No seriously I think so... but that's just me, especially their current 100p debut story for the month of march...
Note: I'm saving money to go to Japan to that think most of us dream "dream spend" in Japan. ^_^;;; So the next 6 months will be filled with monthly inputs on the following 2 magazines (and possibly a 3rd Hana to Yume): Asuka and LaLa.
Also, I will be working a small info page on the magazine LaLa. The stories that run in this magazine are just so well done but its sad that no pages can be found on the more minor stories. Ganbarimasu! ^_^
LaLa:
Toraware no Ue - Aiyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeee it got the front of LaLa 3!!!! *Steph does the dance of joy* I love this magna series and vol 3 came out! Suzuka is up to her usual "I deny any attraction to Megumi" while at the same time it seems like another Suzuka personality is saying "Waiiii daisuki! (I love youuuu!)" @_@ All I can make out of this confusing loopey plot is that Suzuka can't tell if she loves Megumi for Megumi or if its the curse that was placed on Megumi's family so long ago. =P
Natural - The chapters of Natural look really really intersting, I wish I knew more about the series (but alas it seems as though 80% of all stories running in LaLa will never get any webpaging...) Akira returns home in China (?) and with Yui her savior (apparently she was kidnapped or something...) but she is back and safe but something happens at home and she wants to go back to Japan (her original home?) Personally I can't give out much information on this story because I don't know myself. =P
KareKano - Waiiiiiiiii! *Steph beats Kazuma* you fool you pulled a "About-to-kiss-sudden-flash-of-common-sense" at the end kiss >_< He nearly kisses Tsubasa and then does not! Arghhhh. Chapter can be read here. ^_^
The rest of LaLa I'll probably read in bed tonight. ^_^
Asuka
Ahiruno Oujisama - The real reason why I think Asuka is on crack. ^_^ Not that its bad crack or anything... but the story for Ahiruno Oujisama is the story of a boy named Shiratori, that was quite nerdy looking (bowl haircut, glasses, etc... the managa artist made him tastefully nerdy. ^_^;;;) He tries to give a girl he likes a present (a drawing) and fails he gets her broken fake nail in return. Heart broken he goes to the school garden where he works on plants and he meets Yumiko who is nice to him. He gives her a flower in return. He's absolutely smitten with her! He gets into an accident with Yumiko's dog (who is this pitt bull with an attitude) and he crashes face first into a car window. A few years later Shiratori returns from America and he's taller and quite bishonen. ^_^ (Its a ugly duckling plot) He goes back to school where all the girls go nuts over him except for Yumiko who now works at a flower shop with a cuter, taller looking version of old-Shiratori. ^_^;;; The story sort ends wierd when Shiratori suddently reverts back to his old short ugly self after he kisses Yumiko! (And I thought Billion girl was weird....)
X - I have one thing to say about the X chapter that I haven't read yet. The color picture of Fuuma reminds me of Clow.
The rest I haven't looked at yet. ^_^
Wish List: As to quote my friend Katie: "The manga list from hell..."
Toraware no Ue 3 - Aiyeeeee by the time I go to Japan they may be at vol 4! Eeeeee!
Harukatoki no Naka De 1 & 2 - Yes I still haven't found this manga and its at vol 2 (Maybe when I go to Japan I can get there in time for vol 3 ^_^;;).
Natural 1-? - I need to know the beginning of this story. Did I mention how much I like the stories running in LaLa? ^_^
Billion Girl 1 - errr yeah.
News: I archived the later entries, February starts with a new entry. =) also volume 1 for Billion Girl can be found published by Hana to Yume under the same title. (I guess its a reprint ^^;;)
I went to San Jose Kino in search of manga that SF Kino does not carry. Here is what I picked up...
Card Captor Sakura 9 & 10 - I've sort of been putting it off, I these chapters in Nakayoshi-mag form. ^^;;;
Abunai Paradise! - I've been searching for this manga for over a year. I have all but 2 chapters of this manga in Ribon-mag form. The story is a nice "hidden-gender" plot. Yuki (who is often mistaken for a guy and is given presents on Valentine's Day!) likes Kazuki a teen idol and model. She wants to meet him someday and gets the chance to audition to star opposite him in a commercial. The problem is that Yuki looks like a guy! So her and her friend put a wig on her and dress her up as feminine as possible. Yuki messes up her audition (the wig falls off mid-way through) but she gets the part anyways, as a guy! Kazuki's agent wants to teach Kazuki a lesson. Kazuki gets hives when he is touched by a girl so he can't act opposite any female models/actresses. So Yuki becomes Hiroyuki and becomes his co-star. I love this story for its silliness, Hiroyuki and Kazuki become pop-idol singers and models. Until Amika-chan discovers Hiroyuki's secret!
[ISBN: 4-08-856132-5, Publisher: Ribon Mascot Comics, Mangaka: Hasegawa Jun]
Himitsu no Hanazo - I finally found this manga! Its great! Its the story of Misono and Sakuya as they fall in love. Misono is a seasoned cross-country runner who runs because she feels obligated to her step-mother. She runs despite an injury. While running she meets a guy named Sakuya who tells her to follow her dreams. Misono listens to him and races one last time only to collapse after winning the race. She quits and throws her shoes out of the window of her room and decides to continue with her acting club instead. Sounds like a simple story... until you find out about Sakuya's secret. Once you do, reread the manga again beginning to end. ^_~
[ISBN: 4-08-856121-X, Publisher: Ribon Mascot Comics, Mangaka: Fujii Mihona (mangaka for GALS!)]
Cross Oneself 5 - Yay! I finally got this volume, it was the last one on the shelf too! XD This manga is so dark and so long winded but I love it anyways. It was one of the first series noticed when I picked up Asuka Mystery DX 12/97! (and the first telephone book I picked up ^^;;;) Maybe its me but I think Sumiko is reading too much X and using too much photoshop but I digress, Takara and Shizuha go through some more "unholy" tests and Shizuha's "creation" gets discovered. ^_^;;; (or at least I think so, Cross Oneself is one of those manga series that while it has a good story and good art it will never get translated or summarized properly. ^^;;;) To refresh your memory or are new to the series: Try the summary of Cross Oneself on Emi's Random Shoujo Manga Page.
[ISBN: 4-04-924842-5, Publisher: Asuka Comics (note: its not a DX label), Mangaka: Sumiko Amakawa]
Other titles I will write quick summaries on: Crown vol 1(by Kouga Yun), St. License vols 1-10 (by Haruko Iida)
Wish List:
Supersonic Angel Engine1 and 2 - I've been waiting so long for this series its probably at vol 2 @_@
Cross Oneself 6 - Still going... ^_^;;;
Diamond Century 4 - This is such a cute random engrish manga series that runs in South and is published by Wings. ^_^