source: news.dengeki.com

Let’s face it, most of us know that any adaptation – whether from manga to a live action movie or a visual novel to an anime series face the risk of being bad. 11 Eyes, which is a visual novel/ game reworked into an anime series, is perhaps one of the better adaptations around.

This 12-episode series, which is loosely-based on the graphic novel of the same name, chronicles the lives of six high school students who come together to battle six sinister shadows.

The story revolves around Satsuki Kakeru, a young man who has lost his sister five years ago. With the help of his childhood friend Minase Yuka and some friends at school, Satsuki manages to put the tragic event behind to live a somewhat normal life.

Well, that doesn’t last for long because one day, a very curious thing happens: the sky turns red, the moon turns black, everyone else disappears and monsters start to roam the streets! But before you can say “Eye of Aeon” things return to normal.

Just when Satsuki thought that the strange occurrence was a dream, the Red Night occurs again. This time, he manages to find four more individuals who are experiencing the mysterious phenomenon. They are Kusakabe Misuzu, a red-haired onmyouji swordswoman; Tachibana Kukuri, a mute who looks uncannily like the protagonist’s deceased sister; Hirohara Yukiko, a lively young girl who becomes a cold-blooded killer when her glasses are removed and Tajima Takahisa, a young pyrokineticist.

Together, they try to survive the Red Night but things become complicated when suddenly, six shadows appear before them….

One might think that this is similar to the Persona series but this story has more depth and a much better good versus evil plot. The series starts out strong because the character development is engaging and interesting, however not all of the main characters are well developed, which is rather disappointing. Nonetheless, the various plot twists keeps the story’s momentum going.

The sad thing about 11 Eyes is that it weakens toward the end despite its excellent denouement. The story meanders and becomes convoluted.

The artwork here is beautiful but the battle scenes are not as exciting as they could be…yet when compared to other series of the same genre, 11 Eyes is still more entertaining.

The soundtrack is perfect for the series as it sets the right mood for the different scenes. The dark themes are peppered with some old school Japanese influence. The combination of modern and old school music is appropriate.

Ayane’s Arrival of Tears is the opening theme while Arisel’s Kegare Naki Yumi is heard when the end credits start to roll. If you haven’t heard these tracks before, I strongly encourage you to get them for they are wonderful.

All said, the series is enjoyable but too bad about the ending, though. 11 Eyes has potential because it has a fantastic premise yet the writers messed things up towards the end. Watch this only when there’s nothing better lying around the house.

Ratings: 4 out of 5

The story is excellently told, and there’s good execution of movement and visually pleasing artwork aplenty for readers to enjoy. However, the characters are pretty static for some of the more expressive elements of the story, and sometimes you get the feeling that the artwork is wasted on non-important sequences.

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Art Square Creation Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Chiba Kozue
Category : Shoujo

The first book, Rashia Waktu Ketujuh, consists of three individual love stories. It revolves around the high school lives of three high school girls, the men they meet in their lives, and how they deal with the challenges of love. Chiba Kozue, the author, obviously has a great imagination, as the love stories don’t come out of cliché plots like some shoujo titles.

The first story tells of young Shun, a new transfer student who finds it hard to mix among her new classmates. As a result of that, she puts on a mask of happiness, and quickly becomes the class joker, earning the reputation of Miss Sunshine. Despite being tired of acting, she feels that she hasn’t got a choice in it and decides to press on for the sake of her friends.

But when a childish, cute looking male teacher starts teaching their class, things start changing for Shun. She finds herself becoming more and more vulnerable around him, and slowly finds herself developing feelings for him – and realizes that he reciprocates in kind. But what happens, just as she finds someone she can really trust, when the rest of the school rejects their student-teacher relationship?

The second story revolves around Eri, a young girl who has a childhood friend who is a guy, Kaoru. Now, Kaoru is at first glance a shy guy, so Eri take sit upon herself to be his “big sister”, always protecting him wherever he goes. What she doesn’t realize, though, is that Kaoru has been hiding his persona of being a “playboy” in school, and isn’t at all who Eri thinks he is.

One day, Eri stumbles upon Kaoru while he is mingling with some of the other girls. She is shell shocked at his real behavior, and finds it hard to grasp that the real Kaoru is so different from what she has perceived. And when Kaoru starts using his charms on her, Eri finds herself falling for him. What is she to do?

