Manga Review: Koukou Debut

Shoujo: Koukou Debut
Mangaka: Kawahara Kazune
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Shoujo, School Life
Rating: 10/10

Summary [from baka updates]:

When Haruna Nagashima was in junior high her life consisted of playing softball and reading comics. But now that she's going to high school, Haruna decides to put all of her energy towards getting a boyfriend and having the high school romance of a lifetime. To help in her quest, she enlists cute upperclassman Yoh Komiyama to coach her as she eschews her jock tendencies and turns herself into the kind of girl who can catch a guy. Yoh agrees, but with one exception: He tells Haruna not to fall in love with him!

Another great shoujo manga. Number 3 on my Favorite Shoujo Manga list! Among others like Hana Kimi and Beast Master, this one definitely caught my attention and I am so happy to have read this great piece of work.

This was so amazing that it made me laugh and cry. I absolutely did not want it to finish it, though it ends with 5 volumes, 52 chapters. I will always love this manga. The plot is original, surrounding an idea I've never encountered before. In addition, I instantly fell in love with the characters. Haruna is not your typical everyday girl - she's strong and a little insecure, but she's the type of person who doesn't give up on her goals. The way she does things makes you laugh out loud. The male main character Yoh is a very particular character, whom I fell completely head over heels for. He is quite the opposite from Haruna - he's reserved and cool, but there is still an undeniable amount of attraction between them. Yoh' s ways of expressing his love is quite different from what you might imagine, but Haruna is not the weak girl who can get easily affected by his harsh words. It's interesting to note that most of my fellow shoujo-readers thought he was the awesomest guy ever.

I fell in love with this manga so much that I think I'm becoming a shoujo manga otaku. This manga made me crazy about it to the point where I didn't want it to end. I mean, it was hilarious to the point of tears, the romance was there, and in each scene you could see in detail the characters' expressions and feelings. Until the very end, it kept me at the edge of my seat. Again, since the story revolves around high school, there are a few love triangles, a lot of humor, and a refreshingly youthful romance. The characters have very distinct personalities, though they work together very well. It's a masterpiece - you will surely love this manga and will never let go.

To read it: Koukou Debut

By: Eli
Edited By: Annie

Manhwa Review: Totally Captivated

Yaoi: Totally Captivated
Author: Yoo Ha Jin
Genres: Action, Drama, Comedy, Romance, Yaoi, Psychological
Rating: 10/10





Summary [from baka-updates] :
The mafia threatens Ewon into working for a loan shark, where he's forced to run dangerous errands for no pay. The culprit who doomed Ewon to this life is none other than Jiho, Ewon's jealous ex who still burns at Ewon's infidelity. Their gang leader, Mookyul, who has movie-star good looks and the bizarre, drunken habit of biting people on the neck takes a keen interest in his attractive new errand boy. Will Ewon be able to survive the violent underworld (not to mention the constant sexual harassment he must endure) as an underling of Mookyul?
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You will sink yourself into the story and forget everything else around you.

There is a lot to say about this manga, but I'll keep it short.

Even though this is yaoi, it's a light read [doesn't contain strong situations], which mainly centers around romance and drama. The art is captivating. The author drew each expression and feeling in such a strong way with mesmerizing detail; it was amazing. The humor was present as well as drama. In unfortunate situations, the author still manages to add some comedy and somehow make it all work out. The story wasn't rushed - it had it's own pace. The storyline is superb and dramatic.

Everything becomes much more interesting during the middle of the story when their hidden pasts are revealed and the characters start to realize how strong their love is. The balance is right, a little of everything, plus fascinating artwork. I was entertained until the very end. It's one of those stories you fall in love with and never want to finish reading. It's one of those stories that make you want to read it over and over again. I will love this manhwa and the author (whose work I am looking forward to in the near future) forever.

There is an extra to this manhwa: Totally Captivated [contains strong situations]. The manga is impossible to find online since it's licensed, unfortunately. So Google it or buy it.

