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Off Skiing Such a shame, I'm so close. I'm still 3 books behind the breaking even point and I have to go off skiing for a week. When I get back, it's going to be in the double digits again (sigh). I think I did a pretty impressive job of catching up though. I believe in just 17 days, I've read 50 some volumes. Just need 17 more to hit 366... I'm actually quite tired right now, can you tell which one I wrote first? The Dragon Age and Dengeki Daioh write-ups? |
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ドラゴンエイジ (Dragon Age) December '04
Having caught up on most of the manga that I'm interested in this magazine, it's taking me longer and longer to read it. I have 9 series I'm following this month (including the new series), and that's not even counting the fact that Someday's Dreamers and Nodoka Nobody is taking a month off. The new Maburaho manga starts this month, titled Maburaho Colorful Comic. Because it's by a different author, the artwork is slightly different. I like this new artist's characters better. It sticks a little more closely to the original character designs. I've decided to go ahead and continue reading Zero In even though I'm missing chapter 11 (vol. 2 ends on chapter 10 and my first issue, August, starts on chapter 12). What a shocker at the end of chapter 13. The new series this month is "The Masked Maid Guy." It's about a girl who's about to turn 18 and will an heir. However, her grandfather is worried about her being targeted, so he hires a girl maid for her brother and a guy maid for her. At first, I was doubtful given the title, but I decided to read it anyway. It's not as bad as it sounds. The guy maid is a lot like Sosuke in that he's overprotective and that gets him in a lot of trouble, especially from the girl he's protecting. The bonus is chapter 2 of the Zero In drama CD. The way they're doing this is that they're releasing the first 3 chapters (full 20+ minutes each!) of the drama CD with the magazine (next one is next month). The final chapter will be included in the limited edition of Zero In manga vol. 3 along with the three previously released tracks. Like the drama CD is just as cool as the manga. I'm becoming a bigger fan of Sanae Kobayashi. The first drama CD (last month) is named after the first chapter and follows it, although it does take liberties. The second drama CD is named after the second chapter in the first volume, which is technically a side chapter, but includes events from multiple chapters. It covers the time that Mikuru and Kou are training. Kina also has a different debut in the drama CD. Maburaho Colorful: 1: Rin, Kuriko, and Mariho Kurioka (probably a newer character) quickly recap their intentions with Kazuki. They overhear that Yuuna has gone to the river with some other guys. They find out that the guys want the matching "K" and "Y" sweaters that she made for Kazuki and her (the guy's name also starts with a K). In her anger, she unleashes some magic and ruins the clothing, but Kazuki tells her that it's the thought that counts. Karin: 恥の２０「雨水くんの風邪とおばあちゃんの企み〜Intrigue〜」 (Kenta's Cold and Grandma's Plot): Kenta's been missing school due to the cold and Karin pays a visit (although she tries not to think of it as something so romantic). Having heard from her parents that her grandma doesn't like humans, she warns him about the situation. At home, grandma finds out more about her granddaughter although the family tries to hide the fact that she's more of a normal person than a vampire. She makes the connection that Karin's school has young people and goes there at night where Kenta sees her again, but this time knows she's not Karin. Tsubame Syndrome: ACT12[チェンジ・マインド] (Change Mind): Taiga doesn't tell Tsubame that he's training with Ura and she becomes worried because he always comes back late and tired. She follows him one day to Ura's ship and discovers he's training. A phantom appears and according to Ura's analysis, it's shield is too tough for Tsubame to penetrate. Taiga then transforms into a phantom himself (from the power of his origin heart) and defeats the beast, but remembers none of it. Ura's cameras just happened to freeze at that point, so there's no footage of it either. Full Metal Panic: MISSION54 One From the Heart: Thinking that Sosuke won't come, Kaname tries to fight off her captor in the submarine (Dunnigan, I think is his name). Sosuke does come through and rescues her and they have a quiet moment where she admits that she feels like excess baggage and Sosuke tells her that he wants her to have a normal life. Meanwhile, Tessa is witnessing the torpedos that Galon launched whiz by. Zero In: Piece15 Feeding Trouble: A halloween killer is on the loose and with the Minkei short a person, they add a new recruit, Zou Hanatomo and have a new police officer managing them named Misono Shikie. After a little remembrance for Kina, they go out and find the criminal. Mikuru does her Zero In Burst attack to disable the guy, but rather than apprehending him, Zou just kills him on the spot. Love Dog: 第２話「真ちゃん熱をだす」 (Shin-chan Has a Fever): Because of all early morning walks in the cold, Shinichiro has a fever and is now in bed. As he's sleeping, he has a dream about his late grandmother who tells him that he's no longer alone because he has the 4 dog/girl companions. Maid Guy: 1: Naeka Fujihara will be 18 in half a year and will be an heir. However, due to the fear that she'll be targeted, she has maids who protect her. After some strange events (due to the zealous maids), she gets called to meet with his grandfather who wants her and her little brother, Kousuke, to live with him. She refuses and wants to live alone with her brother. However, they live in a pig-sty. So, the grandfather makes them live with a maid, Hubuki. Because Kousuke is an otaku, he has an obsession with maids. Naeka