Manga Review: Arata: The Legend, Volume 24, by Yuu Watase

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Sunday (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2016

Volumes: 24+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon.

Volume: 1.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a mythical world where humans and gods coexist, a ceremony marking the new governing princess is about to occur for the first time in 60 years. Only a girl from the Hime Clan may take this position, but the lack of females born to this family means that a boy called Arata must pose for the role. Meanwhile in modern-day Japan, a boy named Arata Hinohara is starting his new life in high school. He wants to put memories of his difficult past behind him, but things aren't going to be simple when he discovers a mysterious connection to the first Arata...

Arata Hinohara’s greatest foes, the Six Sho, have challenged him at every step on his quest. This has now led to a potentially deadly confrontation between one of the most powerful of the Six Sho, Ameeno, and Ameeno’s son, Nasake, one of Hinohara’s most loyal companions. Yet this is only the prelude to a devastating attack from yet another quarter that, to Hinohara’s amazement, echoes historical events from the modern world!

Review:

I have missed a lot of this series, so clearly a lot has happened that I don’t know about. We’re in the middle of a plotline involving several characters I don’t know.

There’s a big plot between a father and son, and how he left him. Then some havoc is being caused in the real world, and the Arata’s try to do what they can to fix it. It’s clear I’ve missed some of the information reveals about the two worlds, but it’s interesting how they’re interacting and intertwining. I still think I like the black-haired Arata more, and would like to catch up on his part. Seeing how much Arata's father cares for him was sweet, as well.

I should definitely catch up with this series. It’s very good, and getting very long. I think I’ve missed reading Watase, it’s been so long.

 A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: Arata: The Legend, Volume 6, by Yuu Watase

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5 - 4

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shonen Sunday)

Volumes: 14+

Goodreads Synopsis:

Hinohara discovers to his horror that his tormentor Kadowaki has followed him to Arata's world. Recalling his suffering, Hinohara flies into a rage that triggers his transformation into a demonic entity!

Review:

This is just... a really good series at this point. I like the characters, the plot is moving along pretty good, I like the art, the humor. It's not... completely amazing or anything, but it's really good.

In this volume... Hinohara and Kadowaki fight some more, and something demonically bad happens to Hinohara, which Kotoha brings him back down from (and there's a moment here where Hinohara could have cussed. Did he cuss in the original and they censored it, or did he not? Because I just feel that it would have been more powerful a moment had he cursed). Then one of the six sho comes and makes Kadowaki stop. Kannagi takes Tsukuyo after Hinohara drops it, and they have a talk, because Hinohara is being weak and depressed and pulling into himself and giving up. It's very much the way he was in the human world, and how he's now reacting to Kadowaki's presence. It's very not-good, but the talk is a nice moment. It makes Hinohara stronger, as does his talk with Kotoha later, and it makes the relationship with Kannagi better. Kannagi also has to realize that he can't take Tsukuyo from him. A bit later, Kanate admits to what he's planning on doing, to the robbers that blamed him before he went to Gatoya; and how he then plans on parting ways with them. I... hope that doesn't happen. I really like Kanate, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with him, but I don't want him to go.

For the next chapter, but only one, it switches to Arata. Where one of the sho takes Kadowaki's place, who's name is Harunawa. He has marks all over his body (he looks really cool. I don't know why, but I really like how symbols look on people, like with Kanate as well,), and he fights some of the students (and kills them?) with his hayagami, which he also does to Arata. It's bad, and I'm hoping that it gets fixed quickly, in the next one. But then Oribe shows up, and says that Arata has her 'protection'? What does that mean? I want to know what that means. I mean, I have an idea what she meant, but why did she say it and why didn't he take her seriously? I'm thinking that she's from Arata's world, that maybe she's connected to the Princess or Kotoha? But maybe it's someone we haven't met yet? But hopefully it's someone? I want to know what she knows.

It goes back to Hinohara for the rest of the volume. Him and the gang are just arriving at the next town, which turns out to be all about tourists and making money. They have to pay in order to get in, and have a hard time getting in to meet the zokusho. They have to work in order to make money, but have to work a ton in order to make enough for anything. It's all completely ridiculous.

