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Story

Alice Seno’s life has gotten interesting lately. First she falls for the same guy her older sister is interested in. Then she finds a lost rabbit that’s really going to cause trouble. The poor little bunny is really a very powerful creature that wants Alice to become a “Lotis Master”.

How is a girl that has trouble expressing herself supposed to control reality with words? She’d better learn fast because her sister is missing and Alice will need help to defeat the demon that took her.

My Opinion

The story is ok, but it never really captured my interest. I don’t know why, it’s not like there was anything I disliked about it. There just wasn’t enough that I did like about it. The characters are the same way. I don’t dislike them, but there isn’t really anything that I do like about them.

The art is a different story. I really liked the art. There’s nothing revolutionary about it. It’s just your basic shojo fantasy art. It is very well done though. As much as I liked the art, it just didn’t fill the gaps left in the story.

Oh, I did think that this was interesting…

It’s pretty bad when a typographical error is the most interesting thing about your book.

Is it worth it?

Not really. If you’re a fan of Yu Watase or her other works, then it might be worth checking out. I can’t really recommend it to everyone. While I liked the art I thought the story and the characters were kind of boring.

Manga, Review, Shojo, Fantasy, Alice 19th, Volume 1, Yu Watase, Yuu Watase

This is one of the reasons I love manga and anime. There’s something for everybody. It’s not all ninjas and giant robots you know. Yakitate!! Japan is a cooking manga that focuses on bread.

(A giant ninja robot cooking manga would be freakin’ awesome.)

Story

Azuma Kazuma first tasted great bread when he was 6 years old. From that day he’s been determined to make bread that will represent Japan. Coming up with a national bread is pretty tough to do in a country where bread is still trying to catch on.

Kazuma has a few recipes, and a few tricks up his sleeve, but will it be enough?

My Opinion

Yakitate!! Japan is a fun manga. It’s got some great characters and a great sense of humor. It has to have something special going for it because it’s about bread. I love bread, but until I checked out a little bit of Yakitate!! I had no desire whatsoever to read a manga about it.

Takashi Hashiguchi does a wonderful job setting up a competitive atmosphere. You’ll be cheering on your favorite baker before you know it. Anyone who has seen the food competitions on the Food Network will understand how surprisingly addictive such competition can be.

With the right characters you can make a manga about anything fun to read. Even bread.

(I’d still like to see a giant ninja robot cooking manga though)

Is it worth it?

Yep, Yakitate!! Japan is worth checking out. You don’t need to know much about bread or baking, the humor is enough to make it worth it. This manga is good enough to eat.

Manga, Reviews, Comedy, Cooking, Yakitate!!, Yakitate!! Japan, Volume 1, Azuma Kazuma, Takashi Hashiguchi, Viz Media

I wish this had kept it’s original title. I know that Strawberry 100% and Ichigo 100% mean the same thing. I just think that Ichigo 100% sounds better.

Oh, and it’s more suited for teens than kids. Nothing really graphic, but there are a lot of very detailed fan service panty shots.

Story

Junpei Manaka sneaks up to the roof of his school to look at the view, but what he sees is something he never expected. Junpei surprises his dream girl and accidentally sees her strawberry print panties, but she runs away before he can talk to her.

Who is the girl with the strawberry panties?

My Opinion

Junpei is kind of a dumbass. There, I said it. It’s not hard to figure out who the girl on the roof was. There are plenty of clues. It’s so easy to figure out that figuring it out isn’t even part of the story. It’s no big mystery. Even Junpei figures it out. What makes him a dumbass is the amount of time it takes him.

Ok, my rant is over. Junpei does have some good qualities, so it’s not completely unbelievable that the girls fall for him. It’s just mostly unbelievable because all the girls are so hot. Why are the girls in a harem manga always babes? Throw the bone a dog every now and then.

Is it worth it?

Strawberry 100% is a harem manga. If you like harem manga, then you’ll enjoy this one. I like harem manga, so I’d have to say that it’s worth checking out. There isn’t really anything new in this story, but it is very well done. The story is good, the characters are likeable and the fan service is plentiful.

