is searching for Arc. Shiki shows her his skill and she explains that he can see the lines of death. The evil guy comes to her apartment and kills everyone he sees. He lets loose the the panthers and they go after Shiki and Arc.

6. Shiki fights back utilizing the lines he sees. When they get out-numbered, Arc takes him and runs away. Meanwhile, there's a mysterious Sister who seems to also be interested in the two.

7. Shiki doesn't come home and his sister becomes a little worried. She has a short flashback. Meanwhile, Shiki is also bad dreams. He wakes up find he's in someone's house.