Ren-ai Shijo Shugi by Minami Kanan

Hi all,

Again, I am failing at keeping up with this blog. I love reading and reviewing manga, but lately I just haven't had time to keep up with my series, nonetheless start new ones to tell everyone about. I've been living my own shoujo drama lately, so I just wasn't too keen on reading about one! :) Not sure how I feel about everything, however, I'm here this week to review one of my guilty pleasures: Minami Kanan. At first I thought about reviewing Minami Kanan's 'Honey X Honey Drops', but I felt it was too popular, considering all of Kanan's work is basically the same story plot... You read one, you've read them all - but, it never stops you from reading them anyway. ;) So, I decided to go with her second most popular series, which I adore almost more than her other series because it at least tries to have a strong female lead. 

'Ren-ai Shijo Shugi' is a series by the much loved Minami Kanan. Her work is best known for being some of the best smut manga. Now, usually I'm not proud of the fact that I read a lot of smut manga, but I feel that even the best manga readers have set their eyes on Kanan and loved her. :) Anyway, this story is slightly unique because of the female lead, Seri, and her desire to be strong and independent, though this ultimately fails once she meets Tamaki. Both Tamaki and Seri are skilled in karate, which is a running theme for the series since the two were childhood friends, turned lovers. However, the conflict in this story begins with Sari and Tamaki's relationship, which seems to bring about the most unappealing and forceful rivals that continually try to break apart Sari and Tamaki. Sari often finds herself stuck in a lot of very edgy sexual situations, disregarding her karate training completely...

This series is definitely not what I consider classy or top notch manga. In fact when people who haven't read any manga thing of manga, this is the sort of smutty and weak-plotted type they think of. However, Minami Kanan remains one of my favorite mangakas, simply for her bold style and intense artwork. The lack of character building is pretty relevant, but the fact that the series is able to capture the reader in spite of this is really quite amazing. If you're interested in a gripping and smut filled manga series, I highly recommend this series. 

Check it out here: http://manga.animea.net/ren-ai-shijo-shugi.html

Best,

Pseudonymous Jayne :3

'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time' by Madhouse Studios

Hi all,

So much for me keeping up with this blog. Well, I can officially say that all my prior engagements which took up all my time, are over. Hopefully I will have time to start blogging here again. I honestly haven't been reading very much manga or watching very much anime lately. It's been hard to keep up with my series and most of them are still awaiting chapters, so I haven't started anything new. Thus, I'm just going to blog about an anime movie I watched a little while ago and loved. Next week I'll have some new series to tell everyone about, for sure! :3

'The Girl who Leapt Through Time' was produced by Madhouse Studios and is a full length animated movie, made in 2006. It's been praised for it's graphics and beautiful illustration, which is all for good reason. The story line and art are absolutely stunning! Probably one of the best anime movies since 'Spirited Away' by Miyazaki. The story is about an average school girl, Konno Makoto, who mysteriously finds the power to leap through time. Initially he uses the power to gain selfish and silly things like the pudding her sister ate an hour before, but eventually she realizes her power beginning to fade. She also learns that her best friend is in love with her, which she at first dismisses his advances by using her power, going back and forward in time with ease. However, at the last minute she learns he is from a different world and that it wasn't by accident that she found the power to leap through time, while also seeing how her power doesn't just make life easier without a cost. She soon learns that changing fate can have huge consequences.

I really enjoyed this movie and was so pleased to have found it. I definitely recommend it! I was actually surprised it took me so long to find it when it's been such a noteworthy movie in the anime world.

Anyway, I've gotta run. Next week I'll something new to blog about! Sorry for the quick review.

Best,
Jayne :3