A.E. Sparrow Comic Reviews

Don't let the fact that it's manhwa (Korean manga) deter you from checking this book out. Hee Jung Park is an excellent artist, and will draw complete moods out of you as you move from chapter to chapter. Because this is only the first volume of the series, things seem very loose and disjointed, but there's an overall feeling that every event, even the ones that seem like an afterthought, is moving towards something…something huge. You may disagree that Hotel Africa lives up to my lofty definition of literature. That's your right. However, I felt after I read the last page that I'd read something…if not important…than certainly memorable. I don't get that feeling from most things that I've read. It's a special club that I reserve for the truly great books I want to carry with me for the rest of my life. Hotel Africa has entered that pantheon.

Ellis is spot-on in his assessment. Horror movies, as a rule, never bothered me. I enjoy them, but the idea of a maniac killer with a machete, while scary, doesn't really terrify me. It's the disturbing books and movies that always scared me more than anything. The idea of a society like Orwell's 1984, the pagan cults of The Wicker Man (forget the Nicholas Cage remake, see the original), and now the spiral curse that haunts the village of Kurozu-cho in Uzumaki…these are the types of things that give me nightmares. I'm not going to say a thing about how this book ends, because you owe it to yourself to start from the beginning and pick this one up, particularly if you're new to Japanese horror and think Ringu was the best it ever had to offer.

There's a lot I'm not telling you here, and a few areas I'm being intentionally murky when discussing. It's all done with the best of intentions. Like the Death Note manga, it's really necessary to experience this mystery for yourself. And to be honest, picking up this book is a no-brainer if you're a Death Note fan. Chances are you've picked it up already or have it on order if you've made it through the twelve-volume series already. Another Note adds a few more fun layers to a series that's as multi-tiered as any manga fan could ask for. Much is revealed about more than a few beloved characters (including a few I haven't told you about here), so if you're looking to further your Death Note experience, this book is an excellent addition to your collection.

Bottom line - if you're not reading Monster you're missing out on one of the best things going in manga. If you think manga's nothing more than people with weird powers shouting at each other across a battlefield, pick this series up. If you have friends who think that all manga can offer is cheap upskirt shots and giant robots, give them this series. Monster is a series that stands on its own, and it deserves every accolade that can be sent its way. Everyone should read it, but please…start from the beginning.

The good news is, there's now a great new way to experience this series. ADV recently released Azumanga Daioh: The Omnibus, collecting the entire series in one volume. Financially, it's a no brainer. All four volumes of the original series will run you about $40, but the hefty omnibus, which prints on larger paper, comes in at a solid $25. Granted, you might get a hernia from trying to lift the sucker, but you'll get that from laughing at the storylines anyhow. The convenience of having it all in one volume seems to be the only real advantage, as I saw nothing major in the way of additional material, save for some explanatory material at the end to explain some of the jokes that might fly over a Western reader's head. Still, a cheaper price tag on larger paper is enough to bring me on board, and hopefully will open the door for anyone curious about the series to take the plunge.

Black Lagoon continues to be the greatest thing since bread came sliced, and will easily make my list of the top five manga released this year. Great artwork, amazing action sequences, hot babes with guns, and with this volume, actual character development. Now I realize that menu won't appeal to every reader out there, but I heartily encourage those who do take an interest in the bliss that is the bad action movie to check this series out. The only thing missing is Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti shooting the hell out of each other.

The fact that this is one of the first books I've been given to read this year gives me a ton of hope for the coming year. It's also set the bar extremely high for any books that come after it. I don't care if you're scared of manhwa or just don't know if a romantic book is something you want to experience. If you want to call yourself a true comic book fan, and mean it, this book ought to be on your reading list. A timeless story, coupled with some of the best artwork you'll find in any comic, makes the $9.99 asking price almost a steal. Do not miss this book.

Again, I make no apologies for being a slobbering Excel Saga fanboy. I'll be reading them right up to the fateful day when Rikdo Koshi hangs it up and says he's done. If you're unsure if the series is for you, check out the anime first. It's equally funny, and because it doesn't follow the manga's storyline 100%, Excel fans get two different sagas to enjoy. Of course, with a multi-volume anime series and a manga run up to volume 17, be prepared to part with some coin if you find yourself getting addicted, but hey…there are worse things in this world to be addicted to, right?

Dragon Sister! appeals to a couple different audiences. If you're attracted to the image of the cute girl in the suggestive outfit on the cover, you're going to be happy with the character designs and the artwork throughout the book itself. If, however, you're looking for a different take on one of history's most-told tales, this is certainly a worthy title to check out. In other words, don't be fooled by the cover…or be fooled by the cover…but check this book out, regardless. It's not at all what you might expect it to be.

If you're not reading Gyakushu!, you're missing out on one of the best things going in comics right now. With only one volume left to go in the three-volume series, it's a minimal investment for a story that borrows heavily from some of the great epics of the past, while at the same time creating its own niche in the genre. Revenge tales are always a fun read, but this time around it seems like things are building to a very unfortunate end. Regardless, this is a series I see myself returning to re-read for many years to come.

These are but two characters you'll encounter along the way should you decide to take on this series. Granted there's no apple-loving death gods or sweets-obsessed detectives to keep your interest, but you're sure to find characters equally interesting wrapped around a storyline that is sure to keep you guessing right up to the end. With five volumes to go, that's certainly been the case with me.

