Love Celeb

A young starlet named Kirara gets sold out by her manager to a bunch of sex starved producers, but she's a virgin and she thinks she is not ready. Luckily, a man named Gin saves her, but he ends up being worse than any of them. Fortunately she escapes with her virginity intact and when she wakes up she's the best known idol in Japan! Does that guy from before have something to do with it?

The story is okay, although the main male character is pretty unlikable most of the time. This manga is not as good as others by this same mangaka, Shinjo Mayu, in my opinion. There are quite a few steamy adult scenes, so I would not recommend this for younger readers. So, for some ecchi this manga is great, but not so much for story or lovable characters. The main character, Kirara, is probably the most likable character, but still seems somewhat 'flat' and fake at times. I was hoping for more of a climax in the plot, but it sort of just peeked quickly over a few pages. (No puns intended).

Rating:

Kanata Kara

On her way home from school one day, Noriko is unexpectedly plunged into a strange and extraordinary fantasy world. Her troubles compound exponentially when she is rescued and befriended by a handsome young man by the name of Izark. He may be brave and courageous, but inside Izark lurks the darkest evil imaginable. And according to an ancient prophecy, Noriko possesses the power to unleash that evil. Now, inexorably bound together, these two unlikely allies must navigate a world both wondrous and hostile.

Kanata Kara, aka From Far Away, is a great fantasy manga. The story is great, with a basic premise of good versus evil. But, you discover that light or good, can be found within everyone and everything. There are many great characters, all are unique and enjoyable, even the 'bad guys'. The love story is simple, yet powerful. I'm surprised they have not made an anime of this manga, but there still may be one yet. In 2004 this manga won the Seiun Award in Japan, which is a renowned award for science fiction stories.

Rating:

Full Moon wo Sagashite

12 year old Mitsuki Koyama dreams of being a pop star. However a malignant tumor in her throat prevents her from singing loudly or long. One day she accidently meets two Shinigami who inform her she has one year left to live. They agree to help her die without any regrets and so give her a temporary reprieve from her illness and her singing career a magical push start. A bittersweet love story about following your dreams and finding something or someone to live for.

Full Moon wo Sagashite is a 30 chapter manga by Arina Tanemura. A bittersweet romance story, this manga is very good. The main character is very lovable, as well as the shinigami that join her on her journey. The story is very unique, with a few surprises along the way. There are sad moments, especially when discovering the histories of the shinigami companions and how they died. It has a wonderful happy ending, with a surprise twist of its own. There is a fan subbed anime, which I have just began to watch. So far there are quite a few differences and changes within the story, but the music is really good. I will update more on the anime after I complete watching it.

Rating:

Fruits Basket

The enigmatic Sohma family shares a great secret, its members are possessed by spirits of the Chinese Zodiac, and when they are hugged by members of the opposite sex, they transform into their Zodiac animal! Tohru Honda, an orphaned high school freshman, is given lodging in the Sohma household in exchange for taking care of household chores. The humble Tohru is quite grateful for the Sohma family's generosity, and the longer she stays with them, the more they realize what a blessing she is in their lives, as well.

Fruits Basket, sometimes called Furuba, is a manga by Takaya Natsuki. There are a total of 136 chapters. This is a very popular manga, with a huge fan base. This is actually the very first manga I read, after falling in love with the anime. The manga has great art, and a wonderful story. The characters are funny, loving, and each one very unique. The anime is fairly easy to find, and is 26 episodes long. It has a wonderful soundtrack and good story and art. The anime only goes through part of the manga, ending at around volume 8. Though there are small details that are left out of the anime, and the last volume in particular has some information that may be missed if skipped completely. The story continues on with great plots, twists, and a wonderfully happy ending for everybody. This is a highly suggested manga if you like shojou or romantic comedy stories.

Rating:

Shinshi Doumei Cross

In return for a business loan of 50 million yen, the prestigious Kamiya family gave their daughter Haine away to the Otomiya family. Haine, now an Otomiya, is appointed to the student council of the exclusive Imperial Academy, a private school for the aristocracy. Even though Haine is of proper lineage to be on the council, she finds herself struggling to find her place among the many secrets of its elite members, especially those of the president who holds her heart--Shizumasa Togu, aka "the Emperor."

Shinshi Doumei Cross, also known as Gentleman's Alliance Cross, is a 47 chapter manga by Arina Tanemura. This manga just recently was completed. It is a very good story, sort of confusing at times, but everything is made clear eventually. There are a few unexpected surprises, which make you wonder what may come next. There is romance on a variety of levels, including passionate friendships. This story is unique, the characters are well-rounded and enjoyable. The ending wraps things up very well, leaving no real loose ends.

Rating: