Anime Books

Takakura-sensei is amazing. Her characters are unbelievably smexy. The fact that Yuu has superhuman strength despite his skinny frame just helps to balance things out a little, and add to the humor in the story. Their relationship is such a loving one. This is probably my favorite story by Takakura-sensei!

This really compliments the first volume and makes this couple even more likable. The bonus story included has a much less cute of a couple, but is a rather interesting read. Very much worth it all!

I can say that I loved even more this second volume!!! The first one was nice with its tender story about the two lovers being unable to make love because everytime the try to do it, Yu, who has supernatural strength, hurts someway his lover (breaks his ribs, etc.). Yes, it was funny and lovely, but this second volume is something more... The main stream is the same (the two lovers trying to make love), but the container this time is a wonderful ghost story. Kyouji and his uncle go in a little mountain village where girls disappear from time to time. Kyouji should improve his skills and train more to became a buddhist priest, so he leaves the village for a little hut in the forest. Of course, there's no need to wait a lot for Yu to appear - he refuses to stay in the city without his lover. Oneday roaming in the forest they find the corpse of a young girl and they link it immediately with the case of the disappeared girls. Too bad, right when they discover the corpse, the dead girl's boyfriend appears and accuses Kyouji with homicide - just like the police. But to confuse the situation more, the dead girl's spirit starts to haunt him, too... What does she want from him?

What I really appreciated in this volume was the Bonus Story. It talks about a young man - maybe I should say boy - who returns home after his father's death. He had been disowned years ago, and had lived in another town with his lover who was a gambler. After his father's death Toru returns for the inheritance but finds that his daddy hasn't left him a dollar: everything has been left for a young man whom Toru's father had adopted a few months before. Toru gets desperate because he needs money in order to be able to pay back his ex-lover's debts... And when he's tempted by his newly found step-brother - if he lets Kenji screw him, Kenji will give a part of the heritage to him - he can't help but accept the "offer". But slowly new feelings start to emerge in him...

The graphic is wonderful throughout the book, I enjoyed every page and the plot in both stories is interesting. The Bonus Story has a deeper emotional charge and depth that was good to read after the humorous main story.

This is the second in the series and is just as great as the first! ::Plus you great a nice side story at the end!:: :)

I received the books in a timely manner for a Christmas gift for my son.

The InuYasha manga series is currently one of my favorites. Volume four I like because it has the thunder brothers in it. I like how Kagome claims that InuYasha is her true love, but when Hiten wants InuYasha to give him shikon shards in exchange for his "love", InuYasha doesn't try to play along with Kagome's little white lie, and InuYasha fights Hiten. Its very funny, and I like Shippo in this one. The story of the little girl spirit in this volume is a good story to. This is one of my favorite volumes. It's GREAT!!
Kate

When I began watching InuYasha on television, the first villians I was introduced to were the thunder brothers. In the book they are just as evil and a bit more graphic.

In this volume, the Thunder Brothers kidnap Kagome, while Shippo lets them get away with it. Shippo frees InuYasha and the two of them head out to save Kagome, but when the Thunder Brothers come to make the first move it becomes apparent that it is no easy battle... The fight becomes more intense later on when the powers of the thunder bros. is combined, and it might just take a little help from a sword case, and Shippo's deceased father, to save the day.

There is also a second story in the book about a friend of Kagome's brother who has become ill. It seems that he survived a fire six months ago but his big sister didn't make it. There have been a lot of strange things going on lately, and Kagome is the only one who notices it - a mischievious spirit is causing trouble in the area. And what could be the deal with the musical spirit and his opening eyes?

This is a nice volume - it includes some interesting new enemies and some unique ways of defeating them. While the second story isn't as action-packed as the Thunder Brother's story, it is still a nice addition and it has a neat character. (the Tatari-Mokke) Anyone who reads this book will want to read the end of Volume 3 to see the beginning of the battle w/ the Thunder Bros.

