As I’m not male, I guess it makes sense that I can’t understand the whole best friend/simultaneous rival thing that happens in most shounen manga. I mean, I suppose I kind of get it – you admire something about someone so much that it makes you want to surpass it, in order to better yourself. Or maybe I’m completely off, whatever. My point is, what is it about that relationship that automatically means the two males sharing that bond of companionship are automatically sharing their bed?

07-Ghost is another hard one for me to review, because I feel like the main...

Titles that aren’t strictly straight from Japan always interest me. I like the idea of “manga” not being restricted to a single ethnicity – sharing styles across the world is a great way to pay homage to one another. After all, they say copying is the highest form of flattery. However, let me be straightforward with this: I do not, by any means, suggest having The Reformed lead any sort of bridging movement between American writing and Asian art. If there was one blunt way to put it, this title falls and has no idea how to get back up...

The echoes of war are often just as devastating as the war itself. Simply because a cease fire over a three year long war was called was no reason to believe that the pain and suffering would end. Former soldiers roam the world as vagabonds and bandits, taking what they need from others who may need it more, as they know no other way to survive.

Pumpkin Scissors is set in a very bleak environment, but don’t let it fool you. This little gem is far from depressing. Amongst the remnants of war, part of the military is there to try...

Jonathan Clements has provided us with a sampling of his new book about the anime industry entitled "Schoolgirl Milky Crisis".  Check it out...

Your Anime in Their Hands
The Less Glamorous End of the Anime Industry

The show was about a dorky boy who lives with half a dozen gorgeous women – an idea of such stunning originality that the marketing people decided to have a launch party for it. Just in case the chance to see Geek Gets Girls wasn’t attractive enough, they laid on some alcohol. It had the desired effect, particularly on the boozy journalist who...

Let me put this out there. I am all for strong female heroines. Female empowerment? Yeah, I’m all over that. But it’s one of those things that shouldn’t be forced too hard. And unfortunately for Night of the Beasts, that’s very much what it feels like.

The most unfortunate part of this particular piece of manga is its lost potential. Aria’s the local “bad girl” in school. No one messes with her because she’s not afraid to put a foot forward and beat the ever-living tar out of anyone who crosses her path. She stands up for girls who can’t seem...

I’m really not a huge fan of the horror genre. When it comes to scary films, I’m the person who chickens out and doesn’t even bother. I’m fine with that – they’re really just not my thing.

However, I am a sucker for a really good psychological thriller. It’s more the mystery that attracts me than blood, gore, and violence. I want to see what makes the murderer do the things he does, rather than just watch the murderer run around slaughtering everything. And if it ends up being one of those tales where the “who dun it?” is the least...

I have to confess: I love gender studies. I love series that have people conflicted with gender issues. I have no idea why, it simply intrigues me. Watching a character struggle with their gender identity is one of my favorite character flaws ever. Personally, I blame Rumiko Takahashi and watching a heck of a lot of Ranma ½ at a young age.

What does this have to do with After School Nightmare? Well, this is simply the first time I’ve ever seen a hermaphrodite as the main character, and there’s something about that which I find undeniably awesome. To say that...

You know how when you were a little kid, you figured if you took all the things you liked and mushed them together, obviously what you ended up with would be superior to all those individual things alone? While you probably learned the fault in your logic after your fourth failed pineapple-banana-pickle pie, sometimes that goofy, toddler mentality works out for the best. Kurohime is an action-packed, comedic tale of witchcraft, romance, and wild-west gun-slinging. But don’t let it weird you out – this is one heck of a fun story.

Zero’s a gunman of justice and preservation. As a young...