Eli
Edited by: Joey

Book Review: Peeps

Fiction: Peeps
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Genres: Fantasy, Comedy, Mystery, YA
Rating: 9.5/10

Summary:

"One year ago, Cal Thompson was a college freshman more interested in meeting girls and partying in New York City than in attending his biology classes. Now, after a fateful encounter with a mysterious woman named Morgan, biology has become, literally, Cal’s life.
Cal was infected by a parasite that has a truly horrifying effect on its host. Cal himself is a carrier, unchanged by the parasite, but he’s infected the girlfriends he’s had since Morgan—and all have turned into the ravening ghouls Cal calls peeps. The rest of us know them as vampires. And it’s Cal’s job to hunt them down before they can create even more of their kind. . . . "

This is something entirely different from what I usually read. Definitely a hilarious piece of work, I thoroughly enjoyed Cal's adventures of finding out where his ex-girlfriends were and the problems that he had to deal with that made him go..well, crazy. This book can be partly categorized into the theme of vampires, but the whole STD spin off made it tremendously different and interesting.

Peeps has some strong situations and language, and it turns out that it's just that much more attention grabbing. The effects of the disease parallels the conventional vampire setup, but it's definitely funnier and more lighthearted. The teen aspect of Westerfield's book is that unlike the usual way for someone to turn into a vampire (they need to be bitten by another one), the disease is sexually transmitted. Which... totally made me read the book. [Ed's note: ...and raises some eyebrows as to Cal's promiscuity].

Since Cal has a strong immune system that prevents him from turning crazy and allows him to stay in control, he joins an organization whose main goal is to hunt down peeps like his ex-girlfriends - those without that extra layer of protection. Perhaps the interesting part of the book is that in each chapter, Westerfeld includes a description of various real parasites and diseases; a taste of real science, so that while you read the book, you might come to believe that everything you read might happen for real.

The combination of action, romance and that extra dash of scientific commentary makes for a great read.

By: Eli.
Edited By: Annie

Lovely Complex

Name: Lovely★Complex, Love★Com, ラブ★コン ,Rabu★Kon
Mangaka: Nakahara Aya
Genres: Shoujo, Romance, Comedy, School Life
Rating: 9.7/10

Before I start my review on Lovely Complex, let me write about a chapter in my life that nobody knows about: my brief stint with OchibiChan Scans. I have been an avid reader of Lovely Complex since about...the dawn of time. There has always been something that's been tugging me in a corner of my mind. What can I do to contribute? I don't want to always be a silent reader - reading a chapter, and then spamming the scanlation group for a month until they update again.

Maybe there was something deeper than that. Something that would put this mental harassment to an end. And there it was: the answer to everything. I can, I shall, I WILL become a scanlator. I was pretty handy with Photoshop and I think I could read my fair share of Chinese. So I emailed them and after dinner, they replied saying that they'd love to have a potential translator/typesetter on board. They emailed me two tests to do, a translator one and a typesetter one.

There's a reason why it's called a "brief" stint with OchibiChan Scans. That night, I got to work on the Translator test (they kept hinting at the vacancies in their translator posts...). Unluckily, my mom (with her psycho-Asian mom powers) managed to come into my room at the same time I was in the middle of a quite finicky Traditional Chinese character. Outraged at my association with these "abhorrent Japanese trash", she banned me from doing anymore of this "useless" thing. I managed to email Ochibichan that due to circumstances I was unwilling to say, I couldn't go through with my application.

That's my sad, short (not really) story. Now onto the actual review section.

Lovely Complex rates high on my list of good mangas. There are only a few mangakas who draw don't always make their characters look as pretty and composed as [we expect them to be]. One is Nakahara Aya-san. Another one I can think of is the mangaka of Goong (I actually can't remember her name!).

Lovely Complex is the hearwarming story of two people: Koizumi Risa and Otani Atsushi. When you look at the characters of their names, there is something interesting. Koizumi (小泉) means "little spring". Otani (大谷) on the other hand, means "big valley". Their real-life personas can't be anymore different. Koizumi is the tallest girl in her grade at 172cm tall, towering above the rest of the petite and cute girls in her school. Otani, on the other hand, is shorter than the other boys in their grade. He is 156 cm, humiliatingly shorter by about 20 or so centimeters than the rest of the male population.