If you've been reading Monster from the beginning, you don't need this review to entice you to pick up the book. You're every bit as much an addict as I am, and you're probably enjoying scratching your head and wondering what the heck Naoki Urasawa is going to throw at you next. If you haven't been reading this series, put this one at the top of your list when it comes time to start a new one…you won't regret it.

Look, I won't lie to you. I loved Pet Shop of Horrors, I love that we have a sequel out, and I'll be the first to tell you that's going to bias my review. Anyone else who's been through the original series with me is no doubt just as ecstatic as I am that it's continuing. The rest of you? Go pick up the original series. It's well worth the money, whether or not you care for a shojo tale or not. Really, the term doesn't apply to this series…it's simply a great story, and should be left to succeed or fail on its own merits. Pick it up for yourself and see if you don't agree.

Tezuka's work is really critic-proof. You should expose yourself to at least one of his stories at some point in your life. Sometimes it's okay to believe the hype, and that's particularly true in this case. Sometimes legends are hard to live up to, particularly when you have the lofty title "God of Manga" thrust upon you. Tezuka manages to live up to the mantle, however, and Early Works is a great place to see his humble beginnings.

Ito's artwork instantly invites comparison to manga horror master Kazuo Umezu, and with little surprise. One of his first stories won a magazine's Kazuo Umezu award (Umezu himself was one of the judges). As I'm devouring not only Uzumaki but also Ito's Museum of Horror series (featuring his equally popular Tomie stories), I find it fun to compare it to the Umezu books I currently own (the Scary Book series as well as the ongoing publication of his classic The Drifting Classroom. ) They have very similar styles, and it's easy to see Umezu's influence on Ito's work. I would put it to any fan of this series to check out some of Umezu's work, if you haven't already. And be prepared to lose a lot of sleep…a lot of sleep.

Aria won't be for everyone. Shonen fighting manga fans need not apply. This book moves at a snail's pace, and I think even your average shojo romance fan would eventually lose patience with Akari's world. I must admit when I saw the cover I has my initial prejudices. "Oh great…cute girl with pink hair and lots of color on the cover…this is going to be a compelling read!" My sarcasm quickly died out as I found myself wrapped up in the world of Aqua, and I realized that sometimes it's good to just sit back, relax and really enjoy a comic book simply because it can make you happy. That doesn't happen too often with books these days, and when it does we often like to devalue it or just flat out shun it. That would be a real shame for this series, as I think we could all use a little escape every now and then.

The Bleach juggernaut continues to plow along, but the fact is it wouldn't be as popular as it is if there weren't something to keep readers coming back with each release. Whether you're like the guy behind me who felt it was art over substance, or if you feel the reverse is true, there's no denying that Bleach has something. I like to think it's a little bit of both…the artwork and the storyline meshing nicely to create a compelling story that makes me want to see what's going to happen next.

There's a preview in the back of this book for Doors of Chaos and while I'm normally okay with previews, this time I found myself wishing these pages could have been devoted to another story. This first volume of Dark Metro has given the series a lot of momentum right out of the gate, and I was sorry to see it end when it might have continued a bit further. Five stories are not enough! I want more…now. This could be a sleeper hit if enough people discover it.

If you've never experienced a manga like this – I'm not quite ready to call it a harem manga just yet although it's certainly headed in that direction – you could do a heck of a lot worse than Mamotte Shugogetten. Tokyopop has sweetened the pot by publishing the first two complete volumes in one book for only $12.99. That's a lot of bang for your buck, but be forewarned, the story ends on a cliffhanger, so don't feel like this is a "one and done" kind of story. If you enjoy it, be prepared to seek out the next volume when it comes out. Even if you have read a similar storyline (there are plenty of them out there), don't be afraid to pick this series up. There's great artwork, funny storylines, cute girls, villains you'll love to hate…all in a value-priced package.

Metro Survive is well worth picking up. It's got a slightly larger page size than your standard manga tankobon, with no increase in price. Sure, that's not a very compelling reason to pick up any title, but let's throw in a great take on a proven story genre, with some absolutely incredible artwork that perfectly fits the serious tone of this book. There have been other stories that deal with disasters (Dragon Head, The Drifting Classroom), but they often tend to take on more supernatural tones as the story progresses. At least at this early stage, Metro Survive looks like it's going to give disaster fans what they're looking for…a straight take on the genre that will focus more on character development and how different personalities can band together to overcome adversity. I've been waiting a long time for a book like this to come along.

Monster is one of the biggest feathers in the Viz Signature line cap. Each volume almost immediately makes its way to the top of my reading stack, not only because I'm admittedly a huge fan of the series, but because I have to know what's going to happen next. It's like a Hitchcock film set to manga, and if you're in the market for a series and haven't picked this one up yet, don't let it pass you by. In a sea of similarity and mediocrity on the manga shelf, there's truly only one Monster.

Pretty Face won't be for everyone. Just as many people are turned on by a good boob joke, there's just as many who aren't. That's a real shame, because there's more to Pretty Face than meets the eye, and it is well worth a look if you're willing to see beyond the prurient parts of the story. Then again, there's nothing wrong with liking the book for those elements as well, so if you're into great artwork, fun humor and a good storyline to tie it all together, this may be your series.

