Manga Books

My girlfriend got me into Strangers in Paradise, after reading the first pocket book I was hooked. The characters are really deep and the artwork is equally as good. I recommend this series to anyone interested in relationships.

Terry Moore's series Strangers in Paradise is a fantasic study of modern life and love. It's about breaking down social stereotypes and learning to love a person for who they are not what they are. It's about true friendship and how hard and how beautiful that is. It's about growing up and knowing yourself and being yourself and rising above your history. It's also an action/adventure thriller with twists and turns and plenty of surprises. There are stories within stories. It's a multilayered, many splendored thing. It's such a good read. Read it.

Katchoo and Francine are roomates, and Katchoo has a crush on Francine. Francine loves Katchoo but prefers men. David is in love with Katchoo, but she hates men. This is the love triangle that anchors this multivolume series. In volume one we learned that prior to living with Francine, Katchoo worked for David's gang boss sister, Darcy Parker, as a call girl and also was her lover. She went into hiding when she ran away from Darcy with a whole lot of Darcy's money.

Now in Volume 2 Darcy has found Katchoo and forces her back into her mob with threats on Francine's life. Darcy needs Katchoo in her biggest blackmail project to date. The main theme of the volume is how Katchoo and David, with help from Francine, escape Darcy's nefarious plans.

Terry Moore takes us through three different time periods in this book. The main story takes place in the time when Darcy's plans are foiled by Katchoo. Then Mr. Moore takes us back to when Francine and Katchoo first met in high school. It is in there that we learn about the troubles that have shaped their current inability to develop loving relationships. Then we find that the high school flashback is just a reminiscence of Francine who hasn't seen Katchoo for ten years and is a wife and mother in a loveless marriage. If she ever needed Katchoo's love, it is at this moment.

The book ends with a short fantasy piece where Francine and Katchoo role play Zena, Warrior Princess. All in all, a delightful book with lots of twists and turns to keep you wanting more.

I was late jumping on the SiP bandwagon, but in the end I'm sure glad I did. If it's one thing Terry Moore is good at, is writing stories that pull on the strings of your heart. It's certainly the most unconventional comic to say the least as all of the characters seem like real people, with no superpowers to be found. Yet all of them do have a real villain- reality. The pain of a love relationship gone wrong, gang crime, brutal murders and dissapointment of dying dreams. It is also a book filled with genuine warmth of friendship, romance and happiness that simply doesn't exist in other books.

All in all, I recomment this a must read for any comic fan. I do agree with what the reader below me said, that the faces of Casey and Katchoo are almost identical. But it's still a damn good book and I'm sorry to see that it will soon becoming to and end.

I have to say that I have tried to read the individual comics that comprise this book. I just couldn't really get into the characters and had no desire to read the series. These pocket books are the way these characters need to be represented. With this format, the reader has a greater chance of seeing the depth and all the turns in the lifes of Francine, Katchoo and David. We see how minor characters interact and come back again. I have really come to enjoy these books.

If I had one complaint it would be in the art work. Now stop booing me. The art work is really excellent but the faces of most of woman are drawn the same. It takes me a few minutes to figure out who I am looking at and her role. Fancine is no problem. Just the characters that I believe to be blonde all look the same.

Other than that, the real strength of the series is in the writing which is top notch. I have come to care for these characters and look forward to book 3.

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.

This is it, the original manga that started a worldwide franchise. Before the anime, before the card game, before the video games, there was this.

Actually, this first volume is actually Volume 8 of Kazuki Takahashi's manga-meaning that readers will learn as much about Yugi's beginnings as they do from watching the first few episodes of the anime. The source material for the first season of Yu-Gi-Oh!, the manga follows Yugi and his friends from their first encounter with Maximillion J. Pegasus to their arrival on Duelist Kingdom (Yugi's first duel with Kaiba is left out). Those familiar with the anime will also be pleased to know that characters like Insector Haga (Weevil) and Mai Kujaku/Valentine will make appearances. Also featured is a rundown on the Duel Monsters cards used in the current storyline. While those who have watched the anime may not find much to talk about here, it's worth a look for those who want to know what all the buzz is about. But if you're a diehard fan who's got to have Yugi on the go, this is good place to start.