The whole story revolves around these two odd people. The two of them are always in the same class, where the apparent height difference is constantly picked upon by their peers. The entire school jokingly dubs them as the "All-Hansin Kyojin" after a famous Japanese comedic duo that has the same height difference. Both are very sensitive about their height...leading to meaningless and comedic fights between themselves. Hate slowly turns to like as the story progresses. About half the storyline is concerning Koizumi's attempts to get Otani to like her (he couldn't 'see' her as a girlfriend just yet).

I absolutely loved this series but I was bipolar when it came to the end of this series. Yesterday, the last chapter of Lovely Complex came out. I was happy that it finally came out after about 3 months of dormancy (I even finished the sequel first!), but there was a feeling of disappointment because it had ended.

The art isn't Korean manhwa but I think that there is something special to be found in it. [However simple it may be, it's capable of summoning a whole range of emotions from you]. It seems confusing, but goodness knows how many times my heart throbbed at their angsty antics. Nakahara-san manages to bring a healthy dose of comedy into each chapter. Either with lates (to school, school trips, and eventually even the graduation ceremony) on Koizumi and Otani's parts or with absolute hilarious faces and expressions.

As the story gradually progresses from hate, dislike, neutrality, and then to like, I felt myself melting into the storyline and relating to all of the characters, especially Koizumi. Being 171 cm myself, I remember going back to China and feeling like a lanky giant. I totally felt everything she felt, with all of her insecurities and doubts. Of course, here in Canada, the height complex isn't as prevalent as in Asia so I don't think I have it as bad.

Ending on a final note: read it! I think it is considered as a classic manga, up there with Ouran, Special A and Naruto (which I absolutely detest...I don't even know why I'm naming it...=.=). The manga has been made into a 24 episode drama, a live-action movie, and a video game (what do they NOT make into a video game nowadays?!). I have watched all of them and loved it. Lovely Complex has a fiercely unique plot with equally original characters. It is deep but light at the same time. It explores the psyche of teenage adolescents while maintaining its humor and keeps the romance flowing.

Read the manga.
Watch the anime.
Watch the movie.

Experience the love.

By: Berber
Edited By: Annie

Boys Over Flowers/ Kgotboda Namja [Need Editing]

Boys Over Flowers/꽃보다 남자 / Kgotboda Namja

Drama Recommendation

I'm surprised that there isn't a post on this yet. Here it is: the most popular drama on the other side of the International Date Line. Kgotboda Namja. BOYS OVER FLOWERS. Korean baby.

I'm sure all of us have watched either the Taiwanese or Japanese versions. I have watched both. :D.

All of these dramas are adaptations of the extremely popular Japanese manga Hana Yori Dango (Boys Before Flowers) by Kamio Yoko. Makino Tsukushi is the only poor student at Eitoku Gakuen, the school of the ridiculously rich and privileged that is ruled by Flower 4 or F4, a group of four boys who come from extremely powerful families: Domyoji Tsukasa, the leader and heir of the Domyoji World Finance Group; Hanazawa Rui, the introverted son of a large company; Nishikado Sojiro, a player who is the heir of a tea ceremony school; and Mimasaka Akira, a madam killer with ties to the underground. If a student gets on the F4’s bad side, he/she gets a red notice and is bullied and driven out of school.(DramaWiki) Even though she is harassed, Makino decides to keep going to school because she is a “tough weed”. She declares war right back on the F4. Her resolve gets the attention of her crush Hanazawa Rui and oddly enough, rouses romantic feelings in her worst enemy, Domyoji Tsukasa. As all dramas are built, there is love, friendships, difficulties, misunderstandings, and love triangles.

The Korean version is a bit different:
Jan-di, the female protaganist of this drama, is the poor but bright girl who has a strong sense of justice and full of vitality. She transfers to an exclusive high school where only the rich go. In there, she encounters with the four rich and quirky boys and experiences love and friendship.
The storyline illustrates the supreme fantasy that a drama can bring out the most. Each of us probably has an experience of admiring or dreaming of something. The drama ‘Boys over Flowers’ is the concentration of the admirations.

I just started watching this when I thought "To heck with French, let's listen to another foreign language!" Of course, I just got to Episode One Part Two on Mysoju.com. Not very far, but that is going to change.

I'll post again when I watch a bit more and can justify my opinions. I'm just basing my enthusiasm from my other Korean friends' ravings about this drama.

