Wednesday, May 10, 2006
	| First| Prev | Next |Last | Experimental Comic Kotone #457 "Laika 25" (Story Arc: Laika story arc) | First| Prev | Next |Last | "Laika 25" by Akira (2006-05-10) 5/10 Wed - I couldn't wake up on time, so I wasn't able to finish the page... Anyway, I might change some of her speech a bit tonight. 5/11 Thu - I finished inking, but didn't have time to rework on the dialogs again. I need to go to work. I'll finish it when I get back... 5/12 Fri - changed the dialogs a bit. I hope it explain the situation better than last one... These are the items I bought on Monday (5/8): "G's Magazine" is a magazine which features consumer love-sim games (no H games). I've been using this magazine as a reference for drawing cute girls. The magazine is currently running "Strawberry Panic" where readers can participate in this magazine's game through postcards (before it was "Futakoi", "Happy Lesson", and "Sister Princess"). Currently anime version of "Strawberry Panic" is airing this season. Magazine always come with small character items. In June issue, "D.C. II" pin badges came with magazines, but I don't have enough guts to wear it to my work place -_-;... I'm expecting many people to know Akira Kojima's "Mahoraba" since its anime was aired in Japan last year. Original manga has been continuing even after anime ended, but it will be ending on July 2006 issue of "Gan Gan Wing". In volume 11, story partially explains why and how Kozue-chan got four split personalities. I assume volume 12 will be the last tankoubon... I will truely miss this cute manga... First print of "Mahoraba" comic books come with "Mahoraba Tarlot card". This volume was Tachibana-san's "The Judgement". I know Konstantin is a fanboy of Yuu Yabuuchi (she's the author of "Mizuiro Jidai" and "Shounen Shoujo"), so I'm sure he'll be drooling all over her newest manga "Naisho no Tsubomi 2". Her manga is very cute and aimed/targeted at elementary school girls. But for some strange reasons, her manga is very very popular even among grown up men (including myself and Konstantin). I bought this manga at "Gamers" and first prints of comic books come with store's unique postcards. Many anime/manga sellers add this service to attract customers to their stores. I too fell into their trap, but I don't have any regret ^_^; Please write your comment to this strip at pOnju forum

	Friday, May 12, 2006
	"Shounen Jump" by Akira (2006-05-12) I'll finish up Friday's comic strip hopefully today... Mean while... "Death Note" will be ending soon (unless they decide to start a new chapter)... and "Weekly Shounen Jump" decided to start two new series in raw from last week with pretty well know manga artists. "M X 0" - The author, Yasuhiro Kanou, used to draw "Pretty Face". I categorize this manga as "slapstick school life with some ecchi". Story is about a boy (who is very strong at fist fights) entering a magic high school and falling in love with the heroine. There are many problems in front of him: He didn't know it was a magical academy to start with, he failed an entrance exam/interview so he's not a student, he can't use magic at all, and he beat the crap out of her father who is a teacher at this school with a gas explosion. Since most characters can use magics, I imagine this series to be filled with slapsticks like it used to be in "Pretty Face". "To LOVE-ru" - The author. Kentarou Yabuki, used to draw "Black Cat". The story is written by Saki Hasemi, a script writer of anime "Black Cat". I categorized this manga as "adolescent love comedy with a lot of fan services". Main character, Rito, is a boy who is very active/boyish, but little too shy when it comes to love... He is deeply in love with his classmate, Haruna. Unfortunately, Lala, a princess from outer space escapes from her spaceship and meets with Rito, and decides to become his fiancee because she doesn't want to be captured by guards. Everytime, Rito and/or Lala transport with a device Lala created, they get naked. There are prenty of room for fanservice (review). Since I truely love "love romance/comedy with little ecchi" even if it's redundant or poorly written, I'm sure I'll enjoy both of them. There was another series started before these two, but I forgot the title since it's not a "love comedy" ^_^;...