If you're going to create a harem manga, it helps to have really good artwork. I've said from the beginning if you're going to give me fan service, then make it good fan service. In that regard, I consider Kawashita to be among the best in the business. Junpei is a highly expressive character who has to deal with being tender one moment and outraged the next. Really, though, most of us are reading these books for the women, and with Aya, Satsuki, Tsukasa and Yui, Kawashita has a wide range of beautiful ones to play with. I'll make no secret of it, Kawashita draws a very attractive female form, and it's one of the things that makes Strawberry 100% such a fun book to read. However, it is only one of the things that makes this series as good as it is. Check it out for yourself and see.

The answer to my quandary came from the author himself. In the afterword to volume two, Mashima himself states that he's not sure where these characters are going to take him, and he's as curious as I am, as the reader, to see what stories will develop out of what he's begun. Now to some, that might sound like an invitation to disaster, as most writers are taught to have a definite ending in mind when you begin structuring their masterpieces. However, Mashima has built a very solid foundation with these first two books. So solid, in fact, I was really surprised to hear how he was pretty much winging it. If this is Mashima playing free and loose with his material, then count me in. I'd almost be afraid to see what a structured book from him might be.

In order to appreciate where Kurohime is now, and where she's going in future books, it's obviously a good idea to go back to volume one and see where she's been. Volume seven isn't exactly what I'd call a "jumping on point" for the series, particularly since things are really beginning to get complex for Kurohime and company as they tackle gods, angels, and demons in their quest to bring Zero back. I was not impressed with this series when it first came out, but over time it has really grown into a solid read that's well worth checking out.

Get the idea? This is a nice complex story, and just when you think you might have an idea where they're going with it, they're quick to prove you wrong. When you take everything else about this series and stack it up against similar tales in the genre, in terms of artwork, character design, etc., you're not going to find much to separate it from the rest of the crowd. However, throw in a pretty unique storyline and you've got a book that may appeal to both newcomers to the vampire story, as well as longtime but burnt-out fans. You'll know by the end of this first volume if you're in for the rest of the ride.

Even if you're not a fan of Blue Dragon, there's plenty to enjoy about Ral Grad. Takeshi Obata's masterful artwork, a cast of highly interesting and entertaining characters and a sprawling fantasy epic storyline make for a book that shouldn't be drug down because it happens to be tied in to a video game. In fact, it almost hurts fans of the video game series because they might find themselves looking for comparisons to make…much like I have…instead of just sitting back and enjoying a good read.

If you're a regular reader of Tanemura's work, be it Full Moon or Gentleman's Alliance, you don't want to miss this opportunity to read her first published work. If you're still not sure about shojo manga, or whether it might be for you, this is a real gem of a book to find out whether you'll like it or not with a minimal investment. Whatever your story, I*O*N is well worth checking out, but fair warning you might actually find yourself enjoying shojo manga before you're done.

While it's not necessary to go back and read Zero to enjoy what's happening in Rose Hip Rose, there's a hint or two that what happened in that first series may eventually be referenced in the second. Whether you chose to or not, Rose Hip Rose will either be a great first exposure to one of Tohru Fujisawa's more interesting action heroes, or a welcome continuation of her story. In either event, don't miss out on this one.

If you're into Toriyama's other work, picking this up will be a no-brainer. It's actually kind of fun to see a different kind of art style at work than what we've seen in his other series like Dragonball, Dr. Slump and Sandland. Only Mr. Maruyama, one of the few humans to make an appearance, seems to have that trademark look that Akira brings to most of his books. If you're not familiar with Toriyama's work, this is still a pretty fun little read to pick up. Okay, the humor may be a bit juvenile, but I'm willing to bet you'll smile…or at the very least grin begrudgingly…at least once as you go through this book. These days, that can almost be worth the $8 price tag.

While Gimmick! probably won't appeal to everyone, there's a definite audience out there for it, particularly among readers who are tired of the same-old same-old and want to find something a bit different. I'm not saying it is groundbreaking or anything like that, but there's enough uniqueness to it that it's well worth checking out, despite the "gimmick" of putting a cliffhanger at the end of the first volume. If something like that doesn't bother you the way it does me, then by all means pick this book up.

At the end of the day, it's nice to have two books out there that serve your interests if you're a Street Fighter fan. Whichever one you choose, there's a lot to enjoy in either book. I found that of the two, though, if hard-pressed to choose one or the other, I'd have to spend my money on this particular book. I enjoyed the artwork more, the storyline wasn't quite as convoluted as that of SVC Chaos, and the buck less in price didn't hurt, either. Ultimately, the decision as to which series you choose to follow (if indeed you choose to follow either) is entirely up to you.

If you're a fan of the anime series, then picking up The Third should be a no-brainer. There's also enough at work here to get a newcomer like myself to want to check out the main series. Haruko is an interesting character, and the overall plotline dealing with an alien takeover certainly caught my attention. If those two elements get you to open the book, the artwork will keep you there. Just be prepared…picking up this volume could be the catalyst for a lot of future purchases down the road.

I'm no real fan of vampire stories. In my opinion they are to manga what zombies are to Western comics right now. There are enough stories on the shelves right now to risk an overflow of the genre. That said, if you're going to pick up a vampire story you could do a lot worse than the Vampire Knight series. The high-school-with-a-secret setting, the interesting characters, and the overall feel of the series make it a worthwhile read, even if the shojo tag on the cover scares you more than the thought of vampires. As always, I recommend starting from the beginning, but if you're looking for a new series to start, this could be a solid contender to add to your collection.