Playing Jan-Di is Koo Hye Sun
























Playing Joon Pyo is Lee Minho

























Playing So Yi Jung is Kim Bum (Annie...I know you love him :D)































Playing Song Woo Bin is Kim Joon



















Gosh...I love them all :D
Watch it here!!

B.

Manga Review: Kare Kano

Shoujo: Kare Kano
Mangaka: Tsuda Masami
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, School, Life, Shoujo,
Rating: 10/10

Kare Kano [his and her circumstances], which is number 2 on my favorite shoujo manga list, is about a girl, Yukino Miyazawa, who is perfect at everything in her school. She is both smart and athletic. She has the looks and the personality of a perfect young lady. Everybody admires her and thinks she is amazing. But, that's not her real personality. The real Yukino is actually the queen of vanity - she loves to be praised by others regarding how perfect she is.

Everything goes according to plan until she enters high school. There, she meets her match - Soichiro Arima. He is athletic, smart and good-looking. He soon finds out about Yukino's real personality and that's when everything starts to change.

Kare Kano fills my thirst for the perfect shoujo manga. On top of the amazing art, the characters were flawless and the various plots were something to scream about. The romance was extraordinary and cunning. The various problems that the main characters faced had depth to it, the comedy was hilarious and original, and the story itself was a masterpiece. It was written with immense detail; Tsuda Magami made sure you understood each character and its circumstances.

I found the whole story mind-blowing and something unique. Although some said the story dragged out, I think it was due to the setting and the many characters that were introduced. It took place in high school, and the memories of it were precious to the characters themselves. The drama and romance kept me at the edge of my seat.

If you are looking for a manga that has drama, romance, and everything in between, check this one out. It is truly a masterpiece.

By: Eli
Edited By: Joey

Manga Review: Othello

Shoujo: Othello
Mangaka: Ikezawa Satomi
Genre: Comedy, Psychological, Romance, Shoujo
Rating: 9.5/10


A long time ago, I realized that some mangas are really rare and hard to find. Therefore; you had to cherish them. For instance, this little piece of work, which I completely adore and hate at the same time, Othello.

The main character suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder, where two or more distinct personalities exist within a single person. I've come across a few mangas with this type of psychological genre which are really hard to find, so I'm happy it came to my mind.

Yaya is a naive and incompetent girl who does what everybody tells her to do. But, she is too ignorant and gullible to even realize that others treat her like a dog. Then, in comes Nana, a girl who's hard-rocking and butt-kicking and doesn't let anybody tell her what to do - the complete the opposite of Yaya.

These two girls are quite the opposites, but they are, surprisingly, the same person. You will come to hate Yaya or pity her, since her stupidity is something out of this world. I didn't like her, because she was over-the-top ignorant and never did anything against her "friends." But that's what the mangaka was aiming for. She wanted the characters to be complete opposites, like fire and ice. Yaya being weak shows how Nana comes out and solve the problems that she faces.

The thing about this manga is that it made me hate Yaya and love Nana. Along with romance and comedy, this is a manga that you will surely like. The art is also pretty. Nana's superhuman strength is something to laugh about and her boastful personality is strong and independent - something that Yaya is lacking.

Overall, I give this manga a 9.5 out of 10. I don't know about you, but I hate main characters in mangas who are weak and aren't able to say no.


To check it out: Othello

By: Eli
Edited By: Joey

The Wallflower

Shoujo: The Wallflower

Mangaka: Hayakawa Komoko

Genres: comedy, drama, romance, shoujo, school life

Rating: 9.5/10

Who hasn’t read The Wallflower, otherwise known as Perfect Girl Revolution? I admit that I was addicted to it over the summer, [and have been impatiently waiting for updates ever since.]

Wallflower is about a girl, Nakahara Sunako, who used to care about pimples, hair, and clothing. Until, that is, when she gathered the courage to confess to an upperclassman that she had a crush on. He responded rather cruelly, saying, “Sorry, I only like PRETTY girls.” Rather than making herself pretty in response, Sunako loses faith in people and in the superficiality of beauty, including her own.

