The Manga Critic

Hiatus.

2012-02-21T04:05:00.005-08:00

Sorry everyone, I'll be on hiatus for a little while.
I'm having an exam and I really hope to do well since this is just pre-semester.
I promise I'll update ASAP with a new review and hopefully another blogskins layout.
Sorry for not replying my taggers, I'll reply once I'm off hiatus.

New Skin Submitted.

2012-02-16T02:01:00.000-08:00

"Nothing happens until something moves."

( preview // download, rate, comment, favorite )
Submitted my previous layout to blogskins.com but the codes are kinda messy. That aside, I still hope you will rate it even if you rate down. Sorry for disappointing anyone. :( Feedback and constructive criticism much appreciated.
---EDIT----
I got SOTD again!! Ahhhh!!! So happy! So happy! So hap—— -runs into a wall-

Seven Days - Friday to Sunday.

2012-02-15T04:18:00.000-08:00

Japanese: セブンデイズ FRIDAY - SUNDAY
Mandarin: 星期戀人
Rating: 9.5/10
Read online: (Chinese) VeryIM, (English) Manga AnimeA

Shounen Ai alert!
For those who don't normally like boy×boy relationships but are still open minded about it, I recommended you to read this. Of course, for those who can't stand fluff, this might kill you so if you're going to be stubborn and read it, buy insurance. It's about handsome high school guy named Shino Yuzuru and perfect Seryou Touji who is not only a gentleman, but will go out with anyone who asks for exactly one week, then dump them saying "I thought I could fall in love with you but I couldn't." Not knowing that Shino would accept guys too, he jokingly asks Seryou to go out with him for a week since Seryou says he likes Shino's face. Seryou however, takes it seriously and thus, romance blooms. Don;t get me wrong, the ending was great but I seriously wanted more! ヽ(≧з≦)ﾉ
Images scanlated by and credited to: Aarinfantasy

What else is there to love?

So I can be with you longer.

Love at first side. It's one sided though.

You said you like my face.

Click click snap!

Wait, I shouldn't be asking this.

♥

Arakawa Under the Bridge

2012-02-14T01:24:00.000-08:00

Japanese: 荒川アンダーザブリッジ
Mandarin: 荒川爆笑团
Rating: 9/10
Read online: (Chinese) 动漫屋, (English) Manga Fox

I really love this manga! A male nun, a pseudo Kappa, a samurai barber and lots of rivalry between Hoshi and Riku for Nino's attention promises a fun read with lots of laughter. Don't take it too seriously and kids, don't try this ever. Not even under adult supervision. I find the humor light and entertaining. Also, the short chapters make it a fun but light read. Oh, and the main character is pretty useless but don't feel too disappointed. The other characters like Sister and Hoshi more than make up for it. To summarize the story so far, it's about a guy, Kou Ichinomiya, who refuses to be in anyone's debt. His pants get stolen by a bunch of kids and a girl called Nino rescues him when he falls of the roof of the school after trying to get back his pants. In return for saving him, she makes one request. For him to be her lover. Unluckily, despite the mountain load of books he has read, he has no idea how to be a good lover. And so starts the wacky days of him (now nicknamed Riku) living under the bridge. My favorite characters has got to be Hoshi, Whitey, Maria and Sister though I love the other characters as well. Kinda hard for me to choose a favorite really.
Images scanlated by and credited to: Slow Manga

Really, Riku? really?

Mass is about to start.

Perhaps this time, I've finally reached an oasis.

Wait... What?!

Amen!

Withdraw!

Total mass time: 5 seconds.

New Skin Submitted.

2012-02-13T03:23:00.000-08:00

"If you say that you're cooler than me, doesn't that make me hotter than you?"

( preview // download, rate, comment, favorite )
An old layout of mine. Lyrics from Kumi Koda's "No Regret" first heard on the anime "The Law of Ueki". Seriously love that anime. Anyway, about this layout. Not plain, quite simple, lots of gray and too many different fonts. That aside, I'm rather happy with this layout as I think I've done a reasonable job. Not too shabby and submitted right before Valentines Day too. Anyway, leave a comment on what you think about this layout and I'll get back to you once I'm free.
---EDIT----
ZOMG!! My first SOTD! -passes out-

24 Jikan Kiss Dekinai

2012-02-12T10:04:00.000-08:00

Japanese: 24時間KISSできない
Mandarin: 禁断24小时
Rating: 7/10
Status: Completed (3 Chapters)
Read online: (Chinese) 新新漫画, (English) Manga Fox

REVIEW:
Okay, this manga is super super short so even if you don't like it, it won't waste much of your time reading it.

1st Story

It's about a high school teacher named Erimoto Hijii who has a relationship with his delinquent student called Kikusui Kiyouya.The story is pretty sweet and I like the art very much but to me, the plot seems too rushed. Apart from that, it isn't unique. The story is more or less one of those "delinquent falls for teacher at first sight, teacher at first refuses but falls for student in the end" stories. You read one, you've read them all. Nothing special but it was quite a fun read. Or maybe that's just because I'm in a good mood and feeling less fussy today.

2nd Story

Kinda sad. It's about a city high school student called Fujusawa Yuu who moves to the village because of personal reasons. The village kids are all boring and plain but then he meets 20 years old Nanatsuki who has been left back for 3 years because of attendance problems. Well, this story is already short enough without me spoiling it for you so I'll stop here before I give everything away.
:: Next review has something to do with a tiger and a bunny but no, it has nothing to do with the anime "Tiger & Bunny".

I'm obsessed with you.

Uh-oh, I sense trouble.

You were waiting a long time right?

I didn't want to go for the arranged marriage. So I ran away.

So you have Hematophobia?

New Layout.