The third story is about Ookubo, who feels that she has made the biggest mistake of her life by openly declaring her feelings to Rio, the class popular; only to be turned down in front of everyone. After that, she swears of getting near to Rio and all men in general, for fear of being hurt again. However, circumstances begin to put Rio constantly near her, and her feelings evoke within her a sense of insecurity again – plus, it seems that this time, Rio has feelings for her too. Should she learn from her mistakes and protect herself? Or should she take another chance for happiness?

***

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Art Square Creation Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Kim Yeon-Joo
Category : Shoujo

Nabi Prototaip is a rather contemporary story, in that the plot is rather unique. It starts with So Ryu, who is a daughter in a family with complicated ties among its members. For political reasons, So Ryu is ordered to be kidnapped by her own father.

As luck would have it, the kidnapper who is in charge of kidnapping So Ryu turns out to be a nice guy. As the family troubles deepen, the situation forces the kidnapper and the victim closer to each other, and things start turning upside down. The environment makes their relationship even more complicated, and things come to a peak when So Ryu saves her kidnapper’s life! Can So Ryu predict the future?

***

Language: English
Publisher: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Taufan
Category : Shonen

High Time is written by Malaysian writer Taufan, and his work is surprisingly good for what we take for granted to be “Malaysian standards”.  The story revolves around Jack, a too good to be true cop, who takes down extreme mafia bosses in a fictional regional setting with his partner, Fat Cat.

The story starts with a bang, when Jack and Fat Cat chase down one of the city’s drug lords and corner him. Just as they are about to capture him, he kills himself, removing the threat of him revealing his boss’ location. Jack and Fat Cat reel from their failure, but little do they know that their adventure is only beginning.

***

Ratings:

Rashia Waktu Ketujuh: 4.1 out of 5

Nabi Prototaip: 3.6 out of 5

High Time: 4.6 out of 5

***

Rashia Waktu Ketujuh is your standard shoujo manga with a unique touch, and will be a delightful read for high school students who relate to the character’s situations. Nabi Prototaip is more of a read for those who want a fantasy setting, but overall the story is pretty attractive.

Finally, High Time is a great story which expresses the Malaysian mangaka spirit to its fullest extent. The story is told remarkably well, and incorporates the plot of the challenges of a police fighting a drug lord in a very believable setting. Truly, it is a book worth considering.

Takasu Ryuji, the son of a hooligan and son of a member of some illegal organization, lives a life neglected by people around him. People, including his classmates and teachers, all have the impression that he’s a hooligan, like his father, just because of his scary, sanpaku eyes. All these are all just misunderstandings and it’s true when they say to never judge a book by its cover. Though, things began to change when people started getting to know him better.

One day, a cute but aggressive young girl, Aisaka Taiga, got into a conflict with Ryuji. Nicknamed “Palmtop Tiger” for her brutal ways, she was angry and furious at Ryuji when he accidentally bumped into her. That was how their friendship began. Despite having such a bad first impression, they became quite close together and Ryuji even helps her with chores. Taiga, on the other hand, comes from a very troublesome family; she’s taken care by her stepfather because her biological father left them when they declared themselves bankrupt. She lives with her mother but has difficulties getting along with the rest of her family members. Taiga and Ryuji becomes good friends, and they can consider each other as “family”.

Minori, also known as Ryuji’s crush, has a nickname called “Minorin”. She’s best friend to Taiga and has a cheerful and happy personality. She’s a real athletic and she captains the softball team. She is a very observant young lady and is able to see Ryuji’s true nature, gentle, rather than see him as a hooligan like everyone else.

Aside from that, another character in this school adventure would be Kitamaru, Yusaka Kitamaru, who is also the best friend to Ryuji. People know him for his high post of Vice President of the Student Council, and he had a crush on the “Palmtop Tiger”. He once confessed to her during their freshmen year, but disappointingly, he was rejected. Taiga soon revealed that this was a regretful act, but it was too late. Kitamaru fell in love with the President of the Student Council instead.

Kawashima Ami is a childhood friend of Kitamaru, and soon was transferred to the same school Kitamaru was in. She is known for being innocent and air headed but this isn’t her true personality. She prefers to hide and keep her “true” personality to herself. Kitamaru knows about this and usually encourages her to be herself rather than hide herself.

There are other recurring characters like Kano Sumire. She’s the head of the student council and as mentioned above, Kitamaru admires her a lot. Sumire later left for America to pursue her dream of becoming an astronaut, but this however was a huge blow to Kitamaru. Kitamaru was emotionally hurt and for some time, and so he avoided his goal of becoming President. After awhile, Kitamaru got his senses back and realised that he was wrong to feel this way.

