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Otaku USA: On The Shelf – December 12, 2012

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, December 12, 2012

My apartment has been a mess of plaster dust, missing amenities and awkwardly placed holes for the past two weeks – oh the joys of bathroom renovation! Thank goodness for new comics. They provide an added excuse for solace at my favourite local comic store and a stack of new books to keep me company as I cower from nail guns and busted plumbing.

There’s a bunch of neat new goodies out this week including a book of short stories from Kaoru Mori and an omnibus edition of the end to Yen Press‘s Chocolat. You can read the full list over at my On The Shelf article for Otaku USA.

A Certain Scientific Railgun (Vol.06) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Alice in the Country of Hearts: My Fanatic Rabbit (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Attack on Titan (Vol.03) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Battle Angel Alita: Last Order (Vol.16) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Blood Lad (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Captain Commando (Vol.02) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Chocolat (Vol.08) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Dance in the Vampire Bund Omnibus (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Higurashi When They Cry (Vol.20): Massacre Arc (Part 02) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
His Favorite (Vol.02) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Itsuwaribito (Vol.07) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Kaoru Mori’s Anything & Something [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Kekkaishi (Vol.35) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Mayo Chiki! (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Vol.14) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Pandora Hearts (Vol.13) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Puella Magi Madoka Magica (Vol.03) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Raiders (Vol.09) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
The Wallflower (Vol.29) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]

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Categories: Features, On The Shelf
Tags: Attack on Titan, Boys' Love/Yaoi, Dance in the Vampire Bund, His Favorite, Kodansha Comics, Manga, Manhwa, Omnibus, Otaku USA, Seven Seas, SuBLime, UDON, Viz Media, Yen Press

Review: Vampire Knight (Vol. 15)

By Victoria K Martin on Saturday, December 8, 2012

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Manga-ka: Matsuri Hino
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: November 2012

Synopsis: “With Kaname missing, Yuki must now step in as acting head of her clan to maintain the fragile peace between the human and vampire societies. Will she be able to regain the trust of the vampire aristocrats, much less Aido?”

The majority of the Vampire Knight volumes set after the time jump have been very Kaname-centric. Some of his mystery is revealed while even more secrets appear. However, in this volume Kaname takes a step back and allows the focus to return to Yuki, as she takes the knowledge she has learned and puts it into practice.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manga, Matsuri Hino, Shoujo Beat, Vampire Knight, Viz Media

Otaku USA: On The Shelf – December 5, 2012

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, December 6, 2012

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Feeling extra lazy today, so MANGA! Yay! Check out the list of new books released this week at my On the Shelf article for Otaku USA. Handy link-ready list below too!

Arata the Legend (Vol. 12) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bakuman (Vol. 17) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Black Bird (Vol. 15) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bleach (Vol. 52) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bleach (Vol. 53) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
D. Gray Man (Vol. 23) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Dawn of the Arcana (Vol. 07) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Demon Love Spell (Vol. 01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Devil & Her Love Song (Vol. 06) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
The Earl and the Fairy (Vol. 04) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Natsume’s Book of Friends (Vol. 13) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
NGE: Shinji Ikari Raising Project (Vol. 12) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Nura Rise of the Yokai Clan (Vol. 12) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Sakura Hime: Legend of Princess Sakura (Vol. 09) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Slam Dunk (Vol. 25) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Toriko (Vol. 13) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal (Vol. 02) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]

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Categories: Features, News, On The Shelf, Release Lists
Tags: Arata the Legend, Bakuman, Dark Horse, Dawn of the Arcana, Demon Love Spell, Manga, Natsume's Book of Friends, Nura Rise of the Yokai Clan, Otaku USA, Sakura Hime, Slam Dunk, Toriko, Viz Media

Victoria’s Favourites: Top 20 Manga (Part 01)

By Victoria K Martin on Tuesday, December 4, 2012

7 Comments »

I’ve always been a fan of top lists, hence why I’ve made a couple of my own. However the lists I liked writing the most were always the ones about my personal favourites. Because of this, I’ve recently been trying to determine what my own favourite manga and anime are, since after almost ten years of reading/watching, I’ve had the chance to be exposed to quite a bit.

Now, this is a ranking based on personal preference, rather than just perceived level of quality, and with each choice I have also included my ranking of the series over at Anime News Network in parentheses (my username there is marie-antoinette, for anyone who is interested). And so, without further ado, here is part one of my Top 20 Favourite Manga!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Read more…

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Kodansha Comics, Manga, Ouran High School Host Club, Paradise Kiss, Sailor Moon, Tokyopop, Vertical Inc, Victoria's Favourites, Viz Media

Review: ULTRAS

By Shannon Fay on Sunday, December 2, 2012

1 Comment »

Manga-ka: Est em
Publisher: Digital Manga Guild
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: June 2012

Synopsis: “An avid game of love between rivals! Soccer fans are notorious, but ULTRAS like Al and Leon take it to another level! They eat, breathe, and sleep for their beloved teams and their rivalries, like the rivalry between Liberta and FC Madrid. When the Spanish national soccer team wins the European championship, fans around the country unite to celebrate. Sparks fly when Al and Leon first meet amidst the festivities, but what happens when these two ULTRAS unknowingly find themselves on opposite sides of a passionate rivalry!?”

