Manga Similar to Mushishi and Planetes

[upiro]

I watched the first three episodes of Spice and Wolf and kinda dropped it along the way, probably because I loathe anything that has to do with economics and the voice acting was grating.

Lol, fair enough! I found the discussions on economics surprisingly compelling but mostly enjoyed the witty interactions of the two main characters.

I’ve watched about half of Texhnolyse before and thoroughly enjoyed it (though the first episode did make me go “huh?”). I’ve wanted to finish the series for quite a long time now and I liked how the first big arc (if I remember correctly) defied my initial expectations of all of the characters and made them much deeper than I had anticipated. I’ve heard that it gets even better! And of course, the character designs by Yoshitoshi Abe are truly drool worthy.

Speaking of Abe, I watched Haibanei Renmei again recently (after an interval of a few years) and I just remembered how beautiful it was. It left a powerful impact on me (again) and rose several notches up my “All-time favourite anime” list. Did you like it and do you know of any other anime series which leaves a similar impression?

And I’ll check out Ghost Hound as well. I’ve heard good things about it and a viewing is long overdue. Also, what do you think of Fantastic Children and Twelve Kingdoms if you’ve watched them?

I’m already following All-Rounder Meguru and looking forward to more chapters. And I just checked Angela Carter on Amazon and she sounds exciting!! Oh, and if you enjoy dark, twisted fairy tales as well as the language and literary style of Jane Austen, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell just might fit right under your alley

Although the premise is slightly .... strange, Ryuguden has a very poignant ending. I enjoyed it more than I expected and re-reading it made me realise that it was quite a creative, albeit disturbing manga with some very dark themes.

[Fevvers]

Originally Posted by upiro

I’ve watched about half of Texhnolyse before and thoroughly enjoyed it (though the first episode did make me go “huh?”). I’ve wanted to finish the series for quite a long time now and I liked how the first big arc (if I remember correctly) defied my initial expectations of all of the characters and made them much deeper than I had anticipated. I’ve heard that it gets even better! And of course, the character designs by Yoshitoshi Abe are truly drool worthy.

WAAAATCH IT! I felt it was at the eight episode where the shit really hit the fan, though it does so in such a dramatically understated way. I loved everything about the first episode (the heavy atmosphere and art direction to name a few, which is the reasons why I love Shigurui as well) and upon second viewing gave a lot of foreshadowing for the events ahead. This book club here is very insightful if you're interested.

Haibane Renmei is a masterpiece, not a lot comes close to it sadly. There's not a lot of anime that has similar premise to Haibane, though I do think other Abe/Konaka works have something to offer albeit being much more dense and heavy like Serial Experiments Lain and the abovementioned Texhnolyze. There's Ghost Hound as well although that's no Abe work and the ending felt a little bit rushed (I still enjoyed it nonetheless and think it's a heck a lot better than most anime nowadays). Check out Now and Then, Here and There, Zettai Shounen, Kino's Journey, NieA Under 7 as well.

I liked Twelve Kingdoms though my interest with it dwindled as Yoko's importance dwindled as well. I might watch it again since it's been such a long time and I'm in need of a solid fantasy series (Guin Saga sucks! >_<). Fantastic Children on the other hand I haven't finished yet, I'm liking it a lot though, will offer my opinion once I do so.

I think Carter's best work is Nights at the Circus, such a dense work filled with larger than life characters, though Wise Chldren comes at a close second. And funny you mention, I have Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell gathering dust in my room and shall read once I finish Nabokov's Lolita.

Wheee, thanks! This thread's been a joy to read and hope we get to see more reccs from others as well. *off to read Ryuguden!*

[upiro]

I’ve enjoyed reading this thread as well and found it incredibly useful. I do hope others will be able to provide more reccs in the future as well but I’m thrilled with the number of interesting new mangas I’ve discovered so far.

