mostly manga talk

It's really odd. For Fujimi Symphony's 10th anniversary, they did a special where if you bought the hard cover book that came out earlier this year plus one other book (one of the regular novels or the manga), you could send a form in from the hard cover book and a little stamp and a postal order for 500 yen to get a special anniversary book. That was in June. I finally got it today, and I was taken aback because...it looks like a doujinshi. It's the smaller size used primarily for novels, and the contents remind me very much of a doujinshi. it has a strange little story, interviews of a bunch of characters, and a short manga with handwritten dialogue...It really felt like I was reading a doujinshi of the series, except that it came from the publisher and it had a color insert in the front like how novels and manga often do. It just further blurs the line between "pro" and doujin work...though it's already very blurred with doujinshi artists and writers becoming published left and right...

Also was reading some manga. First off, Rin! I was told that they didn't have sex till the end of volume 3, but that's not right! They totally have sex pretty early in the volume, just not graphic at all. At first I kept thinking that I was just deluded or something, but after having read the volume several times I have to conclude that they are indeed having sex. Amazing that NONE of it is shown except for kissing. I suppose that maybe that's why they put in an actual sex scene in the side story at the end of the volume...to satisfy the fangirls. The first time I was flipping through it, all I could feel was confusion because if this was their first time they were waaaay too casual about it (especially Katsura). But it makes perfect sense if this was regular activity for them. I couldn't believe that this is actually the end of the series, either! Overall, I enjoyed the series. Certain elements annoyed me, but in the end I really did like even Kouichi. It's so cliched to have the guy in love with his (taken) best friend, but it ended up being an interesting development in my opinion. The foreign guy in the side story was too much, though. I liked how Katsura did manage to mature by the end of the series. It was quietly powerful when he could concentrate and shoot so well. ^__^

Also thoroughly enjoyed reading Ichigenme wa yaruki no minpou by Yoshinaga Fumi in Japanese. And being able to read the end, because I don't think the scanlations are done yet. Those two are hilarious! Love them as an "old married" couple. Their disfunctional sex life is...beyond strange. I adore Toudou's new haircut, too. XD The only thing that marred it for me was the interjection of the chapters dealing with other characters that are connected to the main characters. Why do BL manga always do that? I usually read a manga for the main characters, and it annoys me to see pages taken up by some other couple that happens to be gay (or whatever) in that world.

I was very very excited when I came across the second volume of G-senjou no neko by Miyagi Tooko (it's being scanlated by Mochi-Mochi, I think). I've owned the first volume forever and ever, and every year I checked to see if the next volume had come out. Every year I was disappointed, and kind of stopped. So of course I manage to see it by accident while randomly browsing! :P Wow, the art kind of changed...But I really like this volume. It moved the story forward! It made me feel really sorry for the main character! (His dad must DIE! GAH!) It made the motivations of that sempai who was putting the moves on him much more understandable! I suppose it was worth the wait for this second volume. But now I'm being greedy and wanting the next volume already. ;_;

And last but not least....xxxHOLIC 7 is out! I totally want my hands on it already! ;_;

I kind of wish I lived in Japan because it'd be so simple (and cheaper) to get my hands on things, but when I really think about it I'd probably be in terrible debt because the temptation would be too great to buy buy buy and keep buying. Especially doujinshi. When you can blow hundreds of dollars in several hours at one event, going to more than one or two a year is very bad for the wallet. But then...I just spent a scary amount of money mail ordering a (fabulous) PoT doujinshi. First she wanted to send it via EMS, which adds more shipping cost. Then she wanted a money order, which adds the money order fee. Then she wanted the money order sent via registered mail, which added that fee. On top of the cost of the books themselves (not cheap!)? I can't believe I'm spending so much money....*sighs* I can't win. Pathetic fangirl slave to her obsessions...

Hm, xxxHOLIC wasn't the last thing in my post. Oh well. Screw revising it.