Anime Books

Akira is simply amazing. The art is beautiful, the story is genius, the characters are incredibly likeable, and the themes are disturbingly cool. 'Nuff said.

The entire series is an essential item in the library of any aspiring graphic artist or graphic novelist. This is my most important resource concerning the modern styles that predominate manga and anime today. Taking on the complete set, I expected to be blown to pieces but instead I found myself slow cooked in a pot, sliced into thin slivers over the course of a few weeks, and put back together again. If you can stand the pain, it turns out to be quite a ride. Perhaps because of their experience of being the only nation ever to suffer the effect of nuclear war, I suspect that the Japanese have mastered the depiction of post-apocalyptic dystopia. However, Japanese graphic art has a long history dating back hundreds of years. I am not surprised that this is an excellent example of visual elements taking charge of the storytelling where words provide the common ground on which you may stand with others in the audience. I suspect that even in its original language this work would captivate just the same. Perhaps not to the taste of many avid readers of graphic novels because of the sparse dialogue. Personally, I tend towards more graphic elements so this was a treat.

Akira is awesome. Even from a time when you would have just about had to commit a crime against the person of a Japanese tourist, or pay ridiculous amounts of money to get anime and manga and things like that, Akira was available.

It is no surprise that it was, as is an example of that artform at its finest.

Neo-Tokyo is a city recovering from devastation and world war.

When a young bikie gang leader rescues a young boy named Tetsuo, after almost running him down, Kaneda soon comes to realise this is no ordinary boy, because of the government interest in him.

I have heard many people say that the books are better than the movie, I don't think this is true. The movie version of Akira is much better than the books. I'm not insulting the books but the story of Akira is better in the movie. The books contain much more detail and character development but lots of the events I thought didn't move the story along; like Tetsuo taking over the clown gang and that society Tetsuo starts in Vol. 5. The movie moves along very quickly and all of the detail's are important. It moves along faster and the ending is better. The books are still much better than most I have read and Akira is the only anime I find really interesting but the movie version is better. I would recommend this after seeing the film.

One of the best comic/manga books in the history, with the original black and white artwork in a nice and decent package.

I only wish they released it in the japanese original reading, not the americanized left-to-right reading. At least they made a great job and didn't leave backwards texts and other mistakes like that. I'm curious to read the other volumes to see if they inverted Tetsuo's "mutated" arm.

Everything about this is great. Besides the story, which mixes action and comedy in the right amount, the printing and paper quality is SO much better than most "normal" manga. With artwork this beautiful, you need it to be larger so you can really drink in the details and immerse yourself in the story. I only wish more manga were printed in this high quality format. Plus it's cheaper than buying them individually in an inferior format! Now if they'd only release them quicker...I hate waiting to see what happened next!

As a dabbler only in the manga field I was familiar with the ttile but decided based on the price, this was a good try out book. I was not wrong!! Defintly worth your money as you get alot of story for the money. Actually cheaper than buying the individual books. Printed on strong paper with a handful of color pages at the front this is a compact beautiful apckage with a great starting story and I intend to buy all of the VIZBIG editions!

There are many manga that use themes that are similar to this one, but among all these, Rurouni Kenshin stands out as one of the best. Part of what makes this series so good is the great set of characters. There is also the wonderful recreation of the era in which the story develops; we truly feel like being at a different time in history. The impressive drawings are also a trait that makes this a successful series, and I particularly like how they use the distorted facial expressions for humorous situations. Finally, there is the story in itself, which has many layers and the deeper we get into it, the more mesmerized we are. The fact that this volume is not at the level seen later, in terms of the complexity and richness of the plot, is the only reason why it gets four stars instead of the top rating.

Hitokiri Battousai is a warrior that with the help of his sword slew many rivals of the imperialists and contributed to entering the Meiji era, and then, he disappeared. A few years later, in the eleventh year of the Meiji era in Tokyo, times are such that carrying swords is forbidden, and Kenshin, the former Battousai wanders around with a reverse-blade sword, after having vowed not to kill anymore. Soon Kenshin runs into a murderer impersonating the Battousai and trying to discredit the Kamiya Kasshin School. Luck has it that before running into the killer, he met Kaoru, the young woman who is in charge of the school, and therefore, soon gets involved in helping her clear her name. This is the first bond that will stop Kenshin's wandering, but there are even more to come.

