Manga Review: Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love, Volume 4, by Yaya Sakuragi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: May 2013

Volumes: 4

Spoilers?: Vague for the ending.

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Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

High school student Ao has been dreaming about his longtime neighbor Ryomei, a priest at the local Shinto shrine. A little freaked out--and a lot excited--at the prospect of having a relationship with Ryomei, Ao gathers up his courage, confesses his feelings...and gets turned down flat. Luckily, Ao's not the kind to give up easily. Thanks to some creative persistence (and Ryomei's weakening resolve), he finally gets a kiss. But one single kiss won't satisfy him for long! Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for mature audiences.

What Did I Love?:

• Surprisingly, my favorite characters were Shuji and Chii. I just found their interactions and relationship kind of adorable, and wanted more of them.
• I enjoyed the surprisingly openness of Ao, how unashamed he was of himself. There isn't enough of that, in books or in life.
• I did enjoy Ao and Ryo's relationship, as well.

Review:

This was a really sweet, nice ending to the series. I’m satisfied, and really glad that I picked it up.

Ao got his happy ending, and I’m really happy with how it turned out. Him and Ryo are really cute, and had some really cute, sweet times together in this volume. Ao and his family’s situation settled nicely, as well. His Grandma frustrated me a little, with how she wouldn’t be honest with or really talk to Ao, but oh well. I rather like his brother, Aka, and find his crush on Hako really cute. I wouldn’t have minded seeing them interact, actually.

I’m still a little unsure of and confused about Shunpei, but apparently he’s from another series of Sakuragi’s, so I guess that explains it? I would have liked to see Shuji and Chii again, but that’s alright. I liked what I got to see of them.

I think I might have liked to get to know the other characters and their relationships better, but the focus in the series was Ao and Ryo, and I’m happy with how that turned out. This was a very cute, sweet story, with a few sad, heartbreaking moments. I’m glad I picked it up.

I’m looking forward to reading Sakuragi’s other title, Hide and Seek, and will be keeping my eye out for any other SuBLime/any other yaoi publisher’s titles.

Manga Review: Otomen, Volume 18, by Aya Kanno

Rating (Out of 5): ~4-4.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: May 2014

Volumes: 18

Spoilers?: Vague.

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Volume: 1. 17.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Asuka Masamune is a guy who loves girly things—sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo comics. But in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and play the part of a masculine jock instead. Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to Ryo Miyakozuka, the girl that he’s falling for?

For the sake of his mom, Asuka turns away from his friends and Ryo… But the unimaginable happens when Asuka’s friends stage an intervention at his graduation! With everything on the line, how will things end for our beloved otomen?!

What Did I Love?:

•  Ryo. I quite love her, and will definitely miss her.
• I really do enjoy the premise of the story, and how all the boys take part in some kind of supposedly girly activity, particularly Asuka.
• I enjoyed Kanno's artwork and storytelling, and I've read one of her other translated mangas (Blank Slate, which is very different from this one) and enjoyed it. I would enjoy reading more of her work.

Review:

I am hugely impressed by this volume. I wasn’t quite sure how the series would end, although I suspected what did happen, and I’d been warned about what happened with Asuka. I was afraid that it would be too cliché, or cheesy, or overdone. But it wasn’t. Instead, it fit the series perfectly, I think.

Some people think that what happened with Asuka was cliché, but I honestly think it fits really well. Having that happen really brought home to his mother what she’d been doing. I think it made her change believable, especially given how horrible she’d been. Plus, Asuka was seriously adorable during that.

Now, the moment leading up to it was a little overdone, particularly Juta but really everyone (except Ryo). But I’ll let it pass, for how it all ended, and for Ryo’s part in it. Ryo is just amazing.

The one thing that really makes the ending so great to me, is that it takes place several years later. Having them wait so long (purposely or not) to do it, makes it seem more believable, and not like they were jumping the gun. I mean, they’re perfect for each other no matter what, but it means more that they waited, that they grew and are settled in who they are and what they’re doing. Also, what happened with Asuka’s dad makes me happy for him as well.

This was just a perfect ending to the series, and it really brings home how good it really is, and makes me happy that I read and collected it all the way through.

Manga Review: Kare First Love, Volume 10, by Kaho Miyasaka

Rating (Out of 5): ~1.5

Publisher: Shojo (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December, 2006

Volumes: 10

Spoilers?: Yes.

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Volume: 1. 9.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Four-eyed high-schooler Karin has never thought of herself as the glamorous type, so why is this hot guy on the subway taking pictures of her? Does he actually like her or is he just some kind of subway perv? Things get complicated when the most popular girl in Karin's school, Yuka, starts showing an interest in Kiriya (yes, that picture-taking guy on the subway) and sees Karin as her rival! Can Karin build up her self-esteem (and ditch her glasses) enough to stand up to jealous Yuka--and experience first love?

What Will I Miss?:

• I suppose I did enjoy the drama, at least for quite a bit of the time. I like drama, and sometimes you're just in the mood for the over-the-top stuff that this is. I don't think I'm going to miss anything else.

Review:

I was, um, kind of extremely disappointed with this volume. I really wanted to like it, I was really hoping it would be good. And it wasn’t.

I think my biggest problem is that I just don’t believe in Karin and Kiriya. They’re cute together, I guess, they have fun and get along sometimes. They have disagreements and move past them. They’ve matured, some, since the beginning. I just don’t believe they’re ready or mature enough. I mean, their story ends with a proposal and a wedding and everyone happy, which I guess is what people wanted, maybe? I didn’t want that. I wanted them to separate, grow a whole lot in themselves and their place in the world, and then maybe go back to each other. I mean, in this volume, they take a trip together and then Karin gets depressed when he leaves her alone for a couple of hours. That doesn’t show me that she knows who she is or how to be sufficient on her own.