Ratings: 3.5 out of 5

Toradora is an endearing anime which revolves very much around the lives of the characters, but you can’t help feeling like the producers could have done much more. Every episode reveals their everyday problems, and the importance of friends. It’s mostly a romance Anime, but it’s too based on their school lives. Still, the anime is a pretty good one, and is worth a recommendation.

Language: English, Chinese
Publisher: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Redcode, Michael Chuah, Kenny Chua, Ageha, Jo, Clay, Zint, Ho Seng Hui, Scho, Tan Eng Huat
Category : Drawing

If you’re an anime fan, chances are you’ve ever dreamed of one day drawing a popular hit comic and becoming a renowned mangaka (anime author) in the likes of Akira Toriyama, Kishimoto Masashi and CLAMP. However, being a great mangaka doesn’t just mean having a fantastic story in your head; you also have to learn how to perfect the art of drawing cute cuddly anime.

Unfortunately, learning how to draw anime isn’t an easy feat here in local shores. Aside from learning the trade on your own, there’s very little in options to help you mark up your drawing skills aside from taking expensive art classes, which more often than not require years of experience. The stronger US dollar isn’t helping much either, as many self-help manga books published in the States cost a hefty stone here – some books sell for as much as RM 60.00 to RM 70.00 – on average.

Fortunately, our very own band of local mangaka have identified this need, and together have produced Comic Classroom, a revolutionary manga teaching guide in its own league. Marrying the concepts of affordability and quality, the end result is a simple, average comic book-sized print which teaches us (ahem) not-so-good manga lovers how to perfect the trade.

Comic Classroom comes in two flavors, which are the Chinese language and the English language. Basically, what it presents are hints and tips from a collection of local authors, with reputable names such as Kaoru, Keith and Kenny Chua contributing their share of talent. Some of you may recognize their works such as Helios Eclipse and the cute bunny robot mascot of Gempakz which we’ve all come to know and love.

Language: Chinese
Publisher: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Xanseviera, Slaium, Keith, Oga, Zuan, Santa Claus, Puyuh, Puppeteer, Kaoru, Nizam Bachok
Category : Drawing

The books open with an introduction of the respective author, giving a brief biodata which give readers an insight into their favorite mangaka. For instance, did you know that Keith has been honored for his work in Hong Kong and Japan? He also recently co-authored a comic chronicling the ups and downs of our very own local radio celebrities of the Chinese radio station 988, K6.

The guide continues with a detailed step-by-step guide on how to draw manga, briefing readers with tips on drawing, such as starting with the foreground before giving attention to the background. Readers will also be exposed to the expert computer software mangakas use to give life and color to their subjects, some of which include ComicStudio EX and Painter 9.0. Last but not least, there’s a host of finished comics and trial examples to keep readers entertained throughout the read.

Ratings: 4.3 out of 5

Comic Classroom brings a huge range of content and teaching techniques which I personally find hard to disappoint. The way the comic brings the authors together allow readers to compare the various drawing styles from the individual mangakas so they get the whole package. Plus, the books are relatively affordable, so practically anyone can pick up a book from a store to catch a glimpse into manga drawing.

HACKER

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Zint
Category : Shonen (action) 

Hacker is the brainchild of local author Zint. Apparently, Hacker was supposed to be a hack-and-slash style battle comic, a la Dragonball, but at the last moment the author supposedly had a sudden surge of inspiration and decided to incorporate strong storyline elements into the story. So how did the improvements turn out? Let’s take a look.

Hacker tells the story of Slash, a mild-mannered high school student who more often than not ends up on the wrong side of his classmates. However, what they don’t know is that Slash actually masquerades as a Cyber Cowboy, a new breed of antivirus programs which sucks the person right into the heat of the battle, much like in The Matrix. Together with his team of hackers, they trawl the cyber skylines fighting for justice on the Web. But what happens when a special virus arrives and starts wreaking unstoppable havoc on the Internet?

To be sure, much appreciation is deserved to the author of this book in the amount of effort he has put into writing out the story. You can tell that a lot of thought has been given to the fleshing out of characters and the full color pages. However, Hacker fails to compel us with its storyline the way rival Japanese classics like Samurai X and Naruto has, if only for the reason that there is too little content to capture our attention.

