What I read in February: Digest Version (2 of 3)

b Genkaku Picasso 1: Well, yeah, the art is definitely interesting; the setup is trippy.  A super-antisocial boy and the only girl who likes him get killed in a freak helicopter accident, but he is granted a second chance at life (accompanied by a mini angel sort of thing her) so long as he uses his talent for art to help those around him.  It's not exactly art therapy, but it's definitely something else.

b Gestalt 1: There's just something quietly sad and slightly creepy about all of her characters, and none are quite as standard and at the same time trippy as this work by Yun Kouga.  It's like an RPG on drugs.

b Happy Happy Clover 1:  Super super cute and hyper and just a gosh-darn good time in general.  A little bunny has adventures with her forest friends.

b Leave it to Pet! 1: Hilarious fun.  I'm curious to know if kids find it as enjoyably goofy as I did.  It's like Doraemon, except a super-useless and utterly unhelpful Doraemon made of recycled plastic.  I recommend it pretty highly.  There a lot of sly humor in here.  I particularly love the super-lightweight robot who is always improving himself by shaving off a few more milligrams until he can't even get automatic doors to open for him (titles are often plays on "The Unbearable Lightness of Being") and some stuff I couldn't believe, as well.  (The bit about the grasshoppers is just wrong.)  It was a hoot, and I'm looking forward to future volumes.  Why did I wait so long to read this little recycling jewel?!

b Library Wars 4: I still like this series.  I'd rather have the light novels and the anime, but the manga is a good time, too.

b Maid-Sama 6: More hiding of embarrassing maid part time jobs, more highjinks and shenanigans.  More good-natured, somehow gently teasing humor.  Glacial romantic development.  I love it all.

b Maison Ikkoku 8: A classic romantic comedy that seriously never grows old.  Not that sometimes it doesn't repeat itself and make me tired, but it's a good ride overall.

b Night of the Beasts 4-5: I hate it when I think there are only 5 books in a series, but there are really six.  Oops.  Here I thought I could just read the end again (thank you, Half-Price Books), but I just smashed up against a wicked cliffhanger.  D'oh.

o Panda Man to the Rescue: Wow.  Um, what to say about this stupidly amusing farce?  It's very Japanese, so I'd be curious to see how much appeal it has to the average American 7-year-old?  It's guaranteed to offend his mother, anyway.

b Record of a Fallen Vampire 2-4: Holy cow, I love this series!  It twists, it turns, politics, alliances, history revealed and concealed.  Also vampires.  And aliens.  Seriously awesome.