we are only made of air and dust

HAVE LAST VOLUME OF HER MAJESTY'S DOG IN HAND.

*DEVOURS*

My god. Meisa's single has taken up rent in my brain and WILL NOT LET GO. I can't say I'm complaining though. As electropoppy/fauxr&b goes, there are worse songs, you know? And this is a fun song.

( A scan from That Volume of Kurosagi: the Manga, hereafter known as Kurosagi: Why the Drama and The Move Fail in Comparison, a million times over, KTHXBYE. )

Fact: it is raining right now in Southern California, and looks like it will rain through Memorial Day weekend. I think this is EXCELLENT. Because I was getting tired of the freak heatwaves.

Plus, I just got a huge box from RightStuf and I'm still not done with my order from JustManga.com so I have a looooot to keep me occupied this weekend.

( List of Manga to read/re-read )

( would you trust Yamapi to take your temperature and not jab you in the eye with the thermometer? Starting July.... )

kitsune714 and I watched Koizora with subs last night. I have to say, it's an experience that can not be summed up in mere words.

But I will try. "That is the power of my love."

Thank you, I'll be here all week.

I like to balance my culture with a nice steady dollop of pure cheese - I just got back from the Getty Villa in L.A., and now I'm going to curl up with my beloved Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, and then re-read all of Her Majesty's Dog. I also read The Fun Home while I was waiting for my ride to the Villa, and I got the same feeling I got after reading Craig Thompson's Blankets, disbelief that someone could make words and pictures work that way, and in tandem, and telling a story that is both unique to the individual and yet universal in feeling - love, hate, despair. And of course, creatively awed and jealous - it inspires.

But for now, I'm going to sit on my bed and watch Diego Luna's hips do that crazy thing. Fight the Power, you crazy kids! Shine on with your magic hips!

Where to start?

1. If it hasn't already inundated your FL/pierced your sphere of consciousness yet - the show that ate my soul/heart last summer, Hanazakari no Kimitachi E is getting a SP. Filming's already begun, no word on real plot or when it's going to air. I promise to be annoying underneath lj-cuts. Just. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. HANA KIMI, YOU NEVER LEFT ME.
2. It took me twothree days to finish downloading it all, but I now have Taitei no Ken in my possession. There are alien life forms, Abe Hiroshi truly utilizing all of his unique charisma (Abe Hiroshi is Abe Hiroshi. However, if you needed comparisons, I think of a Japanese Bruce Campbell/Hugh Laurie mashup.), albino ninja, AND Meisa Kuroki as a male samurai (I admit. This is pretty much why I sought it out. For the sheer WTF INSTANT CULT CLASSIC value). I am fully expecting it to be one of the best worst movies I'll see this year. I CANNOT WAIT.
3. Thanks to nomanymore, a sneak peek at the PV for Utada Hikaru's "Prisoner of Love," which is the theme song to Fuji's eagerly awaited Last Friends.
4. I got volume 8 of Her Majesty's Dog and the first volume of A Wise Man Sleeps in the mail today.
5. I'm downloading part one of Maki's Tokyo Daikushu. There is fire, flooding and head trauma. EXCELLENT.

I ordered 5 volumes of manga from justmanga.com on Saturday and I received them today. Free shipping, and I found out that the shipping center/distribution center is actually in the city next to the one I live in, so if I ordered it during the week, it's possible I could get it the next day next time.

What did I get?

Volume 7 of Her Majesty's Dog (I've decided to recast this using Ikuta Toma as Hyoue and Kuroki Meisa as Amane in my imaginary manga theater), Volume 3 of Vampire Knight, Volume 4 of Land of Silver Rain, and Volumes 1-2 of Yurara. I try not to buy manga unless I really really can see myself re-reading it later on, so that way I cut down on shoujo fatigue, and also regain some much needed shelf space. I'll probably join mangatakeout at a later date so I can rent the titles I like, but don't need to buy.

Yeah, I'm fresh out of quips for subject headers.

I found some new titles today, and picked up volumes in series I'm still reading. I really do hope that Aurora Publishing finds success here, as much as I do dig the shoujo, I am getting a little tired of all the high-school (or MIDDLE SCHOOL) stories. Though the best stuff transcends the 'juvenile' setting and emotions are pretty universal, no matter what age you are.

I read Viz' official translation of Hana Kimi, volume 19 (the jdrama has made me re-try the manga and now I'm enjoying it more) while I was on my break - I'm a little sad that there's no way the drama can cram in all the excess characters (Nakatsu's mom! Oscar's little brother and sister!, Kayashima's rival aura seeker and his FERRETS OF DOOM.) but thanks to Helen's translations on her excellent blog, at least ( Spoiler for future episode of Hanazakari no kimitachi e )

I bought the first two volumes of Go-Go Heaven, a series I first saw while I was in NY a few months back, from DC's CMX line, which is terribly underrated. I'm reading Penguin Revolution and Oyayubihme Infinity from them.

On the list to buy at a later date:

SHOJOBEAT

Volumes 4,5 of Crimson Hero - my one and only sports manga, Volume 3 of La Cordo d' Oro, and Volume 6 of Skip Beat! I have Volume 7, and I can't wait for #8. I also need to catch up on Godchild, because I finally read the 3 volumes I had, and it's surprisingly addictive. I initially purchased it because I love the mangaka's art (her previous work, Angel Sanctuary, I never got into. Possibly because I saw the scarring anime first.)

I also read volume 1 of Yurara, and I liked it well enough, but I'm not sure if I'd buy it. Maybe volume 2 will change my mind.

DEL REY

I bought volume 3 of Kitchen Princess (I'm a sucker for the recipes), and I've read 1-8 of Ghost Hunters, but like Tokyopop's Kindaichi Files, it's good for one read and not much more. I should probably try Nodame Cantabile, but I'm just so happy with the drama, I don't feel like I need to. I need to finish Basilisk though, it's only 5 volumes and I'm behind on my ninjas! I think I might shelve AIR GEAR though, I have 1-3 and I haven't even read #3.

TOKYOPOP

I started with them, and now it seems like I hardly read any of their titles - I stopped reading Fruits Basket, but I'm keeping up with the Queen's Knight. They're publishing more Korean titles though, which is good, I wonder who'll pick up the void ICE KUNION left, or if their licenses will transfer to another publisher (I must have my CHOCOLAT fix!).

I did notice Missing though, and it's a definite maybe.

Go!Comi

I want the next volume of Her Majesty's Dog, please, thanks.

( So, my love for (drama) Hana Kimi is so all encompassing and geeky, it makes me do things like this )

Also, HELLO to all the lurkers, old and new - I just recently checked my profile and....hey, some people I didn't stalk automatically pick up a life changing connection to, have friended me.

Introduce yourselves! How did you find my LJ? Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice.

OH, AND I TOTALLY WANT THIS.