Nights at the Circus looks really interesting and I’m looking forward to getting hold of it. And yeah, I really should check out Serial Experiments Lain though I’m worried that the story, with its early exploration of the Net, might be quite dated by now. (Although that hasn’t stopped Flowers of Algernon, with its outdated notions of psychology and cognitive processes, from becoming perhaps my favourite sci-fi novel.)

Oh, and I’ll try to get hold of the remaining episodes of Texhnolyse too! I've already watched Kino's Journey and Now and Then, Here and There and I'm a big fan. They're 2 series that have remained in my mind long after I've watched them.

Although it has many sci-fi elements added to it, I think Kaiba could be a unique example of epic fantasy that you might enjoy. Although the ending was rushed, the series is incredibly profound and contains more provocative ideas than other series that are much longer. And do brush off the dust from Jonathan Strange and start reading it … IMMEDIATELY :P (Oh, and make sure you read the footnotes in the book. They’re hilarious!)

As for manga, haven’t discovered anything new that’s been amazing. Cesare and Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer have had a torrent of new chapters which has been great. I’m also reading Matsuri Special which is fluff but surprisingly good fluff. A short but relatively interesting shoujo manga (though the online translations are bad). I like it better than the author’s other work, Cat Street, which I have mixed feelings towards.

If you know of any other stories (anime/novels) that are consistent with (and as good as!) Mushishi, Planetes and other mangas that's been discussed so far, I'll be happy to hear them as well. Thanks!

[Fevvers]

I've wiped the dust off Jonathan Strange! ^_^ I'm enjoying it a whole lot, it's strangely gripping in a so-hard-to-put-down kind of way. Would be even better if the character's weren't two-dimensional (especially the women), but oh well, we'll see where it goes. Thanks for the recc!

Do tell me what you think of Nights at the Circus (or of Angela Carter in general) if you get a hold of it! And yay, something new to read (although admittedly I have a lot here that I need to finish first *I am looking at you Virginia Woolf*), I'll check out Flowers of Algernon once time (and money) permits.

Kaiba is fantastic! I agree about the ending though, which could be said the same for Yuasa's Kemonozume. I find myself never less than impress regardless with his works though with his sheer imagination and sensual portrayal of intimacy between characters.

I didn't think you'd be reading fluff, not that that's a bad thing! I'm enjoying Matsuri Special, much more so than Cat Street as well, although I really liked the couple in the latter. I suppose, for me, it was a breath of fresh air in shoujo for a couple to actually be good for each other instead of the usual bad boy with a typical traumatic past and the good-hearted girl who's going to change him. You might want to check out Coelacanth; while it got a bit sentimental in the end, the mystery and the psychological effects on its characters were handled with taste and subtlety. Ikuemi Ryo has some good works as well, shoujo that doesn't make me want to pull my hair in despair!

Other manga I've read recently which I also love are Arigato by Yamamoto Naoki (don't let the first few chapters mislead you into thinking it'd be nothing but sex and misogyny though, it's actually much more uplifting and profoundly relevant to society, in a crude, dark humor-ish sort of way) and A Distant Neighborhood by Jiro Taniguchi (it's not a very original premise, time travelling and the dilemma of changing the past or not, yet all is handled delicately, very down-to-earth). Kinderbook is a cool read as well, with art style that's more similar to the European's than Japan, that raises lots of acute societal questions and concerns. I didn't like it as much as the first two, but it is interesting.

Also Ryuguden is craaaazy. I love the pacing of the shots. And I know it's juvenile, but lol penis train and rabbit boys!

[upiro]

I’ve started reading Nights at the Circus (props to my local library for having a copy) and so far, it’s very interesting. Very different from other ‘Young Adult’ books that are out there. I like the layered, baroque writing style and though I’m worried that it might get convoluted later, it’s been enjoyable so far. Carter obviously loves using big words, metaphors and other literary tropes and I’m looking forward to seeing if the story and characters match up to the writing.

(Oh, and the main character’s name is awfully familiar for some reason :P)

Thanks for the manga reccs. I just read ‘A Distant Neighbourhood’ and it’s a very down-to-earth, realistic portrayal of what happens when you go back in time. I did feel it was a bit too slow-paced and sober in some places but that didn’t compromise my interest.