Kenshin is a man with deep convictions, and nothing can steer him away from the goal he set after abandoning his previous life: to build a world where people can pursue happiness. He is one of the most interesting characters I have met in the world of manga, but he is not the only notable character in this series. Far from it! In this first volume we meet Kaoru, a brave young woman that provides the series with some fine humor, and there is romance to come. And we meet Yahiko, a kid that has somewhat of an attitude problem and that hopes to become a samurai and become strong. Maybe most importantly, towards the end, we encounter Zanza (Sagara Sanosuke), the street fighter who will become a central character in this series, so pay attention! He is a very complex character, with an unconventional weapon and a baggage from the past that makes him hate the Ishin-Shishi (imperialists).

This is the start to a wonderful series, and one that goes way beyond the fighting, humor and romance. The quality of this volume should be enough for most people to want to read further, but even if that is not the case, trust me, this series gets much better, so I urge you to keep reading the next volumes. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

A mysterious warrior named Hitokiri Battôsai arose in Kyoto 140 years ago. A fiercesome warrior, he slew countless men, his efforts helping bring to a close the Bakumatsu era and bringing in the age of the Meiji.

Then he disappeared.

In the 11th year of the Meiji, a rurouni--a vagabond--named Himura Kenshin surfaces in Tokyo and befriends the spunky Kaoru, the owner of a student-less dojo.

With the aid of young new friend Yahiko, a boy wanting to be a samurai himself, Kenshin and Kaoru must ward off those looking to kill them.

And so the story begins...

Despite its label being a "romantic comedy," this is by far the most serious out of the manga I read. Nobuhiro Watsuki has crafted an incredible tale, an important story, one that had captured my full attention the second Kenshin showed up in Tokyo (which is pretty much the first page of the book).

His art is stellar. The detail is astounding (even after the first 22 pages when the art goes from ultra detailed to "just" super detailed). His rendering of Japan from 140 years ago is believable, each panel transporting you directly to the past.

The big deal about this book is the fight sequences, each chapter in this volume containing at least one battle. I've never seen action like this before--so huge, so intense, so detailed, so explosive, with speed-lines everywhere--AMAZING!

This volumes also includes a special bonus story that was originally published about a year before the now-complete-twenty-eight-volume series began.

This is a great opening story to what is sure to be a fantastic saga this reviewer looks forward to finishing. (I'm also now eager to check out the anime for this.)

Language warning: Cursing

Applauds should be given to Viz for taking a step in this direction, we can only hope they add more series to their VizBig line up!

In this book, you get the first three volumes of the series (Vol I: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story, Vol II: The Two Hitokiri, and Vol III: A Reason to Act). Pages 11 - 32 are in full color, which adds another dimension to the story, I was sad the color had to end. The last few pages also give us some wonderful color pictures from the original volumes, without text. We also get 2 end of volume specials, the first occurs a year before the series begins and the second is, as the author describes, sort of the 'pilot' episode of Rurouni Kenshin, where the details are a bit different than the actual story, but it's still the Rurouni we all love!

The size of the book allows us to look at the detail a bit better. Another feature I noticed was page numbers, which are great if you lose your place.

If you're new to the series, I recommend buying this version over the original 3 volumes as you get more for your money.

Years ago, I decided to purchase the first volume of Shaman King after hearing it from an unknown source. I really had no clue what it was about, or though I think. After purchasing it, I read it, but after three and a half years, I re-read it since I forgot what it was about. Now, I plan to purchase volume two. This volume was heart-racing and exciting. Each chapter had an amazing plot involving ghosts, and the last one was great.

Yoh is a Shaman King. Manta is.. some kid who can see ghosts but can't do a thing about it. They are both friends. Yoh fights ghosts and he helps them.

This whole volume was great. I wonder what is to be stored in the future for this Manga, since I haven't even taken a peak at the next volume as far as I know. This volume was excellent, and I am begging for more.

Great manga, but stay away from the 4kids TV show. That's a waste of time.

over all this magna is very good but with 9 swear words.it is not a good choice for a kid. but over all this magna is a great comedy and fantasy.i reccemend it to be read by 13-30 years of age but i think yo is the way to go.