Manga, Reviews, Shonen, Harem, Romance, Comedy, Fan Service, Strawberry 100%, Ichigo 100%, Junpei Manaka, Mizuki Kawashita

Story

Yomiko Readman is off to Manshu Academy after getting a mysterious letter from the former “Paper”, and her ex-boyfriend, Donnie Nakajima. It seems like the Library of England needs her special talents again. This time she’s supposed to find an ancient library and the treasures of knowledge it contains.

Can she complete her mission while maintaining her cover as a teacher in the very strange academy? Should she even try when the man she thought she killed raises doubts about the Library of England and it’s intentions?

My Opinion

Questions seem to be the theme of Read or Die volume 2. Questions are raised about Yomiko’s past. Questions are raised about the Library of England. Questions are raised about what’s going on at that freaky school. I repeat once again… Questions are raised.

Now, how many answers do we get? Not many. The few answers we do get are only addressing the small questions.

The story in this volume slows down for some introspection. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Unless you have the introspective main character run off by themselves a lot and leave the point of view with secondary characters that shouldn’t even be there in the first place. Guess what happens in this volume?

Other than the slow bits, the story is pretty good. it seems to be setting up an ongoing storyline, and doing it fairly well. Questions are raised, and the important answers are not given.

Is it worth it?

I’d say so. While the second volume may not be as action packed as the first one was, it has it’s moments. If you can overlook a few pages of flakey behavior and Nenene Sumiregawa dropping in for no reason, then I think you’ll enjoy Read or Die volume 2.

Manga, Reviews, Comedy, Action, Read or Die, Read or Die Volume 2, Volume 2, R.O.D., Yomiko Readman, Paper Master, Nenene Sumiregawa, Donnie Nakajima, Hideyuki Kurata, Shutaro Yamada, Viz Media

Writing this review is kinda weird. I could have sworn that I already wrote it. I just can’t find it anywhere. I was going to review Read or Die volume 2. I went to check a couple of things in the first one and here I am.

Story

Yumiko Readman loves books. Her love goes beyond that of a normal bibliophile. Yumiko loves them so much that the books love her back. Because of this love Yumiko has developed special abilities with paper. These abilities have earned her the name “The Paper”. Yumiko Readman is a paper master.

Working as an agent of the Library of England she travels the world taking on special operations.

In this volume Yumiko gets a chance to meet one of her favorite authors, high school prodigy Nenene Sumiregawa. Things don’t go quite as she expected.

My Opinion

I wanted to read Read or Die after getting hooked on the anime, Read or Die: The TV. It’s about three other paper masters and an older Nenene Sumiregawa. I then saw the OVA featuring Yumiko. Basically I watched ‘em backwards. In spite of that I fell in love with the anime. So I had to check out the manga.

The manga really lived up to all the expectations I had. The art and writing work beautifully together. The personalities of the characters are expressed very well.

I was concerned that the action sequences in the manga wouldn’t be as good as the anime version. Yumiko’s abilities as a paper master allow her to do amazing things with paper. From deadly projectiles to stopping bullets. I thought that might be tough to pull off. I had nothing to worry about. The action is awesome.

Is it worth it?

The first volume of the Read or Die manga is definitely worth buying. It’s great. Cool characters, awesome action and a love of books. I highly recommend this manga.

Manga, Reviews, Comedy, Action, Read or Die, R.O.D., Yomiko Readman, Paper Master, Nenene Sumiregawa, Hideyuki Kurata, Shutaro Yamada, Viz Media

I had no idea this story was going to be so short. Ultra Maniac Volume 5 seems to be the last book. Bummer.

I understand that Wataru Yoshizumi probably wanted to move on to something else, and may have even intended this to be short, but I’m going to miss it. I was hoping for a few more of these manga.

Story

What’s up with Yuta and Sayaka? Do Hiroki and Nina finally get together? Can Nina ever be a real witch? All these questions and more are answered in Volume 5 of Ultra Maniac.

