Comments on: Manga First Impressions 2: B.O.D.Y, Monkey High, Haruka http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/ Romance, Historical, Contemporary, Paranormal, Young Adult, Book reviews, industry news, and commentary from a reader's point of view Sun, 27 May 2012 15:38:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jodie http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-171655 Jodie Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:19:10 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-171655 I love mokey high! I've got the first 2 volumes and can't wait for the third to come out in september! I also have read the first chapter of B.O.D.Y. and I really think its a good manga! With my birthday in 5 days it looks like I'm off on a manga shopping spree! ^^ I love mokey high! I’ve got the first 2 volumes and can’t wait for the third to come out in september! I also have read the first chapter of B.O.D.Y. and I really think its a good manga! With my birthday in 5 days it looks like I’m off on a manga shopping spree! ^^

]]> By: Liviania http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158532 Liviania Sat, 12 Apr 2008 04:34:14 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158532 Some more titles I'll have to find. And eee, Marmalade Boy! Marmalade Boy was one of the first manga series I read in its entirety, and I still have a soft place for it. I also rather like Boys over Flowers - it verges into the absurb, but it always makes me laugh. Some more titles I’ll have to find. And eee, Marmalade Boy! Marmalade Boy was one of the first manga series I read in its entirety, and I still have a soft place for it. I also rather like Boys over Flowers – it verges into the absurb, but it always makes me laugh.

]]> By: (Jān) http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158311 (Jān) Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:07:37 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158311 I think a lot of people are put off by the first couple volumes. But it's worth pushing past that. I think a lot of people are put off by the first couple volumes. But it’s worth pushing past that.

]]> By: Estara http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158310 Estara Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:04:11 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158310 Oh Right! They released that as Kiss me, Teacher! in Germany. I loved Kizuna, but I couldn't get into that one, so I gave my first volume away. I didn't know the Japanese name, though. <a href="http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/search-handle-url?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books-de&field-author=Kazuma%20Kodaka" rel="nofollow">Kazuma Kodaka</a> Oh Right! They released that as Kiss me, Teacher! in Germany. I loved Kizuna, but I couldn’t get into that one, so I gave my first volume away. I didn’t know the Japanese name, though.
Kazuma Kodaka

]]> By: (Jān) http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158304 (Jān) Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:51:51 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158304 Estara, Kusatta Kyoshi no Hyouteishiki is by Kazuma Kodaka, and it's a bit like Sensei! except with more humor. And two guys. A freshman enters his high school because the gentle older boy who tutored him when he was little is the doctor there now. Only he gets there and finds the guy's brother, a wild one. His emotions transfer, and the next 10 volumes are spent convincing the man to give him a chance. It starts out with manic comedy for a couple of volumes and you just have to get past that. Then she starts exploring characters and relationships and it becomes one of the most romantic and best BL manga I've read. She gets the mix of innocence and experience just rigt. And, she does it slowly and convincingly. There's no sex until the very end, but because of the subject matter I don't think it will ever be released over here. It's been scanlated though. Plus it's never been that popular in the States, which is a darned shame. K2 is writing a sequel now that's in Gold. I'll be looking for the others you mentioned. :) Estara, Kusatta Kyoshi no Hyouteishiki is by Kazuma Kodaka, and it’s a bit like Sensei! except with more humor. And two guys.

A freshman enters his high school because the gentle older boy who tutored him when he was little is the doctor there now. Only he gets there and finds the guy’s brother, a wild one. His emotions transfer, and the next 10 volumes are spent convincing the man to give him a chance.

It starts out with manic comedy for a couple of volumes and you just have to get past that. Then she starts exploring characters and relationships and it becomes one of the most romantic and best BL manga I’ve read. She gets the mix of innocence and experience just rigt. And, she does it slowly and convincingly. There’s no sex until the very end, but because of the subject matter I don’t think it will ever be released over here. It’s been scanlated though. Plus it’s never been that popular in the States, which is a darned shame. K2 is writing a sequel now that’s in Gold.

