Yet Another Apology

So, here I am issuing yet another apology for lack of updates.  :(  However I have a very good excuse - two things happened at once: 

1)  My library decided to do some serious shuffling.  I was transferred to a new location, which means a much longer commute for me and less blog time.  I'm also still trying to adjust to the new environment...with mixed success.  ^_^;

2)  I was asked by the Director of Library Services in our school district to put together a presentation on the Maverick Graphic Novel list, which has 54 titles...all of which I have to read before June 7th.  ^_^;  I can do it...(I'd planned to do it on my own anyway) but it's going to mean some serious prioritizing and not as much happening here until it's over.  

So, please stay with me until all this happens.  I've got Cirque Du Freak Volumes 4 & 5 ready to review when I find a few spare minutes and I'm working on reading through Black Sun, Silver Moon so I can start reviewing on it soon, too.

As always, if you have any questions or requests, please feel free to contact me.  And remember, requests for specific titles will always take precedence over any other series I happen to be working on at the time.

New vs.Old?

So, I've been doing some contemplating...this may be a silly question to ask, since I know that at the moment very few people (if any) are coming to this blog to get help with their manga purchases.  However, I realize that I've come across a dilemma.  I tend to focus on older series, ones which I feel haven't gotten enough attention or at the very least deserve to have some readers, but I'm beginning to wonder if I should be focusing on newer titles instead.  Titles that are more likely to draw in new readers who are looking into the "hottest new series" that their teens have been requesting.  So far, I've tried not to choose any that are completely out of print, but I enjoy covering series that are completed, especially since, with the economy going up and down that way that it has been, it's possible that incomplete series may STAY incomplete. (This is one of my largest frustrations.)

Anyway, for those (very few) of you who have read, are reading, or happen to be passing by this blog, what's your opinion?  Would you prefer older, completed series to be covered here, or is it the newer stuff that you're wanting to see?  Should I just try to balance it out a bit more with some of each?  I'm already working to even out the shojo vs. shonen titles...somewhat sucessfully, but now I'm thinking I might be needing to do that with the newer and older stuff, too.

Please feel free to comment here or message me privately.  Thanks!  :)

A Quick Note...

Hello everyone!  This is just a quick note to let you know I've added a new link to the blog's side bar.  It will send you to a section of my LibraryThing account which lists the first volume of all the different series I currently have access to.  I've added this to give you a quick reference guide when making requests regarding which series you'd like me to review.

That doesn't mean I WON'T review something not on my list, just that it will take more time for me to complete, since I'll have to track the title down from somewhere else.  It's also possible that I missed adding something to the list, so requesting the title you need might help me with updates, too.  :)

In addition to the side bar, I'm going to include the link here for redundancy's sake.
  
Readily Available Titles

Batman: Death Mask - Overall Impressions

I have to admit I was really excited when I first found out about this compilation.  After X-men: Misfits and Wolverine: Prodigal Son, I was very interested to see what the manga format would do for Batman.  While not exactly what I expected, I can't say I was disappointed either.  The juxtaposition between Batman's costume and the oni of Japanese legend was a very clever connection to make and Natsume uses the idea well.  The whole concept of masks and "face stealing" is also creepily cool...although almost too graphic for my personal tastes.  The story moves a bit fast in some places, which might cause some minor confusion with readers, but overall it's pretty seamless, and the plot itself, while a bit predictable here and there, was still intriguing to watch unfold.

As for the artwork, I truly enjoyed it - especially the brush-like quality of the dream/illusion/legend sequences and the awesome battle sequences.  The lines were smooth and clean throughout and the characters were nicely executed.  My only complaint, and it's a very minor one, is that Bruce Wayne looked a bit too old...but that's just my personal tastes.

Overall, I'd have to say that this stand-alone graphic novel would make an excellent addition to any Young Adult collection.  It's great for introducing fans of manga to an American graphic novel icon, but also for the opposite reason - introducing Batman fans to the world of manga.  Plus, because it's a one-shot comic, you don't have to worry about keeping up with a bunch of different volumes.  You just can't really lose with this one. 