2012-02-12T00:16:00.000-08:00

Hey hey, tell me what you think of my new layout. ♥
My old layout was getting boring. LOL. I liked it a lot, don't get me wrong. But I thought a change would be nice too. So, I know I haven't been updating for quite a while. Forgive me, I've been rather busy lately and I've also just recovered from a fever which I caught out of the blue. New review would be out soon as well as new blogskin submission. I think. Anyway, might go on a short hiatus in March but I'll leave news about it till then.

I'm a Fujoshi. Problem?

2012-02-03T22:47:00.000-08:00

Some people have been asking what my laptop screen looks like, so... Tadaa!
I know the "Manga" folder says 4 items but actually it means 4 folders. I'm a perfectionist so I tend to sort my manga by genre. And yeah, J-Pop over K-Pop anytime for me. Click for a larger preview.

I was bored so I made this lock screen and home screen for my iPad2. I know it's plain and very simple but I like how it turned out nonetheless. Oh yeah, I'm a fujoshi and proud of it. And yeah, I know that the games I play are games normally only guys would play but I love them anyway. Another review coming up soon so stay tuned for it all you fujoshis out there.

Lock Screen.

Home Screen

Homework.

2012-02-03T22:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I have a major exam coming up at the end of this year so I apologize for my late replies but please try to understand that I need to spend more time studying if I'm not going to fail. I don't think I'll go on hiatus but if the workload is too much I might, just for a little while. The teachers have been cramming in extra classes and mountain-loads of homework. Sometimes I get the feeling that they're more anxious than we are. Adding 2 tuition clases and my guitar lesson to that, my schedule is pretty pack this year. Work, work, work, I'll probably catch my death.
P.S: Heck yeah, I hate Chemistry. Sorry about my handwriting, had to burn the midnight oil to finish my report and I think I'm addicted to photography. I photograph just about everything nowadays.

It's the apocalypse.

2012-01-29T22:26:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon one of these videos while reading Paula's blog and then when to search it up on YouTube. After watching these two videos, I've decided that once I turn 18, I'll copyright my name. That way if I'm caught sending hentai materials to my friends via email by anybody of the law, they wouldn't be able to say my name, or write it, or use it in anyway and therefore, I will not be guilty, or trialed. Because if they do decide to give me a name so as not to infringe copyright of my name, it wouldn't be me they're talking to since it isn't my name. That is, if they can even talk anymore. After all, if this treaty is accepted, even the words we say will become copyrighted. No one will be able to understand anybody because we'll have to invent our own words. No one can eat because rice is copyrighted and was not planted by us in the first place. Queen Elizabeth II will have to dig her own stones and jewels or whatever palaces are made out of because the materials used to build her palace is no longer rightfully hers. We can't say "LOL" or even "Hello" because these words were not ours to begin with. It used to be everyone's but now, it's no one's.Apart from that, most of my friends who knows I'm a sucker for PSP games would know I use to get the free iso files from Filesonic and Fileserve but now they've closed down their free file sharing service and have now turned into iCloud's minions. Dammit, it's the apocalypse... starting with the internet.

All sharing functionality on FileSonic is now disabled. Our service can only be used to upload and retrieve files that you have uploaded personally.

FileServe can only be used to download and retrieve files that you have uploaded personally.

Out With Friends.

2012-01-28T20:00:00.000-08:00

"In the end, what we regret most are the chances we never took."
Okay, so I went out with a bunch of friends from school to watch a movie titled "The Viral Factor" which is a Hong Kong action film directed by Dante Lam starring Jay Chou and Nicholas Tse. But guess what? The 11:30A.M and 1:30P.M shows were all full! The same thing happened to me when I went out with my older brother to watch "Puss in Boots 3D". Damn it, next time I'm booking online. But on the bright side, we walked around, took pictures, shopped around for knickknacks and verbally abused the movie for being too popular until we all felt better. LOL, yeah, we're strange but awesome. I bought 3 hats, a key pen thingy and twin cups that came in a set. Actually I only wanted to buy one but the shop worker set they only sold it in pairs so, uh-huh. Well, I love myself so I guess buying a set of cups meant for couples still bods well for me.

Me and Sakura, no, we're not Yuri, but I do love her, LOL.

Sakura and Megan.

Sakura, Megan, Ivy. Two piggies and something black.

Ivy and my guitar.

Sakura and Ivy giving the "like a boss" face. Megan's on the phone with her mum.

Ivy and her owl shirt. Looks alike, no?

I'm a person of mystery.

For those who don't understand, the sign says "Pets are not not allowed into the cinema. xD

Bought a 500GB portable external hard drive to store my anime and movies.

The popcorn that we bought at the movies but didn't get to eat.

I'm in a relationship with myself.

Bits and pieces I bought while browsing the stores.

The key-pen I bought for my brother. He collects unique things.

China dolls from China.

Hats I bought modeled by Usa and Bullseye.

Usa and Hushush modelling for me with the hats I bought.

A part of my plushie family, I couldn't fit in everyone. Sorry guys. ):

Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai.

