Adult Swim: Horseplay

In contrast to my last post's story, Afuresou na Pool, today's yaoi offering isn't the least bit thoughtful, does not examine any deep sociological depths, is all but devoid of drama (or at least any plausible plot lines) and does not keep a tasteful distance when it comes to sex between men or between men and men who look deceptively like children. If graphic depictions of sex between men send your sphincter twitching and make you want to stab out your eyeballs with a fork, or you're not an adult, DO NOT follow this link to Ai to Yokubou wa Gaduen de (by Umezawa Hana) because sex is everywhere, in your face, and little, if anything, is verboten. Do I like it anyway? You bet. The sex didn't bother me in the slightest (I'm a grown up and have discovered I enjoy reading yaoi smex). And, far more importantly to me, it makes me laugh my ass clean off (though I tend to grow it back overnight).

I rolled. I loled. I howled and pounded my desk. Nothing's sacred in this manga because the whole damn thing is tongue in cheek. And, in the midst of all the craziness and orgy of sexual misconduct, it's romantic with pair after pair of students, teachers, directors, tycoons, doctors, even a chef pairing off against the school's sanction against "falling in love". The premise is a school in the future devoted to training people who intend to go into the sex trade. An all-boy's school ("Full Bloom Academy"). If the premise isn't crazy or ridiculous enough for you, just wait. You might want to sit down for this.

Full Bloom Academy has a host department (host clubs are big in yaoi), pet department (youthful looking boys training to be "kept"), AV department (adult video), and, my favorite, abnormal where the world of kinky awaits. There are students that are "rare" (i.e. virgins) and students that are "absolutes" (i.e. can go 24 hours without faltering), each lovingly trained in the art of sex by a strange cast of teachers. While students, once they've met certain criteria, they can be leased out for presumably on-the-job experience that nets the school and the student money, precluding the need for tuition. Since many students are there to address debts of their families or themselves, this is a big deal and frequently comes up. One can also earn a fee by finding a good prospect and delivering them to the school (as one student was by his own lover).

There are sad stories in there, some with just enough plausibility to be touching, most silly enough to just be funny. And, despite the "absolute" prohibition against falling in love, the whole things starts with the enigmatic all-knowing director falling for a student who drops out to become his secretary. I find it interesting that, though most of the characters are involved in the sex trade, in some fashion or another, the couples are amazingly faithful and run the range from completely understanding sending the host significant other off to work to becoming irate over a kiss mark obtained in class. And, of course, there's the much pierced prince of the abnormal department and his kidnaped "tribute", the would-be host and homophobe

Despite the hilarity, the excessive sex and the ridiculous plot developments, the characters are surprisingly believable and engaging. I found them easy to identify with (mostly) and frequently charming, or I would have set this aside quickly. It's what makes the romantic stories that fall out of this whirlwind satisfying, that the characters, whoever laughable their setting and predicaments, still seem real enough.

The drawing style is distinctive with pointy haired characters with expressive eyes, beautiful faces and exaggerated sex scenes complete with fluids and toes that curl so much they look like hands. Still, I found it fairly compelling and well suited to the comic style running through this whole thing (still not completed). And the characters can be incredibly hot.

It's not a serious story. I hope you got that. It's blatantly full of smutty sex. I hope you got that, too. If you haven't tried yaoi, be warned, this manga shameless indulges in every extreme of yaoi (except rape by a protagonist, obvious pedophilia, and incest) and isn't afraid to laugh at every aspect. And I love the kind of humor that laughs at itself.

Would I buy this if it were available in English? Oh yea. Because I love it. It doesn't make me think or really add to my understanding of gay relationships (or love in general), but, if I'm in the mood for mindless fun of the distinctly non-clean variety, this fits the bill with panache.

Umezawa Hana has a couple of other manga, too. 24 Jikan Kiss Dekinai is incomplete (but discontinued) and was cute but nowhere near as full of hilarity as this manga. Koi Yori Kiss Yori Daikirai is ongoing and incomplete but also shoujo so not the kind of fun-filled smut I enjoyed so much.

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Adult Swim: Into the Pool

So, if I want to write about adult manga, particularly yaoi, the stuff that got to me, as it were, I can't, off-hand, think of a better place to start than with ISHIHARA Satoru's Afuresou na Pool which is saying something. Like, unfortunately, the bulk of the yaoi I've enjoyed, I can't find it licensed in English, but there are several manga scanlation sites that have the whole six volume series. Well worth the time, in my opinion.

Now, before you leap off to check it out, thinking you'll be inundated with short satisfying stories filled to the brim with graphic sex, let me tell you, that's not what you'll find. Not to say that's not what a significant proportion, if not most, yaoi is, I found this an atypical yaoi. So, if you read this and loved this, that doesn't mean the rest of yaoi will be your cup of tea. Nor does it mean that if you read this and wondered where all the naked sweaty guys were from chapter to chapter, that you won't like yaoi, even if this isn't your cup of tea.

It's a long story, very much a character study involving several young men, two sets of friends, and one set of lovers. I like starting with this for the uninitiated because this story has in spades what I look for (often in much smaller doses) in yaoi - people that care about each other. It also is a masterful example, in my opinion, about what makes a homosexual romantic relationship different from a heterosexual romantic relationship, those things that make it much harder and not just the lack of understanding from the outside world.

I appreciate that there's a great deal of what I think must be authentic male view point because, at first, it tended to leave me confused. But as I delved more into the various minds involved, it started to make it's own twisted (i.e. male) sense. It involved a passionate seme (I hate semes that seem untouched or are cold to their partners). It involved a strong uke, and I appreciate that just like I appreciate a strong female protagonist. (For those unfamiliar with the terms, a seme is the one penetrating. I presume you can deduce what a uke is.) There are no love interests here that look like grade schoolers. No blushing ineffective ukes ready to cry at a moments notice. Everyone has their own personality and their own strengths, without any of them being perfect or making optimum choices. And that fits in pretty well with kids about to graduate high school as well.

And, despite the relative dearth of graphic sexual scenes (I think there might be a couple of shots, but not the unending screw-fest many yaoi are), it is loaded to bear with sensual scenes, sexy scenes, scenes that get the blood flowing nicely, thank you very much. Attraction, friendship, love and lust are all portrayed very effectively, very movingly here and the artwork, particularly with faces and eyes, is quite compelling. It has a modicum of humor without being a comedy. It has a serving of dark without being maudlin or tragic. A dose of drama of becoming unbearably sappy or, if you'll excuse the expression, stupidly dramatic.Note that it does start with some pretty forceful moves by Kizu that would seem to brush against my severe anti-rape bias. When I read further, and noted Iriya's own efforts, pursuits, drives, I realized there was another way to look at it. Particularly given how well Iriya can defend himself. But you can decide for yourself.

I've read it several times now and would buy it if it were licensed and available. It's an investment in time and less pure enjoyment than thought-provoking. Which makes it a pretty remarkable manga whatever the genre.

And favorite character? Yeah, it's Iriya Tetsuo. Not just because he's a hottie, though that doesn't hurt, but because it's easiest for me to identify with his struggles. While everyone's trying to find their place, he does the best, I think, at keeping his feet on the ground despite the fact his role is the hardest.  And he never turns his back on the people he cares about.

There are a couple of side stories and, to warn you, rape is not precluded, sex is more graphic and violence is front and center far more than in the rest of the story. Just a heads up. I still read them and find them good, but they're a darker set so be forewarned. None of the stuff in adult swim is really suitable for children.

Update: I also really liked this mangaka's Shounen wa Asu wo Korosu and Yarouze!, neither of which get really naughty. They were interesting, had their own appeal and some lovely drawing, but neither made quite the impression on me of the first. Kimi Shiruya is also good and clean and has the advantage of being available in book form in English (and, yes, I own it). I really like this mangaka.