They meet Suehiro, who kind of helps them. Excluding Kotoha, they have to do some hard labor (where, weirdly enough, they look really good in their uniforms; Kannagi in particular), and then have to wash women's backs to make money (the second of which only Kanate and Hinohara do, but don't mind at all). It takes them a lot to make anything, though, but it's all, in a way, a hoax anyway. I won't spoil that for you, though. It all works out in it's own way, though, and the four set out to meet the sho Yorunami, who apparently holds a lot of power and influence over the others.

At the end, Hinohara gives Kotoha a pretty butterfly hair clip-thing, which is sweet. Then it shows Kadowaki in Harunawa's place, where he meets his new attendant, a clumsy girl who wants to know his favorite things, while he only cares about bring Hinohara down. Hopefully she will bring some sense to him.

A lot seems to happen in each volume, which is good. I'm hoping for more of Arata, particularly because of what happened in this volume, and I want to find out more about Oribe. I want some stuff to happen with Kanate, as well as between Hinohara and Kotoha. And I'm sure we'll meet Yorunami (who's name, for some reason, I am having the hardest time pronouncing,) in the next one, see what's up with him. I kind of am assuming that it'll get resolved rather quickly, like with the other sho's, but it's also quite likely that it will become a longer plot line.

It's just... a good, adventurous shonen manga, with some bits of shojo thrown in, so far. I'm liking it rather well.

Manga Review: Arata: The Legend, Volume 5, by Yuu Watase

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shonen Sunday)

Volumes: 14+

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a mythical world where humans and gods coexist, a ceremony marking the new governing princess is about to occur for the first time in 60 years. Only a girl from the Hime Clan may take this position, but the lack of females born to this family means that a boy called Arata must pose for the role. Meanwhile in modern-day Japan, a boy named Arata Hinohara is starting his new life in high school. He wants to put memories of his difficult past behind him, but things aren't going to be simple when he discovers a mysterious connection to the first Arata...
Hinohara is surprised to learn that Kotoha no longer believes he’s Arata of the Hime clan. Meanwhile, a group within the Twelve Shinsho sets in motion a diabolical plan to eliminate Hinohara!

Review:

This series is just getting better the more I read. I'm liking both of the Arata's, the romance is getting better, the story line is going pretty well. I'm glad that I'm enjoying it more, but not so glad that I'm almost fully caught up.

This volume switches back and forth between Arata and Hinohara quite often, which was nice, and definitely an improvement.

It starts with Hinohara and all of them helping Nagu. Hinohara and Kotoha want to bring him with them, while Kanate disagrees, and Kannagi wants Hinohara to realize that he's going to have to make people submit to him. Hinohara disagrees and tries to convince Nagu that he should join them. Only Nagu seems to know more than they think, and he submits to him. This is rather sad. I don't like that all of them are going to have to submit to him, because I don't like saying goodbye to so many good characters.

Then he slips up a bit and says something untrue to Arata, which makes Kotoha wonder, and so she confronts him. And discovers that he's not Arata. She isn't surprised because she knows that Arata would never look at her like Hinohara does. But she still has a bit of a freak out, (which is hilarious,) before they make an agreement and she decides to call him Arata instead of Master. (They are quite adorable, and I'm loving them together.) And then the four of them continue their journey to the capital, and the next Zokusho and Sho they run into.

Throughout all of this, we see Arata, in the present. He's still fighting with Kadowaki, who we see has a bit of a hard time at home. He's still bullying Suguru and Arata, but we see more of why. His father yells at him, belittles him a bit, and his mother ignores him, and he has no friends. I feel a little bad for him, but he's still a complete jerk. And some stuff happens with him, where everyone starts turning against him and admiring Hinohara, that makes him even worse. He's just full of hate, it's stirring and building inside him.

Arata meets this girl at school, Ori, who knows that he isn't Hinohara. And he talks to her, and is honest with her, and it's nice. (I'm liking her, and am looking forward to learning more about her.) And this makes Kadowaki even more upset. And when he catches Hinohara and Arata talking (through their necklace things) and he freaks out.

