update with a rec (or four)
Actually, I was rambling all this in hphaeton's comment box ages ago. XDDDD But then I thought I should post this in a separate entry.

After a two year or so period of reading only the series I've been following since college, lately I'm rather obsessed with reading mangas again.

I found a few stories worth recommending, if you're interested. I'm currently in love with "Katekyou Hitman Reborn", "Tokkyu", and "Eyeshield 21". These three mangas had awesome storyline and very good artwork. There's also an old manga that I'd like to recommend.

"Katekyou Hitman Reborn!" was about an admittedly useless boy, Sawada Tsunayoshi, who was chosen to be the next leader of the most influential family amongst the mafias. So the family sent this one-year-old baby to Japan to train "Tsuna" into becoming a befitting leader. If you're thinking that this baby is a normal toddler, then you're seriously wrong. He carried around a suitcase full of weapons of all kind, and he could kick quite literally everyone's ass. Artwork was seriously good. [on-going series]

"Tokkyu" - a unit of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force that's specialized in rescue missions in the seas. Very captivating story with amazing detailed lineart. The author and illustrator did their homework, so it turned out both satisfying and educating. I have this serious love on Shimamoto, Sawada, and Hyouko that I can't even explain. You'll have to read the series to know why. [on-going series]

I even started writing a few lines of Tokkyu!fic >w<

Meguru-kun was still complaining loudly that they should have known to bring their wet suits, and Hyouko grudgingly had to agree. Knowing their luck (Sanada-san was with them), they would need them. In fact, they should have gone all out and bring all of the equipments with them. Vacation meant nothing when you were taking leave with Sanada Jin.

As for now, Sanada, Shimamoto, and Hyouko were soaked to the bone from jumping into the river with their clothes on, and the odd drafts were not helping. The girls they managed to rescue were still alive though, and that made every millisecond of their agony right now worthwhile.

Shimamoto-san was shivering, his unconscious form emitting enough heat to make Hyouko feel warm. Members of the sixth team stared at their guest with concern. Shimamoto-san, all be it only possessed a five-feet-something stature, was a very strong and formidable person. This cold must be seriously bad to make even "the Great Oni" Shimamoto Shinchi fell.

Hyouko stiffled a yawn as he, yet again, brought Shimamato's hands to his mouth and breathed hot air on them. Shimamoto didn't stir when Hyouko started rubbing his hands and arms to warm them up more. All the while, Hyouko ignored Sanada who watched all this with interest. He had been eying Hyouko's actions since the beginning. Sanada, in turn, ignored Meguru who made noices about Sanada getting himself dry up. The vice-captain was taking care of the two girls they just saved from the river, so there was nothing to be worried about.

It's just a normal day for them, the Tokkyu, regardless of today being their rare break and that they were not prepared.

"Eyeshield 21" - Not your ordinary sport manga, this one. It has bloodthirsty-but-quite-harmless captain of the American Football team whose specialties lie in blackmailing and bullshitting into getting what he wants. It also has a very weak boy who was good at almost nothing but was forced into joining the American Football team at gun point (literally) because he can run in "the speed of light". There's also a polite and kind-hearted boy whose body is made just to be a lineman; big, heavy, and quite literally unmoveable. And don't forget the last founding member of the team, the carpenter-turned-punk-turned-kicker; the man who owned the title of "Sixty-yards Magnum". [on-going series]

The look on Shin's face right then, as Takami carefully observed, went totally blank for a few seconds, but that was long enough to make Takami hesitate in adding that--

"But you'll have to catch him first."

Takami looked over his shoulder to see that their coach, Shouji, was staying by the door. He was pretty sure that Shouji wasn't there a few minutes ago, but he must have been here for while to have heard them.

"That boy lives in the world of light speed. You can be there, too. You already are close to that," said Shouji, his face carefully neutral. "You can catch Eyeshield 21."

"Ah," was all Shin's reply. Once more, the weight was lifted and placed back, but now with slightly unsteady hands.

Takami tried not to stare. But Shin was so obvious, if one knew where to look, that he was shaken by Shouji's speech. The team was aware of Shin's obsession with Kobayakawa Sena, so they were polite enough not to continue with this conversation. Takami was not certain though, that they knew just how obsessed Shin acutally was with the boy who now rightfully possessed the title "Eyeshild 21".

"Whistle!" - I actually read this manga many, many years back and own a copy of the series at home. I've read it more than dozen times already, which means it's highly entertaining in my book. Kazamatsuri Shou was a boy with average abilities. What he had more than others was perseverance. He wanted to be a football player (soccer for some of you) so, being an average as he was, he trained twice more than others to improve himself. His humble and determined self pulled his team members into throwing themselves into football even more. [finished series]

Just look 'em up on onemanga.com (except Tokkyu) :3








I think I've been in a weird comic-jinks lately. Not weird comics, but weird jinks. A few years earlier, I wouldn't read sport mangas as a rule. I just didn't. Then for some strange reasons, I got hooked by "Hijime no Ippo" (hahaha this title could be SO DIRRRRTY!). I can't even remember WHY I read it in the first place.

Theeeeeeeen, I read "PPOI!", which is more like a teenage drama than sport manga. After that, I got to know about "Slam Dunk" and "Dear Boys". There probably was more than this that I read, but these titles are the ones I can remember. Did you see the trends here? Yep, it's all about Basketball. It might have many things to do with me being crazy about Micheal Jordan right then. heee!

Then "Whistle!" came out. At first I wasn't interested in it at all, but my bro really liked to watch football, so I thought; why the heck not, and bought a few volumes. I've never thought I'd be hooked by football manga so fast! The thing about this manga is that none of the characters has any special superhuman type skill. They're normal boys who trained hard and knew how to use their advantages over their rivals to win the game. Just that. I guess this is the same thing that made me like Ippo (from Hajime no Ippo) so much. The slashableness of many characters is a bonus as well.

Shibusawa/Fujisawa is super, super cute and is my fav pair in "Whistle!". Though I'm secretly fond of Mitsuno/Shou & Shibusawa/Shou. asaghgsdas

I tried reading PoT once. For personal reasons, which I won't mention ever ever!, I stopped reading it right away. Sorry, guys!