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Adult Swim

The down side to going on strike is that one is almost honor bound to cough up a new post after the strike is over or the strike doesn't mean anything. Which is probably for the best because I've been meaning to write about why the list of mostly-shoujo manga hasn't grown much. There are two reasons. One is, I'm lazy. The other is that I got completely sidetracked and started reading a completely different manga unexpectedly. A kind I haven't written about here.

For a couple of reasons.

The first reason I haven't written about it is because, well, I'm lazy, and I've been doing a lot of reading and there have been some pretty hairy and emotionally debilitating things going on in my life since November.

The second reason is because, while I've been writing about manga (generally) you could give your kid or at least teenager to read (except, maybe, the "ick" ones), that's not true about the manga I've been reading. And, while I'm a very tolerant person and have many tolerant folks among my readers, being comfortable with idea of homosexuality and having it in one's face rather graphically, as it were, isn't necessarily the same thing.

Yes, for you others of the otaku bent, you probably already know what I'm talking about: yaoi. Boys' love written for women by women, and, no, I can't explain why that works. Heck, I still can't put my finger on why I've found so much of it compelling. I've liked into pornography or sought out graphic sex of any sort (though it hasn't much bothered me either) as long as the story was good, as long as it wasn't effectively pornography with no romance, no story, no characters.In yaoi, there is a LOT of sex, often drawn graphically and copiously. Frequently in a first chapter. Sometimes on the first page. In color.

But yaoi, despite it's definite propensity for graphic depictions of sex, is also about romance. And I'm a sucker for romance. True, that sometimes includes the aspects of "romance" I hate most like rape and superficiality, but good authors write consistently good manga. Shoujo generally is generally about romance, too, but there are some key differences, homosexuality being but one of them. So why am I reading it?

• As a writer, I'm finding myself fascinated with facets of male characters and aspects of romance I hadn't really appreciated (i.e. took for granted) or didn't know or think about. I also know that, when my writer persona is piqued by something, reading to learn, I can't stop it until it's gathered what it's looking for. Which is why I read the Twilight books like six times and then haven't been the slightest bit interested in reading them again.
• In some ways, the romantic stakes are higher in yaoi than they are in shoujo and other mangas. It's not just teenage love (notoriously fickle) where the most you risk is a rejection, but you don't have to presume your friendship or other relationships are at an end. For yaoi, you have to REALLY love someone  to (a) come to grips with being in love with someone of the same gender and (b) be willing to admit it to that person who might very well not share your interest. Who might never talk to you again. Who might beat the ever living crap out of you. Who might pass the word of your "perversion" around so that you're shunned by everyone. In some ways, it makes it more powerful. Gay couples are still, even under the best circumstances, facing an unfriendly world. 
• Yaois tend to be short (though there are exceptions) with relationships that move quickly and spend less time than many other mangas on aspects that are really not part of the relationship. For someone like me in the process of watching the love her life walk out the door without a backward glance, intense doses of quickly gratifying romance are just the ticket. 
• Even though they're short, they also tend to go beyond boy meets boy and falls in love. In other words, it's about the relationship after that, making it work, learning about the other, making compromises, without being sappy like similar type books about happy housewives tend to be. I need that at this point in my life. 
• It can be very pretty. I won't lie. Looking at beautifully drawn men at the peak of physical perfect in various states of undress - not a bad thing. I admit it. I like it. 
• I now appreciate ass jokes a thousandfold more than I used to.

So, while admitting it's not for everyone, I've been reading enough of it with enough intensity, I should take the time to share what I've learned for those interest. And I know not everyone will be interested.

I'll eventually add another widget for the mature manga I read. And I'll be going forward on the shoujo, too.

Bear with me.

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On Strike

Today, we are striking against censorship

Join the largest online protest in history: tell Congress to stop this bill now!

Join The Strike!

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Vampire Knight: Gotta Have 'Em All

Vampire Knight by Matsuri Hino is the last of my Christmas manga experiments to become a "gotta have 'em all" manga, though it's straddling the line between "gotta have 'em all" and "Compelling but not a favorite." To date, though, I tend to own them all whether they fit in either category. If I have the urge to read a series more than once, I buy them all and that applies to Vampire Knight, though it is far different in tone, style and story than the majority I own.

Despite how "in" vampires are (and my fondness for the Twilight series), I am not a vampire type person. I've never understood the fascination with vampires in general and don't go out of my way to read vampiric stories. What I like are good characters and any scenario (fantasy/science fiction) that builds a world that makes sense within its own framework. If characters appeal to me, I'm pretty lax on that second part, too. If a vampire story happens to do this, create appealing character(s) or a world that intrigues, I'll read it. For those bothered by Twilight, at least these vampires don't sparkle.

When I read the first one, I was on the fence on whether I wanted to pursue it. Then my daughter had me watch the first few episodes of anime and, rereading it, I became more and more intrigued by Kaname's character and the world-building regarding vampires/vampire hunters (genetic, by the way), and humans.

Anime? Yes Volumes of manga: 14 (12 Eng) + fanbook + art book Status: Ongoing

My rating: Gotta have 'em all

Age range: It's listed for older teen and should be (16+), primarily (I think) for some pretty grisly violence and no shortage of blood and death. Although there is no nudity or direct allusions to sex, much of the bloodletting is distinctly sensual.

Taboos and "warnings": Lots of bloody and graphic violence and horrific deaths. A great deal of veiled and unveiled sensuality. The vampires have their own rules, which also encompass incest and enslavement. Some hints at homosexuality and masochism, but nothing too overt.

Premise: Cross Academy has a day class (human) and a night class (vampires, actively working on measures to reduce friction between humans and vampires). The vampires are led by one of the last remaining pureblood vampires, Kaname, who saved the heroine, Yuki, from a vampire when she was five years old and who maintains a sincere and protective attachment to her. Yuki and Zero are both adoptees of the Academy headmaster, are the only ones who know the true nature of the night class, and are tasked with keeping the day and night classes separate. This is further complicated with Zero's antipathy toward vampires (as his family of vampire hunters were killed by one) while he slowly turns into a vampire thanks to a pureblood's bite.

What works: First, at center stage, is the artwork. Very gothic, with gorgeous "uniforms" and very evocative imagery. I'd be lying if I told you that the artwork wasn't a big part of the appeal. Kaname is particularly beautiful, while Zero is drawn for beauty that seems somehow more down-to-earth, edgy. I found the artwork for the various girls and female characters far less compelling, but I tended to find their personalities the same way, so that might be related.
Secondly, I did appreciate the depth and complexity of this secondary world, with its long and bloody history, of vampires, vampire hunters and humans. It's not without flaw or contradiction and, in many ways, it seems amoral, but it has its poignancy and true emotion as well. A great many ins and outs and subtleties play through it and it's rather fascinating to follow them around to find out yet another secret. Actually, as more is revealed, more becomes tidy and holds together with the big linchpin to the whole thing being Kaname, not the youthful Kaname Kuran everyone thinks he is but the endlessly old Kaname who was as much a factor in the decline of vampires' ascendency as he was the creation of the vampire hunters.

I like how blood is a metaphor for so many things. It is used not only to transfer thoughts and emotions, and memories, but also love (a vampire's thirst can only be quenched by the blood of the one they love), longevity, medicine, nutrition, mutagent, control, power (including specific vampire powers) and even directly as a weapon, as used by Kaname, his "father," his "uncle" and also Senri Shiki. Blood is also used to seal spells, particularly the one that makes a vampire "human" and erases the memory of their former lives. I like that vampires frequently drink each other's blood as opposed to just preying on humans. There is also a modicum of humor, though it's more a sidelight rather than pervasive.

Kaname is another big draw. Beautifully and poignantly drawn, he is a man of mysteries, with his overt protective adoration of Yuki contrasting with some pretty dark doings involving considerable violence. Coupled with an otherworldly control (all but unheard of among vampires) is a rather amoral willingness to use people to serve his purposes. To all outward appearances, he is far more humane and well-intentioned than most of his ilk, and yet . . . Those loyal to him are fiercely so, including both Yuki and the Cross Academy headmaster. I find the characters of a number of the night class students appealing, even though we only get tantalizing glimpses.

