Manga Books

This was surprising because it was more great than I expected! The art is wonderful (Clamp did a great job), very colorful as expected from Shoujo style art. I kind of like this take on what Clamp has created compared to other works, because it is very lively, not dark like some other works, and it also has so much detail. It's very great! I recommend for any Clamp fan, any Magic Knight Rayearth fan! I also would recommend looking at Clamp's other works like the Tsubasa art books, or Card Captor Sakura, xxxHolic, etc.

I love CLAMP...thier artwork rocks. It's a must-have along with the actual manga series and the first artbook.

lots o' art and in great color! Better than 1st art book.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This volume is just one long fight between Guts and the Black Dog. Another tough opponent shows up, and we quickly get the sense that he is not human, which may represent Guts' toughest challenge yet. Also, he seems familiar, doesn't he? Although this installment is mostly about fighting, the quality is still outstanding, due to the high intensity, to the constant sense of doom and to Guts trying to overcome it.

The nature of this volume is such that the violence escalates, reaching an all time high in the series, especially with the deeds performed by the Demon Dogs. This, once again, allows for an impressive display of Miura's drawing skills. But this volume is not only about violence, since the demons provide Griffith, Guts and the rest of the Band with some important information about the future as it relates to the eclipse. Ohh, and there is a very special visitor towards the end. I cannot wait to see what happens next!

With all the sentimentality of the past two volumes out of the way, Berserk really gets down and dirty with this, the eleventh volume of this bloody and violent series. In this volume, nothing is held back; it's almost getting to the point where I'm thinking there has to be something wrong with me for enjoying this series so much to this point. Yes, early on I was disappointed by Berserk because of some of the content (the child molestation scene in volumes three and four) but now, even with a graphic rape and dismemberment scene, it seems Berserk can do no wrong to me. Thankfully, I'm still cheering for the good guys so I can't be all messed up in the head; I couldn't wait for Guts to get revenge for the poor girl who had to go through the scene mentioned above. Plus, the story is heating up and adding things that weren't found in the anime, which is always good.

This volume starts only moments after Guts and friends escape from Midland Castle with Griffith, now only a husk, and they are being hunted by a mercenary group almost as famous as the Band of the Hawk, the Knight of the Black Dog, made up entirely of criminals with a leader who is... less than human, I'll say. Most of this volume centers around the remaining members of the Band of Hawk's battle with the Black Dog Knights, and with Guts's battle with their powerful leader. The action in this volume is intense and is almost entirely new to what the anime was, and is getting to the point where the anime had ended.

It's amazing to me that a series that has continued this long hasn't entered a state of complete stupidity that other long-running manga or anime has (see any of the Shonen Jump titles for this). Everything is still tied tightly to the main story, and rarely does it ever stray. Berserk is just an amazing manga, as it is well-written, artistically drawn, and horrifying. Though for a time I was in doubt, I'm now sure that this is still my favorite manga out. Chances are, if you're reading this, you're familiar with the Berserk franchise, so I probably don't need to recommend this... but I will anyways. Get this volume, and any other that came out before or after this.

Volume 11 of Kentaro Miura's medieval fantasy epic Berserk sets the stage for the end of the "Golden Age" story arc and the beginnings of the "Retribution" arc. This volume focuses primarily on action (e.g. fantastic fight sequences, especially between Guts and Wyald, a character introduced in volume 10) rather than advancing the Berserk plot, and Miura succeeds admirably. The supernatural elements introduced in the first several volumes (the "Black Swordsman" flashback arc) but muted during the "Golden Age" are starting to intrude upon the human realm once again and threatening to engulf the world of Guts.

The review mentioning hentai is bit misleading: there is arguably no gratuitous sex in volume 11 that you would expect to find in hentai. While the images may excite some readers, I believe that Miura included nudity/sex that you find in volume 11 (and also in other volumes) to demonstrate the depravity of certain situations and characters.

While this may not be one of the most action packed volumes, it is still awesome in the fact that it's one of the key turning points in the story. This is really the issue that sets you up on why Guts does what he's doing when the first issue came out. The artwork is still very detailed, and the dialogue is very well thought out. Enjoy.