The Princess is getting worse, and their necklaces (I'm wondering why they have the necklaces. I know that Kotoha gave them to both of them, and that she got them from the Princess, but why did the Princess give them to her in the first place?) are starting to turn grey. We see that the inner six sinsho are doing something, and find out that they aren't fighting to rule, but don't want the Princess to come back. And they do some big thing, that transports Kadowaki over to their world (and makes one of them take his place in the present, like with what happened to Arata and Hinohara, I think?). And then he gets a Hayagami.

Around this time, Tsukuyo (Hinohara's Hayagami) starts acting weird, but Hinohara doesn't know why. It's warning him, we find out. And then he comes upon Kadowaki, and starts to rather freak out (it's obvious Kadowaki makes Hinohara a little crazy), when something comes from Kadowaki's Hayagami and attacks Hinohara (much like when Hinohara said his Hayagami's name for the first time).

This is a bit of a terrible ending. I want to know what happens next; I'm even a little excited to see what happens next. I'm wondering what being in Amawakuni with Hinohara is going to do to him; if it will soften him up, or make him smarter like it did to Hinohara. He's a little psychotic, so that could be a very good thing. But then again, I don't like him, and I don't like that he was the 'chosen one'.

I'm hoping whatever happens good, and that the story continues to move smoothly. I'm a little afraid that it's going to get drawn out, what with him slowly meeting the other Sho and Zokusho, but I hope it doesn't. It's been good so far, and getting much better from when it started, so I hope it stays that way.

Manga Review: Arata: The Legend, Volume 4, by Yuu Watase

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shonen Sunday)

Volumes: 13+

Goodreads Synopsis:

 Reads R to L (Japanese Style), for T audiences. Hinohara becomes more resolved in his mission now that he knows he is the rightful wielder of the powerful Hayagami called "Tsukuyo." However, Kannagi comes after Hinohara, intent on taking Tsukuyo for himself!

Review:

So, in this volume, we get more of Hinohara. Him, Kanate, and Kotoha are traveling around together still. And he has a little moment with Kotoha, while she's mostly undressed and he's blushing, and she tells him that she wants to keep going with him. He agrees, and he's starting to have feelings for her, but he's sure that she only has feelings for the other Arata and so doesn't want to pursue the relationship. He even talks to Arata, who tells him that he only sees her as a sister.

Then Kannagi shows up and him and Hinohara fight some, and there's a fire. And then Kannagi starts having flashbacks or whatever, and we see what the grave stone (or whatever) is that he keeps visiting. It belongs to Emisu, a girl that he cared for and that died. He's scarred from it, and that's apparently what he's been fighting for and why he wants his Hayagami back as bad as he does. But hopefully there's another reason for why he killed the Princess? Because that doesn't explain it.

Kannagi is hurt, and not trying to fight Hinohara for his Hayagami (at the moment), so he gets invited to travel with them. They're making their way, on foot, to find Akachi, and more Sho and Zokusho on their way. They find a trail of islands, and get attacked by a monster on their way, until they get to a closed off village, which they find is full of children (who are all just adorable).

They discover that there are only children on the island, and Kotoha and Hinohara get taken in as their kind of parents. They stay when they find out that a Sho is on the island, hiding, and Hinohara doesn't want to leave the children by themselves. Hinohara gets close to one of the twins, Nagu, who's experiencing things a bit like he did several years ago when he was bullied. They then have a run in with the 'grown-ups' before they discover that Nagu is the Sho. And that his Hayagami can make his drawings come to life, which is what he did with the big monster, the grown-ups, the other kids, and even his sister Naru. The volume ends with Hinohara telling Naru that he will take care of Nagu.

It's sad, and a bit sweet, and I feel bad for Nagu and just want to give him a hug.

Somewhere in this scene, Hinohara and Kotoha also have a talk, about the scene at the beginning, but they don't really resolve anything. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens between them, and hopefully Hinohara will tell her about him and Arata.

Also, in the middle of the volume, we get a little bit of Arata in the present time (which I guess is why there wasn't comic strips of him at the end of the volume). He's apparently been suspended, and Hinohara's family are having trouble dealing with him. Specifically his mom, because he's been pulling away from them, not calling her mom, and getting in trouble. Suguru, the boy that was kind of and kind of not Hinohara's friend, brings him notes, trying to be nice, but is too afraid to stop Kadowaki from messing with them. He tells this to Arata, though, when he catches him. And then Arata decides to sneak out and find Kadowaki with Suguru's help.