With this final volume, the usual decisions that plague any female lead have to be made – should Yurara go with the fun-loving Mei who desires her for what she is now, or should she allow her other half to take over and be with the more passionate Yako? It's a good thing this is the final volume, as anything longer would probably have stretched this series a bit too far. As it stands, it seems to be ending at just the right time. This pacing, coupled with artwork that veers slightly away from what I've come to expect from a typical shojo book, makes this a solid candidate for the person in your life who's curious about shojo manga, but may not be ready to jump in with both feet.

Whether or not you're a fan of the FullMetal series, this one volume stands alone as a pretty good window to the horrors of war…any war…and is well worth checking out. It's not too difficult to pick up on the background and some of the characters, given the helpful guide at the beginning. The artwork is what most of us have come to expect from Arakawa, with stirring character designs and great attention to detail, particularly in the various uniforms of the differing armies. Is this the book that will bring those dragging their feet into the FullMetal Alchemist fold? Not likely. Is it a book that everyone ought to read? Absolutely.

As with any series, I always advise starting at the beginning rather than jumping in mid-stream, and that doesn't change with Reborn!. However, feel free to ignore my advice and pick this volume up. Of all the manga series I've reviewed, Reborn! is perhaps the most user-friendly in terms of bringing newcomers up to speed quickly and without too much pain in the process. Granted we're talking about a series designed primarily for laughter and fun as opposed to a gripping epic about a power struggle with the world in the balance, so that also makes it a lot easier to jump on board in the middle of the action.

She's smarter than I am about stuff like that.

Manga has seen quite a few stories involving fairies of late, much like it does with vampire yarns. We Shadows by Sonny Strait tackles the more Shakespearian aspect of the fairy, while Fairy Cube seems more interested in the Cottingley fairies, even mentioning them by name. Whatever your particular favorite take on the idea of fairies is, if you even have one, this book may provide an entertaining diversion for you. I make the comparison to We Shadows because I recall going into that book with a feeling of "Fairies? Ugh!" but ended up loving it. While I didn't come out of this book with the same enthusiasm, I did find it very enjoyable, and think there's a definite audience out there for it.

Lunar Legend Tsukihime is a wonderful series, and I think I'll be saying that right up to the end. Having said that, volume five isn't the best jumping on point for readers interested in the series. It often sounds like I'm stating the obvious when I say go back and start at the first volume, but it's not uncommon for manga series to offer recaps in their runs so people can pick up what's going on and follow the story mid-stream. Tsukihime offers no such luxuries, and it's a good enough series that it's worth your time to go back and start at the beginning.

In the final analysis The Other Side of the Mirror lives up to Whedon's endorsement. Jo Chen is certainly a talented artist and hopefully we're going to be seeing a lot more of her work in the future. While I didn't feel the artwork of the main story was anything particularly revolutionary, when blended with the story Chen's trying to relate, it becomes much more powerful, and I find myself waiting anxiously for the next volume that resolves the story. The additional story and background material are always welcome touches to any manga, but I also felt myself wishing we could have had more of the main storyline as well.

While this particular volume jumps into the middle of a story (and ends in the middle of one), it's not difficult to pick up the action or storyline. As said before, fans of mystery novels will find themselves right at home with this series, and it's sure to please any old-school manga fan as well. This is a fun series that doesn't take itself too seriously, despite its sometimes grim content.

High School Girls is a very deceptive manga. The title alone will get most readers who are looking for something to sate their prurient interests to pick it up. The incredible artwork contained within will keep them flipping through the pages. However, when it comes to actually reading the book, readers will find that this isn't a lighthearted Azumanga series, nor is it a teenage sex romp, despite the presence of lot of fan service. This is a book truly unlike any other on the shelf, and it is well worth checking out if you're looking for something different.

Spy Goddess won't be for everyone. Despite an abundance of action, your average fighting fan probably won't care for the love-story angle going on behind the scenes, and there's a definite vibe throughout the book that pretty much screams for a teenage readership. There too, while it won't affect your enjoyment if you haven't read the first two books in the series, it probably wouldn't hurt to do so if you want a deeper experience. Overall, this is an enjoyable series that should find a welcome home with its intended audience.

By this time, you're either on board with One Piece or you're not. My words aren't likely to sway you either way, but I can say this: Those who have made their way with Luffy and crew for the first sixteen volumes are unlikely to be disappointed with volume seventeen. Anyone who doesn't feel One Piece is worth the paper it's printed on probably aren't going to care either way. Regardless, this is a series every manga fan ought to at least experience at least once, if only to determine on which side of the fence you sit.

I found myself enjoying this book in spite of itself, as it has many of the trappings I usually don't care for in my manga. The aforementioned musical theme, for example, coupled with fairly cookie cutter shojo art stylings would normally make this a book that I'd never recommend. For some reason, though, I ended up interested in Mika's story. I even found myself following Ken's story, and by the end I wanted to find out more about what's going on with Kay. There's enough groundwork set up in this first volume that if you allow it to take hold, you're going to be around for volume two. Apparently if you put enough of the things I don'tcare for in manga into one book, I might actually end up enjoying it. Who knew?