Batman: Death Mask

Title:  Batman: Death Mask

Volume:  1 of 1

Author:Yoshinori Natsume
Type: Ameri-manga, OEL

Publisher: CMX

Genres:  Action/Adventure

Age Rating: Teen, Age 13+

Public Libraries - Location Suggestion

The best spot would probably be in your Young Adult collection.

School Libraries - Location Suggestion

Elementary - Not recommended

Jr. High/Middle School - Possibly, it depends on your community

High School - This should do just fine in a high school setting; the rating is mostly for violence.
 
According to the Publisher - What the Age Rating Means

The age rating for this volume was selected by me; I couldn't find the publisher's actual rating, but based off of the story's content (mostly the violence) I feel the 13+ rating is the most appropriate one.

Parental Eyebrow Raisers 
Language
 - I only noticed a couple of curse word in this volume - dammit, bastard - but it's possible I missed a few in scanning.

Violence/Gore
 - Three men get into a fight, a gun is fired, a small amount of blood is shown
 - A man and woman are shown on the ground with blood pooled around them
 - A man has the front of his face sliced off; the scene is very graphic and blood is shown
 - A couple of men are shown with bloody noses
 - A man's body is shown, and the front of his face has clearly been sliced from his head
 - Many display cases are shown, each holding the preserved sliced-off face of a human
 - A man is shown vomiting
 - A man is shown "wearing" the sliced-off face of another man, which peels off and falls to the floor
 - Walking skeletons in samurai armor are shown
 - A man is shown being stabbed in the gut, some blood is seen
 - A man tears a cursed mask off of his face, which rips at his flesh, a good amount of blood is shown

 
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Bella Online

iFanboy

Kuriosity

Cirque du Freak, Volume 3

Title:  Cirque du Freak: Tunnels of Blood

Volume:  3 of ??

Author: Darren Shan
Illustrator: Takahiro Arai
Type: Manga

Publisher: Yen Press

Genres:  Horror, Fantasy, Action/Adventure

Age Rating: Teen - LV

Public Libraries - Location Suggestion

The best spot would probably be in your Young Adult collection.

School Libraries - Location Suggestion

Elementary - Not recommended

Jr. High/Middle School - Possibly, it depends on your community

High School - This should do just fine in a high school setting; the rating is for language and violence only.
 
According to the Publisher - What the Age Rating Means

A “T” rating indicates that there may be content within that some parents or guardians may consider inappropriate for children under the age of 13; LV = Language and Violence

Parental Eyebrow Raisers 
Language
 - I only noticed one curse word in this volume - dammit - but it's possible I missed a few in scanning.

Violence/Gore
 - References are made to bodies with slit throats being drained of blood, but nothing is shown
 - Images depicting a vampire war; blood is shown
 - A close up of a human skull with decaying flesh still on the bones is seen
 - During a battle between two vampires, one shoves his hand into the chest of the other, lots of blood is shown

Sexuality/Sexual Themes
 - One of the minor characters is a very voluptuous woman who is often seen in a revealing outfit
 - A boy and girl share two very chaste kisses 

 
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San Francisco Book Review

Cirque du Freak, Volume 2

Title:  Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

Volume:  2 of ??

Author: Darren Shan
Illustrator: Takahiro Arai
Type: Manga

Publisher: Yen Press

Genres:  Horror, Fantasy, Action/Adventure

Age Rating: Teen - LV

Public Libraries - Location Suggestion

The best spot would probably be in your Young Adult collection.

School Libraries - Location Suggestion

Elementary - Not recommended

Jr. High/Middle School - Possibly, it depends on your community

High School - This should do just fine in a high school setting; the rating is for language and violence only.
 
According to the Publisher - What the Age Rating Means

A “T” rating indicates that there may be content within that some parents or guardians may consider inappropriate for children under the age of 13; LV = Language and Violence

Parental Eyebrow Raisers 
Language
 - I could not find any language in this volume; that doesn't mean it wasn't there, just that it was too mild for me to notice.  Let's assume that there might have been a "hell" or "damn" that escaped me.

Violence/Gore
 - A vampire cuts a man's leg in order to drink from him; some blood is shown
 - A character does something to the legs of another character; it's not clear what happens, but the boy is knocked to the ground and some spattered blood is shown
 - A boy is shown being bitten in the neck by a spider
 - A boy dreams of being force-fed blood from a still-beating heart
 - A boy is attacked by a man with a club
 - A boy digs his (very sharp) fingernails into a man's arm, blood is shown spurting out and dripping down the arm
 - A man has his arms bitten off by a wolf-man; this is an incredibly graphic scene with lots of visible blood, flesh and bone
 - Two boys are attacked by a wolf-man; one of them is scratched across the arm, the other is caught and eaten; again, this is a fairly graphic scene and there is some blood
 - A young vampire cuts a boy's neck and drinks heavily from his blood

Sexuality/Sexual Themes
 - One of the minor characters is a very voluptuous woman who is often seen in a revealing outfit

 
Reviews 
Manga Recon 
Tiamat's Manga Reviews

Cirque du Freak, Volume 1

Title:  Cirque du Freak

Volume:  1 of ??

Author: Darren Shan
Illustrator: Takahiro Arai
Type: Manga

Publisher: Yen Press

Genres:  Horror, Fantasy, Action/Adventure

Age Rating: Teen - LV

Public Libraries - Location Suggestion

The best spot would probably be in your Young Adult collection.

School Libraries - Location Suggestion

Elementary - Not recommended

Jr. High/Middle School - Possibly, it depends on your community

High School - This should do just fine in a high school setting; the rating is for language and violence only.
 
According to the Publisher - What the Age Rating Means

A “T” rating indicates that there may be content within that some parents or guardians may consider inappropriate for children under the age of 13; LV = Language and Violence

Parental Eyebrow Raisers 
Language
 - I only noticed one curse word in this volume - hell - but it's possible I missed a few in scanning.

Violence/Gore
 - A very big spider sinks it's fangs into the neck of a goat, a little blood spatter is shown
 - A very big spider sinks it's fangs into the neck of a boy, blood is shown dribbling down
 - Streams of blood are shown dribbling down the hands of a boy and a man as the boy is being made into a vampire
 - A boy gets a bloody knee and another boy proceeds to lick at it; blood is shown dribbling from his mouth
 - A character is thrown out of a window and killed
 - A character attempts to drive a stake through another's chest, but can't go through with it, a little blood is shown

Non-sexual Nudity
 - One of the male characters is shown soaking in the bath
 - A young girl is shown sitting on the edge of a bath tub in only a bath towel

 
Reviews
About.com
Manga Jouhou
Manga Recon
School Library Journal

It Takes a Wizard - Overall Imperssions

First a quick apology for the "down time" between posts.  Spring Break is very hectic for me both at work and at home, so I didn't have as much time to work on my blog as I would have liked.

Anyway, moving along to my impressions of the OEL, It Takes a Wizard.  I actually dreamed about this manga last night...I don't know if it was because I was feeling guilty for putting off my mini-review or if it was something else, but thanks to this manga I had the first nightmare I've had in almost six months.  Yeah...it creeped me out that much.

So...that being said, here's a quick, succinct look at how I feel about this story.  In my opinion there was far too much gore and not enough story.  Now, I'll admit I'm not a big fan of graphic violence, in fact I find that images of it (either real of fake) tend to affect me deeply...even when it's the "bad guys."  However, I'm inclined to overlook such violence in a story...when there actually IS a story.  It Takes a Wizard has what I would consider to be the beginnings of a good story...but it promises and then doesn't really deliver. Yes - it has a beginning, middle, and an end, but when it was over the story somehow felt lacking.  I think it's possible that what I was really wanting was more character development.  You've got this huge, almost 500+ page book and yet the characters don't really grow or change, they just follow along the track that's been laid out for them without ever doing anything unique or unexpected.  That disappointed me.

