[Kunagisa]

Originally Posted by apr

Zaregoto 2 is out in English now, just so you know. I'm currently reading it in Japanese, and can't help but want to marry Nishio.

In other news, Ben-to v03 was magnificent, as usual. Great series.

Volume 2 is reasonably funky to translate give how Mikoko talks. I was reading an excerpt online from the DelRay's website but it didn't show any of her signature speech. I'd probably end up still buying it one of these days ($10 USD is pretty cheap but I'm cheaper), but I really would wait for the whole series to be over and buy a box set or something if they have those, but god knows when that will happen.

Lately, I've reading Sugii Hikaru's The Sword Queen and Branded Child (剣の女王と烙印の仔) after I've caught up with Kamisama no Memochou (which I started reading thanks to asrielchase's signature). I can't really believe the author wrote both serious as Sword Queen is so much more grim and savage compare to KamiMemo, but still both are great read. I've always been a fantasy/magic/romance fan, which is exactly what Sword Queen is. Despite the grim nature of the story, there are still fair amount of comedy.

Spoiler for Description and minor spoilers of Sword Queen:

Chris was a cursed child who was born with a brand/seal/mark that would eat other people's fate (thus killing them). He would go feral near a full moon (he is not a werewolve) and go into a killing spree to devour other people's fate. Minerva is a skill swordswoman who had prophetic power of her own future. For countless nights she would dream of her own death by the hands of a young man with seal on his forehead and hand.

Not exactly what you call entirely new and brilliant (most can't these days), but execution feels fresh enough that I can't say it reminds me of any work that I've read in the past. After reading the translations up to volume 3 I would recommend this to people who likes this type of story. The illustrations are quite simple and pleasing to the eye as well.