Status Update

Taiyou no Ie ended a few days ago with the 50th chapter. There will probably some omake chapters about the other characters and/or a look into the future.
For those who don't know, House of the Sun is a story about a boy who lost his parents and was left behind by his brother and sister with a big house and a girl who stays there because of her own family problems. I'll just repeat what another person said because it is quite fitting:



It seems Love Calendar was picked up again by another group after one year.
It depicts the relationship of a boy and a girl for their first 6 months together (and of course the getting together). Both of them act natural and a lot of the things that happen lead to funny or heartwarming moments. The art style is very nice, lots of details and just stuff that looks good.

________________
in need of romance?
uncommon, sad, sweet

Friends of mine are present here so i want to join into the group too as things slip through the cracks for us all. These are all ongoing manga from my reading list that started in 2014 and were not mentioned before (thx ctrl+f). I did this to look at their categories for that thread so this was side business for me. Thus everything will be a bit short as they are all established:

Shonen:
Ballroom e Youkoso 9/10 The first half of chapter one came out in 2013 but oh well.
It is amazing and award nominated.

Kidou Senshi Gundam 0083 Rebellion 9/10 This borderline seinen remake (Gotta Catch 'Em All) has a very vocal love triangle and could improve on the amazing ova.

Kidou Senshi Gundam Gyakushuu no Char - Beltorchika Children 8/10 The same here and it has two in the background but this is where you finish so do not start here!

Shoujo (They are all in translation so look harder!):
Chikyuu Umare no Anata e 8/10 The first one is a great tragedy with clean art about Fukushima. The included Then, I'll Go First. is a solid 7/10.

Durarara!! - 3 Way Standoff - Alley 7/10 This and the sequel are VN adaptations so they don´t concern the canon and are also shoujo for some reason. Start at the start.

Haru Meguru 8/10 Has a good topic and takes it seriously.

Kanojo ni Naru Hi Another 8/10 Started in late 2013 and the original (also back) is better. She has some real talent.

Kakugo wa Iika Soko no Joshi. 7,5/10 as it is too short. It has good situational comedy.

Tonikaku Kimi ga. 7,5/10 Should have been longer and most of the page is by me. Does anyone want to write a description?

Seinen:
Blind Faith Descent 7,5/10 Has a vocal romantic subplot and some darker sexual themes for others. I have reviewed it.

Gojikanme no Sensou 8/10 Is a good war drama with a coming of age focus.

Inuyashiki 7/10 His family is a mess but such subplots exist even if the manga is gore central by now. I reviewed it but thank god that he finally managed to write a second good manga.

Les Miserables (ARAI Takahiro) 8,5/10 Explains itself. A love triangle is coming in the second half.

Sachiare! 8/10 I have reviewed this cutesy non-pornographic hentai . The future chapters stay strong and have decent (very soft) erotic atmosphere.

Josei:
Sumika Sumire 7,5/10 It is off to a strong start and you gotta love the female lead as he isn´t even a Marry Sue. Nice.

Tsukikage Baby 7/10 Yuki-sensei needs no introduction and I am very interested in the continuation as Apollon was a rare 10/10. Don´t sleep on the sadly predictable 8/10 short Hagoromo Mishin. Her art style is godlike.
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Came back from the dead 😀 :
Evil Heart 7,5/10 There are two such subplots. The whole thing is 6 volumes long and Kihen is part 4-6.

Ja Ja Uma Grooming UP! 8,5/10 Is a bit better then Gin no Saji as there has a clear narrative progression. The ending is very good btw.

Kemono no Souja 7,5/10 I hope that it came to stay. It is a bit better than the anime as it adapts the novels. The romance will come later and go somewhere.

Kiss & Never Cry 9/10 Is the real deal and i have reviewed the complete thing.

Moon 8/10 You need to start with part 1 and only this one has a love story.

Piece 8/10 I hope that we are back to stay as the mangaka is a real talent and dares to deal with heavy themes at times.

Princess 7,5/10 Needs no introduction but i need a refresh!

Pick your poison. I'll be back[/b] with new discoveries going forward.

Last edited by residentgrigo at 5:46 pm, Jan 19 2020

________________
I also read EU/US comics and am a librarian.
Manga-Masters, My ANN-Lists + Imdb

The master of the house is currently occupied so you will have to rely on me a bit further and my updates section got unreadable so here it is again with structure and additions:

Shonen:
Unlucky Boy Undead Girl My 8/10 review:
This short "borderline seinen" zombie love story (where are they all coming from?) is cute, clever and emotional with smart art choices on top. So basically UNdeadman but better. An author to note who needs more work than a random adaptation of a (good) game.

