Manga Books

Count D, the androgynous, keen on the tranvestite clobber owns a very strange, supernatural pet shop, where you want to be careful what you wish for when you ask him for a recommendation. Apart from that, the first part he is on holiday with a detective and his kid brother, and they run across a man who claims to have seen a mermaid 50 years ago, and has been obsessively hunting it ever since.

Thrown in a volcanic eruption, to make it more interesting.

I picked up Pet Shop of Horrors on the strength of it's reputation as both one of the best josei (women's) manga and one of the best horror manga. It's a reputation well earned.

The primary setting is San Francisco's Chinatown, where the mysterious, effeminate Count D (we don't in fact learn his real name, as Count D is actually his globetrotting grandfather, but for the purposes of the story we'll call him D) runs a petshop with a seedy reputation and whose clients have an alarmingly high death statistic. Detective Leon Orcot vows to close the shop and put D behind bars for murder and whatever else he can pin on him. More on that in future volumes - for now we're just getting accustomed to the format of the series.

Each volume generally tells the tale of four pets and their owners and what happens to them after the sale. In the premiere, we meet a gentle, empathetic Bird of Paradise trying to lighten his mistress' depression; a monstrous rabbit who is both her new owners' desperate dream and worst nightmare; a Basilisk who falls in love with her master; and a noble, heroic Doberman determined to protect his blind mistress from the still-at-large murderer of her parents who might be after her next. Of course, this is Pet Shop of Horrors, not Lassie, and when their tales are told, things will only have turned out well for one of the four...

The pet shop scenario allows D and Leon to be a point of reference throughout the series so that new situations don't have to continuously be set up. The banter between them is often amusing, and D himself is fascinatingly ambiguous. In some ways the stories are somewhat predictable (although the ending of one gave me quite a whallop), but that's not always a bad thing, and some have rather deep things to say about treating not only our animal companions but fellow man well. The animals themselves are diverse enough to keep things from getting stale.

It is worth addressing the manner in which the animals are presented here. Throughout the series, they appear to their owners as humans, which anthromorphizes them (think the ballet Swan Lake, the musical Cats, or the anime Wolf's Rain). An interesting aspect is that the animals reflect the human cultures of their indigenous area. The Bird of Paradise, for instance, appears as a beautiful androgynous youth in the traditional dancing garb of Bali to represent his plumage, while the Doberman appears as a handsome young man in a German military uniform.

A mixture of fantasy and horror, this is worth a read for anyone old enough to handle the fact that it is a horror series with some frames which earn it a 16+ rating.

Pet Shop of Horrors has a lot of magic and insight in its stories.
Count D, with his love for nature and animals, webs a mystical tapestry in which mankind is another thread, that constantly menaces to rip the cloth of Life apart.
I recoment this manga for anyone who likes magic and animals, and sweets.

I really enjoyed this series and the artwork is definetly some of the best! ^.^ Also get the DVD version of this. Unfourtunately they only did one dvd of this manga but that was excellent also.

Affectingly humanistic AND gleefully misanthropic all at once, PET SHOP OF HORRORS is a 10-volume series revolving around a Chinatown pet shop, the highly unusual animals it sells, and the (often unpleasant) fates which befall its patrons. Running the shop is "Count D", a young Chinese man with a charming smile. Trying to run him in is Leon Orcot, a grumpy police detective who is convinced D is behind all those nasty, animal-related incidents.

Each volume contains three or four clever, creepy, well-characterized stories focusing on an individual customer. Meanwhile, the series as a whole gradually unveils the story of Count D, and his quasi-adversarial relationship with the dogged-but-dense detective.

A lot of reviewers here explain the "rules" of the series to you. But I really enjoyed reading Book One "cold" and figuring it out for myself. The confusion is half the fun, and the real charm of the series is the way the stories subversively mess with our perceptions.

