Manga Review #2: "Kitchen Princess Omnibus 1"

T'was a beautiful day of the weekend!! Ended up at a park and wanted to climb a tree. Here she is:

It was so fun, nostalgic, painful, and scary at the same time! That probably was my last shot though, unless you wanna see, like a 30 year old me, climbing a tree. (That rhymed! awkward...) I was trying to read "Kitchen Princess"....

The Omnibus Comics come at a cheaper price ($14.99 USD) 

Deep breath! Here I go! You know those manga series where you are all like "This seems like one of those too-mainstream girly comics! It's not going to be any good! It's going to appeal to the 5 year old girl population!" Way wrong.

The art makes me feel happy! Because the original release in Japanese was in 2005, its style leaned toward that era's "big kawaii eye" look! The story does begin with something adorable. Another worthy note of this manga is you can easily see the antagonist's strong passion and hate within this 2-volume omnibus edition. The storyline is even just simple and fun! Food is always being mentioned of course and it is always so kawaii! :) 

Art (Did the author seem to care about the art?; does its style have appeal?): A 
Plot (With the exception of Slice-of-life manga, does the story keep you engaged?): B+
Characters?: C+
Is the Dialogue Up-to-par?: B-
Will I continue the series?: Yes. 
Rated: T for Teen (A few intense situations, like fighting eating disorders; bullying) 
Authors: Natsumi Ando & Miyuki Kobayashi 

Plot Synthesis: 
"Najika is a great cook and likes to make meals for the people she loves. But something is missing from her life. When she was a child, she met a boy who touched her heart--and now Najika is determined to find him. The only clue she has is a silver spoon that leads her to the prestigious Seika Academy. Attending Seika will be a challenge. Every kid at the school has a special talent, and the girls in Najika's class think she doesn't deserve to be there. But Sora and Daichi, two popular brothers who barely speak to each other, recognize Najika's cooking for what it is--magical. Is either boy Najika's mysterious prince?" (Amazon.com). 

*Spoiler: At the end of each volume, THERE IS A COLLECTION of all the recipes Najika made in the manga!!! They share Najika's Flan in a cup, Taramasalata, Rainbow Jelly, Christmas Cookies, and Onion Gratin Soup recipes in the back of volume one! You will have to look at the others yourself ;) 

Yup! This is the one I would love to try!

So once I finish reading the manga series, (5 omnibus volumes) I will be happy to share my final review! 

Flan in a Cup,


------Temo

Chapter 6: 'Books + February 2013 Reads!'

This week was really strange for me since I have figured out I can actually cook! By the way, the most popular thing about my potluck dessert over last weekend was actually the strawberry pocky/symphony bar dip combo. Go figure.

Right now, these are books that I would be honored to touch and would really like to read!!


1) "The Boy Recession"
"...The boy recession has hit Julius P. Heil High, and the remaining boys find that their stock is on the rise: With little competition, even the most unlikely guys have a good chance at making the team and getting the girl. Guitar-strumming, class-skipping Hunter Fahrenbach never wanted to be a hot commodity, but the popular girls can't help but notice his unconventional good looks. With a little work, he might even by boyfriend material.

But for down-to-earth Kelly Robbins, the boy recession is causing all sorts of problems. She has secretly liked her good friend Hunter for a while now, but how can she stand out in a crowd of overzealous Spandexers?..." (Amazon.com).

2) "Pretty Little Liars"
"Among the mega mansions and perfectly manicured hedges of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, everyone has something to hide—especially four very pretty little liars.High school juniors Spencer, Hanna, Aria, and Emily have been keeping secrets ever since their best friend, Alison DiLaurentis, disappeared three years ago. But when the girls begin receiving threatening notes from someone named “A,” their secrets—the big ones, the little ones, even the long-buried ones—no longer seem so safe...." (Amazon.com). 

3) "A Daily Creativity Journal 365"

"The concept of Noah Scalin’s "365 method" is simple but inspired: Choose a theme or medium, then make something every day for a year. Noah made 365 skull-themed projects . . . now he invites you to choose your obsession and get creative!

The book offers 365 project prompts to kick start your creativity, plus plenty of room for journaling, sketching, and jotting down ideas. Learn how to choose your subject and document your work, and see examples from other artists and crafters who took the 365 challenge. In addition, master new techniques to incorporate into your projects, including quilling, clay-making, paper pop-up engineering, and more. Share your progress with other 365-ers at www.MakeSomething365.com.

With 365: A Daily Creativity Journal you’ll get charged up, get messy, and get inspired, and you’ll see how making something every day can change your creative process—and change your  Life Forever!" (Amazon.com).

4) "Life of Pi"
"After the sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a wounded zebra, an orangutan—and a 450-pound royal bengal tiger. The scene is set for one of the most extraordinary and beloved works of fiction in recent years" (Amazon.com). 

And my book collection is growing back! Here's what's in my reading bin:
(From Left to right)

1. "Haganai: I Don't Have Many Friends, Vol. 1" 
2. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" 
3. "Kitchen Princess Omnibus 1" (Volumes 1-2) 

I am excited to See if any of these will be on my blog in the future! 

Keeping the Art of Reading Alive, 


------Temo 

Chapter 2: 'January 2013 Reads'

In my book bin the last month was "I don't Like you at all Big Brother!!; vol. 1", "Harry Potter: and the Chamber of Secrets", "Girl Friends: The Complete Collection 2", "Incantation", and "Sailor Moon; vol. 1".

I'll let you know now the ranking of my read reads :P 

#5: "I Don't Like you at all Big Brother!!"

#4: "Incantation"

#3: "Sailor Moon, vol. 1"

#2: "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

FIRST PLACE: "Girl Friends: The Complete Collection 2"

That is All.

------Temo

Manga Review #1: "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon" (2012)

I just started the series so.... here's what I think after my first volume. (I believe there are 12 total volume releases)

Cover is nice :)

Several websites give a blurb of  'Sailor Moon History'. I came to love anime & manga around 2006, so  of course the Sailor Moon manga, which was previously published by Tokyopop, was no longer out. That is why this is such a big deal! Over the years, even with Sailor Moon no longer on American TV and no DVDs or manga being released, there remained a huge Sailor Moon fan base.

Oh, and the author Naoko Takeuchi is a feminist in modern Japanese society!

On the left is the back cover :) Toward the Right is what to expect for the binding art.

Rated: T for Teen

Volume: 1

Publisher: Kodansha Comics 

Plot Synthesis: "Usagi Tsukino is a normal girl until she meets up with Luna, a talking cat, who tells her that she is Sailor Moon. As Sailor Moon, Usagi must fight evils and enforce justice, in the name of the Moon and the mysterious Moon Princess. She meets other girls destined to be Sailor Senshi (Sailor Scouts), and together, they fight the forces of evil! (Amazon.com)".

I was very happy with the artwork! It has an older feel, but superior to all the others. Also, the translations experienced a huge makeover! (The first publishing printed the main character's name as 'Bunny'! It may be true that 'Usagi' means rabbit in Japanese...) Already in this volume, four Sailor Soldiers have appeared and Tuxedo Mask has a huge role! I love Sailor Moon's girly-feel and Luna, the cat. I can tell the story is going to go somewhere! I cannot wait to see volume 2! 

*Spoiler: I was especially pleased with the volume 2 manga preview, because it was in Japanese! I can read a few chunks, so for language students, look forward to this!

Here's what you'll be seeing :) Luna looks more classy in the manga than in the anime!

"IN THE NAME OF THE MOON, I WILL PUNISH YOU!"

     Take Care and read a manga! ;)

------ Temo