KALEIDOSKOP

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Ho Seng Hui
Category : Alternative 

Kaleidoskop by Ho Seng Hui is hard to describe. To put it in words, it’d best be seen as an alternative comic which tests the creative limits of our relatively conservative society today. Why would I give it such a label? Well, let me explain a little.

The comic is basically a series of one-shot chapters combined together into one book. The undeniably obvious main story Is actually quite a funny one – a young native finds a kaleidoscope in his village, and is mesmerized by the flower-like patterns it turns the world into. Pretty soon, the entire village is clamoring to get a chance to see it, until it rolls off a cliff…into the hands of another young villager of another village. Quite a nice touch to short storytelling, actually.

The same can’t be said for the other stories, however. Some of the stories in Kaleidoskop border on the rungs of creepy, and certainly isn’t for regular comic consumption. Let me give an example. One story revolves around hungry orphans in a futuristic world finding food… and eating dead people. Another is about how a woman whose son has died buries him in the soil where a magic tree grows… and he not only resurrects, but multiplies. The full impact of the story is hard to deliver here, but once you read it you’ll see what I mean.

PENTAS REALITI: ASPIRASI SENI

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Fakhrul Anour
Category : Casual

Lastly, we come to a new age version of novel writing, Pentas Realiti Aspirasi Seni. Pentas isn’t so much of a comic book as a novel; the author tries to combine the two formats to form a hybrid system where there are comic pages interspersing the regular novel word by word, line by line format. It’s an interesting take on challenging old ideas, but one that doesn’t work very well. The reason why I say this is because it fails to capture the attention of either novel enthusiasts or comic book fans, something like a mismatch of two great things which don’t work so well together. However, the storyline is pretty decent, something you’d expect of a local Malay novel writer.

RATINGS

Hacker: 3.2 out of 5

Kaleidoskop: 3.2 out of 5

Pentas Realiti Aspirasi Seni: 3 out of 5

Hacker, by Malaysian standards, is actually quite a good effort, though it fails to deliver as much as its counterparts in Japan. However, one can see that future books by the author has potential to be better. Kaleidoskop is creepy, but it’s a nice book to consider if you just happen to be walking past a bookstand and have money to spare. It’s more different than anything, so at least it has an attractiveness factor. Pentas Realiti Aspirasi Seni, however, isn’t something that most comic book buffs would consider. However, if you’re a novel reader, then by all means go ahead and try it out for a read.

Last but not least, a great salute to our Malaysian authors! It may not have been better then Japanese comics, but without you there wouldn’t be that twinkling hope of manga development on Malaysian shores!

CREDIT: mizunaga.blogspot.com

Hayate the Combat Butler, is your typical butler, but he has a duty of protecting his wealthy friend – Nagi. Nagi’s a constant target for individuals who want to get hold of her wealth, and they’ll do anything just to take over her family’s fortunes. Hayate too has to deal with odd requests from Nagi, oblivious to Nagi’s true feelings for him.

Hayate lives a life of darkness and pain, thanks to his irresponsible parents. His parents were heavy gamblers, and unfortunately, they got themselves into a huge mess. They couldn’t resist the temptation of gambling, so after accumulating a massive amount of debt, they decided that the best way to solve everything was to sell Hayate’s organs.

One day, he thought of a plan, and attempted to kidnap the wealthy daughter and heir to the Sanzen’in estate, Nagi Sanzen’in. But instead of succeeding, he ended up becoming a butler to Nagi. Hayate told her that he “wanted and needed her” and she misunderstood that, believing that he was in love with her. She assumed it was a confession of love.

Nagi Sanzen’in may be a rich heir, but she definitely is brilliant in her studies. Although she skips school, she is still capable of maintaining her excellent grades. Besides Nagi and Hayate, there are two other main characters of the anime, like Tama. Tama’s not human; he’s a fully tamed and grown white tiger. He was injured and hungry and out of love and care, Nagi brought him back. Though, Tama’s not your typical pet tiger, he speaks!

Nagi has a cousin, not exactly as lovable as you think, Sakuya Aizawa is an annoying girl and proves to be a pain to Hayate.

Wataru Tachiban is one of the more interesting characters in the Anime, as he has the impossible aim and goal of surpassing Nagi’s wealth and fortune. And to take care of him would be Saki Kijima, a maid and a guardian to Wataru.