Soccer might seem like a weird thing to get all Romeo-and-Juliet over, but under Est Em’s direction it works. She has a skill for grounding her stories while keeping them interesting and quirky. It’s her skill and unique sensibilities that keeps ULTRAS from being a standard collection of yaoi short stories.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, Digital, DM Guild, DMP, est em, Manga

Otaku USA: On The Shelf – November 28, 2012

By Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, December 1, 2012

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Busy, busy these days but never too busy for new comics. November was a huge month for manga releases, though this past week’s list of titles – which mark the last of the month – was considerably smaller. Our wallets appreciate the break though, right? Not that it means there aren’t still some must-haves, including Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service (Vol.13) and the Sailor Moon (Vol. 01-06) boxset. Off to the store!

The title details are over at their usual place, at a slightly later than usual time (my bad!), in my On The Shelf article for Otaku USA.

Deltora Quest (Vol.09) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Fairy Tail (Vol.22) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
GTO: 14 Days in Shonan (Vol.06) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Is This A Zombie? (Vol.03) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service (Vol.13) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Limit (Vol.02) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Sailor Moon Boxset #1 (Vol.01-06) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]

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Categories: Features, News, On The Shelf, Release Lists
Tags: Dark Horse, Kodansha Comics, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, Manga, Otaku USA, Sailor Moon, Vertical Inc, Yen Press

Review: Sailor Moon (Vol. 08)

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, November 23, 2012

1 Comment »

Manga-ka: Naoko Takeuchi
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: November 2012

Synopsis: “Chibi Usa’s sickly friend Hotaru isn’t just Sailor Saturn, Deity of Destruction. She’s also possessed by Master Pharaoh 90. Facing this cataclysmic power will be impossible – unless Sailor Moon can unite the powers of every Guardian of the Solar System. Then, when the moon eclipses the sun, a mystical unicorn begs for help. An elaborate ship floats through the sky, and Usagi and Chibi-Usa have trouble seeing eye to eye….”

It’s especially fun getting to this point in the story which was only briefly touched upon in English media during Sailor Moon‘s big popular streak starting in the 90s. All the planetary Sailor guardians are together at last, including the less than favourably anticipated Sailor Saturn (speaking only plot-wise of course). The individual personalities of the group are as interesting as their interactions, making the departure of some later in the book doubly sad. All the good guys continue to support Sailor Moon both as protectors of their princess, and the planet itself, while also serving as inspiring energy sources for her transformation into Super Sailor Moon.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Kodansha Comics, Manga, Sailor Moon

Otaku USA: On The Shelf – November 21, 2012

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, November 22, 2012

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Bathtubs! Bathtubs! Bathtubs! The theme of my favourite book out this week, Yen Press’s Thermae Romae. It’s a downright classy book and I hope it does well.

For more of my thoughts on Thermae Romae and some of the many other books out this week (ahhhh, November you spoil us!), then head on over to my weekly On The Shelf article for Otaku USA.

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Categories: Features, News, On The Shelf, Release Lists
Tags: Alice in the Country of..., Boys' Love/Yaoi, CLAMP, Dark Horse, DMP, June, Kodansha Comics, Manga, Omnibus, Otaku USA, Seven Seas, Viz Media, Yen Press

Review: Alice in the Country of Clover – Cheshire Cat Waltz (Vol. 01)

By Lissa Pattillo on Sunday, November 18, 2012

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Alice in the Country of Clover: Cheshire Cat Waltz (Vol. 01)

Author: Quinrose
Manga-ka: Mamenosuke Fujimaru
Publisher: Seven Seas
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: July 2012

Synopsis: “Alice has a new suitor – this time he’s pink and furry, otherwise known as Boris, the Chesire Cat. After being transported to the mysterious Country of Clover, Alice is relieved to discover that her friend Boris has come along. But she can’t enjoy a moment’s respite, as the Chesire Cat keeps hitting on her. Should she give in to such a self-indulgent cat? While Alice wavers, their relationship is sure to evolve – for better or worse is anyone’s guess. Sweet, yet dangerous. Love is risky business in Wonderland.”

It’s a bit weird coming from having recently read Yen Press’s release of Alice in the Country of Hearts to Seven Seas’ Alice in the Country of Clover. Both are the same story continued from a different angle, are written by the same person and drawn by artists very similar, but you can definitely feel the little tone changes created by being handled by two different teams of creators and adaptors. The differences are minor enough that most readers probably won’t notice though, making it an easy switch between for those who read one and are left wanting for more.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Alice in the Country of..., Manga, Seven Seas

Review: Loveless (Vol. 09)

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, November 16, 2012

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Manga-ka: Yun Kouga
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: October 2012

Synopsis: “Seimei is very much alive and has torn through the Seven Voices Academy like a whirlwind. As Septimal Moon struggles to right itself and keep its secrets from spilling out, a new enemy takes center stage: the unit named “Bloodless” wages a crippling psychological war, ending battles without spilling a single drop of blood. Yet Ritsuka and Soubi must emerge victorious against them… or lose Kio. “

It’s not difficult to get caught up on the Loveless story here in the ninth volume. It has just about every remaining relevant character sprinkled throughout it. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost four years since the previous volume was released. Viz Media’s synopsis cracks open the haze with the big reveal that Ritsuka’s brother, Seimei, is actually alive. What exactly his role is, however, is a little less clear. What his renewed relevance is for sure though, is more angst and drama fodder which the series tries to make in spades.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Loveless, Manga, Shoujo Beat, Viz Media