2012-01-27T05:38:00.000-08:00

Japanese: 僕は友達が少ない
Mandarin: 我的朋友很少
Rating: 8/10
Read online: (Chinese) 久久漫画, (English) Manga Fox

REVIEW:
As usual, the English version is slower than the Mandarin version. Honestly, I think from now on I'll just read all my manga in Mandarin. This manga is about Hasegawa Kodaka, an all around nice guy whose blond hair and sharp eyes seems to make everyone think he is a delinquent. (Doesn't this remind you of Kurosaki Ichigo from Bleach?) Thus, he has a hard time making friends. Kodoka has a younger sister called Kobato Hasegawa. She is a middle-schooler with a serious brother complex. And so, she joins the club. Then there is Yozora Mikazuki, she is a bully and Kodaka's childhood friend. She says she respects bullying but doesn't want to be called a bully herself. Kodaka used to think that she was a boy. Next is Sena. She is rich, attractive, smart, arrogant and has no friends. If only the real world was like that, but anyway, moving on. She is the daughter of the school's headteacher and scorns anything "ordinary". Oh, and she likes playing video games, especially eroge... For those that don't know what eroge means, eroge is the short form of ero game. ge is pronounced "ga" as in the "ga" from "game". "Ero" stands for erotic so ❝erotic game=eroge❞. The characters in eroges are normally drawn anime style. There's also the smart, rather crazy Rika Shiguma. Kodoka saved her when one of her experiments went wrong and she wishes to have sex with him to repay her debt. When he refuses, she joins the club to get closer to him. She has a habit of inserting any sexual innuendo possible in her sentences, to the point where she finds it normal to convert any innocent thought into something perverted. She is also a Fujoshi (for those who don't know what that is, click here) and is over the moon when Yukimura, Kodoka's very feminine male stalker, offers to have sex with Kodoka. She speaks in the third person. More about Yukimura, he caused quite a confusion the first time he joined the club because everyone thought he was a "she". She pledges to be Kodoka's underling in hopes to be more masculine and romantic, just the way he sees Kodoka. Yukimura also suffers from low self-esteem and is often made to cross-dress. He tends to obey Kodoka to the extreme. Lastly, there's Maria Takayama, a 10 year old prodigy and also the supervising teacher of the Neighbors Club which she was conned into by Yozora. She is rather bad mannered and has sibling-like relationship with Kodaka which she is affectionate towards, but that's probably because he makes her packed lunches all the time. This leads to some jealousy from Kobato. Maria has a 15 year old sister with an extremely nonchalant attitude named Kate. Even so, Kate seems to have a little bit of a sister complex.

Onii-chan... onii-chan...

It can't be poisoned... My poison detector detects poisons perfectly.

Foaming at the mouth.

I'm praising you so thank me.

What do you mean by that?

At least I didn't puke.

E for Excellent.

2012-01-27T01:29:00.000-08:00

"People think i'm shy because I don't talk or participate too much in conversations. The truth is don't really give a fuck what they're talking about."
Hey hey, remember the friend I told you about who came back from New Zealand? If not, click here to see my previous post. Back to the point. She was telling me about the grading system in her school where they didn't have A's or B's or C's or F's. Well, actually they did have F's, some things don't change. Anyway, her E stands for Excellent so imagine someone getting all E's. S/he can just say "If I were in New Zealand, you'd be bowing at my feet." But then if you were to bring your local exam scores there to look for a job and then they'll be going "Oh! All E's!! Wonderful, come to work tomorrow morning or something". Yeah right, if they were to interview you, they'd want their own local examinations scores so you'd probably have to take another test and if you scored all E's previously, well, you've got a lot of balls.On to my next topic, during my flight back from Malacca, I was reading the newspaper and saw a very interesting article titled "Sex, Religion and Real Harmony". The article is by D. RAJ and I think it is very well written.

Why they aren’t in bed, no one knows.
Better not being in bed than being in bed with some stranger, I say.

- D. RAJ

That is so true, better them loitering around then having sex and then abandoning any unwanted results in the rubbish bin. You may read the full article here.

Fujoshi Kanojo.

2012-01-23T18:09:00.000-08:00

Japanese: 腐女子彼女
Mandarin: 我的腐女友
Rating: 7.5/10
Status: Completed (5 Volumes)
Read online: (Chinese) VeryIM, (English) Manga Here

REVIEW:
This manga is interesting. It revolves around a guy name Mutou Taiga who went to get a part time job hoping to score a hot chick and a girl called Ameya Yuiko who is serious in her work but is actually a Fujoshi. For those who don't know what Fujoshi means, it means a female who likes BL/Yaoi/Guy homosexuals. He dates her without even knowing what a Fujoshi really is and finds out, the hard way. She is a hard-core yaoi fangirl whose favorite couple seems to be, Hibino (President) and Takurou from a Kick Volleyball (Sepak Takraw) manga. Taiga also reads this particular sports manga but can't, for the life of him, see any romantic relationship between these two main characters. After he reveals that he writes short stories, she begs him to write a fanfiction on Hibino and Takuro's "relationship" dubbed "HibiTaku" by Yuiko. The story is quite light hearted and funny, it has only 5 volumes so you could say it's not much but I recommend it nonetheless.

Fujoshi Kanojo cover.

She seems to have a glasses fetish...

I'm not copying him.

Good Job!

I can't imagine a sticky-note-glasses-guy...

Happy Chinese New Year!

2012-01-23T05:38:00.000-08:00

"Never tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon."

Dumpling says "Happy New Year".

Someone said my room looks like a hotel room, LOL, how can you tell when the only thing you can see is a very very very small part of my bed spread?
Hey yo! Happy Chinese New Year to all celebrating Chinese New Year and Happy Holidays to those who don't. It's been a busy day for me, Lots of things to do and people to entertain. My friend came back from Australia to celebrate New Year, I'm so happy! I miss her so much.

Jolene and me. ♥

20 icons up for grabs.

2012-01-21T20:40:00.000-08:00

"Never give up on something that you can't go a day without thinking about."
Hey yo, today's New Year's Eve! For me it's busy busy busy since we're stocking up with oranges, candies and cookies for our open house tomorrow. Here's a batch of icons from Dhiea to celebrate! Don't mind the single incest icon, it looks too cute to be minded. And yes, there's Belphagor!! -points points + fangirls- And I've also put up the bear icon I used in one of my past layouts. ♥
RAW source: Dhi ea

Brave 10.