Love Attack is easily the best of Shizuro Seino's series that I've read. It's a fairly typical shojo tale that doesn't take itself too seriously, plus it's fun to see Chiemi beat the tar out of Akitumi, as well as see his reactions to this strange girl who keeps hitting him. They're easily the two most lovable delinquents I think I've ever encountered, and watching these two discover their feelings for each other is sure to win over even the hardest of hearts. You shonen fans thinking that there's lots of action in this book because I mentioned fighting may be in for a bit of a surprise, but the real surprise is that you just might end up liking this book – provided you can suppress the urge to beat the heck out of Mizuki.

It was only natural for Tsuna to have to grow up at some point, and admittedly seven volumes of him playing the hapless fish-out-of-water is enough for any manga series to endure. So if we want to call what's happening in these books an "evolution", then so be it. I've gone to great pains not to spoil anything for fans of the series who, like me, were equally flabbergasted by the events of volume eight. I'll simply say that volume nine offers more of the same, and you can take or leave that as you choose.

Don't let the bad title stop you. Psycho Busters is a lot more fun than even it's willing to let on. Good artwork and solid take on a time-honored storyline give this book an edge over many of the others out there like it. For their part, Del Rey throws in a ton of nice extras, including a guide to what certain scenes meant with regard to their Japanese origin, and a page or two from the next volume printed with the original Japanese text. This is one of those books you'll pick up in the bookstore, shake your head and put back down because you feel you've read it before. And that's true…you probably have…but you might not have the story done this well before.

Bottom line – if you like King of Fighters, you're probably going to like this book, if you haven't already picked up the series in regular comic book form. If not, there's really not much to compel you to pick this up. As art books go, it's not as nicely formatted as it might have been. Some informative tidbits about the artwork might have been nice, and not having it in hardcover is pretty much unforgiveable these days. That's a shame because Yan and Tung deliver some truly nice artwork in this book, particularly for fighting game fans.

Even though I found it a bit draining to get through, Cat-Eyed Boy remains a good read if you're into Japanese horror books. Umezu is considered one of if not the master of the craft, and this series is another great addition to his stable of work that's available to Western audiences. I wouldn't say skip the "Meatball" storyline, but definitely pack a lunch and be prepared to stay for awhile once you dig into it.

As mentioned at the beginning, pick this book up and check out Hell Girl while you're at it. It's uncanny how two similar but different stories could end up on my desk at the same time.

Rosario Vampire may not be for everyone. If you're not a monster fan, this is essentially just another high school romance type story. Even if you're a monster fan, bear in mind that this book probably won't reveal anything about them you don't already know, although I will admit I was pleasantly surprised by seeing some rarely used parts of vampire lore appear in this book. Volume one is a good start for this series, and should provide a fun ride for those willing to hop on board. At the same time, it's not offering anything truly noteworthy as manga series go.

So I leave it up to you. If you're fan of the shojo genre and are looking for a fun new take on the typical boy-meets-girl aspect of it, B.O.D.Y. could very well be your book. Don't let the generic art style stand in your way of enjoying a good story. However, if art is your thing, consider yourself forewarned that this book isn't bringing anything new to the table. There's a definite audience for this book, but in an ever-growing shojo manga marketplace, it may be one of those unfortunate titles that gets lost in the shuffle.

Jyu-Oh-Sei surprised me, but pleasantly so. It's a story with a ton of depth to it, with rules and laws that govern the behavior of its characters. It's only true weakness? It's a manga. This is a story that would work so well as a novel, but seems to fall just short of the mark as a sequential art tale. There's also an anime available, so that might be worth tracking down as well. However you choose to experience it, it's a story worth experiencing, but ultimately I found myself wishing there was a simple novelization available.

Gun Blaze West didn't impress me at all when I read the preview in Shonen Jump but the larger story going on in the first volume completely won me over. The book promises a slew of interesting characters, both heroic and villainous, and might be a real hit provided there are enough fans of both westerns and manga out there. It may not win over the Kenshin crowd, but if you're interested in seeing a shonen take on the wild wild West, this may be a good starting point.

Strawberry 100% is written to attract a certain type of audience. You can insert your own joke here, but at the same time there's a definite story shaping up here. Junpei, initially someone I felt would be about as boring as the traditional hero of a harem manga is supposed to be, is shaping up to be a really well-developed character, considering the type of story he's found himself stuck in. It's difficult for most of us to identify with his kind of plight, given that most of us go through that kind of thing on a fairly regular basis (right guys?). Still, this book manages to at least give some humanity to its characters, which isn't a usual thing for this type of story.

At the end of the day, is it worth your time to check out this series? Well, in the grand scheme of things, five volumes isn't asking a huge investment out of your time or money, and the story is entertaining and fun, depending on what you're looking for. While it's not a huge religious introspective work delving into the nature of God or anything, it is deeper than you might originally think it would be. Art-wise, it's a no-brainer. There's plenty of great artwork in this series, be it a splash page or a panty shot, and an initial flip-through in the store will easily clue you in to that. Looking back, I enjoyed reading Stray Little Devil in spite of itself, as it wasn't something I think I would intentionally pick up were I to see it on the shelf in the bookstore. A lot of manga is like that, and most of the time, those are the ones you really ought to spend more time checking out.