Other manga I've read recently which I also love are Arigato by Yamamoto Naoki (don't let the first few chapters mislead you into thinking it'd be nothing but sex and misogyny though, it's actually much more uplifting and profoundly relevant to society, in a crude, dark humor-ish sort of way)

That’s good to know … I read the 1st 2 chaps a few years ago and promptly abandoned it because I thought it was just glorified porn. I may give it another shot in the future …

I suppose, for me, it was a breath of fresh air in shoujo for a couple to actually be good for each other instead of the usual bad boy with a typical traumatic past and the good-hearted girl who's going to change him.

Haha, well said! Most shoujos bore me or make me roll my eyes in frustration. Their depiction of romance is soooo bad it’s almost like a parody. I’ll check out the shoujos you mentioned though. Here’s a question: Are there any good Josei or Shoujo that completely ignores romance but focuses solely on friendship? That would be a nice change …

Also, glad you liked Ryuguden. I did try reading Gakuen Alice (a shoujo) recently and while it’s very creative, it piles up the angst pretty hard and the art makes it hard to know what’s going on sometimes. So, this recc comes with a big ‘Caution’ disclaimer. Another manga which has an interesting take on the whole ‘social misfit-finds-perfect-girlfriend-in-virtual-world-and-rethinks-his-life’ is Ressentiment. While the whole sub-genre is pretty old now, this manga keeps it fresh and pulls no punches where the main character is concerned (He can be really repulsive and a bit of a jerk).

Finally, I’m re-reading Beck which follows the struggles of a group of young men who aspire to rise to the top of the music industry. Different people like it for different reasons but the biggest draw for me was the incredible amount of character development that the main character undergoes. Wish more stories had such marked, explicit character development …

[Fevvers]

Admittedly Nights at the Circus is a very strange novel (though if you do read other magical realist books, this wouldn’t be so odd), but I find her total disregard for convention invigorating. Though I wouldn’t even consider this a YA book, I found the way her narrative juggles from one idea to another in its extravagant, purple prose with its cast of (multidimensional) eccentrics particularly fitting for the overarching structure of the circus setting. It’s convoluted, dizzying, erotic, and as distinct as anything can get. Just take your time with it and go with the flow.

(Oh, and the main character’s name is awfully familiar for some reason :P)

(Haha, someone finally gets it! )

A Distant Neighborhood takes its time, yes, may be overly so for some. Listening to a good soundtrack while reading helps a lot!

Ahhh, Naoki Yamamoto. Now he’s a hard author to push for, I can understand if you’re put off by him even after reading the whole thing. Now, I admit I may be a bit desensitized with comic presentation of sex and violence (if you’ve watched/read Shigurui, everything else seem tame in comparison), however I still like to believe that I’m a very choosy reader of what may be fiction that forms an excuse for sexism and misogyny. Arigato (along with Yamamoto’s Believers, though I think Arigato is his best work so far) is filled with repellant characters (male and female both), and I can’t promise you’ll love them in the end, nevertheless I did, especially the lead female, however they are very human characters that doesn’t pander to our emotions. It’s less about sex (despite the first two chapters) but more on deconstructing the idea of a typical Japanese family.

Are there any good Josei or Shoujo that completely ignores romance but focuses solely on friendship?

Aside from the works of Kiriko Nananan, Kan Takahama, Kyoko Okazaki (which is, however, in the far end of the idealism spectrum), I find it severely depressing that I’m having a hard time thinking up of anything. Honey and Clover is good, though I find the anime much, muuuuch better compared to the manga. I think what gave the show such high rates and good reviews is its tackling of the universal subject matter of “Where will I go once I graduate? What if I don’t succeed, what then?” which was a rarity for shoujo/josei anime and that which resonated with me as I was a newly graduate at that time. It has romance (less idealistic despite its character designs), but the characters’ dreams and motivations held more importance.