Seinen:
Chicha Koi Nikki 7,5/10 This tale of first love set in winter isn´t very "seinen" and highly transparent with the whole bully the one you love cliché but the slice of life angle is well done.

Feel 100% (Manhua) 7,5/10 The translation of this Chinese comedy version of Mad Men just started. It is award winning and the art is very crisp. Is his Happy Tennis (8/10) dead or not btw. as it´s a pretty funny rom-com.

Futari no Renai Shoka 8,5/10 Just went into scanlation and off my wish list. It´s a warm age gap romance about bookworms with stellar art.

Haru no Houtai Shoujo My 7,5/10 review:
The manga came to an end and 2 reviews are not amused. Shrug. The ending works fine for me so i down-voted the "new" Rushed Ending / Axed (a lot are mine btw.) but the manga had more story in it i will admit. The narrative is good overall so i can recommend it to a very broad audience. The romance aspect was very heartfelt and the art carried emotions very well.

Taki Takanosuke no Sanpo Jikan 7,5/10 A clear case of Mono no Aware. The lead is an aging dandy for once who has all sorts of beautiful women crushing on him left and right so a clear romance series it is not. A weird choice for the magazine btw.

Tokkaten 7,5/10 This somewhat dark short story collection is about love in a way and as morally complex as his other somewhat mixed works.

Josei:
Niberunku no Yubiwa 8/10 It´s a Ring of the Nibelung adaptation by a very established mangaka. 'Nuff Said and Le Crépuscule des Dieux is a 8,5/10 bande dessinée version of the same tale that is also in "scanlation".

Onna Na no de Shouganai 8/10 Is turning into a bit of a non-conformist romance. I love how blunt the story is and Manga Box is coming around a bit it seems. More of this, please.
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Came back from the dead ? :
Bara no Tame ni 8,5/10 Is back. A manga about boring people, depression and a chubby chick as a lead. More of this please.

Shingeki no Kyojin - Before the Fall 8/10 Never left as is still in translation but by an unknown group. It has a solid background romance and is even better than the main title so read my glowing review. OVA when?

I am really not the best guy to talk about love I will admit but Drama (236) Romance (161) Seinen (139) is somehow a thing for me. Take a look @ my public reading list and more importantly the list in my signature if you respect my opinions because both are flooded with such tales as most don´t dare to write without a romance in there somewhere.

Last edited by residentgrigo at 5:42 pm, Jan 19 2020

________________
I also read EU/US comics and am a librarian.
Manga-Masters, My ANN-Lists + Imdb

Some say that a library book belongs to you if you keep it long enough. I wonder if that also counts for threads? I dug deep on the female front (note that high amount of adult leads) and settled on a format. The mentioned Plastic Memories anime derailed pretty hard after the 2 opening episodes.

Shoujo
Bambi to Dhole 8,5/10 Some of the school life stuff is the usual song but the actual characterization and the very serious main themes are well done. Not necessary what you usually get to read in a youth manga.

Itsuka no Haru 7,5/10 Too short and the setting/logic are whatever but i would have liked to read more as this is her first manga i cared about.

Niji no Tani no An 7,5/10 Went into scanlation the right time and is set later in the timeline but not a romance so start at the start with Akage no Anne (8,5/10). It is a worthy adaptation of the classic and i hope that the later skipped books won´t be left unadapted when all is said and done.

Ohayou, Ibarahime 8/10 Multiple personalities is a problematic topic and a bitch to write but i was intrigued from the start and the twist in ch.4 (the supernatural genre is by me) was unexpected. The art has a lot of variety and the fairy tail analog started to become a plot point. I would also love to read the debut one volume tale by this talented new voice.

Sekihan-chan to Sumomo-kun 7,5/10 is a less complicated high school version of Nicoichi and is a cleanly drawn take on the Gender Bender genre that almost never works. This is her first truly good series btw.

Tokimeichatte Gomen ne? 8/10 Hikikomori also need love and something interesting is done with the dead trope. The humor works very well and the pacing is fast which may mean that it isn´t long for this world as the rest if of her work. Let´s hope not as this is her best. Try out her short Ore no Kanojo ga Stalker na Ken of equal quality too and her second best Kimi ni Koishite Ii Desu ka. is about to end in scanlated form if you get hooked.

