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This wasn’t a terrible read. It just wasn’t very interesting either. It has been done many times before and done better. The biggest problem with this manga is that it’s just bland. I saw that this manga had some pretty good reviews with many people commenting on how original and un-cliché it is. I don’t think they read the manga that I did.

It doesn’t help matters that I really, really hated Ranmaru. Whenever I see characters like him I can’t help but think of Tamaki Suoh from Ouran High School Host Club. Ranmaru might as well be a clone of him but without any ... likability. I don’t have a problem with a hero that sleeps around but his attitude towards women and Momoko is still pretty terrible. He seems to have a split personality where he is only marginally nice when it involved Momoko. I know that this is meant to show that she is someone special to him but it just comes across as being incredibly contrived and forced. Whether a character is good or bad they should at least be consistent.

The rest of my review can be seen here: http://nikkimanga.com/momoiro-heaven-volumes-1-3-review/

I expected the story to be as lame as the title but I was pleasantly surprised. Teru is very likeable as the main character. She is strong yet still able to be silly at times. She is able to stand up for herself when she needs to not just relying on DAISY to come and save her even though she asks him to. I think the thing that makes her stand out from your average shojo heroine is that she seems like a normal girl. Such a simple thing that not a lot of shojo artist seem to get right.

Like Teru, Kurosaki has a lot ... of depth and character as well. It is the mystery behind his past and his motivations that really drive the story. It’s not just a simple “and then they fall in love” story. The way he interacts with Teru is genuinely sweet at times, even when he’s feigning meanness. I get very tired of reading about hero’s that are just perfect and never do anything wrong, or even if they do it’s an exception or treated as if it’s okay because they did it. The story questions if the heroic things he does are really good. Hacking for instance if, even when it’s used for good, it should still be considered a crime.

The rest of my review can be seen here: http://nikkimanga.com/dengeki-daisy-volume-1-review/

I find it surprising how many people rate this series so highly. I guess it is an acquired taste. I’m not usually one to judge a manga or anime on the artwork or to let it get in the way of reading it but personally, I cannot stand Tarako Kotobuki’s drawing style. I don’t even like the look of any of her characters. I don’t expect them to be all pretty-pretty but to me they just look odd. Not only because they inhabit a world where hands and feet can be twice the size of your entire head. Most of the time it’s not a ... stylistic choice, it’s just lazy. The lack of detail is disappointing, even with a simplistic drawing style. There are certain panels that are drawn marginally well so Kotobuki proves that she does have the ability.

A more detailed review can be seen at: http://nikkimanga.com/love-pistols-volume-1-review/

Hiroki Kusumoto set out to draw a vampire story and that’s exactly what she has done. The story focus is more on the vampire aspect than the boy’s love aspect and I applaud it for that. It would have been so easy for Kusumoto to have turned this into a no plot basic yaoi story with vampires just thrown in. However, because there is a plot it seems that Lou is a rather unnecessary part, or should I say he seems like more of a plot devise than a character.

The artwork has its own distinctive style and is superb. Kusumoto seems to have a talent ... for putting a lot of energy into every single line. The action scenes are executed well with a good sense of movement and perspective. Her drawings are so moody and seem to come right off the page. There’s also a lot of atmosphere which makes Vampire’s Portrait actually feel like a vampire story. While I wouldn’t call this an original story I think it is a decent vampire story. It’s difficult to be all that original when dealing with vampires and I think Kusumoto just manages to display enough flare to make it something of her own.

A more detailed review can be seen at: http://nikkimanga.com/vampires-portrait-volume-1-review/

Ghost in the Shell is largely considered to be an anime classic and as such is hyped up by hardcore otakus. The only thing I really knew about it was that it had stunning visuals and interesting ideas. Oh and that it was ripped off by two brothers who go by the name of Wachowski. As something that inspired a movie so ingrained into our culture now I really wanted to like it. Hell I thought I would drop down to my knees and worship it. It could never live up to the expectations.

It’s so strange for a movie to be too slow in ... parts and yet also feel rushed. I’d say the movie doesn’t really get going until about halfway through. I know complex ideas and worlds need a little time to explain but I felt a lot of it was unnecessarily long. The other flaw with it is that the characters weren’t strong enough to really carry the film through the slower parts. Everyone just seemed to be on a monotone. Perhaps the dubs have a role to play in that. Though they weren’t exactly terrible or unfitting most of the time they lacked emotion. I know we’re talking about cyborgs here but I think there should be some emotion in their voices.

A more detailed review can be seen at: http://nikkimanga.com/ghost-in-the-shell-review-movie/

I think one of the biggest problems is the tone. I think quirky is an apt way to describe it if I were being kind, inconsistent is another. Being constantly thrown back and forth from wacky slapstick comedy to serious plot is just irritating. I don’t think it would have hurt the series to lose a few of the comedic moments. The other major flaw is that Black Cat goes downhill rapidly after about 10 episodes. I would say episode 11 is the beginning of the end. The plot just seems contrived after this point and the ending is rushed and just plain terrible. It’s ... disappointing to see this happen to an anime that started off so strong.

There are a lot of positives to Black Cat. Action scenes are fun and suitably over the top. Characters are likable and memorable with good quality voice acting. And for half of the series at least, the story solid and imaginative. Even though the ending isn’t great it is still entertaining to watch and not a waste of time.

A more detailed review can be seen at: http://nikkimanga.com/black-cat-review-anime/