tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62680136560035789872024-02-06T19:46:12.548-07:00nagareboshi reviewsManga, anime, etc., reviews.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.comBlogger899125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-52960799899310544762015-11-18T07:20:00.000-07:002015-12-11T12:37:24.768-07:00Someday, This Blog Will Return<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-41621948001432892112015-10-27T23:30:00.000-06:002015-10-27T23:30:00.073-06:00Wednesday Briefs: Torch Song for a Night Ride<span style="font-family: inherit;">What can I say? I was inspired, somehow, despite the fact that midterms were last week and I have a paper due tomorrow morning. I hope y'all enjoy this latest Wednesday Brief piece: it's another stand alone original, and appropriately creepy, given Saturday is a creepy holiday. Sorry, no yokai in this one (although I considered it as a possibility)!</span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Torch Song For A Night Ride</b>. Prompts used: a train, it's good to have dreams.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The
sound of the ten o’clock express hitting the tracks was enough to
wake Peter from what had been a very deep nap. He opened one eye,
slowly, to see the red blinking light display the time from across
the darkened room. Moonlight from the semi-opened window created a
grey path that connected the foot of the bed to the faraway dresser.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It
had only been about an hour since Peter lay back onto the bedspread,
fully clothed, and attempted a decent nap time twice as long as he
actually slept for. Papers were spread out on his desk in fan shapes,
a desperate method of concentration based on the placement of objects
that only worked half the time. A red pen sat on top of the mess,
awaiting further instructions.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/10/wednesday-briefs-torch-song-for-night.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-59322750262140070482015-10-18T19:04:00.000-06:002015-10-18T19:04:43.860-06:00Fujoshi O'Clock: The (Rather Late) September Edition<span style="font-family: inherit;">October already? Oh, dear...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Fujoshi O'Clock is a monthly feature at Nagareboshi Reviews which focus on boys' love/yaoi news, reviews, and meta. The feature also puts a spotlight on trans/bisexual/genderqueer manga/anime news and articles. For yuri/shoujo ai, see fellow bloggers Yuricon and Yuri no Boke for a more thorough examination of the girls' love genre.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Articles for September: </span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Oguie Maniax, with news for Genshiken fans: <a href="https://ogiuemaniax.wordpress.com/2015/09/16/hatozine-the-hato-kenjirou-fanzine-is-accepting-submissions/">a Hato Kenjirou fanzine is going to be a thing</a>. Unfortunately, it looks like submissions are already closed.</li>
<li>DMP will be <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-09-19/dmp-june-manga-to-add-24-yaoi-manga-titles-digitally/.93166">adding 24 yaoi/BL manga titles to their digital collection</a> --- authors include Ootsuki Miu, Lily Hoshino, Psyche Delico, and Ayan Sakuragi.</li>
<li>Two interesting essays from s.e. smith that might be of relevance to those who read/watch anime/manga with trans characters: <a href="http://meloukhia.net/2015/09/is_objectifying_trans_women_the_only_way_cis_people_can_relate/">is objectifying trans women the only way cis people can relate?</a> and <a href="http://meloukhia.net/2015/10/what_would_an_ordinary_trans_narrative_look_like/">what would an ordinary trans narrative look like?</a>.</li>
<li>The <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-10-02/hetalia-~singin-in-the-world~-stage-musical-unveils-cast/.93665">cast for the Hetalia stage musical</a> has been posted; the musical is called Hetalia ~Singing' in the World.</li>
<li>The <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2015-10-16/dokyusei-classmates-boys-love-anime-film-opens-on-february-20/.94284">anime film for the Dokyusei/Classmates series is now set</a> for February of next year; it will be based on the Asumiko Nakamura manga by the same name.</li>
<li>Foreign Policy writes about <a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/09/30/manga-transgender-rights-japan-lgbt-anime-comics/">Japan's trans-friendly comic book revolution</a>, citing Wandering Son's popularity as an example.</li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/kittykatstargal/status/651101550920646657">Found on Twitter: the animated school system</a> that every good fujoshi wants to enroll in. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Reviews for September:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Slightly Biased Manga looked at: the <a href="http://slightlybiasedmanga.com/2013/02/28/ai-no-kusabi-7/">seventh volume of Ai No Kusabi</a>'s light novel series; the <a href="http://slightlybiasedmanga.com/2015/09/20/earthian-4/">fourth volume of Earthian</a> by Yun Kouga; the <a href="http://slightlybiasedmanga.com/2015/09/20/junjo-romantica-5/">fifth volume of the Junjou Romantica manga</a>. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Experiments In Manga read <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.mangabookshelf.com/2015/09/dr-makumakuran-and-other-stories/">Dr. Makumakuran and Other Stories by Takeshi Matsu</a>, which looks like gay manga in the genre of the Massive anthology.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">BookDragon reviewed <a href="http://smithsonianapa.org/bookdragon/wandering-son-vol-8-shimura-takako-translated-matt-thorn/">volume eight of Wandering Son</a> and <a href="http://smithsonianapa.org/bookdragon/eat-yesterday-vol-9-fumi-yoshinaga-translated-jocelyn-allen/">volume nine of What Did You Eat Yesterday?</a>, the foodie BL manga by Fumi Yoshinaga.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Manga Xanadu also looked at <a href="http://manga.jadedragononline.com/blog/2015/09/25/what-did-you-eat-yesterday-volume-6-9/">the What Did You Eat Yesterday? manga</a>, reviewing volumes six through nine in one post.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fandom Post reviewed <a href="http://www.fandompost.com/2015/09/23/our-kingdom-vol-01-manga-review/">book one of Our Kingdom by Naduki Koujima</a>, a throwback title to early DMP years.</span></li>
</ul>
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-89648418372894288702015-10-03T17:59:00.000-06:002015-10-03T17:59:38.720-06:00Spinning A New Story Within The 'Verses of Sword Art Online and Attack on Titan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am, for whatever reason, utterly fascinated by the choices some authors make when they decide to write spin-offs for their main (and very popular series). In particular, I've been reading Reki Kawahara's SAO light novel spin-off along with the Attack on Titan spin-off from Hajime Isayama and Ryo Kawakami. It might be comparing apples to oranges in a way, since Isayama is actually not the primary author of this particular spin-off, but ultimately the franchise origin writer chooses what stories are told in the spin-offs. And <i>that choice</i> is what is worth examining, especially when one spin-off explicitly marks itself as 'progressive'.<br>