Volume 4 of Inuyasha features a battle between Inuyasha and the Thunder Brothers, Hiten and Manten, two demons whose power has multiplied due to the Shikon Jewel shards in their possession. Kagome has been kidnapped and is in danger of being boiled alive and used for hair tonic to treat Manten's practically bald scalp (He has like two hairs and thinks that if he had a full head of hair he would be a ladies man like his brother). It's up to Kagome and the little fox spirit Shippo to rescue her. Then Kagome must deal with a vengeful ghost child in the modern world, intent on taking the lives of her family. I will call her "mini-grudge"!

The art is great as usual, and the battle scenes never become boring or repetitive as in some other manga. Probably because you like the characters so much that the fights are full of drama. There's also an emotional facet to Inuyasha that makes it unique, whether it's the death and orphanage of Shippo or the reasons why the little girl ghost is trying to kill her brother. And throw in a little romance while you're at it. Great read.

Just the most hilarious manga, ever!

The artwork is unique; I didn't like it at first, but don't hesitate! The characters are wild, good natured, and just plain silly. Plenty of laugh out loud gags, over the top situation comedy, and a story line running through it. Plenty of Tsukkomi/Boke. Nandeyano?!

I want more!!!

If you don't believe me, believe CLAMP. They are telling all their friends to "read this manga!"

For a while I've been getting tired of anime and manga. Repetitive storylines, the same hackneyed characters, and lame gags ad nauseam have started to turn me off of most new stuff. I happened to run across this manga in the bookstore. Reading through it, I was pleasantly surprised to find something different! What I like the most is the unique art style which will definitely (perhaps thankfully) mean that this manga will not have an anime version.

Negishi thinks of herself as a rather average and plain-looking high schooler until a boy named Hoshino declares his love and asks her to go out as her stunned classmates look on. While put off at first by his open heart, Negishi submits to his attentions because of peer pressure and her own secret desire to fall in love. Volume 1 of Love Roma is mainly about the couple's first bumbling attempts to get to know each other and to carve out their own space in the realationship. It is filled with light-hearted and innocent comedy and some occasional deeper insights into the human heart that alternately craves solitude and company. Adding to the comedy are the friends of the couple, Tsukahara and Yoko, whose deadpan attitudes about life offer constant counterpoints to Negishi's excitibility and Hoshino's one track mind. The story is slow-paced and comfortable and feels like a window into a naive but warm world. The art is a bit more cartoony and American-seeming than most manga, but it suits the story. The author has really drawn and plotted a winner here.

I would also recommend the manga Aria, which also has a laid-back plot and mood. Also, the Azumanga Daioh anime and manga. His and Her Circumstances is a good anime that delves into a little more seriousness than is seen in Love Roma.

I enjoyed this volume because it takes an otherwise common formula--boy declares love for girl, girl stumped--and makes light of all of the usual emotional and shoujo-esque aspects of relationships in manga. It's very much like Kare Kano (Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou/His & Her Circumstances) without the emotional baggage, heavy storylines, and occasional complete changes of story focus on what should be minor characters. Granted, this is only the first volume, but it's certainly well-grounded in what it's trying to express, and the upbeat and almost comic-strip-like art keep the series from collapsing on itself with too much drama. Totally recommended, especially if you've just gotten through a far more serious manga series.

Well, it's time for final exams at Psychic Academy and we're not talking about a test with pen and paper. The class is divided up into three-person teams to search for a 500-year old holy tree in the forest surrounding a sacred temple. Ai, Orina, and Kyaru begin searching but are interrupted by some of their enemies. Tanja, the bully from Class A who has a hankering to defeat Ai, teams up with an equally dastardly girl named Purse, who wants to stick it to Mew. What starts out as a simple ego-trip fight might just lead to someone's death. And then, to make matters worse, Ren, the school's street thug, is arriving back at school after a suspension, and he too wants to knock Ai down a peg or two.

Ok, Psychic Academy is not going to win any prizes for originality. It comes off as a fan serviced Harry Potter for a more mature audience. Like Rowling writing for 17 or 18 year olds. But it's still interesting and the art and characters are first-rate. The tangled beginnings of a love triangle are handled very tenderly and the humor almost always works.

This is a very funny book with a bit of romance on the side. I highly recommend this book and all the other Psychic Academy manga.

I recommend this book very highly, it is hilarious and has a good storyline!

