What was the latest manga you completed/read?

[Lovux The Great]

I figured this thread needed a manga counterpart, so here we go. Write down a few words about the latest manga you read; what you thought about it, if you liked it or not, anything at all. Just for fun~

Oniisama e…
(or Brother, Dear Brother…)


Since I loved the anime version, I decided to give the original manga a go. With only 3 volumes compared to the anime’s 39 episodes, it’s obvious that the anime had a lot more material, but that doesn’t make it a filler fest. Rather, it spent more time preparing for the coming tragedies. The bigger build-up, the bigger pay-off. Which made it a whole lot creepier, heart-warming or tear-jerking, depending on the situation.
The characters were also fleshed out more there, and that’s saying something considering how human they were here to begin with. But not everyone; one character in the anime definitely was a rich bitch, but at least she had character development. Here, she remains a rich bitch and not much more. A couple of characters’ fates were also changed from the original material. Perhaps I’m biased because I saw the anime first, but I do think some of the changes made in the anime were made for the better.
As a whole, the anime shouldn’t be seen as an adaption, but as a different version; an alternative interpretation as the result of the director’s insightful readings between the lines.

These comparisons aside, Ikeda Riyoko’s original vision wasn’t unworthy of my time the least. From start to finish I was captured by Oniisama e…’s over-the-top angst and uneasy feelings of friendship and betrayal, love and hatred. The story is very stream-lined and not wasted for a moment. I really don’t have much to say – this manga was so awesome it blew my mind. Just like the anime did before.
Oh right, the art was also gorgeous, with artful picture composition that makes it easy to see how Ikeda's works have influenced shoujo mangas for decades.

A controversial milestone that is less of a romantic escapist fantasy and more of a girl’s worst nightmare. I’m easily buying it if it ever gets an English release (haha, I wish).

My rating: 9/10 (what stops me from rating it 10 is beause, well, I preferred the anime)

Maybe this is the right time to mention that I’m on a bit of a Ikeda Riyoko high at the moment. I have read her one-shot Claudine (10/10!!!), am hunting for Rose of Versailles scans and have just started reading Orpheus no Mado. Shame though that neither of the two latter series seem to be found in their entirety, scanlated and all... Damn it. OLD-SCHOOL SHOUJO NEEDS MOAR LOVE!! Or heck, old-school anime in general! I want my Captain Harlock SSX subbed... *sob sob*

[ornyx]

I Recently Re-Read Rurouni Kenshin and Shaman King, Shaman king for the reason i wanted to read the true ending

[yami_guy]

The latest manga series I completed was full metal alchemist, followed by Gash bell, many tears >_<

[Lovux The Great]

Shugo Chara!


Be yourself.
That is the main message of one of the most honest and loveable shoujo works in recent time, especially if we’re talking shoujo of the magical girl flavor.

Art-wise, it’s typical shoujo style with little to no backgrounds, very cute characters with big sparkling eyes and an overwhelming use of screentones, especially those with sparkles on it. Is it’s anything this manga does undeniably well, it’s sparkles. But Shugo Chara! is so much more than just a glitter fest.

The characters are, if not admittedly unoriginal (but hey, there’s nothing new under the sun, no matter what you try to accomplish), extremely likeable. A majority of them is generally well fleshed out during the course of the manga, and much of it is thanks to the cute little Guardian Characters. Each and every one of them is a window that allows us to get quite the look into the characters’ respective souls, which I find quite fascinating to say the least. I wouldn’t call Shugo Chara! psychoanalytical, but it’s full of relatable humanity and intricate thoughts on your heart, on your soul, on yourself.

And this is where Shugo Chara! shines with its strongest radiance. It’s universal in a way that it takes on issues that we all can relate to – what it means to follow your dreams, or being forced to give up on them, and then re-pursue them. To learn how to live with yourself, or finding out whom you really are. Accepting that things aren’t going to stay the same forever.  Everything changes. I recently moved back to my parents’ home after spending two years in a different city studying comic arts and making so many new friends. Friends which I had to say goodbye to when the studies were over. Seeing the characters of Shugo Chara! in situations that I have been or am in myself brings me closer to them. And thus, I can’t do much but sympathize and love them.