<b><br></b>
<b>Sword Art Online Progressive (books 1-2): </b><i>Kirito and Asuna are two very different people, but they both desire to fight alone. Nonetheless, they find themselves drawn together to face challenges from both within and without. Given that the entire virtual world they now live in has been created as a deathtrap, the surviving players of Sword Art Online are starting to get desperate, and desperation makes them dangerous to loners like Kirito and Asuna. As it becomes clear that solitude equals suicide, will the two be able to overcome their differences to find the strength to believe in each other, and in so doing survive?</i><br>
<br>
<b>Attack on Titan - The Harsh Mistress of the City (book 1): </b><i>With Wall Maria breeched, communities within the Quinta district have been cut off from each other creating famine and chaos. A young field commander named Rita is tasked with a mission to reconnect transit across the massive district while putting her troops and residence right in the vanguard as Titans descend on her town.</i><br>
<br>
<br>
<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/10/spinning-new-story-within-verses-of.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-59885533658779234482015-09-15T23:30:00.000-06:002015-09-15T23:30:00.932-06:00Wednesday Briefs: Woman Made Of Snow<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJVNV8X-HYueqYJgk84Loz4wIIHKKrEdFH7t7RevsyGTVgbn2iJ412NPKphRWN2ZegyGBuWThPqAvaPgcj3DBrQ1GpYnLvJm-1JqpbtThegsBtIYmDB0rQTO4BFnsMyUF2bbIMhY8ClA/s1600/cropped-wedbriefs-badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJVNV8X-HYueqYJgk84Loz4wIIHKKrEdFH7t7RevsyGTVgbn2iJ412NPKphRWN2ZegyGBuWThPqAvaPgcj3DBrQ1GpYnLvJm-1JqpbtThegsBtIYmDB0rQTO4BFnsMyUF2bbIMhY8ClA/s320/cropped-wedbriefs-badge.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">It's been a while, but here's a new bit of writing <a href="http://wedbriefsfic.com/">for Wednesday Briefs</a>. It's an original fiction stand alone, based on something I've been interested in recently and which I will probably get side-eyed at for writing about since I haven't studied it that intensely, and my take on the original story is fractured in places, but enjoy anyway, I guess!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Yuki-omba.</span></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <i>The woman of snow wakes with the sun.</i> I kinda fucked around a bit with
tengu mythology, but whatevs. Prompt used: yokai.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">As the sun rose and created a glaze of sharp, cold light across the
ice-covered hills of the countryside, so Yuki-omba rose with the sun and
prepared for the day ahead. For the thousandth time, she washed her face in the
stream, weaved a new kimono out of the snow for her to wear—as stark white and
crisp as the snow bank it was born from—and brushed a flower across her lips
until the crushed petals turned them blue.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br>She climbed over the low-lying hills that covered the countryside, gliding
over the crust of ice and frost as if her feet did not touch the ground at all.
No arctic wind, no blast of chill could slow her descent through the rolling
expanse of trees, all bare limbs and sparkling with frozen ornaments from the
previous night.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br>The humans in the nearby village called her Yuki-onna, whispered her name
with a mixture of reverence and fear, but she did not feel like a young woman
anymore, not after one thousand years of winter. All she knew, from the moment
she first opened her eyes and felt the ground with her hands and fell into the
fresh snow with her newly born body, was the forever season of winter. In her
head, she was Yuki-omba now—the grandmother of the snow. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/09/wednesday-briefs-woman-made-of-snow.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-7613009527748722212015-09-13T19:55:00.000-06:002015-09-13T19:55:58.524-06:00PR: Three New Pokemon Comics For The Fall From Viz Media<div class="western" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #00000a; font-family: inherit;"><b>VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES EXCITING
NEW POKÉMON MANGA BOX SET AND POCKET COMICS RELEASES</b></span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br>
</span></div>
<div align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>New
Multi-Volume Manga Box Sets On The Way This Fall For POKÉMON
ADVENTURES And POKÉMON BLACK AND WHITE Along With A New POKÉMON
BLACK AND WHITE POCKET COMIC</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br>
</span></div>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="line-height: 100%;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>San
Francisco, CA, September 10, 2015 –</b>
VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and
licensor of manga and anime in North America, expands its POKÉMON
manga (graphic novel) catalog with several notable new releases
forthcoming this Fall.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br>
</span></div>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="line-height: 100%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Set
for publication under the company’s Perfect Square imprint, the
POKÉMON BLACK AND WHITE Box Set Vol. 3 is now available, and will be
quickly followed by the October publication of <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">POKÉMON
BLACK AND WHITE POCKET COMICs </span>Vol.
2 along with the <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">POKÉMON
ADVENTURES MANGA BOX SET </span>Vol.
<span style="text-transform: uppercase;">4</span>.
These new POKÉMON manga and box set titles are each rated ‘A’
for All Ages. </span>
</span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><br></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br>
</div><a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/09/pr-three-new-pokemon-comics-for-fall.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-90387527942917524972015-09-05T20:12:00.003-06:002015-09-06T11:44:20.869-06:00Enjoy Everything, Yotsuba!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaa-sOqPhGeYsUySL6M-_Z19DxNqRWbiCZ1nlqe0yA5Gjdvmano4TBWn9L-mhOW9Elqgzvy6s1n2X9vMIDs0oPdGzz39dTeTpqAy-fQ81ilaVIcZsGJO2wsf9HFVycjVieNXBEYw99R8/s1600/Yotsuba-Wallpaper-yotsuba-and-2081862-1024-768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaa-sOqPhGeYsUySL6M-_Z19DxNqRWbiCZ1nlqe0yA5Gjdvmano4TBWn9L-mhOW9Elqgzvy6s1n2X9vMIDs0oPdGzz39dTeTpqAy-fQ81ilaVIcZsGJO2wsf9HFVycjVieNXBEYw99R8/s320/Yotsuba-Wallpaper-yotsuba-and-2081862-1024-768.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
I've had a long, busy week so I'd like to treat y'all with a lighter subject for a blog post, one that's got some nice images in it and is about a manga I've never not laughed at or at least smiled at: Yotsuba&! by Kiyohiko Azuma, a slice-of-life series about a little girl named Yotsuba and her daily activities in her new town, learning how things work, making friends, and following around her single dad who is still navigating fatherhood.<br>