My Opinion

I really don’t want to give too much away. This is a great story and things are wrapped up beautifully. I just wish things weren’t being wrapped up so fast.

I know it’s better to finish a series before it starts going downhill. That can really ruin a great manga. Things can get drawn out for far too long and the story can become dull and predictable. I’m glad that didn’t happen to Ultra Maniac, but I’m sorry to see it go.

I am glad that every volume had humor and heart. That’s what I loved about this manga. I’ll miss Ayu, Nina and even Yuta. It seem like I’ve just gotten to know them. I hope to see them again someday.

Is it worth it?

Yep. Ultra Maniac Volume 5 has everything that makes this series so great.

Ultra Maniac is a very sweet, very funny manga. It may be short, but it’s a wonderful story.

I would highly recommend picking up the Ultra Maniac series.

Manga, Reviews, Comedy, Romance, Ultra Maniac, Volume 5, Ultra Maniac Volume 5, Wataru Yoshizumi, Shojo Beat, Shojo Beat Manga

Time for the third, and last, Sgt Frog manga review from the multi-volume book I bought. I’d like to say once again that those are a great deal. I’ll be looking for more of those.

Story

Things are getting even more interesting in the Hinata home. Three of Sgt Keroro’s subordinates have been found. The latest being First Sergeant Kululu, a technology and intelligence specialist.

With Kululu’s help the invasion should be a snap.

My Opinion

Ah, the wacky inventor, a classic anime character. Kululu’s inventions help to make things even more crazy, as unbelievable as that sounds. He’s a little short on the wacky-ness, at least so far. Not a problem though, his inventions produce enough chaos.

I did notice an increase in fan service in this volume. There was a tiny amount in the first 2 volumes, but it really kicks up a notch in a couple of these stories. Fuyuki and Natsumi’s mom is supposed to be a real hottie, the guys she works with are always drooling over her. Her assets seem to be more prominently featured this time around.

I noticed some harsh language in this volume too. Nothing major, just an occasional “Hell” or “Damn”. It might have been in the first couple of books too and I just didn’t notice it.

I think Sgt Frog volume 3 lives up to what you’d expect if you’ve read the first 2 books. Tons of craziness packed into every page. I really don’t know how Mine Yoshizaki can manage to get so much insanity into these books.

Is it worth it?

Yep. Sgt Frog volume 3 is just as good as the first 2 books. If you enjoyed those then you’ll enjoy this one.

If you haven’t checked out Sgt Frog yet, I’d highly recommend it. I’d also recommend picking up the 3 in 1 multi-volume collection. It’ll save you some cash and you’ll get a lot of manga for your money.

Manga, Reviews, Comedy, TokyoPop, Tokyo Pop, Sgt Frog, Volume 3, Sgt Keroro, First Sergeant Kululu, Keroro Gunso, Mine Yoshizaki

Story

Things are changing in the Hinata household. Fuyuki is in middle school now, the same school as Natsumi. He’s joined the manga club, where his “imaginative” comics are pretty popular. If only the other club members knew that the aliens he’s writing about are real.

Sgt Keroro is still stranded on Earth. The good news is that he’s finding more of his crew. The bad news is that they’re no closer to conquering Earth.

That could change when Corporal Giroro arrives. He’s not as easily distracted as the Sergeant. Giroro is tough, focused and determined to accomplish his mission.

My Opinion

The second volume of Sgt Frog is just as fun as the first. It still delivers a lot of story for your money. With more characters being introduced things get even crazier.

The character introductions really add something to the story. It’s not just more characters, and the same old story. Each new character changes things, sometimes just a little bit and sometimes a lot. One of the strong points of Sgt Frog is the dynamics between the characters. So for every character introduced, there is a subtle shift in the story.

I have to say that the character design, and the art in general, is growing on me too. It’s simple for the most part, but there are some scenes with a lot of detail. The alien frogs can be surprisingly expressive.

Is it worth it?

