I really enjoy hearing what other people think of the monthly installments.  Sometimes it makes me go back and reread a series I may have ditched, like Vampire Knight.

For the most part I agree with Matthew Brady.  I really really enjoyed the preview of Kimi Ni Todoke. Mainly because the manga-ka didn’t shy away from making heroine actually look creepy! I can see why everyone runs from “Sadako”.  To often in manga I find myself with a 90210 complex of everyone pretending so and so is ugly when they are clearly gorgeous.  Plus, this series seems to have a sweet heart and it’s summertime so sweetness is in.

I still cannot get behind Crimson Hero. The semi-rape scene was too much.  There was nothing to suggest Kaz would take things this far and having Yushin bust in went beyond cliche.  Then there’s Nobara who’s naivete is just unbelievable.  Maybe a volleyball hit me in the face when I was a baby or something because I can’t seem to get past my hatred for this series.  All the terrible haircuts don’t help.

Sand Chronicles – I can’t add anything.  This was a really good assessment:

“This series has gone from a wonderful bit of recognition at the complexities of relationships to a painful observation of the things people do that can hurt themselves and others when they aren’t willing to move on from traumatic moments.”

It keeps getting more and more painful and yet doesn’t go overdramatic.

Honey Hunt and Honey and Clover are sort of boring me at the moment….

I knew there was a reason I left Colorado.

To ride the ‘let’s list stuff cause it’s really really fun and everyone loves lists’ wave – started by John Jakala, then David Welsh – here’s my top 5 Addictive Shojo Manga:

1.  Fruits Basket – this is or should be on everyone’s list, it’s like crack.

2. Absolute Boyfriend – I know a lot of people thought this title wasn’t very good but I couldn’t get enough of Night and Soshi.  They adorn my cubicle walls like Zac Efron in a middle school locker.

3. Sand Chronicles – the plot seems so simple but there’s something about this touching manga that makes me flip the pages of Shojo Beat to read it first.

4. Ouran High School Host Club – It’s basically the same thing volume after volume and yet, I still laugh.

5. Chobits – ok, I don’t know if this technically counts as a shojo title but it’s close enough.  I secretly reread the volumes then pretend to be shocked at the chauvenism.

Whew! That was fun and made me want to read some shojo.  Oh, here’s some honorable mentions that are actually manhwa:

Bride of the Water God – sooo pretty

Two Will Come – I like the jerky/sweet player character