The art, however, was much less of a disappointment.  It had a flowing, sort of sketchy style that really appealed to me.  The characters were excellently rendered and attention to detail was made on both ends of the spectrum, with creatures that were either disturbingly creepy or adorably cute.  The humans were nicely done, as well; everyone had a different look and feel which made some parts of the story easier to follow.  

In the end,  I'm not sure how willing I am to recommend this book for a library setting.  While there are probably a few libraries out there who will find this title fits their collection's needs, most will have better ways of spending their money.  Something else to remember is the size - this almost 500+ page paperback book is not much bigger than a trade paperback.  Make sure to ask yourself how long it's likely to last in your collection before you're frantically trying to tape and paste in loose pages to make your money go further.

Roadsong - Overall Impressions

I hate to admit it, but the more OEL's I read the warier I become about purchasing them for my personal collection.  While there are a few gems that stand out among the rest, most just wind up being disappointing.  When Roadsong began it had so much potential - the plot was good, the characters were interesting and the art was nice too look at, but in the end it just didn't really deliver.  I DO understand that it's difficult to develop plot and characters in only three volumes, but to be honest I'd rather that the author had sacrificed a bit of plot to delve a bit more into the characters and their motives than vise versa.  These guys have been on the run for several months...and yet between volume 1 and volume 3 they don't really "grow" at all - they're still reacting to their situation (and each other) in exactly the same ways, which seems unlikely to me.

Something else I didn't care for (although this is entirely an issue of personal genre tastes) is that the story couldn't seem to decide if it wanted to be serious or funny.  In the first volume a whole boatload of people are killed in an explosion, the main characters are accused of the crime AND the REAL killers are after them - it sounds like a pretty serious issue...and yet the villains are more like a joke than a real threat and neither of the main characters seems to care that they've just lost the people that were most important to them.  I know that people deal with grief differently, but it was hard for me to suspend my disbelief about their attitudes.  In the end, although it seemed obvious I was supposed to care/sympathize with the different characters and their situations, I just couldn't do it.

The artwork itself was well-done, kinda cute and light-hearted - although there was a slight shift in style between volumes 2 and 3, it didn't detract from things too much.  But again, (and this is just personal preference) I really think this story would have benefited from a darker style rather than a humorous one - something...anything to make me feel like the characters were actually in some sort of REAL danger.

Overall, I would probably only recommend adding this series to your library's collection for two reasons: One - it's three volumes long, perfect for if you're trying to beef up your graphic novel collection AND stretch your budget; Two - it's a guy-oriented manga that doesn't have an "epic" battle happening on every other page.  Although, truthfully, I don't think your typical teens will find as much at fault with this story as I did - I really believe that much of my un-enjoyment was just personal preference.

After School Nightmare - Overall Impressions

When I ordered these books I did it for only two reasons - the artwork was absolutely gorgeous and I got a REALLY good deal for buying the whole series at once.  And now, as I sit here typing this, having read all 10 volumes, I can safely say that this is one of the most bizarre series I've ever read...and it's not just because the main character is a hermaphrodite with serious gender issues.

As I finished each volume and then went online to find reviews for my blog, I was honestly surprised by all of the positive feedback.  I was trying not to get spoilers, but I was also truly curious about what it was others saw in this story because I just wasn't seeing it.  Yes, the artwork was delicate, and flowing, and everything a good shojo series should have...but was this REALLY a shojo series at all?  There were elements of fantasy, horror, romance, etc. - it's like the story itself couldn't decide what it wanted to be, just like the main character couldn't decide which gender to accept.  Confusion abounded, but I kept reading because the mystery had captured my interest - then at about the 4th or 5th volume I figured it out...and kept reading to confirm my suspicions (and to finish things up for my blog.)

In addition to the convoluted plot, I also found myself disliking the main character, who did nothing but whine, complain, and blame others for almost all 10 volumes.  That got old fast and even the other characters couldn't save the story from my downward spiraling opinion.  All in all - despite the unusual twist of an ending (that you may or may not see coming), I just didn't like what After School Nightmare had to offer.