<br>
If you haven't started reading Yotsuba&! yet, you are missing out on one of the most charming and aesthetically pleasing series currently being released in English. Yeah, it's that good.<br>
<br>
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<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/09/enjoy-everything-yotsuba.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-27180355856817686632015-08-28T21:35:00.001-06:002015-08-28T21:35:34.664-06:00Fujoshi O'Clock: August Edition<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29g0CHfB9Ngg3OeYFJVHuZMWFzSK3hsvZkNRBUroSq5Svf9MxqGDxA6CzaTXNN25i7pTvnOCQKPKV2HwkbTwtn8UB1utv6hL4Afb3Rg5zO0M5TpSfSo_XXm_dq_a-vEQQQnJcPnETiTY/s1600/75642l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29g0CHfB9Ngg3OeYFJVHuZMWFzSK3hsvZkNRBUroSq5Svf9MxqGDxA6CzaTXNN25i7pTvnOCQKPKV2HwkbTwtn8UB1utv6hL4Afb3Rg5zO0M5TpSfSo_XXm_dq_a-vEQQQnJcPnETiTY/s320/75642l.jpg" width="228"></a></div>
Fujoshi O'Clock is a monthly feature at Nagareboshi Reviews which focus on boys' love/yaoi news, reviews, and meta. The feature also puts a spotlight on trans/bisexual/genderqueer manga/anime news and articles. For yuri/shoujo ai, see fellow bloggers Yuricon and Yuri no Boke for a more thorough examination of the girls' love genre.<br>
<br>
It was actually quite difficult to keep up with the reviews this month, so only articles again.<br>
<br>
But do visit Slightly Biased Manga, as I think Connie has been the best at steadily posting yaoi/BL reviews at a good clip this past month. See also <a href="http://noflyingnotights.com/2015/07/14/the-betrayal-knows-my-name-vols-1-6/">a review of the Betrayal Knows My Name series</a> over at No Flying No Tights.<br>
<br>
But other than those!<br>
<br>
Here are the articles for August:<br>
<br>
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<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/08/fujoshi-oclock-august-edition.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-56097011264078607632015-08-25T19:50:00.000-06:002015-08-25T19:50:53.375-06:00Putting Up Links On A TuesdayI totally and completely meant to post last week but between getting ready to move into my dorm, said move into my dorm, and starting fall classes, updating the blog fell by the wayside. I hope y'all enjoy this round-up of links to pieces I've enjoyed lately as some sort of apology; this month's Fujoshi O'Clock update will come later this week!<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>This <a href="http://wondermark.com/c1117/">Wondermark strip about computer support</a> speaks to me on a molecular level as a former A/V assistant. Your dongle's totally rebooted.</li>
<li>Zack Davisson <a href="http://hyakumonogatari.com/2013/02/05/a-brief-history-of-yokai/">wrote up a brief history of yokai</a> for Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai back in 2013, but it is still a worthwhile read for yokai enthusiasts. Also, read Shigeru Mizuki!</li>
<li>More yokai? Why not! I find this piece <a href="http://themangadiaries.blogspot.com/2013/06/genderifying-manga-shonen-and-shojo.html">on the gendering of yokai across the shojo/shonen demographic divide</a> a really fascinating look at how Japan's mythology is skewered based on the target audience.</li>
<li><a href="https://mangabrog.wordpress.com/2015/05/17/naoki-urasawa-and-hisashi-eguchi-talk-about-manga-in-the-70s-and-80s-mostly-otomo/">Naoki Urasawa and Hisashi Eguchi talk about manga in the 70s and 80s</a>. I think that's all you need to know there.</li>
<li>A lot of Patreon sponsored posts at Ogiue Maniax have been really worth reading, <a href="https://ogiuemaniax.wordpress.com/2015/08/24/diners-saiyans-and-drives/">but with a title like 'Diners, Saiyans, and Drives'</a>, how can I not link to it?</li>
<li>Contemporary Japanese Literature looked at one of my favorite sub-sets of manga - <a href="http://japaneselit.net/2015/06/16/the-cultural-cross-pollination-of-shojo-manga/">the shojo manga - as part of the 'cultural cross-pollination'</a> which has inspired current women in English language comics. They talk about Bizenghast as well as Bee and Puppycat, which are both awesome. Also, look, a Smile cover!</li>
</ul>
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-41986533710268452112015-08-13T15:30:00.000-06:002015-08-13T15:30:01.208-06:00You Need To Read Vinland Saga, Right Now<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"From the distant north... beyond the frozen sea... they come, bringing with them the black clouds of war."</i> - Chapter 1</span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWIQr2x3AngdH3EmglfMUu7Yu7JxVRXGNDtVAd6LEACNXkPR4cRw9BACcD_q3KONbf3903lKGP9OgBMe_9z9XM6_iCPCs2sf7sjhutQ4uvFT6-BFMNykHsJOB4kxpvKtokUiDyg00WLk/s1600/vinland+saga+01+manga.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWIQr2x3AngdH3EmglfMUu7Yu7JxVRXGNDtVAd6LEACNXkPR4cRw9BACcD_q3KONbf3903lKGP9OgBMe_9z9XM6_iCPCs2sf7sjhutQ4uvFT6-BFMNykHsJOB4kxpvKtokUiDyg00WLk/s320/vinland+saga+01+manga.png" width="320"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes, the manga market favors the popular but untalented and ignores the talented but niche. Sometimes it skews towards quality titles in their favor. Unfortunately, due to the nature of manga in America, it often does not; titles with smaller demographics are often left by the wayside, destined for cancellation or to be published in total anonymity without any press coverage or fan love. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Vinland Saga seems destined to join the ranks of outstanding manga who never found their audience and their sales margin, and if that comes true and Kodansha pulls the series from English publication, than we should all feel bad for not supporting this series. In 2014, <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-12-22/kodansha-temporarily-suspends-vinland-saga-manga-in-us/.82480">Kodansha temporarily suspended the Vinland Saga's publication schedule</a> and immediately fans worried for its future.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Later news from Kodansha confirmed <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-04-04/kodansha-adds-ninja-slayer-kills-cat-diary-yon-and-mu-3-persona-smt-manga/.86735">that the future of Vinland Saga relies on sales</a>; if volumes six and seven do well, volume eight and onward will be confirmed for release. If not, well... that's all, folks. Say goodbye to any more new Makoto Yukimura in English.</span><br>