Yep. Sgt Frog Volume 2 is just as good as the first one. I recommend picking them up. You get a lot of story for your money. It’s a good story too. Interesting characters in some genuinely entertaining situations.

Manga, Reviews, TokyoPop, Tokyo Pop, Sgt Frog, Volume 2, Sgt Keroro, Corporal Giroro, Keroro Gunso, Mine Yoshizaki

I wanted to read the Sgt Frog manga after I watched the anime. Lucky for me I found the first 3 volumes in a single book before I picked up volume 1. That saved me some money.

Story

Sgt Keroro was on a scouting mission to gather data on Earth before the invasion force attacked. Unfortunately he was discovered by Fuyuki Hinata and his sister Natsumi before his mission was complete. Because of that, the attack was postponed and the invasion force had no choice but to leave him and his team behind.

Now Sgt Keroro is a captive of the Hinata family, but things aren’t so bad. He has his own room from which he can plan to conquer the Earth, his Gundam models and plenty of housework to keep him busy.

My Opinion

I enjoyed Sgt Frog. There is a lot of story packed into the manga volumes. There are at least 5 anime episodes worth squeezed into the first volume alone. Sgt Frog is non-stop from cover to cover. The only slow parts are the ones that are meant to be slow.

The manga should appeal to the fans of the anime too. The story is told a bit differently. The chronology of events was changed for the anime too. I’d say that it’s similar enough to be enjoyable and familiar, but different enough to hold the interest of someone who has seen the anime.

Is it worth it?

Yep, Sgt Frog is worth buying. It’s very entertaining, has lots of humor and each volume is packed with fun. I’d recommend getting the book that has the first three volumes, you’ll save a lot of money.

Manga, Reviews, TokyoPop, Tokyo Pop, Sgt Frog, Volume 1, Sgt Keroro, Keroro Gunso, Mine Yoshizaki

The last time I went shopping for manga I decided to check out one of TokyoPop’s multi-volume books. The manga I chose for the test was Sgt Frog by Mine Yoshizaki. I’d liked the anime and wanted to check out the manga, but it wasn’t one I loved enough that I wanted to build a collection of the different volumes. It seemed like a good choice.

Why bother?

I wanted to try out the multi-volume manga because I thought it would be a good way to try a new manga series. With anime I need to see a few episodes to make up my mind. That’s not as important with manga, but it does play a part.

I also wanted to find out if the size of the books had any effect on the reading experience. That was a major point for me. One of the reasons I enjoy manga is the reading experience. Reading a manga volume has elements similar to reading comics as well as reading a book. I wanted to find out if the larger size of the multi-volume manga upset that balance.

The last reason is price. At $9 to $12 per volume, manga can get expensive very quickly. At $9.99 each, the first three volumes of Sgt Frog would cost around $30 purchased separately. The list price of the multi-volume version is $12.99. That saved me $16.98. (All prices calculated without tax.)

My Opinion

When it comes to collecting manga I love, I’d probably still buy the individual volumes. That’s just a personal preference though. As for manga I just want to read or review, I’d have no problems buying the multi-volume version. It’s the same story in the same format, it’s just in a thicker book.

For me the reading experience was effected somewhat because of the thickness. I’m very careful when I read a book. I don’t like to open it too far and crack the spine. It’s tough not to do that with a manga that’s almost 2 inches thick. If you’re not as picky as I am, then that shouldn’t be a problem. Once I got used to that I enjoyed it as much as I would enjoy the three volumes separately.

The price is great. It’s almost like a 3 for 1 sale. I paid $3 more and got 2 more volumes. That’s a great deal. I’d like to see more multi-volume versions become available. I will definitely be buying more of these.

Are multi-volume manga worth it?

I think they’re great. The issues of reading experience and manga collecting are subjective. You might want to try one out with a series you’re not completely in love with first. The price is great. I’d recommend multi-volume manga to any otaku on a budget.

Manga, Opinion, Muti-Volume, Sgt Frog, Mine Yoshizaki, TokyoPop, Price, Cheap, Save Money

Story

Ichigo Kurosaki is very different than he once was. What happend to the little boy that was always smiling? In the third volume of the Bleach manga we find out.