Dark Edge demands that you go back and find volumes 1-6 before trying to tackle 7. You will not have a clue as to what's going on unless you do. That said, this is a series where it's actually worth it to do so. I'm looking forward to getting the final volume in my hands someday, because I plan to read the entire run in a sitting, and hopefully everything will fall nicely into place. It's a series with many twists and turns, and it's very unforgiving for readers who aren't willing to pay attention to what's going on. That said, the rewards of this series are worth it, as you get a darkly humorous tale of horror, action, and just the right amount of sex to keep it interesting.

Reborn! is good, goofy fun, not intended to be taken seriously. It's a fairly straightforward take on the basic straight kid meets magical tutor/mentor type of story, although Reborn's pretty much in a class by himself when it comes to training and teaching Tsuna the hard lessons of becoming a mafia boss. As always, it's better to start these series from the beginning so you're up on the action from the beginning, but Reborn!'s episodic nature and copious amounts of background material makes it fairly easy to jump on board with this volume.

Wild Ones continues to be part of an ever –growing list of books that's made me reconsider my preconceptions about shojo manga. Don't get me wrong, the expected elements are in there – the romantic angle between Sachie and Rakuto, the splashy backgrounds and moments of deep character introspection – but it's the way that they're presented that's really won me over. I didn't see much in this first volume that led me astray from where I imagine things will end up for the main characters, but at the same time I felt it might be interesting to watch the journey they have to take to get there.

If you've read Parasyte before in the flipped version, I don't know that there's much here to compel you to check out this new addition, other than a few explanations in the back that Del Rey often throws into their manga to give the reader a deeper understanding of what's going on. It's a nice touch, particularly if you're not deeply immersed in Japanese culture (and even if you are, some of the references are obscure enough that the guide becomes very handy). If you're new to Parasyte, however, there's no reason not to jump into this series if it sounds like your cup of tea.

If you haven't taken a trip to Ai-land this book isn't necessarily the best way to book your first flight. The Princess Ai series is well worth checking out, but as with most books of this nature, you're better off experiencing it the way everyone else did…from the first book onward. Once you've done that, Rumors from the Other Side will make a worthy addition to your Ai collection. None of the stories come off as so horrible that they take away from the truly good stories in the book. At best, the worst stories are simply mediocre, and they're few and far between.

My experience with Korean comic art has been limited in comparison to my manga exposure, but I've read enough of it to note some of the major similarities. Seomoon's artwork on this title seems to fall in line with a lot of what I've seen over the years, but there's a lot of great costume design and solid action sequences to keep the momentum going. Still, it's the writing that really sells this book, with plenty of great sub-plots, humor, and action. Well worth a look, particularly if you haven't read a lot of manhwa. This book would be a great introduction for any newcomer looking for something a little different.

Ultimately, Switch is a nice enough take on the whole buddy cop idea to warrant checking out. I don't know if there's enough in this first volume to make me feel compelled to pick up the next one, but any time I find myself on the fence about whether or not to recommend a book, I like to err on the side of saying "Give it a shot." The artwork is top-notch, the characters are likeable enough, if not well-developed at this stage of the game, and the storyline treads familiar ground for any fan of police fiction.

Certainly Azuma, the central character, is a likeable enough fellow. Even the supporting cast is full of interesting people, almost all of them with their own stories to relate. I'm not sure what exactly I'm expecting this series to do for me, but it hasn't done it yet. I love the artwork, I've enjoyed the storylines, and even bonus material, such as the backup tale in this volume, has been very entertaining and fun. Still, the book doesn't get the same excited rush out of me that I get from other series on my list. This volume continues that "blah" trend. It has plenty to like about it, but at the end of the book I felt like I'd read the equivalent of a handful of pretzels. Sure, it sated my hunger, but I wasn't really satisfied with it, either.

While the artwork to this book is solid, it's simply not enough to overcome the completely preposterous storyline. Hey, perhaps I'm coming down too harsh on the book, and should realize this is a romantic comedy and things sometimes move slowly in romantic comedies. Even still, I don't think it's too much to ask of a book to give me a reason to want to move beyond the first volume. Your and My Secret can't deliver on that count, so I don't feel comfortable recommending you begin this series at all. There's a cool execution of a tried-and-true concept at work here, but better characterization is needed in order to make this book worth your while.

Mashiba certainly has the artistic chops to make me want to come back for chapter after chapter. I'm a sucker for clean, crisp linework and that's here in droves. The characters themselves are very well-defined and there's certainly a lot of attention being paid to backgrounds and costume details. As this is Mashiba's first published manga, there's certainly enough just out of the gate to make me want to see more from this creator, but I'm just not sure Nightmare Inspector is going to get the job done on its own. Maybe we'll check in again at volume two and see if things have progressed any further.

Chinese Hero: Legend of the Blood Sword is a tough sell, despite the colored, glossy pages and solid production value. $20 will get you two regular manga, as opposed to just one book, after all. I will say this – you do get plenty of bang for your buck. You won't get through a volume of this book in a sitting (unless you have a long time to sit!), and that can be a very valuable thing these days when your dollar will only go so far. The story is certainly interesting, despite its Byzantine structure, and will definitely keep you scratching your head trying to figure out where it could possibly go next.

Gakuen Alice like most manga, won't necessarily be for everyone. You'll have a hard time telling your Death Note reading compadres to check out this cool story about a little girl's adventures in elementary school, even if you throw in the super-powered angle. For a pseudo-shojo tale, though, it's got a lot of charm, and might be worth checking out of that's your thing. Don't let the elementary-school tag fool you, though…there are some elements, like an instructor whose special ability is to release a pheromone that makes students obey him, which border on the potentially "mature" warning, despite the book's 13+ rating.

