Happy Cafe 15 of 15, Innocent Dragon 6, Idol Shopping 1 by Hwang MiRee (m&c! 21 July 2010 manga and manhwa) [UPDATED]

m&c! covers and previews will go up (especially for those angsticipating Innocent Dragon 6) on or after 20 July. For now, you'll have to settle for whatever the internets digs up for me. »Done

Shiawase Kissa 3-chome © Matsuzuki Kou/Hakusensha (First serialized in Hana to Yume)
Published in Indonesia as Happy Café by PT Gramedia/m&c!

So, who gets to marry Uru-chan — Shindou-san or Ichirou-kun?

Please forgive the misleading rhetorical opener; I couldn't resist it after eyeballing the final Happy Café cover. Because even if Uru is NOT the bride and just a bridesmaid, it still looks like the And Happiness for All reverse harem comedy will exit as it barged in: in an Ichirou × Uru × Shindou OT3.

(Serious) Flippancy aside, volume 15 of Matsuzuki Kou's Shiawase Kissa 3-chome sees several storms brewing in the Café Bonheur tea cup: Hagiwara suddenly confesses his feelings for Uru, and just as Uru gives her answer, she gets into an accident. In the aftermath, Uru remembers forgotten painful memories. Meanwhile, Shindou-san, preparing to leave for studies abroad, realizes what has happened to him. Grabbing Ichirou-kun as confidant, he relates a story equally gut-wrenching.

NEW TITLES: Hwang MiRee and Han YuRang soonjung manhwa

Curtains for Happy Café in just over a month after the penult didn't come as a shock so much as a welcome surprise. The jolt actually came with m&c!'s pricing for its soonjung manhwa newbies: an eyebrow-raising IDR 18,500 per volume. The extranormal price tag covers all four ex-Kkonnim series: Idol Shopping and Ugly Duckling Become Swan, both by Hwang MiRee, and Female Wolf's Boy and Sandwich Girl from manhwa-ga Han YuRang. (If it makes you feel better, the price converts to approximately USD 2.05, a figure that might mitigate the shock. Somewhat.)

Idol Shopping 1 of 12 by Hwang MiRee

Idol Shopping by the prolific creator who brings us New Sexy Simpleton and Legend of Nereid superficially resembles Hana-Kimi in that the heroine, Kang Song Yie, ends up rooming with a guy (a famous singer), after she assumes her twin brother's identity at an exclusive boys' school. Her justification for the bifauxnen pretext: to uncover what drove her twin to attempted suicide, the reason for which could be the school's comely badass.

Ugly Duckling Become Swan 1 of 13 by Hwang MiRee

Meanwhile, the premise of Ugly Duckling Become Swan (Miunohri to Swan) is just as it sounds: Go Mio, an unloved and unlovely girl transforms into a beauty after being magicked. The only catch is that she can't ever kiss a boy, or get wet in the rain, lest she revert to her hideous self.

[Summaries adapted from Baka-Updates' series descriptions: here and here]

nik's initial thoughts

So both these jjang-troped manhwa revolve around bullying, although Idol Shopping has that revenge thing going for it, and Ugly Duckling Become Swan throws in the supernatural, as is faerie talesque apropos.

Blurbing continues after the manga list.

m&c! manga, manhua and manhwa (2010.07.21)

Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details and cover scans.

1. [Premiere] Female Wolf's Boy 1 of 17 by Han YuRang

The Female Wolf BOY 「 암컷늑대의 보이 (암컷늑대의 Boy) 」 by Han YuRang Kkonnim, soonjung Volume 1 first published in Korea 2007.09

RELATED
Based on the Korean Internet novel, 암컷늑대의 BOY by i쿠키i조아 (iCookieiLike)

2. Happy Café (Shiawase Kissa 3-chome) 15 of 15 by Matsuzuki Kou [Finale]

Shiawase Kissa 3-chome 「 幸福喫茶３丁目 」 by Matsuzuki Kou Hakusensha Hana to Yume, shoujo Volume 15 first published in Japan 2009.11

OTHER LANGUAGE VERSIONS
Happy Café is published in English by TOKYOPOP (volume 3 released 2010.06.29 • volume 4 street date: 2010.08.31). A traditional Chinese version is released by Sharp Point Press (Taiwan).

ADAPTATIONS
Geneon Entertainment released two 幸福喫茶３丁目 drama CDs in 2007: the first shipped 25 January; the second on 24 October. Seiyuu Kanda Akemi, Toriumi Kousuke, and Sugiyama Noriaki voiced protagonists Takamura Uru, Shindou Satsuki, and Nishikawa Ichirou.

