Black Cat may not have the most innovative or sophisticated plot ever conceived—our hero and his friends face off against a mentally unbalanced bad guy and his lackeys—but it's executed so well and the characters are so likable that I can't help but be thoroughly entertained each time I consume another chunk of the story. In volume twelve, Train and friends meet with Dr. … [Read more...] about Black Cat 12-14 by Kentaro Yabuki: B+
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Adolf 4: Days of Infamy by Osamu Tezuka: A
From the back cover: While Adolf Hitler continues to wage war on the world and the Jewish people and Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, Japanese reporter Sohei Toge finally falls in love with one of the many women who has fallen for him! Meanwhile, Adolf Kamil, a Jew living in Japan, befriends the Communist son of a Japanese MP in an attempt to deliver the secret documents about … [Read more...] about Adolf 4: Days of Infamy by Osamu Tezuka: A
Bleach 30 by Tite Kubo: C+
From the back cover: Ichigo and his friends are moving ever closer to the center of Hueco Mundo and rescuing Orihime. But their battles against the Arrancars are testing them in ways they never thought possible. Can they keep their honor in a world where it doesn't exist, or will Hueco Mundo leave an indelible mark on their souls?! Review: Ichigo (who actually appears very, … [Read more...] about Bleach 30 by Tite Kubo: C+
One Piece 19-21 by Eiichiro Oda: B+
I had originally checked out about a dozen volumes of One Piece from my local library with high hopes of reading them all in the allotted time, but life intervened and I sadly ended up turning most of them back in. I did, however, manage to read these three volumes, in which the Straw Hats attempt to prevent civil war from erupting in Princess Vivi’s kingdom (Alabasta) due to … [Read more...] about One Piece 19-21 by Eiichiro Oda: B+
Butterflies, Flowers 2 by Yuki Yoshihara: B-
Choko Kuze continues to work as an underling of the man she loves, Masayuki Domoto, who used to be her servant but is now her superior. She confessed her feelings for him in the previous volume, but is still uncertain how he feels about her and must watch as various other women in the office make a play for him, including the niece of the company president. Of course, Masayuki … [Read more...] about Butterflies, Flowers 2 by Yuki Yoshihara: B-