This book is rated T for Teen: Violence, Adult Situations

Ummm...Hello? Why are you people talking about volumes 2, 3, and 5 of the regular YGO manga series? This is Yu-Gi-Oh: Duelist, the original story line of the Duelist Kingdom tournament. It is rated teen...that's been established by my fellow YGO fans. Seriously, if you're a parent, don't get this book for your 7-year-old kid who thinks he knows everything about YGO...these are the mangas that you read backwards, so good luck explaining that to your child, and then there are some (...) situations in the other YGO books (there aren't really any in this one, that I remember). Actually, Mai Kujaku (Mai Valentine for all you dubbies) is very, VERY clad...her (...) are practically falling out of her "shirt." But anyway, I wasn't too enthusiastic about reading this because I own three versions of Duelist Kingdom including this, so I know what happens already. It's kind of hard for me to read through all the duels because I have practically memorized every duel in the DK saga. I am usually very tempted to skip the duels the first time I read this, but I didn't skip them, but now I only read through entire duels every once in a while...but I do really like this book!

i would give this book a A+ cuz its so cool to no the character's origins. as some of the other pple mentioned Seto Kiaba doesnt look to good though that doesnt matter to me since i like yami more. anyway the plot of this story sorta sounds like the episode where kiaba tore up Yugi's granfather's bwd(blue eyes white dragon). The only difference with that is that yugi doesn't duel kiaba right off the bat. i'm not gonna tell more cuz that's 4 u to find out.

another thing is that if ur under 12 u shouldn't read this. someone i no read this when he/she was 10 and wouldn't stop asking questions about it. It has a little bit of perverteness cuz of tristan/honda's nephew jojhi. dont get me mad if ur 7 years old and say u like yu gi oh cuz u dont even no the 1/2 of it.

anzu(tea 2 u unkwoning freaks) is not that bad in this manga. but she does draw the smiley face as the friendship sign and makes the litle speech. actually its the only speech she makes on friendship in the entire series. it's still a great book and i would recomend this book to all my friends if they read yu gi oh.

From the title of the item, I would have to say that this is the new Yu-Gi-Oh! manga, Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duelist. The Duelist series is supposed to be based on what American viewers saw, Duelist Kingdom, Battle City, those things, without the annoyance of fillers like Noa's Arc and DOOM. This manga shows the first introduction of Pegasus, how Yugi-tachi got to the island, and the introduction of Mai and Insector Haga (Weevil Underwood for the American fans.) This is a lot more violent, though, as such, you should obey the "Teen" rating on the series.
Other than that, great book, great series, and help in the cause of getting pictures of the thing onto the Amazon.com site, so people will stop giving reviews for manga 2 and 5!

I really like this book. Well, I'm a big fan of Yugioh, so duh! This is the book in which we first see the Duel Monsters cards and meet the young CEO (though at the time we don't know he is one) Seto Kaiba and the mysterious Shadi.

Beware though, Seto, who usually looks all hot and sexy, doesn't look too spectacular. I'm not sure why, but some of the images of him look rather awkward, so if you are used to watching the anime, this is the manga, note the change. It's not like it matters to anyone but me anyway. (I'm an absessive Seto fangirl).

Also, if you are some silly little kid who's under ten and "thinks" he/she likes Yugioh, back away before I get angry. Don't even READ this if you're under 12.

I'm fourteen, and when I see f'ggin FIVE YEAR OLDS saying they like Yugioh I get real pissed...... So, if you are some baby, this book is too sophisticated for you. It is rated TEEN, whatever it says up there, and includes a lot of (minor) swears and violence and drugs and alcohol and more mature stuff.

Joey and Yugi and Honda (Tristen, to all you unknowing twerps) are known to pull perverted pranks. Once, they watched a movie that mentioned "censoured" girls and Joey trying to see through the censoring....O.O...... but that wasn't in this book, so don't worry about Yugi wanting to watch digitized porn.

Yugioh as a whole is awsome. It's my favorite anime for many reasons. It includes hot guys (SETO KAIBA!!! & Malik, Bakura, Yami), Millenium magic, dueling action (I love action/violence, I don't know why) and everyone else that makes it so unique and awsome.

Buy, or at least READ this book, (if you like Yugioh) because it is NOT some cheesy kid's book like the dubbed TV show has become. Now I'm going to get angry at 4kids and the dubbers..... *throws computer at dubbers, they scream and run, I follow them laughing like Yami Marik swinging the Millenium Rod DAGGER!!! (which, to all you unknowing dub-following YGO babies, DOES exist.... but any true Yugioh fan knows that, right?)*

Ayane Yamano's work is always top noth quality. Interesting stories, beautiful drawings. The only reason why I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is that only a half of this manga is devoted to the Finder series. The rest are bonus stories that have nothing in common with the main story. They are very good themselves but I would have prefered less bonus, more main material :(

This book is a MUST have for any true yaoi fan. Beautifully erotic, dramatic, and action-packed. Ayano Yamane churns out believable, sexy characters and a plot that will have you begging for more. I loved it!!! Totally worth the buy!

