News - April 2006

Fairy Tail GN 2
One thing that can be said for Fairy Tail's sophomore volume: it exceeds expectations. How high the expectations were is something of a sticking point however.

Thunderbolt Boys: Excite GN 1-2
Thunderbolt Boys: Excite, actually a sequel to a series never published in the States, is unlikely to please anyone. Sure it's got some bishounen eye candy, but eye candy is penny-cheap these days, and it's not demanding too much to expect more.

12 Days GN
If you are looking for a sensitive depiction of lesbians that strives for literariness, you have come to the right place. Creator June Kim delivers her quiet tale of friendship, love, and loss with nuanced, high-serious sensibility that looks a bit like an indie comic and a lot like a josei manga.

Strawberry Panic!: Third Wheel Sub.DVD 3
Those who plodded through the cutesy, frilly content of earlier volumes while hoping that something would happen will be partly rewarded here. Greatly increased fan service, decided relationship advancement, and a semblance of a developing plot all speak in this volume's favor.

Gakuen Alice GN 1
Gakuen Alice mangaka Tachibana Higuchi, who wanted to make her third series cheerful, delivers a delightful shoujo series well worthy of its U.S. publisher's push for the frontlist.

Kujibiki Unbalance DVD 3
If you too cringed at the sound of Kujibiki Unbalance flushing itself down a smelly toilet of irritating humor clichés, then perhaps you'll be pleased to hear the sound of it clawing its way back out with a renewed focus on its central love triangle.

Me and the Devil Blues GN 1
The higher one aspires, the further there is to fall, but it's safe to conclude that mangaka Akira Hiramoto did not sell his soul to the devil to create Me and the Devil Blues. Though the manga is without question wildly ambitious, it fails to fully deliver on Del Rey's hype.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion DVD 1-2
Yes, it goes way over the top, but unlike many series, Code Geass has the skill and energy to carry viewers over the top with it.

Pokemon: Diamond & Pearl Dub.DVD 1-2
Colorful, lively, and sporting a brand-new heroine, the newest season of Pokémon will be eaten up by its pint-sized fanbase while quite naturally driving all others to distraction.

Gurren Lagann Sub.DVD 2
This double-disk sub-only release covers the rest of the second story arc and the beginning of the third. Although still a purely entertaining series at heart, it shows a greater capacity than its contemporaries to adapt to its story advancement and grow beyond its original parameters.

Wario Ware: Smooth Moves
Although the game's length and multiplayer leaves a lot to be desired, WarioWare: Smooth Moves is easily one of the best, and most satisfying games to arrive on Nintendo's new console.