3. [Premiere] Idol Shopping 1 of 12 by Hwang MiRee

Idol Shopping 「 아이돌 쇼핑 」 by Hwang MiRee Kkonnim, soonjung Volume 1 first published in Korea 2008.12

4. Innocent Dragon (Tenkuu Seiryuu) 6 of 7+ by Yamaguchi Miyuki

Tenkuu Seiryuu by Yamaguchi Miyuki 「 天空聖龍～イノセント・ドラゴン～ 」 Hakusensha Melody, shoujo Volume 6 first published in Japan 2009.01

5. Long Hu Men (Oriental Heroes) 169: Kecantikan yang Mematikan by Tony Wong

Long Hu Men by Tony Wong Culturecom

6. [Premiere] Sandwich Girl 1 of 8 by Han YuRang

Sandwich Girl 「 샌드위치 걸 」 by Han YuRang Kkonnim, soonjung Volume 1 first published in Korea 2006.11

7. [Premiere] Ugly Duckling Become Swan (Miunohri to Swan) 1 of 13 by Hwang MiRee

Miunohri to Swan 「 미운오리 백조되기 」 by Hwang MiRee Kkonnim, soonjung Volume 1 first published in Korea 2007.11

m&c! AMERO comics (2010.07.21)

1. [New] Actions Speak by Sergio Aragonés

Actions Speak by Sergio Aragonés Dark Horse (2002.06.24)

2. Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures 7 of 10 (Lucasfilm Ltd., Dark Horse Comics)

Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures 7 by Matt Fillbach, Shawn Fillbach, Chris Avellone, Ethen Beavers et al. Dark Horse (2010.02.24)

Contains Creature Comforts, Spy Girls, Impregnable and This Precious Shining

¹ Source: m&c! (release schedule and artwork)
² All manga are priced at IDR 16,500, while the new manhwa retail for IDR 18,500/volume. Prices of Long Hu Men (#168) and Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures (#7) remain at IDR 60,000 and IDR 45,000 respectively. Actions Speak carries a IDR 25,000 price tag.
³ Links like this are Amazon search and/or product links (commercial), in case you're interested in another language version.

New Titles continued...

[Female Wolf's Boy and Sandwich Girl information from Baka Updates Manga: here and here]

Female Wolf's Boy 1 of 17 by Han YuRang

Edit: Gomen! Eun Soo is a GUY (should've twigged from the title alone *sweatdrop*) Anyway, changed the pronoun gender, yada, yada, yada...

The manhwafication of the Korean Internet novel, 암컷늑대의 BOY by i쿠키i조아 (iCookieiLike), Female Wolf's Boy stars the ferocious Cha Eun Soo who loathes the mother who abandoned him as a child, but has to live with her (the mother) after the grandmother who succored and gave him a home passes away. Tossed into a new school that's a veritable den of juvies, Eun Soo struggles to keep a promise made on grandma's death bed: that of never getting into a fight again. Eun Soo's resolve is tested when he slams into one of the school's most formidable fighters.

m&c!'s additions
Eun Soo is supposed to be a narcissist extraordinaire and whoever tries to mar his pretty face gets his or her butt kicked. On transferring to Cheong Won High in Seoul, he gets dragged into a love triangle(?) with the dangerous Ho Won and pretty boy Gang Jae Hee.

Sandwich Girl 1 of 8 by Han YuRang

The title Sandwich Girl reminds me of another soonjung manhwa—Na YeRi's Peter Panda—but Han YuRang's heroine, Lee Jae Kyeong, is probably the farthest from Rui and her comfort food egg sandwiches. I dunno where Sandwich Girl's sandwiches come in, but Jae Kyeong's headaches don't stem from having to live with a fairy god-biseinen and a passel of angsty bishounen (albeit the bishounen aggravation is similar). With Jae Kyeong having to contend with two guys: her crush Yu Minwoo and the player irritant Sejoon Kang, Sandwich Girl's plot is nigh interchangeable with Lee SunHee's Neck and Neck or Oda Aya's Lovey Dovey.

m&c!'s additions
Apparently, Jae Kyeong is already engaged, but she still eyes another guy (probably Yu Minwoo) at her new school. To get him to notice her, the tomboy tries to effect a transformation into a lady.

Actions Speak by Sergio Aragonés

Mad Magazine veteran Sergio Aragonés received the prestigious National Cartoonist Society's Reuben Award in 1996 in the Outstanding Cartoonist category. He has also been awarded the Special Award for Humor six times by the Harvey Awards, not to mention grabbing multiple Eisners. Actions Speak compiles some of his most loved LOLarious comic strips in 160 pages.

(m&c! is expected to release the follow up Louder Than Words on 28 July 2010.)

Continuing series

Innocent Dragon 6 of 7+ by Yamaguchi Miyuki

Danger stalks Kanan and her savior...

Before returning to Lamka, Kanan takes a dip to calm herself. Miku, under Sanin's control, takes the opportunity to steal Kanan's bell. At the same time, Sanin's hired assassins sneak up on Lamka.

Iamque opus exegi (pro tem),
~niki DBA huamulan03 (花木蘭03)

UP NEXT: 28 July 2010 manga

m&c!: Ah Dear Banchou 5 · Because I Love You 1 of 2 by Akira Shouko · Bleach 30 · Dragon Girl 5 of 5 · Shanaou Yoshitsune Genpei War 4 · Tell Me One Million Times 1 of 2 by Oobayashi Miyuki · You Can't Disappear from Me 1 of 4 by Aikawa Saki | Manhua: The Impeccable Twins Final Chapters 10 · The Story of Wang Fenglei 4 | AMERO: Quick & Flupke series: Maaf Bu!, Hidup Teknologi, Malapetaka, Kena Batunya, Tukang Kibul and Kencangkan Sabuk Pengaman | Mangazine: Cherry 45/2010 | KOLONI local comics: Satu Atap 2 · Merdeka: Di Bukit Selarong