Toshishita no Otokonoko (HIRO Chihiro) 8/10 There isn´t much story as of now so i need to see more but i will praise the romance. It´s nothing new but it moves along and i get why the characters are attracted to each other. The calm art is way to well directed for a beginner and i could see the series or the author take off as the amount of translated languages available is high so early in.

Josei

Ginban Kishi 8/10 Is comparable to my previously posted Kiss & Never Cry but more straightforward and with all the darkness taken out. Yayoi´s art further excels at movement and anatomy yet she started her career as a hentai OVA producer... This industry makes no sense.

Haru wa na nomi no 7,5/10 The (highly realistic in RL) teacher x teacher romance variety isn´t that common so why not and the cast is working well so far. This is her first mass-market series after more than a decade of Yaoi so the series is weirdly professional and kind off not as a result.

Katsu Curry no Hi 7,5/10 A deliberately frustrating age gap tale about the futility of arranged marriage. Her´s Otoko no Isshou is a similar enough story and she is a weird/frustrating author herself.

Koudaike no Hitobito 7/10 The author´s stories tend to peter out over time so let´s hope this one doesn´t as it is her best. The humor works and the multiple protagonists keep things fresh even if the over-reliance on happily ever after endings are predictable. I like how calm and not flashy the art lastly is despite some stylish character designs at times.

Love Rerun 7,5/10 A bit predictable but this variation on a dead theme has good ideas and feels adult targeted at times. A pretty clean debut work too.

Seinen
Gunka no Baltzar Gaiden - Yuukoku no Liebknecht 7,5/10 Is quite distant towards the reader but so is the main narrative. Knowledge of it will help and the somewhat cold romance may end in tragedy with that general mood.

Minna! Esper da yo! 8/10 The author´s main work started strong but burned out over time. Let´s hope that such a mistake can be avoided here but this is another rare win for the ecchi camp as it got a clear comedy for once. Just don´t expect something sexy and a version of Ike! Inachuu Takkyuubu instead.

Mizu no Iro Gin no Tsuki 7/10 This isn´t the borderline masterpiece the "prequel" Natsu no Zenjitsu is and the characterization is a bit off due to the lack of experience at this point. The second volume was written at a later date it is more rounded and better drawn but a true ending to all of this will be needed one day.

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Came back from the dead 😀 :

Let´s start with a Ryo Ikumi round as i list her in my signature and a lot of her works started or resurrected recently: Anata no Koto wa Sorehodo 8,5/10 Adultery is very hard to write but Ikumi as she has a knack for fresh takes on dead tropes or making themes work that lesser talent can´t. Her very serene art is also of high quality and the finishing touches on the scanlation of her more mass market-friendly Principal stabilized too.

Kiyoku Yawaku 8/10 Is an interconnected episodic tale about relationships that change moods and style depending on the protagonist and it took me a while to get in. The series won an award and i was reminded of her comparable Kano Hitoya Tsuki 8,5/10 that jumps less between protagonists and focuses on perspective shifts on previous events. I would love to see that one get resurrected.

Taiyou ga Mite Iru (Kamo Shirenai Kara) 9/10 This fairly new work reminds me of her earlier efforts that used to be equally emotionally ambiguous. I can´t imagine it pleasing the masses is the narrative becomes draining and not that pleasant to read after the first volume even if it ultimately boils down to a school life drama. The story isn´t further about a romantic relationship and more about the notion of romance so prepare to be surprised and frustrated. The manga should have been published in as josei and I wonder if the equally complex Torch Song Ecology 8,5/10 will get a romantic subplot? Ikumi round over.

Inugamihime ni Kuchizuke 8/10 Kouji´s storytelling is improving and the series can be compared to the just finished Ran to Haiiro no Sekai. A dog-girl instead of the usual cat-girl. This makes way more sense!

Jisatsutou 9,5/10 An unknown group did an entire volume and the series is a romance in the same way Gantz is as such narratives are vocal and drive the plot by an even higher degree. Don´t expect a feel-good tale and read my lengthy review for more information.

HoneyComb 7,5/10 The manga is more quirky than anything but there is a lot of flirting so it counts. It´s actually way more funny and fresh that such series tend to be and the author is improving too.

Kidou Senshi Gundam MSV-R: Johnny Ridden no Kikan 8/10 The amount of releases is amazing and the amount of sub-series is crazy too. Sunrise sure knows how to commission good manga but UC knowledge will be needed. Don´t ask me how deep the romance will go.

Kidou Senshi Gundam Thunderbolt 8/10 also came back and now has multiple romantic subplots but it is even less of a real romance and very dark in tone.

