Bookmarked: Nobody Can Hear Me But You

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Oneshots have been the word of the day these past two weeks, which is fantastic – so many people get caught up in series they forget that there are so many shorter, lovely ones out there that are good when you’re crunched for time! I really enjoy seeing what a skilled mangaka can pull off with limited amounts of space. Sometimes it’s an utter disaster, but sometimes it’s magic. This oneshot was most definitely one of the latter. Perhaps I should do a former just for comparison next week?

NobodyMangaka: Otsu-Ichi (Story), Hiro Kiyohara (Art)

Genre: Romance/Fantasy/Drama

Review Status: Complete (1 Volume/1 Volume)

Licensed: No, this is not licensed in the US.

Art: It’s simple with clean lines and good shading, but the characters are a little less than memorable-looking. That’s okay, though, this was made for the story not the art.

Summary: A shy girl imagines a cell phone in her head. One day, someone picks up…

Review: This was a lot shorter than I thought it would be at four chapters (plus an alternate beginning (which I chose not to read because I was busy having ALL THE FEELS for the ending and didn’t want to spoil that). Nevertheless, this makes use of every page to tell the story of two people who are linked by… destiny? Fate? Kismet? Whatever it is, it’s a beautiful thing, allowing Ryo, a girl that’s afraid to speak, to make a friend with someone that no one else knows about, someone who won’t tease her about how quiet she is or put her down because of it. Continue Reading »

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Bookmarked: Memories of Emanon

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BookmarkedMemories of Emanon is a title that kept coming up when I went looking for more… existential… manga. With a tighter schedule than normal, I figured I’d finally delve into this short – but deeply involving – manga. WORTH IT. I love stories that say something, especially when what it says is really up to the reader. So no, I’m not making any grand statements about themes or messages or anything like that. But I did enjoy it quite a bit, and hope I can find more by this author.

emanonMangaka: Shinji Kajio (story), Kenji Tsuruta (art)

Genre: Sci-fi/Romance

Review Status: Complete (1 Volume/1 Volume)

Licensed: No, this is unlicensed in the US.

Art: This has a rougher look to it than more lighthearted stories. I wouldn’t say it’s like a rough sketch, but it’s not as finished or as fine as other titles. I’d liken it to Music of Marie or Children of the Sea. It looks good. Different, but good.

Summary: A boy. A girl. A ferry. A wild story about memory. Who is Emanon, and why does she have memories going back to the beginning of life on earth?

Review: Told in chapters that are labeled by what time they take place that day, Memories of Emanon makes no bones about what it is: a story about a girl who has memories dating back to the beginning of the world. And to get you to buy into it, this breaks the fourth wall a bit by having her tell it to a boy who’s very into sci-fi stories. Suspension of disbelief at work right there!

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Bookmarked: Maya’s Funeral Procession

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BookmarkedI really enjoy classic manga. They are often reflections of the time they come from, and go unappreciated because time moves on – things that were awesome and new and interesting are used time and again until we’re dulled to how they came to be in the first place. This week I read a short volume of a classic Josei that was in many ways a hallmark piece. I didn’t realize that at first, and this is really a reflection of my first impression on it, but reading it and doing some research meant that I do have some second thoughts about things I wrote about it. All the same, I feel that this review showcases how a lot of modern readers would see it, so I’ve left it alone. Maybe at a later date I’ll come back to it and reflect on it.

mayaMangaka: Yukari Ichigo

Genre: Drama/Mystery/Shoujo-Ai/Josei

Review Status: Complete (1 Volume/1 Volume)

Licensed: No, this is unlicensed in the US.

Art: It’s a more serious look to 70′s shoujo. There’s big eyes, bit hair, skinny bodies and limbs, but none of the familiar shoujo sparkle. Thank goodness, because this is not a story for it!

Summary: On the way to her family’s new country house, innocent young Reina notices a tall, dark, striking woman standing in the shadows. Soon, neglected by her parents, Reina falls under the spell of the mysterious Maya … but family secrets may destroy any chance Reina has for happiness. (CoffeeandDrink.com)

Review: Maya’s Funeral Procession doesn’t exactly revolve around a funeral like I had expected. Actually, there really isn’t a funeral in the whole volume. Honestly, the title still baffles me a bit because the only thing in here that really appears is… Maya. But that’s okay, because the story is still fairly interesting and intense. And believe me, if you watch soap operas, you’ll be into this in no time! Continue Reading »

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Bookmarked: Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President

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One of the hardest things I’ve ever done is gone back to a series I started a while ago. It means re-reading all the volumes that I did for previous reviews (because I know I forgot something or another!), and then taking in all the new information and storylines and plots. Things I imagined would happen didn’t, characters I liked – or perhaps even hated before – give different impressions now, and things I might have missed come to light. It’s an interesting experience, for sure! But some series are definitely worth it, and Eagle is one of them!

