Recommended Manga! – Completed Manga Review

Hibi Chouchou

Hibi Chouchou (image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibi_Ch%C5%8Dch%C5%8D)

I decided it was time to read some shoujo; it’s been a while, and this one caught my eye. I didn’t intend to read a long one, but the art looks cool, so here we go!

Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!

Review time!

Plot: 1 star. The plot for this series seems fairly simple. The main girl, Shibazeki Suiren, wants to get to know Kawasumi, the only guy at school who isn’t falling over himself whenever she enters the room. The story mostly follows the development of their relationship. Sub-plots do show up such as karate tournaments or even different characters getting relationships and even Suiren working hard to come out of her shell, but none of these sub-plots seems like the main plot. They happen in the background, and there’s no real consequence or even drive for these plots to be accomplished. The final fight between Kawasumi and Atohira doesn’t even show us who won; not every character gets into an established relationship by the end; and Suiren doesn’t seem to have a significant change in her life by her strives to be more extroverted. Overall, I think the story does stick to its plot since we do see the progression of Suiren and Kawasumi’s relationship. The manga does a good job of focusing on this relationship instead of getting side-tracked by other characters and sub-plots.

Art: 1 star. This art style is so cute! It’s soft and airy, and the lines are very clean and thin. The use of shadows and textures was nice and helped with the dynamics of the different scenes. Even though Suiren didn’t talk much, I was able to see how she felt about different characters by her reactions and expressions. Every movement, action, and reaction was very easy to follow.

Story Progression: 1 star. Honestly, I really enjoyed the writing. There were times when I would read a chapter and not much seemed to happen, but when I’d go to write about it, I’d end up writing a lot xD This manga is very subtle with its writing and story telling, but somehow, all those subtle, little moments ended up meaning a lot to me and showing me the deeper side to these characters. As you can see from my full reviews, I’d read 20-30 chapters at a time because I wanted to know what would happen next. This wasn’t because there was so much going on, but simply that the current story thread was leading me to continue reading! There are not many distractions in this manga -which I enjoyed-, so whatever was going on became the main focus of the characters and me as a reader. I became invested because they were invested, and it was a really wonderful journey.

Genre: 1 star. Shoujo, romance, and slice of life definitely cover this manga. I am not sure if school life and slice of life are different; I have a feeling that it depends on the site you’re reading from. I would say those are the same since school life is still part of slice of life (when you’re a high school student, school is your life; it makes sense to me). Really, I can’t think of any other genres that would describe this manga better. Your main character is a girl who falls in love at school, and the rest of the manga follows her time in high school; if that’s not shoujo, romance, slice of life, I’m not sure what is xD

Enjoyment: 1 star. I was surprised how much I loved this manga and these characters. Honestly, I had been looking for an over-the-top shoujo so that I would stop giving everything 5 stars, but I found this jewel instead, and I am so thankful ❤ Seeing this sweet, gentle love story was incredibly refreshing ❤ I loved how adorable and sweet and awkward Suiren and Kawasumi were together xD ❤ I like how hard Suiren worked to grow the relationship, and I loved when Kawasumi finally realized he needed to put work in, too! ❤ I liked how the focus wasn’t always about the love story. I also liked how subtle each chapter and character was. I liked that everything took time, and that the characters had to figure out their flaws and strategies to better themselves and their lives. I liked the slice of life, daily challenges and struggles felt by high school students. I liked the friendships and relationships and how those grew and changed over time.

This story has reached and/or surpassed my criteria, so it has earned 5 stars!
I definitely recommend this manga to anyone who is looking for something sweet, refreshing, and adorable ❤

To read my full review, please click here.

Seishun Otome Banchou!

seishun otome banchou! (image: https://myanimelist.net/manga/70219/Seishun_Otome_Banchou)

Since I do not own this manga and it has not been translated into English, I read this on sites with fan translations. I think the translations were pretty good, but I may have gotten some things wrong.

This series is 13 chapters long, spread out between 3 volumes (apparently). My review will be below, and if you continue reading below the stars, you will see my explanation and my recounting of what I read.

Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!

Review time!

Plot: 1 star. I guess if this manga has a plot it’d be about getting Touma to see the real Mihane which I think he absolutely does. I don’t think it’s the simple plot of “getting together with Touma” or even him noticing her because I think it’s more than that. He had to get to know her; that was the original bet(deal?) in chapter 1, and I think this series completes that plot. So, yes, it develops a plot, sticks to the plot, and completes the plot (though the relationship is ongoing, and they definitely have more to learn about each other; that final chapter teaches all of us a lot about each character x’D ).

Art: 1 star. Hands down, 1 star, and I wish I could give more simply for the diverse expressions. All of the expressions crack me up in this story! And I love the art style aside from the crazy expressions. The characters are cute and diverse, and everyone looks so soft and pretty (unless they’re not supposed to which is its own great thing). Beautiful art, beautiful characters, and they’re all very expressive. I knew what was going on at each point, even Mihane’s intricate dances and reactions xD

Story Progression: 1 star. I think this manga does a really good job with story telling. I think the transitions between chapters are great; the use of flash backs are well placed. The story as a whole flows really well; nothing feels rushed about the pacing or about how the relationships develop.

Genre: 1 star. This manga is so spot on as comedy, romance, and shoujo! There is no doubt in my mind about how funny this manga is; I’ve read it at least five times now, and it still makes me laugh myself to tears. The development of Mihane and Touma’s relationship is definitely romantic. Even before they’re in a romantic relationship, Mihane is gearing the story towards trying to get in a romantic relationship with Touma, so romantic vibes are there at the start. And with the female main perspective, romantic issues, and general school life shenanigans, then I definitely say it’s a shoujo. I guess it could also be given school life, but that’s more of a sub genre that’s optional; definitely not required.

Enjoyment: 1 star. I WANT TO GIVE SO MUCH MORE THAN ONE STAR!! I love this manga so much!! Between the comedy and the art, there’s also so much story! I LOVE how well the manga balances ridiculous reactions and expressions with actual common sense reactions. I like that it points out shoujo tropes and blows them out of the water. I like that the characters think and react in healthy ways as they develop. I like the ridiculous stuff when it’s not important and then the serious talks and mature reasoning when it is important. I like that the best friend is absolutely terrifying and is a complete troll despite looking like an angel xD I like that the main character can accept when she’s harassed her love interest into being mad at her, and she understands that yes, that was her fault! I like when a gangster looking character attacks out of nowhere that that is actually questioned by the main character and is even reprimanded by the gangster’s friend! This is a short series, but it has a lot of heart and a lot of laughter, and the art is still amazing while also being hilarious. Kudos all around.

If you need a quick read to cheer up your day, then definitely read this one. If you ever have the opportunity to own it, I absolutely encourage you to buy this. The mangaka deserves every penny and yen and so much more for creating this series.

This story has reached and/or surpassed my criteria, so it has earned 5 stars!
I highly recommend anyone to read this if they like crazy facial expressions!

If you’d like to read my full review, please click here.

Soul Eater

Soul Eater image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Eater_(manga)

I do not own Soul Eater, so my reading has been done through fan translations online. There were many times that chapters were missing and that pages were not translated or were translated poorly. I mention these to say that my interpretations may be inaccurate and that I may have gotten some things wrong.

Soul Eater is 25 volumes long with 113 chapters. My review will be below, and if you continue reading below the stars, you will see my explanation and my recounting of what I read.

Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!

Review time!

Plot: 1 star. The main plot of Soul Eater is for Maka turn her weapon, Soul, into a death scythe. A sub-plot comes up along the way for the Kishin to be defeated. Many characters have their own sub-sub-plots below that, such as Ox getting Kim’s love, Black Star surpassing god, Kidd creating balance, etc., but I’m going to focus on the main plot and the Kishin sub-plot. I’m going to give Soul Eater 1 star for plots. It clearly has several, and all of them (except a few sub-sub-plots) are resolved. It does not deviate much from the main plots except to add direction for what will help achieve the main plot.

