The battle between Fairy Tail and rival guild Phantom Lord rages on. Two of Phantom Lord's elite group, Element 4, have been defeated, but Gray must finish off his opponent (Juvia, a lovelorn lady possessed of rain magic) while a wounded Erza summons the strength to achieve a victory of her own. Though they've foiled part of Phantom Lord's plans, however, Lucy still ends up … [Read more...] about Fairy Tail 8-9 by Hiro Mashima: B
Comics
High School Debut 13 by Kazune Kawahara: A-
VIZ sent this (the series finale!) over a month early! What a great Christmas present! From the back cover: Yoh faces a difficult choice: should he go to university all the way in Tokyo or stay near Haruna? Haruna wants to support Yoh's decision no matter what, but will her high school romance end with his graduation? Review: Is it considered bad form to write a review … [Read more...] about High School Debut 13 by Kazune Kawahara: A-
Beast Master 1 by Kyousuke Motomi: B+
From the back cover: Leo Aoi looks like a crazy animal with wild eyes—and no one at his new high school will go near him! He does seem to have a special connection with animals, though, which intrigues overzealous animal lover Yuiko Kubozuka. In reality, Leo isn't as frightening as he appears, but Yuiko finds out that he goes berserk whenever he sees blood! Will Yuiko be able … [Read more...] about Beast Master 1 by Kyousuke Motomi: B+
Crimson Hero 12 by Mitsuba Takanashi: B
From the back cover: With one of their ace players injured, Nobara and the Crimson Field girls must fight harder than ever. Their challenge is the Newcomers' Tournament, and their performance in this venue will determine just how far the team can go. But Nobara's distracted when she learns that one of her not-so-secret admirers seeks to crush Yushin and destroy the boys' … [Read more...] about Crimson Hero 12 by Mitsuba Takanashi: B
Butterflies, Flowers 1 by Yuki Yoshihara: B+
The Kuze family used to be rich, with a retinue of servants ready to cater to their every whim. The daughter of the family, Choko, grew up experiencing the tender care of the chauffeur’s son, whom she called Cha-chan. Alas, after her father’s investments all tanked in an economic downturn, the family was forced to dismiss their household staff and open a soba … [Read more...] about Butterflies, Flowers 1 by Yuki Yoshihara: B+