Some stories are better than others, of course. I was briefly alarmed at a dip in quality at Book 4, but Book 6 bounced the series back. Even so, Books 4 and 5 each contain one first-rate story, and overall work just fine as a brief change of pace. Book 10 concludes the series with four interconnected tales focused on the recurring characters. It is one of the best final books of a manga series that I have yet come across.

The "rating" jumps from T13 to T16 after Book 3. But I think that Book 1 gives you a good idea what you are in for content-wise. The detective does not watch his language, mermaids don't wear tops, many of the stories, uh, don't end well, and there is gore and extreme weirdness. But it is never gratuitous or stupid, and risque content is clever rather than crass. My local library has the full series, but it is STILL at the top of my To-Get List. It is that good.

Mann...this was my very first manga. Without this i would never have been into anime or manga. Actually Animerica Extra was my first actual manga preview of Fushigi Yugi. All thanks to my uncle Goku. Really that is his name. Meaning 5th son. But weird part is my grandparents only had 3 boys in the family out of 7. So maybe he was the fifth child born? But Fushigi Yugi is a wonderful book to start if you are just starting to like manga. It is perfect. It has fantasy creatures, humans with either super powers or just super human abilities, revengeful people, and a forbidden romance that could and should never be, but is. But all in all this is a perfect book by Yu Watase. Her best work ever besides Alice 19th and the forever gorgeous book ZETTAI KARESHI!....that is all...

Wow. If you don't have this manga, then there's something wrong with you! Whether or not you're a fan of the Tv series, Fushigi Yugi is a must have for the anime fan. Yu Watase knows how exactly to blend comedy with drama, so you can have emotional trama and kick [butt]fighting, turning into a laugh-a-minute when one of the charactes does something stupid. I particularily like the "Fushigi Auki, The Malicious Play" parodies done by the author every so often, taking a section of one of the chapters and turning it into a farce. GET THIS MANGA it is well worth your dollars.

Yu Watase, Fushigi Yugi: Disciple (Viz, 2000)

The third book in the Fushigi Yugi series dips a bit at first, but quickly roars back to become ever better than before. Miaka and the celestial warriors are basically wandering about waiting to find the next celestial warrior, and they find him in Chichiri, the mystical "cat-guy" whose powers complement the others quite nicely. All of this is well and good, and covers roughly the first half of the book (though we do get more background on Tamahome as well), which is readable, but nothing special. The second half, on the other hand, is all that and a bag of oysters, as Miaka and the crew find out there's a rival priestess and reveal her identity.

Lots of fun. *** ½

Some good news to fans- a new celeestial warrior appears, Chichiri. He trained under the watchful eye of Tai-Yi Jun { I can just imagine spending three years with her... that face
-_-}. And because of that, he learned some cool moves like how to freeze people {no da! ^-^}.

And a turning-point character shows up- Yui, Miaka's best friend. She has a thing for the celestial warrior Tamahome.

In the previous book, Yui goes missing, so Miaka goes back through the Universe of the Four Gods so Miaka could find Yui. She goes to the kingdom Qu- Dong, where she believes Yui might be, followed closely by Tamahome. The good news is Miaka finds Yui. At first Yui wants yo go back to Hong Nan with Miaka and Tamahome, but a conversation they have makes her want to reconsider.

Wanna read the bad news? I'm not telling you anymore than this.

Highly Recommended.

This is volume three in Fushigi Yuugi, a wonderful series. Miaka and Tamahome are a great couple with a wonderful love story. Their love story is very touching in this voloume. Tamahome tells Miaka his feelings and they become boyfriend and girlfriend. As they become a couple, their love is so sweet and touching. When Miaka leaves, Tamahome finds her and hugs her and tells her his feelings. When she leaves to head to a new nation, Tamahome finds her and asks her why she left. Tamahome kisses her and Miaka and Tamahome's love is very touching and romantic. Yui watches this and sees Miaka and Tamahome kissing. When she confronts Miaka about it, Miaka finds a new side to someone she knew. When Miaka discovers the truth of what happened to her, she makes a decision. Tamahome sees her and notices that Miaka is acting differently. He asks her about it- but she isn't sure how to tell him what she must do. Tamahome kisses her and finds out the truth from her. Tamahome tells Miaka that he will always protect her and they hug. This volume has lots of romantic moments between Miaka and Tamahome and they become a couple in this volume. This is a great volume.