The whole series of Finders books are hot, beautifully drawn, and have good story. The sex scenes are really quality. The creator knows how to give you just enough build-up, romantic tension, and character development before diving into quality sexing that gives your tummy flip-flops because of the tense character intrigue!

The art is meticulous, perfect! Thats why so many artists imitate her. I don't think there's a better manga artist out there in my opinion.

I completely love this series, but it's not for anyone who does not enjoy the prospect of explicit sexual scenes of men with other men. Everyone else can enjoy to the fullest! Truly lovely. Your eyes are drawn back and forth over the dark, stoic Asami and the shiny new penny Akihito. The play between them is palatable.

Akihito is a tabloid photographer, and Asami is a mob boss. Akihito is caught taking compromising pictures of a politician, and Asami and his goons corner him on a rooftop. They begin to interrogate the photographer, and none too nicely. Luckily Akihito daringly escapes before they could discover his source. Akihito even taunts the Yakuza as he clings to the side of the building he jumped from to elude them. Despite a warning from his source, a cop (and apparently father figure) named Yamazaki, Akihito goes on yet another assignment. Possibly one that Yamazaki has set Akihito up on. This gets him snagged by Asami and his men. It's a trap. Akihito had no idea, until Asami stares directly at his camera just as he takes a shot. (A lovely knowing smile on Asami's face in that shot!) What follows is the kidnaping and seriously hot debauching of poor Akihito. Lucky for Akhito, Asami seems to have done this once or twice. (Scoff!) He dances expertly on the line between cruelty and kindness. He teases Akihito with several things, the best among them was taunting him with his own camera by taking some choice shots of his very naked and vulnerable body. There are times when Asami's even quite tender, but he is always in complete control. He makes sure that Akihito enjoys himself very well in the end. Can you say "screaming orgasm"? I knew you could.

The morning after finds Akihito reflecting on the previous night. Attempting to retrieve the equipment left behind during his kidnapping, he stumbles upon a deal between another mob boss and his friend Yamazaki. Akihito waits until the Yakuza leave, then tells Yamazaki that he's ok with him dealing with the mob, that he trusts him and his judgement as a policemen. Stunned at being found out, Yamazaki draws his gun and aims for Akihito shakily. Asami steps out of the shadows. He's been there the whole time. He pushes Akihito out of the line of fire to the floor, stepping into that line himself to kill Yamazaki. The cops are called, and the scene is left with Akihito sitting on the dock crying and feeling used. Asami comes back and consoles Akihito. Angry that Asami has used him too, Akihito tells Asami that he will find out his weakness and use it to his advantage. Asami grinning cooly and smoking a cigarette says he looks forward to being in Akihito's viewvinder, and looking forward to having Akihito watching him.

There is more. It gets even better, (Wait 'till you see Fei Long!) but if this hasn't hooked you nothing that follows will. The artwork is full of excellent detail, and the expressions are beautiful and believable. Asami is sexy and sleek in his tailored and neat business suits, his eyes are part of a well controlled mask. They show just a little emotion, but the satisfaction is completely evident when he's with Akihito. I'd even say he can't quite help himself. Akihito's beauty is his youth and his innocence. His expressions are wild and uncontrolled. He wears the uniform of the young: jeans, t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, layers that do little to hide his lithe masculine frame. There is no doubt by the end of the manga that Akihito is craving Asami's calculated cruelty every bit as much as Asami craves Akihito's crumbling resistance.

This is my first real yaoi. It's really good but very short for my taste. When it arrived I have thought: good, it's really thick, so I have a lot to read. But of 200 pages, less than 100 are about Akihito and Asami, the two main characters, and the other are all short stories by the same author (some really interesting, like Love Lesson).

Akihito is a young photoreporter; he captures the attention of Asami, a business man who probably is engaged in a drug traffic and with the mafia. Asami kidnaps Akihito and during a night of passion and non consensual sex, marks Akihito as his property. When he frees the boy the next day, Akihito knows he could never forget this domineering man. Everytime he meets him, he can't deny the passion he feels.

And Akihito lets the guy fly away everytime, knowing that he will return back to him. But he will do also everything to protect him from his enemies that could use Akihito as a pawn to draw him in a trap.