Hataraki Man (anime) by Moyoko Anno handles relationships (not romance in the typical sense) as well but focuses more on the work environment of the protagonist and questions gender roles and societal expectations. George Asakura’s works are quite something as well though, once again, with very flawed characters. I enjoyed her Shounen Shoujo Romance and enjoying Oboreru Knife (with horrid, horrid translation though if you can put up with that). I like Karakuri Odetto a lot as well; it’s a simple yet charming tale of a female robot and the people she meets. Their's a lightheartedness to it that I find very sweet and endearing. The lack of romance is a plus (for now).

I like Gakuen Alice, it’s far from perfect (I think that the art’s an eyesore for one) but I find the characters adorable and charming. I haven’t read it for the longest time, I shall read it soon, thanks for the remind.XD

I love Beck (the anime), for the life of me I have no idea why I haven’t read the manga yet. Will check out Ressentiment as well, read the first few chapters months ago, found it interesting. Thanks!

[cheshire]

I have very little to contribute (a lot has been mentioned here already to my delight) except to recommend Ciguatera and other Furuya Minoru works like Ping Pong Club and Himizu. Kilico's really good as well though it may have a B-grade action feel at times, the artwork's unique and dynamic and the lead characters' multi-layered.

And Upiro and Fevvers, since you both liked A Distant Neighborhood, perhaps you might enjoy Taniguchi's The Times of Botchan (no scanlations though as far as I can check) and The Walking Man.

This thread's been greatly informative (even if it may have strayed a bit, but honestly who cares!) and has reminded me that I should get on with Yamamoto's Believers, Abandon the Old in Tokyo and Ryuguden. *hoping this thread never dies*

[Fevvers]

I've been eyeing The Times of Botchan and The Walking Man actually, will read once I get my hands on that. Ciguatera and HImizu seem interesting as well. Thanks!

Also, I was strangely addicted to Kilico when I first read it years ago. Though I'm not sure if I'd still feel the same way now, it has a certain campy feel to it which made me laugh out loud at some parts. Oh, and Kilico is badass. Yeah.

[upiro]

Glad you found this thread useful, Chesire, and thanks for reccing Furuya Minoru’s mangas. I’ve read the first few chapters of Ciguatera and I think it does have promise. But, so far, it seems to focus more on the banal aspects of teenage life. Does it continue on in this vein or does it get more dramatic later? I’ll also check Ping Pong Club and Himizu once I get some free time.

Oh, and if you liked A Distant Neighbourhood and Taniguchi’s artwork, you may like Natsu No Arashi, a manga I checked out some time ago. Personally, I have mixed feelings about it. While certain elements of the story are pretty clichéd and the characters start out depicted in a stereotypical manner, the mysteries pile up and the plot gets deeper. The time travel aspects are pretty intriguing and during those scenes, the art gets much better and becomes much more atmospheric. I’m not sure yet if I can call it a ‘good’ manga but it’s worth checking out.

Also, if you do end up reading Believers, let me know what you (and others) thought of it. A lot of people seem to like it and while I found the twist in the last chapter reasonably clever, I was less impressed with the whole story and found it overall, quite boring. Would love to hear dissenting opinions …

Speaking of Yamamoto, I decided to give Arigato another shot and wow, the first 2 chapters are fairly misleading after all. I found it to be more interesting than Believers, and while some of the scenes continue to be disturbing, I agree that it makes an intriguing attempt at ‘de-constructing’ the notion of a nuclear family. I found myself feeling simultaneously sorry for and annoyed with their Father and the younger daughter’s attitude was frustrating in an “Open-your-eyes-for-goodness-sake” way. The ending was very poignant though. Thanks for getting me back to it, Fevvers.

I got to check out a few of the other reccs in the last few days as well. To my surprise, I enjoyed Shounen Shoujo Romance, more than I expected. Their tortured relationship in the first volume was hilarious and I felt (rather sadistically) that they totally deserved each other. However, once the story turned into a double love triangle, it got a lot more conventional and I thought the story lost some of the zaniness of the beginning.