I’ll be looking for the others you mentioned. :)

]]> By: (Jān) http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158302 (Jān) Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:44:17 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158302 Jill, I watched the anime in fansubs. The DVDs are just starting to be released here in the next couple weeks. I don't buy R2. But hearing what you say about the last DVD, I'll absolutely have to buy it in R1. :) I wonder how much Bandai will be charging for all of them though. Jill, I watched the anime in fansubs. The DVDs are just starting to be released here in the next couple weeks. I don’t buy R2. But hearing what you say about the last DVD, I’ll absolutely have to buy it in R1. :) I wonder how much Bandai will be charging for all of them though.

]]> By: Estara http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158289 Estara Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:21:01 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158289 @Jan: With Yatteraneeze! I can only agree. Marmalade Boy or Boys over Flowers I could never quite get into, I did like Kodomo no Omocha though (isn't that the same mangaka as Marmalade Boy?). School comedy love is High School Debut and Love Complex (Kokou Debut has been scanlated up to volume 9 so far and it has avoided the worst pratfalls, although there are clichés like the former lover or the friend who turns into a rival - at last this one only came nine volumes in, so it's actually believable. And the characterisation stays right on character, with them slowly changing only. I LOOOOOOOVE the heroine even more than the hero.) The Love Complex anime won me over and I believe I will have to get the manga, if it's as good. Manga is being released as Love*Com in the States, also by Viz. I haven't heard anything yet about Kusatta Kyoshi no Hyouteishiki, I think. Could you go into details? @Jan: With Yatteraneeze! I can only agree. Marmalade Boy or Boys over Flowers I could never quite get into, I did like Kodomo no Omocha though (isn’t that the same mangaka as Marmalade Boy?).

School comedy love is High School Debut and Love Complex (Kokou Debut has been scanlated up to volume 9 so far and it has avoided the worst pratfalls, although there are clichés like the former lover or the friend who turns into a rival – at last this one only came nine volumes in, so it’s actually believable. And the characterisation stays right on character, with them slowly changing only. I LOOOOOOOVE the heroine even more than the hero.)

The Love Complex anime won me over and I believe I will have to get the manga, if it’s as good. Manga is being released as Love*Com in the States, also by Viz.

I haven’t heard anything yet about Kusatta Kyoshi no Hyouteishiki, I think. Could you go into details?

]]> By: Jill A http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158251 Jill A Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:09:39 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158251 I'm glad you tried out Haruka (so we don't have to ^_^) I'm a total fangirl of the videogames and have, like, ALL of them (well, all the PS2 versions anyway), but when I tried to read the manga, I was 1. confused, 2. bored, 3. annoyed. I just don't think these games translate well to a story which has to go in only one direction. The artwork is very pretty though. One thing about the anime which I don't remember you mentioning: the last DVDs come with alternate endings for each character, since pairing up Akane with just one would be too boring. So if you want, you could buy just the ending DVD to get all the moe goodness :D And <a href="http://www.gamecity.ne.jp/haruka4/" rel="nofollow">Harutoki 4</a> is coming out in June for PS2 and Wii, so if you have a Wii, try it out! (Wii doesn't usually have region-encoding) It looks AWESOME, and I've been drooling over it for months already... I’m glad you tried out Haruka (so we don’t have to ^_^) I’m a total fangirl of the videogames and have, like, ALL of them (well, all the PS2 versions anyway), but when I tried to read the manga, I was 1. confused, 2. bored, 3. annoyed. I just don’t think these games translate well to a story which has to go in only one direction. The artwork is very pretty though.

One thing about the anime which I don’t remember you mentioning: the last DVDs come with alternate endings for each character, since pairing up Akane with just one would be too boring. So if you want, you could buy just the ending DVD to get all the moe goodness :D

And Harutoki 4 is coming out in June for PS2 and Wii, so if you have a Wii, try it out! (Wii doesn’t usually have region-encoding) It looks AWESOME, and I’ve been drooling over it for months already…

]]> By: Jules Jones http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158194 Jules Jones Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:38:12 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158194 And the first two volumes of B.O.D.Y. are available for pre-order in the UK. That definitely looks like a series to check out once it's available. And the first two volumes of B.O.D.Y. are available for pre-order in the UK. That definitely looks like a series to check out once it’s available.

