Peek-a-Boo

I'm back with a ton of goodies to recommend. I have been meaning to come on over and share some wondrous good stuff I've unearthed, but real life has a way of putting a damper on everything. But I am here. Now.

OK!

Let's not waste time with small talk and my paltry excuses! Let's get to the main course.

What do I have for you?

I wanted to write a Halloween post but didn't, but this is wonderful for any dark night: it's an anime called "Ghost Hunt." It's available in the original Japanese on Netflix and it should be watched late at night in a dark room... Think of it along the lines of a Scooby-Doo gang-meets X-files, meets Ghostbusters, but in anime and you can get mildly close to what this is about. It's awesomeness. What a cool series. Considered horror, but not too gory, this anime is about a group of people referred to as spiritualists. Based on a series by Shiho Inada, the anime consists of the adventures of Mai, a young teenage girl who is revealed to be rather sensitive to spiritual phenomena, as she works for a mysterious guy called Naru (for Narcisssist- a nickname that sticks...) at the Shibuya Psychic Research Center. Together, including an intriguing Chinese assistant called Lin, Takigawa, or simply "Bou-san," a formally trained Buddhist monk who also moonlights as the member of a rock band, sensitive spiritualist and famous medium Masako, abrasive and hilarious shrine maiden Ayako, and Australian Catholic priest John Brown (with his adorable Kansai accent), they investigate several unusual cases.

Shibuya Psychic Research Center...and associates?

Spoilers ahead »

Bishie Beat

So I was kind of on a manga hiatus for a little bit, having finished up some long series and wanting to take a break. I was flipping through some older volumes in a kind of "cleaning house" sting operation when I came across a few favorites.

I fell- hard- for Skip Beat. Again.

I started reading Skip Beat a while ago, but never really devoted much of my time to it because I get kind of that way when a series is long and ongoing. I enjoyed it...but only caught up to it a couple weeks ago. And then I decided to reread it, this time straight through...

And I loved it. It made me laugh pretty hard- and I really like all the characters.

Kyoko totally OWNING Love Me Division's ridonkulous pink overalls.

So what is so special about this manga, that makes it stand apart from other shoujo mangas you ask? Come closer my little fuzzy friend- and let's go on a ride together, shall we?...

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Spoilers ahead »

Gaming Old School

So I FINALLY finished all bajillion chapters of Bakuman...And I enjoyed it a lot. I think it gave me a unique perspective into the whole world of manga, its fans, how mangakas work and the whole creative process unfolding...Very neat- it finishes up as expected, but nevertheless triumphantly.

But I'm done!

So I caught up with fluffier stuff I like to read...and while exploring, discovered, via Baka-Updates Manga, a new series I am really getting sucked into.

Chihayafuru is the story of Chihaya Ayase, a beautiful girl who instead of capitalizing on her good looks is out to become the ultimate champion in the game of karuta.

What is karuta? you ask.

Allow me to explain: Karuta is a card game that challenges your speed, reflexes, and memory. You basically play with a set of cards that contains traditional poems and you need to grab the right cards when read by the caller before your opponent does.

Spoilers belooooooow!

Spoilers ahead »

More Girls Who Pwn

So I haven't been very good about blogging, but I will spare you my lame explanation as to why I haven't because there really isn't an explanation.

BUT! I have been reading a lot of manga recently and a lot of it is...crap. Some of it, though, is pretty amazing.

I want to write about 1/2 Prince, a Chinese manhua by Yu Wo and Choi Hong Chong. It's the story of my life.

If you have ever played MMORPGs like WoW or Second Life, you will appreciate the references.

Basically the story takes place in the year 2100AD. Feng Lan is a university student who makes a bet with her brother that she can succeed in this brand new fantasy MMORPG (also called Second Life) without using her female wiles. No getting a free ride from burly strong male players by batting her pretty eyelashes. Detail: it seems players are fully immersed in the game's universe, so they feel what their characters feel (Can you imagine having to lug around that sword or mace forrealz?). Anyway, Feng Lang manages to be the first player to log into the game, and as a reward gets to have a wish fulfilled. She wishes to play as a male character (which isn't allowed- no gender bending, according to the rules of the game) and thus becomes "Prince," an Elf.

