What I read in March: Digest Version, part 2 of 3

b Dengeki Daisy 9: My first thought: Connie will approve.  "Hmm, a lot of things crossed my mind, but mostly damn, that was a long story."  And "For some reason, I feel like I've been listening to your story for, like, four months."  And "That's an insult to shojo manga.  I mean, the characters are old men or delinquents."  I love this series for being awesome in its own special, sometime hilariously creepy way.  The author herself contributes to this with her crazy sidebars.  I had been told the series was only 9 volumes long, but that was a lie, and I'm glad.  

b Genkaku Picasso 3: "I think human beings are naturally drawn to negative thoughts.  Some great thinker once said, 'Pessimism comes from our passions; optimism from the will.'"  This trippy, crack-y manga is unique because it's likely the only other thing by this author I will ever read unless Palepoli gets licensed.  I couldn't handle some of the stuff in this series, and it's considered a sell-out tame series.  Frankly I don't agree.  I guess I think that art within contraints/rules is not necessarily sellout art.  I like formal poetry and free verse poetry.  Both have their own kinds of awesome.  I think GP's aggressive weirdness is unique and accomplishes something significant artistically even though it was "toned down" from the author's usual work.  I recently read Bakuman 2, and I feel like GP is exactly the kind of thing the editors were talking about when they talked about the other kind of series that was sometimes published in Jump.

b Good Witch of the West novel 2: The Secret Flower Garden: Okay, this one had some eye-rollers, but it was good, and it's setting up an even better conflict.  That I will never be able to read.  Oh, Tokyopop.  I hear someone rescued the graphic novel series, but it's still on the first part of the first novel.  I should probably go check out how far the manga series went before I whine . . .

b Goong 11-12: 13?  13?!  Holy cow!  All things went south!  Bad!  Sad!  Must find out what happens next and then next.  Need more soapy awesome noooooowwwwwww!

b House of Five Leaves 6: Oh, the tension.  Slowly information is revealed, and it is not pretty.  Choices are being made.  Also, I hate Masa's brother with a passion.  I kind of hope everyone's favorite mystery man kills him.  Yeah, I hate him that much.

b Kitchen Princess 6: Well, that was thoroughly unexpected.  I cried but mostly I was just shocked because, well, wow.

b Naruto 26-32: "You feel the pain of being alone.  And pain is what makes people strong."  Ah, Naruto, how I love you in chunks.  You are an excellent workout read.  I like your art and your relationships and the things you don't come right out and say but actually leave a bit open for interpretation.  Also fighting.