They find him at a bar, where he's with some 'friends' of his, who I don't think are all that close with him. I'm feeling like maybe he doesn't have any actual close friends? But does that mean that him and Arata are going to get close or something? (I kind of hope not.) Anyway, Arata saves him, and he gets all upset about it, because he thinks that Arata is always looking down on him or whatever. Which is complete crap, and doesn't mean he should be a total jerk to him. Also, Hinohara's mom, who's been freaking out because she doesn't know where he went, finds him and freaks out a bit but then Arata tries to be sweet, which works. And Kadowaki also threatens Suguru at the end.

This series is getting better, more interesting, and making me a bit excited to read the next one. The story lines are getting better, as are the characters. I still really like Arata, and Hinohara is getting quite cute (around Kotoha, especially). And I still think Kanate is adorable, and I really like Kotoha. I'm looking forward to meeting more Sho's, as well as seeing what happens next with Arata and Kadowaki. Also, I'm still loving the clothes. They are just so pretty (particularly the ones on the back cover/cover of chapter 30).

Manga Review: Arata: The Legend, Volume 3, by Yuu Watase

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shonen Sunday)

Volumes: 13+

Goodreads Synopsis:

Hinohara manages to escape his captors, and now he must make his way back to the Amawakuni capital. In order to get there, however, he has to first cross the region ruled by the treacherous Kannagi!

Review:

So, the volume started by showing us Arata getting ready and then going to school. He's still confused by things, which is still awesome. He doesn't know a lot of things, and he doesn't know what's going on, and it's great. And he even, a little, beats up the jerks that were mean to Hinohara. It's fantastic, and I want more. Seeing that made me all excited, but it was just a trick. Because we get one chapter of him (and these are short chapters), before it goes back to Hinohara. Which is uncool. (Also, it's mentioned that the people just see them as the person who originally lived there. Is that how it actually works? Because it still kind of bothers me, but that's the best explanation I can come up with.)

The next chapter one continues with Hinohara (I keep wanting to call him Arata, but I have to differentiate them somehow). He's traveling with Kotoha, Ginchi, and Kanate. Their ships quickly breaks apart, though, and they come to an island. Where they meet some traveling villagers, which includes Ginchi's mother, who he was separated from when he was younger. Kanate, at least I first thought, felt that he shouldn't stay with Ginchi anymore, and so he forces them to separate. But we find out that he did it more because he was part of the gang that killed Ginchi's father, and that's part of the reason he's been doing all those things for him. This is all kinds of sad, and I hope that they come upon each other again, because they shouldn't be apart.

And then they travel some more, and some stuff happens, before they meet Ohika, who is one of Kannagi's zokusho, meaning he's a hayagami wielder below him. This seems bad, but he's a very nice guys. He takes them in after Hinohara passes out, and we meet Honi, a girl who works for him, and his wife who's with child. There's a bit of this where some explanations are given, like how everything works, and the whole submitting/entrusting thing that happened with Tsutsuga, which are nice, and we see Kannagi is traveling around, and he's going to places only to find everyone dead. And there are some fun parts between all of the characters.

But then a new Shinsho comes, Akachi, who we find out has been making everyone under Kannagi submit to him, and he does so to Ohika as well. (And when someone submits, and I believe entrusts as well, they are giving their hayagami and soul to them, and dying in the process. It's uncool.) And then he proceeds to kill everyone else in the area. That's when Kannagi shows up, outraged, and they fight. He's almost made to submit after he gets his hayagami taken away (which I'm now unsure if that would be a good or bad thing, because apparently he has some motive we're unaware of for doing all this. But it's still bad, right?), but Hinohara comes out and helps him. There's some more fighting, before they are interrupted by some boulders or something falling. (Some of the fighting scenes are kind of confusing, honestly. There's lots of swirling things and stuff, and sometimes I wasn't totally sure what was happening until it had ended.) Akachi disappears. Hinohara yells at Kannagi, and states that he doesn't care about being king and taking the Princess' place, but he's going to fight. And Honi, who liked Ohika and his family a lot, mourns with Kannagi over them a bit.

