Tsuki no Shippo - tale of classic romance

Tsuki no Shippo (Tail of the Moon) is set in historical Japan, specifically during the warring states time with all that Nobunaga stuff. Usagi, the granddaughter of the leader of a prestigious ninja village was, how best to say it, weak and his grandfather who has lost all hope for her sent her off to marry the leader, Hattori Hanzo, of the main branch family and bear his children but what happens when the person himself declared no such interest to do such thing with her? Is there not any hope for our Usagi who has already fallen head over heels in love at first sight with him?
This series was very much fun to read at first but what drew me in was what happened with the couple when they were faced with a lot of challenges during a time where war was just something that might happen at any point in time. I loved reading this manga so much because the story is rich and the way it was presented was great! The emotions of the main character where she tries to win Hanzo's heart was nicely done. Usagi's journey and her transition from a delicate girl to a strong woman was one of the greatest feats that this manga overcame when such a thing is a bit hard to present without overdoing it. Hanzo's character was also amazing I had to say! The art is just lovely! If I had to rate this manga, I would have to say 9/10!!!! This manga would be something I recommend to people who loved reading Basara, Anatolia Story, and Tokyo Crazy Paradise. Have fun reading!

Mixed Vegetables - mixed feelings

Mixed Vegetables starts off with the female protagonist, Hanayu, who is the daughter of a pastry shop wants to become the wife of her classmate Hayato whose family owns a sushi restaurant. Simple? Yeah, it is but when the two become entangled with each other and became "lovers", Hanayu actually finds out that Hayato wanted to become a pastry chef. What happens when their goals get mixed up with their feelings for each other? Does one need to give up one or the other? If that's so, then who would end up having to give up something?

Mixed Vegetables was something I picked up long ago but I wasn't able to complete it and now I just did so I am making this review. Mixed Vegetables got me into reading it since the art is amazing! The characters are well drawn and after reading a couple of chapters, I wanted to read more but scanlations got too slow to update and I caught up so I eventually dropped it at some point. I read it again from the start till the end and as the story progresses, I think it was dragged quite a bit and sometimes I don't feel any empathy with the characters any more. I did not feel much emotion especially romance. It got to the point of just reading for the sake of finishing what I started and thinking that just a few volumes more would make me finish the whole thing. Well, there you go. I finished it and it was a good read but not something I would recommend. I couldn't compare it to much-loved series where emotions were overflowing and makes you think of those times when you think of putting yourself into the main character's own shoes and see what you would do. Nah, I did not feel anything much in the series. Other than the art, everything else is not so good.

Falling for AO HARU RIDE hard!

I apologize for not posting reviews for the mangas that I said I would half a year ago. Things have been pretty busy lately. Busy with work, actually. I read those mangas right before I started working and I just have so much to do during my free time such as reading mangas and watching anime and hanging out with friends and my boyfriend. Anyways, I read this manga - Strobe Edge not so long ago and I liked it but the author's next work which is AO HARU RIDE is AMAZING! I loved it and I read it every month! FYI I don't really usually read mangas every time they get updated. I only read when I remember that there might be couple chapters by now. I don't like waiting every month just for one chapter so it just goes to show how much I really like this manga.
Well, basically this manga is about Futaba, a girl who was hated during her middle school years for being cute and being liked by guys, at the same time she also hates guys. There's this one guy, Kou, who liked her and she kind of likes him too because he is an exception to her general hateful feelings that he has for guys. Kou asked her out one day but Kou heard her say out loud to another guy how much she hates guys. Kou thought that she really feels that way. Futaba regretted what she said but it was too late because Kou has now transferred to another school because of his family.

Now, Futaba in high school is a very untidy and rowdy chick who doesn't have any feminine side. She chooses it to be that way since she doesn't want girls to hate her. She wants to uncute so that no guy would like her. Then one day, Futaba and Kou's paths cross again. Kou is the new student in her school. What now? Are there still lingering feelings for both of them?
Well, that's generally how the story goes. But I love how the author portrays it and the art is great! You just have to read it. By now, it's still 11 chapters long. It's updated monthly.

Shoujo Manga Marathon Galore - Summer itenarary

It's been a VERY LONG TIME since I wrote anything in this blog or my other blogs for that matter and that is so unfortunate but I can't do anything about it since I was busy with law school and everything and, moreover, there's just barely more than a month left to enjoy what's left before this sweet vacation  to come to an end. Not to even mention the fact that I've been considering getting a job this summer which I plan to keep for a year so that just means I really don't have the luxury of time left to enjoy. This is so depressing and I still feel there are thousands of mangas that I need to read. Although I have neglected my blogs, it doesn't mean I haven't read any mangas or watch any animes as well. The sorry thing about that though is the fact that I haven't made any reviews and it is really different to make a review right after you read something than just putting it off. Now, that I want to make reviews, I want to read the mangas again! I can't do that because I have a lot of mangas to read on my list to make time for that! Furthermore, I actually planned on reading shonen mangas for most of the time this summer especially when this break started but I ended reading shoujo mangas which I found upsetting but that just confirms my addiction to shoujo mangas. I did love reading yaoi at one point and craved shonen as well but I always end up going back to shoujo. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love shoujo! Anyways, I'll try to make at least 10 reviews for this summer. :-)