As Prince Fen Lang basically pwns the game. She is ruthless, immune to the charms of female players, and slowly makes a name for herself, acquires quite a fan following, and inevitably runs into people she knows in real life...

I've been enjoying this a lot because I enjoy gaming and I find Feng Lan/Prince funny, engaging, and the relationships and friendships formed amusing and sweet. It reminds me of the old saying, "Sometimes you have to lie to tell the truth." Feng Lan is at times over her head, but through Prince she helps people in all kinds of interesting ways.

It's an ongoing manhua, so I am waiting to see what'll happen next...

Prince, aka The Blood Elf is really...

adorable Feng Lan...

Hitchcockian Manga

While browsing for suggestions on new manga series, I came across a recommendation for the manga Arisa, by Natsumi Ando. It was recently declared one of the best manga series out there at the San Diego Comic Con this year.

The story begins as a bittersweet one: twin sisters Arisa and Tsubasa were separated from each other after their parents' divorce- Tsubasa goes live with her father and Arisa goes off with her mother (it's The Parent Trap all over again! What the heck? Don't these people know about custody sharing agreements?). For several years they stay in touch via letters. Things are seen from Tsubasa's point of view, primarily. She is the spirited and strong "Demon Princess" at her high school. Despite her toughness, she is actually a very thoughtful person with an innate sense of justice. She absolutely adores her sister and thinks the world of her: she's  beautiful, popular, has good grades, has a boyfriend... And one day they finally agree to meet.

Spoilers ahead »

The Monchichi Guy!

Ok, I TOTALLY have an excuse for being away from this blog for so long. I know my musings on manga have been sorely missed. *Crickets*
My excuse came in the form of the highly addictive- but quite long- manga, Hana Yori Dango by Yoko Kamio. It's been translated as Boys Over Flowers and made into quite a few TV shows- and anime! ...And...um...after reading the extremely loooong manga, I ummm...discovered Netflix had the Korean TV show version of it available on streaming...and...yeah. Geek.

Spoilers ahead »

Oresama Teacher and a Little Personal History of Insanity...

 First- a little bit of background:

Manga Lassie- A Chronological Chart on Delusional Behavior:

• Age 4: So enraptured watching Hong Kong Phooey that I never noticed that China, the cat, was the one really keeping it all together.

• Age 6: Ardently wanted to be Tarzan. Not date him. BE him. As in swinging around on vines all day with a sidekick chimpanzee. This ended very badly with a time out due to wrecked living room curtains and running around clad solely in underwear.

• Junior High: Somehow got it in my head that Bruce Lee is my shepherd and I shall not want... for fistfights. Made it my life mission during recess to attack all the boys in my class. It is a damn miracle none of the guys lost their temper and clocked me. 

• College: My roommate dragged me to the opening of a popular martial arts flick with her Tae Kwon Do school. I was thinking of joining and was thus the lowest ranked one. My roommate, a yellow belt, was rubbing her hands gleefully, thinking she finally had a toadie to boss around, and was about to order me to sit in the back of the car. In the middle. However, the vehicle in question belonged to the school's head instructor, who had a little crush on me and explained that I got to ride shotgun next to him because I wasn't formally a student yet. Carte blanche for blatant disregard for rank!

• College: I briefly dated a black belt in karate. He was very good and competed internationally. I became Kato to his Clouseau and would orchestrate elaborate ambushes attempting to catch him off his guard. He patiently and resignedly deflected every single one of my attacks. It was never meant to be.

* * *

 I think everyone who reads manga has an archetype their sympathies gravitate to for various reasons. Mine is the tomboyish heroine who is a bit of a goofball, but can kick butt when necessary. I think that's why I like Kyoko Mogami in Skip Beat,  Chiemi Yusa from Junai Tokkou Taichou! and Kurosaki Mafuyu from Oresama Teacher. Ok- Kyoko doesn't do the whole martial arts thing, but she raises hell in her own way and isn't scared of displaying her very...spirited temper. Chiemi finds her match when she clocks Akifumi "Deranged Devil" Hirata at school- he falls hard: on the floor...and for her (aaawww...I set that up so nicely).

Mafuyu, from Tsubaki Izumi's Oresama Teacher, however, has given me the biggest laughs.

In so many ways she reminds me of myself whenever I'd get worked up with my heroic delusions. Except that she can back up her bravado...

Spoilers ahead »