Elex Media: BECK 20 · Dear Boys Act 3 vol. 3 · Fullmetal Alchemist 23 · Hayate The Combat Butler 22 · Kariage-kun 31 · A Kiss For My Prince 5 of 5 · Legend of Nereid 9 · Legend of The Cursed Sword 31 · Ruler of the Land 48 · Tena on S String 2 · Vitamin Cat 2 · Wild Life 7 | Mangazine: HanaLaLa 52, Shonen Star 69/2010

Level Comics: Angel Heart 4 · Bambino! 5 · Glass Chair 5 · New Comic Bomber 3 · Restore Garage 251 vol. 8 · Soul Eater 1 by Ohkubo Atsushi

disclaimer

Cover images and source summaries used here for reference are © their respective intellectual rights holders. No infringement intended.

other next available manga (21 July 2010 street date)

• Elex Media: Q.E.D. 34 · Juvenile Remix 4 · New Sexy Simpleton 5 · Hell Girl 5 · Sanzoku Ou: King of Bandits 2 · Kurozakuro 4 · Real 9 · Katsu! 6 · Geobreeders 13 · Coz We're not Children 1 by Seta Haruhi · Crows 10 · Shonen Magz 74/2010
• Level Comics: xxxHOLiC 9 · Genius Family Company 3 · Gokusen 14 of 15 · Revolution No.3 vol. 3 of 3 · Fight!! Ippo 77 · Priest 7

other invaluable resources

7net Shopping · Baka-Updates Manga · YES24 · Wikipedia

Technorati tags

m&c! · manga · shoujo · Happy Café (Shiawase Kissa 3-chome) · Innocent Dragon (Tenkuu Seiryuu) | manhwa · soonjung: Female Wolf's Boy · Idol Shopping · Sandwich Girl · Ugly Duckling Become Swan | manhua: Long Hu Men | AMERO: Actions Speak · Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures

Happy Café 14, Sparkling Gingachou 9, Beauty Pop 7 (m&c! 16 June 2010 manga)

Shiawase Kissa 3-chome © Matsuzuki Kou/Hakusensha (Serialized in Hana to Yume)
Published in Indonesia as Happy Café by PT Gramedia/m&c!

Contains [SPOILERS!]

We're thisclose to saying Ba-ha-hye! to an m&c! shoujo manga pair ex borderline-nerdy Hana to Yume: Happy Café and Sparkling Gingachou, which have their penultimates out on the 16th.

In volume 14 of Matsuzuki Kou's reverse harem comedy turned drama with some sekuhara thrown in Happy Café:

Takamura Uru pressures Ichirou-kun and Abekawa Kazura to accompany her in tracking down a woman Uru suspects might be Shindou-san's mom. While Uru's busying herself with someone else's possible 'rent, her own family life sprouts another mystery. Uru's new neighbor is a bit too forward for comfort, the overfamiliarity apparently stemming from some kind of connection with Uru's dad.

From Shiawase Kissa 3-chome Happy Café Bonheur we hop, skip, and jump over to the Sparkling Gingachou shopping district a childhood sextet calls home. In Kirameki Gingachou Shoutengai volume 9 —

The grocery store's Mike and the fishmonger's Kuro finally admit their feelings for each other, but how will the rest of the Galaxy Street pals take to the newborn coupleship? Or is the foursome more concerned with respective love lives (or lack thereof) and post high school graduation futures to really pay attention?

k, that takes care of blurbing the first two post title mentions. Now for a preview of One of These Things is Not Like the Others, This One's from Ciao, Beauty Pop volume 7 by Arai Kiyoko:

Not!Narumi's shenanigans sling mud at the real deal, making the Scissors Project star the target of the female student body's ire. How will Kiri and honmono Narumi sideline the troublemaker?

VIZ's English Beauty Pop 7 blurb, meanwhile, points out another problem: Kiri still hasn't made up her mind over what career to pursue after graduation. Can Narumi's I'm going to turn pro, what else? resolve help Kiri decide her (hairstylist) vocation?

NEW TITLES: I Wish I Could Fly by Moto Naoko

Triple-launched I Wish I Could Fly is a hysterical, I mean, historical shoujo drama from Lady Victorian and Antique Romantic manga-ka Moto Naoko. The Princess serial originally titled Corset ni Tsubasa features orphaned tomboy Christine, sent off to a girls' boarding school by relatives after her father's death. What fate awaits her at the academy that sorts students into upper, lower, and special classes? [With additions from Which Scanlations's description, excerpted by Baka-Updates Manga]

In Japan, Corset ni Tsubasa was released in six volumes (from 2008.01 to 2010.03), but m&c! only has three, with the third designated as the finale. This makes me suspect m&c!'s either releasing omnibus editions or shipping just the first three. (Wouldn't be the first time the latter has happened; m&c! also released only one Backstage Prince volume (volume 2) and billed that a standalone.)