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<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/08/you-need-to-read-vinland-saga-right-now.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-74603635385123610282015-08-11T18:43:00.000-06:002015-08-11T18:43:00.409-06:00Asuna on a Starless Night: Sword Art Online Progressive 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2h0K4jVijU30mVbdCce9UOMlKP0mcF5VaR97zkhAdjRScD8ZVSki4A2jnMKdYMjqeop1lxiGF9d5kE8l3cUSdgkWMpnBpBnsn1v2UmdJF9nSf_Txhzk5FhrDNBcKMXTcs9qzB8PFiNtY/s1600/Kawahara_SwordArtOnlineProg_v1_ProseCover_TP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2h0K4jVijU30mVbdCce9UOMlKP0mcF5VaR97zkhAdjRScD8ZVSki4A2jnMKdYMjqeop1lxiGF9d5kE8l3cUSdgkWMpnBpBnsn1v2UmdJF9nSf_Txhzk5FhrDNBcKMXTcs9qzB8PFiNtY/s320/Kawahara_SwordArtOnlineProg_v1_ProseCover_TP.jpg" width="213"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Sword Art Online: Progressive</b> book 1<br>Author: Reki Kawahara<br>Artist: abec<br>Yen Press<br>358 pages<br><br><span style="line-height: 16px;"><i>One month after Akihiko Kayaba’s game of death began, the death toll continues to rise, two thousand players having already lost their lives to the ultra-difficult VRMMO world of Sword Art Online. On the day of the strategy meeting to plan out the first-floor boss battle, Kirito, a solo player who vows to fight alone to get stronger, runs into a rare, high-level female player. She gracefully dispatches powerful monsters with a single rapier that flashes like a shooting star in the night…</i> (Source: Yen Press)</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Every time I think I don't have time to write, I remember that Reki Kawahara is writing not one, but two, but <i>three</i> different light novel series concurrently: Accel World, Sword Art Online, and Sword Art Online: Progressive. I can only imagine what his daily writing regimen looks like. While the Progressive arm of the SAO franchise retreads familiar ground as it takes readers through the Aincrad arc a second time, the 'remix' aspects of it make it more of an alternate universe take on SAO's first arc, especially when it comes to Asuna and her relationship with Kirito as well as the Aincrad world itself.</span></span><br>
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<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/08/asuna-on-starless-night-sword-art.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-64733815128157967192015-08-03T18:32:00.000-06:002015-08-03T18:32:38.038-06:00Manga Review: Ranma 1/2 2-in-1 Edition, GN 9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbp-ayoByHvm_vcF6ydwf8JEAj8e0UCEG4EVygrw4NORMODR1LGNdbS5dmudeDcbwxxvF1NlKPRF2IAsM0AFlzmolh3xX9cTUeeSfF9Lj7J1TF5wGoAiHIBOMNcofzJS9Qv8LK9WKKqjk/s1600/ranma-1-2-2-in-1-edition-vol-9-9781421566221_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbp-ayoByHvm_vcF6ydwf8JEAj8e0UCEG4EVygrw4NORMODR1LGNdbS5dmudeDcbwxxvF1NlKPRF2IAsM0AFlzmolh3xX9cTUeeSfF9Lj7J1TF5wGoAiHIBOMNcofzJS9Qv8LK9WKKqjk/s320/ranma-1-2-2-in-1-edition-vol-9-9781421566221_lg.jpg" width="213"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Ranma 1/2</b> (2-in-1 Edition) Volume 9<br>Author: Rumiko Takahashi<br>Viz Manga<br>360 pages</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Meet Picolet Chardin II, master of the très terrifying La Belle France
School of Martial Arts Dining. A style of martial arts based on eating
doesn't seem like it would be hard to master…but if Ranma can't defeat
Picolet in La Belle France, it'll be wedding bells! Then, the
unfortunately named "Pantyhose Taro" makes trouble for Ranma and the
others, but who's really the target—and cause—of all the vengeance?</i> (Source: Viz.com)</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The latest Ranma 1/2 omnibus collection contains volumes seventeen and eighteen from Rumiko Takahashi's infamous martial arts comedy series. It is a ridiculous, slapstick bundle of humorous hijinks and romance and at this point, if the idea of characters literally slamming into scenes at random while oddly placed bodies of water put other characters into gender-related peril don't tickle you pink, you will probably not care to pick up the newest installment in this modern classic. But Ranma 1/2 remains a classic for a reason, one of the biggest reasons being that Takahashi knows how to keep things interesting book after book, and arcs like Picolet and Pantyhose Taro show that when this series is at its best when it gets weird.</span></span><br>
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<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/08/manga-review-ranma-12-2-in-1-edition-gn.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-35018682798437351622015-07-29T18:52:00.001-06:002015-07-29T18:52:51.404-06:00Manga Review: Soul Eater GN 25<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlY8ZYWWuc5dbPnfEU4ou0t5347rK9MexN7oN6P87qrvQX6gnBTpTsr6XJThhYNBtUnOFWwKA6r4SKNXTghmni7Ct3lRUtWPV152WNVmWrOVH195lziQqT4M4X2x2WoU85tt17Bg3ol0/s1600/Ohkubo_SoulEater25_TP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlY8ZYWWuc5dbPnfEU4ou0t5347rK9MexN7oN6P87qrvQX6gnBTpTsr6XJThhYNBtUnOFWwKA6r4SKNXTghmni7Ct3lRUtWPV152WNVmWrOVH195lziQqT4M4X2x2WoU85tt17Bg3ol0/s320/Ohkubo_SoulEater25_TP.jpg" width="213"></a></div>
<b>Soul Eater</b> volume 25<br>
Author: Atsushi Ohkubo<br>
Yen Press<br>
248 pages<br>
<br>
<i>Kid’s sense of order stands in sharp contrast to the unpredictable
madness of the Kishin. But order and madness are two sides of the same
coin. When Asura challenges the “tyrannical” Shinigami and his laws that
serve to control humans’ lives, Kid can feel the tendrils of madness
within himself seeking purchase. The bonds of his friendships and his
faith in order are tested to their limits as Asura makes his final stand
against the forces of DWMA. When the moondust settles, who will emerge
as lord of this world–Shinigami or Kishin?</i> (Source: Yen Press)<br>
<br>
<b>Spoiler note:</b> Post contains some spoilers for the Soul Eater final volume (although not explicitly).<br>
<br>
I don't think that Atsushi Ohkubo knows how to end a series, and that is okay by me. I don't demand much of a series ending but I do ask that they resolve at least the biggest plot lines and create a satisfying end based on the story and the character development up to that point. It doesn't have to be happy go lucky, it doesn't have to be one I necessarily agree with (i.e. "ugh why didn't [x] happen!"). Ohkubo, in the Soul Eater manga finale, tries to wrap up the DWMA vs First Kishin battle royale but he has clearly written himself into a corner so ends things the best way he can.<br>
<br>
<br>
<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/07/manga-review-soul-eater-gn-25.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-72769017219299341372015-07-21T16:00:00.000-06:002015-07-21T16:00:00.891-06:00Manga Review: Shigeru Mizuki's Kitaro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-a72NbUPf_njl1stxvQrpACNoNxEW0YqT1riDkY3A6473VzhFhn82w8ovQEePeBTMXjEj2JmDC3Ez7uXBaJt1uPRWreVuMWaCeJegYfetY5QmF6kNBou-4En3D-Oxwvxr0j5CX7oPtM/s1600/KITARO.cover_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-a72NbUPf_njl1stxvQrpACNoNxEW0YqT1riDkY3A6473VzhFhn82w8ovQEePeBTMXjEj2JmDC3Ez7uXBaJt1uPRWreVuMWaCeJegYfetY5QmF6kNBou-4En3D-Oxwvxr0j5CX7oPtM/s320/KITARO.cover_.jpg" width="235"></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Kitaro</b></span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Author: Shigeru Mizuki</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Drawn & Quarterly</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">432 pages</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br></i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Meet Kitaro. He’s just like any other boy, except for a few small
differences: he only has one eye, his hair is an antenna that senses
