Natsume’s Book of Friends

Natsume’s Book of Friends Volume 1 by Yuki Midorikawa

I always tend to like manga about yokai or spirit hunters, especially when they incorporate interesting storylines and unexpected character designs. Natsume’s Book of Friends seems like a great addition to the yokai genre of manga. Natsume is a boy who was passed around from [...]

St. Dragon Girl

St. Dragon Girl, Volume 1 by Natsumi Matsumoto

This cute fantasy/martial arts manga is a good choice for the younger set. I seem to remember this title getting a few lukewarm reviews on other manga blogs. While St. Dragon Girl might not be for everyone, it will be a great title to check out [...]

Alice in the Country of Hearts

Alice in the Country of Hearts Volume 1 by QuinRose and Soumei Hoshino

As I was reading Alice in the Country of Hearts I started wondering if it was an adaptation of a dating simulation game. Alice Liddell is transported to a Wonderland filled with beautiful boys who all seem to want to fall [...]

Karikuri Odette Volume 2

Karakuri Odette Volume 2 by Julietta Suzuki

I tend to follow a two volume rule when evaluating a manga series. I’ve often found that I ended up enjoying a series after reading the second volume even if I had vaguely lukewarm feelings about the first. I think that sometimes due to the way manga [...]

Portrait of M and N

Portrait of M and N Volume 1 by Higuchi Tachibana

This is a series I was intrigued by when I read the solicitation in Previews. The relationship between a masochist and a narcissist seemed like it would be a little different than most shoujo series. While the premise might seem engagingly weird the execution [...]

Tokyopop Ongoing Series – Maid Sama, V.B Rose, and INVU

Maid Sama Volume 3 by Hiro Fujiwara

While Maid Sama might not reach the heights of other new shoujo series from Tokyopop like Shinobi Life or Karakuri Odette, it continues to be a fun if very lightweight read. School President Misaki’s secret job at a maid cafe is almost revealed during a cosplay race [...]

Itazura Na Kiss

Itazura Na Kiss Volume 1 by Kaoru Tada

Itazura Na Kiss is an influential shoujo series. While some of the plot elements might seem cliched, that is because it was published in the 1990s and influenced many titles that came after it. I’m happy to see some old-fashioned shoujo get translated, so I [...]

Name of the Flower Volume 3

The Name of the Flower Volume 3 by Ken Saito

One of the many things I like about this series is the way the point of view will sometimes shift from character to character, giving the reader a chance to get to know the supporting cast a little better by seeing their inner thoughts. [...]

We Were There Volumes 2-5

We Were There by Yuki Obata

Most of the time I tend to read series as they come out. With We Were There, I bought the first volume, liked it, and meant to get around to reading the other volumes eventually. I was happy to be able to dive in and wallow in drama, [...]

Rasetsu and Tail of the Moon Prequel

These two volumes are continuations of other series that I’ve enjoyed in the past, Yurara and Tail of the Moon. I was curious to see if these spin-off series were as enjoyable as the manga that inspired them.

Rasetsu Volume 1 by Chika Shiomi

For some reason it took me a long time [...]