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Manga Review – Servant × Service

Servant x Service Volume / Omnibus 1

Servant × Service
サーバント×サービス
TAKATSU Karino
Seinen – 4-koma, comedy, romance, slice-of-life
4 Volumes / 2 Omnibuses (complete)
Yen Press

Summary:

The health and welfare department has three unusual new hires. One is a flirty layabout, one doesn’t like to reveal her name, and the other is a senior citizen magnet. Throw in a cosplaying temp, an insecure supervisor, and a mysterious section chief, and you have to wonder: are these employees working hard or hardly working?

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Light Novel Review – Hot Gimmick S

Hot Gimmick S

Hot Gimmick
ホットギミック
NISHIZAKI Megumi (story), AIHARA Miki (original concept)
Shoujo – Drama, reverse harem, romance, mature
1 Volume (complete)
Viz Media

Summary:

With her love life in a mess, Hatsumi runs to the one person she has always counted on: Shinogu. But learning Shinogu was adopted was a secondary shock to the revelation he’s been in love with her for years. Shinogu wants to leave the Narita family, but Hatsumi doesn’t want him to go away. But does she want to stay by his side as his sister or something more?

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Manga Review – Hot Gimmick

Hot Gimmick
ホットギミック
AIHARA Miki
Shoujo – Drama, reverse harem, romance, mature
12 Volumes / 4 Omnibuses (complete)
Viz Media

Summary:

Hatsumi’s family lives in company housing and fears crossing the wife of a company executive. Hatsumi’s peaceful life is threatened when their son, Ryoki, learns a juicy bit of gossip about her family. Desperate to keep him quiet, Hatsumi finds herself as Ryoki’s slave. Perhaps her old friend Azusa can help stop Ryoki’s harassment? If not, maybe her brother…

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Manga Review – Your Lie in April [Redux]

Your Lie in April Volume 1

Your Lie in April
四月は君の嘘 (Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso)
ARAKAWA Naoshi
Shounen – Drama, psychological, romance, slice-of-life, tragedy
10 Volumes (complete)
Kodansha USA

Summary:

Kōsei was considered a piano prodigy. After his mother’s death, however, he froze during a competition, and Kōsei hasn’t played the piano since. Two years later, he meets a girl playing the melodica. This encounter forces Kōsei to once again answer the call to music.

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Game Review – Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds

Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds

Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds
薄桜鬼 真改 風ノ章 (Hakuoki Shinkai Kaze no Shou)
Visual novel
Otomate / Idea Factory
PS Vita

Summary:

Japan, 1864. Civil unrest has made the capital city a dangerous place, a fact Chizuru learns all too well when she sees men been killed. Captured by Kyoto’s patrol force, Chizuru’s death seems all but certain until both parties realize they’re searching for the same person. But why does the Shinsengumi want Chizuru’s father? And will the fires of war be put out?

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Manga Review – Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast
Reaves, Mallory (story); Studio Dice (art)
Shoujo – Adventure, fantasy, historical, romance
2 Volumes (complete)
Tokyopop

Summary:

Bookworm Belle feels out of place in her small village. Meanwhile, in a castle not too far away, a prince has been placed under a spell. But when the most beautiful girl in the village is taken prisoner by the ugliest monster in all of France, perhaps a new story will be told…

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Living Nervously

Sailor Moon Kanzenban 1

So, anybody remember this announcement?

Sailor Moon Kodansha 1“Hooray!” the anime community cheered. “A major title that didn’t even use the characters’ real names is being rescued! I can retire my old Americanized, error-filled Tokyopop versions!”

Yes, one of the features Kodansha Comics USA touted when they rescued the Sailor Moon manga was “an entirely new, incredibly accurate translation”. Awesome, right?

Well…

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