	Saturday, May 13, 2006
	"Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu" by Akira (2006-05-13) Because "Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu (fanclub)" became so popular by anime, it became extremely difficult to get hold of the original light novels these days (even at Akihabara!). I walked through Yokohama last friday searching for the rare Haruhi light novels. Five out of eight (1, 3, 4, 7 and 8) volumes are the best I could do... I'll keep searching for 2, 5, and 6 next week. I got Haruhi and Mikuru booksmarks by buying items at "Gamers". I don't have any will to collect these bookmarks too... I'm tired of collecting things these days. I'm wondering if I should read the light novels first or keep watching anime without reading... To read or not to read. That is a question. Please write your comment to this strip at pOnju forum

	Sunday, May 14, 2006
	"anime reviews 5/14" by Akira (2006-05-14) Here are the reviews of new anime series I've watched up to this point. Since I'm watching a lot of anime while I work on the comic strips, I thought keeping a record of what I've watched might be a good idea. I still haven't watched some of the episodes, but I'll watch all of them eventually. Title 1 2 3 4 5 6 .hack//Roots D D+ D+ C- Ah Megami-sama Sorezoreno Tsubasa C B- ARIA The NATURAL B B- B- B- miss B- Bakegamon C- BLACK LAGOON A B+ B B Gintama B Girl's High B- B- C+ C+ C+ Glass no Kantai D- D D D Higurashino Nakukoroni B+ A A A A Himawari! C- C- C- C- Himesama Goyoujin Inugami! C- B- C+ B- B Jyuousei C+ C+ B Love Get CHU B- C+ Nana B- Nishino Yoki Majyo A+ A A- B+ Ouran Koukou Host-bu A A A A A Princess Princess B- B B B B RAY THE ANIMATION D D+ D+ Renkin 3kyu Magical? Pokaan B B+ Sasami Mahoushoujo Club C School Rumble 2 Gakki B+ A- A A A- Simoun C+ C+ Soul Link C D+ B- B- B+ B+ Strawberry Panic C C Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu miss A+ A+ A+ A+ A+ The Frogman Show miss B B+ B+ B+ B+ The Third Utawarerumono B+ B B B WITCHBLADE C+ C XXXHOLiC B Yoshinagasanchi no Gargoil C+ B- B B+ A- Yumetsukai C+ C C+ A = I love this show so much I can't wait until next week. B = It's pretty good and I think I'm enjoying watching this show. C = It's so so. I'm little tired, but I'll keep watching. D = I'm getting tired of watching this show... Why am I torturing myself? Notes: "Soul Link" got better after the first fight (end of Ep. 3) and one of the terrorists turned into water and vaporized. Action scenes are bad most of the time... (low badget?), but I love the fact main characters don't show any mercy at all (They shoot bullets through terrorists heads to finish off). I thought end of episode 5 was really really cheesy, but it explains pretty well why terroriests didn't shoot her at episode 6. Not bad. Also I'm surprised they showed -not explicit- ecchi scenes -_-;... I hope the scene is related to the events later on (hope it wasn't for a fan service...) Enemy can link minds with others (and control?). Story might get interesting, I hope. "Yoshinagasanchi no Gargoil" is a cute show. All the characters are nice people (even bad villains) and a story always end up with a warm feeling. "Black Lagoon" is good, but I completely regret buying the manga since I know what will happen in anime... Pacing is little slow in my opinion. They should have finished off Nazi episode in two episodes. I can't wait for the kickass maid to come out. She is cool. "Inukami"'s Episode 2 was a total parody of "Nausicca". I totally enjoyed it, but I'm not gay. The following episodes are not bad too. "Higurashi no Nakukoroni" - According to wiki, this series is 26 episodes long. I assume each mini-arc is about 4 episodes long and will end up in bloody tragedy ("bad endings"). From "Meakashi" arc on is called "Solution/Answer" arcs where the characters tried to solve the mystery and fight back to avoid "bad endings". "Onikakushi (ep.1-4)" "Watanagashi (ep.5-8?)" "Tatarigoroshi (ep.9-12?)" "Himatsubushi (ep.13-16?)" "Meakashi (ep.17-20?)" "Tumihoroboshi (ep.21-24?)" "Minagoroshi" - might not be animated "Matsuribayashi" - the last of Higurashi game which will be out this summer) "The Frogman Show" was a total darkhorse. This FLASH anime series is funny as hell even though animation quality is bad as hell. This series might open up the door for web flash anime artists to have their own TV shows. I was quite surprised to see the TV commercial with "Iyasakado (USHIGAERU animattion)" between this show. Please write your comment to this strip at pOnju forum