I loved this book. I read it in two days. Its about this teenager named Yoh and he is a shaman (someone who sees and can talk to ghosts and spirts) and he meets someone named Mantana (something like that) and he can also see these spirts (but he's not a Shaman) and so since they both can see spirts they become freinds. And near the end of the book they meet another shaman named Ren and he is a mean shaman and thinks that spirts are tools and not freinds and so Yoh diden't like that and they fought. Also Yoh units with this 100 year old (or I think more then 100 years) samuri or spirt named Amedimaru and Ren can unit with Bason a Chinese Worlock or spirt.And so thats pretty much what this first book is about. Also after Yoh and Morty become freinds they go on a little adventure. This book is T for Teens and I agree because this book has swears in it. Just to let parents know.

I've read this manga by downloading it on the internet. The rating is unacceptable, why is it rated 13+, it doesn't look that bad. As for my rating, 11+ for blood, swearing, and violence. Oh yeah, I am 12 years old.

If you have not had the pleasure of viewing an episode of Inu-Yasha on Adult Swim on the Cartoon Network take the time to check it out, you will be hooked! One of the best anime series coming out of Japan I think. The storylines are entertaining and the content is not to questionable. There is some sexual content with some of the storylines, but it is completely within reason and not presented in any vulgar or offensive manner. The series is geared toward the adolescent viewer with funny cracks directed at the awkward stages of puberty. Your younger teens will laugh out loud and come to love every character.

As Inuyasha and company are sailing down a river they encounter a girl named Nazuna as she is escaping from a spider-head demon. It seems the whole area is infested with the spiders who take the heads of humans, except for a temple which is inhabited by Nazuna and a wizened priest. But when the spiders break into the temple, Inuyasha is at a loss because it just happens to be the time in all half-demons lives when they lose their demonic power and become fully human for a short time! Our heroes will have to use their brains instead of brawn this time. After that they will have to deal with a witch that steals Kikyo's bones in an effort to resurrect the priestess that imprisoned Inuyasha for 50 years!

What can I say about any work by Rumiko Takahasi? They are probably the best manga out there! She is a genius! The great thing about this volume is that we learn a bit more about the past conflict between Inuyasha and Kikyo and that their relationship was a bit more "involved" than we were led to believe. It wasn't just a simple battle for the possession of the Shikon Jewel. The twist of making Inuyasha become a human for a night was also a clever twist in the plot. Rumiko seems full of surprises in what is essentially an action manga. Excellent work!

There are 21 volumes of "Inu-Yasha" out as I write this, but volume 5 is still my favorite.

Inu-Yasha, Kagome, and Shippou meet a young girl whose village is being attacked by spider head demons. Strangely, Inu-Yasha is reluctant to help. We get to see Inu-Yasha's human form for the first time, and if you like the romance between Inu-Yasha and Kagome, you'll love this volume. I like the series before I read this, but this one made me fall in love with it.

If you haven't read up to this point, you'll probably want to get the other volumes first. Inu-Yasha is a must for any manga collection.

I was little surprised (given the author) that this was such a well-written manga but I was surprised that there was still humor.

Some of the action is not as well drawn as the conversation episodes of the work but still very enjoyable.

For the parents, there is one brief scene of some topless nudity but nothing overt.

I am looking forward to continuing this series.

Inuyasha a human! With black hair no ears or claws and fangs! (Gasps and faints) Buy this great book to find out more.

i found this to be a very good book. the story kept moving and everytime it began to wind down it lifted back up with another twist. never a dull moment. The character Vash the Stampede is more noble then one would think. it's an intense ride through the story as one reads as Vash risks himself time and time agian.Vash proves heroic when traveling on teh steamship and he sets standards for selflessness. not only does he risk himslef but he also takes on a child not so much as his own but to take care of in a sense. the storyline is excellent and it's improved by the cartoon format that it's written in. the pictures bring the book alive in you mind. it's incredible how this story can suck a reader in. what can be said about a book that both sucks the reader in and captures their emagination?...excellent.

Before i began i must tell you that i believe that Trigun is one of the best series ever vreated. I really enjoyed this book, it is the first in the series and is definetley one of the bests. This book introduces all of the characters and it has awesome action! If you like lots of action and guns then you should buy this book!!

This manga is great! It is the first manga I have ever read so it took me a couple pages to get used to it and sometimes I would still end up looking over a frame many times before I understood what was happening. This has a lot to do with how much action there is and what I am assuming are the sound effects (still in japenese because they are part of the actual artwork and would be difficult to switch to english). There are some things that I don't like but overall its great and well worth the money.