Oyome ni Ikenai! 8/10 The far-fetched setup is nothing special or new but the execution is clean and the characters are charming.

Rokudenashi Blues 8/10 This is one of the better (or few good) delinquent manga and the amount of romance subplots is pretty high for the sub-genre. Not that it is good to reduce female characters to love interests but it works here and i wonder why a punk like Maeda would go for a mousy girl. Imagine a version of Angel Densetsu with a real delinquent as a protagonist and you are set. The old school meets realism style is greatly appreciated and the translation is back after stumbling in 2014.

Six Half 7,5/10 ML moved the translation along big time and cracks are showing up. I know that Rikako hates her reader at times but well thought out psychological anguish is starting to turn to angst only and none are now remotely likable to a degree of surrealism. There have also been way too many fake-outs and highly convenient encounters and no way would a Japanese (or any) school openly cheer on one of their students to become a lingerie model for men magazines and throw her education. (How many AKB48 girls went on to do a bit of porn and then nothing else btw?) The series a good drama overall but my score may fall in the end as Johnny Drama ain´t my kind of writing.

Last edited by residentgrigo at 5:39 pm, Jan 19 2020

________________
I also read EU/US comics and am a librarian.
Manga-Masters, My ANN-Lists + Imdb

Having less time and getting more picky makes this a lot easier I guess...

February

Ookami Shounen wa Kyou mo Uso o Kasaneru - Seinen
Hasn't been updated since the first batch so who knows what happens from now on... Character design is very good, the plot is nothing special, mean looking protagonist, and unattainable "cold" beauty. It has no right to be any good, but the characters are very likable, enough to be worth reading. Yes, it may be nothing special, but a cute little read nonetheless.


Liselotte to Majo no Mori - Shoujo
Chapters are getting re-translated and it's kinda slow. That's it. As with fruits basket I don't like the style at all and it's not really a new release so I have no intention of reading any further.


Dagashi Kashi - Shounen
It's weird gag comedy stuff. Nothing to see here unless that's exactly what you are looking for.


Hapira Hajimaru Shoujo
"Cold delinquent" male protagonist and a happy-go-lucky female lead... The releases are very slow it seems, but it looks promising. The girl makes up for the out-of-place male character design and the conversations are definitely above average for a shoujo. Art style is solid. Overall a decent read if you like those overdone kinds of romance.


Hoshi o Ou Kodomo - Seinen
Expansive and interesting story but it feels very old. Everything is compressed to ridiculous amounts, as if half of the panels were missing. It's a really interesting way of storytelling that may annoy you a lot though. The characters are decent but nothing out of the ordinary. It reminds me heavily of Escaflowne. It's worth a try, you'll need to read at least 2 or 3 chapters though because the first one is literally a mess.

________________
in need of romance?
uncommon, sad, sweet

March

Shin Chimoguri Ringo to Kingyobachi Otoko - Seinen
The sequel to (unsurprisingly) Chimoguri Ringo to Kingyobachi Otoko. There's not much you can say about this one, it is VERY weird. If you've already read the first one, this continues after those events, if not, try the prequel and decide for yourself if you can stomach the strangeness this author has to offer. If I had to sum this up in one word, it would be "unique". That's a lot of if's for one creepy manga...


Colorless Girl - Webcomic
This one is along the lines of Gaussian Blur. The story is a bit confusing and the ending is not very clear. It seems to be designed to leave a strange feeling when reading it, but the beginning is more extreme than the ending in that regard. You can take a look if you want to read something unusual but don't expect too much. On the plus side, it is relatively short and completed.


Eiyuu Kyoushitsu - Honoo no Jotei - Seinen
Thank god we didn't have enough "overpowered male lead in rpg fantasy world" manga yet... The story may turn out good, but romance-wise it's the same old characters and the same old story. They also like to strip down the heroine for no reason, so if you are into that... If you wanna satisfy your power fantasy it's okay but nothing I'd personally recommend. We just really didn't need another (mediocre) one of those.


Suki ni Naranai yo, Senpai - Shoujo
Meet tough but cute girl that is totally not into womanizers, and and total womanizer who is obviously kind at heart and manages to sway her heart anyway. Throw in the childhood friend boy who is more 1-dimensional than even those protagonists and only there for comedic relief and there you go. Seriously, good art is one thing, but you can't just slap scenes that every other shoujo manga already includes with absolutely zero coherence together and hope it turns out well. Are those badly executed? No, they are actually pretty well executed, but everything feels so loose and unconnected that in return it lacks any soul. If you like shoujo and want another read where you don't have to think and just absorb what happens at the moment, go ahead. If you are looking for something that's actually decent, look elsewhere.