There are hints of love triangles in this Anime too, as Hinagiku Katsura, the President of the Student Council, has feelings for Hayate. Hinagiku has a sister, Yukiji, who is a drunk and hardly is more mature than Hina.

Its opening music is quite attractive but after a long run of episodes, you might feel bored and tired of listening to the same old melody. Though, compared to other Animes, this Anime has quite outstanding Japanese voice actors. There’s not much to say for the English voice actors.

Many would say Hayate is a boring and dull series, but if you’re the type who wouldn’t mind watching the everyday life of Hayate, you should try this out.

Ratings: 3.4 out of 5 

Overall, watching Hayate and his friends can be quite fun and but it can be a drag sometimes. Hayate, is forever running away from debt collectors but every episode aired is usually another day with another story. The artwork of the Anime is pretty decent, although there wouldn’t be any harm done if the producers could have a better fashion taste in school uniforms.

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Anjung Taipan Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Kim Euy-Jung
Category : Shoujo (love) 

Buah Prolog begins with the story of a man who has an allergy to peaches. Due to this unfortunate choosing of fate, he has been unlucky in love as his previous girlfriends all have an affinity to the fruit. Finally, he finds the perfect partner, but fate intervenes again when he finds out that…her father is a peach estate farmer! What should he do, and how will he get through the situation which her hand in marriage?

Another extremely heart-wrenching story tells of a young woman who is waiting for her husband to return from work abroad. Although the deadline has long passed, her husband doesn’t return, but at the same time, she is constantly visited by an elderly man who bears a striking resemblance to her husband. Without giving away any spoilers, this is one particular story that you have to read, as the plot is simply amazing. When you reach the finish, the ending will leave you speechless.

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Anjung Taipan Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Kim Euy-Jung
Category : Shoujo (love) 

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Anjung Taipan Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Kim Euy-Jung
Category : Shoujo (love) 

Buah Medianlog and Buah Epilog are Kim’s second and third attempt respectively to breach the topic of love and friendship. As with the prequel, the stories are told through individual perspectives living very different lives, so readers from different backgrounds should be able to connect with at least one of the characters. Kim touches sensitive topics such as dealing with affairs, taking care of children, love in old age and rivalry in friendship, matters close to most of our hearts and which most of us have experienced in one point of our lives or another.

Ratings:

Buah Prolog: 4 out of 5
Buah Medianlog: 3.8 out of 5
Buah Epilog: 4 out of 5

In the end, Buah proves to be a refreshing take on modern-day comics which seem to put a one-sided emphasis on loud, sharp action and dark, intense plots. Kim has done at least one thing right by referring to topics which we can understand and experience, and presents well-learned lessons on love and daily life.

Helios Eclipse Series – Quintet, Septenary, Epilogue

Today, I’ll be introducing you to a series which has captured my attention with its snazzy art and endearing storyline. The series in question here is Helios Eclipse, which some of you may remember from one of my reviews awhile back. At the time, I just gave a brief overview of what the first book was like, but I’ve had a chance to look through some of the other books in the series, and have received a little more insight.

Helios Eclipse is written by a Malaysian writer, who goes by the pen name Kaoru. She was born and bred in Perak, so it’s not surprising to find that her style suits the tastes of Malaysians around. Her story revolves around the central character, Helios, the ruler of the Realms of Magic, and Mineko, a hapless teenage girl who just happened to get sucked into this fantasy world. As luck would have it, the Shadow Realm is bent on destroying all that they have and love, and Mineko and Helios have to cooperate to fight it back with all they have.

Helios Eclipse Quintet

Language: English
Publisher: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Kaoru
Category : Seinen

The fourth book in the series, aptly named Quintet, starts with a rough battle between Mineko, her friend Evillina and an unknown enemy. Surprisingly, the enemy possesses an element, the most powerful magic in the world. Mineko’s life is in peril, and it is unknown if she will survive the fight.

The book also delves deeper into the relationship between Diamond and Mineko, providing Diamond’s answer against her blame towards Mineko for failing to save Luna, her former master. The introduction on Louis, a new character, further adds to the excitement of the plot.

Helios Eclipse Septenary

Language: English
Publisher: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Kaoru
Category : Seinen

Helios Eclipse “Septenary” is the seventh book in the series, and here the storyline begins to get a little thicker. Countessa, Helios’ childhood friend and the Ruler of the Realms of Water, forms a political alliance with Helios by marrying him. The newly crowned King of the Realms of the Wood, Draven, and his friend the King of the Realms of the Air, Armand, arrive to lend a helping hand to Helios in his quest against the Shadow Realms. Unbeknownst to Helios, Countessa and the two other leaders of the Realms are planning the ultimate betrayal by selling Helios out to the Shadow Realm, in an effort to claim the throne for themselves.