2012-01-14T06:46:00.000-08:00

Japanese: ブレイヴ・テン
Mandarin: 真田十勇士
Rating: 8/10
Read online: (Chinese) 地面网漫画, (English) Manga Animea

REVIEW:
I really love this manga. Even though it's supposed to be historical, please don't believe the manga so easily. That being said, I think this manga is a good choice whether or not you like historical manga. Just give it a go. It merges humor into the story, ninja style. The Mandarin scans especially are of very good quality and are far ahead of the English scans which only have a pathetic 20 chapters. My favorite character from the series is quite easily, Yuri Kamanosuke. I just love him and his bloodthirstiness for some reason. Plus, his weapon is cool and kinda reminds me of Toushiro Hitsugaya's Zanpakutō, Hyōrinmaru. Brave 10 aired it's anime version in January 2012.

Brave 10 volume 8 Mandarin cover.

Grasshoppers?

A thousand of them??

Eat lead!

Dammit!

Akkan Baby.

2012-01-11T06:48:00.000-08:00

Japanese: あっかん　ベービー
Mandarin: 爱情不结晶
Rating: 8/10
Status: Completed (3 Chapters)
Read online: (Chinese) 久久漫画, (English) Manga Animea

REVIEW:
Not really considered mature content【H】, nothing graphic and no naked scenes.
Okay, so most people who know me in person would know that I almost never read a manga with an art style I don't like. Bad art styles just turn me off -snaps fingers- like that. That being said, to me, the art style of this manga is in the suckish category except for the chibis which are cute. But, I really like the story. Even though I would have preffered a more serious story, the story is lighthearted and heart warming. A good read. When my friend first recommended it to me, she said in one breath, "Cynthia, I-know-you-won't-like-the-art-style-but-please-give-this-manga-a-chance. At-least-read-one-volume. Onegai." So, seeing the sparkly image of my friend with moe no hana, huge puppy eyes and cherub face, I decided to give it a go. And I'm glad to say I didn't regret it. Of course, I would have given it a higher rating if the art was nicer, but anyway, moving on. The story is about an extremely clueless high school girl who things "rubbers" are candy and thinks pregnancy meters are thermometers (though they kinda look like one). She and her best friend, Yuki, which she met at a 'Conflict' (name of a rock band) concert are sex friends. Sex to them is nothing since they've been doing it ever since they first saw Rui (Vocals for 'Conflict') and Niina (Rui's girlfriend) preparing to do it in a forest. Yuki and Shigeru has never used protection before because they don't even know what it is. They call sex "battles" and there's even a winner and a loser (not sure how that works out so I'll leave it to your imagination). Then one day, Shigeru finds out she's pregnant, and both decides to carry on with the pregnancy and have the baby. The rest of the story continues with the new, old-fashioned principle expelling them and Shigeru touching her heart. The story is actually quite touching and I cried when the principle told Shigeru she is welcomed to come back to school. But then again, I'm quite emotionally unstable. LOL.

Love won't crystallize.

Let's have a battle!

And the winner is... Shigeru!

Don't let your tummy get cold.

Your seat will be waiting for you when you return.

24 icons up for grabs.

2012-01-08T07:29:00.000-08:00

"A friend is someone who can see the truth and pain in you even when you are fooling everyone else."
The 1st icon is Izaya from Durarara!! and the rest are all either fan art or official artwork from a game called Pause by Dhiea. I really like Dhiea's art style. It's clean and sort of mesmerizing (to me). Plus, her artwork of Saber makes me wish Saber was a guy.【真实思想】

16 icons up for grabs.

2012-01-07T16:46:00.000-08:00

"People have the right to be stupid. Some people abuse that privilege."
Ah, I guess this should be themed 'cute bishoujos' or something. And yes, I do know that the evil chibi at the end is out of place. LOL. The crown and apples icons were because I was running low on pictures. I am creative aren't I? ヾ(●´∀｀●)ﾉ

40 icons up for grabs.

2012-01-07T00:30:00.000-08:00

"When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place."
This batch is mainly made up from icons of Arakawa Under the Bridge, Bleach and random Bishoujos. No Yaoi today, sorry.New Year is coming soon, to those celebrating Chinese New Year, 新的1年开始，祝好事接2连3，心情4季如春，生活5颜6色、7彩缤纷，偶尔8点小财，烦恼9霄云外，请接受我10心10意的祝福。 To the rest, Happy Holidays. ♥

千と千尋の神隠し (Spirited Away)

2012-01-06T07:57:00.000-08:00

So, I just rewatched 千と千尋の神隠し and yes, it's as good as it was the first time I watched it around 5 years ago. Just in better quality. There should definitely be a 千と千尋の神隠し 2 but I highly doubt it since the author is already 71 years old. Not to sound sexist but it surprised me that the author was a guy. Such a cute, warm, fuzzy story is normally 女人的专长, "a girl thing". For those who've never watched this movie before, I highly recommend watching this. And to the guys, it's not girly so don't worry. This is a creation of Hayao Miyazaki and was produced by Studio Ghibli. Hayao Miyazaki is a pro at making and directing heartwarming movies whereas Studio Ghibli have produced many of Hayao Miyazaki's works such as My Neighbor Totoro, Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo and Howl's Moving Castle, all which I have watched. As usual, I will provide the link to watch online but if you like it, support the author by buying the original DVD okay? To be honest, it's not that easy to find his works in shops anymore.
Watch online: (Chinese version) 优酷, (English version) Veoh
P.S: I know the Veoh video says "Part 1" but actually it's the full movie. So don't go looking for "Part 2", you won't find it.