Futari no Renai Shoka - Seinen
Mahoutsukai no Yome and Maigo. That alone should be enough to expect quality, and it is. Likable characters, interesting quirks, nice art style. Unique moments, really sweet interactions between the characters, not only the protagonists, are really carrying this through. Every person they introduce has some kind of meaning, some impact, and in the end, the only thing that comes to mind that I could criticize is the somewhat abrupt ending and, well, there's not more of it.


Saku Love - Shoujo
This feels like a strange mix of Nijiiro Days (MIZUNO Minami) and Seishun Kouryakuhon but it's missing the strong characters (not that these aren't special but they feel kinda half-assed). There hasn't been much of a plot so far and there were only two releases so who knows if this even comes back. Due to the other two existing I don't see a reason to read this because it just feels like a lesser version of both. I guess if you are looking for similar stuff and can tolerate the waiting time... why not?


Million Doll - ?
3 chapters in and it didn't hook me in the slightest... It's about a girl and a guy who try to make "their" idol/idol band successful, and that's where some sort of rivalry arises.art style and characters don't seem very interesting though, so it's more about the whole topic of idol fandom. If you are interested in that, try it, if not there is no reason to start this.


Things that look promising that I probably won't bother with:
Tsujiura-san to Chupacabra - Shounen
Urami Koi, Koi, Urami Koi. - Shounen
(I actually did try this one. The romance is somewhat weak at times, but passable. The world and story are good enough. With a shounen you could do way worse.)

Last edited by Lorska at 6:20 pm, Feb 17 2016

________________
in need of romance?
uncommon, sad, sweet

Isn´t it fascinating that Lorska and me only had one recondition in common? That´s diversity in opinions for you. I also went through all of Otakumole´s backlog for a last time to figure out what is good and am aware that they don´t accept new sign-ups for the foreseeable future. This lockdown of information is unfortunate and potential translators are left in the dust too but so is life. (Copyrights holders won´t be kept away either.) On to the funny books:

Boku no Kotori-san (7,5/10) and Debu to Bijin (7,5/10) and are fine enough oneshots which explain themselves. The first surprised me as it has deeper characterization then the rest of her more famous works.

Star Wars 8/10 -webcomic- The Han Solo and Leia Organa romance is a classic and the new Marvel line is better than Dark Horse´s ever was. A shame about Mara Jade and so on but the EU needed to die! Check ´em out too.

Shounen:
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Smoke and Shadow 8,5/10 New readers need to start with ep.1 of the toon and Zuko is the clear protagonist for the second time. He is now part of a weird love triangle but will end up with Mai anyway, to close that endless post-show arc, so what´s the point? Shippers gonna ship i guess. (The ending to Korra was bullshit btw. so i am curious how it´s upcoming comic sequel will turn out.)

Shoujo:
Kudluk no Bansan 7/10 Her previous series were all moody and somewhat messy mysteries so i was surprised by the upbeat mood at first. That didn´t last and the narrative got pretty dire now. I am interested to see where the series goes and fans of Anne Rice should have fun.

Soba ni Ite mo Ii n Daze 7,5/10 Another borderline Josei manga and series with "older" female protagonists who feels left behind keep piling up on my reading list. I will add though that this is a very common theme in female publications (for obvious reasons) and i will note that the manga already bothered move past a point in the introduction which other series would have stretched for volumes.

Josei:
Hajimete no Hito (TANIKAWA Fumiko) 8/10 This a oneshot collection and the first one is about a Museum employee´s sexual relationship and her regret regarding her past love life. The originating magazine is pretty good btw.

Kyou wa Kaisha Yasumimasu. 8/10 The setup could have backfired spectacularly yet it didn´t and the series is surprisingly complex and deep in regard to the relationship of the leads. Don´t ask me why the other male admirer gets so much screen time as a real love triangle would destroy the point of the story but we will see.

Namidaame to Serenade 8,5/10 We all know the story of The Prince and the Pauper so i don´t need to go on and it is set in the late Meiji Era but with a time travel twist (water is of course involved). The manga is very moody, as are all her tales and this one is somewhat more upbeat than usual.

Seinen:
Akai Mi Hajiketa 7,5/10 The description explains all. Nearly all chapters are too short so the Mono no Aware mood and art are the star.

Koi wa Ameagari no You ni 8/10 Another Mono no Aware series with an age gap romance and both leads already have well defined characteristics. These types of series tend to explain themselves.