Regardless, there are still plenty of teens that I think would relate to, and enjoy this series.  So, if the story sounds like it might fill an empty/lacking niche in your library, why not give it a try?

+ Anima - Overall Impressions

I'm not really sure where to start other than to say this is an excellent series.  The artwork has a light-hearted, playful quality to it that I really enjoy, and the detail is amazing.  Many of the characters have a specific animal quality to their physical form (i.e. crow wings, bear claws, fish tails, etc.) each of these are beautifully rendered, as well.  The humorous outtakes and super-deformed figures are also perfectly illustrated, which only enhances my enjoyment of the series and it's characters.

The story itself may seem a little shallow at first, but like so many other great manga series, it eventually evolves into a multi-layered plot which can be enjoyed on several different levels.  The characters are much the same way - seemingly stereotypical at first, but quickly developing into wonderfully dimensional roles; you can't help but feel and care about them as their journey progresses and you learn more about their pasts.

Overall, I think this would be a great series to have in any library collection.  Plus, it's only 10 volumes and they've all been previously published, so you don't have to keep up with new releases and you don't have to spend an arm and a leg.

Real/Fake Princess - Overall Impressions

In all honesty, when I first started reading this series I wasn't sure if I wanted to finish it.  Almost immediately, I was put off by the fact that the inner artwork wasn't anywhere near as good as the artwork on the cover; the gorgeous detail was still there, but often body proportions looked wrong or the character's faces appeared distorted.  Generally, bad art throws me out of a story faster than anything else; however, knowing the series was only five volumes, I decided to persevere.

For the most part, this story was predictable in a generic, fairy tale sort of way, and it was actually the side characters that saved this series from my "To Be Sold" pile.  The main roles were all fairly stereotypical and didn't change much from volume to volume, so I quickly began to rely on the minor characters for enjoyment and entertainment.  Fortunately, they didn't disappoint, and with their antics the story stayed interesting...and even took one or two unexpected twists.

Something else that definitely needs to be mentioned is the fact that the publisher rated this series for "All Ages".  IT IS NOT!  These books SHOULD have been rated 13+; please do not buy this series and put it in your Children's section - put it in YA where it belongs. 

With that said, while this wouldn't be my first choice to put on any library's shelves, it's still a sweet romance with very few volumes (i.e. cheap!) and if your demographics are right, you'll have many female manga readers who will thank you for adding this series to your collection.

Dramacon - Overall Impressions

This super-cute ameri-manga is a must for any fan of cosplaying or conventions.  Although only three volumes long, the plot flows nicely and the characters actually get some development, each moving (at least a little bit) out of their stereotypes by the end.  There are some scenes that might seem over-the-top and maybe even a little cheesy to older readers, but the series doesn't have "drama" in the title for no reason.

One of the things I enjoyed most was how the passage of time was depicted.  Each book represents a new year (and a new con); this enabled the author to do things with the characters - their lives and personalities - that, with such a short series, might not have been possible otherwise.  I've read quite a few of Tokyopop's 3-volume ameri-manga releases, and this is one of the few that I've felt really managed to pull off a cohesive, completed plot.

As for the artwork, it's beautifully rendered with very few noticeable flaws and just the right amount of humorous imagery thrown in.  Even without the fun storyline, I probably would have bought these books just for eye candy alone. Ms. Chmakova has a wonderful eye for both beauty and detail.

Overall, I found this series to be a very enjoyable experience, with fun characters and a charmingly sweet storyline.  So, if you think Dramacon might fill an empty niche in your library, I highly recommend you give it a try.

Decision about Reviews

Okay, so I decided back when I started this blog that I wasn't going to be doing full-fledged reviews of anything, just the basics to help librarians (and maybe parents) make educated purchasing choices regarding manga.  However, I'm realizing now that some of these series may not have any reviews out there, so I figure it can't hurt to give a simple mini-review of some sort.  