Here we are, we have reached the fork in the road, and even though from the first volumes we know what the final result was regarding Griffith's transformation, we do not know exactly how he got there. The eclipse has arrived and we are reintroduced to the four God's Hands, the guardian angels of the demons. The eclipse marks the demons' nighttime festival, which happens every 216 years, and in this case, it is up to Griffith to decide if he wants to sacrifice his friends to the demons in order to achieve his goal.

The concept of fate and the impossibility for humans to change God's plan are one of the central topics at this point. We know though, that Guts is going to fight this concept really hard, even though the odds are stacked up high against him. But I think that overall, aside from the brutal violence this volume displays, this is a case in which the main issues are ethical. The concept of sacrificing something you love for your own benefit is one of the main topics explored here. This volume also provides a really good argument for all the violence displayed in this series, since it is needed to convey the stakes.

If I were you, I would have volume 13 handy, since unless you have already seen the anime and know what happens next, you will be extremely eager to get this information. This volume, together with the next one, explain the darkness that surrounded Guts when we first met him, and give the story the cohesiveness that makes this one of the best manga series ever. For those that like the sensual aspects of this series (of course I do too!), this installment will not be a disappointment, since you will get to see the transformation of one of the God's , who exudes sex-appeal.

At this point, I feel confident to say that anyone that has been following this series is hopelessly hooked, as I am. I hope that the quality stays at this level and that we have Berserk for a long time to come.

If you like action all the time or most of the time you will love Berserk, that's all I need to say.

I get now why we were given all that backstory in volume 2 about Chris' father. There is a ton of stuff going on politically and that side story really helped keep it straight, even though it monopolized half the volume. I really have to say that this story is very deep and intricate and if you are not paying attention you are going to get lost fast. This is not your typical yaoi storyline. I actually had to go back and reference previous volumes several times to keep all of the plotlines and characters straight.

One thing in particular that made me do a doubletake was Prince James' character. In volume 2 all of the Falcon's Talon stuff was completely confusing and I had a hard time understanding the dynamics of the characters involved, particularly as it concerned James. I was at that time left very suspicious of him, thinking his motives to be a lot more sinister than they turn out to be at the end of volume 3. I went back and reread those scenes in the previous volume and discovered that a lot of my assumptions must have been based on some kind of personal bias that made me read into things too far. You have to be careful with this series and pay close attention or you'll miss the subtle details or see things that just aren't there.

As for the content of volume 3, there were no graphic scenes this time around, but Zeke's character seems to be deeper than it appeared at the end of volume 2. In volume 2 I just felt like I had a handle on him and he was the steady one and utterly devoted to Chris, but now we're seeing his limitations and flaws and insecurities. It's refreshing in a way that did not require some compicated plot twist to pull off. It flowed very naturally from the events of the previous volumes.

Chris as well continues to grow as a character. He is still human and flawed, but it is nice to see him becoming more of an adult and taking on responsibilities. Volume 4 promises to continue this progress very nicely. I can't wait to see how their plot to infiltrate the Empire turns out when they actually arrive there. It's such a strange change of pace when I am just as interested in the universe of a BL title as I am in the BL themes of a BL title. A mark of an excellent series, I would argue.

In all, I do not recommend starting Black Knight with this volume, but I do recommend reading this series. It is wonderful, and while light in its BL/yaoi themes, very beautifully expressed.

You should read all the volumes in this series if you want to understand the intricate relationships going on between all the characters.

A great series and wonderful graphics, a complicated story in many ways so you need to read all the volumes to understand all the different relationships. I look forward to the next book.

Wild action as the crippled Anotsu faces a dozen sword school killers. Manji and Rin choose that moment to reunite and blood flows. Samura's complex story line is wonderful and his battles beautiful. For those familiar with the series, this is an excellent chapter.

All that is holy, this is THE manga to get. There is nothing better.

Last Blood is Volume 14 in Mr. Samura's revenge-quest manga, Blade of the Immortal. While there are some genuinely funny and sweet moments (the laughs and awws provided by Magatsu and Rin, respectively), the overall tone of this volume is dark and tense but NOT depressing. Anotsu has been systematically cut down, but now he will regather his forces (what's left of the Itto-ryu) and strike back at the Bakufu! Likewise, Rin reunites with Manji, and however briefly their time, she makes a long-awaited confession....

Needless to say, I lapped up every single panel: this series is very very well plotted. Yet I do have a minor complaint. Some of the pages seem rushed, and the lines, very dark and heavy. However, the one or two full page pencil sketches are still astonishingly beautiful.