Akihito is really young. Maybe not in age, but in experience. But he has a strong wit and Asami is fascinating by his free spirit. And he is really possessive: Akihito could be free, but not free to fly in the arms of another man.

In this graphic novel Akihito is not ready to admit his desires for another man, above all a man with a not so clear past. If I had not yet ordered the next two books in this series I would be a lot disappointed in not knowing if ours two characters will continue their game of love.

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.

This book is a wonderfully drawn and written manga(comic) by Naoko Takeuchi. Sailor Moon really shows how much she has matured over the time. It shows you death really is a part of a fight. Love and action is all thourghout this book making you sometimes very sad. If you like the Japanese anime (cartoon) version you'll love this book. I recommend you buy the books in order though.

I thought this was a good book. The writer is a faboulus story writer. I liked the first and second one more than this one though.

This particular story (they don't seem like comics to me) is very emotinal, and (yes!) it has Sailor Saturn in it! Although a little confusing, this story is very exciting, touching, sad, and, as always, there shines a ray of hope for Sailor Moon to save the world! Read it!

the main story is a bit short then theres a "minimoon" (god i hate that name) story and while i am not a fan it was a nice bouns to add vaule to the book as the story and art are the same level of quaitly

This is the book where they fight Mistress 9. I have also seen the anime version of it, and I liked the part where Sailor Saturn appears better in the manga. It was longer, in the anime she was just there for about a minute. However, I liked the part where they were fighting Mistress 9 better in the anime because it's not as confusing. The manga is different than the anime because in the anime Mistress 9 looks like Hotaru with longer hair but in the manga it destroys the body so the Sailor Soldiers are fighting a monster instead of Hotaru. All of the Sailor Soldiers are in this - Usagi/Sailor Moon, Minako/Sailor Venus, Ami/Sailor Mercury, Rei/Sailor Mars, Makoto/Sailor Jupiter, Haruka/Sailor Uranus, Michiru/Sailor Neptune, Setsuna/Sailor Pluto, Mamoru/Tuxedo Mask, Chibi-Usa/Sailor Chibi Moon, and Hotaru/Sailor Saturn. (But the English names are used for the Inner Senshi and Chibi-Usa and Mamoru.)
Everything I just wrote probably doesn't make sense if you haven't read the book or watched the anime, so now I'll explain it. Usagi is Sailor Moon, the Princess of the Moon, and the leader of the Sailor Senshi. Minako, Ami, Rei, and Makoto are the Inner Senshi, and they are also from the moon. Mamoru is Tuxedo Mask, Usagi's boyfriend in her past life on the moon. Chibi-Usa is Usagi and Mamoru's daughter from the future. Setsuna, Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru are the Outer Senshi. Setsuna/Sailor Pluto was originally supposed to guard the door to the future and Haruka/Uranus and Michiru/Neptune had similar jobs. Hotaru/Saturn is supposed to end the world when she awakens in this book. All of this will make sense if you read the entire series in order. Also there are three talking cats, Luna, Artemis, and Diana. Luna lives with Usagi and Artemis lives with Minako. Diana is Chibi-Usa's kitten from the future and the daughter of Luna and Artemis.
Anyway, in the third part of the Sailor Moon series, their enemies are the Death Busters, Eudial, Mimete, Tellu, Viluy, Sipren, and Professor Tomoe. Hotaru is Proffesor Tomoe's daughter. Their family was caught in a fire when Hotaru was younger and her mother died. Professor Tomoe turned her body into a machine and put an egg in her body so she would become Mistress 9. Now the Sailor Senshi have defeated Eudial, Mimete, Tellu, Viluy, Sipren, and Kaori Knight, Proffesor Tomoe's helper. But then, in the last book, Hotaru took Chibi-Usa's soul (Heart Crystal in the anime) and used it to become Mistress 9. Now in the start of this book she also killed Minako, Ami, Rei, and Makoto (but somehow they came back to life - I don't remember how.) Hotaru is trying to get rid of Mistress 9 and save Chibi-Usa and stop Mistress 9 from destroying her body. Eventually Hotaru escapes with Chibi-Usa's soul and brings her back to life. Meanwhile, Mistress 9 ripped apart Hotaru's body and the Sailor Senshi are fighting with him.
In the end there are facts about all the Sailor Senshi, even Hotaru. There is one more book after this, #11, then SuperS 1-4 and StarS 1-3. There are also five seasons of the anime - Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon R, Sailor Moon S, Sailor Moon SuperS, and Sailor Moon Stars. But the American version is bad - they made it for children, took out episodes, and gave Ami, Luna, Makoto, and Usagi annoying voices. However, you can buy DVD sets in Japanese with English subtitles to see the real Sailor Moon. This is also the only way to see Stars. I haven't seen it yet (actually all I've seen is Season 1, and I haven't watched all of it yet, but I have seen the American version - about half of season one, a few episodes of season two, most of season three, and part of season four. Season One in Japanese is a lot better than in English.) I'm not sure if Stars has the English subtitles or not since I haven't seen it, but I think it does.
Also there are guides to 5 of the characters, fashion dolls, 8 novels, and 18 manga books like this one.

