Title: Crazy For You
Author:SHIINA Karuho
ISBN# 4-08-847708-1
Margaret Comics, 2004

I picked up this series because it is by the same author as “Kimi ni Todoke” (Reaching You). I really enjoy the story, characters, and artwork in that series, so I figured it would be a safe bet to assume I would enjoy this series as well. While I did not enjoy it quite as much as I like Kimi ni Todoke, this is still a very interesting series and is worth reading. It is 6 volumes long, which feels like a good length to me. Not too drag-on long, not too short ^_^ The artwork is really clean and pretty, especially on the covers.

This story revolves around the tangled relationships between a group of five friends. The focus is on a a cute, naive girl named Sachi (or “Sa-chan”). Sachi is silly and innocent and friendly. She had a very “genuine” personality. What you see is what you get. Sachi doesn’t have a boyfriend, but would like one (going to an all-girls school makes finding a boyfriend difficult), so when she is asked if she would like to go to a “goukon” (a group date) she jumps at the chance. At the goukon, Sachi meets a lively and cute boy named Yuki. Sachi falls for Yuki at first sight, and they get along very well. They both have energetic personalities. Yuki thinks Sachi is cute, and seems to really like her.

At school, Sachi’s closest friend is a beautiful girl named Akemi. Akemi is a mature, almost elegant type of girl with long dark hair, and a fairly serious personality. Akemi’s boyfriend of two years is Yuhei, a guy who is almost her total opposite. He has a personality somewhat similar to Sachi’s in that it is very honest and genuine. He is a little more shy and emotional, but all in all, he is adorable and really loves Akemi very much. Rounding out the group of friends is Akahoshi, a school friend of Yuki’s. He is also a serious type of guy. He is observant and insightful, and acts supportive of both Yuki and Sachi in different ways.

Every day, Sachi finds herself falling more and more for Yuki, and her affection is very obvious to everyone around her, including Yuki. However, while Yuki does like her, there is some sort of barrier between them. Yuki is holds himself back and will only see Sachi as a friend. When a secret from Yuki’s past comes to light, and a relationship is revealed, the group of friends is thrown into turmoil. Bonds are strained or broken, betrayal is felt, and everyone must re-evaluate how they feel about each other.

The first volume sets up all the characters and the main situation, and the remaining five volumes cover the aftermath of the revelation. I admit that both Yuki and Sachi annoyed me at times (especially Yuki!) but I still couldn’t stop reading. There are some frustrating parts, where it seems like everyone is just going in circles. However, Sachi is an interesting character, and the other characters are also sympathetic. I found the resolution to be satisfying, and think if you like Kimi ni Todoke, then this is worth a look.

Title: Otomegokoro
(A Girl’s Feeling)
Author:WATANABE Ayu
ISBN# 978-4-06341582-7
Kodansha Comics Betsufure, 2008

I actually bought this one at random before I bought “Kimi ga Suki” and didn’t realize they were by the same author. I really like the cover on this one, even though it is yet another one of those random “close-up of a girl’s face” covers. She is cute :D The bright yellow is eye-catching. I like this author’s art style inside the book as well. This is the first volume of a series. The story reminds me a lot of “Koukou Debut” and in fact, they even declare at the beginning that the heroine is having her “High School Debut” but even with the simularities, this is a cute series.

KASHIWAGI Nene is determined that her high school days will be different and exciting, and normal. Back in junior high, she was a mamber of the volleyball team, and was not very fashionable. She has never had a boyfriend, and thiks getting one would be nice. Now in high school, she has started using make-up and has a nice hairstyle, and is ready to be a normal high school student. The only thing making her life a bit difficult is her friend from junir high, ENDOU Jun. Jun is an “Ikemen” or, a really good looking guy, but as far as Nene is concerned, he is her nemesis. They always tease and argue with each other. However, in spite of their fighting, they are good friends.

When Nene finally lands herself a date, Jun is the one who helps her get ready for it. He happily cheers her on, and makes her feel more confident. When something disastrous happens, and the date goes poorly, Jun is also there to comfort her and convince her that she really is not as horrible and ugly as she seems to think. This nice, supportive side to Jun slowly makes Nene think she might be falling for him…

However, Jun obviously does not feel the same way about her. Even though he is her good friend, and does care a lot about her, his heart obviously still belongs to a girl named Izumi. Izumi has been Jun’s first love back in Elementary school, and he had done something amazingly stupid, and drove her away. He has always regretted it. When he encouters Izumi again in high school, it is painfully obvious to Nene that his feelings for Izumi never faded, and he is in love with her.

With Jun so very head-over-heels for Izumi, Nene’s heart aches. But what can Nene do, but cheer on Jun as he plans to confess his feelings to Izumi? He was so supportive of her, as his friend she must return the favor, no matter how painful it is. But how does Izumi feel?