]]> By: (Jān) http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158123 (Jān) Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:20:49 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158123 Estara, I think my favorite high school romance manga of the MF variety will always be my first, Marmalade Boy. It really had some great characters and triangles and for all the parts with silly cliches, some really heartfelt moments. The anime sucked though. For M/M high school romance, the best I've read is Yatteraneeze!. It's a standout is so many ways. It's not available over here, unfortunately. Or if you don't mind student / teacher M/M romances, my absolute favorite is Kusatta Kyoshi no Hyouteishiki, which packs more punch into single kisses than you can get from whole books full of porn. But, sadly, it's not licensed either. Estara, I think my favorite high school romance manga of the MF variety will always be my first, Marmalade Boy. It really had some great characters and triangles and for all the parts with silly cliches, some really heartfelt moments. The anime sucked though.

For M/M high school romance, the best I’ve read is Yatteraneeze!. It’s a standout is so many ways. It’s not available over here, unfortunately. Or if you don’t mind student / teacher M/M romances, my absolute favorite is Kusatta Kyoshi no Hyouteishiki, which packs more punch into single kisses than you can get from whole books full of porn. But, sadly, it’s not licensed either.

]]> By: (Jān) http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158119 (Jān) Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:08:22 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158119 Liviania, the trash can moment made me fall hard for Ryoko. I'm sad to hear it heads into cliche territory. When that happens in long series I tend to skip sections the way I did Naruto anime filler and then pick up the series with the last few volumes. Thanks for the heads up! Liviania, the trash can moment made me fall hard for Ryoko. I’m sad to hear it heads into cliche territory. When that happens in long series I tend to skip sections the way I did Naruto anime filler and then pick up the series with the last few volumes. Thanks for the heads up!

]]> By: Reileen van Kaile http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158103 Reileen van Kaile Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:22:57 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158103 Hey - just wanted to say that I really love these posts about manga. :D Hey – just wanted to say that I really love these posts about manga. :D

]]> By: Liviania http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158092 Liviania Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:36:46 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158092 B.O.D.Y. is a title I really enjoyed at first, but then it seemed to drag (eighth volume or so). However, I think it's the first that has one of my all-time favorite moments in manga: to manipulate Ryoko, the guy pretends to confess his love with her. She sees through it and hits him in the head with a trash can. Classic. B.O.D.Y. is a title I really enjoyed at first, but then it seemed to drag (eighth volume or so). However, I think it’s the first that has one of my all-time favorite moments in manga: to manipulate Ryoko, the guy pretends to confess his love with her. She sees through it and hits him in the head with a trash can. Classic.

]]> By: (Jān) http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158085 (Jān) Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:56:52 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158085 Oooh, I loved Sensei! Nope, they didn't send me one of those. I will buy it though. But they sent me some other really good ones I'm writing another post on right now. :) Oooh, I loved Sensei! Nope, they didn’t send me one of those. I will buy it though.

But they sent me some other really good ones I’m writing another post on right now. :)

]]> By: Estara http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/manga-first-impressions-2-body-monkey-high-haruka/#comment-158082 Estara Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:42:40 +0000 http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/?p=4261#comment-158082 Reading your love for B.O.D.Y makes me want to subliminally wallpaper you with the following order: READ KOKOU DEBUT!!! ALSO BY VIZ!!!! ... oh right, they named it <em>High School Debut</em> here (it's by the Sensei! mangaka). There are already two volumes out and it beats all the other school love stories to pieces, to my mind. I hope they sent you a review copy of that, too. Reading your love for B.O.D.Y makes me want to subliminally wallpaper you with the following order: READ KOKOU DEBUT!!! ALSO BY VIZ!!!!

… oh right, they named it High School Debut here (it’s by the Sensei! mangaka). There are already two volumes out and it beats all the other school love stories to pieces, to my mind.

I hope they sent you a review copy of that, too.

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