Think it would be great to live forever? Manji, a crass ronin of eighteenth century Japan, doesn't agree. Cursed to immortal life for prior misdeeds, he must dispatch a thousand evil men to the judgment of the Buddha in order to die himself. Joining a young girl on her quest for vengeance against the rebellious Itto-Ryu sword school, Manji soon has dire need for his twelve blades as he faces a motley of hardened warriors, psychopaths, philosophers and just plain jokers. The thousand-man requiem is met by the painful stroke of give-and-take; and is told in a fashion that puts most modern epics to shame.

In The Gathering, the seventh BoTI compilation released on western shores, Hiroaki Samura continues to experiment with his storytelling style and artwork presentation. The character interactions are slower and more involved, the artwork less showy though always superb. One can see a definite maturation of style between, say, _Blood of a Thousand_ and this graphic novel: the `death murals' are gone; the battles longer and more defined; the development of conflict more pronounced and, ultimately, more effective. But some things never change, Manji's smirk and Rin's determination among them.

This compilation contains the first half of `The Gathering' storyline, focusing mostly on Rin's hunt for Anotsu Kagehisa, leader of the Itto-Ryu. The action doesn't really start until the last third, when Manji must duke it out with three warriors in order to procure a travel pass from one prefecture to the next. This quickly evolves into one of the most violent and desperate battles so far, though the reader will have to wait for the next compilation for a climax and conclusion to the story elements presented here.

Five stars, as always.

One of the drawbacks of diving into a lengthy manga series is that it is not always obvious where to start. In this particular case, I found myself in front of a shelf full of volumes of Hiroaki Samura's popular series without a clue to which were the first. So, totally at random, I selected this book and its sequel ('The Gathering, Part II'), guessing from the titles that they at least represented a single story. Typical reviewer's luck, I got home to discover that I had managed to start right in the middle.

Unlike novels in a series, which often feel the need to provide some background, these manga start right in. Without even knowing the characters' names, I was busy trying to pick up the details of the plot. Gradually I pieced together that Manji was an immortal swordsman who could not die until he killed 1000 villains. He travels with Rin, a young swordswoman, helping her track down the murderers of her parents.

'The Gathering' starts out in an inn where Manji and Rin are resting after a failed attempt on the life of Anotsu Kagehisa head of the Itto-ryu sword school. All they know is that Anotsu has left Edo for Kaga. Rin is determined to follow him, but there is a hitch. Travel in 18th Century Japan was severely restricted, and neither Manji nor Rin have the credentials to pass the checkpoints. Rin is so determined though that she ignores Manji's warnings and heads off on her own. Manji has no choice but to follow her. Their situation is complicated by the fact that they have been charged with murder and their sketches have been posted all over the path to Kaga.

This volume traces Manji and Rin's individual paths as they each try to acquire the coveted pass (tegata). True to their natures, Rin chooses the less violent path of subterfuge and Manji follows the swordsman's path. But neither finds progress easy. Without question, this is a two-volume problem.

The series is drawn with great elegance and style - much better than many of the manga I have seen. And once you figure out what exactly is going on, the story progresses smoothly. There is a great deal of depth to the characters coupled with a strong plot. The details of late 18th Century Japanese society are worth the price of admission on their own.

One thing I did find hard to follow was the depiction of fighting. With very little dialog other than sound effects these have a much different style from U.S. Comic violence. They are far more violent and have a disjointed style that takes more concentration to follow. However, this is just a matter of acclimatization. Taken as a whole, it is certainly no surprise that 'Blade of the Immortal' enjoys extensive popularity both in Japan and elsewhere.

(please excuse my english mistakes, i am german) If you enjoy manga, and samurais, there is nowhere else you should look (well perhaps lone wolf club....) other than Blade of the Immortal. BOTI not only has incredible art work all done in pencil and ink the story is beyond in-depth with a variety of characters and plenty of unuique battle sequences. The main character Manji, is often refered to as being one of the best main characters in both manga and anime alike. However, manji is far from the only cool character in the series....even the badguys (for the most part) are incredible...often times i find myself hating one but by the end of a battle you begin to understand the badguy and realise they may not have been as bad as you once thought. Also this series just continues to get better as it goes along rather than trail off like most mnagas i have read. As stated before if u like samurai/manga i would highly recomend this series of novels novels to you.