Despite all this La Corda D'Oro is still a very good shojo tale. Yuki Kure's artwork is quite good, and I'd be interested to see other work from her beyond this series. This particular volume is rather grim, with a massive audition process and the news that the magic of the violin is starting to fade, but the inclusion of a short story that's related to the overall D'Oro narrative should make this a pretty solid read for anyone who's been with this series from the beginning. It's always darkest before the dawn, so I'm guessing that things will start to perk up for Kahoko by the next volume. Who knows? Maybe she'll start taking actual music lessons.

Doors of Chaos is still a good book, but the problem is that it might have been a great book save for a few things that kept it from achieving that greatness. Sure, some of the things I didn't like are solely based on my opinion, but that's the thing about being a reviewer…you get my opinion and can take it or leave it, but hopefully I provide enough information without spoiling anything so you can at least decide whether or not to check it out. Some things, however, are even beyond my domain to influence you. Fans of books like Doors of Chaos will no doubt have the same problems I did with the poor adaptation, and unfortunately may not want to stick around for volume two as a result.

As mentioned at the beginning, pick this book up and check out The Knockout Makers while you're at it. It's uncanny how two similar stories could end up on my desk at the same time.

Again, fans of the Shin Megami Tensei video game series may want to give this series a whirl. I wasn't impressed, as I found myself comparing it too often to other series which I've enjoyed more. There, too, the promise of something as enthralling as Battle Royale left me a little disillusioned when this book failed to deliver the goods. Kazuaki Yanagisawa has a very cool artistic style and I'd certainly be interested in seeing something else that he's done…something free of the hype machine that overshadowed what might have been a pretty good read.

Sometimes a book can come up with something truly unique, or at least follow a path not often followed, yet still come off as kind of blah, and that's unfortunately the case with Yozakura Quartet. While it evoked memories of the comics I grew up reading, it didn't do much to make me feel I wouldn't have been better off just reading those old books again rather than read this manga. There's a definite audience out there for this type of book, but it also seems like it might have been done better. Perhaps it has been, and we just haven't seen it yet.

Seeing Iron Wok Jan come to a close is almost like seeing a relative leave your house after staying just a bit too long. When I dug into the first few volumes it was a love affair from the word go. I love to cook. I love manga. It should be a no-brainer. 27 volumes later and I'm really, really happy I'm not going to revisit the world of Jan and his co-horts anymore. It's tough for any manga to sustain an interest that long, so don't get the impression that parts of Iron Wok Jan aren't without merit. Simply note that an investment in this series is an investment not only of money, but of time. Even if you're really into cooking and manga, you might find it difficult to make it through all 27 volumes of this series.

If this sounds like a really compelling love story in the making, don't panic. Just when things start to get really interesting, Masanoori *Ookamigumi * Katakura give us a nice crotch shot or something to take our mind off the fact that this book may actually have a plot. The presence of a band of angels whose job it is to claim dying souls only complicates matters for our duo. If angels look like this, then the afterlife is definitely something I'd want to check out. As previously stated, if you're going to provide fan service, at least be good at it. This book delivers on that front. There are some really nice renderings of women in various stages of undress, but it keeps on the side of the lewdness tightrope that allows the book to retain a T+ rating as opposed to a mature one. If this is what you're looking for, you could do a lot worse than Kurohime.

Devil's Bride probably won't be to your tastes if you're not a shonen-ai fan. If you are, then you might find yourself enjoying the two tales contained within it. I'm sure there's some kind of relationship between the two, so I'm willing to chalk it up to something I missed when I was reading it. If that's the case, then it would seem there's a lot more going on than meets the eye…or at least my eye.

V.B. Rose is a shojo tale, if not the shojo tale. Cute doe-eyed girl, faced with a "crisis", comes across a couple drop-dead gorgeous men, learns a few life-lessons, and I'm sure eventually ends up with the man of her dreams. Throw in plenty of splashy panel filler and backgrounds and you have a solid template for any budding shojo manga-ka out there. It does what it's supposed to do, and it does it well. The real problem lies in the character of Ageha herself. You're going to sympathize with her plight, or absolutely hate her, or possibly a little of both. I don't know if that's enough to warrant spending your money on this book, though.

Sadly, it isn't that there's anything particularly wrong with this book. It has a fun storyline, good artwork, and the characters are really well thought out…if you've never read another manga story before. Unfortunately, seasoned readers will find this book to be derivative of something else they might have read, and may wish they'd invested their money elsewhere. Element Line isn't the only book to suffer from being too formulaic, but it's certainly one of the best examples of a book that needs to offer some meat with the potatoes.

Purgatory Kabuki is a beautiful book, in much the same way that a well-developed bimbo with no actual intelligence is beautiful. Sure, you'll spend a lot of time checking her out and appreciating her beauty for what it is…but eventually you're going to have to talk to her, and that's going to leave you cold (ladies, feel free to replace "himbo" for "bimbo" in the preceding sentence), because there's nothing of substance behind all that beauty. I wanted this book to be a lot better than it was, because I was captivated by just how pretty some of this artwork was. The fact that that was all I got from the book left me feeling a little betrayed.