Chatroom Tag.

2012-01-05T23:21:00.000-08:00

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

Question: Who is your faorite character(s) in Bleach, Arakawa Under the Bridge, Gakuen Alice, Yu Yu Hakusho, Ao no Exorcist, Guilty Crown, Karneval, BlackBird, Kaichou wa Maid-sama and Inu x Boku SS?

Bleach (anime + manga): Ichimaru Gin
Arakawa Under the Bridge (anime + manga): Hoshi, Maria, Sister
Gakuen Alice: Mr. Bear, Natsume, Mika, Hotaru, Ruka, Kazumi Yukihira, Kokoroyomi, Misaki-sensei, Misaki, Tsubasa
Yu Yu Hakusho (anime + manga): Youko Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Genkai
Ao no Exorcist (anime + manga): Mephisto Pheles, Rin Okumura
Guilty Crown (anime): Gai Tsutsugami
K∀rneval (manga): Nai, Yogi, Gareki
Black Bird (anime + manga): Taro, Sagami, Ayame, Hoki, You Usui
Kaichou wa Maid-sama (anime + manga): Misaki, Usui, Tomu, Yukimura, Suzuna
Inu x Boku SS (anime + manga): Ririchiyo, Soushi, Nobara

Oguri Shun. (Actor)

2012-01-04T06:48:00.000-08:00

"It's better to keep your mouth shut and give the impression that you're stupid than to open it and remove all doubt."

Ginger + Slicked back hair. Dear God, even a similar pose...

Okay, for Oguri Shun fans, don't shoot me. Just a personal opinion. I mean you no harm.
Ogurishunlookslikeacrossbetweenronaldweasleyanddracomalfoy.
There, I said it. Don't throw anything at me that may cause my eminent demise. I'm allergic to death. Although I can see the resemblance in both his images, I have to admit that the red haired Oguri Shun is way hotter though the only thing I remember him for is the Arakawa Under The Bridge drama which he played Kappa. And honestly, he's not my type. Prefer the manga and anime though, I guess dramas aren't my thing.

Furueru Yoru no Himitsugoto.

2012-01-02T21:47:00.001-08:00

Japanese: ふるえる夜のひみつごと
Mandarin: 惊悸夜的秘密情事
Rating: 9/10
Status: Completed (5 Chapters)
Read online: (Chinese) 新新漫画, (English) Manga Animea

REVIEW:
Warning: Lots of pictures for this one.
This is a collection of one-shots. It's a pity they're all so short, all the stories have potential. For the busy people who love Yaoi. This is for you. It's a light read with lots of fluffiness and a mix of humor. Not particularly graphic and the art is quite nicely done. The author and artist is Ougura Muku. She seems to specialize in drawing all things cute because her art on little kids and teenagers alike are so adorable! I was drooling. LOL, not literally but you get the idea.
1st Story:
Okay, so the guy with black hair is Furuya and the guy with uncolored hair is Himi (Tomoki). Cute name right?? Moe overload! Oh,and Himi is really short, but he has a really loud voice. Himi always gets teased about height. D'awwww, I just feel like hugging him. ｡ﾟ･(｡ﾉД`)ヾ(-ω-*) Himi is afraid of the dark because there was once when he was a child, he got lost and spent the night in the dark. Furuya is afraid of bright lights because when he was little, he had a car accident and the last thing he saw before he woke up was the bright headlights. When there was a blackout, in order to calm him down, Furuya hugged Himi tightly and Himi ended up kissing him instead. It was so sweet. Oh, and there are always guys who say "I hate drinking milk, here Himi, you have it." Bwahahaha, it was hilarious! And very cute. OMG, when Himi was small, his father said "Don't cry, you're a lot like your mother. She was short but strong." And Himi ended up beating the crap out of anyone who bullied him or called him 'chibi', hahaha. At the end of the volume the author continued a little with Himi and Furuya's story. It's very short, only a few pages but very cute.
2nd Story:
It's about this unlucky guy who meets another unlucky guy. The first time they met, the black haired guy was drunk and looked beaten up. Out of sympathy, he gave the guy his jacket. The second time they met, it was drizzling. He saw that guy sleeping on the same bench. He gave the guy his umbrella. The third time they met, the guy was awake, and he look so... so... cute!! Haha, with his 'determine' pose. The policeman actually came up to him because he looked suspicious. This is a really good story with a nice flow. The usual complaint, too short. Pity though, it's so short that there isn't even a kiss scene in this one. Sigh.
3rd Story:
It's about this boy called Adachi (Black haired bespectacled guy)who doesn't like to talk. And then there's Tokiwa, the bad influence. LOL. He teaches Adachi to skip class and says dirty stuff. Oh yeah, I like him.
4th Story:
Okay, this story is also split into 2 parts with a mini ending at the end of the volume like the 1st story. Damn it, Nishina (darkened hair) was hot as a teenager. Of course, he's still hot now, just in a more mature way. He is a troublemaker turned teacher and is transfered to Aoi's (light hair) class. In this class, there was a student called Tsutsumi Shuuichi who pass away recently due to an accident. This student was Aoi's close friend "like an older brother" as Aoi would put it. Before he died, Tsutsumi admitted to Aoi that he had a crush on him, but Aoi rejected him. Filled with regrets, Aoi goes to the library where they use to hang out very frequently. He also talks to himself when he is sitting alone in front of Tsutsumi's desk. Many teachers request for Nishina's help to get things or sort things from the library because they think it's haunted since Tsutsumi use to go there all the time. There, he sees Aoi sitting all alone half naked and assumes he was just assaulted. Well, I don't want to give too many spoilers so read the rest yourself. Trust me, it gets good.

(1) Afraid of light.