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Bookmarked: Gunslinger Girl

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Well, this week I managed to finish an omnibus I’d gotten some weeks ago and managed to forget I owned. Part of this might have been a little bit on purpose – I’ve seen Gunslinger Girl, and re-reading the manga can be rather tedious for those parts already covered, unless they offer anything new on the subject. Even so, I’m glad I’ve gotten through it! And can’t wait until I get to the parts that haven’t been covered in the anime. I might take a rain check on catching up that quickly, though.

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Bookmarked: Oresama Teacher

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This week, Bookmarked goes back to it’s one-series format. What does this mean? More reviews of longer series, and hopefully some more in-depth reviews of them as well! Two weeks ago I broke my ribs, and as part of a manga care package my mom bought me were a number of volumes of Oresama Teacher. As a general shoujo… well, not hater, but I’m certainly not a fan… I dove in with a little reluctancy. But boy was it worth it! Can’t wait to read the rest of it!

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Bookmarked: Her Majesty’s Slam Papillion

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Her Majesty's DogHer Majesty’s Dog

Mangaka: Mick Takeuchi

Genre: Shoujo/Romance/Supernatural/School

Review Status: Incomplete (3 Volumes/11 Volumes)

Licensed: Yes, this is licensed in the U.S by Go!Comi

Art: This is shoujo, but it is more reminiscent of the 90′s shoujos than more modern works. However, the art is clean, the guys pretty, and there isn’t a whole lot to complain about.

Summary: Amane’s not like other girls. With her ice queen like demeanor and naivete, she’s become quite the misfit on campus. Even more unusual is her relationship with fellow transfer student Hyoue Inugame, the hottest guy in school. But the truth is that Amane is a powerful psychic and Hyoue is her guardian demon-dog, whose powers are fueled by her kiss! And when Amane lets her “dog” off his lease- no vengeful spirit is safe! (back cover of first volume)

Review: Black Bird has given me indigestion on supernatural romances for a while, but Her Majesty’s Dog is giving me some hope that solid ones are out there, waiting to be read! Her Majesty’s Dog keeps some of the familiar shoujo tropes but gives them a flair and explanation that I’m willing to run with because I like the characters so much. There are lots of brownie points for Amane, a girl who grew up incredibly sheltered because of her powers and because of it is entirely unaware of how to really act in average social situations. She might be kissing Hyoue to give him power but doesn’t have any special feelings for him, she doesn’t know how to stand up for herself (not that she particularly understands that she’s being ostracized), and she is comfortable doing her own thing without being influenced by anything other than her friends being in danger. Continue Reading »

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Bookmarked: Telepathic Gyo

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TPTelepathic Wanderers

Mangaka:  Sayaka Yamazaki (art), Yasutaka Tsutsui (story)

Genre: Supernatural/Drama/Shounen

Review Status: Complete (4 Volumes/4 Volumes)

Licensed: No. It was formerly licensed by Tokyopop.

Art: This is an older title, but for 90′s art, it’s fairly typical. Since it’s not shoujo, it (thankfully) lacks all the shoujo sparkles and overly-large eyes, which is nice.

Summary: Nanase, a beautiful young telepath, returns to her hometown to settle down and lead a quiet life. However, her unique abilities make that impossible–even in the most remote location. Then she meets Norio, an abused little boy with extraordinary powers of his own. Nanase takes him under her wing, and from there they wander…two outsiders traveling from one strange encounter to another. (Tokyopop)

Review: Superpowers probably wouldn’t be that much fun. X-Men has illustrated this often by having their kids come from families who rejected them, couldn’t understand them, and Telepathic Wanderers takes it into consideration when it throws the characters into a story where there is no beloved professor to save them and bring them to the academy. Every psychic must fend for himself in the world, trying to keep others from discovering their abilities, running from the darkness in others. Continue Reading »

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