The recent disappearance of the King of the Realm of Earth, and Helios’ inability to contact him, adds to the mystery. In addition, readers will get to see the appearance of a new character, one who despite the nearing end of the series, still remains shrouded in mystery. Mineko’s role in her arrival to the Magic Realms is also given a sneak peek here.

Helios Eclipse Epilogue

Language: English
Publisher: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Kaoru
Category : Seinen

Finally, we come to the final book of the series, Helios Eclipse “Epilogue”. Readers who have been clamoring for Kaoru’s finishing release will finally be able to understand the full meanings of the scattered-jigsaw-puzzle-like plot of the previous seven books, as the author wraps up the story with a fulfilling finish. Among some of the illuminating questions which are answered her include the sudden appearance of Louis, Mineko’s childhood friend, the identity of the mysterious stranger in the seventh book, Septernary, and the revelation of the hidden artifact, the Phoenix.

Ratings:

Helios Eclipse

Quintet: 3.4 out of 5

Septenary: 3.2 out of 5

Epilogue: 4.5 out of 5

Helios Eclipse really is a series you should look out for. In contrast with our local expectations of Malaysian comic book artists, Kaoru has proven exceptionally refreshing in her venture with Helios Eclipse. You get the feeling that this is her labor of love, as not only is the story well-though out, but the characters are given a lot of time to really flesh out. The artwork is very decent at worst, and to add to the spice, every inch of the series is given a full color treatment, without holding back. The series wraps up nicely, tying up all the loose ends and yet leaving the reader satisfied at the same time. Plus, despite the satisfactory ending, there seems to be room for more in the plot. Perhaps we will see Helios Eclipse, “Sequel”?

Bayangkan Terbang

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Anjung Taipan Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Xu Pei Yu, Ke Ying Mei
Category : Shoujo

Bayangkan Terbang by Xu Pei Yu and Ke Ying Mei, write a touching story about teenagers making their way into the foray of the working environment. Cally Tang, a recent high school graduate, tries her luck at pursuing her passion of drawing by signing up at a reputable design and arts organization. She comes up with her own unique designs, hoping to catch the attention of potential buyers, but always ends up being shot down by her boss and delegated to more menial tasks. While passing fliers during one of many such occasions, she meets with a young boy, Hau, who incidentally is going through the troubles opposite to hers. Hau has an indispensable talent for music, and has no shortage of head-hunters looking for his hand, but he just can’t seem to find what’s right for him.

Without giving too much away, Bayangkan Terbang is an enjoyable read that incorporates the two contrasts of having an attractive plot with realism together well. The journeys that Cally and Hau respectively go through are easily representative of young working adults who are first trying their hand at earning their own living. With the right elements of hardship, rivalry and a touch of mutual infatuation injected in, Bayangkan Terbang is almost like a diary of real-life experiences given a touch of manga treatment. I wouldn’t classify it as shoujo, but it’s definitely not shonen either. Either way, it’s a great read for people who have a head on their shoulders.

Ubatku

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Art Square Creation Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Takamiya Satoru
Category : Shoujo (love)

Ubatku sets itself apart from the previous manga, in the sense that it deters completely away from the real world setting for an entirely fairy tale approach. Inori, of the Girl’s Witch Academy, is graduating from her final year. In order to complete her studies, she needs to make the most handsome boy in school, Aoi, fall in love with her. As luck would have it, Aoi is one of the coldest characters around, and hilarity ensues as Aoi tries time and again to get Aoi to fall for her.

The manga is a refreshing break from many of the over-the-top mushy stories we’ve been getting around here. There’s a fresh dose of humour to be found in Ubatku, but it doesn’t get to the point where it becomes irritating. Plus, there’s a very interesting part which keeps happening over and over again which lends a helping hand to the “hook” of the story, which I won’t tell so that you can find out about it yourself.

Bercinta Apabila Masa Berhenti

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Art Square Creation Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Nakamura Sayumi
Category : Shoujo

Bercinta Apabila Masa Berhenti has to be one of the best shoujo stories I’ve read till now. If you don’t believe me, wait until I explain the plot.

