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Archive for September, 2008

Review: Treasure (Vol. 02)

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, September 12, 2008

Author/Artist: Studio Kawaii
Publisher: Yaoi Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: July 2007

Synopsis:
“Alan longs for things to go back to the way they were between him and Patrick, but Patrick can’t forget that Alan had an affair with the former pirate captain. It doesn’t help that Alan has them on a mission to avenge Captain Begardoux’s death. That love that Alan still had for his lost captain is more than Patrick can bear. Especially when he gave up such a stellar naval career just to be with him.”

In this second, and final, volume of Treasure, the newly appointed pirate captain, Alan Falconer, continues his quest to recover the treasure stolen by the murderous pirate, Van Holstein. He’s convinced his lover to leave the navy and join his crew, but trouble brews when a man who looks like the ship’s previous Captain appears and Alan’s feelings are undoubtedly stirred.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, Global Manga, Yaoi Press

No Light Novels from Go!Comi Afterall

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, September 11, 2008

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Editor Audry posted again on the Go!Comi forums today, disproving hope-induced rumours that Go!Comi may be preparing to publish translated Japanese light novels.

“I’ll give you a hint. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with Japanese light novels. “

Ah well, it was a nice thought while it lasted, right? Original-published fiction appealing to their manga-reading demographics seems plausible. I’m sure we’ll know what they’re actually up to soon enough.

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Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Light Novels

Review: Tea For Two (Vol. 01)

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, September 11, 2008

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Manga-ka: Yaya Sakuragi
Publisher: BLU
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: May 2008

Synopsis: “Clumsy Madoka Takumaru can’t seem to go a minute without breaking something. To teach him a little self-control, Takumaru’s sis forces him to help out the Tea Ceremony Club despite the hesitations of the club president, the graceful Kazuma Hasune. Compoased and cool, he is the exact opposite of the brash Takumaru. Will the two be able to bridge their differences, or will a potentially hot romance cool like iced tea?”

Tea For Two is the story of Madoka Takumaru, a clumsy teenage jock who has a problem with breaking things. Fed up with his lack of grace, his younger sister puts him under the tutelage of their school’s Tea Ceremony club president, Kazuma Hasune. Now it’s a matter of whether or not some tea and kimonos will be enough to calm Madoka’s bad habits or if something aside from good manners will form through their lessons.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: BLU, Boys' Love/Yaoi

Yaoi Club Opens Its Doors

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, September 10, 2008

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Digital Manga‘s online “ultimate Yaoi superstore”, Yaoi Club, opened today as promised by the splash page watchers have been seeing for the past few weeks. Those who signed up early for the site recieved an e-mail today offering a %15 discount on their first purchase totaling over $30. The e-mail also offered the following bonuses to some first-time spenders:

“We are also happy to announce that the first 100 people with a purchase of $50 or more will get a free Yaoi Club Original Eco Bag!!

Not just that, the first 20 people with a purchase of $150 or more will get a free autographed copy of “Hot Steamy Glasses” by Tatsumi Kaiya!!!”

The store’s opening was prompt at today at 12pm PST. Fortunately, that translated to 4pm my for me, conveniently after school! After registering, the basic name/age/address deal, I proceeded to surf around and see what this “superstore” had to offer.

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Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi

Review: After School Nightmare (Vol. 08)

By Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, September 9, 2008

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Manga-ka: Setona Mizushiro
Publisher: Go!Comi
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: August 2008

Synopsis: “A shocking confession clears the way for a mountain of new problems! Mashiro is finally willing to give Sou a chance, but can either of them forget Sou’s relationship with Ai? And when Kureha returns from vacation, her form in the dream world reflects an astonishing change…”

A dramatic love confession from Mashiro leaves Sou conflicted but eager to pursue, as more emotional problems work their way to the surface. While their battles of gender and forgiveness rage on, fellow student and often Mashiro-confidant, Kurosaki, deals with problems of his own as he wages a losing battle against his family’s wishes and his own sense of identity.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: GoComi

Review: Garden Dreams

By Lissa Pattillo on Monday, September 8, 2008

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Manga-ka: Fumi Yoshinaga
Publisher: DMP
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: October 2007

Synopsis: “In a castle in a far-off western land, there once lived a baron with empty eyes, whose melancholy ways belied a love of beauty and song. A wondrous garden surrounded the baron’s home–a place of quiet splendor that served to remind him of his painful, untended memories. Could the songs of two bards bring dreams of a happier tomorrow? Or would they bring more loss than the baron might possibly bear?”