She refers to pretty people (bishounen and bishoujo) as “creatures of light.” She is obsessed with horror movies and blood. Her rich celebrity aunt is worried for her, so the aunt makes a deal with the (extremely attractive) guys renting one of her mansions: if they can turn her niece into a real lady, they can have free rent, but if they fail, they have to pay 3x the rent. Kyohei, Yuki, Oda, and Ranmaru are up to the challenge. While the four of them manage to make Sunako physically beautiful (occasionally, when she feels like crawling out of her shell), it is still difficult to cure her emotional outlook. The main problem lies with Sunako's attitude and interests (which she has no intention of changing).

~

This manga just cracks me up - it's hilarious! There was one scene in the beginning when Sunako scares the bejeebers out of the four guys by crouching in the rose bushes. All of her fights with Kyohei and her constant nosebleeds whenever she sees a “creature of light” are beyond comical.

I have to admit, if you are the type of person who likes reading slow, extremely slow romances, this is it. It beats Ouran High School Host Club (romance started around Chapter 62…ish) and even Special A (Hikari FINALLY realized around Chapter 56 -I was about to throttle Hikari's denseness). There are about 87 Chapters scanlated on Mangafox right now. The first hint of romance was in Chapter 59. HINT. Not even an “I think I like her.” Just a hint.

Only now does the romance start flowing in. The first 85 chapters deal with how Sunako copes with the presence of four extremely hot bishounen around the house that forces her to lose copious amounts of blood. It is so sweet when she does start to have fewer nosebleeds and the four guys get scared out of their minds less and less.

As an artist, I also really like the art of this manga. The characters all have very prominent jaw lines, chinlines (if that makes sense :P), and foreheads. There are four things that captivate me in the art:

1. The body proportions. Sure, they are a bit exaggerated, but Kyohei just rocks those legs of his. They aren’t over-exaggerated like Gals! or Code Glass.

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2. The eyes. The eyes that Hayakawa draws are absolutely amazing. They have the dimensions of real eyes, only manga-fied and beautified. The lashes are so crisp and clear; the pupils don’t resemble black and white Easter eggs. It's just so beautiful to look at.
~

3. The hair. I don’t know how the mangaka does it, but the hair is just so wonderfully drawn. Every single clump and strand is inked on. The tendrils and the bits that escape are tremendously realisitc.

~

4. The hands. The hands aren’t beautiful or graceful. In fact, they are knobbly and kind of unproportional. But there is something alluring about them. Have you ever imagined a man’s hands? Kyohei’s hands are thin, long and strong. It’s really indescribable.

It’s an awesome shoujo, definitely in my top 20 mangas. Check it out :D

Note: There is also an anime out, though sadly, there is no feature on the impending romance. :'(

By: Berber

Edited By: Annie

Manga Review: Beast Master

Shoujo: Beast Master
Mangaka: Motomi Kyousuke
Genres:Comedy, Romance, School Life, Shoujo
Rating: 10/10

Summary from Onemanga.com:

Yuiko Kubozuka is a high school girl who loves animals. Unfortunately, animals hate her and flee from her whenever possible. So when a new classmate, Leo Aoi, turns out to be a scary guy who resembles a wild animal than anything human, she is intrigued.....
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Hahahah!
I seriously have to tell you to read this manga when you have the time - it's short yet amazing. I laughed so much that my stomach began hurting.
I completely love it, it's hilarious. The art is amazing and the expressions are incredible.


Note by Annie: I remember reading this manga. Though I didn't finish it, it was pretty unique in its plotline and its ability to give its readers a light-hearted good time.

To Read: Beast Master
By: Eli
Edited By: Annie

Manga Review: H2O

Shoujo: H2O
Author: Hwang Sook Ji
Genres: Friendship, Comedy, Romance, Shoujo
Rating: 8.5/10

I was perhaps three volumes in when this manga found a place within my top ten favourites list. Even after reading countless novels and mangas, I still haven't been able to determine the recipe for the perfect literary escape, but whatever it may be, H2O has hit pretty close to home. Its originality is absolutely refreshing, and the humour is both witty and at times satirical. The story is told through the interactions of numerous charactes, and provides a fascinating perspective on the tiresome hustle and bustle of student life.

Occasionally, one wonders if the subtle humour found in the dialogue can be considered as well-disguised social commentary - especially regarding some of the issues that are brought to light in the plot.

