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Warning: If you haven't played the game, there's little point in reading this manga, as it will make little sense to you. For the most part, it assumes you know the characters and are aware of the plot. But if you have played the game, then Hikari wo Tsugumono/Light Inheritors is a must-read.

As with all the Seisen manga, HwT provides a depth to the characters that is sorely lacking in-game. A few characters hog most of the screentime, but most of your favorite 2nd gen characters make an appearance at some point or another. (Except Leen, but who needs her?) Even a few 1st gen ... characters get flashback scenes, most of which are quite poignant. I especially loved the way that Levin was characterized - Nea Fuyuki does a fantastic job of emphasizing how different he is from the Prince Levin of 1st gen.

This manga does not cover all of the 2nd gen, but that enables it to take time with its pacing, and there's still plenty of Seisen story to cover in these five volumes of manga.

I felt that where this manga really shone in comparison to the other two official Seisen manga was the artwork. Simply put, it's absolutely gorgeous. All the guys all bishies (even Finn, who inexplicably has long hair...probably my only complaint with this manga). It's actually fairly shoujo-y, with less emphasis on the battles and the fighting, and more emphasis on how beautiful everyone is and how they should all pair off. That's not to say that it doesn't have its fight scenes - there was one scene in particular during the fight with Blume/Ishtar that I actually went back to and stared at for a few minutes.

Anyway, I feel that anybody who enjoyed Seisen should definitely pick up HwT. It's a short read, but it definitely makes the 2nd gen feel alive and magical again, which is what any good Fire Emblem manga should be aiming for.

I have to admit, I started Nyanpire with pretty low expectations. My friend's recommendation had been a less-than-glowing "we just watched Nyanpire; it was really freakin' weird!" Going solely off of that vague statement and the rather silly title (I mean really, Nyanpire?), I started watching it without high hopes. Fortunately, I can say quite confidently that my initial impressions turned out to be wrong.

That's not to say that Nyanpire isn't exactly what it sounds like: a silly collection of short episodes about a cat vampire and his friends. It's exactly that - nothing more, nothing less. But Nyanpire takes this ridiculous concept and does ... it well, managing to fit less than three minutes of deliciously cute story into four and a half minute long episodes. The remaining minute and a half is devoted to an ending theme that is as enjoyable, cute, and ridiculous as the anime itself.

While there was no real overarching storyline (the final episode had the opportunity to set up an actual plot, but instead opted for the cheesy ending), the plots of the individual episodes were executed smoothly enough that I didn't really mind. Each episode moved along so quickly that I always found myself surprised when it was over, while at the same time feeling completely satisfied that it had been exactly as long as it needed to be.

Combined with the light touches of orchestral accompaniment and adorably simple art, Nyanpire was the perfect short anime to watch between class and while doing work without having to worry about getting completely absorbed for hours. It really is just as it appears to be on the surface, but that's by no means a bad thing. Compared to anime which try too hard to be philosophical, or go way overboard with plot twists and complex character designs, Nyanpire is refreshingly honest and simple. If you're not into the cute and silly, then Nyanpire probably isn't for you. But hey, at less than an hour of total watch time, there's no harm in giving it a try.