(1) Not nervous.

(1) Roommates. Himi?

(1) I'll hold you until you're not scared anymore.

(1) I hate to drink milk.

(1) Surrounded by darkness.

(1) She was short, but strong.

(5) Please take care of him.

(2) I'm so unlucky!

(2) I guess they are people worse off.

(2) Don't catch cold.

(2) This is determination.

(2) Me too.

(3) Oh no, I'm skipping class!.

(3) It's cold being alone.

(3) I'll make it so you can't defy me.

(4) Nishina, what do you want to be next time?

(4) The old library.

(4) He was like an older brother.

(4) Not suited to be a teacher.

(4) Don't sleep here, it's dusty.

(5) I wanted to surprise you. Surprise!

Blogskins Submission.

2012-01-02T08:11:00.000-08:00

"Someday your prince charming will come. Mine just took a wrong turn, got lost, and is too stubborn to ask for directions."
( preview // download, rate, comment, favorite )
Oh yes, I do love Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi, otherwise known as Spirited Away. And yes, I have, to reasons currently unknown to me, decided to submit my Christmas layout at 12.00 midnight on January 3rd 2012, Tuesday.I didn't actually realize it was midnight until I looked at the computer clock thing. Normally, I probably would have submitted this earlier but I had tuition and I forgot all about it until this devilish hour. So there. Story of my life.

Fukigen Cinderella.

2012-01-01T21:47:00.000-08:00

"Love is giving someone the power to destroy you...but trusting them not to."
Japanese: フキゲンシンデレラ
Mandarin: 不高兴的灰姑娘
Rating: 7/10
Read online: (Chinese) 新动漫网, (English) Manga Reader

REVIEW:
Kanna Haruhiko is a guy, who suddenly turns into a female. Oh, and he has the personality of a demon king. A rude, crude, rather obnoxious demon king at that. He turns back into a guy after hearing some weird clock noises that goes on twelve times. The artwork is okay. Not bad, not great. Just so-so.

A story about Cinderella.

Changed.

Wishing it was just a bad dream.

Back to normal?

20 icons up for grabs.

2011-12-30T00:11:00.000-08:00

"When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile."
It's been a while since I last posted up any icons so here's a batch of 20 for you guys before the New Year. I think this batch came out very nicely, especially the Yu Yu Hakusho batch. ❤ I wish I could have a slumber party with them with beer and swords and mahjong and Eikichi. ★ヽ(●´ω｀●)ﾉ

China, Hong Kong Trip. (Photographs)

2011-12-27T04:00:00.000-08:00

"Sometimes people put up walls, not to keep others out, but to see who cares enough to break them down."
I know my photography skills suck, comment on it and die. Haha, kidding, constructive comments are always welcome.

Guide.

2011-12-26T16:11:00.000-08:00

"Yes, I do want to have my cake and eat it too. What good is a cake if you can't eat it?"
This is a guide I made on the steps of drawing my China doodle.It's not really a how-to-draw-this tutorial which is why I put down "guide" instead. I made this bilingual because I have some Chinese friends who only speak Mandarin. If the images are too small, you can click on it for the full size. Click here to view the China doodle.

Tagged by Ayu.

2011-12-25T02:34:00.001-08:00

"Life isn't short. It's the longest damn thing there is! What can you do thats longer?"
Answering a post that I was tagged in by the very awesome Ayu. Oh, and here's a drawing I made sometime ago. Drawn with pencil then borrowed a friends scanner to scan it into my computer then I had to transfer it into my iPad2 and colored it using the ArtRage app before saving and transferring it back into my computer. Apart from that, the image is a little dirty because I forgot the clean it up after testing out some shades so there's pencil shades here and there. Gomennasai, yurushite kudasai. Yes, it's a long tedious process. Sigh, can't be helped. For those who are wondering who HighAbandon is, it's me. Or more accurately, my DeviantArt account though I think I'll abandon it soon. Anyway, pictures of my trip to China and Hong Kong will be posted up later.

Name: Cynthia
Favorite Color: Soft colors, black, white
Favorite Animal: All canines and wild felines
Facebook or Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/cynthiawong1995
Her Passion: Anime, Manga, reading storybooks, eating chocolate, money, dogs

Two things about me:
1. I read any genre of manga and storybook as long as the plot is interesting
2. The first school I went to was in the United Kingdom.
What I want for Christmas:
1. A laptop
2. money
3. unlimited supply of chocolates.

メリークリスマス!

2011-12-25T01:57:00.000-08:00

"In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away."
Ciaossu! Merry Christmas everyone! Here are some icons to celebrate!

China, Hong Kong, Here I come!

2011-12-16T19:35:00.000-08:00

"A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write."
Yes, I know my handwriting sucks. Will be back on the 24th.

Natsukaze (なつかぜ)

2011-12-14T04:14:00.000-08:00

"Friendship is like standing on wet cement. The longer you stay, the harder it's to leave, and you can never go without leaving your footprints behind."
Rating: ★★★★★
Second review. Natsukaze. Seriously, how does HoneyCanon's make all her Gin×Ran doujinshis so damn fluffy? ヽ(´□｀。)ﾉ･ﾟ I'm getting moé overload! There are two stories here. The first story starts with the weather being too hot and Rangiku being too stubborn to extinguish the fire in the house because "it'll be too dark". She goes out of the house to get some cool air and sees fireworks being lighted up. And of course, Gin is pervy as usual. Why the stereotyping HoneyCanon? Not that I mind. 。ﾟ+.ﾟヽ(●´ω｀●)ﾉ。ﾟ+.ﾟ　Second story is about Rangiku catching a cold and a fever. Gin looks after her and ends up catching a cold too. Simply. Adorable.