I am a high school senior who enjoys manga, anime, and the like. The topic of this review is Trigun. This is the super thick volume 1 of Yasuhiro Nightow's masterpiece, Trigun. So you'll know a little more about Trigun's manga, it goes; Trigun volume 1, Trigun volume 2, and then it goes to Trigun maximum.
In this volume we learn of Vash the Stampede. A man with a 60 billion double dollar bounty on his head. The pacifist Vash runs into many adventures along his quest for a man. It all takes place on a sandy desert planet. .I won't tell you any more because it might ruin it, and this is such a great series full of surprises and I wouldn't want to mess any of it up for you.
With equal amounts of humor, adventure, action, and intrigue, this title shouldn't be missed. This is definitely one of my all time favorite titles, and I've read a lot of manga in my day. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys manga and has good taste.

There are tons of manga on that I regularly collect. Dragonball/Z, Yu Yu Hakusho, Rurouni Kenshin, Ranma 1/2, Case Closed(Detective Conan), Yu-Gi-Oh/Duelist/Millenium World, and others.... but there are a rare few that grab me, that are are real gems that contend for the greatest manga in existence, such as Akira, Nausicaa... and Trigun(and Trigun Maximum).

Most people are probably familiar with Yasuhiro Nightow's series through the 26 episode anime series that was released in the US by Pioneer(now Geneon) and has aired on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block, and let me tell you, as good as it can be, does not do this manga total justice. Covering only about 1/3 of both Trigun and Trigun Maximumn, the anime was forced to not only cut the overall plot short, but also cut out the development of many characters. Vash, the tortured wanderer throughout the planet Gunsmoke, who endlessly searches for his sinister brother, Knives, has a slightly deeper history, as does his eventual traveling companion, the priest/gunman Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Millions Knives, Vash's bro, is far more vicious and cruel, as is his subordinate, Legato Bluesummers. Bernadeli insurance girls Meryl Strife and Milly Thompson are pretty much the same, although personally I found Meryl far more likeable in the manga. Most of the Gung-Ho Guns are also far more sadistic, screwed up, and crazy than the manga(particularly Zazie, although I won't spoil anything), shocking anyone who's used to their anime personas. Nightow's artwork is a true sight to behold, something people will just have to see to fully understand its beauty. The grimy, dusty, and decayed design of Gunsmoke truly is a marvel to look at, and I often spend minutes just staring at the art before proceeding on with the story. The fast-paced action sequences have a fantastic rush, although often they also cause things to become intensely confusing, wondering who's shooting at who and what's getting blown apart, and it does take some time getting used to Nightow's style during these action-packed parts, but once it does, you are in for one crazy yet entertaining ride.

The first volume is episodic for the most part, other than introducing Vash, Meryl, and Milly, the real plot doesn't really begin until volume 2(and continues on into Trigun Maximum), but the stories are a nice read and help us get to know our three main characters, thus setting up the main Knives/Gung-Ho Guns storyline. Overall, this makes one heck of a great read. Welcome to Gunsmoke, and enjoy your trip.

I find that the manga of this series is a lot more entertaining and a lot more interesting than the infamous anime. The first volume is actually cool because Utena hasn't come to the academy yet; she and a friend of hers figure out clues she's been sent over the years to find that her 'prince' is at the academy. You find out that she has an aunt she's been living with up to then and that she's not a complete orphan. Then of course she goes to the academy and is thrust into this very strange and seperate world of duelings and winning the Rose Bride as a prize as a step towards "revolutionizing the world." The drawing can be a little wierd, people's faces for exampe are very long and even the women can look a little "mannish." Utena and Anthy as prince and rose bride have a very cute relationship together and along with Chu-chu Anthy's best friend and pet monkey it's all very adorable. As I said though, I like this manga mostly because I can actually make some sense out of it and the mysterious plot lines, unlike the anime which had me banging my head on the wall.

Going on fromwhere the 2nd book leaves us off on:
IS TOUGA UTENA'S PRINCE?!!!
I'll give you guys just one little spoiler...he's not.
n this volume it basically talks about the Rose Bride and Utena's determination to go through any kind of challenge to see her prince. Deception and Manipulation. The question in this book is who's telling the truth. Most importantly, is Utena so desperate to find her prince that she'll belive just about anybody? We also find out more about Anthy and her brother. Including more in depth detail about World's End. Why the Dios has the power to revolutionize the world. And the most impotant part... Iwillnotspoilthestory Iwillnotspoilthestory..... OK I won't give you a spoiler but it deals about Anthy and her heart "belonging to no one."
AND WHO COULD FORGET THE COMIC RELIEF OF CHU CHU IN THE END?! ( Chu ) All in all this manga is just awsome.The artwork has gotten better and I rccommend it to all shojo or just any manga fan. GO AND BUY IT NOW!