Readers please note that this review is specific to Part Two of the 'The Gathering.' [online store] has decided to treat the two volumes as if they were the same, which is unfortunate. While nothing written here really reveals and significant plot details that would hurt your enjoyment of the first volume, I do suggest you read my previous review first.

Having managed to get over my confusion at finding myself directly in the middle of the action in the previous volume, I somehow expected that its sequel would be easier to manage. After all, I had done my homework and discovered what Hiroaki Samura's real story arcs were, and I had even stolen a few peeks at the first few manage. I allowed this to give me a sense of false confidence as I picked up this volume.

What I was unprepared for was that fully on half of this volume is a detailed study of a fight between Manji and three opponents. This battle started in the previous volume and reaches genuinely heroic proportions as Manji is slowly chopped to bits. Apparently, this is standard operating procedure for the immortal samurai, who manages to survive injuries that would have made short work of a vampire. Since we know Manji will survive - the manga is his story - we are pushed right up to the point where all the hacking and slashing seems a bit funny.

The story of Rin's own efforts to get to Kaga and seek vengeance for her father's death is far less violent. The swordswoman seeks the aid of an innkeeper and his wife, hoping that she may masquerade as a relative in order to pass through the control point between Edo and Kaga. She discovers that this will take more than simple subterfuge and must use all her resources of courage to make her way.

While I cannot help but pick on a series of extraordinarily violent episodes, but the truth is that Samura's art remains at a consistently high level, regardless of subject matter. In addition, he displays a great depth of knowledge of 18th century Japan. I find the subtext of the competition between sword schools and the stratification of Japanese society eye opening, much more vivid than what the history books provide. While the story is uniquely Japanese in its telling it appeals to values of indomitable will and courage which are admirable anywhere. This continues to be a masterful series.

The only problem I can see in this volume is the fight at the beginning. It is a little hard to read. The panels don't seem flipped right in a few instances. Manji, though, fights his toughest opponent yet. There are quite a few badguys in the itto-ryu that have a reputation besides Anotsu. Higa is one of those guys who has his own personality. I noticed one faded drawing in BOTI a while back. It was suppose to be kinda hard to see, but you can make out some of the people. I think it was DREAMSONG. The itto-ryu were all standing and you saw Anotsu in the center. To the right are Magatsu, and others who are too hard to define. To his left are what I think to be Higa, and, again, others who are too hard to define. Higa definietly earns a spot next to Anotsu seeing as how Manji can NOT keep up with him.

Hyakurin and Shinriji have some parts. I never read the first volume, but there is a guy who knows Manji. I am not quite familiar with him. Anywho, this novel is pretty cool. there are a lot of fights, a really cool badguy, and a neat segment on weapons at the end. Great book! Get volume one first. Next is SECRETS if my memory serves me correct.

if you are jus getting into this series u need to start from the begining. with a glance of the first paperback edition it might seem like a manga with lots of violence and gore, which is what got me into this manga. however, as you progress into the manga many characters began to take form and start to develope in the most interesting way.

the manga delve into human perceptions, at times the bad guys seems good, and the good guys are just bad. i feel its a great representation of our society as it is.

the drawing is done in rough lines, but with that it makes the characters to seems alive. espiecially in a fight sequence it adds the feeling of motion to it. there is also couple superbe drawing of finishing moves, quite dramatic.

overall this manga is a most have, even my girlfriend who is not into manga enjoy reading it. right now im waiting for the next installment, whihc is a drawback cause u gota wait for the new installments.

This is probably the best manga out there for animal people. I myself have lots of animals and really enjoyed this book. The art is cute and the animals are lovable.
The main character, Tasuke can talk to animals and his father is a vet. The situations the animals are in are realistic and believable. The author is a vet, so that's why.
I highly recommend this book. It's really good.

I found the first volume of this on the shelf at Books A MIllion. It looked cute, and I didn't have anything else to buy since they were sold out of the latest issue of Hana Kimi, so I bought it. And oh my gosh, so glad I did. Once I finished the first, I raced to find vol. 2!

The author seamlessly inserts the best facts about pet-parasites and illnesses that you never knew before.
The pictures are clean, & well drawn. Its art style is one of the more cutesy mangas I've read, but I don't mind at all (for comparison, I've read & enjoyed varied styles from Hellsing to CLAMP comics and more shounen-style Sgt Keroro).