This book is funny and dramatic I would recomend it to teens

I just finished reading this book the other day and found it to be beautiful. Our young angel has still not figured out her love for the doctor and she has been called back to heaven! Also included are two extra stories. One about the devil who loves to hate our favorite angel. the other tells the tale about how Hisui meets her devil of a lover. This tale about Hisui is a great story for Wish lovers and people who just love the romance that Hisui is not aloud to have. Enjoy=)

In this volume, Kohaku has to go back to heaven. Their time apart makes Kohaku and Shuichiro realize how much they want to be together. This volume may be my favorite volume in this series. I love how the characters interact, and my absolute favorite line of the series, the one that makes me laugh every time, is in this book. I also loved the bit at the end of the volume that explains how Hisui and Kokuyo become a couple, even though it's not a very developed part. It just happens to be very sweet. I would recommend this volume to almost anyone, although it would probably help to have read some of the previous volumes. However, when I started this series, I started with volume four, and I could still follow along well enough.

Readers of ANIME and MANGA books will love WISH. Other comics have gross pictures in it, but not Wish. In Wish 3, the angel master of water sends that scary-rabbit-thing Usyagi to get Kohaku back. But Kohaku won't go until finally Suichuro does some dumb talking, making Kohaku think she isn't needed. (that's not what Suichro meant though.) Kohaku goes back to Heaven, where she just ends up crying for Suichuro. Suichuro thinks about what Hisui says and it turns out (BIG SUPRISE!)that he really likes Kohaku more than he thinks. There's some pretty graphic extras I'd recommend to read cautiously.

I haven't been too involved with this one yet, other than it being Clamp, but this volume was better because it's starting to heat up some. Love the kitties & there's lots of chibi action as Kohaku & Shuichiro head to an amusement park only to be tailed by Koryu with a potion that shrinks Kohaku to chibi form for a day. The whole mystery behind Shuichiro's gets a bit extreme as every time Kokuyo tries to tell someone, something interrupts. It was cute seeing Usyagi captured & caged in a mild rebellion to keep Kohaku at Shuichiro's, but returning her to heaven allows a bit more development since we get to see what such a bubblehead does & why she's soooo important(& why God's going to be upset at that next bridge meeting) & it also allows the aloof Shuichiro to realize how much the angel means to him.

I just happened upon this book when I was shopping for manga and thought it looked like a good read. Well, it's a great read! Finally a book in English about Tezuka!

Schodt does an amazing job breaking down Mighty Atom/Astro Boy along with Tezuka. He actually knew Tezuka so he brings a great insight to this work. The images in the book are great as well, especially the color inserts at the beginning of the book. Included are a great index of all the manga and anime episodes, and a character guide with both Japanese and English character names.

If you are a fan of anime, manga, or both, you will want to read this book to know why the two art forms are so popular today, not only in Japan, but all across the world!

I don't think the onslaught of Japanese pop culture would not take fruition if not for the talented work of Osamu Tezuka. He influenced his country men for many generations and his manga books are still published today and are fresh as they were printed over 60 years. The man has left a mark on more artists/animators than Walt Disney ever did. Frederik L. Schodt delves into the framework of this genius who set the blueprint to all manga and anime that we are used to. If not for Osamu Tezuka, I think Japanese manga and anime would be dormant, as with the Beatles a slew of bands followed them, but there was only one Beatles and they will always be standing tall in their heap in the part pop culture as will Osamu Tezuka will be for the Japanese culture, his name is under every breath of new creation that comes from that part of the world and has crossed oceans with his universal ideas and will leave a giant imprint for many more years yet to come. Astro Boy Collection Box Set

You will not believe me when I try to tell you about Osamu Tezuka. He drew over 150,000 pages of manga in his lifetime, more than 700 separate series, and more than 70 anime, films and movies. He was a pioneer every genre, from hard sci-fi to mahou shoujo to adult films. He developed the drawing and animation techniques that still dominate the industry today. Today's greats, from Rintaro to Yoshiyuki Tomino, worked and studied with him. He was a political activist, writing against war, racism, environmental exploitation, medical corruption. He was a national hero of Japan, and under consideration for the Nobel Prize in literature when he passed away in 1989. Astro Boy, Black Jack, Kimba the White Lion, Metropolis, Phoenix, Buddha and Princess Knight are only the best known of literally hundreds of creations which have impacted every corner of the manga world. If you think this sounds like too much for one man to plausibly accomplish in a lifetime, you're far from the only one who finds Osamu Tezuka a little superhuman.