Zero also is fascinating, the ultimate conflicted individual, hating vampires passionately, yet unable to preclude his own vampire nature from manifesting. Yuki's devotion keeps him from being torn apart by these conflicting drives (at the cost of her own blood), while both the vampires and the vampires hunters use him mercilessly to suit themselves. Yet, being used, he has considerable will and ends up using those that use him to serve his own purposes. His love for Yuki is touching and tragic. I suspect one reason why this manga continued past the "end" was a sizeable faction of fans who want to see Zero get the girl (as my daughter does).

Favorite character: Duh. Kaname. I like Zero, but Kaname's absolute devotion to Yuki, not just her person but her happiness, won me over and his complex history and ever-sad eyes are fascinating in the extreme.

Quotes:

Zero: Drinking blood on campus is strictly forbidden. Did you lose your mind, drunk on the scent of blood, vampire?

Zero: I couldn't stop myself from devouring you. I may kill the next human I target as my prey. Shoot me. You're afraid of me, aren't you? Hold the gun with both hands and aim straight. Aim for the center. It's not a crime to kill a vampire.
Yuki: I didn't understand anything but I've lived with you for four years. I'm not afraid. I can stop you. If that time comes. If you want me to stop you, I will stop you.

Yagari: The pureblood vampire holds her so gently in his arms... I don't give a damn why you treat that little girl so differently but of course you realize what she's done. You must be seething with rage, right? Yet you won't do anything, just like a proper honor student. Why is that? Why won't you tear Zero to shreds?
Yuki: It's so that I won't lose my girl.

Kaname: By the way, I've never told you why I'm pretending not to notice what has happened to you. I know how precarious the peace is here at Cross Academy so I thought about who could act as Yuki's shield in this place. You will not double-cross her because you owe her that much. That is why I'm allowing you to live.

Kaname: I cannot have you die now. I've allowed you to live so you could serve Yuki. I know you won't betray her--
Zero: You're assuming things as usual...
Kaname: Oh, but I know because our feelings for Yuki are probably the same.
Zero: I...I only want Yuki to smile from the bottom of her heart.
Kaname: Me too.
Zero: I don't want her to sacrifice herself!
Kaname: Exactly. (He offers his own blood to Zero) Don't ever forget for whom this blood was offered, Zero. No one hates vampires more than you yet you need blood more than any vampire. I think you're the most vampirelike of us all.

Kaname: Yuki, get out of the way. I cannot forgive the man who aimed that gun at you, a weapon that could destroy you, even if it was for a mere moment. I will not forgive him even if you hate me for five hundred or a thousand years.
Yuki: Please, I don't want to make you say something so sad.
Kaname: All right take some time to say goodbye to him. [Sucker]

What I didn't like: Yuki. She's not the worst romantic lead out there for me, but I couldn't get behind her thinking for most of the series. I respect her fierce loyalty, her absolute lack of fear when it comes to death, and even some decisions she made, but she's largely clueless on what's going on around her. She jumps into the fray even when its abysmally stupid to do so and seems to have no consideration for the many people consumed with keeping her safe. I can respect that the "men" who love her do so unstintingly and without reservation (as, admittedly, she does them), but I still do a lot of eye-rolling. I'd be happier if she were just a bit less clueless or inept.

Also, I'm disturbed by the pacing. The story went along quite bracingly for the first ten volumes and had what seemed like a nice tidy ending at the end of volume 10 (48 chapters), what's frequently referred to as the first arc. At the end of that story, the world order as it was is no more, with the Academy's night class a thing of the past, and most of the vampire world turned upside down. The distinction between arcs is so significant and the ending for the first arc so pat that I actually think she'd intended to end it there and was pushed into carrying it forward by rabid fans or publishing dictates.

I'll admit I don't entirely get what's going on in the second arc, but the pacing is considerably slower, with nothing coming to resolution (so far, with 30 more chapters) and some things I can't fathom, like the current relationship with Kaname and Yuki, which should look like estranged marriage but is apparently something else? The style of drawing has changed as well, with it now dominated by a sort of wispy pencil type minimalist drawing and every vampire having the same somewhat empty eyes. Still pretty artwork, but nowhere near as powerful and with minimal contrast between the extensive details and the minimalist.

Vampire Knights has twelve books out in English and chapters available out to at least Chapter 78 as volunteer scans on-line. The anime is dubbed in English, at least for the first arc and the second season is coming out as well. Zero's voice in that is the melodious Vic Mignogna (same as OHSHC's Tamaki). As always, if you love it, buy the books. And, yes, I did. I have to admit I also sprang for the artbook given that the visual elements of the manga are so compelling to me. Since I first wrote this review (nearly a year ago) I've read some of her earlier, lighter work. I do like it, even if some of it is very silly and some of it is very confusing.

I mean, is this not one of the sexiest pictures you've ever seen? Never mind the individuals involved hate each other...

I said I never understood what was so sexy about vampires...well, with this manga, I'm starting to get it.

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Tsubasa: Those With Wings: Gotta Have 'Em All

Next is the first manga found "on my own," Tsubasa: Those With Wings by Natsuki Takaya (author of Fruits Basket). I found it by accident. With the success of Fruits Basket, apparently they decided to republish a few shorter mangas she'd written previously. I picked up the first of both of them when I couldn't find a new manga I liked at Barnes and Noble. One I'll discuss in my "meh" mangas (Phantom Dream), but the other was this one, Tsubasa: Those With Wings. Still early in my obsession, I ended buying all of both series. I liked but didn't love Phantom Dream. Tsubasa, however, I loved.

Anime? No Volumes of manga: 3 Status: Complete

My rating: Gotta have 'em all

Age range: I think this was rated for older teen, and I tend to agree, say 15+.

Taboos and "warnings": Some sexual innuendo, some non-graphic sex, some nudity. There is also significant amounts of violence, though most of it isn't graphic.

Premise: Post apocolypse, the world is dessicated and contaminated, with military interests in control. Poor people scrabble to live. Orphans and other unwanted are mostly left to fend for themselves and only the rich and the army live well. An orphan/thief teams up with an exceptionally talented ex-Army officer. She's looking for work and searching for a legendary "wish fulfillment" object/entity called the Tsubasa. The former officer just wants to be with her.

What works: Raimon. I'll be honest, I fell in love with the ex-Army officer from the beginning. He struck a chord with me from his first panel, and, since the volumes are large, I was completely entranced before I'd finished it. The thief has her moments and there's humor as we go through, but, really, I was sucked in by Raimon's character and that's really why I put up with some really stupid plot developments (more later).

There is a great deal of emotional depth in this (as was true with Fruits Basket). I think that is part of the appeal of both series, that the art and the characters can pull emotional responses despite the general absurdity around them. We did have a real villain in this one, someone dark and vicious and ruthless and as talented as Raimon, so conflict we had in abundance. That was good.

I liked the style of the artwork, despite the comparative crudity compared to some other work, and I'm surprised how effectively scenes were set with only bits and pieces of the view (like kissing just off view where other parts of the contact convey considerable emotion). The contrast of this style with the smoother faces and blanker looking eyes the mangaka moved to by the end of Fruits Basket is very clear with the little blurbs she added in a current style far and away different than the original. A loss, in my opinion, even if the original wasn't as polished..

Favorite character: Raimon. Sarcastic. Brilliant. Devoted. Callous. Capable. Secretive. Shameless. Sneaky. Charming. Raimon was the first time I was exposed to the "perfect" male lead in manga who can do "anything," but literally had nothing to live for until he stumbles across someone who is everything he's not. He's usually a cynical character who's dragged into adventure and peril because the only thing he really cares about is driven and honorable and involved and tumbles headlong into trouble. And, yes, I've seen this variation on this character since and I still find it endearing. It is, perhaps, my  favorite type of character EVER.