Be warned though- The publisher, Raijin Comics, has gone on hiatus, thus there are only 2 volumes of this out in graphic novel form. Whether they'll finish up the series is anyone's guess. So, if you absolutely hate buying series on hiatus, don't get this. But if you really want to read an awesomely cute story with very well-done drawings and learn something new about animals every chapter, you should absolutely try and find copies of the two volumes of BowWow Wata!

I picked this one up on a whim, because I loved the cute name, the adorable art, and the concept of a boy who can talk to animals. Well, sometimes when you do that you end up regretting it, but I have to say that I loved Bow Wow Wata.

The premise of the story is a simple one. Our main character is a selfish young man whos family can talk to animals. His father uses this ability to run a poor but caring animal clinic, and expects his son to also become a vet. However, Tasuke has his own ideas. He doesn't want anything to do with the family business, doesn't want to talk to animals, and only wants to get a good job and become rich! All this starts to change, though, when a cute girl and her vicious-but-cute dog come to the clinic, looking for help. Although he starts out with selfish motives, could Tasuke be learning the reason his father values his ability to talk to animals so much?

The art in this comic is above average, and what made me pick it up in the first place. The characters are very cute, and the art is clean and very appealing. Also, the animals are beautifully drawn, and all are so adorable!

The printing quality of the book is also above average for american manga. The paper is very white and of very high quality, and the printing job is very well done, very clean-looking, and just above average in all respects. It's a level of quality you just don't always see with american comic printing, unfortunately, and it shows that the publishers really cared about the details with this book.

It was published unflipped, too, which means you have to read it in the Japanese order. This is a common thing with Japanese comics in the US recently. I prefer it, but I think it's worth mentioning. The publisher has included very, very tiny numbers in the corner of the panels to show what order to read them in. Personally I don't think this is really needed, but it's really hard to notice the numbers and they don't detract from the comic in the slightest.

At first I expected this to just be a silly comedy with cute animals. It has both of those things, but as the book goes on it becomes very touching as well. Anyone who's familiar with animal rescue, who's worked with animals, or who's had pets will be getting all sniffly reading this. It's a great mix of happy and sad that really makes the story stick with you longer than you'd expect.

Also, don't be fooled by the title! Cat lovers, there is a cat character who plays a major part in the story as well. I can't help but wonder if other animals will also appear in later volumes.

It's worth noting that the author and illustrator of this comic is also a vet with a degree in veterinary science. Her knowledge and love of animals shines through in this book, and it's obvious when reading it that she knows her stuff. This adds a bit of realism to the stories that would be missing otherwise.

To sum it up... If you like japanese comics and cute animals, or if you always wished you could talk to your pets, I really reccomend this comic. It may not be one of the super-popular comics out there, but it's still a fun, touching, and adorable story, at a reasonable price, and worth every penny.

Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) is one of the best shoujo manga out there. This series just gets better and better. Writer Yoko Kamio's art is refreshingly different from other manga art, in which all males and females look disturbingly - somehow - the same. I shrieked with laughter reading the funny parts - which are written and drawn with true comedic skills.

Volume Three opens after The Big Kiss. Tsukushi and Tsukasa are staring at each other, Tsukasa looking stunningly gorgeous with his new hairstyle. On the party boat, there is heavy petting going on, except among Tsukushi, Tsukasa, and Kazuya. Hilarity ensues when the two guys get into a chest-puffing argument about who can catch the most cuttlefish.

After the cruise ends, so does summer. With the start of the new semester, Tsukasa is at first eager to go to school. But when he stumbles upon Tsukushi and Rui having a conversation in "their" stairwell, he snaps. Tsukasa goes from bully to psycho, terrorizing hapless students who get in his way. Even the rest of the F-4 tells him to stop, that he is going too far.

Later that evening, Tsukushi runs into the wrong side of Tsukasa - but they are all alone at school, and there is no one to help her.

Hana Yori Dango, Volume 3...