Art: 1 star. The art was rough in the three introductory stories, but it clears up into beautiful composition. I’m not a fan of the dark, scratchy pictures that show up from time to time, but they are all very expressive, and they add a grittiness to each scene that helps me feel the situation. The action flows well, and it is easy to tell what is going on. I cannot get over the incredible battle scenes! They get my blood pumping; they’re so great!! Definitely 1 star, and I wish I could give more; it’s great.

Story Progression: 1 star. This one is harder to rate because I had some bad translations. I will say that this manga has a lot of story; it definitely seems more driven by story than action. What I mean is that any time a chapter was missing, I could tell; so much happens in each chapter that you really can’t miss any without becoming very confused. There’s a lot of great action, but it’s the story that carries this manga (the action just spices it up). I would have to give this a full star since the missing chapters and bad translations aren’t the fault of the manga.

Genre: 1 star. “Adventure, dark fantasy…” I would say Soul Eater follows that. There’s a lot of adventure, and it certainly has dark elements (Crona, anyone? That entire backstory? Holy crap; it’s so dark!) and fantasy. Witches, human children becoming weapons, black blood, madness clowns, and Excalibur; even though it’s set on Earth out of Nevada of all places, it’s pretty fantastical. Also, lots of the original bad guys are historic villains like Jack the Ripper and Al Capone in a fairly modern setting; it’s hard to do that and not be considered fantasy. I’ll say 1 star, though comedy could also easily be added in, as can ecchi; this manga has some funny scenes -and some sexy ones.

Enjoyment: 1 star. I want to be hard on this manga because it is one that I really like. The comedy’s great; the action is incredible; the art is intense; I love the character development; the lore is fun and interesting, but there are some moments that were hard. It is dark; I don’t like people of faith falling to sin; child abuse is terrible; succumbing to madness and losing heart; people being corrupted: these are all really heavy subjects. But I loved it enough to read it a second time, and I have recommended this to my friends. I will give it a full star for my enjoyment; it’s truly so incredibly made!

This story has reached and/or surpassed my criteria, so it has earned 5 stars!
I highly recommend anyone to read this if they like dark adventure manga!

If you’d like to read my full review, please click here.

Jackass!

Jacka$$ Image from: https://www.google.com/search?q=jackass!+manga&oq=jackass!+manga&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60j69i65j69i61l3.2730j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

This is the only yaoi I own, and I have read it several times, but I’ll try to stay partial. Since I do own this manga, I’ll be reading the official English translation instead of from a site.

The back cover reads:
“Keisuke’s incredibly handsome best friend Masayuki has always rubbed him just a little bit the wrong way. Maybe it’s because Masayuki is rich, carefree, and so stunningly handsome that he can, and does, have any girl he wants? But one day, when Keisuke accidentally wears his older sister’s panty hose to gym class, it’s suddenly his hot friend who’s doing the rubbing…on Keisuke’s panty hose-clad legs! Has he unwittingly unleashed a secret fetish that will change their relationship forever?”

This manga is one volume long with six chapters and a three side comics at the end. My review will be below, and if you continue reading below the stars, you will see my explanation and my recounting of what I read.

Warning: I’m going to start this review by saying that this is a yaoi. If you are not comfortable reading about men having sex with each other, then this is not the manga for you. You should avoid any manga that say “yaoi”, “BL” (boy love), and maybe even “shounen ai” if two men together makes you uncomfortable.
I should state that I love this manga not for the sex but for the relationships. I am a sucker for a good romance, and this one has one of the best (between men) that I’ve ever read. Let’s just get started so you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!

It’s review time!

Crescent Moon review

Plot: 1/2 star. This one doesn’t really have a stated plot… If I had to try to find one, it would be whether the class decides on what to do for the cultural festival, which, yes, they do. So, in that regard this manga completes its plot. The action of the story revolves around Keisuke and Masayuki’s relationship, though (and man, what a joy that is to read). The manga isn’t just about them, though; there’re so many wonderful characters who each have their own lives! Since I’m so torn about the plot, then I’ll have to give this only half a star.

