Less than a week away for the release of Vassalord Volume 2. I can’t wait, can’t wait. In the meantime I’ve been finding it hard to pick another great manga to read. 
There are just so many to choose from. I’m up for any suggestions. What manga are you reading now or plan to read soon?
I’m always checking out Amazon’s best sellers list to get an idea of what’s hot but I haven’t been able to pull the trigger on purchasing any yet.
I’ve really enjoyed most of the ones I’ve read so far but I feel I have a way to go to be like other avid manga readers like Samantha and other readers whose sites I stumble up on, on the net.
I have thought about reading the volumes online instead of waiting until they become available in stores but it’s the waiting and anticipation of opening a new, fresh, crisp manga that gets me really excited and stops me from reading volumes online. It’s like a roller coast: finishing one volume is like climbing up the highest point of the ride but getting that newly release manga and reading it is like the thrilling ride down the hill. Ahh the butterflies and fun!
Oh well, that’s just me rambling . . . maybe I’ll give reading manga online a try someday, at least to see if I like a particular story or characters before making the actual purchase. Just a thought.
If you happen to have suggestions on entertaining relationship based manga that you’re currently reading, have read in the past or plan to read in the future post below. I’m always looking for the next entertaining story until my favs become available to buy.
Happy reading!
#15 The One I Love Is . . .
Everyone is back from summer break. The bond between Tomari and Hazumu has gotten stronger since that night at the training camp.
Hazumu meets Tomari at her house to walk to school. Outside Tomari’s home they plan to go to the aquarium amusement park after school. They both start to reach for each others hand but are interrupted by the others (Asuta, Ayuki, and Yasuna) arrival. They look totally embarrassed and everyone knows something is going on between the two of them (but they are not sure what). NOTE: It should be noted that Yasuna is feeling sick but refuses to go one day without seeing Hazumu.
They all arrive at school. Asuta reminds Hazumu about staying after school to take temperature readings for science class. Hazumu freaks out. She totally forgot about it. During class Hazumu is obviously feeling bummed out about staying after school. Yasuna comes up to Hazumu asking if she had other plans after school and Hazumu reveals to her the plan for the aquarium. Hazumu was totally out of it when she was talking that she hadn’t realized that she was revealing this information to Yasuna. When she finally notices that she had been talking to Yasuna she freaks out again. But Yasuna tells Hazumu to go ahead and go to the aquarium. She will handle her after school duties. Besides, it’s only fair that Tomari gets to spend a day with her alone (she got to after all). Hazumu accepts Yasuna’s offer. (more…)
Chapter 3 Fleeting Dark Abba is a memory sequence chapter: It begins with a young boy telling his feelings about darkness to a nun. He explains how he has never been afraid of the dark because explosions and bloody people can not see “you” in the dark. So, when he meets this strange man, he isn’t afraid of him because this man is obviously a person of darkness (the man looks like Johnny Rayflo).
He continues by telling the nun how nice this gentleman was to him but in actuality the first words that came out of this stranger’s mouth were “Get Lost” The man goes on to describe how the abandoned church is his feeding ground and if the little boy doesn’t get lost he’s going to eat him up. Unfortunately for the man, the little boy’s stomach starts to growl (it apparently liked the way the man was describing how he was going to “eat” him up). So, the man gives the little boy a piece of old bread to eat and their relationship begins.
Rayflo (that’s what I’ll call him because his true name is never revealed in this chapter) tries several times to get the boy to leave but the boy won’t leave his side. So, they stay together and Rayflo does his best to provide him with “human” food but there’s a war going on so there isn’t much food or people around. (more…)
This chapter, Hierocles’ Delusion, begins with a flashback – it’s of Johnny Rayflo getting dressed in an all white outfit and a little boy, whose name is Chris, remarks how pretty the man looks in white (is this Chris the Charley we all know and love? Me thinks, yes).
Back to present time – Charley is returning to his hotel room to find his master looking out the window at all the prepping commotion downstairs. They both plan to attend the Neo Union Church party being held across the street. As Charley leaves the room to get dress he orders his master not to wear white at the party. For Charley the color white should be worn by holymen (and we all know Rayflo is not a holyman).