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Came back from the dead ? :
Fushigi na Hito 7,5/10 The striking designs immediately stick out and the author is better with mood and art than with narratives. The anthology is her best work till now and some of her previous shorts are worth a read too.

Mizutama Puzzle 8/10 is a self-explanatory age gap 2 parter that is the mangaka´s one non-Yaoi work. The second half spend nearly 3 years in limbo so there is hope for them all. Right?

Toukyou Lastochika 8,5/10 A lot of us read Emma and this is the same story but shorter, more serious and set in the Meiji Period. A Josei publication form would have been more fitting.

Last edited by residentgrigo at 5:38 pm, Jan 19 2020

________________
I also read EU/US comics and am a librarian.
Manga-Masters, My ANN-Lists + Imdb

It´s Valentine's Day so here i am. Synergy!

#shin5 - Kekkonshite mo Koishiteru 8/10 Series based on web account aren´t new but all had various degrees of problems with being believable. This one doesn´t and the remarriage angle isn´t that common in manga. A cute and short read with a lot of character and frankly too good for a web manga...

Shin Koutai Monogatari 7/10 I submitted the manga after it got licensed for free. The short series struggles with being an educational piece without a core audience and trying to be a somewhat moralistic (double) love story but i am interested in reading his other medical series.

Shoujo
Hana o Meshimase 8/10 is a short age-gap romance with very clean art. Flower arrangement and the language of flowers itself used to be a big topic in girls manga up to the 90s. In the backgrounds art especially but tastes and attention spans moved on i guess. The manga also works as a one-off which is rare.

Ichibanboshi Kirari 7/10 has the usual 10th grader fall in love with a teacher flaws but the second half got somewhat more interesting and the calm art is nice to look at. The publisher should finally let her write long form. The recently translated one-shot from Kiss Shite mo Ii Koro is worth it too.

Kirakira to Yoru ni Furu 7,5/10 Nami Fujio was rather average till now but apparently grew into her own here. The art has personality, the characters are likable and well defined, even if the themes are old, and the narrative most importantly managed to get the bullying theme right. This is somewhat rare in this medium, despite being present all over the place, so the series deserves your time due to that alone. The manga was axed after 2 volumes though.

Kuchibiru ni Kimi no Iro 8/10 is Keiko´s current series and her best. The art is noteworthy and the narrative is moving along while avoiding genre pitfalls (bullying and transfer students are as generic as a teen manga can get) so my appreciation could rise a bit. The mangaka needs more exposure and higher volume count for her tales.

My Fair Neighbor 8/10 I mentioned Mei Moria before and this cutesy yet somewhat serious one-and-done age gap story is her (?) debut. Characterization and mood are again the highlights.

Josei
Chocolate Junkie and the "sequel" Nimo Kakawarazu, 7/10 for both, were recently finished over @ OM. The first may be too abusive and the 2nd one´s central conflict is a bit contrived yet i bothered to finish both.
Her Jumping 7,5/10 though has learned from past lessons and managed to immediately grab my attention. The humor works well and the lead is her most engaging flawed heroines yet. The art is very refined and may be a selling point on its own. Jumping is one of the best countryside manga i read so let´s hope that it won´t start to stumble.

Haru no Noroi 8/10 Comic Zero-Sum is a generic publication but OM caught a winner here. The train to depression town is departing! Isn´t it crazy how polished first works can sometimes be? A shame it got axed after 2 volumes though.

Nanatsuya Shinobu no Housekibako 8/10 The mangaka needs no words and the age difference was the biggest surprise to me and not the all-around quality. Let´s learn a bit about jewelry.

Niko to Fukigen na Shitsuji 8/10 This is her first manga i like and servant x master romances are as old as female publications but this one bothers to give him a reason to work for her departed family. The characterization is also a bit deeper than expected but the story could write itself in a corner with the inheritance blackmailing scheme.

Seinen
Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu (FUJISAKI Ryu) 9,5/10 (my first perfect score in this thread!) and better than the older / ongoing (?) manga adaptation. The Shiki artists is well chosen and the new anime is coming 2017. We are not worthy to be blessed with such quality and the legendary OVA is the best long-form anime of all time. Full stop.

Golden Kamui 7,5/10 The scenario is fresh enough for a manga (but not for European comics). The leading "coupe" has a highly weird comedy dynamic and the series features a strange mix of quirky comedy and high octane gore.