...I cried. Like a baby. And just...

CLAMP, you are too mean.

That last line without the "kun" in it just felt... slightly upsetting, but all in all, the translations were pretty decent.

"That line" made me cringe a tad, but I suppose there's worser ways to translate it.

If you're a Tokyo Babylon fan, or X fan, or Subaru and Sei-chan fan, read it.

And yes, you will most likely cry.

Four words: Cried like a baby. Through pretty much the entire volume, to stop briefly during the cute fluff girl-talk moment between Yuziriha and Arashi, then to start anew during Seishiro-san's side story.

Anyone who has ever belived that there was anything other than blank emotions or hate between Subaru-kun and Seishiro-san will shed at least one tear in this volume. Anyone who read Tokyo Babylon will be bawling. Without the honorifics, I admit, i did shift a little in my seat and definitely lessens the impact of "that line", (but my convoluted mind changed it into the intimate lack of honorifics, instead of Viz being dumbasses) but it still makes me cry.

We once again see Hokuto, Kakyo of course, angsting over her. man i love this girl, she rocks, of course. she makes a speech, in her dying moments to Seishiro-san (Kakyo's dream, of the past) about love and how there's hope, and how she could never hate him and puts her trust in him, and oh man, it made me cry.

DoE Kamui's talk with Kakyo is worth seeing too. The use of the word "special" causes confliction with me. In this context, it should be something much stronger than "special", but it strikes a memory of a TB scene where Hokuto-chan tells Seishiro-san that he is "special" to Subaru-kun, and there, the word is supposed to be "special", so confict on word choice there.

This volume is dedicated to my two all-time favorite CLAMP characters, Subaru-kun and Sei-chan, and their story, which began in Tokyo Babylon, continued in various volumes, which always made my heart clench, and finally ended here, in a very tearful moment, and lots of sakura petals (what else?) during the fight. (their story "continues" in a way in later volumes, you'll have to read 17 and 18 to know what i mean)

Even though their aren't any really happy moments (though the goofy smile never leaves Sorata's face...), and evil!Hinoto makes my skin crawl, and the majority of the book made me cry (Subaru-kun sitting in a dark room clenching the blood-spattered jacket around him, and kissing the marks on the back of his hands...*cries all over again*), this is definitely my favorite volume of the 18. Anyone who has made it this far, whether reading it w/o buying it, or buying all the volumes, one by one, has to own this volume. Any Tokyo Babylon fan should own this volume. period.

Being a huge X and Tokyo Babylon fan, I find that this book is simply gold. No X fan can deny that this is one of the most memorable books from this series. They can't deny that it is heart-wrenching and very moving.

Luckily, I do not see a need to attack Viz for their translation. Others may see things differently depending on how Americanized or directly translated they like their manga to be. X is my favorite series, so I will not deny that I tend to be harsh on Viz. That having been said, here's what I thought:

Content-wise, this book couldn't be better. While it does center on just two characters, it is very worthwhile and doesn't drag on in the least. The overall mood is out to get you shocked and crying (and darned if it doesn't succeed), so don't expect tons of fluffy stuff here.

Translation-wise, this is, as I said in the title, passable. Not horrible, but probably won't meet the standards held by hardcore fans. Allow me to say this: the dialogue is much less ambiguous. The sound effects kind of seem to be mocking the artwork, but maybe that's just a recent revelation of mine. Finally, one page is left unflipped and if you're observant/know the pages of this book like the back of your hand, you'll notice and probably cringe.

There are some good points, though. As I said, I'm biased against Viz, so I'm being tough. After reading this book twice, I only found one minor grammatical error and as far as I know, the dialogue is mostly translated correctly. Of course, the artwork is just brilliant as always (and, may I argue, better than usual?).