Starts off with Kazuya being spastic about Tsukasa's kiss with Tsukushi. Everyone in the room begins A)gasping, B)accusing Tsukushi of being a pauper, or C)staring and shaking their heads. (D- making out! haha no.) Tsukushi, feeling pressured and dirty- eww! she kissed Tsukasa!- goes outside onto the boats balcony thing. Tsukasa follows her and says MORE pompus things ('Aren't you glad your first kiss was with me?'), which does NOT HELP, you idiot.

I'm going to skip the rest and focus on the best part of the story now. Haha, sorry, otherwise I'll just tell you the whole thing!

Tsukasa is actually happy about the new semester, only because he gets to play another prank (or 'plank', as he calls it) on Tsukushi. But then that stupid group of girls who don't DESERVE to have names piss him off. They show him a tape of Rui and Tsukushi on the boat. And then they tell him about the meetings on the emergency stairwell. Tsukasa, in short, goes on a rampage and beats this one kid up (in the anime, he only stops because of the health teacher, who doesn't exist in the manga). Then , to prove his insanity, he throws a chair out a window. After school, Tsukushi forgets her books at the staircase, where she sees Tsukasa waiting for her. Tsukasa then directly assults Tsukushi.... And I say no more!

Great series- I give it an A+! The herione isn't wimpy or just pathetic like others are. Wonderful! But if you live in America, like I do, the books come out VERY slowly. Ugh. The next on comes out December (2004), which isn't that far away. I can't wait!

In Volume 3 of Boys over Flowers, if you had ANY doubts of Domiyogi liking Tsukushi, they will END here in Vol. 3. I personally knew it from Vol. 1. But his feelings in this book seem to have grown a lot, and that shows very much so as the story goes on.

I don't want give to much away, but after Domiyogi kissed Tsukushi, as usual*(pretending he does not care for her) he says that she kiss him. And of course it was dark, and its Domiyogi, so no one will argue with that. Tsukushi is absolutely mortified, but yet somehow after that kiss, she said it was like the best day she's had in a long time. Could it be because she really cares about Domiyogi? And just like him, wont admit it?

Throughout Vol. 3, we get examples of what makes Domiyogi and Tsukishi alike, even though their upbring is so different:

1. They're both EXTREMELY hard headed. - We have seen throughout the series just how hard-headed Domiyogi is, but also more subtley how hard-head Tsukushi is. She obviously has to be to put up with the F4 and stick with what she believes in. And not only that, but just like Domiyogi, she wont admit her feelings. It is becoming more appearent that she likes him, but she hasn't even realized it yet because she wont give the idea a chance to sit in her brain. As soon as it appears, she quickly dismisses it.

2. We are given clear examples of how violent they are. -They are both willing to hurt people when they see fit. Domiyogi has often seemed more cruel and extreme, and in this book he really flies off the handle and goes crazy, but so does Tsukushi. And the same line is given when the worst case happens "You're going to kill him!!!". So this must be linking the two together more. And also in the same seen, one of the F4 compare Tsukushi's violent behavior to Domiyogi, saying she's "As bad as he is".

3. They're both too proud. - The reason Domiyogi wont admit gis feelings is because he has a rep to live up to, and he always calls the less-privelaged rude names. If he were to admit his feelings for Tsukushi he would be saying he was wrong, and once again he's to hard-headed for that. In the first book we see him trying to transform Tsukushi to make her more "acceptable". Now he doesn't exactly say that, but I believe because of his pride he felt that dating her or hanging out with her wouldn't be a problem if she were rich, or at least looked it.

Tsukushi is to proud to mingle with the Richies as well, as we see in the beginning. Now we have only been given examples of a--hole rich kids, until Kazuya, her old childhood friend came in. But he was not born rich, so its not the same. Shizuka however has been the only example so far of a nice rich kid. But the thing is, in the beginning we saw that because of Tsukushi's pride she didn't want to look for nice rich kids, she assumed they were all jerks, all she wanted to do was coast through. Of course had that happened, this series would've been extremely boring. :p

So as of Volume 3, this is what I have noticed from reading Boys over Flowers. And based on that stuff alone, it looks like something is already cooking between Domiyogi and Tsushuki, and maybe in the next couple Volumes something will actually happen, because Domiyogi and Tsukushi are quite different, yet they also have a lot in common, so it is possible once they both get over themselves, they'll find love. At least, that's what I think. :D

I *hope* you *enjoy* Volume 3, as it is just as good as the last two, maybe better. :D

So *enjoy* & God Bless ~Amy