Garden Dreams begins by introducing readers to Farha, a young boy raised by Saud, a young man who found Farha as a child alone in the desert. The two travel the lands as bards, and have found themselves singing for a Baron in the lands to the West. But sadness in the Baron’s eyes reveals a painful past and a subdued yearning for a better future.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Fumi Yoshinaga, June

Review: Pathos (Vol. 01)

By Lissa Pattillo on Sunday, September 7, 2008

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Manga-ka: Mika Sadahiro
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: July 2008

Synopsis:
“Ace has been raised in happiness by the beautiful young men King and J. To thank them, Ace adores them as older brothers and grows innocently attached to them. But as Ace grows, J becomes colder to him with each passing day. The truth is King and J are immortal vampires, and J has kept his distance because he may become unable to resist the scent of the fresh blood of the growing Ace.”

Pathos is the story of a unique family of three. After his parents are killed, Ace is taken in by their killers and raised as their younger brother. The two, King and J, are vampires, and it’s a lifestyle they’re unable to hide from the perceptive Ace, especially when the boy’s affections for J soon become anything but innocent.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June

Backlog at MangaJouhou

By Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, September 6, 2008

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… aka, more boys’ love reviews for you by me! Manga Jouhou recently made a lengthy addition of reviews to their forum, including thirteen I’d written for them that’ve been waiting in the wings. So, if you’re interested, you can pop over there and take a read! A bunch of goods, bads and ‘what the hell was that?’s to be had.

Love Recipe (Vol. 01)
Love Recipe (Vol. 02)
Can’t Win With You! (Vol. 03)
Necratoholic
Waru
Love Training
Dash
Sweet Admiration
The Devil’s Secret (pictured above)
Love is Like a Hurricane (Vol. 05)
Selfish Mermaid (Vol. 01)
Hero Heel (Vol. 02)
The Reformed (not boys’ love, just to mix it up a tad)

Also, today marked my 200th written manga review since I first sat down to write one back in March 2007! My first review was for 801Media’s release of Ichigenme, volume one, for Bent Magazine. A random milestone that makes me wonder how many I’d have if I’d begun writing them years ago! I hope atleast one of them has proven to be entertaining or useful for readers :)

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi

Review: Air Gear (Vol. 09)

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, September 5, 2008

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Manga-ka: Oh!Great
Publisher: Del Rey
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: July 2008Synopsis: “The last phase of the ultimate battle between the underdog Kogarasumaru and the fearsome Behemoth has begun – and it’s up to Ikki and Agito to seal the deal and achieve Air Treck glory. All Ikki wants is to be the greatest Air Treck rider ever – but for Agito, the battle is personal. Could it be that the key to victory lies in Agito’s past?”

The fight between teams Kogarasumaru and Behmoth continues here in volume nine of Air Gear, with everything coming down to Ikki and Agito facing the Regalia-wielding, Akira. Blades are flashing and adrenaline pumping in this do-or-die fight previous volumes have led up to.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Air Gear, Del Rey

Review: Kamen Tantei (Vol. 04)

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, September 4, 2008

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Manga-ka: Matsuri Akino
Publisher: Tokyopop
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: September 2007

Synopsis: “While investigating a murder at a mountain lodge, an argument erupts between our two young detectives – one that proves to have alarming results when each calls to Suzuki for help. Later, it’s a time of change as Haruka prepares to start college, leaving Masato behind to run the Mystery Novels Club by himself. But with our duo separated, what future is in store for the Masked Detective?”

Volume four marks the end of Matsuri Akino’s Kamen Tantei. Though completion of any series you enjoy is always a bit sad, I was relieved that this short series ended before it had a chance to be cut, or infinitely suspended, by Tokyopop. Wonderment to me then when I realized this final volume had actually been out for almost a year and I never knew! Shame on me. The book itself surprised me too, upon reading, becoming quite random in its execution and taking the plot in a slightly different direction. Instead of just being a couple of oddly desensitized teenagers solving murder mysteries, much of this volume focuses on the mysterious Taro Suzuki and the truth behind his existence. Problem being for my review is that it’s hard to talk much about it without ruining the surprise!

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Tokyopop