Manga Review: Sweet Black

Name: Sweet Black
Author & Artist: Nishikata Mai
Status: Completed
Chapters: 4
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Shoujo
Plot: 
Sagiri is Haru's childhood friend. Sagiri is also a popular model and the distance between the two becomes wider and wider. Will she be able to deliver her complex feelings to him?
Review:
Despite the insane height difference, the couple is really cute. The story is a bit cliched (with the whole modelling idea and childhood friends thing) but it's cute; and hey I read stories if they do the cliche well.

The main heroine is strong and tomboyish in a sense but she still has a desire to be more feminine and be loved by the main guy which makes her less stereotypical. Instead of some tomboy or girly girl she is in the middle ground.

All I can say about the main guy is : extremely tall but funny.
Give this a go even if it's short :D The only bad thing I can really say is the art may not be up to everyones' taste but I personally don't mind it; I actually think it's pretty good. I think there are a lot of stories like this, like Plastic Girl (which I have yet to review) but it's not overdone and over stayed its welcome (if that makes senes). Overall I enjoyed it so read!
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Recommended Read: Koukou Debut

Name: High School Debut
Author & Artist: Kawahara Kazune
Status:  Completed
Chapters:  52
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, School life
Plot: 
Haruna Nagashima gave her all to softball in middle school, and now that she's made her high school debut she's decided to give her all for a new goal. Getting a boyfriend and falling in love! However, she has one small problem. Since she never paid any attention to fashion or trend in middle school she has no idea how to go about attracting her yet-to-be-found love. But a chance encounter with with Yoh Komiyama provides her with the opportunity she needs. If he coaches her in how to become attractive, surely she can find herself a boyfriend!
Comments:
I'm a bit too lazy to write a review (cos saying I'm busy would sound like an excuse). Maybe one day I will but I really think that you should read this. Yes to the person that asked if it has cliches but it's done well so I don't mind as much. The female lead might get annoying for some people XD
And for those who finish reading this or have already read it then there a live action movie coming out!

Manga Review: Kieli

Name: Kieli
Author: Kabei Yukako
Artist: Teshirogi Shiori
Status: Completed
Chapters: 7
Genres:  Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-fi, Shoujo, Supernatural
Plot:
Kieli sees ghosts. It’s an odd ability for a 14-year-old girl, and it makes her a bit of an outcast at her boarding school. Her only friend, in fact, is the (semi-) departed spirit of a girl who used to inhabit her room. That is until the two encounter a young man who appears to share Kieli’s “gift.” It doesn’t take long to discover, though, Harvey is an altogether different sort of creature — one of the infamous Undying, the reanimated corpse of a dead soldier. Could it be that in this cursed fellow Kieli has finally found a kindred spirit? Throwing in her lot with this strange, soulless man and his possessed radio, she means to find out…
Review:
This manga has really unique art and has an unconventional storyline. For some weird reason, I get this shounen-y feel to it; I don't know why. I like how the characters have some sort of past; like a backing to why they act the way they do. I also feel that the love isn't really forced much but I find it somewhat tragic seeing as he is immortal and Kieli is going to die one day... She actually has a spine and she seems strong willed. At least this girl actually tries to do something even though she's only a 14 year old.
Harvey comes across as an indifferent immortal who has lost faith in humanity until he meets Kieli. He soon realises that he does care for people and with Kieli, he helps save them.
I definitely recommend this manga because it's different from the average stuff you come across. I think it somehow made me emotional (and I don't get emotional often) but I wouldn't say I cried >.>

Manga Review: 24 Colors - Hatsukoi no Palette

Name: 24 Colors - Hatsukoi no Palette
Author & Artist:  Chiba Kozue
Status: Completed
Chapters: 5
Genres: Comedy, Romance, School Life, Shoujo
Plot:
Nanaka loves to paint. So when she enters high school, she gets excited at the prospect of joining the arts club. However, there's only two members-- the mysterious Chihaya and the energetic Kento. They're both good-looking guys, and Chihaya shares Nanaka's love for painting! Alongside the two gorgeous guys (and Nanaka's best friend)...what will happen?