June 17th is the day that life changed for the Kurosaki family six years ago. Now it’s a day to remember. A day that the family spends together. This day is different because Ichigo is a Soul Reaper now, and a Soul Reaper can’t take a day off.

My Opinion

This is it. Volume 3 of the Bleach manga is where I’ve made up my mind. The manga is better than the anime. The Bleach manga wins hands down.

I still like the anime version of Bleach. It’s a great show. I just think that the characters in the manga are given a better chance for their personalities to shine through. That makes a huge difference because the characters are the biggest strength Bleach has.

If you watch the anime you might remember the episodes this volume covers. It’s a very emotional story in the anime. I think the manga did a better job of getting across just how deeply Ichigo was affected by these events. It’s a very touching story and Tite Kubo handles it very well. This proves to me that he can do much, much more than action and comedy. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Is it worth it?

Yes. Not only is this volume worth buying, it’s almost a necessity for Bleach fans. If you like the anime you’ll love the manga. Bleach Volume 3 makes it worth it to pick up the first 2 volumes too. Seriously, read this manga.

Manga, Reviews, Action, Bleach, Fantasy, Shonen, Shonen Jump, Tite Kubo, Volume 3, Ichigo Kurosaki, Orihime Inoue, Orihime Cover

After reading more Bleach manga, I’m beginning to like it better than the anime. I don’t know why though. So far I haven’t seen anything in the story line that’s significantly different. The anime seems to have been fairly true to the story. Much more so than some of the anime I’ve seen that’s been adapted from manga.

Story

The story in volume 2 of Bleach picks up after Chad disappears from the clinic run by Ichigo’s family. The first half deals with the Hollow that has been following Chad’s bird. Chad has his first fight with a Hollow, even though he can’t even see it. If that wasn’t bad enough, Ichigo is late showing up to lay down the Soul Reaping because his sister is sick.

In the second half of the manga Rukia visits a very interesting store, Urahara Shoten. She needs to pick up some specialty items, one of which is Soul Candy. The Soul Candy is for Ichigo. It will let him leave his body to fight Hollows even if Rukia isn’t around to knock him out of it. Due to a mix up at the shop, things go very, very wrong when Ichigo uses the Soul Candy for the first time.

My Opinion

If you watch the Bleach anime, and you should, then you’ll be familiar with the stories. They’re pretty much the same as a couple of early episodes. I just hope I haven’t given away too much for the folks who haven’t seen those episodes.

Reading the second volume has only strengthened my opinion that the manga art is even better then the anime. Most of the time they look pretty much the same, but the subtle differences definitely favor the manga version.

Is it worth it?

Yep, it’s worth it. The manga is worth reading, even if you’ve seen the anime. While volume 2 doesn’t cover as much ground as volume 1, I still think it’s worth picking up.

Manga, Reviews, Bleach, Volume 2, Tite Kubo, Shonen, Action, Fantasy, Shonen Jump

I love the Bleach anime, so when my girlfriend got the first few volumes of the Bleach manga I had to read ‘em. I was undecided about reading the Bleach manga in Shonen Jump because the story line there is a little bit farther along than what I’ve seen of the anime. I’ve got no problems going backwards though.

Story

Ichigo Kurosaki is a 15 year old high school student. He leads a fairly normal life, except for the ghosts. Ichigo can see spirits and he soon finds out that he can see more than that.

When a Soul Reaper named Rukia Kuchiki walks into his life things change for Ichigo. He learns the difference between normal spirits and evil spirits called Hollows. His lesson about Hollows happens first hand when one attacks his family. The only thing that can save them is for Ichigo to become a Soul Reaper himself.

My Opinion

The manga packs a lot of story into one volume. It goes right up to the beginning of the 4th anime episode. It also ends like the anime, with a cliffhanger. That’s one of the greatest, and worst, things about Bleach. The way it ends when things are happening. I need to hurry and finish this so I can read the second one. Which is the whole point of ending things that way I guess.