How about the storyline then? Well, compared to the anime that is full of (occasionally hilarious, occasionally sleeping pill-popping) filler episodes, things happen at light-speed here. I found the pacing a tiny itsy bitsy too fast for my tastes, but I’m being nitpicky. After all, magical girl anime and fillers go hand in hand way more usual than what is fair – it’s actually refreshing when the story moves full-stop without halt.
Needless to say, Shugo Chara! being the magical girl manga it is, it is still cheesy and predictable, but I think that’s part of the charm, and not in a “so bad it’s good” kind of way. It does what it’s supposed to do; entertain me.

Yes, there are many series that goes deeper into the human psyche and with tons more complicated characters… but there are very, very few manage to be so genuinely honest and full of feeling like Shugo Chara!. And in that sense, Shugo Chara! is a triumph. This manga is not for girls or kids – it’s for everyone!

Tl;dr – OMG SQUEE THIS MANGA IS SO FRIGGIN CUTE!! <3 <3 <3

My rating: 8/10

(I have of course been reading Shugo Chara! Encore as well, those are really nice epilogue/bonus chapters! Can’t wait for the fourth and supposedly last chapter!)

[skyw4lk3r]

The latest manga I completed was Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and Lovely Complex. Two great series, but Tsubasa Reservoir's ending is less satisfying for me. Still it is a great series.

[Kororo666]

I Yesterday finished reading Prince of Tennis
I absolutely loved it!!!
I'm now reading its sequel!

[Kickthekitty]

I'm bad at reviews...

But latest I finished was Van Von Hunter.


(Huh? Pic didn't shrink?)

This is actually webcomic (or webmanga I guess).

First comes webcomic:
http://www.vanvonhunter.com/  

And then it continues in 3 tokyopop volumes.
BUT those three volumes were some kind of webcomic as well since they all were free to read in tokyopop's online reader. I know they were since I downloaded them from tokyopop's website as I read them first time, but it seems TP have taken their reader down since..
-update-
I checked TP site and it appears that they are still sharing Van Von Hunter volumes online:
http://www.tokyopop.com/content/manga_players/1379/3/2/7.jpg  ("3" is volume, "2" is chapter, "7" is page.)
It's just their reader that's broken.

Art is NOT superb. I'm rating that as average.
It's comedy. Parody of fantasy genre.
What attracts me is it's emphasis on dialogy and some kind of continuous anti-tension.
(As I said I'm bad at reviews)

I bought v1 and v2 (v3 wasn't in shelf) (Good print but works better as webcomic). Which should prove that I really, really like series.  
My rating is 7/10

(More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Von_Hunter )

[Yaban]

well let me think mmm i think rurouni kenshin, its awesome not like the anime .

[AIuc4rD]

I finished read FMA, Dragon Quest Dai and shaman King

[julio77777]

The latest manga I finished was Rave (from the one who made Fairy Tail, there is a 52 ep anime which doesn't cover half of the manga) very funny and original world, I loved it and recommend it to anyone who like med/fan shounen !

[Sythess]

Reborn. I like Shounen so yeah

[o0Azure0o]

Last manga I completed was Suzuka, a touching little romance manga. As for last one I read, I'm currently reading GB vol. 1-25 for like, the 80th time.

[asukayukimura]

I can't quite remember what's the last manga I finished, but the last one I read apart from GB was Pandora Hearts, because it's just too cute!

[ManaYagami]

The last one that I read was Captain Tsubasa vol.20, until my motherboard stopped recognizing my 1TB HDD. I've tested it on a friend's PC and it's working fine. I've ran some tests and all that. I'll have to download it again to read the rest.

[Verdugo]

52 volume's of one piece , it only cost me 150$ ^^ , needed a week to finish them , but it was well worth it