To be honest, I rather like Viz's translation of "that line" (for those who don't know what I'm talking about, you will and how it's translated probably won't matter). Overall, I'm satisfied.

Final word: Go out and get this volume. It's a must-have.

I found this manga to be one of the best I have ever read. I am 12 years old and just cant stay away from it. The fighting scenes are great. I really love the english translation and I love being able to get into the character. It is great to be able to get into the main character and in this book I found that you really could get into the character. I think that all anime lovers will love this manga. When you are watching the series and you dont read the manga dont watch episode 0 you'll ruin it all for you. You want to know the plot before you watch episode 0. So even if you havent read it and you just want to watch and ruin the plot go right ahead. But if youre one for reading and not ruining the plot then get the manga and read. Im sure youll enjoy yourself even if you dont like reading. It isnt hard to enjoy this book and even if you dont like anime I beleive you will love this series. THE END

Apparently, the image for this sucker isn't working. However, this IS the link that came up when I went to my order and selected good ol' volume 16 of X.

How to review it....

Let's simply say I sobbed like a baby all the way through. Viz finally did a decent translation job, keeping all the heart, feeling and utter and complete angst that makes this the greatest of all volumes of X nearly as fabulous as it was in its original printing across the pages of Asuka comics.

From the trauma that graces the pages (no, not a single freaking happy moment in this one... save Sorata's goofiness at the end. He's a great spirit-lifter, even though after Hinoto's cameo you just shudder seeing his grin. GAH!) to the beautiful detail splayed across every page, this one's always been impossible for me to put down.

SEE what I mean that the fight in the anime should've been MUCH longer, seeing how many pages it takes up in this volume? Their fight went on forever across the comic's pages! Yeesh.

And such a horrible, yet fitting end... *cries herself silly*

To enjoy - Kamui smiling (WOW!), Sorata flopping his hair like mad, Nokuro looking very very bish, Girl-talk between Arashi and Yuzu that's so sweet it nearly made my teeth rot with its sugary goodness in a fine way, Kamui at Subaru's feet gripping his hand like the uke onna CLAMP's all but turned him in to, wind-caught trench coats EVERYWHERE, Seishiro's best-ever defense against ofuda, HOKUTO-CHAN! in her final moments, Kamui jumping off the roof of a Geo Metro (I'm a Metro owner, so I laughed myself silly seeing that. Thanks for the giggle, CLAMP!)...

Seishiro's side story with all of its incest and wrongnes with its pretty flowers and snow...

And the unforgettable conclusion on the drama that started with the very first pages of Tokyo Babylon.

Sayonara, Sei-chan.

And as for Subaru... no worries. We'll be seeing him again. *runs off before she blows spoilers everywhere*

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.

ok. Let me start of by saying this. ANY WHO ARE FANS OF ANIME/MANGA NEED THIS BOOK! Ok. The rest of you who don't know what I"m talking about need this book for two reasons.
1. It'll get you into the world that is manga/anime
2. It spoofs both rather well.
So, why are you still here. GET THIS NOW!

THis is possibly one of the funniest things I've ever read. The plot is good and the is a ton of humor. SW33t.

If you have read any of Fred Gallagher's recent comics, you may find them good, but slightly boring. Well, chapter zero, when Rodney Caston was still co-writing was, in my humble opinion, the best of the comics. It may be a thin book, but it's worth its weight in gold.

This was written as a 7th grade school project.

After being kicked out of a game convention, two college grads take a trip to Tokyo, Japan. Suddenlt stranded with no money, food, or place to live, they must find their way back from Tokyo to America. They begin to settle into their new enviroment, starting off anew in this strange place. Throughout their "adventure' they met many new friends, including a humanoid PS2 accessory, and a hamster that is supposedly one of their "consciences." In the end, however, they begin to blend into this strange new world and live in it, wondering whether or not going back home would be better than styaing in Tokyo.