paranormal activity, his geta sandals are jet-powered, and he can blend
into his surroundings like a chameleon. Oh, and he’s a
three-hundred-and-fifty-year-old yokai (spirit monster). With all the offbeat humor of an Addams Family story, Kitaro is a lighthearted romp in which the bad guys always get what’s coming to them.</i> (Source: D&Q)</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Reviewing a yokai book, especially a Shigeru Mizuki book, is a daunting task. Mizuki is considered Japan's resident expert on yokai tales in manga; according to the book's foreward, there's an entire segment of the Japanese population who owes their knowledge of the yokai world to GeGeGe no Kitaro. It makes sense: every chapter is a field study on a different variety of ayakashi as they wreck mischief on the human world.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">And at the center of the story is the mysterious boy Kitaro, the human-looking yokai with one eye whose powers with the supernatural are a thing of legend. If something goes wrong, the world calls upon Kitaro for guidance, and he works his magic to the 'ge ge ge' chorus of the beasts all around him. He dutifully serves the realm of humans but his life is fully entrenched in the yokai world, and his ability to slide between these two spheres is a major reason why both sides look up to him. </span></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br>
<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/07/manga-review-shigeru-mizukis-kitaro.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-15553290176783396812015-07-16T20:07:00.000-06:002015-07-16T20:07:57.518-06:00Initial Thoughts: Sword Art Online II<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sSUa0yIFlm7izGSDhU12Cj5NwkBt6xVdlJDjl9ZbVvr7flFvDjf592C2alwae-PKtLRmcPpNgKCmnEhuOZCNE7PZsHuLJQK4RnGATc9oXUAuk6ryoWI1ZrC1EBSbkMGvpQtgO4PsTL0/s1600/sword+art+online+2+promo+pic+w+sinon+kirito+death+gun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sSUa0yIFlm7izGSDhU12Cj5NwkBt6xVdlJDjl9ZbVvr7flFvDjf592C2alwae-PKtLRmcPpNgKCmnEhuOZCNE7PZsHuLJQK4RnGATc9oXUAuk6ryoWI1ZrC1EBSbkMGvpQtgO4PsTL0/s320/sword+art+online+2+promo+pic+w+sinon+kirito+death+gun.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sinon takes center stage, as she should.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Spoilers</b>
for the first two episodes of Sword Art Online II. All name spellings
taken from Wikipedia.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>One
year after the SAO incident, Kirito is approached by Seijiro Kikuoka
from Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Department "VR Division" with a rather peculiar request.
That was an investigation on the "Death Gun" incident that
occurred in the gun and steel filled VRMMO called Gun Gale Online
(GGO)...Failing to turn down Kikuoka's bizarre request, Kirito logs
in to GGO even though he is not completely convinced that the virtual
world could physically affect the real world. </i>(Source:
Crunchyroll)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I
know, I stubbornly blogged through the entirety of season one of
Sword Art Online when it aired on Toonami. I should have done the
same for SAO II, but time got away from me, so that by the time I was
actually ready to watch it, over ten episodes had accumulated on my
DVR. I am so bad at this, you guys! (I don't even want to think about
all of the Kill La Kill episodes I never wrote about. Yikes. Sorry.)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The
funny part is that I've been looking forward to watching the second
season of SAO, based on online hype and what friends have told me.
I've been promised a really great handful of arcs, including
Asuna-centric storylines, which is always a plus for me.
Unfortunately, two episodes into the Gun Gale Online arc that opens
up season two, I haven't seen much to get excited about but I remain
hopelessly optimistic.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/07/initial-thoughts-sword-art-online-ii.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-11931369420981200252015-07-11T17:49:00.000-06:002015-07-11T17:49:15.696-06:00Fujoshi O'Clock: July Edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CEmNuABr_Ia1db6RhAFnFCwkilHQ0N-c5Oqqa5-NUBsQSFZO5PGZd9EkvyiqpX9gsLs8b7fyS4ez988gmNpqxDbeOtsuyLl5SnhgauOgznAiDmpUdreJB2-iLhSPUeeEW6K020qxxsM/s1600/ooku801_pr_image01.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CEmNuABr_Ia1db6RhAFnFCwkilHQ0N-c5Oqqa5-NUBsQSFZO5PGZd9EkvyiqpX9gsLs8b7fyS4ez988gmNpqxDbeOtsuyLl5SnhgauOgznAiDmpUdreJB2-iLhSPUeeEW6K020qxxsM/s320/ooku801_pr_image01.png" width="233"></a></div>
Fujoshi O'Clock is a monthly feature at Nagareboshi Reviews which focus on boys' love/yaoi news, reviews, and meta. The feature also puts a spotlight on trans/bisexual/genderqueer manga/anime news and articles. For yuri/shoujo ai, see fellow bloggers Yuricon and Yuri no Boke for a more thorough examination of the girls' love genre.<br>
<br>
This month will be articles/news only.<br>
<br>
Articles for July:<br>
<br>
<ul>
<li>Midwest yaoi convention <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ahn-con-the-midwest-yaoi-and-gay-geek-con#/story">Ahn Con is running a crowdfunding campaign</a> to help pay off some of its convention debt and help ensure it will be up and running for another year.</li>
<li>In further convention news, <a href="http://www.yaoicon.com/">YaoiCon's 2015 guest of honor will be manga-ka Tateno Makoto</a>. YaoiCon recently held events at Anime Expo 2015, including its infamous annual Bishounen Bingo. The industry guest for September 18-20 will be Martha Asahi, a JP cosplayer and BL manga-ka.</li>
<li>Korean BL visual novel November Boy, being released by Sekai Project, <a href="http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2015/06/29/boys-love-visual-novel-november-boy-gets-a-trailer/156742/">now has a video trailer</a>, as shared by Hardcore Gamer's website.</li>
<li>Elementree has <a href="http://prurgent.com/2015-07-03/pressrelease388871.htm">released an English version of Yaoi Ooku: Distorted Love</a> to iOS and Android; the BL dating sim game takes place during the Edo era and features the voice of VA Tetsuya Kakihara.</li>
</ul>
<div>
</div><a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/07/fujoshi-oclock-july-edition.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-59544489881768005402015-07-02T19:38:00.001-06:002015-07-02T19:38:21.281-06:00Breaking: Everything Is Legend of the Galactic Heroes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbBwi3xWS5Pfm3Gvfaoe6UII-EQxMo3UCZ2zelTkT3JcjRIAYrwluf4lUtq8RUSoXli8ua5FK0izj2eTmgCiTHg-fq8HKkcEedfoIB0erycerNH7xulFZtzN6rIpKa8xs9HYDmMie4n8/s1600/Ginga.Eiyuu.Densetsu.full.245915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbBwi3xWS5Pfm3Gvfaoe6UII-EQxMo3UCZ2zelTkT3JcjRIAYrwluf4lUtq8RUSoXli8ua5FK0izj2eTmgCiTHg-fq8HKkcEedfoIB0erycerNH7xulFZtzN6rIpKa8xs9HYDmMie4n8/s320/Ginga.Eiyuu.Densetsu.full.245915.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Hold onto your hats and ignore (at least for now) the cursed renaissance of Tokyopop, long may they flounder. Two license acquisitions at this weekend's AX 2015 are going to blow your dang socks off, especially if you're an old school otaku.<br />