The only difference that I noticed between the anime and the manga is the art. Tite Kubo’s art in the manga is just a little bit different from the anime. I think I like the manga art better than the anime. Probably because there were a few things about the early anime episodes that bugged me. There were times where the proportions seemed wrong, especially with Ichigo. The manga doesn’t have that problem, or I haven’t noticed it yet.

For a second work Bleach is even more amazing. Tite Kubo’s first manga Zombie Powder was ok, but it had a few problems. (I thought I reviewed Zombie Powder, but I can’t find it.) Even the small problems aren’t present in Bleach. This manga is very well done.

Is it worth it?

Of course it’s worth it, it’s Bleach. This is a freakin’ awesome manga. You need to read this if you like the anime.

Manga, Bleach, Volume 1, Bleach Volume 1, Anime, Ghosts, Hollows, Ichigo Kurosaki, Reviews, Rukia Kuchiki, Shonen Jump, Soul Reapers, Spirits, Tite Kubo, Zombie Powder

Yeah, I know I said something about not reviewing any more volumes of Ultra Maniac the last time I reviewed one. I changed my mind. I like Ultra Maniac, so there must be a few other people that like it too. So here’s my review of Ultra Maniac Volume 4.

I’ll keep the story summary short. If you’re reading the series then you already know the basic. If you’re not reading the series, then you should check out the reviews of the first few books.

Then you should read Ultra Maniac.

Story

Yuta’s girlfriend is beginning to get suspicious. Looks like he’s not hiding his real feeling as well as he thought. He tries to pass it off as concern over the threatening letters, but could that really work?

Hiroki confesses his interest in Nina, but Nina isn’t so sure. Does Hiroki like Nina for who she is or because she’s a witch?

Now for the big news, Nina’s mysterious stalker is discovered and attacks Ayu.

My Opinion

Overall I think Ultra Maniac volume 4 is good. Nina does some more magic. It’s been so long that even the characters in the story comment on it. They even refer to the anime version doing more magic, which I thought was cute.

I was a little disappointed that the story line of the threatening letters was ended so abruptly. I think it would have worked better if it had lasted a little bit longer. I think it needed to build some more suspense. Other than that I thought the ending was handled very well. It really gave some insight into a couple of different characters involved.

Is it worth it?

Yep, Ultra Maniac Volume 4 lives up to the standards set in previous books. Even if the stalker story line was cut a little short the rest of the stories make up for it.

Manga, Reviews, Ultra Maniac, Volume 4, Ultra Maniac Volume 4, Wataru Yoshizumi, Shojo Beat, Shojo Beat Manga

Ultra Maniac has me hooked.
…
This manga series is becoming one of my favorites.

Ultra Maniac has me hooked. The characters, story and art all work together in a great way. This manga series is becoming one of my favorites.

I know, I should move on to some new stuff. I was even wondering if I should write about the third volume or not. Then I thought about anime, and how I decide if I like a show or not. I have to see several episodes before I make up my mind. Pretty much any anime can have a great first episode. It’s the ones that follow that really matter.

Manga can change from book to book too. So I decided to write at least one more Ultra Maniac review.

There are some spoilers, so if you haven’t read the first 2 volumes yet, skip this post and check out the reviews of volume 1 and volume 2.

Story

Things are starting to heat up. Ayu and Tetsushi finally get together. Everything is going fine right? Nope. Things don’t seem to be going well for the happy couple. Something bad seems to happen every time they go on a date.

Nina has her own problems. Hiroki finds out about Nina secret. It seems he’s not the only one. Nina starts getting letters telling her to go home. Who could be after Nina and why?

New characters are introduced. We get to meet Nina’s host family. Yuta’s sister Mito is the new teacher at school.

Is it worth it?

Yep. It builds on the previous story very well. If you like the first 2 volumes you’ll enjoy this one too. I certainly did.

Manga, Reviews, Shojo, Comedy, Ultra Maniac