This volume of Blade of the Immortal was great! While it might be confusing the first read, the story of Makie and Anotsu was extremely engaging while tying in Rin and Manji to the story.

I think that I would find myself going on and on about how wonderful everything Hiroaki Samura creates is, so I'll spare this audience the rambling. To put my opinions into one sentence, let me state this: If you love quality and can handle some harsher storytelling, buy Blade of the Immortal books!

If you are shopping for this volume of Blade, you are probably familiar with the story, characters, setting, and overall goodness of everything Of The Immortal. This has been my favorite so far. The story finally picks up some pacing, while slowing down in other respects. I enjoyed the tortured prostitute character, and Manji again comes across both moral choices and personal obligations, and sometimes what you want isn't what you need, or neccissarily get.

Very well worth your time. Buy all of it ASAP.

community-help@amazon.com.

I stumbled onto "Blade of the Immortal" translations in comic book format. Attracted by the art, and the unusally deep dialogue between the opponents (as dramatic as Kazou Kioke's "Lone Wolf and Cub", but much more up-to-date in sensibility and subject matter) I immediately began looking for back issues, which was difficult. Many retailers don't seem to order many issues of this book. Fortunately the trade paperbacks started coming out soon after.

"Blade of the Immortal" starts off as a fairly typical samurai revenge story, with some unusual horror movie twists. We meet Manji, a guilt-ridden outlaw and expert swordsman, who is cursed with an odd form of immortality. No matter how grievously he is injured, he cannot die. Manji makes a deal with a magical buddhist nun. He will gain the release of death, if he slays 1000 evil men. Soon we meet Rin, a young girl, the daughter of a swordsmanship teacher who witnessed the horrific murder of her parents at the hands of the Itto-Ryu, a renegade sword school. Tortured by nightmares, she seeks revenge, but realizing she has no hope of surviving a direct confrontation with even one Itto-Ryu swordsman, she convinces Manji to serve as her bodyguard and stand in. Taking up Rin's quest seems a perfect confluence of both of their desires: her need to put her parents memory to rest, his to earn his redemption.

The stories take you through dramatic encounters with various members of the sword school. All are dangerous swordsmen with unique styles of combat. Some are quite literally monsters. Each has a unique story, an unique reason for having become a renegade, and this becomes the source of much thought provoking drama before, during and after the battles. All are memorable characters, in particular Shimuzu (Book Two: "Cry of the Worm"), a fellow immortal and Maki, a swordswoman forced into prostitution who fights like the wind (Book 3: "Dreamsong").

Harioki Samura has great timing, the panel layouts make the fight scenes breathtaking and exciting. Also wonderful is the developing relationship between Manji and Rin, a kind of older brother, little sister dynamic that lends the book much humor and necessary warmth (given the bloodiness of the battles).

Beginning with "Rins Bane" (Book 4) Rin's internal debate about the morality and human costs of her quest, takes center stage, and make this one of the deepest and most interesting books to cross the Pacific in years. There's still plenty of action, and the relationship between Rin and Manji continues to deepen, but it's the debates about the sanity of the bushido code, about memory, about filial duty, and hints of political intrigue to come, that make this book an thought provoking and engrossing read.

If you have any taste for the high drama and action, as well as the deeper issues running through comic books like "the Authority", you have to give "Blade" a try. This is the best dramatic manga translation I've read, and it compares favorably with "Lone Wolf & Cub" and "Neon Genesis Evangelion". I really don't think you will be disappointed.

I love this series! I anxiously await ever collection. Dreamsong is one of my favorites volumes. The story seems to depart a little from Rin & Manji to focus on Makie. Makie is quite possibly the finest combatant among the vast array of fighters in 'Immortal'. It's great to find out a woman character could quite easily take out all these posturing, big-headed male characters (Manji included). She's ultra-cool and a nice counterpart to the female character of Rin.
The artwork and pace of storytelling is what initially drew me to this series. It's samurai western at it's finest. Some of the kills i find kind of stoopid - Manji carves up an opponent's head with the stroke-shapes of a swastika (volume 1), but overall, this stuff is high intensity action. My highest praise. Definitely buy these books. It's best to start at the beginning to keep track of every character and event. awesome.....