Some quotes:

Raimon: I'll get you next time and if you lose, I'll make you mine.

Adelite: How do you know all this? About the army and stuff?
Raimon: I'm a genius
Adelite: What do you mean?
Raimon: (at Dr. Kamihara) Look I don't care whatever crap you pull, just leave Kotobuki out of it. For that reason I have to make you pay.
Kamihara: That's nonsense. You have any evidence? I'm just a scientist who's trying to make a difference in the world.
Raimon: We'll see about that when we launch your machine.
Kamihara: Afraid nobody but me can get it movin-- Wha? How did you break my secret password?
Raimon: I'm a genius.

Kamihara: If you make another move, you'll have to say goodbye to your crystal!!
Raimon: Do what you want, it's not mine.
Adelite: Hey! That's my crystal you're talking about.
Kamihara: Oh, one more thing! I set a bomb in the Wilson's house! With a push of the button, your house is all but gone.
Adelite: What?
Raimon: Push it. It's not my house.
Adelite: Don't you dare.

Raimon: Touch Kotobuki and you might just end up the next ingredient in my secret sauce...

What I didn't like: Phew! Plot stunk. Seriously. I went along because I love Raimon, but there was nothing happening in the whole series that made a lick of sense. Motivations of characters, chosen actions and adventures in general were creative but completely nonsensical, even for a manga. The whole Tsubasa thing was a case in point. Bad guys would go after them, be slightly thwarted but still have the upper hand and then inexplicably walk away, leaving their advantages behind them. This manga is proof positive that I can forgive anything if I love a character.

Kotobuki wasn't particularly endearing to me and I had a hard time identifying with her. Side characters were for amusement, but they seemed mostly silly. Some of the "logic" involved in resolution was, well, not even slightly logical. My main favorite, Raimon, is largely AWOL through the last volume, which was frustrating. Our clever and evil villain, ruthless and vicious to the last, truly a bastard clear through, is (somehow) entirely redeemed in the last few pages. Oy! A bit much to take.

Raimon and Raimon alone made this "Gotta have 'em all." That should tell you how much I love the guy.

I probably can't recommend this to everyone. I love it (really!), but, if you're interested, you might want to check out your library though you can find some of it on-line (look for "Tsubasa wo Motsu Mono"). If you like it, of course, I advocate buying all three - if you can find them now that Tokyopop's gone belly up.

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Gotta Have 'Em All: Shinobi Life

Shinobi Life by Shoko Conami was part of my Christmas experiment, where I put volume 1 of a number of prospective mangas (based on Amazon.com recommendations and what I read in the blurb) on my wishlist. I've always had an interest in ninjitsu (no, really, I swear) though the more accurate term is shinobi and I've read a great deal of history on them. Time travel usually does not appeal either, but, like Black Bird, I found the premise appealing.

I loved it. I loved the artwork. I loved the characterizations (which the artwork aided amazingly). I liked the story. Within twenty pages, I was sucked in and, though I've only had the series since December, I've probably read it ten times. I love it enough that, if anyone were interested in reading a manga for the first time, this is the one I'd suggest. At least, that's what I used to say before Tokyopop, that had the English-speaking license for this, went belly up, leaving this charming manga hanging with our lovely leads still separated by time if not space.

I love this story and I'm really irked that I can't get caught up on those volumes beyond seven (and I gave it to my sister, too, making her angry at ME that it isn't finished). Damn it!

Anime? No Volumes of manga: 10 (t Eng) Status: Ongoing (still in Japan)

My rating: Gotta have 'em all

Age range: Relatively tame, though with some violence. I wouldn't have had any trouble with my daughter reading it at 14+ (if she was still that age), noting that I'm pretty permissive.

Taboos and "warnings": Romance with limited sexual innuendo. Violence, some of it graphic, though certainly not as much as there could be with shinobi everywhere.

Premise: Ninja Kogetora charged with protecting Princess Beni falls (literally) into a hole connecting pre-Edo Japan and modern times, tumbling onto Beni Fujiwara, the princess' decendant and dead ringer. Rich and spoiled, Beni feels neglected by her father and blames him for her mother's suicide when she was a child. Kogetora confuses modern Beni with his princess and tries to protect her in a baffling and confusing world.

What works: Damn near everything. The premise I found interesting (and I think it was implemented surprisingly well, which is always a nice surprise with time travel numbers). The shinobi traits and actions were brilliant. Both the angst and the humor potential of time travel displacement (i.e. our Shinobi guard) into modern times (modern clothes, air conditioning, etc). There is both considerable humor and believable drama. Numero uno, are the characters, and I don't just mean the protagonists.

Not long into the manga, we get to see under the bitchy exterior of Beni to a very kind and sensitive heart left far too long neglected, desperately hurt by her mother's loss. She is actually quite sympathetic, sensitive to the pain of others, and surprisingly honorable. Smart, too, and self-sufficient despite weak joints (a failing I know quite well myself). At first I didn't find her pretty, but, again, I was drawn to her much like I was drawn to her character. We soon learn she is quite tough in many ways, taking the lead when it needed to be taken. She turned out to be a very strong woman.

The villains in this piece are excellent, too, each of them having a very sympathetic backstory which is easy to imagine, to feel for, even understand how they became as they are now (halfway through the series). Hitaki, the vicious Shinobi enemy of Koretoga, is particularly compelling to me and his supportive relationship with Rihito, who feels natural given the abuse from his childhood.

But Kagetora, damn what a character. Young and bright, talented and dedicated, he is the epitome of a character devoted to ideals and honor, but confounded by a new world and feelings for Beni that don't fit into his notion of the world. That he overcomes the rigid and unyielding conditioning of his background for her, for himself, is fascinating to watch and utterly compelling. And yet, he never wavers in his dedication to Beni, first her safety, then her happiness and eventually her part in his life. He's beautiful to look at. I love his shinobi skills. And I find his self-sacrifice for what he considers necessary deeply endearing. He is smart and intelligent without being snarky, arrogant or preachy. His character is almost perfectly balanced. I fall in love with many manga leads and I've yet to find a comparable character in the mangas I've read. In my opinion, Kogetora is brilliant and the type of character I've never fallen for before.
Which brings me to the artwork, among my favorite artwork of any manga, not because it's the most beautiful or detailed but because you can see everything Kogetora feels reflected in his eyes. The characters are gorgeous. I have never seen emotion conveyed so amazingly well with drawn eyes in my life, and it amazes me because Kogetora is largely a stoic character (and looks it). Additionally, the author does an incredible job of conveying the sense of movement and drama.
Favorite character: Beni Fujiwara is a great character, and even the villains have depth and complexity, but, yeah, I gotta love Kogetora, both in his gorgeous stalwart eighteen-year-old version and in his incredible fourteen-year-old incarnation.

Quotes:

Kogetora: Even at the cost of my life, I will protect her.

Beni: I like being alone. I've eaten by myself since my mom died. I'm used to it. I'm used to it, so I don't want to get used to having anyone around now. I don't ever want to have to learn to be alone all over again.

Beni: If he really came from the past, then Kagetora will be all alone in this world. All alone . . . I'm the one, the only one that Kagetora knows here, even if he thinks I'm his Beni Hime [Princess Beni]"

Beni: If I'm wrong then we die, but . . . Actually, I guess the chances of dying are pretty high. If we go together, at least we won't be lonely when we die, right?

Kogetora: The poison's effect is weakening. Good. I'll be able to feel it when I touch you.

What I didn't like: Not much. However, our romantic leads get separated in volume 5. Although the backstory we learn is wonderful and there's plenty of character development and action, the story is effectively halted there for our two people. The separation continues until Volume 10, which is a long time for a central romance. I know this because, despite the fact I still haven't master Japanese, I do have the next three volumes of Shinobi Life in Japanese. I sure hope someday I can get them in English.