Fred Schodt, author of Dreamland Japan Manga! Manga!: the World of Japanese Comics and translator of Phoenix, Astro Boy and more, was a personal friend of the "God of Comics" and his translator when Tezuka visited America. In his long-awaited Astro Boy Essays, Schodt gives a concise and detailed introduction to the life, influence and significance of Tezuka in the history of Japan and the international comics world. Focusing on Tezuka's best known work, the anti-racist children's classic Astro Boy, it gives efficient, approachable portraits of Osamu Tezuka's life and personality, the atmosphere in Japan during and after WWII and their effect on the manga industry, the nightmarish behind-the-scenes production schedule that birthed Japan's first animated TV series, and the spread of Astro Boy as a Japanese, and later an international symbol of peace, technology, hope for the future, and above all of Japan itself. The rocky history of Astro Boy's American distribution gives a fascinating look at the beginnings of American anime fandom, and how many barriers had to be broken to achieve the comparatively-smooth licensing and distribution system in place today. All the material is presented in a format beginners can understand, but with enough details that even experts will find themselves learning more with every page. The Astro Boy Essays is an invaluable contribution to manga scholarship, and provides a window for American otaku to finally learn about the "God" who made anime what it is today.

For more information about the book, see:
www.stonebridge.com/AstroBoy/AstroBoy.html

For more information about Osamu Tezuka, his life and works, see:
TezukaInEnglish.com

In my opinion the Evangelion mangas are even better than the Anime. If you loved the series, you should definately buy the mangas.

Sadamoto's version of Evangelion is really understandable. The first time I watched Evangelion, the anime, I feel it was a breakthrough in animation and story, but somewhere in the middle, it is very confusing and sometimes dissapointing because of all the psychological twists and turns, but I respect Hideaki Anno's vision. With the Manga, it is becoming clear where the story is heading. In volume eight, Shinji and Rei are changing a lot and they are becoming more mature and aware of all the events surrounding them, We see the beginning of NERV and the consequences of being a double agent for Kaji...and the plot is gettin very good. You can check the similarities between the anime and manga here, but with Sadamoto's point of view, you will see the story as never before, just like an extended version of the anime. I dont want to spoil things for you. Just check volume 8 of Neon Genesis Evangelion and you will find a lot of surprises, lucky for us, very enjoyable ones. I just cant wait for the rest of the volumes.

This volume was worth the long wait. Sadamoto's artwork and writing, already impressive, have matured. The characters are drawn in a wonderfully expressive style. Summary: In volume 8, Shinji floats in an disembodied form within EVA-01, where he encounters his own thoughts, fears, and visions of his late mother. On the outside, the story of the grown-ups & NERV are told in flashbacks. And the Kaji's activities finally catch up with him. There are no giant mecha battles; the conflicts occur on a human level in this volume. Shinji and Rei grow up. While it may slightly offend some EVA fans, the manga has diverged significantly from Anno's anime. It leaves aside much of the esoteric aspects of the the series; instead it focuses on the characters' interactions with one another. In particular Shinji and Rei. In the manga, Shinji is a sympathetic and tragic character who matures as a young man. His anguish at the lost of his mother and his courage is quite moving. The biggest change though probably takes place in Rei. Ayanami is not the same girl that she was in the beginning of the series. She is a fully realized person with her own hopes and fears in Sadamoto's version of Evangelion. Recommended to anyone who can appreciate a great story.

Before I say anthing I thought I should say that I absloutely adore this manga and all of Yasunari Toda's work, and if you are above 17 years of age you should buy these books.

Now I get to my point, this is absolutely not a suitable manga for kids. The anime which has recently aired on cartoon network may lead you to believe otherwise, but the Scryed manga follows a completely different storyline. The violence is incredibly intense, and most of the volumes do include at least one incidence of female nudity.