Yuki Asobi (ゆきあそび)

2011-12-13T07:16:00.000-08:00

"The truth is hard to swallow when you're choking on your pride."
Rating: ★★★★★
Okay, so I got this email to do a review on 3 doujinshis by Honey Canon. I'll seperate the reviews into three posts starting with the first one called Yuki Asobi. I've actually read this story before quite a long time ago and I think it's really cute. I prefer the creepy-ish smexy squinty eyed Gin but for those who are fans of Honey Canon's works you'll know that when she draws Gin she likes drawing him with his eyes open. I'm not sure why but I'm not complaining. And the way she draws Rangiku! Gawd, moe!! I feel like hugging them. (both Rangiku and the author) This doujinshi focuses mainly on their childhood so we have pervy little Gin and short tempered little Rangiku when they were both still living together in Rukongai. Gin makes a snowman and adds Rangiku's boobies to it. Haha, priceless. ♥ The version I read was the Japanese version which is no longer available for download because the link is dead, unless you find another link of course. But I did manage to grab the link to the English version which is much more convenient for those who can't read Japanese but want to read this doujinshi.
You may download the english version HERE.

20 icons up for grabs. (Gin×Ran & Ura×Yoru)

2011-12-12T21:12:00.000-08:00

"If I were in Hogwarts, I would be in Slytherine."
Anyway, here's the promised post for Gin×Ran fans and Urahara×Yoruichi fans.As for why in some pictures Yoruichi has short hair, that's because when she was younger she had short hair. But then again, if you're a fan of this couple you should already know that. ♥ These 2 couples are my absolute favorite in Bleach even though both aren't real couples. ヽ(○｀･v･)人(･v･´●)ﾉ

New Skin Submitted.

2011-12-10T17:36:00.000-08:00

"No need for revenge, just sit back and wait. Those that hurt you will eventually screw up all by themselves. And if you are lucky, God might just let you watch."
( preview // download, rate, comment, favorite )
What should I say about this skin?Well, I think it's one of my better skins. not too messy with a wide blog post width, simple style plus, I think I color coordinated my basic HTML tags quite nicely. Apart from that, I almost never do faded backgrounds because I think it spoils the color. The colors are soft so it doesn't hurt to look at it but solid enough that you can still see them. However, I did think the softening from the fade actually made the layout more attractive. It took quite a while for me to find the backgrounds to suit my taste. And to think I never got the time to change my layout. Tsk tsk. The title '黒の契約者' is based off one of my favorite anime. And I really like the lyrics to Gin and Rangiku's 'Fuyu no Hanabi' as well as Avenged Sevenfold's 'Nightmare'.

Hiatus and early Christmas greetings.

2011-12-06T22:09:00.000-08:00

"People are to be loved and things are to be used... Immorality occurs, when things are loved and people are used."

I'll be on hiatus from 08.12.2011 to 26.12.2011 because I'll be busy spending money in Hong Kong and China.
Of course, I'll reply tags occasionally and also do a lot of doodling but just in case, here's 2 Christmas doodles for my 2 favorite bloggers, Lisa and Morla.
Click on the images for the direct link m'kay? Sorry the images are so big, my art application on iPad refuse to provide variations in sizes but I still hope you 2 like them. I apologize for the lame costumes, I'm not good at drawing outfits like skirts or tank tops, LOL. Gomen, gomen...

P.S: Lisa, I know I've said this before but your fluffy ears are so cute!

[EDIT] I've done one for Audrey and Shimin too, hope you like it. Sorry about my messy handwriting. (≧ω≦*)

20 icons up for grabs.

2011-11-29T23:11:00.000-08:00

"The minute you think you're going to lose something, it suddenly becomes the most important thing in the world."
Click on the icon for the code. I'm not very good at making icons so please bear with me.
I've been rather camera obsessed lately. Apart from wanting a camera of my own, I also like picture of cameras hence this post having two of them. Oh, and I can't leave out my favorite Bleach couple. Gin and Rangiku FTW! ヾ( ≧∀≦)ｯ And just to give you a clue, my next post will be dedicated to Gin×Ran fans and Urahara×Yoruichi fans! ヽ(●´ω ｀ヽ)

20 icons up for grabs.

2011-11-28T22:18:00.000-08:00

"Don't think outside the box...Think like there is no box."
Click on the icon for the code. I'm not very good at making icons so please bear with me.
At last, my 100th icon posted! Another all bishoujo post to celebrate my hard work and achievement, teehee. These took forever because my computer was being mean and kept shutting off by itself like it has a mind of it's own. Anyway, enjoy!

20 icons up for grabs.

2011-11-27T17:35:00.000-08:00

"God gives you answers in three ways: he says yes and gives you want you want, he says no and gives you something better, or he says wait and gives you the best."
Click on the icon for the code. I'm not very good at making icons so please bear with me.
As promised, I did do quality control so this batch of icons are a lot better than the last. Anyway, with that said, what if the previous 2 post mostly being Yaoi I've decided to do an "all bishoujo" post. All the illustrations belong to the artist(s) "H2SO4", catchy name right? ヾ(o´∀｀o)ﾉ Enjoy!

20 icons up for grabs.

2011-11-26T17:11:00.000-08:00

"Some people think before they speak. Some people speak before they think. The smart ones just smile and nod."
Click on the icon for the code. I'm not very good at making icons so please bear with me.
All right, new batch of icons released, mostly Yaoi with some Bishoujos, cats, a sappy couple and one Yuri thrown into this odd mix. -sigh- My stupid ass computer's giving me a headache.

20 icons up for grabs.