Volume three in the 'Blade of the Immortal' series is unusual on several accounts. While most of the series focuses entirely on the adventures of Rin and Manji, her immortal bodyguard, 'Dreamsong' shifts the focus onto several of their opponents. Especially Makie Otono-Tachibana, a brilliant geisha, the mistress of Kagehisa Anotsu, and possibly, Japan's greatest master of the sword. As part of this, we will also lean further into the personality of Kagehisa himself, the leader of the weaponry school that killed Rin's parents.

Manji, perhaps frustrated by traveling with a beautiful young woman, allows himself to be picked up by a street prostitute and suddenly finds himself confronted with a deadly swordswoman. It is Makie, send by Anotsu to stop the immortal swordsman. Unexpectedly, Makie seems unable to make a fatal strike. Manji, disgusted leaves her alive and defeated, even though he knows there will be a rematch.

The story of why Makie failed that attempt is a complex weaving of her own life as a child, growing up to become a prostitute and then a geisha, and her experiences with Kagehisa Anotsu, whom she has known from childhood. Makie, daughter of a swordswoman, and the cause of her brother's death, is torn between her talents and her dreams. Anotsu owes her his life, but has taken control of hers in a twisted form of repayment. Making a graceful singer and poet into a killer.

Of course, Makie's struggle reflects that of Rin, who has sworn to revenge her parents. Young Rin, no match for Makie's beauty or sword skills is jealous, but in the end, it is her own inner struggle with fate that brings home the truth to Makie. For all the violence that is part of this tale, Hiroaki Samura gives is a grace of word and imagery that recall some of the greatest of Japanese writing. If you read no other in this series, read 'Dreamsong.'

I have had this comic book for so many years and for so many years i never got around to reading it as it seemed to find a life just lying on my book shelf as an ornament. With the recent re-releases of the DBZ DVD uncut re-mastered box sets I found myself finally being able to watch DBZ as I couldn't before. The reason being that when I wanted to watch DBZ on the cartoon network it was already way to deep in the storyline for me to follow and catch up so I decided to never jump on the DBZ nation. Now with the DVD sets being so affordable and just jammed with so many episodes I couldn't pass the opportunity. So I ended up really loving the cartoon and it did take about 1 episode for me to get comfortable with the English voice cast.

Now DB isn't available on DVD box set uncut re-mastered so I thought I would turn to the comics to see where it all began. I finally read the book on my shelf that's been there for years and I really enjoyed it. I am glad I never threw it out on one of my weekly apartment cleaning splurges. The artwork of course is stellar and I love Japanese comics because they have so many pages unlike US comics that only have about 21 pages. It's nice to see how Bulma met Goku and how Oolong & Yamcha all fell into the scheme of things. I always wondered where Chi Chi came from & now I know. I found the book so enjoyable that I ordered the other 15 issues that rounded up the original DB saga. I found myself just waiting for the next page to turn. The creator/artist does a wonderful job of balancing action, humor, friendship, & dirty jokes all in one. This truly is a piece of art that is a masterpiece to own. It also makes a great quick read on any vacation or bus ride. The version I have is the 1st one published by Viz Comics and is the exact same one displayed here except it has a white cover & not red. It is also a little bigger which I like. I am a bit shocked by some reviews that say it's too racy for teenagers. The comic is in cartoon animated children like format; i doubt it's harmful unless your child needs psychiatric help if a comic book influences them that heavily to want to beat people with a stick that magically extends or imagines that people can sit on clouds that fly you places. I am also certain young children won't find the humor the way a grown teenager or someone in their 20's would. I didn't find any racy or uncomfortable content in the comic whatsoever. Everything is in for humor effect. This comic is for any art lover and any DBZ lover. It's simply the best and one of the best artistic contributions to the world.

i grew up watching the anime so i had no problem getting into this. it is a very creative story and the characters grow on you. give it a chance its not a bad read at all.

Okay, while Dragon Ball isn't my favorite manga, it is probable the most well-known and most celebrated manga to date. And for good reason.

