Kuriousity | manga reviews and news

Review Archive

To see a list of reviews in alphabetical order, please see our review index.

Review: Stop Bullying Me!

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Monday, November 17, 2008

1 Comment »

Manga-ka: Natsuho Shino
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: October 2008

Synopsis: “Next to my big brother, who I really, really love, is him, who I really, really love. ‘He’ is student council vice president, Izumi. He’s always with the council president, my big brother, and whenever I get close to them they find a way to bully me! But… when Izumi sometimes shows me his gentle side or his cool side when he’s working, I get somehow excited…! What’s happening to me?”

“Stop Bullying Me!”, a cry from the boys’ love story’s lead, Tomo Masaki. Despite his difficulty with schoolwork, he’s managed to make it into a prestigious academic high school, all so he could be nearer to his brother, Ei. Ei is the school’s council president with a kind personality, hard working ethics and an attractive on top of that. Doesn’t seem the same can be said for his best friend, Izumi however, who just won’t leave Ei’s little brother alone.

Share on Tumblr

Review: Shoulder-A-Coffin Kuro (Vol. 02)

Posted by Shevaun Morrison on Sunday, November 16, 2008

No Comments »

Manga-ka: Satoko Kiyuduki
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: October 2008

Synopsis:
“With Nijuku and Sanju in tow, the road winds on for Kuro and Sen. During a lull en route, Kuro takes a turn down memory lane, revisiting an unfortunate incident during her early days as a traveler that resulted in her imprisonment! One by one, the secrets surrounding Kuro and her journey with Sen are disclosed… and the fate that Kuro will suffer should her quest fail is finally revealed!”

In this volume, it becomes quite clear that Kuro and Sen are under their own curses. It is openly stated that the appearances that they have now are not their ‘natural’ ones. Sen’s curse has broken him into a thousand bats, each a part of his body and Kuro’s to be on a time limit, and is linked with the mysterious black spots that have covered a large part of her body. Not to mention she is actually older than she seems.

Share on Tumblr

Review: Sound of My Voice (Vol. 01)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, November 15, 2008

No Comments »

Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manga-ka: Youka Nitta
Publisher: BeBeautiful
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: November 2006

Synopsis: “A lifelong dream of fame and fortune has been the driving force of Wataru Jouchi’s entire life. Now, after much self-doubt, he’s decided to fulfill his destiny and become a voice actor for anime videos. At first, he is thrilled to discover that his long lost friend, Renji Kazama, is considered a top star in the industry. But Kazama does not seem at all pleased about their unexpected reunion.”

Wataru’s dream is to be a successful voice actor, but to do this he must start from the bottom and work his way up. During an audition, he meets Kazama, an old childhood friend. Not only is he amazed to meet his old friend again, but doubly so that the two are in the same profession. However, Kazama doesn’t think as highly of the reunion and harbours bitterness from their youth.

Share on Tumblr

Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi

Review: Goong (Vol. 01)

Posted by Marsha Reid on Friday, November 14, 2008

No Comments »

Manhwa-ga: Park SoHee
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: December 2006

Synopsis: “What if Korea had continued monarchism? What if all the beautiful palaces which are now only historical relics were actually filled with people?! What if the glamorous royal family still maintained the palace customs?! Welcome to a world where Korea still has the royal family living their lives! Only for one high school girl, Che-Kyung, is this a tragedy, since she has to marry the prince who apparently is a total jerk!”

If Korea hadn’t been crushed by the countries around it, if their nobility was as wealthy and influential as that of China or England, what would modern day Korea be like? Changing history and sliding it into the real world, SoHee Park tells the tale of young prince Shin, who has been forced into an arranged marriage. He doesn’t seem to mind, but his bride to be, Chae-Kyung, has a thing or two to say about it!

Share on Tumblr

Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manhwa, Yen Press

Review: Silver Diamond (Vol. 02)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, November 13, 2008

No Comments »

Manga-ka: Shiho Sugiura
Publisher: Tokyopop
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: October 2008

Synopsis: “Rakan’s normal life had been turned upside down thanks to strangers from another world suddenly appearing in his backyard! Chigusa and Narushige are starting to become more comfortable with their new surroundings, but coming to disrupt the peace is an assassin sent by the Prince. Will Chigusa save the day again?”

The two travellers from another world, Chigusa and Narushige, remain residents of Rakan’s home. More is revealed about their dark pasts that’ve led them here but not before an assassin is sent by the other world’s Prince to get rid of them both. Sweet home life moments, brisk confrontations and a likeable cast of returning characters, awaits readers in this second volume of Silver Diamond.