I enjoyed Hataraki Man as well. I’ve always liked stories which are set in newsrooms and it was good to see the various roles played by different members of a magazine publication explored in some detail. I’m also glad that the focus is on their professional duties and relationships rather than the romantic entanglements of the main character. I hope they have longer arcs in the future though once they finish introducing the main characters.

I’ll check out Honey & Clover next. When I tried reading it a few years ago, it didn’t appeal to me for some reason though I can’t remember why. I want to give it another shot …

Another Josei manga that I re-read recently is Indigo Blue by Yamaji Ebine. Her minimalist art style and detached manner of story-telling beautifully present the evolving relationship of two women who work in the publishing industry. The main character, Nakagawa Rutsu, is torn between her feelings for the other woman and her existing relationship with her editor, who happens to be a guy. As she attempts to finish her novel, we gradually see the connection between the characters in her work and her tangled real-life emotions and relationships.

It’s fairly short (only one volume) and her other one volume works (Love My Life and Free Soul) have lesbian themes as well. Although Indigo Blue is my favourite, I find all her works cleverly depicted and emotionally satisfying.

Thanks again for all the reccs!

[Fevvers]

I'm glad you liked Arigato, Upiro. It's crazy shit, I admit, but a more uplifting and poignant one if you get right through the end. I tend sympathize more with the younger sister though if only because having your father (and your mother too as accomplice) nearly murder you in your sleep is not exactly something that's going to win the dad any points. But yeah, I almost always had this simultaneous feeling of pity and disgust with all the characters here, which is I suppose the whole point.

I agree that Shounen Shoujo Romance would have been better if it didn't delve into the typical love triangle plot; it didn't really bother me as much because the angst didn't overpower as other shoujo do and the main characters were still as manic and nonsensical as ever. Such a shame Asakura's Oboreru Knife has barely comprehensible translation; I think it has a lot of potential.

I looooove Indigo Blue and was impressed with how it sensitively handled sexuality and cheating. I haven't read Love my Life yet, I will soon enough, thanks. Ebine's detached way of storytelling actually reminds me a lot of Kiriko Nananan, so if you haven't read anything by her yet, I heartily recommend!

I wasn't really impressed with the manga of Honey and Clover, I think it really helped that the anime was helmed by a competent director.

I'll check out Natsu no Arashi too, although I'm not really a fan of the author's previous, more banal work. Your description intrigues me, so, yeah, soon.

[upiro]

I finally got around to reading Kiriko Nananan’s Pumpkin and Mayonnaise and I found myself having mixed feelings towards it. I loved the sparse, minimalist art style and I thought it subtly and effectively introduced me to the lives of the two main characters. I also liked the decent closure that the ending provided and thought it was fitting and poignant. But, I thought the plot started out a tad too slowly and until the end, the story seemed soooo bleak … Not that that’s entirely a bad thing but I’ll need to read it again and see if my feelings change. Would love to hear your thoughts on why you liked it and which other works by her you’d recommend …

I’m glad you liked Indigo Blue as well. Do let me know what you thought of Natsu No Arashi once you get a chance to read it. I find it hard to judge and can’t tell if it’s good or bad which I find surprising (since I can usually tell fairly quickly why I like or dislike a story). I do know it’s very different from School Rumble (which I didn’t like either) and in fact, if you go to the manga-updates page, several people have complained that they went in expecting it to be like the author’s previous work and ended up disappointed.

Will check out Oboreru Knife next (and will try very hard to avoid the speech bubbles :P) … Oh, and Giant Killing’s OP was pretty cool. Can’t wait to watch the first episode when I get some free time ...

[cheshire]

Just got back from reading tons of recommended manga here, and the one that really got to me recently was Me and the Devil Blues. I couldn't believe I almost pass this up. What was I thinking?! It's a phenomenal work, from the art which is cinematic and facial expressions detailed and realistic, the authentic feel of the Southern setting and its Faustian/gothic plot which is absolutely riveting. Does anyone know if this will still be continued? I really need more!