Short Summary from Baka-Updates:

Menga is simply known as the vice rep and is bullied. Hanako has moved to Korea but was robbed the first day and has nothing. Na Hong Soo is known as a troublemaker and is in constant trouble. And Eechan is the student body president, very popular and known as Bacchus. It seems they have nothing in common but all of this will change soon.

On another note, the story is both engaging and relatable. Nothing seems overly dramatic, though upon further consideration, this might be because of the realistic portrayal of human reactions to rather dramatic situations that allow for this feeling of easy relatability than a drab plotline.

To be honest, this was perhaps the first manga that had me questioning who was in fact the main character. I then realized that there were two, and that every character (both main and supporting) were so well developed that it was like a third person narrative. This is a rare phenomemon due to the fact that manga artist/authors tend portray their stories in first person, allowing for an easy relationship to form between the reader and main character. In this case, though this attempt was tremendously creative and original, I always felt that there was a sense of distance between the characters and the reader. For once, I was a bystander, and I have to admit that it's only fun for the first time.

The art, on the other hand, is close to flawless. I dislike mangas by artists who take the shortcut and draw small, shapeless features for their characters when given the chance. Example:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- exaggerated features

- shapeless characters

- crowded spaces

- pointless frames

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Instead, I prefer work by artists who adhere to attention and detail. Example from H2O:

- attention to detail
- accurate drawings
- realistic
- beatiful expressions
- large, simple frames







There are instances where bad artwork can be ignored - when the plotline is overwhelmingly good. (Itazura na Kiss). Other times, great artwork can substitute for a mundane or slow plotline (Bride of the Watergod). Most of the time, however, artwork and content go hand in hand. H2O is such an example.

It is definitely a manhwa to check out.

- Annie

Book Review: Remember Me?

Fiction: Remember Me?
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Genres: Romance, Comedy, Chicklit
Rating: 3/5

I haven't had such fun reading a book in a long time - especially staying up until 2am to finish it. I had expected Remember Me? to be something of the usual, something that mirrored her Shopaholic series, in which the main character carries on as if she wants to buy the whole world.

---

I liked Alexia from Remember Me? immensely. She's a girl who suffers from a car crash and wakes up without any idea of what's happened in the last three years. One word: amnesia. The interesting take on this is that the last thing she rememers is that she'd been a pretty average girl with a pretty average job in a pretty average life.

However, waking up in a private chamber of a London hospital, she realizes that she'd changed immensely. She is now two sizes smaller with a beautiful, toned body and gorgeous, unbelievable clothes that she had no way in hell of paying for before. But the most surprising thing of all is that big, fat diamond ring and gold wedding band with her intials carved into it. Yep- she's married; and to a Greek God no less. In three years, she'd gone from nobody to someone with a perfect life.

As great as things may seem, her ventures into this brand new world makes her feel as if she's living the life of a different person. In the fab and glam of it all, she seems to have lost herself. No one's able to answer her questions until, that is, she meets a guy who seems to know everything aout her. Suddenly, nothing's normal. Why in the world does he feel like her other half when she's already married?

Remember Me? is poignant in its narrative of finding an anchor in a lost and almost senseless world. The highlight of the novel is the heroine's road to self-discovery, complimented by the gradual collection of new memories and at the same time mourning the old.

Kinsella was able to bring to life the hopes and fears of an individual with astounding success, and the exploration of human emotions is something that hasn't graced her other works in such a realistic style. I was truly touched by the end of the book, and the only upsetting aspect was that there wasn't more for me to read. This is without doubt a wonderful literary escape.

Ps. Why is there a sunflower on the front cover, you ask? It is the cutest thing ever, and I was so touched by it that I felt like I was falling in love with a fictional character...

You've got to find out yourself!

Manga Recommendation: Honey Mustard

Shoujo: Honey Mustard
Author: Yeo Ho Kyoung
Genres: Shoujo, Romance, Comedy
Rating: 6.5/10

I wasn't exactly excited about reading this series, since I had my hands on only one volume. However, the plotline in the one volume was amazingly exciting, setting up the story for lots of action in the future.

