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.