I have read most of each of these three, and am trying to collect them too. I like Ryoga from Ranma (although I like everyone), Sakuragi and Mitsui and Megane the vice-captain of Shohoku (forgot his name...I'm sorry!) from Slam Dunk (actually I like everyone...) and from Strawberry Marshmallow I think I like Chika and Nobue best, but I like them all also.
The truth is, in the best manga, I think you wind up liking nearly everyone because they are all interesting and help to bring out the best in each other.
Oh yeah! Fruits Basket ! I read it all. (Haha onigiri reminded me)
I give it 6 *out of 7, because her art style changed too much for me in the end. I felt they all looked too much alike at times also. I need characters to have more clearly defined looks. But I really liked this manga because of how in the end it all started to be ok. One other problem was the cliqued character of Honda. She was annoying. I don't care if she was wonderful, she was just a bit too irritating and weak and also a perfect cook and cleaner. Obviously a stereotypical manga heroine. But somehow the writer's attempts with Honda made it too much, I don't know how to put it but somehow Honda being a yamato nadeshiko didn't work. She didn't need to be quite as people-pleasing as she was made to be. But I guess that could have been her main flaw, since most of the manga focused on how people help each other to sort out their main flaws and become better. I know Yuki seemed to want to help Honda grow past her need to please. So did Kyo. Anyway, aside from that, it was great, I really liked it. At times it was amazingly raw and effective in a way that only manga can be.
Um, favourite characters: Kyo... Kyo... always Kyo... and then Momiji (who was amazingly cool despite his being serious lolicon/fetish fuel!) and then the ox, Haru. My fave couple would have to be Yuki's brother and his cosplaying maid/gf, Mine. She's a crack up! Btw, in case I seem to hate Honda, I don't at all. Actually she is my favourite girl. She is terribly likeable even if she is annoying. That is a common feeling within the manga often.
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon : A classic, wonderful, loved it all. 6 out of 7 * because it could occasionally be confusing at times and the art was hard to follow sometimes too. Manga much better than the anime. Although the anime improved each season. Btw fave seasons of SM anime, season 3 and 4. S and Super S, and I loved the short Nehelenia arc of Sailor Stars. Stars was ok but season one and two weren't that good imho. The manga now, that was really good. I love Takeuchi's dynamic, flowing art style and her dialogue is good too. I felt if she could have done it again and developed more of the characters and maybe put in some more feel-good stories it would be amazing but hey a classic can't be changed, right?
Fave characters: Actually I love all of the senshi but the first 5 will always be the best. Usagi, Rei, Ami, Minako and Makoto. If I have to choose I would say in the manga I like Makoto best, I think. Then Rei. In the anime, I would say I like Ami-chan and Hotaru-chan. My fave villain is Nehelenia-sama in the anime, and in the manga, I guess... Queen Beryl and Prince Diamond. Can't decide.
I also read Code Name Wa Sailor V (also by Naoko Takeuchi) and I liked it a lot but the end sucked. I know it was like a pilot for Sailor Moon kind of but I felt so sad... I liked Kaitou Ace! Bring him back!!!!
Btw, Ranma's Rumiko Takahashi got me onto manga and anime, so I thank her for that. She and Naoko Takeuchi (Sailor Moon) are the two main inspirations that I will always go back to. They have their own distinct styles that are clearly inspired by others and yet remain their own. Third for inspiring me comes CLAMP. Dude... they are awesome!
I read Card Captor Sakura and I loved it so will give it 6 out of 7 * (I have never given a 7 yet) because I loveds the art and characters and storyline but I did not like the subtle adult themes. Teacher and child in love, and boy and boy (is Yuki kun a boy?) in love. I object to that kind of thing in a child's manga. But perhaps Card Captor Sakura is not for children, after all. I know CLAMP like subversion but in this case, it was too odd. I managed to ignore most of it though. It is still my favourite CLAMP series after MKR.