<br />
<b>First: </b>Viz Media <a href="https://twitter.com/VIZMedia/status/616709729411166208">licenses the Legend of the Galactic Heroes novel series</a>, to be published via the <a href="https://twitter.com/Haikasoru/status/616750316965367808">Haikasoru imprint</a>. The Haikasoru Twitter says the first three, but I imagine if sales are good enough, they will push out more to meet demand.<br /><br />
<b>Second:</b> Sentai Filmworks <a href="https://twitter.com/Sentaifilmworks/status/616738046843551744">licenses the LOGH anime series</a>.<br />
<br />
This is the Moby Dick of licenses and having both of these announcements is no small miracle (although I'd like to think Viz and Sentai coordinated the affair so they would come out roughly one after the over). I've spent years thinking LOGH would never see the light of my bookshelves, but leave it to two of the top anime companies in America to prove me wrong.<br />
<br />
After all, LOGH has a lot of strikes against it for being licensed. It's an older series, a lengthy space opera, and the art style is dated and may not appeal to newer viewers. And yet! We have it! So let us, during this holiday weekend, bask in the glow of victory at acquiring a legendary anime. I really cannot wait to acquire this series; I'll even stomach Sentai's usually high prices to get my hands on it. Hopefully, I find it worth the hype.<br />
<br />
(Oh yeah, and Sentai rescued the license for <a href="https://twitter.com/Sentaifilmworks/status/616737599412002817">the Higurashi anime</a>, but we'll talk about that later. Give me a reason why not! --- okay, okay, I'll just let myself out now.)Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-49860654375923162712015-06-26T18:58:00.000-06:002015-06-26T18:58:21.140-06:00Dear Julietta, I Have Thoughts On Your Manga<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbZrBDI-YlweCt9e4LqBHHZBgjF-UyHz1WCLHZU-AfVm4Lqidt6p2nInnYf9Z3f2qlJ9yoQVdb_tUZ5f1gNXXlTp1rZSq3FQ6sVty2pWOUC_b98Ob0Gr0EJm064Yj3eun6_cswYVyuV4/s1600/1421579707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbZrBDI-YlweCt9e4LqBHHZBgjF-UyHz1WCLHZU-AfVm4Lqidt6p2nInnYf9Z3f2qlJ9yoQVdb_tUZ5f1gNXXlTp1rZSq3FQ6sVty2pWOUC_b98Ob0Gr0EJm064Yj3eun6_cswYVyuV4/s320/1421579707.jpg" width="213"></a></div>
<b>Spoiler alert:</b> post contains spoilers for the Kamisama Hajimemashita manga up to volume 18/chapter 107.<br>
<br>
<b>Kamisama Kiss volume 18</b><br>
<i>Nanami’s journey to the past was a success! She found a way to break the
curse and save Tomoe, and he even admitted that he has feelings for
her. Now they’re both ready to enjoy life as a happy couple. Tomoe is
hoping to spend some special alone time with Nanami, but instead they go
on a school trip to Okinawa with the entire grade—and things go from
tropical paradise to yokai nightmare in no time!</i><br>
<br>
Dear Julietta Suzuki:<br>
<br>
Julietta - do you mind if I call you Julietta? - I've been told that you will be attending <a href="http://www.anime-expo.org/">Anime Expo 2015</a> this year, to take place July 2-5. Awesome! The company that publishes your manga in English, Viz Media, has been asking fans of your series for questions to ask you during the convention. It is no secret to anyone who reads Nagareboshi Reviews that I am a big <i>big</i> fan of Kamisama Kiss, especially Nanami and her relationship with Tomoe, the human kami and her protector/servant.<br>
<br>
I would love to ask you a hundred questions on your creative process, how you draft every chapter, where the inspiration for each story arc came from . . . but after reading the most recent English graphic novel release of Kamisama Kiss, I'll have to make my questions a little more plot focused.<br>
<br>
<br>
<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/06/dear-julietta-i-have-thoughts-on-your.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-35701354239133284652015-06-18T18:48:00.000-06:002015-06-18T18:48:57.071-06:00Fall Back Into The Spring: Nostalgia, Ranma, and Rumiko<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9PwrvXNznmgXYrNGD58WZ3UZaLA_0KEIrRYqFHRjpHmYlKQ0UyIwKh7vylBXwDAcXq5eG0zx8pudQOOCoYS2_LaxYKfIl_iPLRxL2zyAwBCLbVg1evpSzqntiz8HQVU0uYusTmT0nHw/s1600/356649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9PwrvXNznmgXYrNGD58WZ3UZaLA_0KEIrRYqFHRjpHmYlKQ0UyIwKh7vylBXwDAcXq5eG0zx8pudQOOCoYS2_LaxYKfIl_iPLRxL2zyAwBCLbVg1evpSzqntiz8HQVU0uYusTmT0nHw/s320/356649.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Pictured above: a ridiculously small percentage of the Ranma 1/2 cast,<br>fulfilling the rule that a Takahashi manga has to have more characters than Game of Thrones.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are few series
that invoke a deep sense of fan-based nostalgia as Ranma ½, which
could have easily gone down in history as Rumiko Takahashi's most
popular and beloved series until Inuyasha came along and knocked it
off its throne. It also helps that while Ranma and Inuyasha are both
wacky fantasy-based romantic hijink programs, Inuyasha benefited from
being more accessible to U.S. fans, airing on American TV, and
appealing to young female viewers with its telenovela romance of
Inuyasha and Kagome.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ranma, however, is
special and always will be to me. When I think Ranma, I think about
renting the first VHS of Ranma 1/2's anime from the local
Blockbuster, then watching it in my mom's room on her tiny television
set and watching the martial arts madness fly across the screen. I
never actually finished the anime – a lot of episodes plus films
and movies made it a hard project to complete when the Blockbusters
doesn't keep new tapes in stock – but I still have a great fondness
for the animation and the opening/ending themes, which have become
iconic in their own right.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/06/fall-back-into-spring-nostalgia-ranma.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-89173700933646744062015-06-10T16:38:00.000-06:002015-06-10T16:38:04.254-06:00Fujoshi O'Clock: The End, Except Not<span style="font-family: inherit;">What time is it? It's Fujoshi O'Clock, a regular feature at Nagareboshi Review, when I bring to you the latest fujoshi-related news and reviews and various shiny BL-flavored things. There is also a focus on trans and bisexual anime/manga. Why? Because 'rotten girls' need love too!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week on Fujoshi O'Clock: I was ready to shut the whole thing down, until I realized that 1) I rather enjoy gathering yaoi/BL news for this feature and 2) I can't think of any other blog who does a semi-regular round-up of yaoi news and reviews. For yuri, there's Yuricon, For yaoi? I don't know. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For now, <b>Fujoshi O'Clock will be on break</b>. When it returns, it will be a once-a-month feature that will hopefully be more encompassing and include more BL/yaoi news as well as news/reviews of manga that is friendly towards LGBT material aside from yuri (since I'd rather not step on Yuricon's turf and she's been doing it longer than I, natch).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">FOC will probably return in August or July. Until then, for the boys' love thirsty among us, here's a quick and dirty list of blogs and websites to keep tabs on for the latest info/reviews/meta:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/">Anime News Network</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fandompost.com/">Fandom Post</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/">Otaku Champloo</a></li>