Hwaja 8/10 The story is a somewhat straightforward supernatural murder mystery despite the time jumps and turns along the road. The narrative is pretty dark but not bleak and the length fits. The artist has good ideas regarding panel layout and the use of colors but his later works show a clear evolution. I can certainly see how this lead to the later Star Wars gig.

Jigokuren - Death Life 7/10 Don´t ask me why the same magazine that canceled the original would print a side-story sequel but here we are. That one got a review from me and i hope for a similar social commentary bend. The original had some surprisingly well-done drama too and don´t expect a sex comedy.

Nostradamus Love 7/10 is truly out of the left field but certainly original. The mismatched couple scenario is taken to the extreme too but it lacks a payoff.

Sasen mo Warukunai 8,5/10 I reviewed this unusual post-war-ish romance and i wonder how many of you will get my Cornwell reference. Fans of Spice and Wolf or readers who question how the story of a military book would go on after the ending will certainly enjoy this debut piece/book adaptation.
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Came back from the dead😀: :
Pen to Chocolate 7/10 Her manga tended to be rather average and short in the end so i wouldn´t be surprised if this one ended up being equally competent yet forgettable but i can go for a "done-it-two".

[m]Sekitou Elergy[/m] 8/10 Just read my review for the dead scanlation thread.

Last edited by residentgrigo at 5:36 pm, Jan 19 2020

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I also read EU/US comics and am a librarian.
Manga-Masters, My ANN-Lists + Imdb

Hi residentgrigo, may I ask if you read most of your recommendations in raws or are there English translations available?

For mangas like Hana o Meshimase.

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Nulla in mundo pax sincera
"Always go too far, because that's where you'll find the truth." - Albert Camus

I specifically mentioned in my posts that i will bring up manga done on otakumole.ch from time to time (due to the strong overlap audience and i wasn´t even the first) but the registration/invitations feature is currently closed. I will never bring up a series that isn´t in translation (in any form) in a thread about scanlation. View such as additional information and promotion for a "wider" release. Good things come to those who wait.

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I also read EU/US comics and am a librarian.
Manga-Masters, My ANN-Lists + Imdb

April

I didn't even want that many, but the last week of April actually had a lot of stuff in it that seems interesting. Well, for now here is the list of things that seemed noteworthy. I'll fill in as I read along.

Love Rerun - Shoujo
~


Pochi Kuro - Shounen
What a ride. the pacing is all over the place and the romance is very straight-forward and simple. The comedy is carrying this through hard though, and while this is by no means original, some of the jokes are just spot-on. You can do worse with a shounen romance. Hell, in the end the most important thing is if you enjoy it or not. And there's a lot to enjoy here. I sincerely hope that they don't mess it up, when all those plot parts are put together later on.


Yorukumo - Seinen
Art style is good, premise and world is interesting. It has a crude, gory feel to it. Sadly, there are not nearly enough chapters out to recommend this and it's impossible to say how this will develop at the moment. I'd personally wait until there are more chapters out to go with, even though this looks like it has been abandoned... If it is not, this may turn out to be a really good one.


Sui Youbi - Seinen
It's cute and easy to read. The beginning is very good and the slice of life is enjoyable. There are however some shortcomings. The chapters are inconsistent in how good they are and sometimes feel a bit short. The not being able to talk thing also gets stale after a while and characters are not fleshed out well so far. It's one of those manga you spend a bit of time on and don't think too much about. You could call this a lesser Yotsubato with romance instead of parenting and for some that's enough - and it's really far from being bad so give it a go if you have some spare time.


Chicha Koi Nikki
This is a cute one. It has a good art style, the characters feel very down-to-earth and likable and the romance isn't forced. The story also focuses on her daily life and the slow progression she goes through in the new city, while throwing the guy in from time to time. These few chapters have been really nice and relaxing and I hope we'll get to see more of this. There's a lot of emphasis on the characters and family, so give it a go if you like stories like that.


Natsuzora and Run
I tend to not like sports manga, but this one is very light in that regard. The characters are interesting but progress slowed down a bit. The first few chapters actually did a way better job of portraying them, and now it's kinda dragging with all the back and forth between him and her... If you are fine with that it's a good read though and the backstories and reasoning behind the characters and actions are what it focuses on now and what gives a reason to be interested in still.


Nekota no Koto ga Ki ni Natte Shikatanai.
~


Boku to Kotori-chan
Cute, fluffy, easy to read. Nothing spectacular though and the comedy aspect is a bit too on the nose at times and too predictable. It felt like they could have done more, especially with the support cast, but as it stands, it's a nice short read you can spend less than an hour on without regretting it. It's not a masterpiece though and the constant reminder every chapter (except for maybe 2 or 3) what basically happened on the first page in the first chapter is nothing but an annoyance.