I loved this book since it is, basically, a story for gamers, nerds, and artists by gamers, nerds, and artists. It has a morbid sense of humor that many people enjoy, and it shows some problems that happen in real life. The true purpose of this book, to show how life looks from the views of people that are called "geeks," is amazing, and somehow inspiring. This book still makes me want to sit down and create a novel of my own, to show the life of these two guys is like the ones other people do live. In summary, this book should be read by everyone, no matter what age, or interest.

This book is currently also a webcomic. Read it at- www.megatkyo.com

When my brother sent me the link to MT (MegaTokyo) about a year ago, I really wasn't into reading webcomics. Well, I blame him for my time online reading and the money I spend buying great books like this.

Fred began MT just to shut up a friend... well you see where its gone from there. ^_^ I think you will find a character for just about anyone, male, female, shy, outgoing or simply out-of-touch. That's why there is such a great reader following... MT isn't just for guys, girls or gamers. This is a great book written with a flavor of manga. (though not written backwards, so no worries there if you don't want to adjust)

This issue is Pre-Dark Horse publishing, that is why the cover is different and is out of print. DH is publishing Vol 1 again (possible rerelease in March) and Vol 2 is due for release this month.

For further info, read Fred's rants on www.MegaTokyo.com. He keeps us up to date. (probably out of fear) :P

I hope this helps! Maybe I'll see you on the forums. ;)

This is a great ending to one of the best adventures of all time. All the mystery of Alita is explained in the conflict between Alita and Desty Nova, and the future of the scrapyard and tiphares is brought into a new world as Alita's power over her own destiny is realized with one final battle between fate and heroism.

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL! WHAT MORE CAN I SAY? PERFRECT! SPECTACULAR! A MUST-READ!

Battle Angel Alita is a series I wish I could like more, and while it was good, it seemed to lose its soul after the second volume. It had equal parts romanticism and graphic death. Once Alita got past that, especially when she became a part of the RollerBall/DeathSport thing, this series began to take a downturn. So it's not a surprise that the final volume of Alita comes to an unsatisfying and hokey end.

Alita has a final confrontation with Desty Nova as the mad scientist tries to conquer Alita's will from the inside out, by deceiving her mind. But we just might find out that that Nova has a soft and cuddly side during the process. And after all, he finally does reveal the hidden secret of Tiphares, a secret that drove Dr. Ido mad! Meanwhile, the forces of Den and Barjack embark on a hopeless mission to destroy Tiphares and bring it crashing to the ground.

This last volume of Alita suffered from the same faults as most of the series. It's just plain goofy. The characters, while going through horrible ordeals, never rise beyond Walt Disney caricatures. It just doesn't seem like much deep thought went into the plot or the conflicts that the characters endure. You could've went into some social commentary instead of following the insane ramblings of a Godzilla size Centaur. And the ultimate sacrifice that Alita makes in this comic is totally contrived and really disrespects her. You're left wondering at the end of the book, "Is that it? This is the great resolution that the entire series has been working towards?". The only thing that saves this series is the lead character herself. If only the story constructed around her had went somewhere.

I can only admire Kishiro's way of ending so magnanimally a perfect series in the critical condition he was in. Talk about inspiration. The series could only end in Gally finding happiness or Gally dying, and I was surprised by the ending, my imagination was not prepared for the mental and heart blow he delivered. Do I recommend it? More than that, I urge you all to get the whole series, a must have, a Bible for some of us.

All good things must come to an end, at least temporarily. With this volume, Yukito Kishiro lifts ramps Alita's story up to a surprising new level, as the final stages of her battle with Desty Nova unfold. Nova, surprised that Alita has broken free of his mental trap, uses the truth about the citizens of Tiphares to cause enough confusion to escape. Alita follows, and is trapped again in Nova's mental coils. This time the Doctor seeks to sap her will to live. As the struggle develops, we get flashes of what might have been parts of Alita's past and future, which are in many ways the only explanation we will ever get.