Title: Kimi ga Suki
(I Like You)
Author:WATANABE Ayu
ISBN# 978-4-06341512-4
Kodansha Comics Betsufure, 2007

MURAKAMI Aki likes to play basketball. She a 3rd year junior high student and is in her school’s basketball club. She has fun playing with her teammates. Aki is close to one member of the club in particular, MASE Shinobu. Aki and Mase-kun are the type of couple that are close friends who tease each other a lot and call each other names. Mase is a funny guy and great basketball player. He has an amusing fascination with Aki’s hair, which he likes to style in strange ways when she is spaced out and not paying attention.

Aki really likes Mase-kun, and has been thinking about confessing this to him. However, before she can get up the nerve to make her declaration, someone else confesses to her! It is a boy she has never met before, but he knows her. His name is HOUJOU Kouichi, and he is the star basketball player at another nearby school. He saw her during a basketball tournament a while back, and he really admired her spirit and playing. Houjou-kun’s confession is very cute. He is blushing and nervous, and obviously likes Aki a lot. He asks her to not give him an answer now, but to maybe go out with him to get to know him first. Aki, swayed by Houjou’s sincerity, agrees, and feels very warm at his happy expression.

Meanwhile, things with Mase-kun are uncomfortable and confusing. Aki still likes him, and in a roundabout way, they sort of agree to go out with each other on Christmas Eve, a day in Japan that is usually a time for romantic couples to date. Could Mase-kun like her in that way? It certainly seems like it, but Aki can’t be sure.

However, Aki must keep her promise to Houjo-kun, and she sets up a “date” with him. They are both very nervous and awkward, until he suggests they play basketball. Both of them have a great time, and Houjou explains more about how he fell for Aki. He really does admire her, and is so happy that she agreed to go out with him. He also really loves basketball. Aki finds herself admiring him too, and his passion for the sport.

When Aki discovers that sometime during their date she lost a hair band that is very important to her (given to her by Mase-kun) Houjou does everything he can to find it. Unfortunatley, right when he does find it, an accident happens when a load from a nearby truck comes lose and hits him.

Poor Houjou-kun is in the hospital. And even though he lies at first, he will never be able to play basketball like he used to. Grief-stricken, Aki doesn’t know what to do. It is all her fault! Houjou-kun doesn’t blame her at all though, and puts on a very brave face. He is everything that is kind and caring towards Aki, in spite of his injury. However, Aki feels an awful crushing guilt.

On Christmas Eve, when on her outing with Mase-kun, all Aki can think about is Houjou-kun. Even when Mase-kun actually confesses to her, Aki realizes that she cannot answer his affection. Even though she does love Mase, she must be with Houjou now. She turns down Mase-kun, and tearfully goes to Houjou.

Aki becomes Houjou’s girlfriend, and plans a new start for herself. She and Houjou will be going to the same high school, and Aki will not have to see Mase-kun.

However, can a relationship that starts partly out of guilt really succeed? Mase was hurt when Aki turned him down, but Houjo is so happy. Aki really does like Houjou too. When Mase turns up as a student at Aki and Houjou’s high school, Aki’s confusing days are about to begin!

Title: Toki no Houmonsha
(Time Visitor)
Author:ASAGI Rui
ISBN# 978-4-08-847421-2
Margaret Comics, 2001

How is this for a totally random shoujo manga? :) I purchased this mainly because it A) Was on sale (yay!) and B) has a really interesting cover. For some reason I really like the layout of the cover. The pose is somewhat unique and I like the angle. So many covers have the guy holding the girl or just a close up of a face or something :) I had absolutely no idea what this was about, as I, in my manga buying frenzy, dropped it into my basket without even reading the title! Seriously, put me in a place where there is cheap manga, and I am awful, like a drug addict, piling up manga left and right, horrifying store cashiers with my manga mountain… ahem. This series, as far as I can tell, runs for three volumes, though I don’t have all of them yet.

Anyway, on to the story. This is actually a fantasy series! It all begins with an odd encounter at night in a park. Touko-chan is walking home from a convenience store when she comes across a handsome guy who looks a bit strange. What he says when he sees her is even more strange. He asks her wat month, day, and year it is! Touko things this guy is really weird, but she answers his question and goes along her way.

The very next day she encounters that strange guy again. This time he is a new transfer student in her class! His name is KAIBARA Jin, and he acts as if he has no memory of meeting Touko at all. Jin is very cute, and all the girls in Touko’s class like him a lot. Touko, however, still thinks he is odd, and she can feel him looking at her sometimes, though she has a hard time catching him at it. But she doesn’t have much time to dwell on the new student.