-- NagareBoshi
Review:
The story is really sweet, cute and heart-warming. It revolves around two people who fall in love at first sight. It conveys there interaction in a really interesting way as they express it throught painting, not words. This shows that they have an understanding of how they both work. Their passion for art is what brings them both together. Each chapter has a title is a metaphor and many other metaphors are used in the manga. The only bad thing about this is how the quickly they fall in love and the cliffhanger ending. Overall, the art is kawaii and the story is a bit fast paced but I couldn't imagine the mangaka dragging this out any longer.

Manga Review: Penguin Revolution

Name: Penguin Revolution
Author & Artist: Tsukuba Sakura
Status: Completed
Chapters: 32
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Gender Bender, Romance, School Life, Shoujo, Slice Of Life, Supernatural
Plot:
 High school student Yukari Fujimaru knows a potential star when she sees one because she sees the special "aura" they give off, in the form of angelic wings. Yukari's fellow student, the beautiful and responsible student body vice president, Ryoko Katsuragi, has a small pair of wings herself, and is one of these aspiring talents. She's so talented, in fact, that no one even knows that "she" is actually a boy in disguise. Due to a series of events, Yukari has come to discover Ryoko, or rather, Ryou's secret, and is hired as a manager for Ryou by the president of the Peacock Talent Agency. Living together with the promising Ryou and his rather dashing room mate, Makoto Ayori, the number one star in Peacock who is also the lazy, ruffle-headed student body president, is bound to be an adventure! Now, to make her own down-to-earth dream come true Yukari must help her new friend become a star while doing her best to protect both her beloved room mates.


Review:
Let me start off by saying that this manga would be in my top list if it wasn't for the end. Be warned, the ending is not satisfying and feels incompleted; like the author planned for a sequel but never made one. It starts off as a typical love triangle, then a square O.o
Except it's more of a triangle than a square...
The female protagonist is a very cheerful, unbelievably positive and she has a very likable that 3 guys have decided to fall for her. The two love interests are both cool but they're like cardboard cut outs which have been adjusted in appearance.Although I find the scenes where the girl is naked and the guy walks in infuriatingly unnecessary. Nonetheless, this manga had a lot of potential to become a good manga but it just missed the mark. If your bored, try this one out but be prepared to be disappointed...

Manga Review: Nousatsu Rock Shounen

Name: Nousatsu Rock Shounen
Author & Artist:  Kikuchi Kamaro
Status: Completed
Chapters: 8
Genres: Comedy, Romance, School Life, Shoujo

Plot:
Fujisaki Maki once had a peaceful life, but one day, she decides to help Nobitani, who was being bullied, and now everyone's bullying her! Because Nobitani feels guilty, he gives Maki tickets to a famous local band called 'East Robo'. Maki decides to go and during the concert, the leader singer plays a ballad and is looking at Maki?!

A continuation from Nousatsu Rock Star which was originally a oneshot.

Review:
This story is good but it has a lot of cliches but I think they were executed well. Ohhh spoiler alert (well not really) nobitani is the lead singer. So the guy takes the glasses off and he instantly becomes this "hot" guy. Haha this is totally shoujo... The lead girl is somewhat likeable as she defends Nobitani at the start although she needs to be saved by him in the end. All in all, don't expect this too be terribly original, (storyline wise) but definetly a cute, fun story that is an enjoyable read.

Manga Review: Akuma De Koibito Part 3

Name: Akuma De Koibito
Author & Artist: Nakamura Yukichi
Status: Completed
Chapters: 5
Genres: Comedy, Romance, School Life, Shoujo

Plot: 
Story 3: Because, It's Love
Jun has always had a mature and cold face, but she gets easily scared and cries when she's alone. The seniors are graduating and they don't have to go to school until their graduation. While Jun is cleaning the mops, a guy next to her accidentally splashes water all over himself. She hands him her handkerchief. This handkerchief is very important to her because a guy gave it to her while she was crying but she never saw his face. Before she knows it, the guy's friends drag him away with the handkerchief.