Volume 1 tells the story of when Bulma first met Goku, and they decide to hunt down the dragon balls. Goku's grandfather has died, and he is living alone in the wilderness, so he really has nothing to lose. The stories in this volume leave you wondering about Goku's origin (Bulma is constantly suprised by his mysterious monkey-tail), laughing at Goku's innocence, Oolong the pigs diarrhea, and Yamcha's shy perversion. Dragon Ball is a great manga. It will have you laughing and marveling at Akira Toriyama's unique artwork. If you're a fan of shonen manga but have not read Dragon Ball, do yourself a favor and try it out.

On a side note, Dragon Ball: Volume 1 is rated T for teen (ages 13 and over). I have heard that there are censored versions of the book as well as uncensored ones, and I'm not sure if this is true, but I know that I own an uncensored book. Uncensored, Dragon Ball contains some mild language, some mild violence (a cartoonish monster is decapitated),many sexual jokes (Goku is often "patting" strangers out of curiosity to whether they are male or female), and a generous amount of nudity (Son Goku is seen completely nude, Bulma has a shower scene where breasts and bottom are exposed, etc.) I'd recommend Dragon Ball for those ages 16 and over, despite the teen rating it received.

Akira Toriyama's 1984 manga series "Dragonball" has got to be one of my favorites. While a lot of people in America think (negatively) of Dragonball as Dragonball Z or GT (manga/anime), I think of the classic Dragonball that has entertained me for the last couple years.

I first found Dragonball when browsing through manga at my local bookstore. The dragon on the cover was just one of the things that caught my eye. Inside, there was a whole world to be explored! I fell in love with Toriyama's detailed art, the ironic and entertaining storyline, the characters, the jokes...everything has made it a wonderful manga for me.

While it has its good things, it also has its bad. I would not reccomend Dragonball for people younger than 14, or to people who don't like manga, or even can't take a joke. Dragonball contains some violence (but no blood), crude humor, and sexual references.

In conclusion, Dragonball is just one of my favorite manga series, but perhaps my most valued. I hope you will like Dragonball, too!

I've been a long time manga fan, but Dragonball Z was the one series I never could get into. There was just too much testosterone and muscles and screaming for my liking, and it tainted my view on Akira Toriyama himself.
Little did i know the Dragon Ball, the prequel to DragonBallZ, is in fact very different. I read it at my school library and was very pleasantly surprised, what I found was a fun adventure series that is often very racey but always hilarious.
Akira Toriyama has a fabulous gift for characterisation, and the ones he presents in this manga are extremely fun. Goku is a little monkey-tailed, uncivilized kid who has never seen other people before, and is somewhat shameless, Bulma is rather superficial and full of herself but tries to keep Goku in check, and Oolong the shape shifting pig is comedy gold.
As the other reviews can probably tell you, this isnt for the kiddies, but I myself was laughing my head off at some of the 'inappropriate' humour, such as Goku asking Bulma why she has 'a butt on her chest', and his horror-struck realistation that girls are different from boys as they have...'parts missing'.
The reason I give this book 3 stars however, is because of VIZ's english release. I do not like their habit of replacing the original japanese SFX with english, I feel it ruins the art. Aside from that, some of the speech was a little iffy, characters like Goku and Chi-chi were given oddly accented voices which didnt sound right to me. I am glad that for once VIZ DIDNT tone down any sexual jokes or censored any nudity as they have done in other Shonen Jump titles.

If you love mangas and love a story that gives you every emotion a story can give you, then this is the book for you. The main part of the story is comedy but it does have a lot of other emotions to it and there are a lot of plot eliments that will keep you wanting to read. I don't want to give anything away so I wont, you'll just have to read it. ^_^

I own this series in Japanese, and it is a wonderful read! It has all the important elements of a good shoujo manga: it is romantic, twisted, with a shoujo (in the traditional meaning of the word) involved in finding a new family and love triangles galore. It is just a very fun read, no matter the language!

As an American whose undergrad studies revolved around European subjects, I am still quite ignorant of Japanese customs/cultures/naming conventions and so on. This book confuses me in a few different ways: 1, as another reviewer pointed out, several of the characters look nearly identical, and I had to go back and reread several portions to figure out who was whom. 2, the variations on naming are awkward to me. Tohru is variously referred to as Tohru, Tohru-san, Tohru-chan, Tohru-kun, Honda-san, sometimes even Kyoko-san, which is her mother's name. This isn't so bad, because Tohru is always Tohru no matter what is on the end of it, but for example Hatori is sometimes Ha'ri and sometimes Haa-san and this happens with all the characters who have more than 2 syllables in their names.