<li><a href="https://kitsunetoneko.wordpress.com/">the beautiful world</a></li>
<li><a href="http://mangablog.net/">MangaBlog</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.crunchyroll.com/news">Crunchyroll</a></li>
<li><a href="https://hazukashiikedo.wordpress.com/">Hazukashii Kedo</a></li>
<li><a href="http://slightlybiasedmanga.com/">Slightly Biased Manga</a></li>
<li><a href="https://ogiuemaniax.wordpress.com/">Ogiue Maniax</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
Am I missing your blog? Got some awesome fujoshi-related news and reviews you think deserve a shout-out? Poke me with a link and a bit of a description over at my Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/theseventhl">@theseventhl</a>. I'm always on the look out for more BL love, even when the feature is on break.</div>
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-39623216824953512352015-06-05T17:30:00.000-06:002015-06-05T17:30:00.890-06:00In Which An Executive Decision Is MadeLet's be real, if we can, for one moment: I don't post very often. Nagareboshi Reviews has been sliding down my list of priorities over the past two months, and not because I hate it or want to quit writing about manga. It's that when stacked up against work, school, and paying for school, along with a variety of personal stress sources, blogging for fun and no profit loses a bit of its usual shimmer and shine. Therefore, a lot of neglect has led to a lot of no posts on this platform.<br />
<br />
I think this newest decision of mine will change that. Starting next week, Nagareboshi Reviews will be <b>updated once a week</b>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6q_x0ekoN-P4G5aQovOitjBhxzpQHRyMZLOjFYPPoL_dZpTmK-YiwS1iTTObGtTe63d2uBUVT7-V53Mwz3xV9t4ZhoQsX9dUyOny5A53DLR1z_G_JfiMdyfZP3AqDx3IlooTD6HLL7vM/s1600/1216945664_are+you+serious.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6q_x0ekoN-P4G5aQovOitjBhxzpQHRyMZLOjFYPPoL_dZpTmK-YiwS1iTTObGtTe63d2uBUVT7-V53Mwz3xV9t4ZhoQsX9dUyOny5A53DLR1z_G_JfiMdyfZP3AqDx3IlooTD6HLL7vM/s320/1216945664_are+you+serious.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, Ichigo, for real. Put those eyebrows back into place.<br />Also, awww, look at the early Bleach art I found while Googling 'serious anime face'!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Any future guest posts will be the only exception to this rule. I hope to acquire most guest posts for later this year. I'd <i>really</i> like to host people without blogs, mainly because I think their voices are, naturally, unrepresented in online fandom.<br />
<br />
That also means Fujoshi O'Clock's next edition, which will be either next week or the following week, will be its last. I can't keep supporting a regular feature which hasn't been very regular lately. If you love FOC, I will include in the last edition the essential fujoshi links so you can keep track of yaoi/BL/LGBT manga news and reviews with your own tools and time.<br />
<br />
I'm not upset at doing this. The more I think about it, the more it will give me time to craft better, in-depth articles and reviews. Suddenly, the manga in my to-read pile doesn't seem so daunting a task when I have more time to tackle them properly. I hope that if you still read Nagareboshi Reviews with its questionable current schedule, you will still read NR when it has a more reliable posting schedule. Maybe by the end of the year, I'll bump it up to two posts a week - but that depends on a lot of factors currently out of my control.<br />
<br />
Feel free to let me know what you think about this in the comments. I am really looking for reader feedback on this admittedly significant shift in how the blog operates from now on.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-45727498452878207562015-05-28T19:25:00.000-06:002015-05-28T19:25:42.358-06:00PR: VIZ Media Participates in First Ever Bay Area Book Festival June 6-7<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_ZG3cd5mm3lXXJ2xup2Gyfn1CIL9nSY-SU8ZdGxptdWP_wxU6U8Ma-YrYMBYKF0NG4O8sqBR4jYcu0V8UzYLai2qPOHAivtLl6qDSJSQGk4KlQGs1aUTuwWEWIM6WeaOu5bQcrup19E/s1600/PrincessMononoke-TheFirstStory-3D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_ZG3cd5mm3lXXJ2xup2Gyfn1CIL9nSY-SU8ZdGxptdWP_wxU6U8Ma-YrYMBYKF0NG4O8sqBR4jYcu0V8UzYLai2qPOHAivtLl6qDSJSQGk4KlQGs1aUTuwWEWIM6WeaOu5bQcrup19E/s320/PrincessMononoke-TheFirstStory-3D.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">"MONONOKE HIME" (1980 nen Shoki Settei Ban)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">By Hayao Miyazaki</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">© 1993 Nibariki</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">All rights reserved. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">© 1993 Studio Ghibli</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Largest Manga Publisher In The U.S. Will Showcase A Wide Variety Of Manga, Art Books And Other Acclaimed Titles At Literary Festival Taking Place In Berkeley, CA Next Month</span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-53cf61f1-9d41-62f7-1ca0-40ee6a0224d5" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></b>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">San Francisco, CA, May 28, 2015 –</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, proudly announces its support and participation in the first-ever Bay Area Book Festival, set to take place the weekend of June 6-7, 2015 in downtown Berkeley, CA. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">VIZ Media will exhibit and offer for sale a wide selection of its published titles throughout the festival, including art books, graphic novels, manga and other noteworthy releases from the Perfect Square, Studio Ghibli and Haikasoru literary imprints, as well as contemporary titles from the VIZ Signature collection.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></b>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Bay Area Book Festival is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FREE</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to attend and will take place from 10:00AM to 6:00PM at Civic Center Park and 12 surrounding themed blocks in downtown Berkeley. Exhibitors will include publishers, indie bookstores, literary and literacy organizations, library services, writing programs, book artists, authors, and more. A variety of indoor and outdoor activities and exhibits aimed at adults, teens and children also will be offered. More than 150 local, national, and international authors will be reading, debating, and presenting in great spaces, both indoor and outside, throughout the Downtown Arts District as well as selected venues on the UC Berkeley campus. Full details on the Bay Area Book Festival are available at: </span><a href="http://www.baybookfest.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.baybookfest.org</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></div>