This is a series like no other. Deeply symbolic, nearly every person, object, and incident means something else on a higher level in addition to the face value. The characters are not just human--they *represent* humanity, both good and bad. They highlight our weaknesses and emphasize our strengths. In this world, power means everything and concepts such as friendship, devotion, and love mean almost nothing. In the pursuit of power and prestige, families and friends are sacrificed for desires. And the life and happiness of one girl are bound to the power to change the world.

This is a controversial series dealing with life, death, change, love, betrayal, belief, truth, and more material concepts such as sex, attraction, and adventure. It messes with your reality, rights it, then scrambles it up again.

For those prudes and parents out there, be forewarned--this does contain incest (love between brother and sister), rape (can you call it that?--Anthy doesn't fight when it happens to her), and lesbianism. That's not to say that it is a bad series--just be warned that their are some controversial themes recurring in the story.

Read this manga or watch the TV show or watch the movie--you will never look at anime or manga the same way again!

I have seen the series in its entirety, and the movie, and I have seen the Japanese manga. Finally READING the manga is a treat.

Having seen the series and movie (I'm praying that they translate the movie manga!), I was prepared for the extremely controversial themes that make this a milestone in the history of anime and manga. There is incest, which is where a brother and sister are a little bit closer than need be; rape (I call it that since Anthy just accepts it as a part of her duties as the Rose Bride ;she's not unwilling, and she's not willing--she's just there)and lesbianism (those of you who have seen the movie know what I am talking about). Death is abstract here; I can't tell you anything more without spoiling some major details of the story. Reality is twisted, as evidenced by the Castle of Eternity, which floats upside down in the air above the dueling arena. Love and friendship come up very rarely, and usually only when dealing with Utena. Power is the ultimate prize--indeed, a girl's life has been sacrificed for the pursuit of power.

The characters play upon each other's emotions, hopes, dreams, insecurities, and fears. Utena fights to protect Anthy, but wavers when Touga implies that he may mean more to her than she thinks. Miki's insecurities and fear drive him to challenge Utena, while Juri's jealousy and hatred are what cause her to raise her sword. Saionji is obsessed, and in his slight insanity, loses reason.

You need to read this series, if only to see what everyone is talking about.

The 3rd volume of the RGU series has turned out to be the best thusfar... For those of you who were disappointed by the 2nd volume, be prepared for the trip of your life with this one. It. Is. Fantastic. You'll read it more than once, I can guarantee it.

The plot flushes away its fluffy-sweet, gaggingly-predictable overtones to reveal an underlying storyline that gets more dark, horrific, and complex with each passing page (while still keeping an innocent PG rating! Now that's talent!) You learn more about all of the character relationships (and I'm happy to say that Juri is less of a joykill in this one) including the practically unmentioned one between Anthy and her older brother, Akio (who you can't help but love.) Our favorite little Dios boy in the sky also makes a guest appearance, which always calls for extra brownie points, though most readers will get mixed signals about Touga and what his motives really are (I'm trying to avoid spoilers. Can you tell?) The whole story becomes an enigma!

Prepare to be drowned in symbolism and rich imagery--and watch out for that killer cliffhanger at the end. It'll leave you BEGGING for the release of the 4th volume! The artist, Ms. Saito's drawing technique has also changed vastly AND apparently...the images have improved so much that you'll feel HONORED to own a piece of her work! You'll definitely start to appreciate how truly talented and professional she is. Even if you've already seen the series and know the ending (which is going to be interestingly warped by the 5th volume anyway) you'll still get a kick out of this book and the memorable circumstance between Wakaba and Utena as it was meant to be. And, of course, there's a funny little bit about Chuchu at the end and character profiles (of Miki, Juri, and the members of Be-papas) scattered throughout the book.

It's a great buy. No regrets at all. Just mix the right amount of fantasy, romance, slapstick comedy, mystery, and plain old talent, and you'll get the miracle that is RGU 3: To Sprout. :D It's so cool. Really, it is.

The Art of Howl's Moving Castle is a large, hardback book, and is chock full of information and pictures from the amazing movie by Hayao Miyazaki.