At the scrap yard, Lord Den and Koyomi have arrived for the final assault on Tiphares. In a last dramatic gesture, Den challenges the might of the sky city on his own, little realizing that the real struggle for the city's survival was happening elsewhere, as Alita challenges Nova and the city for the last time. Suffice it to say, the book becomes one incredible series of images after another, as Alita transcends her limitations in an entirely mind-boggling and innovative fashion.

I always feel slow on the uptake when I completely miss a mystical reference. Until I was staring at the final imagery of the series, I failed to realize that the names Tiphares (and Ketheres) are drawn from the Sephiroth of the Kabalah. Tiphares means beauty, and Ketheres is the crown. These have a natural explanation in the story, so it is hard to decide how deep this metaphysical layer runs. I'll leave it for readers to judge for themselves. It is curious how often such symbolism works it's way into Japanese anime as a metaphor for the mysterious. Of course Evangelion comes to mind, and recently, X (the series) has made such references. A surprise addition to an already complex tale.

In any case, this phase of Alita's story comes to an end with a complete transformation of the order of her world. We know there is more, because a new volume is promised. This is a special manga, combining an intensely violent action story with an underlying theme of the nature of humanity and love. One can find material to think about while watching the parts fly, all beautifully illustrated by an artist who should be considered one of Japan's best. 'Ascension' is a unique work of art in an already outstanding series. I hope that Kishiro will keep the series alive for further incarnations.

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'll start with the good. The artwork is excellent. There is a rich and addicting story line. The characters have enduring personalities. I really love this series. I typically always start reading Manga and then watch the anime if it goes that far. However, with Inuyasha it was the opposite for me. One of the reasons I was originally hesitant to read the manga was that it goes from front to back instead of back to front. This means the manga has bad editing issues. Basically to do this the editors have to flip every single image and reverse the image order. At first it wasn't too bad, but there is always a character like Sesshomaru... Every time he is in the manga it's like nails on a chalkboard. Because of the flipping everything about him just screams 'Those idiot American Editors Abused me!' His fluffy and armor are on the wrong side. His crescent moon is backwards. And Because of the flipping he always looks like his right arm was cut off and not the left. Because of this technical glitch the manga appears sloppy. However, the poor choice of flipping the contents doesn't take away from the amazing story. It is still a really good read. One just has to get over all the glitches.

I won't spill anything but this second book is very actiony for a second book. Be sure to read all the booms and other thinks like that (it's kinda fun) (^-^). I hope you buy it you won't be sorry

When I first saw InuYasha, it was about a year ago on TV, and I thought it was the weirdest show(of course, I had no idea it was Inuyasha, I was flipping channels. I discovered that recently when they re-aired the episode.). Some guy with long white hair and fangs? Demons weren't my thing. Then, about three weeks ago, after recently getting hooked onto Japanese manga, I was browsing the designated aisle at Borders, and the bright yellow spine caught my eye. I had remembered my little brother going on about it, and so curiosity got the better of me, and I started reading it in the store. I was immediately hooked. It's a thrilling tale, really, with humor, a bit of bad language, and innocent romance. And that's why, after three days of no trips to Borders, I couldn't take it. I resorted to Amazon. It came in pretty quick too, I was surprised. Afterward I got myself hooked on the show, but I'm not here to review that, am I? Anyways, a long review short, it's a great story by a great author, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The first half of this volume concerns the continuing battle with Yura of the Hair, a witch who is able to puppeteer corpses and use her hair to cut off body parts. Yes, she's always having a bad hair day! Sorry about that. In what I believe will be an ongoing trend, Inuyasha finds that he can't defeat Yura alone because only Kagome can see Yura's strands of hair. In the second story arc in this volume, a talking flea named Myoga, with the inappropriate title "Divine Grace" shows up to tell Inuyasha that someone is trying to rob his father's grave! That would-be graverobber is Sessho-Maru, Inuyasha's half-brother and full-blooded demon, which makes him more powerful than our anti-hero. Let's just say there's no love lost between the two, because there isn't any love at all! Looks like Inuyasha might have to call on Kagome again as the two square off.