A quick summary from TokyoPop: Ara, a pretty high school student, finally gets the chance to cozy up to the guy of her dreams, but she blows it and ends up kissing the wrong boy under fairly compromised circumstances. Hilarious complications, mistaken identities, and misinterpreted signals ensue, and Ara soon finds herself being backed into an arranged marriage she at first wants no part of ...
But, as we all know, one love has a way of blooming in the unlikeliest of places ... and, of course, one love eventually conquers all!

If anyone has ever watched the Korean drama series Delightful Girl Choon Hyang, you can easily spot similarities between the two plots. In fact, I believe the drama is based off the manga, if not the other way around.

Since this isn't a review, I'm not going to delve into the rhetorics of the art and pacing, and only say that this manhwa is worth checking out. It's most suitable for someone who wants a light, enjoyable laugh without too much concentration on serious topics. The only downside I can see is that I've only been able to read one volume, and haven't looked further into the series to see how it progresses as the initial drama dies. Chocolat is an example of a manga that failed miserably after the first volume, but I do not believe Honey Mustard is like that.

- Annie

Manga Recommendation: Beauty is the Beast

Shoujo: Beauty is the Beast
Author: Tomo Matsumoto
Genres: Romance, Comedy, Shoujo
Rating: 6/10

A stolen summary:

When bubbly eleventh-grader Eimi Yamashita finds out that her parents are relocating for work, she decides to strike out on her own and move into a dormitory for girls. Little does Eimi suspect the exciting romantic adventures that await her there!

Eimi's fellow residents are a little bit crazy but a whole lot of fun. They've got a secret mission planned for Eimi's new resident initiation...and it has something to do with sneaking into the boys' dormitory across the street and returning with a special keepsake! Can Eimi pull it off without getting caught by one of the handsomest (and cruelest) boys in the dorm?

It's not a review, so I shall not go into the details. I'm only recommending it, and saying with all honesty that you should check it out.

I really enjoyed it, mainly because the author could take a very simple, everyday occurance and turn it into an experience. Though I've read pretty original/strange/unique plotlines, this one - which stresses simplicity was able to carry me all the way through till the end. However, I will warn you that you might not be satisfied with the end. I wasn't, but it's nothing to complain about.

I forgot to add this to The List, but if I had to, it would be in the Honorable Mentions.

Manga Review: Chocolat

I started this series today - Chocolat. Five volumes later, I'm reviewing it.

Shoujo: Chocolat
Authors: Written by Shin Ji-sang and illustrated by Geo 
Genres: Romance, Comedy, Shoujo
Rating: 4/10

I hate summaries, so here's one from Wikipedia:

All Kum-Ji wants in life is to meet her favorite boy band, DDL. When she finds that the roster for the fan club is full, Kum-Ji despairs on ever having the chance to meet them face to face. Just when she believes all hope is lost, she decides to con her way into the boy band circuit by faking an interest in another band, Yo-I, and joining their fan club. Once in, she will have access to other bands, including her beloved DDL, who often performs at the same venues. However, even the best laid plans frequently go awry, and her deception is discovered by one of the band members, E-Soh. E-Soh originally decides to blackmail Kum-Ji into doing whatever he wants, but he never planned on falling in love!

I enjoyed myself reading the first volume. After that, it took an effort to concentrate. I was not impressed by the storyline, as there was nothing amazingly original, nor was there anything worth pointing out. So another average girl hits another cliched jackpot. So what? Not to mention, the girl has some serious issues. In possession of one of those bipolar personalities - she stands out for not giving in to the hot guys' charms, and often uses her fists to wreck havoc. But in other circumstances, when she's faced with a group of rapid fangirls, she's back to a crybaby and unwilling to do anything about it. It's so frustrating to see this concept used so consistently in the countless mangas out there! This is why mangas like Hot Blooded Woman stand out, because the girl doesn't get pushed around by other jealous fangirls.

On the other hand, I did like the art, not to mention the bishies. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have continued to read it. There were quite a few moments when I laughed aloud, as well. If there is anything that even slightly saves the day - it's the comedy.

Of course, it's not as hilarious as Girl Got Game (that one had me rolling on the ground), this one gave me quite a few chuckles.

If you're going to read it - be prepared for a sagging plotline (it becomes pointless after the first volume or two), and an annoying main character who is so juvenile that it hurts, and of course, some pretty boys - the selling point.