From now on, once a series is completed on the blog, I'll also be posting a quick little summary based on what I thought of the books as a whole.  Because let's face it, when you've got a whole series, the story is really only as good as the last volume - the ending can make or break everything.  I'm not going to be giving away endings, and I'll try to avoid spoilers, too, but I want to give y'all my general impressions, so that when reviews are hard to come by, you've got at least one source to fall back on.

If you need/want my impressions of a series before it's been completed on the blog, then please leave a comment or PM me, and I'll be more than happy to talk with you.  :)

Over the next few days I'll also being going back to cover all of my previously completed series, so keep an eye out for those, too.

It Takes A Wizard

Title:  It Takes a Wizard

Volume:  1 of 1

Author: Thomas R. Hart
Illustrator: Sean Lam
Type: Ameri-Manga, OEL

Publisher: Seven Seas

Genres:  Horror, Fantasy, Action/Adventure

Age Rating: Teen

Public Libraries - Location Suggestion

This probably depends on your community, but definitely YA or Adult 

School Libraries - Location Suggestion

Elementary - Not recommended

Jr. High/Middle School - Not recommended

High School - Possibly; there's only some very subtle sexuality, the rest of the 16+ rating is for some fairly graphic violence
 
According to the Publisher - What the Age Rating Means

I could not find detailed rating descriptions.  However, on MacMillan's website this title is rated 16 and up.

Parental Eyebrow Raisers 
Language
 - It pales in comparison to the violence, but there is some mild cursing (ex. God, damn, hell, etc.)

Violence/Gore
 - There's so much in this story that listing it all here would take up several pages, so I'll do my best to summarize; basically horrific fantasy creatures take over Manhattan, so you've got trolls, harpies, goblins, etc. all over the place and all of them enjoy killing and eating humans.  There are many graphic depictions of this throughout the almost 500 page book.  In addition, you've got the humans fighting the monsters, so there's lots of monster blood & gore, too. Some random examples include the following: a man being torn in half with entrails oozing out, a man being decapitated, human heads put on pikes, a man's head being crushed and his eyeballs popping out of his skull, limbs being torn from bodies, and various creatures feasting on masses of entrails and other assorted human parts.

Non-sexual Nudity
 - There's one instance in which a female character is lounging nude and then changes into some clothes, however all of the "important bits" are always covered by her hair
 - I'm not sure if this really counts, but I'm adding it just in case; there are several depictions of obviously female monsters with no visible clothes, just patterns and scales that give the vague appearance of clothes

 
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Bella Online 
Good Reads

Roadsong, Volume 3

Title:  Roadsong

Volume:  3 of 3

Author: Allan Gross
Illustrator: Joanna Estep
Type: Ameri-Manga, OEL

Publisher: Tokyopop

Genres:  Action/Adventure, Drama, Comedy

Age Rating: Older Teen, Age 16+

Public Libraries - Location Suggestion

This probably depends on your community, but definitely YA or Adult 

School Libraries - Location Suggestion

Elementary - Not recommended

Jr. High/Middle School - Not recommended

High School - Possibly, be aware of your community
 
According to the Publisher - What the Age Rating Means

May contain profanity and strong language, moderate violence and gore, moderate sexual themes and sexual violence, nudity, moderate fanservice, and alcohol and illegal drug use.
 
Parental Eyebrow Raisers 
Language
 - There's a little cursing, but it's not heavy or over the top (ex. hell, damn, etc.)

Violence/Gore
 - One of the main characters is missing an eye; it's just an empty socket
 - Two characters get into a knockdown, drag-out fight
 - A character intentionally gives someone else a bloody nose; some blood is shown
 - Guns are fired multiple times
 - A man is shot, but no blood is seen
 - A male character gets beat to a pulp; blood is shown pooling around his head
 - A character is shot in the chest; blood is shown
 - A character is beaned in the head with a baseball, blinding him

Sexuality/Sexual Themes
 - Two older characters are shown in the shower together, but he has on a towel and she has on a swimsuit
 - A female character unbuttons her shirt and intentionally shows another male character her cleavage
 - Very mild homosexual references are scattered about
 - Scattered sexual references abound
 
Reviews
Okay, I couldn't track down any reviews for this volume, if someone knows of one please send a link my way.  Thanks!