Rumiko Takahashi is a true manga genius. Her artwork is beautiful. You find yourself actually seeing an anime in your head when you read her manga, because they are so exquisitely detailed, and the characters spring to life. The action is never confusing, and she never shrinks from realistic blood. There is also a sort of warm charm in the relationship between Inuyasha and Kagome that seems more real than even most shojo. Classic series.

In Inuyasha volume 2, the story of Inuyasha and Kagome continues. If you haven't read volume 1 and haven't seen the anime, go read it! otherwise you won't understand the following review:

Our two main heroes Inuyasha and Kagome return to the Feudal Era to confront Yura, an evil being that has the power to control hair. Such a power might not seem too dangerous, but she really is deadly! How will our heroes fair in their first fight as a team?

When the volume continues, we are introduced to several new characters, but very important ones since they'll be in the story for its remainder. First, an old flea named Myoga,a vassal to his late demon father, tells Inuyasha someone is trying to break into his father's tomb to steal his treasure. As Myoga explains what's happening, Inuyasha's late mortal mother is also discussed.

Just who is the theif? Why it's Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's older full demon brother! Sesshomaru is arguably the most popular character in the series and definitely my favorite. He has brought with him his toad like servant Jaken who wields the Staff of Two Heads(sometimes referred to as Staff of the Skulls) to locate the tomb. It soon becomes clear that Sesshomaru will have to confront Inuyasha to get to their father's treasure. This makes for a very interesting and emotional meeting leaving you with a sense of Sesshomaru's huge level of cruelty(for now).

Just what is the treasure though? It's the Tetsusaiga, a sword made from a fang of Inuyasha's father! The powerful sword can slay 100 demons in one sweep, but it rejects Sesshomaru. When Inuyasha is also unable to get it, Kagome surprises all! Inuyasha eventually gets the weapon, but now that Sesshomaru has transformed into his full demon form, can Inuyasha win?

Overall, this is a roughly 200 page terrific installment of Inuyasha. It reads from left to right which may bother some, though not me personally. I suggest this for all 13 and up as their is nudity and much violence including multiple decapitations. This volume is EXTREMELY action packed. The volume has much fighting, but does a nice job of blending emotion and character introductions. This volume definitely has a great story, introduces interesting new characters, and has much action. The story will only continue to get better!

the story isnt bad but it seems like there are a few parts missing, but all in all I didnt mind it. if you want lots and lots of sex your not going to get it. theres only a few sex scenes, maybe three the most I think.

I absolutely LOVE this manga! The artwork is one of the best out there. The story is very well thought out. It has a good mix of adventure and humor in it. The Crimson Spell is one of the more graphic yaoi manga I've read, lots of explicit scenes, if you like lots of sex scenes, it's a must own!

The best word for this book is Beautiful. The art is amazing and the story is great. I love it and I cannot wait for the second one!

Love, love, LOVE it!

I enjoyed this story. I am eager to see how it ends. Havi is a no nonsense, trash talker. There are no wasted words here. Everybody speakes his mind. Vald is a good substitute for Bald, namewise. The linguistic slippage between B and V is common.

This was my first yaoi purchase pretty much ever, so I was a little nervous about what I was getting. Was it hardcore and no plot or softcore with a heavy plot? I was pleasantly surprised to find a nice balance between the two when I opened the cover of "Crimson Spell."

Ayano Yamane has a gift when it comes to drawing gorgeous men, especially so in the case of Prince Vald (earlier versions print his name as "Bald," but I believe this has since been corrected) and Halvir the wizard, or Havi, for short.

The plot is simplistic at first, deepening as the two men find themselves growing closer and closer, though not ithe way one expects. Prince Vald's curse forces him to turn into a monster, and the beast is only appeased through bloodshed or, you guessed it, sexual gratification (because this wouldn't be a yaoi otherwise <3). Since Havi is the only other hot hunk around, you can assume what goes on between them......without Vald's knowledge. Dun dun dun!