Review:
 Again this story is mediocre and it's cute but nothing particularly great. The female lead fit into the cliche of a tsundere who is really shy and emotional at heart. The main guy is just your happy-go-lucky type of guy who is older then he looks. Recommended read if you're looking for a cute romance.

Manga Review: Akuma De Koibito Part 1

Name: Akuma De Koibito
Author & Artist: Nakamura Yukichi
Status: Completed
Chapters: 5
Genres: Comedy, Romance, School Life, Shoujo

Plot:
Story 1: Devil and Boyfriend
Ever since she was young, Rinko has always been labelled as a 'Ohito yoshi baka' by everyone except for a young boy, Itsuki. Since then, Rinko has always had strong feelings for Itsuki, but will he ever be like that angel-like person she meet as a child or stay as the Akuma she has now gotten used to?

Review:
The first story spans for 3 chapters and the girl is a typical shoujo manga girl who likes the popular guy etc. The two leads fit into the manga stereotype. She's not annoying thought and she's likable. The story is kind of cute; it's pretty mediocre though. It's nothing exceptional but it's a good read if you're bored and have nothing else to do.

Manga Review: Ludwig Revolution

Name: Ludwig Revolution
Author & Artist: Yuki Kaori
Status: Completed
Chapters: 16
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Romance, Shoujo

Plot: Prince Ludwig isn't your conventional prince charming. He appears to be an unbelievably attractive though in truth, necrophilic(erotic attraction to or sexual contact with corpses) narcissist prince who has a fetish for big breasted women. However his father the King became very displeased with his unusual hobbies and sets him off on a journey to find a bride. So together with his constantly abused manservant Wilhelm, who is in truth his closest person, he sets off on a journey which leads to encounters with infamous fairytale princesses. An even more twisted interpretation of the already twisted original fairy tales from the Grimm Brothers!

Review:
So this story is basically a series of twisted fairy tales from the stories we all know and love (such as Snow White and Cinderella). It's definitely not your cute, average shoujo (if you are familiar with Yuki Kaori's works). The horror element is just the depiction of death and mild gore.

What makes this manga unique is that the story follows a main, male character. The mangaka ingeniously puts a twist to the classic princesses into vain, dark versions. Of course there are some really good characters that aren't totally evil (like Sleeping Beauty).

I find that the characters have a lot of depth and many seem to be three dimensional, which makes the story interesting. Lui (Ludwig), despite being perverted and arrogant, sees easily through the other characters' personality and intentions. Each chapter delivers an unexpected twist that will keep you intrigued. The story, however, does get a bit depressing because nearly every princess dies at the end of the chapter.

Aside from that, it's highly recommended for people who love Yuki sensei's work, solving mysteries, fairy tales and atypical female characters.

Manga Review: Othello (Shoujo)

Name: Othello
Author & Artist: Ikezawa Satomi
Status: Completed
Chapters: 28
Genres: Comedy, Psychological, Romance, School Life, Shoujo

Plot: Yaya’s high school friends haven’t been very nice.
They call her “Yaya the cry-ya! Yaya the misfi-ya!”
But no matter how badly they act, Yaya is just too naïve and trusting to believe the worst of her friends.

Hard-rocking, butt-kicking Nana is just the girl tograb hold of Yaya’s timid demeanor and turn it upside down. Nana exposes Yaya’s “friends” as slime bags, doles out punishment, and does it all with style.
Can there be anything that terminally shy Yaya and hyper-confident Nana have in common? Well, for one thing, they’re the same person. - Manga Updates

Review: 
Yaya is basically your average shoujo heroine who is pretty much a crybaby (with a split personality). Although she does have an excuse for being one due to her childhood. If you can get passed her crybaby antics she does grow as a character.

Nana on the other hand is outrageously confident and a bit cruel but definitely funny. Although one of her biggest flaws is that she can get slightly annoying and her character lacks realism (much like Yaya) but it's just a manga.

Moriyama is the male lead who tries to help Yaya and figure out why her personality changes.
He gives Yaya more emotional support rather then going up and standing up for her when the situation calls for it...

The story seems to drag out a fair bit but it's definitely worth the read.