Manga Review: Jiu Jiu, Volume 5, by Touya Tobina

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July, 2013

Volumes: 5

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A dark, sexy drama of a demon hunter and her werewolf familiars

Born into a family of “Hunters,” Takamichi’s destiny is to pursue and slay demons. When her twin brother is killed, she is saved from despair by a pair of Jiu Jiu—shape-shifting familiars—in the form of two wolf pups named Snow and Night. Now Takamichi is in high school and an active Hunter. Snow and Night can't wait to attend school in their human form to “protect” her. But are they ready to go off leash...?

Final Volume!

Takamichi’s Jiu Jiu Obedience Training Goals

1. Protect your mistress at all costs—and in any form.

2. Examine your puppy love deeply.

3. Whatever you do...don’t go feral!

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for teen plus audiences.

What Will I Miss?:

• The art. It's rather pretty.
• The story--where it went and how it went there.
• The characters--I love them, especially Snow and Night. And I'm going to miss them a lot. I will probably re-read this just for them.

Re-readable?: Average to high, probably. Yes.

Review:

I’m honestly a little confused about the ending. Probably mostly because I don’t really believe that what happened did, or because I really want it to, but don’t think that it actually did. What actually happened?

There was the whole horrid mess with Yuki, then a horrible thing happened with Snow and Night, and it seems like some of that was fixed by the end, but was it actually? It seems like Takamichi is happy at the end, either way, though, so I’m glad about that. The other characters are all in better spots. I still wish I’d gotten to know Takamichi’s father better. I feel like there was so much more still to explore.

I don’t know, I’m iffy about how I feel about this. 

Either way, I really hope that VIZ picks up another of Tobina’s series, because I know there are several, and I want more of hers.

Manga Review: Jiu Jiu, Volume 3, by Touya Tobina

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Publish Date: Jan 1st, 2013

Volumes: 5

Spoilers?: Minor.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Powells. RightStuf!.

Review of Volume One and Volume Two.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Werewolves at the door...and in the houseBorn into a family of “Hunters,” Takamichi’s destiny is to pursue and slay demons. When her twin brother is killed, she is saved from despair by a pair of Jiu Jiu—shape-shifting familiars—in the form of two wolf pups named Snow and Night. Now Takamichi is in high school and an active Hunter. Snow and Night can’t wait to attend school in their human form to “protect” her. But are they ready to go off leash...?

Takamichi’s Jiu Jiu Obedience Training Goals

1. Don’t run away before a critical meeting of the Hunter Clans. (If only there were leash laws for Jiu Jiu...)

2. Speak now or forever hold your peace.

3. Get along with other shape-shifting familiars, little doggies.

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for teen plus audiences.

Review:

I am obsessed with this series. Like, obsessed. I cannot get enough. I can’t even get close to enough. The next volume I should be getting soon, and then I have to wait a while for the one after that, which will be the last one, and what will I do after that? I just… I don’t know. I don’t want it to end. Ever. It’s amazing. And I love it.

For some reason, the contents of each volume seem to blur a little bit, which sucks. But then, when I go to write up the review for that volume (as I’m doing now, obviously), I flip through the pages to recap it, only to end up grinning and re-reading the volume. It’s a horrible cycle, really. Horrible in the not-horrible-at-all sense, of course, because I get to read the volume again, and I love it. Although it kind of also just makes me want to gush about the characters, mainly Snow and Night, which distracts me from actually talking about the volume.

So, things are getting intense in this volume. It starts out all fluffy and adorable and sweet (calm down, my heart), but quickly gets serious. We meet a couple new characters in this volume, including Takamichi’s ex-fiance and current fiancé, and their jiu jiu, and a whole bunch of other Important Hunter Family Members/Elders. Takamichi is getting older, closer to marrying age, and the hunter families are having a big family meeting. Also, we get to see Takamichi’s father more, and get some history and a flashback to when Takamichi was younger and actually see her twin brother.

There’s a family party after the meeting, where everyone is drinking. Including Takamichi’s father, who is horribly sadistic when drunk, and Takamichi forcing her fiancé, Seijiro, to get drunk. Then there’s a possibly romantic scene between Takamichi and Seijiro, and a not good scene between her and her ex-fiance, then a violent one involving Snow and Night, and then Takamichi and her ex-fiance and another person. The ending to the volume is not particularly good, leaving some questions, and I’m sure even more serious stuff will get cleared up in the next volume. Also, there were a couple cute comic strips at the end of the volume; there usually is, and it’s usually adorable.

So, the new characters. Seijiro seems really sweet, and like he’s upset with the troubles he’s having with the fiancé thing, in that he wants to do it and Takamichi doesn’t. His jiu jiu, Ripple, seems nice and has a thing for Snow, which will be interesting and possibly adorable, I’m sure. Mika, her ex-fiance, seems like a bit of a jerk. Not a very big fan of him at the moment, and I feel a little bad for his jiu jiu, White, who seems oddly quiet but intriguing.