Then in the second-to-last chapter, Hinohara is wondering what to do with himself after all of this has happened. A guy that he met at Gatoya appears, who's apparently a teacher for the Hime clan, talks to him and gives some advice. And the name of his weapon is revealed, making it activate completely. We also find out that his weapon is apparently the first, and the one that spawned the others, and it has apparently been waiting forever for another wielder. Everyone on the island sees the light, 'cause it's huge, and Kannagi understands what it means, but he doesn't do anything just yet.

In the last part, Hinohara decides that he's going to leave them all behind, because he doesn't want them to get hurt, so he sneaks off while they're all 'asleep'. (Usually this kind of plot point bothers me, and it still kind of does, but it makes a little sense with his problems, and since it's resolved quickly, I didn't mind too much.) Only Honi hears him go, and she tells Kotoha when she wakes, who goes after him. And we see that Kanate is awake as well. Kotoha catches up to him easily, and he tells her what he was doing, but then she kisses him, and kind of confesses to him. But then Kanate comes up and interrupts them. This was actually a little cute. It doesn't show, so I'm wondering if Honi followed them? I wouldn't think they would leave her behind. And it ends by us seeing Kannagi state that he's going to get the hayagami from Hinohara.

Oh, and there's the little strips of Arata in present time, this one including him wanting muru, an animal we were introduced to in his original time that apparently resembles polar bears, which I am still loving and want more of.

This series is actually getting better the more I read, which is good. Hinohara is getting better and making me like him more, and I already like Kotoha and Kanate. I want more of Arata, but I know that he isn't the main character. I also couldn't help but take notice of the clothes in this volume. All of their outfits, including Kotoha and Ohika's, are very detailed and just neat to look at. And several of the characters just look really cool, like Kanate and Akachi, for example, and all the hayagami are also different and well done.
So, I am kind of looking forward to reading the next one, and a review will probably be coming up, since I already have it.

Manga Review: Arata: The Legend, Volume 2, by Yuu Watase

Rating (Out of 5): 3

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shonen Sunday)

Volumes: 13+

Goodreads Synopsis:

Framed for the assassination of Princess Kikuri, Hinohara is sent to prison island Gatoya, where the fearsome warden Tsutsuga awaits him. Will Hinohara be able to awaken his Hayagami in time to escape?

Review:

This, also, is just alright. It's not any worse than the last one, but it's not particularly better.

Hinohara and Kotoha are just arriving in Gatoya, and most of the volume is set and focuses on it. They're all criminals, of some kind, and they have a dynamic and are afraid of Tsutsuga, the person who runs the place and twice every day captures a person, and they've never seen him or see the person taken again. Apparently he also has a Hayagami, so Hinohara decides that he has to find him.

Hinohara and Kotoha get separated near the beginning, and Kotoha ends up with these two boys that Hinohara clashed with, Ginchi and Kanate who are pretty cool, while Hinohara looks for her and meets some other neat people along the way.

Hinohara finally finds them, and then they get taken by Tsutsuga. Hinohara decides to go after them, and follows the tube things that sucks them in, all the way to the fight scene. Where we find out that Tsutsuga makes the two people he captures fight to the death, claiming that he's going to set the living one free, only to kill that one as well. Ginchi and Kanate are set against each other, which is completely terrible since they're like brothers, and have grown closer since they're the only people they really have now. It's a sad scene, and I don't really agree with what they decide. And then Hinohara makes a big scene and is kind to Tsutsuga, who has the same kind of thoughts towards people that Hinohara is currently in the making of (with the not trusting them, and everyone is completely terrible and all that, only with years worth of building), so this is a big step for him. He's reconsidering his feelings, and it's a big dramatic scene, which I guess is kind of nice. And then he gets Tsutsuga's Hayagami, or it merges with Hinohara's, or something? I'm a little confused with how that worked. But it was nice, I guess. Also, the island of Gatoya goes back to how it originally looked before all of this corruption, I guess, and it's looks rather nice.

And Kannagi is just arriving at Gatoya for Hinohara, finding what is going on absurd, while Hinohara is running away in Ginchi and Kanate's newly released ship, heading to the Princess.