Here are things I probably won't dig into, but I'll still name them.
Bravely Default - Flying Fairy - Shounen
Saku Love - Shoujo
Tsukikage Baby - Josei

Last edited by Lorska at 5:47 pm, Feb 21 2016

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in need of romance?
uncommon, sad, sweet

Some are from OM and you all know the drill. Supports your scanlations and official releases, or don´t be surprised when they disappear.

Seinen:
Aoi Honoo 8,5/10 is vastly superior to the unconnected "sequels" and the endless love triangle isn´t all that great but the rest is engaging and insightful. Especially the integration of all the famous real life mangaka.


The Zombie Maria 7,5/10 is hardly the first such tale but a rare memorable one. The "underground" art and the decomposed nature of the zombie girl makes it stand out but the logical twist needs more room to develop.
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Anime: The Boy and the Beast 8,5/10 The director´s most rounded film. It is debatable though if the relationship in question is truly romantic or not.

Came back from the dead ? :

Akatokisei Residence 8/10 A fluffy anthology about aliens.

Beshari-Gurashi 8/10 The author is well known and this is one of his strongest efforts, even if a lot of the comedy routines prove untranslatable.

Spica 7/10 is a short story collection from Chica Umino´s earliest works. ´Nuff said.

Yome ga Kore na Monde. 8/10 I didn´t know there was a 2nd volume. Too bad about the author´s death. He was steadily improving.

Last edited by residentgrigo at 7:13 pm, Oct 24 2018

________________
I also read EU/US comics and am a librarian.
Manga-Masters, My ANN-Lists + Imdb

Shoujo:
Boku wa Chikyuu to Utau - "Boku Chikyuu" Jiseidai Hen 8/10 Starting with the final 3rd part makes no sense, so start with the masterful original. None of the 2 highly comparable sequels measured up but it´s interesting to see a family chronic in manga form. Yes DBZ did it too, but this one at least make sense.

Josei:
Hatsukoi no Sekai 8/10 This is only the 2nd series, after Otoko no Isshou, i liked from her. This is due to the straightforward story that put characterization before the artificial drama. The romance itself isn´t too much in the forefront and a 40 years old protagonist is nice too, but isn´t yet used to full effect.

Nanatsuya Shinobu no Housekibako 8/10 The author is well established by now and pawn show / jewelry topes are reasonably unexplored.

Toukyou Tarareba Musume 8,5/10 The author is bets know for Jellyfish Princess but her more somber biographical manga showed her true talents. This one is similar in tone and content and more realistic than most romance manga, due to a deeply flawed cast. I find it somewhat questionable that such a sexless looser protagonist as Rinko would burn though 3 men in mere months but I never called the manga perfect.

Yukionna Gensou - Michiyuki Hen 8/10 I ain´t so sure if the mythological side to the story is needed but we will see. Manga about rocky relationships aren´t that usual, so that´s good.

Seinen:
Aoi Horus no Hitomi - Dansou no Joou no Monogatari 8/10 The political marriage between half-siblings is an important plot point and the female pharaoh is a real historical person.

Batsu-Gyaru 7/10 this will probably get an ongoing, we will see then, but why is this targeting adults?

Innocent Rouge 7/10 The direct prequel was somewhat better due to the strong first half and the focus here isn´t the protagonist marriage or the intrigues in the court but what sort of historically inaccurate NC-17 insanity Shinichi can draw up. The art is industry leading but only salty Seinen dogs should apply.

Shinjuu Muri 7/10 A black comedy one-shot about murder + suicide as the answer to end relationships.
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Came back from the dead ? :
Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor 8,5/10 This is basically a remixed tv universe retelling for the first few volumes but new tales will come later. The somewhat bleak 2nd film by Mamoru Oshii is one of the finest animated films of all time btw.

Oboreru Knife 7,5/10 OM now finished the rest and the 2nd half clearly falls off, due to over the top melodrama.

Seikai no Monshou (YONEMURA Kouichirou) 7,5/10 It´s back. ´Nuff said.

Sekkachi Hakushaku to Jikan Dorobou 8/10 It´s a Kumeta comedy, so expectations should be established.

Last edited by residentgrigo at 5:27 pm, Jan 19 2020

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I also read EU/US comics and am a librarian.
Manga-Masters, My ANN-Lists + Imdb