And Upiro, regarding Believers, I like Yamamoto's handling here of which is real and which is not and love the use of a cult to convey that, and while I'm no prude I thought almost half of the sex scenes were unnecessary and frankly jarring. Then again that's a usual complaint I have towards Yamamoto. I liked the bittersweet ending of Believers though, in choosing reality and sanity over the possibility of freedom and love? Still prefer Arigato though, and (as Fevvers mentioned) its deconstruction of a typical Japanese family. For some reason the sex scenes there didn't feel as jarring, perhaps it's because we're suppose to look at it as non-consensual and thus feel uncomfortable in looking at them.

[Fevvers]

It's already been two years since Hiramoto has given Me and the Devil Blues the attention it deserves! I heard he has been plugging his way with his other series (the gag manga one). What a shame.

And yeah, the art is fekking amazing. The facial expressions especially, which comes out alive and real. I love the rural South American setting and the bleakness and hardships that are conveyed here in just a few arresting panels. And it's bound to have more Bonnie and Clyde in it, which makes it even more of a waste that it's been discontinued. *sobs*

As for Pumpkin and Mayonnaise, I dunno, I liked the pacing and thought the austerity was well-justified on the themes of prostitution and finding meaning to a restless life. And though the ending was fairly positive, I liked how the author didn't magically make the relationship set in sugar and rainbows. The rest of Nananan's works are very short, and you might not really get much out of them (except for the art of course). There's Blue which is also quite somber but the themes are nevertheless sensitively told and substantial; the art is once again very muted, panels highlighted by subtle movements, impressionistic rather than expressionistic. It’s quite hard to find it nowadays; the last time I checked from my local bookstore was that it has been out of stock for the longest of times. I’d let you borrow mine if I could! I suppose it isn't a surprise to say that I love her works, but I agree that she's not really for everyone.

Natsu no Arashi has been surprisingly enjoyable. I didn't really expect this from the same author as School Rumble. Though I still find his character designs quite unappealing, the backgrounds have that rough, sketchy quality which I love. It kind of reminded me vaguely (very, very vaguely, mind you) of YKK in the early chapters, thinking it would be much more focus on the slice-of-life aspects and the country-side cafe; it's become more focus on the sci-fi aspects now (as of chapter 10) with the beginnings of a plot, I'm not quite certain what to think of those inclusions for now. It is deliciously atmospheric in most parts, and I absolutely adore series where it's set in the rural areas. Thanks for the recc! =>

Oh, and yeah, Giant Killing's OP rocks! The anime is subbed now, and while it doesn't quite capture the stunning visuals of the manga, it's still as low-key and charming. Much better than expected, especially coming from lol!Deen. What did you think of it?

[upiro]

I liked the bittersweet ending of Believers though, in choosing reality and sanity over the possibility of freedom and love?

That’s a good point although (And I’m just nitpicking here; don’t mind me!) I’d probably replace ‘love’ with ‘all-consuming passion’. I also agree that the use of a cult to explore the nature of reality was effective and clever. While jarring, the graphic sex scenes didn’t frustrate me so much as the feeling during some of those middle chapters that the plot didn’t seem to be going anywhere. Yamamato does know how to finish a story though as both Arigato and Believers had memorable endings.

I’m a big fan of Me & the Devil Blues as well and when I tried to think of something similar, I found myself wracking my brains to no avail. With its dense and layered art style, it reminds me of American graphic novels more than Japanese manga. I hope he continues it eventually …

There's Blue which is also quite somber but the themes are nevertheless sensitively told and substantial; the art is once again very muted, panels highlighted by subtle movements, impressionistic rather than expressionistic.

Blue sounds very interesting and I’ll try and see if I can get hold of it. I agree that the ‘impressionistic’ art style and the pacing in Pumpkin were very skilfully done and I hope to give it another shot now that I know what to expect. I suspect that I’ll appreciate it a lot more a second time around.