contends that having a maid in the house with only allow him to live in his fantasy world even longer, so the grandfather unveils the maid he has for her, Kogarashi. He's is a tall, built man who wears a maid uniform and a mask. Girl Following: 第２話「さがしもの」 (Lost Item): After coming back from her date to the aquarium with Eitaro, she realizes that she's lost her precious keychain. She and Eitaro ask for Miori's assistance as she practices the occult. They first try dowsing with a crystal necklace. This leads them to a tree. They next try an Ouija board, which gives some scrambled letters, but gets decoded incorrectly. Lastly, the crystal ball says a beautiful sunset. She finally finds the keychain on top of a tree which overlooks the city (she's there at sunset). Supasu-pa: 24春奈のラブモード事件 (Haruka's Love Mode Event): Another spirit is chasing Itsuki again, so he and Haruna are hiding out while Suzu tries to exterminate it. While they're hiding, Haruna becomes uncharacteristically brave and open. She confesses to Itsuki and then tries to embrace him but gets shocked after touching his necklace. He remembers his father telling him that the necklace repels spirits and sure enough, a spirit emerges from Haruka. Suzu comes in to exterminate it and finds Itsuki and Haruka in an awkward position. The next day, Haruka tells him that what she said yesterday was true (the spirit just gave her the courage to say it). |
Title: ドラゴンエイジ (Dragon Age) December '04 |
電撃大王 (Dengeki Daioh) December '04
The latest news today is that Ichigo Marshmallow is going to be animated with Saeko Chiba, Aya Kawasumi, Fumiko Orikasa, and Mamiko Noto playing the lead roles. Futakoi is also going to be a manga (the other story) next year too. No real bonuses included this month with only a pullout. The Henrietta figurette is a mail-in thing. Ichigo Marshmallow and Yotsubato! have the month off. Gunslinger Girl: 第２３話 泡沫 (Bubble): One of Patricia's co-workers has taken interest in investigating the social welfare office and thinks he knows what really goes on. He mentions that they have re-engineered kids doing assassinations, but Patricia isn't surprise as she already knows, even though her ex, Marko, didn't tell her. He goes on investigating some more, asking police chiefs and such. Finally, he meets up with Marko who knows he's a terrorist. The guy takes Patricia hostage, but Claes comes in and finishes him up. To Heart R: 2: Hiroyuki and Akari try to recover Maruchi's memories, and after about a week or so, she finally can recall her previous memories. Muv-luv: 4: Takeru tries not to reveal that he's from another world and tries to introduce his Gameguy (Gameboy) as something that super elite forces use. He has Meiya play with it and she becomes more withdrawn from her friends, which causes some concern, and only talks with Takeru. It's because she's been engrossed in the game. When the batteries die, she goes back to a normal life. Kashimashi: 6: Hazumu is still wondering about what Yasuna really thinks and in a pile of her drawings, he sees that she's drawn him. Psiren: 5: Meruna and Soichiro, both who should be bitter rivals, have dinner together. During their conversations, both of them almost leak their secret identities. After he drops her off at her apartment, they exchange numbers, just like a real couple. KuraKURA: 4: Runa has a reflection about how she first met Hayakawa and how they became co-class leaders. Uta-Kata: 3: Ichika and Manatsu help a classmate, Nao, be able to get a visit from his mother (or rather, they send him to her). |
Title: 電撃大王 (Dengeki Daioh) December '04 |
美鳥の日々 (Midori no Hibi) Vol. 5
Given that I'm going to go skiing later today, I particularly enjoyed those chapters, especially the one with Nao being an excellent snowboarder. I don't think Lucy is necessary in the story as Nao, Kouta, Shiori, and Takako already provide enough romantic tension, but I guess she brings another type of girl into the mix. Bonus comes with color pages, 4 panel comic on the back flap, a one page omake comic, and short seiyuu interviews. 44. 力の限り (The Limit of Power) |
Title: 美鳥の日々 (Midori no Hibi) Vol. 5 |
コードネームはセーラーV (Codename is Sailor V) Vol. 1
Despite having seemingly logically placed chapters, it surprised me to find out that the order they are in the book isn't the order they first appeared in. Chapter 3 is apparently the first chapter, chronologically. The Sailor V stories give insight into Sailormoon and provide some background info into the universe. A few scouts also make cameos. The story was a little weak though for something that isn't a collection. It's a lot like a monster a chapter and not an epic. Maybe I'm just too used to it being a drawn out story, especially for this series. First edition, it says comes with a special cover, although I don't find it any more special than usual. There's also some color pages and a page of sketches. 1. セーラーV誕生！ (Birth of Sailor V) |
Title: コードネームはセーラーV (Codename is Sailor V) Vol. 1 |
やえかのカルテ (Yaeka's Karte) Vol. 3
Unlike the previous two volumes, there isn't the full-text intermissions between chapters. However, the story does flow a little better in this volume. The ending is sweet, but a bit fast. Now it's time for the drama CD. Bonus includes color pages and an author's afterword about half way through the book. 19. THANK YOU |
Title: やえかのカルテ (Yaeka's Karte) Vol. 3 |
櫻の一番 (Sakura's Best) Vol. 3
There's a bit of cheesiness in here where Asami convinces a female murderer to value her life. However, that arc I though played out pretty well. There's also a little more romance where the dual personality Tsukiko/Keiji play out as the male personality has a crush on Asami. Bonus includes color pages, author manga, and omake chapter. 11. 夏休みの直前事情 (The Situation Just Before Summer Vacation) |
Title: 櫻の一番 (Sakura's Best) Vol. 3
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