Manga Monday 39

It's the one year anniversary of Manga Monday at Comics-and-More! So, in celebration, I'm going to list some of my favorite Manga Monday posts before moving on to a review of the latest chapters of Hana-Kimi!

Dragon Head (Volume 7) (Manga Monday Special)

Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play (Volume 1) (Manga Monday 31)

To Terra (Volume 1) (Manga Monday 28)

Until the Full Moon (Volumes 1 & 2) (Manga Monday 26)

Mushishi (Volume 1) (Manga Monday 24)

Mail (Volume 1) (Manga Monday 23)

Hikaru No Go (Volume 1) & The Red Snake: Hino Horror #1 (Manga Monday 11)

My favorite anime & Naruto (Volume 1) (Manga Monday 8)

Flowers & Bees (Volume 1) (Manga Monday 7)

Alien Nine (Volume 1) (Manga Monday 6)

Bambi and Her Pink Gun (Volume 1) & Desire (Manga Monday 2)

Domu: A Child's Dream, Octopus Girl, Planetes & More! (Manga Monday!)


Hana-Kimi (Volumes 15 - 18)
Hisaya Nakajo

These last three volumes are definitely the weakest and least enjoyable of the entire series. Volume 15 had several great moments between the loves in Mizuki's life, but the focus really shifted to Sano beginning with volume 16 in a drawn-out, repetitive story dealing with his relationship with his father. Even Nakajo had to take a break from the story in volume 18, where three chapters flashed back to a scavenger hunt in the dorms with a semi-focus on secondary character Taiki Kayashima, a strange psychic kid. Several scenes seem to just be lazily written by Nakajo as well, like she's forgetting her original premise and simply illustrating a normal scene between a man and a woman when Mizuki and Sano are supposed to be two boys, playing those roles straight. It's really frustrating seeing this dip in quality - I wish the series would have just concluded on a tense, high note instead of being drawn out like this. But what do I know? It may get really good again in the near future. The next volume boasts the culmination of this Sano storyarc at a competition, but really, I'm just going to be glad to get it over with, even if this is where the entire series has been heading. I hope the focus returns to Mizuki and her dilemma soon, so this tired indulgence in the people around her finally comes to an end. One addition I am happy of in these past volumes is Shin, Sano's brother. He adds a great dynamic to the group, especially when it comes to Mizuki, who needs something to do besides cry over Sano while he's stubbornly moping for volumes at a time. C-

Comments

exar khun said…
congrats with the anniversary!!!
I'm really enjoying your reviews....
any chance we'll get a review of MPD PSycho from Dark Horse?...=)
10:48 AM
pryde4747@yahoo.com said…
Thank you - I'm glad you're enjoying the feature!

I think I could manage to squeeze that into my reading schedule in the near future...
1:16 PM
exar khun said…
and bcoz of your review, i'll be ordering dragon head vols.1-7 very soon...=)
10:14 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Marvel Legends Wishlist (Updated 2023)

Image
Checking in a year later on my Marvel Legends wish list! Last year, Hasbro made nine figures from my list...this year, a mere four... From my previous list, Hasbro has made (or announced): Sersi (comic verison), Moondragon, Mockingbird (classic costume) and Madelyn Pryor (Goblin Queen)  I still want to see: Essentials Brood Crystal Deathbird Agent Abigail Brand Daimon Hellstrom (Son of Satan) Husk Dr. Cecelia Reyes Phoenix (Rachel Summers Excalibur costume) Mantis (comic version) Hepzibah Pixie Starhawk Destiny Wiccan Hulkling Belasco Magma Lyja Ahab Marrow Madame Masque Longshots Amanda Sefton (Daytripper) Aleta Manta Oracle Saturnyne Sat-yr-9 Shard Fascination (Scatterbrain) Amelia Voght Chinadoll Tommy Pete Wisdom Warwolves Cerise Elixir Broo Mercury Silver Fox Phantazia Nocturne Illyana Rasputin (Earth-4210) Margali Szardos Kylun Douglock Victoria Hand BAFs Armor Mephisto Devil Dinosaur Celestial Holocaust The Fury Krakoa Boxsets Technet Acolytes Phoenix Five Imperial Guard
Read more

Thor, the Mighty Avenger #1-3

Image
Roger Langridge & Chris Samnee With all of the buzz out there about how great this incarnation of Thor is, I decided to check this series out for myself.  Only after I ordered the first few issues, it was promptly cancelled by Marvel due to low sales, which is unfortunate since it hardly had much time to build word of mouth, but that's the way the industry works sometimes (and to be fair, its first issue sold over 20,000 copies (placing #104 for the month) while its latest sold about 8,400 (placing at #186), so it was bleeding readers).  My only real issue there is it seems that people who hear about a book tend to buy the collection rather than hunt back issues, so I kind of feel like a book like this, especially for young readers, should have had a chance in another format before it got the axe.  The last issue of Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard placed just ahead of Thor, the Mighty Avenger in November at #185, but its collection ranked #15 for the month.  Another a
Read more

Top 200 Horror Movies (2019 Edition)

Image
1 - The Descent (2006) A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators. Directed by Neil Marshall Written by Neil Marshall Starring Shauna Macdonald and Natalie Mendoza Genre: Survival, Creatures Trailer 2 - The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) Two siblings and three of their friends en route to visit their grandfather's grave in Texas end up falling victim to a family of cannibalistic psychopaths. Directed by Tobe Hooper Written by Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper Starring Marilyn Burns and Allen Danziger Genre: Slasher, Cannibalism Trailer 3 - The Exorcist (1973) When a teenage girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter. Directed by William Friedkin Written by William Peter Blatty (from the novel by William Peter Blatty) Starring Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller and Lin
Read more