There are some weird cultural things drawn in here that I don't understand: a sketch of Tohru's mom in middle school, and she's wearing what looks like a surgical mask? (She was not a doctor.) One of Tohru's friends is referred to as a Yankee, but I can only assume this has a different meaning in Japan. Her name is Arisa Uotani-san (sometimes Uo-chan, which really threw me!) and that is definitely not an American name. So, here I am confused again.

Please forgive my ramblings but once I get started, it's hard to stop! I'll be continuing with Fruits Basket.

I think that the storyline is so nice and is definitely worth reading. I prefer reading it in Nihongo though. All in all the story is very enjoyable and it has a good balance of darkness and drama against lightheartedness and comedy. Ga suki furuuts basuketto!

Tohru Honda's adventures really get going in the second volume of "Fruits Basket," where the upbeat teen moves into the Sohma household. Natsuki Takaya's storytelling is stronger and steadier in these chapters, since she's introduced the main characters and can now get going on the plot.

Tohru is moving into her newly furnished room, and her pals (wave-reading goth Saki and toughgrrl Hana) decide to stay over to make sure that the guys will take care of their cheerful friend. And when New Year's rolls around, Kyo and Yuki find themselves wondering what to do -- go to the main house with the other family, or stay with Tohru?

And at the school, the students are planning a cultural festival, and Tohru encounters two other Sohmas -- the chilly doctor Hatori, and the effusive half-German Momiji, who is instantly pals with Tohru. But Tohru learns of a different side to the zodiac members' lives, when she hears about Hatori's tragic past.

The first volume of "Fruits Basket" was all about introducing the characters and getting them into the same house. And in the second volume, Takaya gets to flesh out the cast with new characters and new storylines, and hints about the more sinister aspects of the Sohma family's curse, and the family head Akito.

The storylines in general are darker here, especially the harrowing flashbacks of Hatori's love affair with his ex-fiancee, and the bitterly chilly way that it fell apart. But Takaya also sprinkles it with happier moments, such as the naughty novels, the preparations for the cultural festival ("She brought an IRON PIPE to school!"), and poor Yuki having to wear a dress, much to the delight of his crazed fangirls.

There are also some new dimensions shown in Tohru here. Sure, she's always cheerful and pleasant, but Takaya hints that she is actually quite lonely now, despite the presence of her friends. But the zodiac members also get some development -- including Tohru's whole talk with Kyo about the "umeboshi" on people's backs.

The second volume of "Fruits Basket" is even better than the first, and introduces the mix of tragedy and comedy that Takaya is so good at. And it will only get better.

This product showed up speedily and in very good condition. I am very happy with it.

I own this series in Japanese, and it is a wonderful read! It has all the important elements of a good shoujo manga: it is romantic, twisted, with a shoujo (in the traditional meaning of the word) involved in finding a new family and love triangles galore. It is just a very fun read, no matter the language!

reading this book makes me want more to read

for people who love fruits basket, this will probably be one of your favorites in the series. full of drama and revealation, i think it is one of the best. i like how there is drama, but not too much of it; it's just in the right spots. kyo realizes his feelings about toruh, and yuki does too, i believe. momiji has really grown up! and u finally realize things about akito. a great read for furuba fans, but i say if u haven't tried this series bfore, research a little on it before deciding to read it!!!!:) i know i can't wait for volume 14!!!!

Fruits Basket volume 11 is probably among the darkest volumes in the series. When you read this one, I can assure you that you will easily be moved to tears - and also part of what makes it dark is our finding out about the zodiacs' futures, particularly Kyo's.

It's obvious that this family holds lots of betrayal and backstabbing, and this volume makes that a big part of its aura. Parts of the book are rather surprising and catch you off-guard while you're reading it. I remember sitting on my bed while reading it, turning to the next page and going "WTF KYO KNEW KYOKO" because basically, this is the volume where we find out about that.

Akito finally confronts Tohru with her real attitude towards outsiders, and gives her a small wound in her anger (poor Tohru!). However, Momiji fans will love this volume, as we see his courageous and protective side towards loved ones.

And LAST but not least, the "love triangle" Between Tohru, Yuki and Kyo is certainly getting more complex. You'll know that in the previous volume, Yuki confessed to himself his love for Tohru. In this volume, the same happens with Kyo. I know who she ends up with in the end at this point (and also by reading spoilers! Haha), but I won't tell you for the sake of my poor head before getting hit by an iron skillet. VERY worthy of five stars, although my favorite volumes are still 1, 4, 6, and 13.