2011-11-25T20:00:00.000-08:00

"The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."
Click on the icon for the code. I'm not very good at making icons so please bear with me.
Okay, yes, i admit the quality of some of the icons here aren’t as great as I wanted them to be, but it can’t be helped so... -shrugs shoulders- For the icons that have the exact same facial expression as the next icon, or previous, and looks almost exactly the same, it’s because it is from the same picture, just with image adjustments like saturation, blurring etc. Comprenez-vous? I thought this would be obvious enough but since I’ve actually gotten questions on this I thought I might as well clear things up for my readers and those who were planning to ask this question.

20 icons up for grabs.

2011-11-24T01:25:00.000-08:00

"God gave us mouths that close and ears that don't-- that should tell us something."
Click on the icon for the code. I'm not very good at making icons so please bear with me.
Bel is awesome, nuff' said.
For those that are confused as to why I tagged "Harry Potter" in my post is because, notice the last 2 icons? They are actually drawn from the Harry Potter Series. And no, the bespectacled dude is NOT Harry, it's actually a young James Potter in his prime. And the last icon, just so you know, is a dude, so it's not Lily. That was a surprise. Well, so the guy paired with James is... *dramatic music* Snape! I thought my eyes went bad or something but that's what the artist put down. A Yaoi fan art on the most-unlikely-to-be-a-couple couple in storybook history! Everyday brings new surprises eh? But the full image was, undeniably, sweet. Fluffy, just the way I like it. Especially when it comes to rival turn lovers.
Anyway, jaa, enjoy the freebies. ヾ(＾∇＾)ﾉ

Icon/Banner Request Done.

2011-11-20T16:14:00.000-08:00

"The longer the explanation, the bigger the lie."
Click on the icon for the code. I'm not very good at making icons so please bear with me.
Icons requested:
4 Hatsune Miku
4 Koukou Debut
4 Dengeki Daisy
4 Watashi wa ni XX Shinasai
4 Skip Beat
4 Kuroshitsuji
Banners requested:
2 Steins Gate

:: Out of all these icons, Watashi wa ni XX Shinasai was the most pain-in-the-ass to make. I basically had to go through the entire internet to look for images that were big enough or didn't suck in quality. As you can see, out of desperation I ended up making an icon of her spectacles. Aahaha, sorry Ayu, I didn't know what else to do. (・ε ・〃)ノ

Katekyo! (Home Tutor!)

2011-11-19T03:56:00.000-08:00

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
Japanese: カテキョ!
Mandarin: 情色家教！
Rating: 8.5/10
Read online: (Chinese) 漫画迷, (English) Manga Animea

REVIEW:
Via anonymous request, I'll be reviewing a BL manga called Katekyo! (カテキョ!) which involves a clueless student's ralationship with a sadistic home tutor. Actually, I've already read this particular manga up till the most recent chapters so I don't have to go about reading it again, not that I mind because I actually enjoy this manga a lot. The drawings are really clean and reasonably neat though some parts aren't very proportionate. Even though I don't like idiot, easy to bully main characters, I can't help but like Rintarou (the student). I would consider this a rather cliché and fluffy BL romance manga but... oh God, moé! And an extra interesting fact, the author has a Moé in his name, he is called Yuu Moegi though I'm not sure if this is his real name or just a pseudonym. By the way, this manga is still ongoing so expect a scanlation update every now and then.The English version can be found at Manga Animea. Surprisingly, I cant seem to find the read online Chinese version, only the downloadable one. The Chinese version is 情色家教！ (so as not to confuse it with Katekyo Hitman Reborn) and can be downloaded at RF.
For those who can't read the small print on the cover page (1st image):

Rintarou who spends days made physical contact by a tutor. He took the bad point on a test and it was done a naughty mute ember and will not do it. The love lesson that an erotism tutor gives it.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is copied directly off Google Translate because it makes absolutely no sense what so ever. Oh, and ignore the English words on Rintarou's work book that seems to say "He is tutorih(?)" because the Japanese on top with the greenish background just means "high school English comprehension". With books like that, no wonder his English sucks, aye?

Ayahatori Shoukanjou.

2011-11-08T06:50:00.000-08:00

"God grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."
Japanese: あやはとり召喚帖
Mandarin: 文织召唤帖
Rating: 9/10
Status: Completed (20 Chapters)
Read online: (Chinese) 动漫屋, (English) Manga Here

REVIEW:
The art style is also clean and neat. The only complaint I have is... it's too ******* short!!!!! There is only 20 chapters and then BAM! The End. Σ(ﾟДﾟﾉ)ﾉ?! Both me and my friend were like "go rot in hell" (#｀皿´)怒怒怒怒怒怒!!! Anyway, before I spin out of control, I'll warn you that scanlations for the English version aren't complete though so for those who can't read Mandarin, well... You'll have to wait a while. A long while. The story is about a girl called Kozakura Saaya who can summon familiars from ancient times, like legends and demons. The thing is, she summons them not to make them do what she wants but actually to make friends with them. The naive Saaya summons Ono no Komachi which is one of the most beautiful "women" during ancient times, in Japan that is. But it turns out, Ono no Komachi is actually a smartass, snarky, arrogant and undeniably beautiful guy. And well, the plot thickens but I won't spoil it for you. Happy reading. (*・▽・)／

Since you came to greet me, get to your knees.

Saaya and Ono no Komachi.

Summoning Ono no Komachi.

I don't know what he's saying, but I know he's laughing at me.

Alex Louis Armstrong.

2011-11-07T05:36:00.000-08:00

"Promises mean everything, but after they are broken, sorry means nothing."

There I was, browsing the Internet and being cool as usual and his face suddenly pops into my mind. For those who don't read Fullmetal Alchemist, Armstrong is awesome and his awesomeness is second only to mine. ε-(=｀ω´=)