<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/05/pr-viz-media-participates-in-first-ever.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-91682104829897236962015-05-21T17:52:00.004-06:002015-05-21T17:52:41.286-06:00Open Thread: Avengers Age of Ultron<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1zeoxMHDHYi6kbiWmB-QmrIDgnRL-I3xfiYjZXcUrFVR6KcuI20wgc66chcVO9j6EWO6hc8KzDiFd4Juel-yzPABzAaUTra7kxZR3RQmPM2T0yfREkAbUWCQrbNcptaH8eV8PrCziBw/s1600/Avengers_Age_of_Ultron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1zeoxMHDHYi6kbiWmB-QmrIDgnRL-I3xfiYjZXcUrFVR6KcuI20wgc66chcVO9j6EWO6hc8KzDiFd4Juel-yzPABzAaUTra7kxZR3RQmPM2T0yfREkAbUWCQrbNcptaH8eV8PrCziBw/s320/Avengers_Age_of_Ultron.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
We've probably all seen Age of Ultron at this point. You've probably all moved onto Mad Max (which looks and sounds amazing) and Tomorrowland (which looks amazing but sounds disappointing) by now, but I haven't, ergo this post! I saw it last weekend and I've been thinking about it a lot since. I'd like to read people's thoughts on the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's a pretty solid popcorn movie but I also think it will prove to be one of the better and often argued over entries in the current Marvel canon. Below are some starting points on the film and MCU in general.<br />
<br />
Spoilers for all Marvel films up to now can be expected in the comments! Please, if you've seen any of the leaked set pics from the new Captain America, keep it under wraps for now. I've been trying to avoid them for the most part, although sometimes a rare small pic will slip under the radar.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The trailer for Ant Man</li>
<li>SPADER!ULTRON: Y/Y?</li>
<li>The seemingly controversial Nat/Bruce relationship</li>
<li>Bruce and Tony: are they wholly responsible for Ultron's behavior?</li>
<li>Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch!</li>
<li>Hawkeye's surprising back story, so surprising almost none of the Avengers knew about it.</li>
<li>Could this be the most religiously loaded Marvel film to date?</li>
<li>How do the events of this film shape the MCU and how SHIELD/the Avengers operate?</li>
<li>Tony's special big shiny suit - yeah, <i>that</i> one</li>
<li>Thor in the bath scene, also known as "why is this happening? am I on drugs right now?"</li>
<li>Anyone else disappointed the GOTG didn't make a cameo?</li>
<li>DAT MID-CREDITS SCENE</li>
</ul>
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-50726183663259574292015-05-17T16:42:00.001-06:002015-05-17T16:42:38.728-06:00Novel Review: Sword Art Online LN 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqPkYx_T-NTuRmw_lVaWmyud_dBfOT4T62xFSiLKTMAjuIwx0Pups5-8r3iXxQIPzO2MZrmlegJLB9p_Q2arcOKdD5nsXsG3bEpwyqkrREQ9brEzOuWZDOfqa8ISORCG7tMSr6C9QncM/s1600/22875088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqPkYx_T-NTuRmw_lVaWmyud_dBfOT4T62xFSiLKTMAjuIwx0Pups5-8r3iXxQIPzO2MZrmlegJLB9p_Q2arcOKdD5nsXsG3bEpwyqkrREQ9brEzOuWZDOfqa8ISORCG7tMSr6C9QncM/s320/22875088.jpg" width="212"></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sword
Art Online: Fairy Dance LN 2<br>Author:
Reki Kawahara<br>Artist:
abec<br>Yen
Press<br>204
pages</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Kirito
plunges into a suspicious new VRMMORPG called ALFheim Online to
rescue Asuna, who never returned from Sword Art Online. ALO offers
many features to entertain players in the wake of SAO: ultra-high-end
graphics, action-heavy gameplay, a choice of fairy races, and a
next-generation flight engine. Playing as a spriggan, Kirito heads
for the location of Asuna's prison --- the top of the World Tree, the
final destination of every player in the game!</i>
(Source: Yen Press)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here
is the ultimate kicker about the Sword Art Online light novel series,
for people who have watched the anime and already have an opinion on
Reki Kawahara's canon. If you watched the anime and hated it, the LN
will not change your mind. If you watched the anime and loved it, you
will love the LN. If you watched the anime and fell <i>anywhere</i>
in between these two groups, you will find that the LN adds a
substantial amount of depth and meat to the story that the anime
could not provide. Fairy Dance volume two concludes the second arc of
Sword Art Online's first season story-wise, and it pretty much
follows the above line of thinking to the letter.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">With
Fairy Dance GN 2, however, there is an additional subplot not touched
upon in the anime, and somehow it makes all the difference between
what made it on the screen and what stayed in the book. Perhaps if
the book's opening scenes had been included in an episode, I would
have warmed more to the Leafa/Kirito relationship. Plus, it's just a
really great scene and I wish I had seen it animated. Deviant Gods
are awesome!</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<a href="http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/2015/05/novel-review-sword-art-online-ln-4.html#more">Read more »</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268013656003578987.post-62597806696710130542015-05-16T15:09:00.000-06:002015-05-16T15:09:10.000-06:00Another Dispatch From LLSIF World: Alpaca EditionIs it weird that, in a game based around beautiful young female pop idols based in Japan, the in-game event award I'm most jazzed about is a furry long-necked animal mostly found in South America who is often found in petting zoos?<br />
<br />
I am talking about, of course, the Love Live alpaca.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0dxEMpmsUcHTRH5D33WFPaW1ZsC_cJTQJu1caxd_rKSsMP7QGLGTSD5RDJtcOILG1Ky4NTBCSOs9XgVX-fcTNpWx7bdXNfTGq5gF3gzXSnnZDeWHfFfJbKVc_D21aIqLFONkDX2OrYo/s1600/IMG_0110.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0dxEMpmsUcHTRH5D33WFPaW1ZsC_cJTQJu1caxd_rKSsMP7QGLGTSD5RDJtcOILG1Ky4NTBCSOs9XgVX-fcTNpWx7bdXNfTGq5gF3gzXSnnZDeWHfFfJbKVc_D21aIqLFONkDX2OrYo/s320/IMG_0110.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I still am not sure why this alpaca is such a big part of LLSIF fandom. He doesn't <i>do anything</i>, not really. You can't add him to your teams or level him up. All he is good for is giving another idol experience, after which he disappears into the cosmic ether of your smartphone forever. But look at him! That's an adorable alpaca! How can you not love something so fluffy?<br />
<br />
Side note: the most recent event was really fun, if only for the fact that I got to play against other people and compare scores/look at other people's weird user names/greeting choices. I was surprised at the lack of variations on "(X Girl) is my waifu" on people's profiles, though. None of y'all married a Nico body pillow? Don't lie to yourself, it is something you considered.<br />
<br />
I can't wait for the next event! And to see the other songs the game are releasing as b-sides for this year's anniversary date.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879244033693425687noreply@blogger.com0