Everything ties in with a quest to find a cure for Vald's curse, including conquering a dragon, taking in an animal spirirt, fighting bandits, and even being captured by an entire army of semi-wizards! The story leaves off with a cliffhanger, but it was so awesome, I have no problems waiting for a sequel.

Now, the artwork itself is absolutely stunning, and I still can't get over how well Ayano Yamane illustrates hands and facial expressions (among other things, heh heh). Clearly this is an author who takes pride in what she does, and handles anatomy as professionally as possible.

Of course, let it be known that the sex scenes are pretty hadcore, as well as uncensored. That's right, uncensored. This turns some people on more than others. For those of you who could care less about the sex, I refer you to the cute plot and side adventures.

All in all, this is the perfect addition to any yaoi fan's collection. Easily one of the best purchases I ever made. I hope every one who purchases this yaoi enjoys it as much as I did.

This book is mostly about romance and drama.if you are into that genre of books then get this one.Its about a girl named christie and she meets this boy she really likes.They're feelings grow for eachother while she struggles to keep te realashionship with her boyfriend.Im not going to spoil the book but you really should get this book if you are into mushy things such as this book.Trust me you will love it.Once you read this value i guarente you that you will want to get the next volume.

Dramacon is a FUNNY, romantic dramady. The story is believe able, the chibi's are adoreable, and did I mention how funny it was? Why WOULDN'T you buy it???????
Book 2 is even better ^_^

This book is excellent! In this story there is nothing but drama. The story is basiclly about being at a anime convention and then the drama begins plus this book follows on with a love story too. Dramacon is one of the most interesting stories I have ever read because of the way they act in this book and it's very ironic how they each act in a way that real people do in the real world. So I highly recomend that you check this book out.

This managa was one of the best I've read. I love the story and where it takes place.

The author really got the energy of anime conventions down. I've been to Otakon quite a few times and I must say it's just like that!

Great read!

The first thing you will probably notice about Dramacon is that it's origins are not from Japan or Korea but Canada. However, even though it's of Western origins, Svetlana Chmakova has brought us a great and totally sweet Manga that captures the very essence of what we love about shojo stories - better than many from Japan.

Christie, a high school amateur Manga writer, goes to an anime convention in the U.S. with her boyfriend Derek to show off their joint Manga in the Artist Alley. However through the days of the convention, Christie learns that her boyfriend is actually an insensitive and selfish jerk as he spends his time flirting with other girls in their cosplayer costumes. Meanwhile, through a series of accidents and coincidents, she forms a bond with a good-looking college student, who despite being constantly rude to her, is always there when she needs him.

Christie is an instantly likeable character with honest feelings who finds throughout the Convention her true spirit. Always torn by her feelings of attraction to the mysterious college student and loyalty to her boyfriend she learns to stop being subdued and to voice her own opinions. So this is first and foremost a romantic shojo about self-discovery, however, it is also truly funny. Throughout the book their are touches of comic genius that you cannot help but grin from ear to ear.

Svetlana embraces the life blood of anime conventions and does not make fun of them. We are always laughing with the anime convention, not at it. She picks classic moments like our heroine's obsession with "Pawky" (meaning Pocky - the addictive chocolate covered breadstick - yummy!), finding new releases from "Mangapop" (aka Tokyopop), the prospect of watching hentai, and cosplayers dressed very scary ways. Little touches, like a plush of Totoro being present in the background almost as an afterthought, brings forth Svetlana's genuine love of Japanese sub-culture.

Near the end the story takes a more serious turn with a confrontation between the main characters and the learning of the college student's secret. Svetlana does a brave move in showing the hero's faults to the audience and does not present him as "too good to be true."

The artwork, though not breathtaking, is pleasant and funny, with the hero looking suitability sexy. It sometimes has similar artwork to Van Von Hunter and Sokura Refugees. The story is touching and funny. This is really worth buying so please do not be put off by the fact that it has a Western author. 4.5 stars.