This book begins with hundreds of concept sketches by Miyazaki, containing location scenes and characters with notes. The concept sketches go in order of appearance from the movie, so the concept sketches for Sophie come at the beginning, for example, while the concept sketches for Human Turnip show up near the end. There are thousands of gorgeous location scenes as well plus short bios on some of the creators of the movie and a few articles that discuss the creaters' experiences working on the film. Also, at the very end is the complete final screenplay to read through. The screenplay has a few minor changes in it from where the English actors improvised a little (especially Billy Crystal), but otherwise, is exactly from the movie.

Being a student of film and the arts, I found this book extremely helpful and interesting, because it showed the creative process of a huge movie. I would definitely recommend it to any film or arts students to browse through if they wan to get an idea of what kind of work it takes to create such a monumental film!

The only qualm I have with this book is that there were hundreds of screenshots. Not that that's bad, especially if you want to buy this book to revisit the movie, but I would like to have seen a few more sketches and whatnot, or at least a few more articles on how the particular scenes with the screenshots were made.

That aside, I fell in love with this book and was enchanted from front cover to back cover.

This book opens a world of anime art like none other. Primary characters & secondary characters are carefully drawn out and walk through a world & story created for them. As a professional artist, I found great interest in the prelimiary drawings straight through the setting concepts. This is also a great book for fans of the movie. If you loved the movie, you will love this book.

I totally enjoyed the layout and discussion in this book. I have been a Miyazaki fan ever since, "My Neighbor Totoro" which I saw when I lived in Japan. If you relish animation and all the details of this art form, you'll like the format and attention this book gives.

Janine Bolon, Financial Coach, Radio Talk Show Host, author of "Money...It's Not Just for Rich People!" available on amazon. Money...It's Not Just for Rich People!

If you loved the movie, you will love this book, The Art of Howl's Moving Castle it's hard cover, with original sketches, storyboards and the final screenplay!

The book explains every step of the complex story, from the original book adaptation to the final movie. Also have quotes and articles from creators of each process (designers, art directors, supervising animators, etc.) It's like seeing the movie scene by scene with artist commentaries.

Being a great Miyazaki fan I really love this book. Even though majority of the books is filled with movie stills, I love it. I revisit those pictures in the books and get myself lost in the beauty of colors. Also being a student of animation, I really get to learn a lot of things. Character concepts and other drawings are really helpful. I highly recommend this book for anybody who likes stories, animation and colors.

I liked this book, at first it was very confusing and weird. But CC goes deeply into the dynamic characters. The two situations in the book are very realistic and lifelike making the reader either love or hate the story.

Today I just started reading the first story .For most people it would probably make them feel sad but it made me feel confused .It makes you think of life and afterdeath.And you kinda feel for her friend Asparagus because every gets teased and it can make you go insane.

Confidential Confessions is one of the greatest manga of all time because it deals with real issues. You wont find any magic, superheroes, or bishounen in this series. Instead you will read about girls who have to deal with tough issues such as bullying, rape, sexual harassment, drugs, prostitution, stalking, and suicide. I recommend that every teen read Confidential Confessions.

Vol. 1
A strong beginning to an amazing series. The first story in this volume deals with bulling, suicide, while the second story deals with prostitution.

Vol. 2
This entire volume deals sexual harassment and is an awesome follow up the first volume.

Vol. 3
The first story in this volume is great because it explores drugs and some of the reasons why kids take them, however the second story is forgettable and is overshadowed by its predecessors.

Vol. 4
The story in this volume deals with prostitution again but instead of having a protagonist go into prostitution because of bad circumstances, this girl goes into prostitution because she is very materialistic and wants money to buy brand name items. The next story revisits the issue of bullying but in more depth. Both of the stories are remarkable but the next story is (for lack of better terms) lame. It deals with lesbianism but the impact is not hard hitting because the main character seems like a stalker rather than someone who is hiding her true feelings for the same sex.

Vol. 5
This volume treads on the tender issues of rape and AIDS. This volume is magnificent and I believe it should have been the last because of the bittersweet ending.

Vol. 6
This is the weakest of all 6 volumes and is a pathetic and disappointing end to a great yet disturbing series. The first story is about stalking and the second story involves a girl who is transformed from a victim to a bully.