I just don’t think they’re ready to be together forever, to devote themselves to the other person for the rest of their lives and yada yada yada. I don’t believe that they’re mature enough, or that that was the right ending for them. I can’t say I was surprised, though, because that was obviously where the story was going.

I think that’s really all I had to say about this volume. It upset and disappointed me, and I’m glad I read it but I’m also glad that it’s done.

Manga Review: A Devil and Her Love Song, Volume 13, by Miyoshi Tomori

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February, 2014

Volumes: 13

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 12.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Meet Maria Kawai—she’s gorgeous and whip-smart, a girl who seems to have it all. But when she unleashes her sharp tongue, it’s no wonder some consider her to be the very devil! Maria’s difficult ways even get her kicked out of an elite school, but this particular fall may actually turn out to be her saving grace...

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

What Will I Miss?:

• Definitely the characters. I loved them all, the way they grew on their own and together in their relationships.
• The way the story was crafted, the surprises and the most memorable scenes, subtle and thoughtful and beautiful and funny. 
• I will also miss the art. It took a little getting used to at first, but particularly the way Maria is drawn, with a somewhat chibi cheeked face, is very charming. And some panels, some scenes, are just beautiful.

Review:

I wasn’t really sure how this was going to end, and am rather happy with how it happened.

There were several chapters dedicated to each character, and those weren’t very long, but they were very good. They secured some of the feelings each character had, and I really liked that. Friendship was a main theme through them, and I really liked the focus on that. On how Maria and her friendships with the girls, as well as the boys, without the romance, is important, too.

I think maybe I would have liked something a little more definite at the end, but I do really like how everything was handled. It really secured Maria as being one of my favorite heroines.

It’s been a point for most of this series that Maria should be happy and confident with herself, that she needs to love herself above and at the same time as loving other people. In my opinion, this idea doesn’t show up enough in books or life. But it’s one of my absolute favorites, and Maria does it perfectly here.

Her decision at the end is for herself, because she will be happiest with herself by choosing it, even if it isn’t for the guy she loves. She’s just so mature in choosing it, and I’m so happy with that.

Then there’s Yusuke. I still love him, and he’s still just the sweetest guy. I feel a little bad for him, but fully believe that he’s going to be all right. He’ll figure things out. And him and his friends will have a great time as they continue to grow up.

This was a very, very good series. I loved the characters, how they progressed, and where they all were by the end. The conclusion was very satisfying to me, even if I think I would have liked more, although I don’t know what more would have been. I’m really happy with it, though.

Also, I just want to note that I hope VIZ picks up another series by Tomori. I absolutely love this series, and would love to read something else of hers.

Manga Review: Strobe Edge, Volume 10, by Io Sakisaka

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: May 6, 2014

Volumes: 10

Spoilers?: Not really.

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

Volume: 1. 9.

Re-readable?: Yes.

Goodreads Synopsis:

What is love, anyway? Ninako Kinoshita's friends tell her it's one thing, but Ninako wonders what this mysterious feeling really is. When she meets Ren Ichinose, the handsome, enigmatic guy that all the girls worship; her life takes an unexpected turn. With just a few words and a smile, he changes her world...Ninako loves Ren, but seeing Ando get hurt while protecting her makes her feel sad and confused - to the point where she turns Ren down when he confesses his love for her! Has Ninako lost her chance with Ren? Or will they find a way to be together?

What Will I Miss?:

• I will absolutely miss the way Sakisaka tells a story; the perfect mix of humor and serious and thoughtful--I love it. It's one of my very favorite thing about this series, how funny it is that it has me grinning, but also how thoughtful it can be, how certain scenes can really stick with you (like Ren's breakup scene), and how perfect the romance builds and how the characters exchange glances and touches. I just love it.
• I will miss the art. It's kind of charming, particularly how Ninako is drawn, but also just really pretty.
• The characters. I grew really close to all of them, and they all made me feel a lot of things. I will miss them a lot.

Review:

This was a fantastic ending to a fantastic series. I absolutely love it.

At first, the confession doesn’t quite go where I wanted it to, didn’t stay quite as intense as I wanted it to. But then Ninako has a realization, and she goes after Ren. And then there’s a big, crying, messy confession, and it’s just kind of perfect. It’s very Ninako. And Ren gets it, and he loves her. And I love them. And just… Yes.

I’m not going to spoil too much, but it was just great. I love it. (This is going to be like a mantra in this review, I can already tell.)

Then we got to see the two on an actual date, and see how actually perfect they really are together. I honestly just love how similar they are. They feel and think alike, even if they show it in different ways. And when they finally talk about it, after they’ve misunderstood, I like how easily, how quickly, their entire thought-process changes. The realization they have of “oh, that’s what they were thinking”, and their entire thought on what happened changes.

There was also a short story featuring Manabu, who I have previously stated was a favorite of mine. He’s just such an adorable, fun, sweetheart. And this story really proves that. I loved getting inside his head. For some reason, I didn’t think this was going to be a Happily Ever After for him, but I was still a little upset at the ending. There are obviously good things in store for him, but I think I just wanted to see it happen. I wanted to see him truly happy. 

This was a perfect ending to the series, and I completely love it. This series is definitely a favorite of mine, I would give it five stars overall, and it’s one that I could happily reread. I really hope that VIZ picks up another series by Sakisaka in the future, because I really want to read more of her stuff.