Favourite characters: Yuki/Yue and Kero and also Spinel (amazingly funny with Kero) and also Sakura herself. I liked her brother and her dad and her classmates - ok I loved everyone, ok? Except for Ruby Moon and I wasn't too fond of Eriol sometimes. He was kind of funny though. But I guess yeah, Sakura and her guardians were my main faves. Also I loved the anime and want to buy it soon.
While I remember, my fave CLAMP manga which I am trying hard to collect (there are only 6 volumes in all but they are hard to get here) is Magic Knight Rayearth. I love all of the MKR characters and the art is amazing. I loved the story even though it is bittersweet. The anime was ok... but manga is better! Favourites: I like Hikaru and Fuu best, then Umi. I also liked Guru Clef and of course Mokona! I was so happy to see many familiar CLAMP faces in XXXholic and Tsubasa. So wonderful to see old friends again, in a slightly diff art style but still the same in personality. They may have diff jobs but that's not why we love them.
Princess Emeraude and Zagato were such a nice couple. Wonderful contrast. Um but apart from them , my fave couple is Fuu and Ferio. He is so sweet and Fuu is probably the person I look the most like out of any character in any manga so far. I also like green.
Oh, rating... 6 out of 7* because I disliked the ending of the first series. Although it was still great... maybe they get ******* after all... Oh man, I also loved how they named people and places after Japanese cars. Alcyone, Cephiro, Lantis, etc LOL!!! One more thing about this, I just have to say that Princess Emeraude was the first princess I ever saw that has stuck in my mind as a real princess. I do not know why. But she is my model for a princess.
Read X/1999 : v good but too many adult themes and too depressing. Fell in love with Seishiro, and Kamui. Aside from themes, art was great. Probably because it reminded me of MKR. Started to get me depressed so had to leave it. Too dark for me. But still loved it...*sigh* Give it **** out of 7. Wonderful. Also read some of Angelic Layer, liked it but a bit dull, obvious CLAMP humour and characters, so became a weak attempt at re-creating the Card Captor Sakura phenomenon to me. Same idea, simple heroine with catchphrase (Sakura: Hoeee! Misaki: Eeekks! (not sure of Japanese for that).) who tries her best despite being ordinary. Becomes amazing etc, has eccentric friends blah blah blah. Somehow lacked zing. Good idea about the battling dolls though (probably been done before -). I give it a **** out of 7 for good art and sometimes funny jokes. End of CLAMP section.
I read some of Battle Angel Alita , gave it a *** out of 7 because too violent and crude and also somewhat pointless and unoriginal writing.
I loved Alita and the artwork though. I loved the little robot cat in the latter part of the manga. One-eyed little box-cat, so CUTTTEEE!!!! Anyway, haven't read all of it but don't want to. Loved Alita so much, the art is brilliant.
Amazing, wonderful, so easy to follow most of the time even in the battle scenes (of which there are many) which is hard to say for some manga. That's the only reason it gets a mention. Character design was very good at worst. And that is a lot to say about it. :) Wish he'd do a cleaner, simpler less violent story. I don't mind violence. I just get tired of it when it seems pointless or just another type of fan-service (which it often seems like it is to me).
There is a cute one-shot manga I just read online called 'Kanojo ga Cafe ni Kayou Wake' (also known as 'Great Waiters', or 'Kafe Impian', apparently). I really like the characters, as each of the five stories is about a different person (except one) and even though it's clique and cheesy, you can't help but wait anxiously for the happy ending.
I think my favourite story is the one about Aren and Hisako, the second story. It's sweet. But my favourite person in all of them would have to be both the owner of the cafe and Kuma-san. They are both endearing in different ways. I just hope Kuma-san stays looking like a bear!!!! >_<
I just read a one-shot called Caramel Milk Tea, I think it was. It was a mediocre story but I liked their obsession with tea. So I did enjoy it. I would give it a 50% out of 100 simply because of the tea.
Man, I have to stop! Ok, ok I will. But if I think of any more manga I have read, I will post it later.
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