Soliloquy in Blue

Manga and Book Reviews by Michelle Smith

TOKYOPOP

Haunted House

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By Mitsukazu Mihara | Published by TOKYOPOP I blame my “meh” reaction to Mitsukazu Miharu's Haunted House—which I honestly wanted to like!—on the back cover, which promises that readers will be “kept guessing—and giggling” by the behavior of Sabato Obiga's flamboyantly goth parents. I might've smiled a time or two, but that's about it. The basic premise here is simple and … [Read more...] about Haunted House

Let’s Get Visual: Fruits Basket

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MICHELLE: So, we've been talking about Fruits Basket all week, but I'm certainly not yet weary of the topic. How about you, MJ? MJ: I suspect I could discuss Fruits Basket for weeks on end! MICHELLE: Me too. We've already discussed the general awesomeness of the story and characters this week, but one thing we haven't talked much about yet is the art. Takaya's style … [Read more...] about Let’s Get Visual: Fruits Basket

Fruits Basket 21-23 by Natsuki Takaya

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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

A Pair of TOKYOPOP Stragglers

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Just when it seemed like none of those May TOKYOPOP titles was going to materialize, Diamond Distributors revealed that it still had a few surprises up its figurative sleeve. Stragglers, originally scheduled for an early May release, began to trickle into comic shops. I managed to acquire several, including two books—volume eight of Happy Cafe and volume three of The Stellar … [Read more...] about A Pair of TOKYOPOP Stragglers