Other 16 June 2010 m&c! highlights:

• Giacomo Dante, architect of the “Cloche Incident,” returns in Gunslinger Girl 11, and with the Five Republics movement, demands that Aaron Cicero and 50 other imprisoned terrorists be freed. Gian and Giose vow to stop Giacomo, even if it means sacrificing the cyborgs.
• I have a split personality? Ai's mind whirls at Noda's conclusion, prompting her to ask friend Haruka to help lay the matter to rest in Jun X Ai Sensation volume 2.
• Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures: Four more thrilling tales of planets in peril and Jedi in jeopardy! Or so goes Dark Horse's Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures 6 hype. The latest in the micro-series are It Takes a Thief, The Drop, To the Vanishing Point, and Means and Ends.

m&c! manga, manhua, and AMERO comics (2010.06.16)

Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details and cover scans.

1. Beauty Pop 7 of 10 by Arai Kiyoko

Beauty Pop 「 ビューティーポップ 」 by Arai Kiyoko AKA Beauty Pop Stage 2¹ Shogakukan Ciao, shoujo Volume 7 first published in Japan 2006.11

NOTES
¹ Beauty Pop underwent a short hiatus but returned October 2006 under the title Beauty Pop Stage 2. The “sequel” covers volumes 7 to 10. The tankoubon releases, however, are still titled Beauty Pop.

OTHER LANGUAGE VERSIONS/SERIALIZATIONS
Beauty Pop is published in English by VIZ Media (10 volumes); in French by Soleil; and in traditional Chinese by Tong Li.

Beauty Pop is serialized in Indonesian in Cherry.

ADAPTATIONS
A Beauty Pop drama CD was released in November 2004, starring seiyuu Minagawa Junko as Koshiba Kiri, Seki Tomokazu as Narumi Shogo, Makoto Aoki as Ochiai Kazuhiko, Shimono Hiro as Minami Kei, Kurata Masayo as Aoyama Kanako, Shimozaki Hiroshi as Komatsu Taro, and Hoshino Mitsuaki as Koshiba Seiji.

2. Gunslinger Girl 11 of 12+ by Aida Yu

Gunslinger Girl by Aida Yu 「 ＧＵＮＳＬＩＮＧＥＲ　ＧＩＲＬ 」 MediaWorks Dengeki Daioh, shounen Volume 11 first published in Japan 2009.07

Volume 11 contains chapters:

• 59: A Caged Memory (記憶の檻 Kioku no Ori)
• 60-62: Vendetta (ヴェンデッタ) (Parts 3-5)
• 63: Beatrice (べアトリーチェ)
• 64: Battlefield of the Vanquished (敗者の戦場 Haisha no Senjō)
• 65: Welcome Home, Enrica (おかえりエンリカ Okaeri Enrika)
• 66: The Blue Prince (青色の王子 Aoi no Ōji)

OTHER LANGUAGE VERSIONS
Gunslinger Girl was first published in English by ADV Manga (dropped; last volume 6 released 2007.11.28). Seven Seas picked up the license and is expected to re-release the first six books in omnibus format, before releasing single volumes from volume 7. The action manga is translated into French by Asuka Comics; in Italian by Shin Vision; in German by EMA (Egmont Manga & Anime); in Russian by Sakura-Press; and in traditional Chinese by Kadokawa Media (Taiwan).

ADAPTATIONS
A 13-episode anime adaptation by Madhouse aired in Japan from October 2003 to February 2004 on Fuji TV and Animax, followed by the Artland-produced sequel, Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino-, also 13 episodes, telecast on Tokyo MX TV from January to March 2008. Two episodes of the Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino- OAV were released in October 2008.

The seiyuu cast changed from the first anime to the Il Teatrino sequel:

Role	1st	2nd
Henrietta	Nanri Yuuka	Akutsu Kana
Rico	Mitsuhashi Kanako	Shiono Anri
Triela	Sendai Eri	Enomoto Atsuko
Claes	Koshimizu Ami	Mizuno Risa
Angelica	Terakado Hitomi	Hanazawa Kana

3. Happy Café (Shiawase Kissa 3-chome) 14 of 15 by Matsuzuki Kou

Shiawase Kissa 3-chome 「 幸福喫茶３丁目 」 by Matsuzuki Kou Hakusensha Hana to Yume, shoujo Volume 14 first published in Japan 2009.08

OTHER LANGUAGE VERSIONS
Happy Café is published in English by TOKYOPOP (volume 2 released 2010.03.30 • volume 3 street date: 2010.06.29). A traditional Chinese version is released by Sharp Point Press (Taiwan).

ADAPTATIONS
Geneon Entertainment released two 幸福喫茶３丁目 drama CDs in 2007: the first shipped 25 January; the second on 24 October. Seiyuu Kanda Akemi, Toriumi Kousuke, and Sugiyama Noriaki voiced protagonists Takamura Uru, Shindou Satsuki, and Nishikawa Ichirou.