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Ouran High School Host Club: Gotta Have 'Em All

As with Fruits Basket, my daughter was behind my adoption of Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori. "Mom, I want you to watch this anime with me." Once again, before the first disc was over, I was hooked (first disc rented via Netflix). I didn't bother buying the discs for her, just for me. Then I read the first manga of the series, and didn't fall in love. Although some of the characters can be drawn quite well, I didn't get the same impact that I'd had with Fruits Basket. However, it was definitely funnier. On a whim, I looked on line at my daughter's suggestion and was just interested enough to borrow more books.

Part of the charm is that the manga doesn't take itself too seriously and spends a great deal of time making fun of otaku (obsessive behavior, such as my own manga mania) culture, particularly cross-dressing and moe (fascination with youthful video game or anime characters). The main romantic lead is also the main comic relief, which is both charming and occasionally frustrating (given that he frequently comes across as an idiot).

A particular point on the anime. I really liked this one and could listen to the person speaking for Tamaki all day long. And have.

Anime: Yes Volumes of manga: 18 (16 Eng) Status: Complete (Jap)

My rating: Gotta have 'em all (anime, too)

Age range: I wouldn't personally have an issue for 12+ kids, but I'm pretty progressive.

Taboos and "warnings": Cross-dressing, sexual innuendo (including "incestuous romance" between the male twins for the benefit of the crowd), but no overt sex or sexual come ons. Violence is minimal and mostly caricature.

Premise: Scholarship student at a very expensive/prestigious private high school stumbles across an after-school "host club" where boys entertain female students (get your mind out of the gutter) with flattery, fantasy and tea. Said student breaks and expensive vase she can't pay for and, mistaken at first as a guy, gets drafted into the club to pay her debt. When her gender is discovered, everyone decides to carry on the illusion that she's male so she can continue to pay back her debt.

What works: Did I mention it didn't take itself too seriously? Everything is paradied, poked fun at, lampooned, from the excesses of the fabulously wealthy (who have never heard of instant coffee), to professional transvestites, to overprotective parents, to otaku culture, to video games, to romantic fantasies, to shojo manga plotlines, to, well, pick it. Although it is not devoid of the occasional tender moment, the humor is never far from the surface - but it's a very humane humor, not a mean one (despite the constant picking on Tamaki).

Although Haruhi is the de facto center of the story, Tamaki is really the center of attention and, really, he wouldn't want it any other way. Tamaki is overtly insane and so desperately flamboyant one could never take him as a real character, except somehow the author manages to give him depth and inner brilliance, insight into others and a bone-deep compassion that leavens his dramatic excesses. No one can bring him a problem without his resolving to fix it. No one could be more protective or supportive. No one could be more sensitive (he will frequently break into copious tears at the slightest provocation).

His love for people is unmistakable and his narcissistic tendencies entertaining swooning crowds of girls are really the offshoot of making others happy. If you don't get this, you will never really appreciate the manga. If you do, you'll forgive the crazy guy anything, as Kyoya (the cold impersonal member of the troop) is ample proof of.

Tamaki is the spearhead of sheer humanity and generosity that wafts through the manga, giving and devoted to making others happy. The buffoonish humor keeps it from getting preachy or too heavy. His enjoyment in doing so is the openhearted delight of a child, from his obsession with "commoner" food and drink to his interest in learning magic tricks to the extravagant over-the-top entertainments (often involving cosplay) his club provides.

The devotion his fellow club members have toward him, his natural leadership, is evident at the most unexpected moments and provide many of the most endearing and touching bits, including when the generally selfish Kyoya wastes his entire "field trip" tracking down Tamaki's mother so he can tell Tamaki how she's doing. That same devotion is soon shared with Haruhi for the same reason - she really gets to know who the club members are and appreciates them.

I loved the ending. Loved it. And that goes for both anime and manga, though the ending isn't the same.

The artwork had to grow on me. The settings and scenes, particularly of the lush costuming, are beautiful. The main characters tend to be, too, but the drawing is line drawing and doesn't always have as much power as some other artists. Many of the girls all look alike to me.

Favorite character: Tamaki. Love 'em all, including Kyoya, but it has to be Tamaki. Call it a spoiler but I would NOT have been happy if the romance had turned another direction.

I didn't include quotes because they just aren't the same out of context. I frequently laughed my butt right off. More than once, I cried. But it's not the same as prose.

What I didn't like: Some of the "twincest" was cloying. There was an antagonism toward female homosexuality as opposed to male homosexuality, which I didn't understand. I'm pretty open-minded on that topic, but would have preferred, given it's preponderance, not to make judgement calls about one type vs. another.

Pacing was occasionally slow, particularly during Tamaki's hiatus from the club. Conflict also suffers because no one is "really" bad.

Note: Often manga are available on-line, particularly for on-going ones where English-speaking fans may be years away from keeping up with the series as it's published in Japan so fans put up their own translations. OHSHC is available on-line through to the end, whereas we still don't have a publishing date for the last volume. Translations (and scans) vary in quality, but it can be nice to see what's going to happen if you're really hooked. As always, I'm an advocate for purchasing the books if you love the series.

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Otokomae! Beads Club: Gotta Have 'Em All

I won't lie. I like the work Kyousuke Motomi, who also writes/draws Beast Master and Dengeki Daisy, one of my all time favorite mangas. If it took a bit to get used to her drawing style - and it did, I found her characters and dialog appealing from the beginning. I've even grown to find some of the art beautiful (though I seem improvements from the old to newer stuff, most notably Dengeki Daisy). I like that she has strong female characters, strong male characters who are also not without sensitivity. I like that she challenges many a stereotype and isn't afraid to laugh at her own media (manga). Unfortunately, Dengeki Daisy and Beast Master are the only of her works published in English.

And that's a real pity because some of her earlier stuff, if more crudely drawn, was still terrific. An excellent case in point is Otokomae! Beads Club (which means "handsome man" beads club according to Denshi Jisho).

When I read the premise for OBC, it was just the sort of quirky back-handed contrived nonsense tailor made for someone like me. I loved the idea and, I have to admit, I loved the manga. So, even though I literally can't get the books, I still want to have 'em all. I've certainly read 'em all in scanlations.

Anime? No Volumes of manga: One (and a story in a different volume) Status: Complete?

My rating: Gotta Have 'Em All

Age range/taboos: It's all pretty clean here. Minimal violence, no sex, at best some innuendos. I can't see any teenager coming to harm from this. There is one attempted rape, but it's cut off early.

Premise: A girl who grew up doing martial arts and scaring off boys with her physical power transfers to a new school where she intends to keep her aggressive talents her little secret and become girly girl so she can find a boyfriend. And she wants a manly man, thank you. Unfortunately, on the first day, her rather heroic rescue of a dog is witnessed by one of her new school mates, who completely approves. And is a little scary given he has pet crows. Turns out, our crow man is president of a club of misfits (every manga stereotype critter imaginable) who not only make beaded pretties, but also defend the school for justice.

What worked: If our main character (Oikawa Ibuki) is a bit misguided, wanting to be something she's not to get noticed, she is not without some level of self-awareness and a sense of humor. And, when push comes to shove, she can't help being herself, either. If with initial reluctance, she accepts her role in the club for justice and even her unnerving attraction for the spooky club president. The president, Takumi, is smug and self-assured, making no bones about his attraction to her and his confidence she'll come around to his way of thinking. And yes, he really beads well as well. Filling out the club is a girl who looks like a tart, the delinquent technogeek (precursor to Kurosaki, apparently), the big rough-looking otoman, the tiny cutesy girl who's really a male cross-dresser. How could I not love this?

The stories tended to be pedestrian, starting from the secretive nature of the "secret student council" which is like the bead clubs' alter ego (OK, yeah, that's pretty stupid) where they break up a club trying to find out their identity for revenge. It's a short manga (five real chapters), none of which are really tied to the others or involving extreme cleverness. It's not a cohesive whole, rather a series of vignettes, but it has charm and humor, particularly in the interaction between Ibuki and Takumi. If the story setups are weak, I have to hand it to the mangaka to push forward undaunted and take them to their convoluted conclusion as humorously as possible.