The real shame here is that there's a lot to like about Fever. The artwork is really nice, although it's difficult to call it true sequential art. A series of splash panels with dramatic poses doesn't necessarily make for a good comic, even when the artwork in those splash panels is really, really good. Unfortunately, this book comes off as a mish-mash of two good stories that, when combined, make a bad story. It might have worked better if Hee Jung Park had chosen to focus on one or the other. When these two stories collide, this book as a whole simply doesn't work.

Seduction More Beautiful Than Love is, quite simply, a problematic book. In its attempt to bring a more realistic setting and storyline to manga, it provides us with characters that are completely unbelievable in their actions and responses to the idea of a teacher-student relationship. It's not that such a thing could never happen in today's society, it's that it wouldn't happen with the two characters the way they're portrayed in this book. While the artwork is fairly solid, it's not enough to make this book worth your time or money.

I was not a huge fan of Yoshinori Natsume's artwork in this series. It's sketchy and rough, which is definitely the type of artwork you'd want to see in this sort of story, but I found many of the facial structures to be way too similar and saw a lot of the same poses. Tobei seems to have only one face most of the time, and there's only so much of that you can really take in a 200-page manga. I'd like to reiterate that while the artwork was not to my personal taste, it was completely appropriate for the type of book Togari is. You may completely love it - and more power to you if you do.

An additional short story, "Boy/Girl", is thrown in at the end, and sadly was a better tale than the main one – although it also ventured into Love*Com territory, reinforcing my initial feelings about this book. Ultimately Short Sunzen! suffers from being a product of the times. If there had been no other shojo series out there to invite the comparison, I might have been more willing to recommend it to you. Unfortunately, there are better ways to spend your money (previously mentioned) and you owe it to yourself to check either of those series out before even considering Short Sunzen!

Harukaze Bitter-Bop may actually get a second purchase out of me when volume two comes out, but that's not an endorsement of this book from me to you. Ever start watching a movie that's really bad but for some reason you get into it, can't look away, and before you know it two hours have passed and you've watched the whole thing? The same principle is at work here. I have to know what's going to happen next, but deep down, I really don't want to, and I know I'm going to hate myself when I find out.

Obviously In The End is not going to be for everyone, but fans of shonen-ai will enjoy the admittedly excellent artwork from the Pink Psycho duo. Even I'm not sure why this book bothered me as much as it did, when other yaoi titles that were much more hardcore barely raised an eyebrow. Perhaps the book was more effective than I was willing to let on, and the writing made these characters more believable than other books in the same vein that I've read. In any event (like how I didn't use the obvious "In the end", for a closer?), this book will be hard sell for anyone who isn't a fan of the genre.

It's great that Street Fighter fans have two options before them, but given the choice, if choose you must, I recommend picking up Udon's version of Street Fighter II over SVC Chaos. After seven volumes, this series continues to muddle in the same ground it's been doing since I started reading the series, and I'm not sure I see any light at the end of the tunnel.

It's really quite simple. If you're a Street Fighter addict, if you know your Capcom from your SNK, if you know the Neo-Geo isn't a hybrid Chevy offshoot automobile, then you might enjoy this series quite a bit, in spite of the convoluted storyline that gives new meaning to the word "chaos". There's an abundance of good artwork and some excellent use of computerized coloring mixed with good old-fashioned brushwork. SVC Chaos was never my cup of tea, and I made no secret of that throughout my reviews of the series as it came across my desk. However, there is an audience out there for this type of book, and to that crowd I say "Happy reading" and pay no attention to the grumpy old gamer behind the curtain.

Blame! fans, take my words with a grain of salt. Perhaps there's something I'm missing for not having read the actual series. However, since I must take Noise at face value, it's difficult to recommend it. Absolutely stunning artwork is simply not enough to cover poor pacing and a rushed ending that, given time, might have turned into a really nice story. Perhaps that's what I'd find if I were to start out by reading Blame!, which is definitely what I'd recommend to any newcomer who's considering picking up this book.

Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword could be a really worthwhile addition to anyone's collection, if in fact it had a solid storyline to go with all that beautiful artwork. Frankly, if you'd like to get your hands on a better example of the type of quality artwork coming out of Taiwan and China, check out The Four Constables series, which will give you high quality color on good paper, but also a really good story to boot. At the end of the day Chinese Hero is simply not worth your money or time.

Star Project Chiro is a decent book, but in today's market, decent just doesn't cut it. You have better places to spend your money, particularly given publisher Udon's higher price tag ($11.95), although you do get a slightly larger page size for that extra dough. Demand more from your manga - likeable characters and groundbreaking artwork, for starters. They're out there. You just have to know where to look.

Look, I realize that manga isn't meant to be taken literally, and certainly there have been books in the past with musical themes that have been less than realistic with their approach to characters and music, but for some reason this book really set me off. Not everyone gets to pick up a guitar and be Keith Richards. Heck, not everyone gets to pick up a guitar and play as crappy as I do. Yet I guarantee by the end of this series we're going to have a guy wailing on his guitar with the skill of a Hendrix, and frankly, that's just insulting. Don't waste your ten bucks on this one…buy yourself ten good songs off iTunes instead.

Junk will be ending soon, and I've been avoiding the obvious joke about the title of the book and where the series belongs. I never intentionally set out to say a series is completely devoid of anything worth your money, and there's certainly an audience out there for this book as well. However, there's precious little about this series that makes me want to recommend it to you, with so many other great titles on the shelf more deserving of your attention.