At the church gathering Rayflo sneaks away from Charley and starts flirting with a group of young ladies. Charley enjoys the party the best he can but he starts to feel a little hungry. He has been on a fast for 5 days and the smell of all that blood is starting to get to him. Charley steps out into the hallway to gather himself. While there, he assists a young boy back into his wheelchair. The boy politely thanks him (he thinks Charley is a reverend) and leaves. As soon as the boy is around the corner Rayflo unexpectedly appears. He catches a glimpse of the boy around the corner and drags Charley to a confession room. While the reverend is speaking the holy word, Rayflo and Charley begin their routine of feeding and satisfying one another. Just as Charley is about to feast on Rayflo, a little nun comes alone and whacks Charley on the head. She believes the two of them are vampires (and she’s right!) but she quickly apologizes when she sees Charley’s cross (he does looks like a priest). (more…)
#8 Bride and Groom
After Tomari walks in on the kiss between Hazumu and Yasuna she tries her best to avoid them. She remembers a promised that Hazumu made to her as a child about being her groom but now with the kiss and Hazumu obviously not remembering she’s trying her best not to interfere.
During Hazumu’s bath time she tries to figure out what’s going on with Tomari. Why is Tomari avoiding her and not talking to her like she use to. And then an ideal occurs to Hazumu. She immediately jumps out of the tub and heads over to Tomari. Once there Hazumu explains that she now understands why Tomari has been behaving so strangely towards her. Hazumu tries to tell Tomari that she really likes her but Tomari instantaneously smacks Hazumu across the face. Tomari doesn’t want to hear such things, after all isn’t Hazumu in love with Yasuna?
Hazumu isn’t able to say she loves Yasuna because at this point she likes both girls equally. And with that information, Tomari tells Hazumu that if that is true then she’ll have to do the same thing to both of them. Hazumu starts to panic thinking she’ll have to kiss Tomari (more…)
I had another night of staying up late and reading manga. This time my late night reading pleasure was Vassalord.
It’s about a cyborg vampire, who works for the Catholic Church and his relationship with his master vampire Johnny Rayflo. I had originally read a snippet of the manga in an issue on Anime Insider and I was intrigued with what I read. However, I find now that the snippet I previewed and the summary on the back of the cover does not do the manga justice. I had originally thought it was this dark, bloody story about a vampire cyborg who is trying to destroy this other vampire who he is actually in love with.
It’s actually quite funny to begin with, they are vampires but the cyborg Charley isn’t trying to kill Johnny. They have a relationship and it’s the relationship between the two of them that I find really interesting and want to learn more about. Together the two of them, so far, solve these vampire related incidents. Their personal relationship is much more intriguing then the cases they solve together. It’s the kind of relationship where they suck blood and possible a few other things (I’m just assuming).
The issue I have with the manga is the drawing, particularly when it comes to the fighting/action scenes. They tend to be just a series of strokes and lines making it very difficult to see what is occurring in the panel (kind of messy and blurry). When there are no action scenes then I am able to get into the story but the minute a fight scene occurs I am completely confused as to who did what or how they did it. I have to read the next panel to piece it all together.
Overall, I really like Vassalord. I have to say I tend to have a bias opinion for manga with pretty, handsome guys but not always (for example Cain. I wasn’t feeling that one). I am looking forward to reading the next volume scheduled for release on November 11, 2008.
I am fascinated by vampires and relationships so the two come together nicely. Check out my Vassalord Volume 1 book summary coming up soon.
Book details:
Tokyopop
Age: 16+
Creator: Nanae Chrono
#1 The Day He Changed
Kashimashi (girl meets girl) begins with an introduction of the 17 year old male character Hazumu Osaragi. He has feelings for Yasuna Kamuzumi but when he goes to confess his love for her she turns him down.
In an effort to move on and forget about her Hazumu journeys into the Kashima Mountains while there he is struck by a spaceship. The alien, feeling just horrible about the incident, works on restoring Hazumu’s life and body. Unfortunately, during the process something irreversible happens.
The alien heads into town to reveal his identity to the townspeople (It’s part of the Interplanetary Life Preservation code). During his explanation he explains what has occurred on Kashima Mountains and how he was able to restore life into the earthling but he got the gender all wrong and now “he” is a “she” The alien then returns Hazumu to his parents and friends as a cute and busty girl.
Everyone is shocked by this startling information, even Yasuna (who apparently like girls and that was the reason why she turned Hazumu down). (more…)