I liked seeing Takamichi’s father, since we’ve only got very small glimpses of him before, although I would like to see more of how him and Takamichi get along. We also got to see his jiu jiu, Moon, who is like an older, more experienced influence on Snow and Night, which is just rather entertaining. Also, I feel bad for him because of how Takamichi’s father acts when drunk. (He’s kind of horrible to Moon when under the influence of alcohol.)

I love Snow and Night. They are my favorites, all the way, and I just love them. I cannot get enough of them. I feel really bad for them about this whole fiancé business, and how they’re not taking it very well. I’m hugely conflicted about it, myself. I think Seijiro is sweet and honest, and I like him, but I’m starting to think that Night has romantic feelings for Takamichi more so than Snow, and so I’m rooting for him all the way. I just… I don’t think I’ll be happy if there isn’t something, but I also don’t really think that the marriage isn’t going to happen. I’m just not particularly happy with the direction this is all going; at the least, I’m conflicted and wary.

Mainly, though, I’m loving it. This series is so unique, and sweet, and adorable, and gorgeous, and heatwarming, and grin-worthy and fangirl-worthy. I’m just in love with this series, and these characters, and I really want the next book to arrive so I can start it right now.

Manga Review: Jiu Jiu, Volume 2, by Touya Tobina

Rating (Out of 5): 4.5+

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Spoilers?: Minor.

Volumes: 5

Goodreads Synopsis:

Born into a family of “Hunters,” Takamichi’s destiny is to pursue and slay demons. When her twin brother is killed, she is saved from despair by a pair of Jiu Jiu—shape-shifting familiars—in the form of two wolf pups named Snow and Night. Now Takamichi is in high school and an active Hunter. Snow and Night can’t wait to attend school in their human form to “protect” her. But are they ready to go off leash...? Takamichi’s Jiu Jiu Obedience Training Goals

1. Defend your mistress from a pig. Or a child vampire. Or a... What is that thing, anyway?!

2. Defend your mistress from a ghost. Or a... Sigh... Whatever it is that’s haunting the sea resort she’s trying to vacation in!

3. Celebrate your mistress’s birthday—properly.

4. Snuggle.

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for teen plus audiences.

Available on Amazon.

Review:

I love this series. I’m only two books in and I love it completely. I want more, and every time I finish a volume, it takes me forever to get a review written. And one of the main reasons (aside from me being slow and lazy) is that I never know what to say. It’s just amazing and adorable and I love it, and that’s all I can ever think. Words do not happen when I try writing about this series.

It’s like… like, you know, when something makes you feel so much that you’re left with absolutely no words? Something, be it a book or movie or meme or even a person, that blows your mind so much that you have no words to describe it? Usually in a good way, but sometimes in a bad way as well. Well, that’s what this series makes me feel. I love it so much, and I always want more, and I have no idea how to explain all the things it makes me feel. This series is probably, at the moment, at five stars for me, even if the single volumes haven’t been given that high a rating (although they’re very close, just on the edge of 4.5 and higher). I don’t want to jinx it, though, and give it the chance of turning bad somewhere down the line, since I’ve only just started the series.

Anyway, once again, I am going to try and form words to convince you to read this series. If you haven’t read my first review, in which I also try to do that, here it is.

In this volume, we meet some new characters. First, there’s this little vampire bat boy, Meru, who hasn’t grown into his full powers yet, and is set on biting Takamichi in order to get them. He also turns into an adult form, and starts going to school with the group. Then there’s Lily, a girl who was haunting a house while waiting for her mistress to come back, who later becomes attached to Takamichi.

It really just seems like people are starting to attach themselves to Takamichi, which I don’t really mind.

After that, there’s a fight between Takamichi and Snow, and then there’s a small Birthday plotline, where Snow and Night find out what a Birthday actually entails, and try celebrating Takamichi’s.

There’s also a short at the end, featuring when Snow and Night were younger and unsure of Takamichi’s feelings toward them. They end up talking to Moon, Takamichi’s father’s jiu jiu, who is older and rather blunt and crude. This was a great mix of sweet and funny and sad, which is a rather good example of the whole series so far. This short was five pages and it still had the perfect mix of emotions that Tobina seems incredibly able to put together. It’s just so great.

This series is just so fantastic. I love it unconditionally.

Takamichi is a tsundere, and she’s protective and hard edged. She has a hard time expressing her emotions at first, gets embarrassed easily by them, but always ends up just jumping forward and exclaiming them in some way, which usually turns out sweet.