 

HANA NO KISHI

 

HOT BLOODED WOMAN

 

LEGEND OF NEREID

LEGEND OF BASARA

SAVER

KARE WA TOMODACHI

BRIDE OF THE WATER GOD

LOVEY DOVEY

16 LIFE

NANA

 

HOT GIMMICK

 

STROBE EDGE 

 Hopefully, these will be the mangas I can successfully make a review about. I've been into fantasy-shoujo genres lately. :-)

Astoundingly good! ~Private Prince~

I found myself utterly astounded by this manga since I did not expect myself to really like it at first because it was just so cliche but then I read it for I was bored and the lack of a better shoujo manga to read at the time made me pick this one up randomly since it was already completed First of all, reading the synopsis of this manga makes you think "not-another-cinderella-story???" and, yes, that's what I thought but when I started reading it - it drew me in and now that I rationalize things, it was maybe because of the mature theme because the genre actually says josei (mature themes for female readers) since the main characters are in their early 20s.

Before anything else, the story is about a female graduate student named Miyako who is eager to finish her thesis on a prominent figure of the Kingdom of Estolia and what more can she ask for when at the same time the grandson, who a prince, of such prominent figure is in the same university as her as an exchange student. Miyako then goes to such great lengths as to approach the prince so as to complete her thesis. What happens when the well-natured prince is actually naughty deep inside? Until what length can Miyako tolerate such behavior for the sake of her thesis.
The manga revolves around these two characters and it really is a pretty good read. It is 5 volumes long so you could finish reading the whole thing in half a day or less. After reading the above statement, so cinderella and so cliche but it was enjoyable indeed and I know you'll find it enjoyable as well. It's kinda smutty but not really and you'll find the prince super cute. I loved it!

Red River, Indeed a Superb Shoujo Manga!

I have been planning on reading this manga but I got it on hold a lot of times but it only took me to read the first 3 volumes to actually have the guts to finish the whole 28 volumes in just 2 days! Got that???
It has been quite a long time now that I got hooked with a pretty long shoujo manga series and quite a long time as well to have come across a manga that made me feel the same way as when I read Tokyo Crazy Paradise (btw I really have to make a review on that manga!). TCP will have to be one of the best shoujo mangas for me and now Red River's part of that list!
First of all, Red River is about Yuri, a girl who got sucked into the past by a wicked queen who wanted her blood to kill the other siblings of his son so that he could take over the throne but, unfortunately, Yuri came across one of the princes and was saved by him. Yuri then get entangled with this kingdom or empire which is called the Hittite Empire (you have to research that one). How can Yuri get back to present-time Japan? Can she go back when her heart is not into it because she has started to have feelings for the prince who saved her? Read this manga and you'll know what I mean.
Red River was surprisingly something that I really got hooked on and since it's something new (it was actually made during the 90's) to me. For everyone's information, I definitely read shonen mangas such as Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Nurarihyon no Mago, Psyren and lots more. Why? Because there's just something lacking in shoujo that only shonen mangas can give. Why am I mentioning this? My point is that Red River has catered to all the things I look for in a manga. It's like all the genres I love rolled into one manga. That's exactly the same thing as Tokyo Crazy Paradise. Maybe it's because it just doesn't focus on the female lead but her male counterpart as well. It has lots of politics in it and the art is pretty good given that it was made during the 90's. It's a great classic, if I say. Red River definitely captures the hearts of its readers because it's fun but dramatic. Action-packed but emotional. I don't know. As I said, it's definitely one of the best shoujo mangas out there and I regret that I just read it recently. I do.

I would say that to each and every shoujo manga addict out there-- YOU SHOULD NOT MISS READING THIS GREAT SHOUJO MANGA! Personally, I loved it. I so heart it! :-)

Arakure -- finished at last!

     Arakure, a.k.a. Wild Ones, is a manga I wanted to read and never had the chance to finish because the scanlations took so long to be updated but now I had successfully finished reading it and it was GOOD!
     I've always loved a yakuza setting or something just like how much I loved Tokyo Crazy Paradise, Totally Captivated (yaoi), Grand Sun, Iinchou Himegoto, Haou Airen and a lot more because of the intensity and not to mention all those hot guys who can kick asses! Woohoo! Anyways, this manga is about Sachi, a girl who has a personal sense of justice. When she was young, her mother died and she had to be taken care of her grandfather who is actually the head of a yakuza clan. There she met her caretaker, Rakuto. Rakuto has feelings for the heiress but has to keep it hidden for some reason so basically the plot revolves around there. There are lots of enjoyable stuff in this manga so you won't get bored.
     I love Rakuto!