Glad you liked Natsu No Arashi! I enjoyed the first episode of Giant Killing and I have high hopes for the series. I thought the animation was true to the characters in the manga. Also, the manga is getting better and better and the last few chapters have been very exciting. But, I don’t think Deen fully captured the quirky style (or the visuals as you mention) of the manga which, to be honest, would have been quite a challenge for anyone. I’d have been thrilled if Studio 4C had made a stab at the animation though. Well, I can always dream … (Just out of curiosity, what other anime would you recommend this season? I don’t watch much anime but I’m following Durarara.)

This isn’t a manga recommendation but I think those who enjoy reading some of the mangas here might like Krazy Kat, which is an American comic serialisation. I haven’t read anything quite like it. It has the most bizarre love triangle (cat loves rat, rat hates cat with unswerving passion and throws brick at cat which cat mistakes as token of affection, dog swoons over cat and attempts to arrest rat for assault). Yeah, go figure … Basically, this scenario played out in every strip … for over 30 years!!! It’s an old comic strip but I simply cannot stop gushing about its sheer trippy awesomeness ….

Back to manga, I’m planning on starting Soil since I’ve heard lots of … interesting things about it. I don’t know if it’s good but would love to hear others’ opinions … Worth my time or over-rated?

[Fevvers]

I’m a big fan of Me & the Devil Blues as well and when I tried to think of something similar, I found myself wracking my brains to no avail. With its dense and layered art style, it reminds me of American graphic novels more than Japanese manga. I hope he continues it eventually …

Good point. Japanese comics, regardless of the setting and nationality (like that Kuroshit-something), always have the tendency to include Japanese mannerisms to their characters. Me and the Devil Blues' dialogue and body language for one are far from it, and completely natural. I would say the same for Kaori Mori too.

Still, I'm dying for a continuation of the latter!

I'm following Durarara too although I don't like it as much as I liked Baccano (which I recommend if you haven't watched that already); I can only take so much narrations in one season. And I find the Shinra/Celty relationship (it looks like it's about to be reciprocated, but I could be wrong. I hope) completely unhealthy and totally belittles Celty's feelings of the importance of her identity on her own terms.

Also currently watching Hakuoki Shinsegumi (not sure if you'd like it, and while I wouldn't really consider it all that good to begin with, I'm hoping the writers would be able to portray and develop the reverse harem characters beyond their archetypes). Arakawa Under the Bridge is quite good to pass one's time with if you can take the director's brand of style (which I can only honestly take in small, very small, dosage; he has a habit of sledge hammering symbolisms repeatedly and obnoxiously, but other people seem to like him, so...), it's not laugh-out-loud funny but it is self-aware.

I'm much more looking forward to Saraiya Goyou (because I'm a big fan of the director) and Yojou-han Shinwa Taikei (because it's got fucking Yuasa! How awesome is that?). That's it.

Is Krazy Kat available on the market? Because it looks pretty sweet and I doubt it's available in more illegal means.

I've been telling myself to read Soil for the past oh-I-don't-know 2 years (the art looks really interesting), I really need to get into that. I'll offer my opinion once I do so.

As for manga, I'm currently reading Dance, Subaru, and while I'm not really sure I should be recommending this (even I'm not certain whether this is good or not), it's really angsty but I like how it's started out like a typical shounen sports manga (except with a girl as the lead) yet has developed into something more cynical (the genius lead for one is obstinate to a fault that other characters have repeatedly pointed out that she's going to end up all alone in the end) and harrowing instead of the typical shounen message of friendship making the world a better place. Translation is not very consistent though, and once again, I reiterate, it can get overly dramatic.

[cheshire]

Originally Posted by upiro

That’s a good point although (And I’m just nitpicking here; don’t mind me!) I’d probably replace ‘love’ with ‘all-consuming passion’.

Hmm... Point taken!

Got to watch a few episodes of Ookiku Furikabutte btw and I. Just. Cannot. See. The. Appeal. The characters are far too dissonant and idealized that parts that are supposed to resonate with me fall flat and forced. I'm curious what you guys think of it?

Oh, and Yuasa's Yojo-han is awesome!