What I read in March: Digest Version, part 1 of 3

This month wasn't a great one for volumes of manga read, but there were several novels, so that's okay.

b Animal Land 2: More adventures of the abandoned human baby who can talk to different animals.  More wackiness, more drama, more trauma, and more darn it that I can't dismiss this as idealistic crap.  How does the author do it?

b Bakuman 1::  Wow.  14-year-old boys.  Part of me wants to say it's stupid to decide the course of the rest of your life at 14, but 1) That's kind of a modern idea and 2) isn't it better to have something to be passionate about when you're young?  I had to consciously remind myself of the age of these guys sometimes because the art makes them look much older, but some of the things they say are just so dumb . . .  Anyway, it looks like an interesting ride, following these guys as they try to make their dreams come true in the competitive world of shonen manga.

b Bamboo Blade 2: The tournament begins!  So does the cheating!  Ah, well, sushi's on the line.  There are hints in this school sports comedy that maybe the coach isn't the totally irredeemable dufus he first seemed to be.  Good news.

b Black Butler VII-VIII: I almost stopped reading this series after what Ciel does in volume 8.  It's absolutely unforgivable, I thought, almost in tears.  Even Sebastian seemed to be a bit disconcerted.  Oops, no, it's just so easy to read into Sebastian's actions and mannerisms, easy to forget he's an actor playing a role.  He's doing his job; it's not that he actually cares, per se.  Sometimes he's curious, but he doesn't really judge.  "... because you possess such great power, you continue to forget more and more the weight of the irretrievable.  You only come to realize it when you can no longer support yourself."  Sad, sad, arc all around.

After I calmed down a little, I started to think and reminded myself that this series is set in a fantasy version of late 19th century England, and sometimes I need to take that into consideration.  Mental health care back then consisted of people dumping mentally ill folks in an institution if they could afford it.  As much as I want to say it wasn't Ciel's call to make, the reasons he give are believable if hard to stomach.  And if only I believed it was reason that led him to make the decision.  Since I'm pretty sure reason had left the building for Ciel when he decided, this all sounds a bit like excuses/justifications after the fact, and his next action sort of screams guilty conscience to me.  Sebastian's eyebrows and smirk in this scene make me think he agrees and is amused by it.  I, however, am not amused.

b Blood Alone 5: Y'know, I read a comment someone made about this volume crossing the line in some obvious way.  After reading it again, I say, "What?"  And maybe "Where?" and "When?" because I just don't see it.  I see the same thing I've always seen, which is an odd and fascinating relationship I still don't know enough about.  Misaki is a young vampire, and Kuroe is the 30-something novelist--and former "magician" and rogue vampire hunter--who feels responsible for her.  I still love the art and the nonstandard layouts, and nothing actually creepy has happened.  Sure, she has a crush on him, and her crush is complicated by who she is and how she became that way and how old she really is and stuff.

b Bunny Drop 5: Whoa!  Rin is older and so is everyone else, and things are pretty much the same.  Only with new teenage and middle age awkward!

b Chi's Sweet Home 8: More Chi being a cute kitten and having adventures!  Dwaaaawwww!  Chi is naughty and gets trapped. Chi makes me happier than any cat ever since I got severe cat allergies.