Roadsong, Volume 2

Title:  Roadsong

Volume:  2 of 3

Author: Allan Gross
Illustrator: Joanna Estep
Type: Ameri-Manga, OEL

Publisher: Tokyopop

Genres:  Action/Adventure, Drama, Comedy

Age Rating: Older Teen, Age 16+

Public Libraries - Location Suggestion

This probably depends on your community, but definitely YA or Adult

 School Libraries - Location Suggestion

Elementary - Not recommended

Jr. High/Middle School - Not recommended

High School - Possibly, be aware of your community
 
According to the Publisher - What the Age Rating Means

May contain profanity and strong language, moderate violence and gore, moderate sexual themes and sexual violence, nudity, moderate fanservice, and alcohol and illegal drug use.
 
Parental Eyebrow Raisers 
Language
 - There's a little cursing, but it's not heavy or over the top (ex. bitch, damn, etc.)

Violence/Gore
 - One of the main characters is missing an eye; it's just an empty socket
 - Characters discuss killing others, but nothing is actually shown
 - A gun is fired multiple times and the back end of a car explodes, but no one is hurt

Alcohol/Drug References
 - One of the main characters gets very, very drunk

Non-sexual Nudity
 - A female character walks in on two male characters changing clothes, several panels of unclothed backsides are shown.

Sexuality/Sexual Themes
 - A mom tries to talk her daughter into sleeping with someone just to get something out of him
 - The use of condoms is mentioned
 - Two teenage characters are shown in bed together, but nothing is actually seen, only suggested
 - A female character is shown wearing nothing but some skimpy underwear; her torso is obviously unclothed but her hair is always drawn to discreetly cover the important bits
 - A male character is shown wearing nothing but a blanket, which he drops; only his backside is seen, but his front is commented on by a female character
 - An older female character is shown in nothing but her under garments
 - Scattered sexual references abound
 
Reviews
Okay, I couldn't track down any reviews for this volume, if someone knows of one please send a link my way.  Thanks!

Roadsong, Volume 1

Title:  Roadsong

Volume:  1 of 3

Author: Allan Gross
Illustrator: Joanna Estep
Type: Ameri-Manga, OEL

Publisher: Tokyopop

Genres:  Action/Adventure, Drama, Comedy

Age Rating: Older Teen, Age 16+

Public Libraries - Location Suggestion

This probably depends on your community, but definitely YA or Adult

 School Libraries - Location Suggestion

Elementary - Not recommended

Jr. High/Middle School - Not recommended

High School - Possibly, be aware of your community
 
According to the Publisher - What the Age Rating Means

May contain profanity and strong language, moderate violence and gore, moderate sexual themes and sexual violence, nudity, moderate fanservice, and alcohol and illegal drug use.
 
Parental Eyebrow Raisers 
Language
 - The main characters are teenagers - they curse; it's not a lot but it stands out (ex. bitch, damn, whore, etc.)

Violence/Gore
 - One of the main characters is missing an eye; it's just an empty socket
 - A boat filled with people is blown up and then sinks
 - The two main characters get into a knockdown, drag-out brawl
 - A man is shown beating up on a woman; a little blood is shown
 - A man is shown being pistol-whipped
 - The main characters are attacked and one of them is shot in the leg; very little blood is shown

Alcohol/Drug References
 - The underage main characters attend a party and drink heavily - to the point of drunkenness

Non-sexual Nudity
 - An older man in a hospital gown is depicted running; his backside plainly visible

Sexuality/Sexual Themes
 - Two teenagers making out, the girl's bra is removed and we see her torso in profile, including the nipple; she's never shown full frontal
 - A girl in only her underclothes is shown laying on top of a guy, who proceeds to take off her bra; nothing graphic is shown, but it's obvious what's about to happen
 - A girl and guy are shown shown laying under a cover together; nudity is suggested, but not shown
 - Upper, frontal female nudity is suggested, but not shown
 - A guy is shown in nothing but his boxers
 - An extremely cartoonized drawing of a female nude is depicted - nipples and all
 - The two main characters get a job playing music at a strip club
 - A girl is shown in very fancy lingerie trying to seduce one of the main characters
 - Scattered sexual references abound
 
Reviews
IGN: UK Edition
LibraryThing

After School Nightmare, Volume 10

Title:  After School Nightmare

Volume:  10 of 10

Author: Setona Mizushiro
Type: Manga

Publisher: goComi!