4. [Premiere] I Wish I Could Fly (Corset ni Tsubasa) 1 of 3 by Moto Naoko

Corset ni Tsubasa 「 コルセットに翼 」 by Moto Naoko Akita Shoten Princess, shoujo Volume 1 first published in Japan 2008.01

5. [New] I Wish I Could Fly (Corset ni Tsubasa) 2 of 3 by Moto Naoko

Volume 2 first published in Japan 2008.06

6. [New] I Wish I Could Fly (Corset ni Tsubasa) 3 of 3 by Moto Naoko

Volume 3 first published in Japan 2008.12

7. Jun X Ai Sensation (Jun'ai Sensation) 2 of 5+ by Oobayashi Miyuki

Jun'ai Sensation 「 純★愛センセーション 」 by Oobayashi Miyuki Shogakukan ChuChu Comics, shoujo Volume 2 first published in Japan 2009.02

8. Long Hu Men (Oriental Heroes) 168: Pertarungan Akhir by Tony Wong

Long Hu Men by Tony Wong Culturecom

9. Sparkling Gingachou (Kirameki Gingachou Shoutengai) 9 of 10 by Fujimoto Yuki

Kirameki Gingachou Shoutengai 「 キラメキ☆銀河町商店街 」 by Fujimoto Yuki AKA Sparkling Galaxy Town Shopping Center Hakusensha Hana to Yume, shoujo Volume 9 first published in Japan 2009.04

ADAPTATIONS
A キラメキ☆銀河町商店街 drama CD about the six childhood friends who grew up in the Galaxy Street shopping district was released by Geneon Entertainment on 2007.11.21, starring seiyuu Kawakami Tomoko, Fukuyama Jun, Ikezawa Haruna, Mizuno Manabi, Hoshi Souichirou, Taniyama Kishô, and Takahashi Hiroki.

10. Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures 6 of 10 (Lucasfilm Ltd., Dark Horse Comics)

Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures 6 by Haden Blackman, Thomas Andrews, Fillbach Brothers, Stewart McKenny Dark Horse (2006.08.09) Featuring It Takes a Thief, The Drop, To the Vanishing Point, and Means and Ends

NOTE
¹ Source: m&c! (artwork)
² All listed GN are priced at IDR 15,000, except Long Hu Men 168 (SRP: IDR 60,000) and Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures 6 (IDR 45,000)
³ Links like this are Amazon.com (or other online merchants) search and/or product links (commercial), in case you're interested in another language version.

~niki DBA huamulan03 (花木蘭03)

disclaimer

Cover images and source summaries used here for reference are © their respective intellectual rights holders. No infringement intended.

other currently available manga (16 June 2010 street date)

• Elex Media: Fairy Tail 6 · Katsu! 5 · A Kiss for My Prince 2 · Legend of Nereid 8 · New Legenda Naga 5 · New Sexy Simpleton 2 · Otoboke Section Chief 3 · Rakka Ryuusui 1 by Sanada Ikki · Sanzoku Ou 1 by Sawada Hirofumi · School Rumble 11 · Vampire Knight 1 by Hino Matsuri · With My Brothers 6 · Nakayoshi 81 · Shonen Star 66
• Level Comics: Aflame Inferno 2 · Air Gear 12 · Psychometrist Eiji 13 · Priest 6 · Vagabond 32 · xxxHOLiC 8

other invaluable resources

7net Shopping · Baka-Updates Manga · Wikipedia · ANN · TV Tropes

Technorati tags
m&c! · manga · manhua · AMERO · shoujo · shounen · Beauty Pop · Gunslinger Girl · Happy Café (Shiawase Kissa 3-chome) · I Wish I Could Fly · Jun X Ai Sensation · Long Hu Men · Sparkling Gingachou · Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures

Happy Cafe 13 by Matsuzuki Kou (m&c! shoujo manga; street date: 19 May 2010)

Shiawase Kissa 3-chome © Matsuzuki Kou/Hakusensha (First serialized in Hana to Yume)
Published in Indonesia as Happy Café by PT Gramedia/m&c!
[Cover from m&c!]

Happy Café 13 of 15

By Matsuzuki Kou
Original title: 幸福喫茶３丁目 (Shiawase Kissa 3-chome [Sanchoume])
Hakusensha, originally serialized in Hana to Yume, shoujo
Volume 13 released in Japan 2008.12
Published in Indonesia 2010.05 by PT Gramedia/m&c!

May contain [SPOILERS!]

Synopsis

Takamura Uru takes a day off from Café Bonheur and goes on a picnic with friends to the mountains, where she bumps into Abekawa Sou from Abekawa-ya, the traditional Japanese bakery that is Uru's employer's “rival.” Good-natured ribbing from her pals ensue, ending up in our (literally) strong, if oblivious female lead finding out how Sou really feels about her.

Was the delirious shock so great that it makes Uru contract a high fever?

With Sou's feelings outed, we have the Happy Café love polygon all accounted for now (with Shindou-san and Ichirou-kun comprising the other sides). Which one will Make Someone Happy Uru choose? Will she go with Shindou-san, letting us have our ShinRu? Or will we get an IchiRu OTP? Or will it be a ShinIchiRu OT3? Don't tell me dark horse SouRu will emerge the victor?

(Though if it becomes SouRu—after 12 volumes of emotional investment—I will point out to Uru that Sou is nothing but Shindou-san's doppelgänger — from his also dark-haired floppy locks down to his toes, with even the gruff and grouchy disposition intact.)

m&c! Volume 13 street date: 19 May 2010

~niki DBA huamulan03 (花木蘭03) via m&c!

disclaimer

Images and source summaries used here for reference are © their respective intellectual rights holders. No infringement intended.

other invaluable resources

7net Shopping · Baka-Updates Manga

Technorati tags
m&c! · manga · shoujo · Happy Café · Shiawase Kissa 3-chome · Matsuzuki Kou · Hakusensha

Bleach 25, Happy Cafe 13, School Hotel 2 of 2, C-blossom 2 of 2 (m&c! 19 May 2010 manga)

Bleach © Kubo Tite/Shueisha (Serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump)
Published in Indonesia by PT Gramedia/m&c!