Then there’s Night and Snow, whom I totally and completely love. There’s Night, who studies and is more quiet and calm, and there’s Snow, who’s more loud and outgoing and high spirited, and they both love Takamichi so much and want her attention and affection. They are both very different, and yet so similar; they are different characters, and I love them both equally. I don’t know which one I prefer at the moment, which is just another thing I love about this series. There isn’t an obvious way to lean, like there usually is. I just fully love them both and want them both to be happy.

Ah, they make me ache inside because I love them so much. It's just... perfect. They're perfect.

Really, though, this whole series makes me hurt inside, in such a good way, because I love it so much and feel so strongly about it and I just… there are no more words. Just nonsensical noises.

Just… just go read it. Right now. Okay?

Now that that’s finished, I’m ready for the next one, immediately.

Manga Review: Jiu Jiu, Volume 1, by Touya Tobina

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Volumes: 5
Spoilers?: A bit, yes.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Born into a family of “Hunters,” Takamichi's destiny is to pursue and slay demons. When her twin brother is killed, she is saved from despair by a pair of Jiu Jiu—shape-shifting familiars—in the form of two wolf pups named Snow and Night. Now Takamichi is in high school and an active Hunter. Snow and Night can't wait to attend school in their human form to "protect" her. But are they ready to go off leash...?

Takamichi's Jiu Jiu Obedience Training Goals

1. Stop them from following you to work

2. Avoid exposing them to the full moon

3. Save them from execution

Reads R to L (Japanese Style), for audiences rated teen plus.

Review:

This book was fantastic. I wasn’t even aware that Shojo Beat was releasing a new series, which is very unlike me, but I saw it on the shelf at the bookstore and immediately decided to get it. It looked pretty, and I only skimmed the back, as my faith in Shojo Beat is very big. I was excited to start it, and I’m glad that it was even better than I’d thought it would be.

It’s about a girl, Takamichi, the daughter and heir to a clan of hunters. Her twin brother died, which resulted in her shutting out her heart and deciding not to get close to anyone. Several years later, she was forced to take care of two half-demon, half-human puppies. They were to serve as her servants/fighting companions, called her Jiu Jiu. Now, three years after that, the pups are two adult-like men that hugely adore her, while she tries to keep them at a distance. Most of the time, she’s trying to push them away, and yelling at them, and unknowingly doing the whole tough-love thing, while they ignore it and run after her anyway.

I love the two pups. Their names are Snow and Night and I love them. I want them; both of them. I don’t know which one I favor right now, as they’re pretty equal in my mind. Snow is hyper and cuddly while Night is smart and quiet and wears glasses, and they’re both super cute and sweet and I love them. They look like new adults, older teens maybe, but are still very much puppies. They love going for walks and wrestling, but they’re very protective of Takamichi, and they love her endlessly. It’s super sweet, and I have no doubt that it’s making its way into a love triangle.

That’s all I can really say at the moment, I think: that I love them.

In this book, Takamichi pushes them away one too many times, and realizes that she actually does enjoy having them around and maybe should treat them better. They’re very loyal through all of it, never leaving her alone, persistent to stay by her side through everything. I understand why, as she is kind of their mother in a way (not in a creepy, incestual way, but in a she’s been with them since they were born and kind of takes care of them way), and they’ve grown up with her, but she’s a quite a bit too harsh on them. I mean, she’d never given them a bath before, or a birthday present. The bath thing isn’t creepy, though, since they’re in dog form for it. Although, a lot of the time when around the house in human form, they are naked. This is kind of weird, but I think she’s grown used to it, having been around them for three years, and with how much they dislike being in clothes. (They are dogs at heart, after all.) Oh, and they always sneak out of their cage at night and lay with her, a lot of the time naked, which is just adorable.

They end up going to school with her, which she protests, where they learn more about normal human life things, like Birthdays, and even end up fighting over her at one point. By the end of the volume, she’s grown to accept that they are going to be around her, they love her and want to share her hardships between them, and that she loves them just as much.

There’s another chapter where Takamichi finds Nights diaries. She starts going through them, finding out how he felt about certain things when he was really young, how much he loved her and wanted praise. We’re shown when he first gets glasses; and another time when him and Snow fought and then when Night got scolded, thinking that Takamichi didn’t love him, he ran away, only for both of them to come after him, and both pups found out how much she really cared about them.
The last chapter is where we're shown what happens to the two pups when they are out during the full moon: their fear and dissatisfaction is bumped up a few levels, and they end up biting her. They don't mean to, as they are fighting with each other, and it's a very sweet and emotional moment for the three, but jiu jiu are never supposed to harm their master/mistress. And so they are to be punished. This is kind of a cliche moment, where she has to go against the set hunter rules, but turns out just fine.

This book was just… really sweet, and adorable, and funny, and I am so impressed. I really enjoyed it, like a lot, and I’m really looking forward to the next one.