Nakamura Sayumi has written a perfect love story revolving around three childhood friends – Shinogu, a guy, and two girls, Haruhi and Moe. After junior high, Shinogu and Moe split ways with Haruhi when they pursue their education in different high schools. During this time, Shinogu and Moe’s relationship strengthens. But what happens when Haruhi suddenly turns up cute as a button at their school three years later? What buttons will she end up pushing?

To the author’s credit, she wraps up the ending beautifully, and sparks fly throughout the entire story. Since the characters are former friends, you’d expect things to turn out ugly, but Sayumi-san manages to keep the integrity of the characters as she tells the story. All in all, it is a worthwhile read, and definitely worth your money. I’m not just making a sound bite here, Bercinta is a value read.

Ratings:

Bayangku Terbang: 4.2 out of 5

Ubatku: 3.7 out of 5

Bercinta Apabila Masa Berhenti: 4.9999 out of 5!

Tags: Bayangku Terbang, Ubatku, Bercinta Apabila Masa Berhenti, Bayangku, love when time, love when time stops, Shigonu Haruhi Moe, Aoi, Girl’s Witch Academy

Bercinta Apabila Masa Berhenti gets my full recommendation on this one. I don’t want to give too much away, try reading it yourself. Ubatku on the other hand, while it scores better, can’t live up to the other two great stories. Bayangku Terbang is also an enjoyable read and gets thumbs up from me. In a nutshell, these three stories all bear resemblance to real-life situations, so shoujo should be able to relate to the characters in these stories.

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Anjung Taipan Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Washio Mie
Category : Shoujo (love)

One book which has captured my attention is Erti Kedewasaan, a hardcore shoujo manga which focuses heavily on the love lives and experiences of teenage girls. Unlike most manga, the book isn’t one complete storyline; rather, it combines 3 one-shots in one book. The first story is about pretty lass Tsubaki, who wants to cross into the threshold of adulthood by experiencing her “first time”. She gets chastised by her homeroom teacher, who protects her from making numerous mistakes, until eventually they fall in love.

The second story revolves around Shian, a young so-so girl who falls for popular guy Sumiyoshi, but discovers that Sumiyoshi is less of a prince than she’d imagined. It tells of how Shian learns that not everyone is perfect, including herself, and how to find love through compromise and mutual acceptance.

Finally, the third story is young Riko, who pines for the attention of her longtime childhood friend Tomohiro. Unfortunately for her, Tomohiro has grown to be quite a charming lad, and has girls surrounding him all the time. While Riko and Tomohiro get along well as friends, Riko is unable to express her feelings for him, and tries to get him jealous by dating the school jock Ozawa.

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Art Square Creation Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Obata Yuuki
Category : Shoujo (love)

Kau Menang is about Ayu, a shy girl who isn’t very confident in her abilities to hook popular guy Kataoka as her boyfriend. She doesn’t really like his attitude, but feels that he can change with time. The story dives into an environment where teenagers are consumed by the emotions of love and hate in a school setting, and mangaka Obata Yuuki has taken pains to explain the scenarios in detail with sensitivity to the characters. If you’ve read Meteor Garden before, it’s something like that.

Language: Bahasa Malaysia
Publisher: Art Square Creation Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Nakahara An
Category : Shoujo (love)

Another nice manga with chibi characters is Nakalnya Setan Cinta. Compared to the first 2 mangas, this manga is much more light-hearted and makes for a fun read. The story begins with Yui’s father giving her a teddy bear for her birthday present. Unbeknownst to her, the king of the devil kingdom, Setan, has accidentally been killed following a meager traffic accident while he was in human form. He proceeds to stuff his soul into said teddy bear, and as the situation progresses, Yui finds herself fighting for his attention with other girls from the demon kingdom!

Ratings:
Erti Kedewasaan: 3.9 out of 5
Kau Menang: 3.2 out of 5
Nakalnya Setan Cinta: 3.5 out of 5

The characters in Erti Kedewasaan will appeal to many different girls who might have experiences somewhat similar to those depicted in the book, and thus form a connection with them. Love can be a very difficult thing to learn, and shoujo fans will find this book absolutely delightful. In addition, as with all shoujo manga, the artwork is delightful to behold.

Kau Menang does have more simple drawings, but the plot is saturated with an intense storyline that keeps readers glued to the book. For a lighter read, Nakalnya Setan Cinta provides a good dose of laughs in an adventure filled world with plenty of love thrown in!