There you have it, the complete mini-guide to Confidential Confessions. Like I said before this is a great manga and should be read by all teens. My only complaint is that this story was meant for the Japanese and so some of the main characters actions wont make sense to Americans (you might say, "what the hell is the matter with them, why don't they speak up for themselves!?)" because the Japanese are much more reserved people who don't like to make trouble for their family of school.

The Confidential Confessions Series is something that every girl or woman should read, manga reader or hater alike. Reiko Momochi has really captured the emotions and degree of each crisis for each character in the series, from dealing with drugs to escape problems, to dealing with sexual harassment from a teacher.

You feel for the each girl in each story, weather its anger for what you feel is a stupid solution for the situation, to sadness because nothing can be done. And with each situation comes a change in the characters involved, it being good or bad depending on what they hold dear. The atmosphere my be a bit dark, but it adds to the seriousness of the situation. But with the darkness is light, in some form or another.

I highly recommend this manga to anyone who wants to read something that can hit close to home.

I would reccomend any book in this series... it delivers a good slice of the shoujo we love in an extremely realistic way with very real problems we all deal with today. Even people who aren't interested in anime would want to take a look at one of these. You don't have to collect them in any particular order becuase the series itself is a collection of short stories. There's a story for everyone... I know that in this particular book I was dumbstruck to see that the story "Forbidden Kiss" hit very close to home... I broke down crying while reading it. The stories seem to have been spread out over a period of time (the art quality fluctuates over stories) but any changes are overlooked as each story captivates and motivates you to make the world right. A must read, pick one up immediately.

This particular volume deals with catalouge prostitution (if anyone knows a proper term for this, tell me. As far as I know it's a strictly Japanese thing), corporal punishment, "hazing" and torment by other students, and a teenage girl in love with her (female) best friend.

From what we've seen of Inuyasha's half-brother Sessho-maru, we've been led to believe that he is bloodthirsty, heartless, and detests humans. In a brillant twist, Rumiko Takahashi deepens his character as he lies helpless in the woods after almost being killed by Inuyasha's newly mastered "Scar of the Wind". A cute little mute girl named Rin comes to his aid, even though he doesn't particularly want it, and brings him food and drink. In her village, she is looked down upon and seen as a tolerated nuisance. Nobody looks out for her or loves her since her parents were killed by bandits. When hungry wolves come to visit her village, slaughtering everyone in sight, Sesshomaru performs the ultimate act of kindness for Rin. The wolves are controlled and led by a demon named Koga, who has implanted Shikon shards in his legs and arm. When he finds out that Kagome can help him gather more, he plans to kidnap her and make her his wife! Over Inuyasha's dead body!

The moments with Sessho-maru in this volume are some of the best scenes in the series. Because this is the first moment, at least to me, where Takahashi adds another layer to some of the characters. On the surface, Inuyasha looks like a standard quest manga, but it's really about Takahashi starting with a blank slate, then adding details a little at a time that add up to an epic adventure with a vibrant supporting cast and lots of wonder, action, romance, tragedy, humor, and even a bit of horror mixed in. It's like a manga produced during the Renaissance, a manga that is all things to all people. Sessho-maru is one of my favorite characters in the series because of his quiet strength and the mysterious enigma of his unknown sense of honor. Takahashi writes and draws him in such a way that you don't know whether his act for Rin is kindness or whether he just wanted to test the power of his sword. Morally ambiguous is what I would call him. Inuyasha is a masterpiece.

Yes, yes, all Inu-Yasha fans, hold your weapons until I explain the 4 stars. This book was great! I loved it, seriously. But coming from the ani-manga (my friend buys them and couldn't wait another month for the next one), it's just not AS good. Though I love the creator of this series, I must admit I have seen better artwork (Takaya-sensei, the creator of Fruits Basket, is amazing!). Also, I don't like how they flipped the artwork (aka right-to-left format). Other than that, it was really quite good. But I would recomend the ani-manga more. It has color, sound effects in Japanese with a sound index at the back, and the art is better (shading and color; yay!). But don't look down on this book. It's still great! Well worth it.

Yet another Inu-Yasha volume that I am thuroughly pleased with! My favorite part being with Sessho-maru and Rin. Although the majority of this is about Kouga, Sessh fans will love the dog-demon's character development. And of course, how can anyone miss Kouga's introduction?