Contains   [SPOILERS!] and moar trope identification (a trend that with TV Tropes' leave hopefully endures)

And it looks like the Bleach blitzkrieg will continue—persisting, as far as I know, till next week—but for now, let's focus on the quarter-century tankou streeting on Wednesday, the 19th.

Bleach volume 25, subtitled No Shaking Throne features Hollow!Ichigo on the cover, and with good reason. After his Messianic impulse #Fails to protect his friends, Ichigo is sent scurrying to the Visored, begging (in his fashion) for yet another Shounen Upgrade slash training. Ichigo, Heroic Resolve intact, tells Shinji and the Hollow-fortified Soul Reapers that he will take them up on their offer: establish I'm teh Man! dominance over the Hollow Enemy Within within (and later, wield its (his) power to kick teh a*ses of the Espada, Aizen's cadre of elite Arrancar).

Perpetually in PMS Hiyori starts Ichigo on his spartan training, but before the tiny, former 12th Division lieutenant completely wipes the floor with him, Ichigo's hollow emerges. It takes the Visored collective to suppress Shirosaki. Shinji then allows Ichigo to go one on one with his hollow self, an exercise that knocks Ichigo out and gives his hollow metamorphosis free rein.

(Meanwhile, the Kudzu Plot continues to unravel, as shared by Wiki's summary: Soul Society Gotei 13 leader Yamamoto Genryūsai divulges the true objective of A God Am I Aizen to the other Shiro, 10th Division captain Hitsugaya.)

Shiawase Kissa 3-chome
© Matsuzuki Kou/
Hakusensha/Hana to Yume
Published in Indonesia
as Happy Café by m&c!

Happy Café 13 by Matsuzuki Kou

Elsewhere (though not in 3-chome), Uru goes on a picnic with friends and coincidentally (not) runs into Abekawa Sou, one of the brother pair from Abekawa-ya, the traditional Japanese bakery that is Café Bonheur's “rival.” Because of good-natured ribbing from her pals, Make Someone Happy Uru finds out (finally!) how Sou feels about her.

Was the delirious shock so great that it makes Uru contract a high fever?

What will be your next move, Shindou-san? Sou is your doppelgänger, after all. And what about you, Ichirou-kun? With Sou's rabu declaration out in the open, what will happen to the Happy Café ShinRu, IchiRu, and ShinIchiRu OTP/OT3 now?

Gakkou Hotel © Morie Satoshi/
Hakusensha/Hana to Yume
Published in Indonesia
as School Hotel by m&c!

School Hotel 2 of 2 by Morie Satoshi

The School Hotel (Gakkou Hotel) blurb is skosh generic:

Gakkou Hotel e Youkoso! Make yourself at home and ditch the mask and reveal your true self.

At first an invited guest, Keirin High “saint” Amano Toriko eventually joins the staff of the School Hotel and finds she's at the front desk facing a deluge of customers, each with surprising reasons for checking in.

Forget the hotel guests. I wanna know what's going to happen to Toriko x the “devilish” bishie hotel manager Ozuka Mizuchi.

The summary of the other finale, C-blossom -case 729- (volume 2), huddles under the manga lists, along with synopses for Innocent Dragon (Tenkuu Seiryuu) 5 and White Paper Ark (Hakobune Hakusho) 6.

NEW M&C! TITLES: Teh Malaysian “Invasion”

With a little help from Hong Kong... (Non sequitur to squeeze in Fu and Dragon, the Three Kingdoms manhua on double launch; synopses and covers (way) below)

m&c!'s diversification takes it to neighboring Malaysia and nets these five standalones: Call from the Grave by Kash; Dari Alam Angker Histeria and Illusive (both by Oga); Eli by Zint; and Punch by Aliow. None of the artists' names are familiar to me; I only know of (and that barely in passing) LAT/Mohamed Nor Khalid. At any rate, of the five, only Aliow's Punch is not horror (more like a mystery thriller). You can see what I mean if you click the title links that lead to the m&c! covers/summaries.

(But the real mystery is why they cost IDR 20,000/volume.)

m&c! manga and manhua (2010.05.19)

Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details and cover scans.