And that's the key. It's at least partly a satire, making fun of all the extremes one sees in shoujo manga, tongue planted firmly in cheek. That it does so without sacrificing the humanity and charm of its main characters is an added bonus.

Favorite Character: Takumi, of course. Unflappable, smug, just edging on lecherous, letting people mostly do their own thing without interfering (not to mention top of the class and a talented beader), yeah, he's my favorite. I even like the crows.

Quotes:

Takumi: These guys are idiots who like to bully people but Ibuki and I are the same...we like bullying weak idiots!

Takumi: To be honest, I have a bad feeling about something, like we missed something. So, no matter what, you have to be aware til the last second.
Ibuki: Understood. Whatever happens, I'll protect them with my own body. I won't let any girl get disfigured.
Takumi: No...you're a girl too...(you're saying manly things again). If something goes wrong, your face might...
Ibuki: I'll be fine.

Ibuki: I can get you whatever you like for a present! What do you want?
Takumi: Hmm, then...All of Ibuki.
Ibuki drops the bins of beads she's holding.

Takumi: Take a good rest. I'm going to get some medicine.
Ibuki: (Flushed and wearing a yukata) W-wait! Don't leave me alone! I'm scared! Please stay by my side, Takumi...
(At that moment, the crow had to battle his own evil thoughts until there was only little sense of himself left-)

What I didn't like: The drawing's quite a bit cruder than it is in her later work and, especially the side characters suffer for it. It also, as noted, has silly plots and fanciful storylines very much out of keeping with anything I know about high school. I would have liked to see these characters developed much like they were in Dengeki Daisy with some more development of the side characters.

And, sniff, I can't get it in English in book form.

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Fanfiction: Skip Beat!: Shoudown

If you are interested in reading this, start here or, even if you're a fan, you'll get confused. Note that the disclaimer and introduction still apply. And I'm really almost done with this.

Disclaimer: these characters and scenarios are based on the work of Nakamura Yoshiki and I'm just speculating on what might happen later in the story. Nothing more, nothing less. It is not an original work and I will never try to market or profit by it in any way. The manga is rated "Teen" but this is probably closer to "older Teen" 'cause, unlike the manga, there's actual sex, though not in this chapter.

Ren felt surprisingly nervous. Normally, he had no worries meeting new people, winning them over, but these were the people who had looked out for Kyoko when she would have otherwise been alone, who employed and housed her, who supported her outrageous dreams. However they saw him, Ren knew he was very grateful to them, even if they hated him. Given her history with Fuwa, he could hardly blame them.

They'd parked a block or so away, because the restaurant was apparently popular. Kyoko walked beside him, her ring back on her finger. He wanted to hold her hand, put his arm around her, but he could see she was nervous, too. She didn't want to lose the approval of people who meant something to her, and who could blame her? He'd take it as slowly as she needed. Just before they went in, she turned on him suddenly.

"You haven't eaten anything since lunch so I want you to have a good meal."

He smiled at her and let himself touch her face. "Yes, Kyoko. Will you choose it for me? I'll eat anything you give me."

She caught his hand. "I love you, Ren. I'm going to ease into telling them, but it's not because I don't want to be with you. They're very down-to-earth people." She turned, straightened her shoulders, and pushed through the door, still holding his hand.

Apparently, it had not occurred to Kyoko that the proprietors of Daruyuma might listen to the news. Or that the patrons watch television or saw notices from the internet. The instant Ren and Kyoko came into the boisterous and bright environment, redolent with delectable scents, the sound turned off like a switch, leaving just some cooking sounds and a pronounced silence.

Ren fought the urge to laugh. "I think they already know," he whispered to Kyoko as the plump proprietress came 'round a counter and rushed forward to take Kyoko's free hand.

"Kyoko! You came!"

"I said I would. I'll go get changed so I can help. Okami-san, you—you met Tsuruga Ren, didn't you, at Maria's party?" Kyoko shook off both hands and flit into the back, leaving Ren to face a room of curious, if not hostile, strangers.

Ren bowed with respect and gave Okami-san his best smile. "I remember you quite well, Okami-san. It's a pleasure to meet you again."

She bowed in return, blushing quite charmingly. "We are honored to see you here. Would you care for a meal?"

Ren let her lead him to the counter (where he had wanted to sit anyway), exchanging pleasantries. His seat faced a stone-faced man he remembered as the mate for the personable proprietress. The man grunted and nodded at Ren, his face forbidding. The customers began to murmur amongst themselves. Ren knew it was only a matter of time before the customers started asking questions.

When they did, Ren was surprised to note that the customers seemed as fond and protective of Kyoko as the Daruyuma's owners. At first, they were pugnacious, "Are you really planning to marry Kyoko?" "You're not playing with her, are you?" "She's not like some of your heartless show-biz trash, you know. She's a fine young lady and needs to be handled with care."

Rather than be offended, Ren felt reassured to see how well Kyoko was treasured. Using his carefully honed patience and courtesy, he fielded questions and accusations alike, doing his best to showcase is sincere devotion to Kyoko. A tiny man, bent and wrinkled with age, confronted him with a bony finger, "Do you expect me to believe someone like you really loves Kyoko?"

Ren smiled over him, his eyes on Kyoko, now dressed in a white kimono, taking her place behind the counter. "Absolutely." His expression must have been persuasive because the old man backed off, nodding his approval. As Ren ate the food Kyoko gave him with obvious relish and responded with unshakable friendliness, the environment in the restaurant became boisterous again, and more and more approving. Everyone but the stone-faced Taicho.

Kyoko was flitting from table to table, her face friendly and charming. Ren couldn't keep his eyes off her. When the door opened, the tiny bell going off, she turned, words of welcome on her lips, before her face shattered into a look of shock.

Ren didn't have to look to know who was at the door. Fuwa. That prick. The Taicho had taken one look and snatched up a nasty looking cleaver, his face murderous. "Out!" he barked without preamble. "Get out of my restaurant!"

Fuwa smirked, not the least bit concerned about the deadly sharp knife and the hand that obviously knew how to wield it. "I didn't come to fight you, old man, or even you, Tsuraga-san," he sneered, making Ren's name an insult. "I just want a word with Kyoko."

"I don't have anything to say to you," Kyoko said, gathering her calm about her and wearing it like a jacket. "I guess you heard the news and, yes, it's true. We're getting married."

"Bull! You know and I know you're only saying that to force my hand."

"What? You idiot! Force your hand to what?"

Ren shook his head, but had to consciously calm himself, force himself not to leap from his stool and pound that smirking face into the dusty. Fuwa actually thought Kyoko still loved him, still wanted him. And if the fear that Fuwa might be even a tiny bit right still bounced around the back of Ren's brain, he restrained himself from acting on it. After all, this was Kyoko's decision.

But if Fuwa tried to get physical again against Kyoko's will, things would not go well for the little prick.

Fuwa's smirk became more pronounced. "You're boyfriend knows what I'm talking about. He knows you only got engaged to him to force me to marry you."

Ren did find the look of horror and shock on Kyoko's face reassuring. He doubted Fuwa felt the same.

"C'mon, Kyoko, come talk with me outside."

"I'm working, Shotaro. And I have nothing to say. There is no power on heaven or on earth that could convince me to pat you on the head, let alone marry you. The thought of you touching me that way completely creeps me out, like that kiss your forced on me before. Please leave. We really have nothing more we can say to each other."

"And I thought you were going to teach me a lesson." His voice was snide, insulting. Ren's hands clenched.

"I...I started out wanting to do that, wanting to do that more than anything I'd ever wanted in my life. Instead, I taught myself a lesson, that I was capable of more than I'd ever expected, that I could make for myself, all those wonderful boons I thought I'd get from marrying you. And I taught myself that, just because your first love turns out to be a false love, doesn't mean you can't find real love with someone else. I don't need to beat you any more, Shotaro, because I've already undone everything you've done to me. And I did it on my own. You have no more power over me."