Disclaimer over, now to gush about the good things in this series. Yasunari Toda is an amazing artist and in Scryed his work really shines using creative inking techniques to draw out a sense of gritty realism. The characters are incredibly well developed as well from the cocky Kazuma Torisuna to the Cold Ryuhou of HOLY. The series is very action oriented, seldom a chapter without a fight. The dialouge can be corny at times, but that's actually intentional, mocking lesser action series *cough dragonball cough* that aren't. It's got a very interesting scientific undertone that's often overlooked as well, the questions raised about human evolution reminded me a great deal of Akira.

Well anyway, I like this series a great deal and I'm a bit of a conissuer. So if you'd like, please read these books (that is if you're old enough ~_^)

If you liked the anime, you'll love this book(s). It is different than the anime but it fleshes out the story more. A few new characters are introduced but the story line is basically the same.
The characters are better developed here and some of my questions were answered. The anime was awesome and I hope these books end just as good.

Scryed (2001.)

INTRODUCTION:
In the last few years, animes and mangas have become increasingly popular in America. The Japanese have a style of animation unlike anyone elses - a style that can fuse seriousness and comedy is a way American animators can only dream of. And above all, anime can appeal to people of all ages - NOT just children. One of the more interesting anime/manga series to come along in recent years is Scryed. Although this series is relatively unknown in America, it has been released here, and is one of the most unique series around. Is its uniqueness a good thing? Read on for my review of Scryed.

OVERVIEW:
(This series has a tough storyline to describe, so bear with me here!) Roughly two decades ago, a region of the world was ravaged by an unknown seismic force. The effects of this seismic occurence, oddly enough, resulted in residents of this now-ravaged area to gain supernatural abilities. These powers are used by various people for various purposes - some use them to uphold the law, others use them to bring pain and suffering to the world. No two powers are exactly alike, and each one brings its users unique abilities no one else has. The conflict between the opposing sides has been raging for years and shows no signs of letting down.

REVIEW:
Overall, I am extremely satisfied with this series. It seems like lately I've been discovering a number of excellent animes and mangas, and Scryed definitely has to be somewhere near the top. The creator of the series succeeds beautifully in creating characters who are three-dimensional and well-developed. It's an emotional, unique, action-packed story you won't get from any other series. The only complaint I have is the one I have with most animes/mangas/movies - too many characters are introduced too fast, and it's kind of hard to keep track of them all. Accordingly, you may find yourself doing a lot of rereading just to see who's who. I personally recommend the manga over the anime, since there is more character development and a better story. Either way, check it out if you want action.

EDITION NOTES:
Currently there is only one edition of this manga available in America, and it's a good version. This was released here under the Tokyo Pop company, so it's an authentic manga-style book that reads from right to left. Reading from right to left may be a pain at first, but you'll get used to it real fast. Although it's confusing at first, I commend Tokyo Pop for keeping the series as true to the original version as possbile.

OVERALL:
Scryed is nothing short of excellent. If you want action, suspense, drama, and pretty much everything in between, this series will serve it up and then some. There's not a whole lot else that needs to be said. If you want to experience one of the best action series out there and all the mainstream ones disappoint, Scryed is just what you need.

Jeez, this is the funniest thing iv'e ever read, it's a mix of humor a tad sexiness and top it of with a great plot.

Man, this book was hillarious! A deffinate must-buy for fans of books like "Love Hina" and uh... *cant think of anything else* Well, I liked it anyways, and you will too! Yay happy!

I've been a fan of Shaman King for awhile, and I've collected all the current volumes in english. This is by far my favorite book in the whole series so far. I've read it over quite a few times, and my book is pretty worn down. The beggining parts of the book are about the battle between HoroHoro and Yoh Asakura. As the story progresses, Yoh faces a new opponent named Faust VIII (8th). You have to read the sixth book to find out who wins the match!!

some people say that shaman king sucks well two words if your one of those people than you suck but its not your fault the manga is way better than the show on tv foxbox on sat.10:30
anywayyou couldby this ifyou wannaread more of yohs madcap adventures its allin shonen jump now im trying to advertise them but suscribe cus you get too know read way more farther in the storyline in shonen jump (...)