Touko is busy trying to deal with some awful school bullying. After accusing her of stealing someone’s boyfriend (something she didn’t do) all the girls in her class have been playing mean tricks on Touko. It’s the usual Japanese school bullying — Scrawling unpleasant remarks in her class notebooks, putting needles and thumbtacks in her indoor school shoes, ignoring her, that sort of thing. Touko quietly puts up with it all, and really only manages to cope thanks to the loyal friendship of her friend Miyuki. Miyuki is the only one who ignores all the bullying and remains friends with Touko.

Enduring the cruelty is a pain, and Touko can sometimes sense that Jin is observing her and knows what is going on. He too, doesn’t seem to mind being friendly to Touko in spite of her outcast status. Jin is very mysterious, and has a sort of unusual aura around him, like Touko can sense something different. However, because Jin is cute and pupular, his attention and friendliness towards Touko only causes her more problems. Jealous of her, the other girls increase their bullying, and it gets to a point where they threaten Touko’s life by hanging her out a window!

But then something really odd happens. Jin steps in, claiming that Touko is about to die there. How exactly does he know this? The other girls were just being mean, and had no intention to actually kill Touko. But Jin knows what will happen. Why? He claims that he is actually from the 23rd century, and he is there to save her! How can anyone possibly believe that?! Then again, he did ask such a strange question when they first met. Is Jin really from the future? Would Touko really have died there, and why would he want to save her? Strange things seem to happen around Jin, he may possibly be telling the truth….

Thus begins the adventures of TOuko and her bodyguard who may or may not be from the future!

Title: Kare wa Tomodachi
(He Is My Friend)
Author:YOSHIOKA Ririko
ISBN# 978-4-06-341559-9
Kodansha Comics Betsufure, 2008

I really liked the cover artwork for this one. There is something about the colors, the blues and greens, that attracted me :) I didn’t have anything else by this author at the time (though I have since picked up a couple of her other works) so I figured I would give this a chance. I am glad I did, because it’s an interesting story. Yes, it does have some shoujo manga cliches, but really, it is difficult to avoid them these days, and they are sort of comforting sometimes :) This series is still running. There are two volumes out as I write this (vol 2 just came out) and the end of volume 2 says that it will be continued in volume 3. I have no idea how long this series will be. The story reminds me a little bit of Bokura ga Ita in some ways, but maybe not quite as angsty.

FUJISAKI Hyori is just a regular school girl. She doesn’t have a boyfriend, but she hasn’t exactly been looking for one either. All the girls in her class like to drool over MIZUNO Yuma, a cute guy from another class. Hyori thinks he is cute, and kind of likes him, but she isn’t about to go after him or anything. Things begin to change with the beginning of a new term, and the assignment of the class seating chart. Hyori finds herself sitting next to a guy she only vaguely knows, SASAMOTO Karen, and a girl she doesn’t know at all, KANBARA Kotone. Hyori is a friendly girl, and she decides that the three of them are going to be good friends. Both Sasamoto and Kotone are surprised by Hyori’s cheerfulness, but accept her offer to be friends. Hyori is thrilled, and thinks it must be fate that brought the three of them together. Hyori is soon surprised to discover that Sasamoto is Yuma’s best friend, and that both Yuma and Sasamoto are childhood friends with Kotone.

The four soon all become close, and Hyori couldn’t be happier. She begins to like Yuma more now, and confides her interest in Sasamoto. Sasamoto, for his part, is sort of amused by Hyori’s interest in Yuma, and doesn’t argue or complain when Hyori wants the four of them to be together so that she can see Yuma. However, it doesn’t take long for Hyori to sense something weird going on between Kotone, Sasamoto, and Yuma. Those three have been friends for years, since elementary school, and they seem to have some sort of history. Kotone has no other female friends, and Sasamoto seems to be very protective of her. Sasamoto won’t let Hyori call him by his first name, Karen (a name that makes Hyori laugh) but both Kotone and Yuma can (well, Yuma calls him “Ren”) because they are “special”. Things like this make Hyori feel a bit uncomfortable. But they are her friends, and are fun to be with.

Eventually, Hyori finds herself falling for Sasamoto more than Yuma. Sitting next to him every day, and being with him all the time, she can’t help herself. However, Sasamoto gives off mixed signals. He seems to like Hyori too, yet there is this strange connection he has with Kotone and the way he is always protecting her. Hyori can’t be sure who he really likes. Meanwhile, something really odd is going on with Kotone. She has a mysterious claim on both Sasamoto and Yuma, and doesn’t seem to want to give either of them up. What is this selfishness? What exactly is her claim on both boys? Kotone seems like a shy, gentle, girl, but she may not be as nice as she seems. Can these four friends sort out their tangled relationships? Is it really fate that brought them all together, or something else?