Share on Tumblr

Categories: Reviews
Tags: Tokyopop

Review: Comic (Vol. 03)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, November 12, 2008

2 Comments »

Manhwa-ga: Ha SiHyun
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: August 2008

Synopsis: “Patrick’s coming up on another deadline,, and Alice is all set to step in and help. But before she can give Patrick much thought, Alice’s musings are interrupted by a terrible announcement – Sangmoon High has gone bankrupt and will merge with the all-boys school, Seomoon! For the other girls, combining with Seomoon is a fabulous chance to meet hot guys. But for Alice, moving away from her familiar classrooms and teachers – not to mention having classes with Patrick! – is painful.”

As if dealing with the seemingly heartless Patrick isn’t bad enough, it’s even harder for young Alice when she has to deal with both him and his upcoming mahnwa deadline! She offers him her help and finds herself promoted to his official assistant. But even a bump from intern to assistant couldn’t help lighten this aspiring manhwa creator’s spirits when she learns her school has gone bankrupt, leaving them no choice but to merge with the all boys’ school next door.

Share on Tumblr

Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manhwa, Yen Press

Review: Blank Slate (Vol. 01)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, November 11, 2008

1 Comment »

Manga-ka: Aya Kanno
Publisher: Viz
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: October 2008

Synopsis: “Zen’s memory has been wiped and a lot of people will do anything they can to keep it that way. Zen’s unearthly charm attracts a veritable rogues gallery. A bounty hunter becomes obsessed enough to become his new partner, while the daughter of a general him like some sort of guru. But when he meets a mysterious doctor who may know him from the past, Zen learns that the secret of his lost memory is definitely more sinister than saintly.”

After reading the synopsis of Blank Slate and seeing it sport the Shoujo Beat Manga logo, I had to pick up this first volume and see what it was. I’ve long since associated Shoujo Beat’s line-up as ones that tend to focus on romance and subsequent drama so finding a series that was clearly of a darker vein, and starred an amnesiac assassin, I knew this was something that would intrigue me. Seems I was right!

Share on Tumblr

Categories: Reviews
Tags: Shoujo Beat, Viz Media

Review: Pathos (Vol. 02)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Monday, November 10, 2008

No Comments »

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

Synopsis: “Talk about keeping secrets from your kids! King and J are two immortal vampires stuck with raising Ace. As he grows up he finds himself attracted to J. But King and J, afraid Ace will find out they are vampires, send him to a boarding school. Mika Sadahiro’s gothic love story of the growth of a boy raised by vampires and the emotions of vampires that span eternity continues.”

Pathos volume two returns readers to the story of Ace and the vampiric duo who adopted him. Years have passed and the youth remains enthralled with the immortal life of a vampire, and even more so with one of his ‘brothers’, J.

Share on Tumblr

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

Review: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Vol. 01)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Sunday, November 9, 2008

No Comments »

Author: Nagaru Tanigawa/Noizi Ito
Manga-ka: Gaku Tsugano
Publisher: Yen
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: October 2008

Synopsis:
“It’s average schoolboy Kyon’s typical first day at an ordinary high school. Little does he know that his humdrum life is abou to get a dose of the superfantastic thanks to fellow classmate Haruhi Suzumiya! Are you ready to join the SOS Brigade?!”

It seems fair to say that anyone who considers themselves well versed in present-day anime culture, has undoubtedly heard of the popular, Haruhi Suzumiya. Underwhelmed by my experience of the anime, I resigned myself to being one of those who just found it ‘wasn’t their thing’ and moved on. But amidst all the hype, the parody and the cosplay, I knew at its core that the fandom of Haruhi couldn’t be entirely crazy. Surely there must’ve been something I’d missed. With Yen Press’s release of the manga version, I was hopeful that in this medium I find more comfortable, I may discover the true charm of this series that’s attracted so many.

Share on Tumblr

Categories: Reviews
Tags: Yen Press

Guest Review: Spiral – Bonds of Reasoning (Vol. 04)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, November 8, 2008

No Comments »

Author: Kyo Shirodaira
Manga-ka: Eita Mizuno
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: July 2008

Synopsis: “When Hiyono turns the tables on Rio and Kousuke and demands a rematch for Ayumu, she ends up getting kidnapped! However, it looks like there’ll be a rematch after all. In exchange for his trusty information dealer, Ayumu must hand over Hiyono’s hard evidence against the Blade Children… in one of Rio’s devilish games! Will Ayumu’s pride be his downfall?”

The secrets of the Blade Children unravel one chapter at a time with new mysteries, and even more sinister plots hiding around every corner. Ayumu Narumi, his self appointed side kick and the school journalist, Hiyono Yuizaki, have a lot of work ahead of them if they’re going to make it to the end of this dangerous road alive.

Share on Tumblr

Categories: Reviews
Tags: Yen Press