Fuwa's smirk was long since gone and he'd taken two steps into the shop. With quickness, Ren had to admire, he snagged, Kyoko by the arm and dragged her through the front door. Ren was behind them in a flash and paused only when he all but ran into the Taicho at the door. "Please, sir," Ren offered. "It's my duty to protect her now. Believe me when I say I can. I will bring her back here so we can talk like civilized people."

The Taicho weighed him for what seemed a long time and Ren desperately wanted to catch up with Kyoko. "I'll concede that," the Taicho said, "if you get her back and take care of that little bastard."

Ren was out the door, walking silently so he could listen for the sound of arguing. For a second, he thought he'd lost them, when he heard Kyoko speaking in a low menacing tone in the alleyway beside the store."Look, Shotaro, I'm not going anywhere with you. I'm here with my fiancé."

Ren crept to the corner, where he could see them both, but he was shadowed. It was Kyoko's show, he knew that, but she had backup.

"Have you let him kiss you yet?"

"None of your business," she said, but her face entirely gave her away. Ren could not have been more pleased.

"Well, I never would have figured you for that kind of tramp," Fuwa sneered. "Guess I should have."

Kyoko visibly calmed herself. "I don't care what you think, Shotaro. I don't have to answer to you for my personal life." She raised her head and spoke with finality that was far more powerful than anger. "And I'm not going to be dragged away from my work, time after time, because you have some bug up your butt. Stop showing up at my shoots or here and disrupting my work."

"I need to talk to you." Fuwa sneered.

"Too bad," Kyoko retorted, stomping her foot. "I'm not at your disposal. I don't have to answer to you. Once I gave you that power over me, but you threw it away. I don't belong to you any more."

"That's what you think."

"Damn right, it's what I think. Look, Shotaro, if you have some professional issue you want to take up in the future, call LME and set up an appointment. Otherwise, leave me alone."

He made a lunge for her arm, but she avoided him, using a move Ren had used himself as Cain. Ren couldn't help smiling, even as he stood poised to deal with Fuwa physically if required.

"Don't you dare touch me," Kyoko hissed, eyes slitted into golden beams of light. "Don't ever touch me again. I only came out here with you this last time to say one thing."

"And what is that?"

"Goodbye, Shotaro." She turned and opened the side door on Duruyuma. Fuwa had apparently not expected it because it took him a second before he lunged again. Kyoko left the door open, but dodge him again, maneuvered away from the door. Fuwa pursued, trying to grab her hand, her arm, snatch her into his arms, but she was too quick, too slick to catch. Ren would have gone in already, but he was fascinated by how well she had absorbed Cain's moves just by watching him.

Fuwa was shouting as he chased her. "Don't you tell me goodbye! I've never given you permission! You're still mine!"

"Bullshit!" Kyoko snarled, slipping underneath his lunge. "I'm not your adoring slave any more."

"Is this about that kiss?"

"Are you stupid? This isn't about you at all! It's about me and what I want. I don't need to waste any more of my life worrying about you. My success will be satisfying enough no matter what, because I'll have done it for me."

"You mean for Tsuraga Ren!"

"Ren will be pleased, too. He's always worked for my future, but because it mattered to me, not for his own gratification. Stop trying to grab me! Leave me alone."

"I can't!" Fuwa shouted, stopping. "I can't! I need you to straighten me out when I need it, to spur me on. I didn't know it before, but I know it now. I can't let you be with someone else, not when I need you."

Kyoko looked up at him, tenderness in her eyes. Ren felt his breath catch in his throat. She lifted a hand and gently touched his face. "Too bad. I'm sorry, Shotaro. It's too late. You'll have to make it on your own because I just don't need you any more. And I won't be yours to control ever again."

Fuwa grabbed her by the hips and yanked her toward him. "I won't allow it!"

Ren was moving, but so was Kyoko, who boxed Fuwa's ears, then kicked him away. "Never again, Shotaro. Never." Behind Kyoko, Taicho came storming out, swinging his cleaver, but Ren had already grabbed Fuwa and pinned his arms behind his back before he could touch Kyoko again.

"That's it," Ren breathed in Fuwa's ear, letting menace flavor his tone. "You had your chance. You blew it. You won't get another, ever again."

Fuwa shook himself, trying to wrench his arms free. "Let go, you bastard, or I'll beat you like I beat that Beagle."

"Be grateful you're pinned, though if you keep moving that way, you'll wrench your own muscles. Because a scandal involving you at this time would upset Kyoko, I'm going to let you walk away unharmed."

"Ha! Let me go and fight me like a man."

"If I did, you'd be lucky if you came out of the hospital before your next single comes out. I'm not exaggerating. I could kill you five different ways if I wanted to."

"Like hell! You couldn't hurt anyone."

Ren pulled up just slightly on the arms, a move he knew to be excruciating, "Test me, you piece of shit. I'd love it. I'll shield Kyoko's reputation with mine. Yours, on the other hand, will take a beating. So much for being 'cool.'"

Fuwa tried to wrench himself away again and Ren let him go, prepared to defend himself or Kyoko if required, but not really expecting it. Sure enough, Fuwa pulled himself back, studying Ren's stance and face in the half-dark, then glancing at Kyoko's sneer and the pugnacious Taicho. Ren suspected others from the restaurant were out there, watching. Fuwa might guess as that as well. "Have it your way! Damn, here you are, beloved by millions, throwing yourself away on a nobody like Kyoko, even when you know she'll never love you like she loved me."

Ren took a step forward, he couldn't help it. "Kyoko was never a nobody, which is why she was always too good for you. Someday, you'll be stunned by what she's accomplished but I won't. I already know how incredible she is. As for loving, I hope she doesn't love me like she loved you, because that love is over and I want ours to last the rest of our lives." He took another step forward and smiled, BJ's smile, when Fuwa took a step back. "Last chance to make your escape unscathed."

"Fine!" Fuwa said, with a pathetic attempt at cool. "You'll both regret this. In five years, no one will remember either of you and I'll still be top of the charts, with a beautiful woman on either arm."

Kyoko came to stand next to Ren, "And we'll still be happy and you, who knows? Go home, Shotaro. There's nothing for you here any more."

Fuwa did a credible job of gathering up his shattered dignity, considering the number of unfriendly eyes on him, and walked away with surprising nonchalance. The little prick would probably bounce back just fine and take out his frustrations with another series of top hits. Too bad it would never fill the void he wouldn't even admit he had.

Ren wrapped an arm around Kyoko, then kissed her on the forehead. "You are incredible, you know that. You cut him down to size just by letting him go."

"Yeah. I can't even enjoy it because he's just so pitiful. I mean, he deserves it, but still, it means nothing. You were right about that."

Ren felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and turned to face the Taicho who was nearly, but not quite, smiling. "I like you," he said. "You handled that selfish jerk very well. I will trust you with Kyoko, but," and he brandished his cleaver menacingly. "If you ever treat her like that boy, I will come find you."

Ren bowed his head. "She'll be moving in with me tomorrow. Will that be a problem?"

He nodded. "I'll help you both pack after we close. She was a good employee, like a daughter to me. You take care of her."

Kyoko wrapped her arms around Ren's arms and answered for both of them. "We'll take care of each other."

All in all, Ren thought, it had been a very busy and very satisfying day.

And tomorrow was looking up as well.

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Maid-Sama: Gotta Have 'Em All

Maid-Sama (aka Kaichō wa Maid-sama!) by Hiro Fujiwara is the kind of school-centric, gimmicky-seeming story that could have become hokey or stupid or perverted (or all three) and desperately unappealing. Instead,I found it hilarious and charming with the occasional soupcon of drama and action. Once again (as it so often is with me), the characters are the key factor to making me fall in love with it because the plot is stupid. However, in all fairness, almost everything about this manga is hilarious, including the little side-bars and the Q&A stuff and even those parts about the author.