1. Bleach 25 of 45+ by Kubo Tite

Bleach 「 ＢＬＥＡＣＨ－ブリーチ－ 」 by Kubo Tite Shueisha Weekly Shonen Jump, shounen Volume 25: No Shaking Throne first published in Japan 2006.12

Volume 25: No Shaking Throne contains:

• 215. Tug Your God Out
• 216. The Suppression of Darkness
• 217. Hole in My Heart
• 218. Dark Side of Universe 3
• 219. Black & White 3
• 220. King & His Horse
• 221. Let's Eat the World's End
• 222. No Shaking Throne
• 223. The Scarlet Creation

AWARDS: Best shounen manga in the 50th Shogakukan Manga Awards

Bleach is published in English by VIZ Media (volume 30 released 2010.03.02 • volume 31 street date: 2010.06.01)

An anime adaptation by Studio Pierrot began airing in October 2004 and continues to this day (Season 15, the return to the Hueco Mundo arc, opened with episode 266 on 2010.04.13). Seiyuu Morita Masakazu and Orikasa Fumiko star as leads Kurosaki Ichigo and Kuchiki Rukia. Paku Romi and Namikawa Daisuke play 10th Division captain Hitsugaya Toshiro and Arrancar Ulquiorra Schiffer respectively. At least two OAVs and three theatrical movies—Bleach the Movie: Memories of Nobody, Bleach the Movie: The DiamondDust Rebellion, Another Hyōrinmaru, and Bleach the Movie: Fade to Black, I Call Your Name—have been released.

2. C-blossom -case 729- volume 2 of 2 by Shimotsuki Kayoko, Fukui Harutoshi [Finale]

C-blossom -case 729- 「 Ｃ－ｂｌｏｓｓｏｍ－ｃａｓｅ７２９－ 」 by Shimotsuki Kayoko & Fukui Harutoshi Kodansha Betsufure, shoujo Volume 2 first published in Japan 2005.12

Related: Spin-off of Boukoku no Aegis by Fukui Harutoshi & Yokoyama Jin

3. [Premiere] Fu and Dragon 1 of 2 by Li Zhi Qing/Zhuang Han Bo
4. [New] Fu and Dragon 2 of 2 by Li Zhi Qing/Zhuang Han Bo [Finale]
5. Happy Café (Shiawase Kissa 3-chome) 13 of 15 by Matsuzuki Kou

Shiawase Kissa 3-chome 「 幸福喫茶３丁目 」 by Matsuzuki Kou Hakusensha Hana to Yume, shoujo Volume 13 first published in Japan 2008.12

Happy Café is published in English by TOKYOPOP (volume 2 released 2010.03.30 • volume 3 street date: 2010.06.29)

6. The Impeccable Twins Final Chapters 8 of 20: Sengketa Dewa (bagian kedua) by Khu Lung, Cai Jing Dong
7. Innocent Dragon (Tenkuu Seiryuu) 5 of 7+ by Yamaguchi Miyuki

Tenkuu Seiryuu by Yamaguchi Miyuki 「 天空聖龍～イノセント・ドラゴン～ 」 Hakusensha Melody, shoujo Volume 5 first published in Japan 2008.05

8. Long Hu Men (Oriental Heroes) 167: Energi Long Hu by Tony Wong

Long Hu Men by Tony Wong Culturecom

9. School Hotel (Gakkou Hotel) 2 of 2 by Morie Satoshi [Finale]

Gakkou Hotel 「 学校ホテル 」 by Morie Satoshi Hakusensha Hana to Yume, shoujo Volume 2 first published in Japan 2008.12

10. White Paper Ark (Hakobune Hakusho) 6 of 7 by Fujino Moyamu

Hakobune Hakusho 「 はこぶね白書 」 by Fujino Moyamu Mag Garden Comic Blade, shounen Volume 6 first published in 2008.05

Hakobune Hakusho is published in English as Animal Academy: Hakobune Hakusho by TOKYOPOP (volume 4 released 2010.03.30 • volume 5 street date: 2010.08.03)

m&c! AMERO comics (2010.05.19)

1. Monika dan Kawan-Kawan (Turma da Mônica) 134 by Mauricio
2. Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures 5 of 10 by Matt Jacobs, Fillbach Brothers, and Rick Lacy, featuring What Goes Up, Bailed Out, Heroes on Both Sides, and Order of Outcasts

m&c! Komik Malaysia (2010.05.19)

1. [New] Call from the Grave by Kash
2. [New] Dari Alam Angker Histeria by Oga
3. [New] Eli by Zint
4. [New] Illusive by Oga
5. [New] Punch by Aliow

NOTE
(1) Source: m&c! (advisory, artwork)
(2) All listed GN are priced at IDR 15,000 each, except the full-color Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures 5 (SRP: IDR 45,000); the Hong Kong manhua: Long Hu Men (IDR 60,000), The Impeccable Twins Final Chapters 8 (IDR 17,500), and the Fu and Dragon volumes (each IDR 18,500); and the Malaysian comics (IDR 20,000 per volume)
(3) Links like this are Amazon.com (or other online merchants) search and/or product links (commercial), in case you're interested in another language version.

Manga volume previews continued...

C-blossom -case 729- Volume 2 of 2

C-blossom -case 729-
© Shimotsuki Kayoko
& Fukui Harutoshi/
Kodansha/Betsufure
Published in Indonesia by m&c!

The “embezzling” case at the Defense Ministry sparks internal conflict within the covert organization Dice, and threatens the life of Matsumiya Kana, daughter of the Ministry bureaucrat charged with corruption. This prompts Dice higher-ups to order agent Kisaragi Kou to guard Kana and ensure her safety. Alone, what can Kisaragi Kou accomplish against a troop of Black ops operatives, one of whom bears him a homicidal grudge?

