manga: Mixed Vegetables Vol 1-2

Ashitaba Hanayu is the heiress of a pastry chef family who is expected to eventually take over the family business. Unfortunately, her dream has been to become a sushi chef since her father first took her out to sushi when she was a child. Since she can’t just announce that she’s abandoning the family business to become a sushi chef, Hana decides that she must marry into a family of sushi chefs. To do this, she sets her sights on Hyuga Hayato, a boy in her cooking class. Hana is the world’s worst seductress, and so ends up snapping at Hayato more than anything else. Somehow, though, this seems to work and Hayato asks her out. Which, naturally, causes Hana to be wracked with guilt, and begin to question her own feelings.

( spoilers for vol 2 )

Cute and fluffy with lots of different food bits. I probably like it in excess of its actual quality. And…uhm…I am easily swayed and so am pleased that Hana and her best friend have a vibe that reminds me a bit of Kyoko and Kanae/Moko in Skip-Beat. I am also fond of when Hana and/or Hayato have moments and reactions in line with your normal shoujo romance, and then you remember that it’s not a real moment, it’s one step closer to switching over to being the kinds of chefs they want to be.

manga: Captive Hearts Vol 1-2

Ever since the rich Kogami family disappeared 15 years ago, Kuroishi Megumi and his father, the family butler, have been living in their mansion and living off their fortune. Megumi’s father, however, has never stopped looking for the Kogamis, and finally learns that while the master and his wife died, their daughter, Suzuka was adopted by a Chinese family. When she’s returned to the Kogami estate, Megumi is overcome with absolute adoration of Suzuka and wants to cater to her every whim. His father then tells them that centuries ago, a thief from the Kuroishi family tried to rob the Kogami family, and was cursed so that a hundred generations of his descendants would be loyal servants of the Kogami family. Since Megumi hasn’t been around the Kogami’s for most of his life, he has no control over the surges of devotion caused by the curse.

Suzuka’s reaction to all this, thankfully, is along the lines of “Free-will robbing curse! Do not want! Must break curse!” Unfortunately, though the manga claims otherwise, it never really comes across to me that Megumi’s love is a result of anything but the curse, making most of the romantic and dramatic scenes a bit uncomfortable for me. Which is unfortunate, as it has all the kinks you could ask for, and a few you wouldn’t think of.

This is, I believe, the debut series of Matsuri Hino (Vampire Knight, MeruPuri). Unfortunately, it seems that her books just don’t quite click with me. Most other fans of any combination of Kaori Yuki, Higuri You and Clamp seem to also love Matsuri Hino’s works. I can see why, but the same things that make me go “WHEE!” for varying reasons with those three often leave me cold or uncomfortable with her works. I can see why others like her so much, it just doesn’t work for me. So people who normally like her manga will probably like this one, too.

manga: Love*Com Vol 1

At 5’7”, 15-year-old Risa is unusually tall for a girl. (In Japan. It’s what I consider to be average. Then again, I’ve spent the entirety of my life surrounded by German-American giants.) At 5’1”, her classmate, Otani, is unusually short for a boy. (As I am 5’1” and can recognize most of the men I know by their shoulder blades, this one is easier for me to wrap my head around.) As they essentially share a brain, they’re always fighting and trading insults over their respective heights, which both are very sensitive about. Naturally, the entire school also thinks they’re going out.

They call a cease-fire of sorts when Otani develops a crush on Risa’s friend, Chiharu, and offers to befriend Suzuki, a boy Risa likes, so they can help each other win over their respective crushes. Both crushes are largely based on the recipient of the crush being close to their height, while Chiharu and Suzuki, who are extremely shy, find it easier to talk to them than most people of the opposite sex for the same reason. Naturally, Chiharu and Suzuki develop crushes on each other, and Risa and Otani spend a chunk of the volume alternately trying to get them together, and help each other out. In the process, everyone just becomes more and more convinced that they like each other.

This is cute and fluffy and I want to read more, but I’m not sure I can see the premise lasting (I think) 17 volumes. Then again, several shoujo have proven me wrong on that front before. There was one bit around the middle that irritated me, where Risa decided that Otani apparently had more height related angst than she did, and she should be more sensitive, but with no sign of reciprocation, but that didn’t last long.

Netflix and free books

So, Netflix is still sending me DVDs a bit randomly.  However, when they don't have the first 3 DVDs in my queue available, I get a 4th disc that week.  So while, at this rate, it'll take me 6 months to watch the 3rd season of Farscape, the overall queue will go down a bit more quickly.  This is good, as I've learned that "unlimited DVDs" is really "3 a week."  Netflix DVDs get her Wednesday.  As I don't work Wednesday, I often have them done by Thursday.  If I send them back on Thursday, more DVDs go out of Monday.   If I send them back on Friday, more DVDs go out of Monday.   If I send them back on Saturday, more DVDs go out of Monday.   Slightly annoying.

In other news, is anyone (continental US only) interested in free copies of Diana Wynne Jones's The Ogre Downstairs or Witch's Business?  I read about half of each between the weekend and today.  With both, I read half the book when I had nothing else around to read, then had no desire to read more once I had other things around.  Neither one is remotely bad.  In fact, both, from what I've read, are pretty good.  It just seems that, while I don't have trouble getting into a lot of books written for 13-year-olds, the same isn't true of books written for 10-year-olds, even if I normally like the author.

I should note that it can take me forever to get books I offer out.  I've owed chomiji , catystorm , and mbeasi  packages for ages, and I think I need to get all your addresses again, too.

ETA:  Both books claimed!

manga: Fullmetal Alchemist ch 92

( spoilers )