Genres:  Drama, Horror, Fantasy, Gender Bender, Romance

Age Rating: Older Teen, Age 16+

Public Libraries - Location Suggestion

This probably depends on your library and where you feel comfortable putting it.  I believe this title would work very well in a YA collection.  However, due to some of the issues the characters deal with, if your community is a bit more conservative the best place to put it would probably be in Adult.
 
School Libraries - Location Suggestion

Elementary - Not recommended

Jr. High/Middle School - Not recommended

High School - Possibly, be aware of your community
 
According to the Publisher - What the Age Rating Means

Mild Language, Moderate Violence, Mature Situations
 
Parental Eyebrow Raisers 
Language
 - It's possible there was use of language in this volume, but it was scattered enough to be unnoticeable

Violence/Gore
 - A dog is shown biting someone and tearing out someone else's throat; blood is shown
 - A dog is attacked/strangled by a shadow creature
 - A character's chest is cut open with a sword and bloody birds fly out
 - A woman is giving birth prematurely and blood is shown seeping from her pants

Sexuality/Sexual Themes
 - The main character, Mashiro, is a hermaphrodite; male on top and female on bottom
 - It may bother some that the main character is being romantically sought after by both a guy and a girl
 - The main character is seen in bed with another male character after the fact.  It's obvious what they were doing, but nothing graphic is shown
 - The main character observes another couple obviously in the middle of sex, but all that's seen is their discreetly covered upper bodies
 - The main character has sex more than once with the male love interest; nothing graphic is shown, but it's obvious what they're doing
 
Reviews
Graphic Novel Reporter
Heart of Manga
Manga Life 
Manga Maniac Cafe

After School Nightmare, Volume 9

Title:  After School Nightmare

Volume:  9 of 10

Author: Setona Mizushiro
Type: Manga

Publisher: goComi!

Genres:  Drama, Horror, Fantasy, Gender Bender, Romance

Age Rating: Older Teen, Age 16+

Public Libraries - Location Suggestion

This probably depends on your library and where you feel comfortable putting it.  I believe this title would work very well in a YA collection.  However, due to some of the issues the characters deal with, if your community is a bit more conservative the best place to put it would probably be in Adult.
 
School Libraries - Location Suggestion

Elementary - Not recommended

Jr. High/Middle School - Not recommended

High School - Possibly, be aware of your community
 
According to the Publisher - What the Age Rating Means

Mild Language, Moderate Violence, Mature Situations
 
Parental Eyebrow Raisers 
Language
 - It's possible there was use of language in this volume, but it was scattered enough to be unnoticeable

Violence/Gore
 - A character has his leg chopped off and then he's run through by a sword; blood is shown
 - A character is sliced across the chest by a sword; blood is shown
 - A lion bites into the neck of a character and slashes him across the chest; blood is shown
 - A character shoves his hand into the chest of another character and eventually pulls out a bloody key
 - A character forcibly strangles/drowns another character

Sexuality/Sexual Themes
 - The main character, Mashiro, is a hermaphrodite; male on top and female on bottom
 - It may bother some that the main character is being romantically sought after by both a guy and a girl
 - The main character accepts his feminine nature and confesses his feelings to a male classmate
 - The main character and the male love interest share several kisses
 - Incest is seen; a brother and sister kiss and share an intimate embrace while unclothed (although nothing graphic is shown)
 
Reviews
Graphic Novel Reporter
Heart of Manga
Kuriousity  
Manga Maniac Cafe