By Jun Hayase | Published by Futabasha | Available in English at JManga Even if JManga didn't offer anything else to interest me, I think I would still love them forever for introducing me to Ekiben Hitoritabi. (The ekiben in the title refers to the boxed meals sold at train stations throughout Japan, while hitoritabi means "a trip undertaken alone.") Ekiben Hitoritabi … [Read more...] about Ekiben Hitoritabi, Vol. 1
Reviews
Flower of Life, Vols. 1-4
By Fumi Yoshinaga | Published by Digital Manga Publishing When Fumi Yoshinaga sets a series in high school, you just know that she’s not going to do it like anybody else. Harutaro Hanazono is beginning his first year of high school thirteen months behind schedule due to a bout of leukemia. The manga begins as he introduces himself to his new classmates in a manner that … [Read more...] about Flower of Life, Vols. 1-4
Kobato., Vols. 1-3
By CLAMP | Published by Yen Press The plot of Kobato. sounds like a typical shoujo magical girl story. A dim-witted and clumsy heroine, who also happens to be guileless and compassionate, is tasked with filling a magic bottle with wounded hearts so that her dearest wish can be granted. But Kobato. isn't shoujo. If anything, it's seinen, as it ran for seven chapters in … [Read more...] about Kobato., Vols. 1-3
Fruits Basket 21-23 by Natsuki Takaya
As I recounted in this week’s Off the Shelf column, I have been a fan of Fruits Basket for nearly a decade now. I followed the end of the series in Japanese, and because I knew how it ended, I was able to postpone reading the final English volumes and delay the sad moment when the series really would be over. This week’s Manga Moveable Feast, however, prompted me to finally … [Read more...] about Fruits Basket 21-23 by Natsuki Takaya
Backstage Prince 1-2 as viewed on VIZmanga.com
One of the more exciting manga-related announcements to come out of San Diego Comic-Con was the debut of VIZ's new online manga portal, which syncs user accounts between the web browser and various supported devices. This is great news for me: since I don't own any of those supported devices, I've been hoping a site like this would come along. Of the assortment of shoujo, … [Read more...] about Backstage Prince 1-2 as viewed on VIZmanga.com