Unfortunately, this is one of my two on-going mangas that took a hit when Tokyopop went toes up earlier this year. Which means, as in love with this manga as I am, I'm stymied by the fact that I can't purchase any of the remaining books in English unless someone picks up the licenses (that are now available) and publishes them. Ironically, they just got a license for the anime in the US (though it is subtitled, not dubbed) so that's selling here. And books up until that point in the manga (and beyond) are available in English. Just not the rest of them.

Yes, I'm irked. I'm irked enough I'm going to add a new box to the side that includes links to several of the scanlation sites available on-line, where this and nearly every other manga can be read on-line. Now the whole scanlation-no scanlation debate is worthy of its own post, which I may or may not write, but not today. Suffice it to say that I read all my ongoing "gotta have 'em all mangas" on scanlations because they usually come out months if not years before the books are available. I'm not apologizing. I own every single available English volume of my favorite mangas (in fact, every one in my "Has a Certain Appeal" - except those not available in English at all and Alice in the Country of Hearts - another Tokyopop casualty with only one volume left to go. And that's true for most of my "Okay" ones, too. For Maid-Sama and my other GHEA manga, Shinobi Life, I've bought the volumes I can't get in English in Japanese, since I'm learning it for Tokyo Crazy Paradise. But I hate that I can't buy copies here in the States. I'm hopeful that Maid-Sama will someday get someone picking up its license.

In the meantime, it sucks. And makes it hard for me to recommend it to my friends. It's a real pity because this is a great manga.

If you read happen to read this manga, don't skip the sidebar stuff or any side stories. The mangaku's irreverent humor is laugh out loud funny whether she's trying to make her self-portrait more palatable or hosting a Q&A session disrupted by Usui. They're not only charming, they build on the layers of characters. Maid-sama also a manga that has no problems laughing at itself or many common aspects of manga thinking (a trait I always find appealing). Even though it has its serious sides, it doesn't take itself too seriously. And it has sarcasm, one of my absolutely favorite kind of humor. There is an anime, though it's subbed, and, yes, I recommend that, too. Sometimes the beauty of the characters doesn't come through when they do an anime. In my opinion, the characters are even more beautiful than in the manga, with the same humor and charm they display on the page. Which is fantastico.

Anime? Yes Volumes of manga: 13 (8 Eng) Status: Ongoing

My rating: Gotta have 'em all

Age range: Nothing here I'd be uncomfortable with a teenager reading. But then, I'm pretty progressive.

Taboos and "warnings": Some sexual allusion. Violence is frequent but not graphic and probably supposed to portray "friendly" ribbing. Cross-dressing here and there.

Premise: A poor girl with a chip on her shoulder about men becomes student council president of a school that recently became co-ed and where girls are in the minority. She determines to clean up the school and it's image, which she does aggressively with some level of violence and force of will. The only boy in school who can stand against her (though he really isn't the take-a-stand type) spots her in the extra job that embarrasses her mightily, working in a Maid Cafe, which is all about deference. Her initial fear becomes bafflement as he preserves her secret and tries to build a relationship with her.

What works: Takumi Usui, the one who finds out about her embarrassing part-time job (which is not a sleezy job, by the way). Usui is one of those "perfect" characters (whose perfection is part of the joke going through the whole book), smart, capable, rich, athletic, attracting all girls, all without any apparent effort. His effortless ability to do what she strives to do annoys our heroine no end. What's cool, though, is his interest, even fascination with the workaholic bristly class president, Ayuzawa Misaki. (Student councils apparently have a great deal more power and responsibility in Japan's high schools than they do here, by the way.) Misaki, who has everything she has through hard work and perseverance, makes things harder on herself by insisting on doing it all herself and taking on responsibility for everyone. Which means that it isn't necessarily because he's better, but because she's taking on too much.

As with many who have things too easy, he doesn't care about anything. He doesn't care what his classmates think (which makes him desperately popular). He isn't worried about being embarrassed or worshiped or hated or despised. In fact, you soon get the sense that one reason he's so successful is that he isn't trying too hard, which is the same reason people like him. It's only as he sees Misaki (the student council president) caring about everything too much that he finds anything that matters to him. The one person who doesn't like him without effort becomes the one person he wants to like him more than anything.

He has to work at it, work around her suspicion and her touchiness and her fear of her own reaction to him. He does so with patience and grace and gentleness and unflinching humor, while being dragged into any number of stupid escapades, often made more dangerous with the president barreling in without hesitation or any notion of self-preservation. He not only doesn't seem to mind, but has no hesitation sabotaging his own reputation or embarrassing himself and even seems to do so for his own amusement. He is hilarious and appears to have a complete grasp of everything except Misaki. He is protective and possessive, but also encouraging. He helps her learn to share her burdens, appreciate new viewpoints, even enjoy herself now and again. He is the perfect foil for her workaholic without being a lazy no-account.
It would be really easy to let such a character come across as overbearing or competitive or patronizing. That the author doesn't do so and, in fact, balances Usui's excessive brilliance with charm and an almost complete lack of self-importance (without imbuing him with false modesty) does a great deal to make him fun.

I like the lead, too. Although too bristly, too pushy and somewhat prone to tunnel vision, Misaki also cares deeply about people (even the boys), takes her responsibilities very much to heart and learns. That, alone, is a fine feature in a shoujo manga because that is not always so. She works hard and learns to appreciate people, friends and enemies alike, with an excellent instinct on who to trust, even if she doesn't consciously acknowledge it. She understand about responsibility in a way Usui doesn't so they balance each other nicely. Her earnestness is appealing without being preachy. I like a character who goes after everything 100%.

Villains are pretty darned villainous, which is nice. They're easy to hate without being cardboard. Side characters are absolutely a laugh riot, adding color and humor, particularly Yakimura who is the butt of a running gag through the entire series and manages this without losing his own humanity.

The humor is pervasive without sacrificing our characters. I laughed out loud repeatedly, either from Usui's sarcasm, the beat perfect sight gags, or the side bars or tongue-in cheek messages from the author. Nothing was sacred and I always find that amusing.

The artwork was nice without being awe-inspiring. The dialog for Usui was often more speaking than his face, which was largely drawn with the same (or nearly same) enigmatic expression. Often the in between sketching, without the fine detail, are the funniest panels. Still, it works as a whole, so I'm not complaining.

Quotes:

Usui: Hey, Ms. President, could you be a masochist? Since you seem to enjoy inflicting all this pain on yourself, maybe you're also a sadist.

Usui: In my opinion, giving a kiss is much better than receiving one.

Usui: I think you're fine just the way you are now. As in, if I had you as my little sister, just as you are now . . .
Misaki: If you had me as I am now?
Usui: I'd find it incredibly hot.

Misaki: How long are you going to follow me?
Usui: To the ends of the earth.
Misaki: Don't you ever think about things before you say them? You're totally grossing me out - even more than usual.

Misaki: Never mind that--why were you waiting for me?
Usui: You needn't let it disturb you. Since I am but a humble stalker.

What I didn't like: Like many school-centric mangas the scenarios, motivations and overall plot is frequently absurd. That's not entirely bad, since it's a huge aspect of the humor, but I had to roll my eyes once in a while. But I was usually laughing at the same time. And, let's not forget, you can no longer get the whole set in English, and even those that were previously published are getting scarce. Grr. On Amazon.com, only volume 7 is still available while the rest can all be had, but some are already at the $20-30 dollar range. Glad I grabbed them when I could.

Maid-Sama can be found on-line, but you'll have to look for "Kaichou Wa Maid-Sama." ("The Student President Is a Maid") The translation is often considerably different, losing the punchline with the on-line version, but sometimes picking up subtleties missed in the official version. There's a lot to translate with this one. And, of course, you can't get any new ones any more officially in English, not unless someone else picks up the license. If someone does, the title may also change.

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