News, reviews and features with a focus on manga, self-published works and a Canadian perspective. Enjoy fulfilling your Kuriousity!
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January’s going out with a bit of a whimper, but still, manga! And a Legend of Zelda book that is a must have for many. You can read about the manga titles out this week over at my On The Shelf article for Otaku USA.
Bloody Monday (Vol.09) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
The Limit (Vol.03) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Heart of Thomas! I was able to buy this book last week, but Diamond Comics is now officially shipping it out to bookstores. Be sure to grab a copy while you can!
You can read my thoughts and first impressions of all this week’s titles over at Otaku USA’s On The Shelf column.
Afterschool Charisma (Vol.07) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Dogs (Vol.07) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Heart of Thomas [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Jormungand (Vol.10) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Missions of Love (Vol.02) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
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]
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!
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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]
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.
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.
It’s week two of wow-is-there-ever-a-lot-of-new-manga-coming-out-this-month (aka, November). There’s a lot of variety this week too – new books, old books, back-from-the-dead books, boys’ love, shonen, 4-koma, shoujo, whatever the heck Excel Saga is, and more! Ahhh, I wish I could afford them all!
You can read my thoughts on a number of this week’s books over at Otaku USA’s On The Shelf article.
07 Ghost (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Arons Absurd Armada Omnibus (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bad Teachers’ Equation (Vol.05) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Blood Blockade Battlefront (Vol.03) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bunny Drop (Vol.07) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Cross Game (Vol.08) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Excel Saga (Vol.24) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Inu-Yasha VizBIG (Vol.13) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi-chan (Vol.06) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Missions of Love (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Nabari no Ou (Vol.12) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Neon Genesis Evangelion 3-in-1 (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Omamori Himari (Vol.09) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Rin-Ne (Vol.10) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Secret Thorns [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Shoulder-a-Coffin Kuro (Vol.03) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Sleepless Nights [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Soul Eater (Vol.11) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Soul Eater Not! (Vol.02) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Spice and Wolf (Vol.07) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Start With A Happy Ending (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Umineko When They Cry: Golden Witch (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Note: Links on the site are affiliation links for Kuriousity with any and all proceeds from them going towards our hosting fees.
Where, oh where, is all the time going!? November 7th? Really? Yikes… This is looking like a big month for new manga releases and week one is definitely starting out with a bang. Over two dozen new releases!
You can read the full list and my thoughts on a number of them over at my On The Shelf article for Otaku USA.
Ai Ore (Vol.07) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Air Gear (Vol. 26) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bakuman (Vol.16) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bleach (Vol.50) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bleach (Vol.51) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Blue Exorcist (Vol.08) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Claymore (Vol.21) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
GTO Early Years (Vol.15) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Heroman (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Kamisama Kiss (Vol.11) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Kimi Ni Todoke (Vol.15) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Mardock Scramble (Vol. 06) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Naruto (Vol.59) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Box Set [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Negima (Vol. 36) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Neon Genesis Evangelion (Vol.13) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
One Piece (Vol.65) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Oresama Teacher (Vol.11) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Ouran High School Host Club Box Set [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Psyren (Vol.07) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Rosario Vampire Season II (Vol.10) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Sailor Moon (Vol. 08) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Strobe Edge (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Tegami Bachi (Vol.11) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Vampire Knight (Vol.15) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
We Were There (Vol. 15) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Note: Links on the site are affiliation links for Kuriousity with any and all proceeds from them going towards our hosting fees.
Brides, breasts, blood and butlers! But not all in the same book. I don’t think… I haven’t read them yet. But I will soon! Yesterday saw a small but fun stack of new books out including Bride of the Water God (Vol.12) and Black Butler (Vol. 11).
You can read the full list of new manga volumes and my thoughts on some choice picks over at the usual spot, Otaku USA’s On The Shelf!
Black Butler (Vol.11) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Black God (Vol.17) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bloody Monday (Vol.08) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bride of the Water God (Vol.12) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Disappearance of Nagato Yuki Chan (Vol.02) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Durarara!! (Vol.04) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Gantz (Vol.25) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Pandora Hearts (Vol.12) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Triage X (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
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