I am a big fan of every single charactor in Inu Yasha. Well , that`s not exactly true , I don`t like Kikyo,but she hardly counts. Anyway since I love all of these fabulous charactors soooooo much, I want to see each and everyone of them shine, and I want them to all be happy( as long as their happiness makes me laugh). That`s the only thing that was bad with this book. Miroku and Sango are sooo cool but they rarely get anylines in this here. Oh well they will get their fair share in book 15.
Other than that this book kicks @$$! I really like Seshoumaru and rin, It was kind of a pain having him show up in the other volumes, because, face it people, he had no charactor depth what-so-ever. Now that he actually has something he loves he`s cool, but I have a feeling he is`nt going to show it very well in the next few books.
Now(and this is the part everybodys talking about) Kouga(who I hate to High hell) shows up, and tries to steal Kagome. At first her "Shikon Kehei" finding powers, but then you start thinking he is in love with her. Later on I think he just makes passess at her to get Inu yasha pissed off.
But anyway I really love Rumiko`s writing . It`s hard making comics flow really well,you should try it sometime so you have to respect her fluencey,as well as her charactor development Illustrations and intruging storys. So just go out and buy this comic now even if you hate it, it`s still worth your money.And if you do hate it I will come after you because I know where you grandmother lives.

The more I read in this series, the more I love it. Takahashi does so well with character interactions that I'm not sure I'll ever get tired of it. In this book, Sessho-Maru, Inu Yasha's evil full-demon brother, is wounded but kept safe by a little girl. Also, Kagome gets kidnapped by a wolf-demon who wants to make her his mate and use her to find more shards of the Shikon Jewel. Okay, so I'm a romantic, but this part of the book just makes me sigh - Inu Yasha is just so cute when he tries to deal with the idea that Kagome might be falling for the Koga, the wolf-demon. It's probably posssible to jump into the series at this point, especially since there is a "the story thus far" section, as well as a character section that gives important information about many of the previously introduced characters involved in this book. However, you should really get around to reading some of the previous books, or you'll be missing out on a lot. For example, Sessho-Maru's treatment of the little girl won't be nearly as shocking unless you know what he was like in the previous books.

Great Book. It's a wonderful comparison of the manga and the Anime as well as a great reference for how each character is developed. Also makes a great picture book for my 2 year old. She sits with daddy and looks at the picturers.

This book has lots of interesting info on all the characters and enemies throughout the first part of this great anime/manga series Inuyasha. It has many full colored pages and director, voice actor,etc, commentary. It also features sketches of important characters and enemies in the series from Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku to Kaede, Seshomaru, Jaken, Yura, Mistress Centipede, and many others. I found the sketches useful for learning how to draw. Anyways, this is definetly a must have for all Inuyasha fans.

First of all, let me say my daughter is a complete InuYahsa addict. :) She loves the serial tale. That said, this book is marvelous! It has drawing examples, story snippets, voice character interviews.... very informative.

Beautifully colored drawings and detailed black and white work.

My only complaint refers to the hardbound version..... The spine of the book broke down the back very quickly and had to be taped. Otherwise the book is very well constructed.

Be aware the book is made to read from back to front in the typical Japanese manga manner. A little difficult for me, but my 9 year old daughter grasped the concept immediately....

Well worth the money for reference value alone.

Other reviewers have given accurate particulars about this volume, and I agree with their high ratings. This book is really a delight and a perfect way to spend a couple hours in Inuyasha bliss. I was incredibly impressed with the color panels from the manga, taken from Shonen Sunday Jump. The beautiful printing job brings out the quality of Takahashi's art, and I find myself going back and studying these pages again and again. There is also a nice section at the beginning (short but sweet) about the difference between manga and animation when it comes to storytelling techniques. As it's been said elsewhere in these reviews, if you're a fan of Inuyasha, this is a must-have. Keep in mind this isn't a voluminous book with tons of text ... you can read the whole thing in just two or three hours. But the art in it, and its A-plus presentation here, offers many more hours of enjoyment and you may, like me, find yourself returning to this book repeatedly and feeling like you've picked it up for the very first time. The art in it is that good.

I am actually over 13 years old , however I didnt want to give my email address out so I said I was younger. This is a great book. I bought it for my 16 year old son and he absolutely LOVES it. He is into drawing japanese animation and this book was a great inspiration. All of his friends who are mostly the same age want to get the book to. I did see it at Borders also , for the same price , and you dont have to pay shipping and handling charges, also you dont have to wait for it to show up. Borders also had a huge selection of other Inuyasha books and other Japanese animation characters.