Manga Dislikes Shikabane Hime / Corpse Princess | Yoshiichi Akahito --- This was graphic. I liked the premise of an undeadBuffy the Vampire Slayer, dealing with reanimated dead that do evil deeds. And a long arc inter-political plot with the organization that controls/manifests these 'Corpse Princesses'.
But after reading three chapters, I still felt off. As if I was forcing myself to read it. Something just felt wrong to me.
And it's difficult not to make comparisons. Buffy had the Watchers (who sat by controlling these girls) and Claymore has something similar. It's also filled with violence and drawn blood and body- parts and yet somehow it intrigued me. I wanted to know more about what was going on.
Writing this out now, I think the problem with Shikabane Hime is, I don't give a dead rat's ass about the main protaganist. In Claymore, I adored Claire. I wanted to see her triumphs, I cheered for her determination and dedication and the love she held for Teresa.
I can't even remember the name of the central character for Corpse Princess. I think it's M something. But I don't care about her or her handler.
Genre: Action Drama Horror Mature Mystery Romance School Life Shounen Supernatural
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Are You Alice? | NINOMIYA Ai
An Alice in Wonder-land gender switched inspired manga. I couldn't get any of the first chapter at all. May have been the scanlation I read, but I was dropped in media res and all I knew for sure was that people were off balanced and violent and demanding. Compared to The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor it was frankly, pathetic. And then there's Pandoras Hearts which apparently is another Alice in Wonderland manga which seems far more intriguing.
I didn't set down that first chapter feeling confused and unsatisfied. So I'll be reading more of that next.
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Karneval | MIKANAGI Touya
--- The summary sounds so intriguing. Two young men meeting in a mansion of mysterious circumstances, one a thief, the other looking for someone important to him. There's a mysterious bracelet and sudden horrfying violence. But it's actually pretty confusing and not very cohesive. On top of that I'm finding I have a real dislike for the young, unaware of the world protaganist who just has things happen to them; especially conniving things. It may be a cultural thing I'm not getting. But people robing the ingenue blind, setting them up for crimes, taking advantage of such flagrant ignorance; not knowing what blood is for example. Or parents or crime or lies. That's too much cluelessness. I think it possibly triggers me enormously at someone being that helpless and unaware.
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Yu Yu Hausho | Yoshihiro Togashi --- Not my thing. Didn't like the art at all. And the story didn't really interest me. Teen delinquent isn't factored into heaven or hell - ends up a ghost facing trials.Don't care if it's some sort of classic. Meh.