So this is mostly just alright. I'm not really feeling it, but I'm not particularly minding it, either. I like Ginchi and Kanate, though. And Kotoha, and am interested in her and Arata and Hinohara's relationship, as she serves him and I'm wondering how that's going to develop. Hinohara is getting better, I guess.

But the volume ended with Arata being woken up with the alarm, having to go to school. I hope that means that he's going to be the main focus of the next book, since I already have it and hope that I like him more. And I really hope that some things happen between him and the people that were bullying Hinohara. I wouldn't mind a big scene between them, as some justice would be nice. If not, then there better be a good reason.

Oh, also. I enjoyed the bits at the end like in the last volume, with Arata and technology. Those are just really funny to me.

Manga Review: Arata: The Legend, Volume 1, by Yuu Watase

Rating (Out of 5): 3

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shonen Sunday)

Volumes: 13+

Goodreads Synopsis:

An action-packed shonen fantasy from the acclaimed author of Fushigi Yûgi! In a mythical world where humans and gods co-exist, Arata has the unfortunate honor of being the successor to the matriarchal Hime Clan. This means he has to pretend to be a girl or face death if his true gender is discovered! On the day of his inauguration, an assassination plot forces him to flee—and he somehow winds up in modern-day Japan! Meanwhile, a boy named Arata Hinohara gets sucked into the first Arata’s world and finds himself dealing with people after his life!

Review:

I've read several of Watase's other works, and I didn't know that she had another one currently being published over here. That's probably because it's under Shonen Sunday, and I tend to read Shojo Beat more, so it slipped my notice. But I was excited when I heard that there was one being released, a little wary because of the Shonen Sunday, but then I got lucky and found a whole bunch on sale (it was a closing sale at Borders, and volumes 2 – 6, so I had to find volume 1, and then get around to reading it...), but I finally read it the other day, and found it was actually a bit interesting.

It's about two different Arata's, one in the present time, and one in an older time with weapons from Gods.

It starts with the older times Arata, who has to pretend to be a girl and go do this things to be the new princess, only then the twelve shinsho, the people who have the special weapons, kill her. And then they blame Arata, so he's running away so as not to get killed, when he gets stuck in this forest, where he comes out and switches places with Arata Hinohara from the present time.

Before they switch, we see what's going on with Hinohara. He's a really fast runner, and so a boy from his old school was jealous and started rumors about him and started bullying him, and everyone else followed. So he got depressed and switched schools. Where he makes some friends, before the same guy transfers and starts bullying him again, and makes everyone else bully him as well. He gets all depressed again, and wants to die, and then goes into an ally and ends up in Arata's time.

I'm not really liking Hinohara, and am a little upset since I think he's going to have the main focus, while I think I like Arata much more. And would rather see him dealing with the present time.

Anyway, Kotoha, a friend of Arata's, finds Hinohara and they go to Arata's Granny's place, where she explains some things, (and they mistake him for Arata, which I don't understand, since they look very different), and then the twelve Shinsho find them, mostly Kannagi, who did the killing and is just about the only one we've been introduced to as of yet. And then Hinohara picks up a sword that we saw earlier, which is a family heirloom or something, and is also one of the Gods weapons, a Hayagami, only to find out that he's the person the sword has chosen to be its sheath.

And we see that Nao has found Arata, and mistaken him for Hinohara (which still bothers me, because they look nothing alike, and it isn't explained any). And Kotoha gives Hinohara a necklace, the one that goes to the one she to Arata, and that lets them speak to each other, and explain some things. And Hinohara does some moping and not knowing what to do about his situation. And then he's captured, put on trial, where no one believes him, and they decide to exile him, before he talks to the princess and decides he's going to bring the Hayagami to her.

And then there's some fun things in the back, some about the author and her editor, and a little bit about Arata in the present world not knowing what a car is. I'm really hoping that that's not all we're going to get of him. I want full chapters about Arata, not just Hinohara. Because I like Arata more, but hopefully Hinohara gets better, since I'm finding him a little annoying. 'cause he goes off in this not trusting people and depression thing really quickly, to where I don't think it's done as well as it could be. Hopefully it will get better.

So, this was mostly alright. Parts I liked and parts bothered me. Either way, the review for the next couple will probably be up soon, since I have several waiting to be read.