Manga Review: The Stellar Six of Gingacho, Volume 3, by Yuuki Fujimoto

Rating (Out of 5): ~4-4.5

Publisher: Tokyopop

Release Date: 2011

Volumes: 10

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

More charming adventures await the Stellar Six! The bond between Mike and Kuro becomes even stronger when they help a stray puppy find a home, but their relationship sparks the jealousy of other school girls. Meanwhile, a crayon-scrawled treasure map reminds them all of what 'the bestest thing' in life really are. Additionally, Kuro, Q, and Mamoru must deal with the sudden fame that comes from an unknown photo sent to a magazine!

Review:

I don’t even know how to explain my complete adoration of this series.

The artwork is pretty, kind of in an old-school way, and it definitely grows on you.

The characters are amazing. I love the friendship between all six of them, how they’re all there for each other at all times. Their friendship is true and strong. So far the focus has definitely been on Mike and Kuro, but we get enough of the others that it’s easy to grow attached to all of them. And I love that they all live on Gingacho Street Market, working for their parents, so close together. The street market is a very fun setting.

I will admit that this is kind of just a shout out to having this series rescued. Tokyopop closed when barely three volumes were released (and I say barely, because I know volume three is harder to find than the others. I’m surprised I actually found a copy so easily). But there are ten volumes in the series, and I so badly want to see how it ends. I want to see the progression between them all, the heartbreaks and romance and friendships expand. I just want more of this, because it is such a charming and cute series.

Manga Review: Dojin Work, Volume 1-4, by Hiroyuki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: Anime Works/Media Blasters

Release Date: 2009

Volumes: 6

Spoilers?: No.

Bundle on RightStuf.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Things can be very trying for a high school student. It's tough to make extra cash...unless of course you have a special talent. Najimi's friend Tsuyuri has been making money on the side drawing naughty fan comics and selling them at conventions. Najimi doesn't have a knack for drawing comics and has fallen in with a very unusual crowd. They are living in fantasy worlds and are now on the fringe of society attending comic conventions and hanging out in odd circles of friends with wacky interests and fetishes. But how can Najimi make money if she totally sucks at drawing?! 

Review:

I picked this up kind of on the spur. I wasn’t too sure what to expect, though I figured it would be comedy. I also thought it would be a little dirty. I wasn’t expecting it to be so good, though.

This is mostly made up of four-panel comics, and I like those. It’s pretty much all comedy, and it’s well-done. The artwork is pretty good.

There’s a group of four-to-six main characters, and they’re all hilarious. There are misunderstandings, and lots of underhanded tricks. There are also a surprisingly amount of dirty jokes and innuendos. Nothing is actually shown, but there’s a lot of context, which I honestly thought was hilarious, especially since the characters all write dojinshi, much of which is hentai based, and some of which is yaoi. 

I really enjoyed this short series; the translations seemed well-done, and most of it was just very funny. But there are apparently six volumes in this series, and only four have been translated and released over here. I thought it was discontinued, not just canceled in English. Ugh. Now I just get to hope that someone translates the rest?