Art: 1 star. I love the art in this manga. The hair styles and shading, the GORGEOUS eyes, the character designs; I love it all. This is one of the most beautiful manga I’ve ever read just in regards to how the characters look. Each character is unique and easy to recognize. The diverse expressions are fantastic. I can tell what happens in every panel, but I also discover more each time I read the manga! There are so many little details that make each reading wonderful.

Story Progression: 1 star. This is a short manga, just one volume, so it’d be hard to get bored. But I absolutely don’t. I love this manga. I love the writing and all the different character interactions. The pace drops sometimes between scenes, but only for a page or so. I definitely am not bored or overwhelmed.

Genre: 1 star. This is definitely a yaoi. There is sex, so please just be prepared. There is also tons of humor, so I would add Comedy as part of the genre, but since that wasn’t listed on Google, then I’ll just stick with what was listed.

Enjoyment: 1 star. I wish I could give more stars for this. This is by far my favorite yaoi, and if you couldn’t tell from the rest of my review, I absolutely love this manga. I love how all the character’s interact. I love that the first openly gay character in this yaoi isn’t girly or a push over. I love the way Keisuke and Masayuki’s relationship develops. I love that there are straight characters in this yaoi!! I love the supportive family dynamic. I like the character struggles for those who don’t have supportive families because it seems more real. There’s a ton of comedy in this manga, but it’s also so real with emotions and conflicts, and I love that.

So even though this series does not have five stars, I still highly recommend it,
so I’m going to put it on the “5 Star” page.

If you’d like to read my full review, please click here.

Crescent Moon

I want to start this blog with the first series that I ever read, Crescent Moon. The series that started it all for me!

Crescent Moon

image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crescent_Moon_(manga)

I actually own this series, so I will be reading the official English translation rather than reading from a website.

The back cover reads:
“Mahiru Shiraishi has an uncanny ability to bring good luck to everyone she touches -except herself. She’s constantly haunted by a recurring nightmare that ushers her to a dreamworld. There, she encounters a tribe of demons -a werewolf, vampire, fox, and bat- called the Lunar Race. Destiny calls when they need her help to recover their source of power, the stolen “Teardrops of the Moon”. In this fantasy adventure, Mahiru must battle the rage between the human race and the Lunar Race, whose powers are awakened by the dark side of the moon.”

Crescent Moon has 25 chapters through 6 volumes. My review will be below, and if you continue reading below the stars, you will see my explanation and my recounting of what I read.

Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!

Review time!
Crescent Moon review

Plot: 1 Star. The manga has a single main plot of finding and recovering the Teardrops of the Moon. Since they do this, they earn a full star.

Art: 1/2 Star. I love the art in this manga. The designs, expressions, variations of features, effects, and use of shading are all wonderful! Unfortunately, despite how many times I’ve read this, I can’t always tell what is happening, who is talking, or what is a thought versus spoken word.

Story Progression: 1 Star. Every moment that happens has a reason, even if it’s small, so there’s never a dull moment.

Genre: 1 Star. This is definitely a shoujo, fantasy manga what with the strong female lead, spells, barriers, transformations, and other dimension. On sites, it may also be listed as romance or comedy, but I believe those fit as well. Since they weren’t sited on Wikipedia, though, I’ll just stick with shoujo fantasy.

Enjoyment: 1 Star. This is my all time favorite manga because it was the first one I read, and it introduced me to so many new things. I still love this take on demons and how it combines Eastern and Western demons to make up the Lunar Race. I like the depictions of the demons, and though I’m not a fan of Dawn’s Venus, the human aspect is well explained as well. There’s only two plot points I didn’t like, and they were minor (read below to find out what they were); everything else is wonderful. After all these years, I still love this manga, and there’s a reason I’ve read it more than a dozen times.

So even though this series does not have five stars, I still highly recommend it,
so I’m going to put it on the “Recommended Manga!” page.

If you’d like to read my full review, please click here.