Now I also want Boukoku no Aegis (Aimless Aegis), Fukui Harutoshi- & Yokoyama Jin's seinen manga (whence Shimotsuki Kayoko's shoujo C-blossom was spun-off) for the simple Kyaaa~! Kou-sama! reason. (I'm sorry, but Kana is too much of a plot device and thus, fails to induce emotional investment.)

Innocent Dragon 5 by Yamaguchi Miyuki

Since the previous Innocent Dragon volume was last seen around March 2009, you can get up to speed/refresh your memory with this Ivyscan series description (excerpted by Baka-Updates Manga). As for volume 5 of Yamaguchi Miyuki's always purtily-covered Innocent Dragon —

Sanin appears before Kanan and her savior Lamka, but she chooses to remain with the Lord of Sanwa's son. With Sanin out of the way, Lamka and allies are free to embark on a new journey, one that would take them to a monastery on Mount Lamo.

White Paper Ark 6 by Fujino Moyamu

A dream allows Fune to uncover Miiko's secret past and the identity of Miiko's beloved. But now it is Fune who's bitten by the love bug. Sasuke's constant avowals of protecting Fune has made her fall for him. What will Fune do once she finds out what was behind Sasuke's disappearance when he was younger, a mystery that Yuusuke will do everything to lay bare.

Manhua volume previews

Fu and Dragon 1 of 2 by Li Zhi Qing & Zhuang Han Bo

This series is apparently a manhua retelling of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Zhuge Liang is known as the Sleeping (or Crouching) Dragon. When the noble Huang clan proposes Zhuge Liang's betrothal to the beauteous Ai Er, the handsome scholar refuses and instead opts for Ai Er's older sister A Fu, dubbed Ugly.

Not long after their marriage, Zhuge Liang is visited three times by general Liu Bei. Liu Bei asks Zhuge Liang for advice on confronting warlord Cao Cao, personally responsible for slaughtering 300 soldiers and commoners. Zhuge Liang thus decides to abandon his seclusion and leave the mountains.

m&c! asks what's in store for the genius strategist and inventor Zhuge Liang, whose name equals intelligence and tactics in Chinese culture, and answers in —

Fu and Dragon 2 of 2

As Cao Cao's forces mount an assault in the south, Jing province governor Liu Bao dies from illness. This forces Zhuge Liang and A Fu to struggle to realize the plan of reviving the Han Dynasty via the Three Kingdoms strategy.

~niki DBA huamulan03 (花木蘭03)

UP NEXT: 26 May 2010 manga

Elex Media: Alice Academy 13 · The Best Skilled Surgeon 3 · Crows 8 · Detektif Conan Animasi TV 21 · Fruits Basket 23 of 23 · Hell Girl 1 by Eeto Miyuki & Jigoku Shojo Project · K-ON! 2 · Kunai Legend 2 · Kuro Memanggul Peti Mati 2 · Libero Revolution 10 · Otoboke Section Chief 2 · Princess 31 · The Ruler of Nabari 10 · Tale of The Sea King 37 · With My Brothers 5 · Shonen Star 65/2010

Level Comics: Black Lagoon 6 · Chocolat 3 · Eagle 11 of 11 · Kyoko Karasuma's Case Files 2 · Master of Sea 14 · Oh Butterfly Oh Flower 1 by Yoshihara Yuki · Rainbow 17

m&c!: Bakugan Battle Brawlers 5 · Bleach 26 · Hand 7 Vol. 3 of 3 · Hellboy 3 · Jinco From Room 203 Vol. 3 of 3 · Panta Pan 1 by Aomata Pink · Pendragon 3 · Red Devil of Onigawara Yokocho 2 of 2 · Shanaou Yoshitsune Genpei War 2 · The Story of Wang Fenglei 2 · KOLONI: I Want To Live by Kababonken · KOLONI: Shangrila by Mage · KOLONI: Xenopet by Rizky Arrydesta · Cherry 43

disclaimer

Cover images and source summaries used here for reference are © their respective intellectual rights holders. No infringement intended.

manga currently available (12 May 2010 street date)

• Elex Media: Burning Pen by Shimamoto Kazuhiko · Cross Game 16 · Eyeshield 21 V37 of 37 · Fantastic Tales 2 · The Fifth Columnist 2 of 2 · K-ON! 1 by Kakifly · Kuro Memanggul Peti Mati 1 by Kiyuduki Satoko · Pangeran Kacamata 3 · School Rumble 10 · Shugo Chara! 9 Tokkyu! 11 · V.B. Rose 1 by Hidaka Banri · Vitamin Cat 1 by Sugiyama Ryoko · Wazabo 3 · Nakayoshi 80/2010
• Level Comics: Diamond Life 2 · Go Go Hanasaki Detective Office 2 · Nanase Fire Investigator 3 · Ole! 4 · Officer Monju 5 · Priest 5 · The Ravages of Time 2 · Tomo'o 8 · Under The Rose 4 · Spirou: Air Keabadian · Spirou: Penyihir di Champignac
• m&c!: Beauty Pop 6 · Bleach 24 · Blizzard Axel 9 · Goong [Palace Story] 20 · Innocent Revenge by Hazuki Rei · Nekomachi Shop Guide 1 by Sakamoto Miku · Princess Bouquet 1 by Aomata Pink · Shanimuni GO 29 · Shanaou Yoshitsune volumes 18-22 box set

next available manga (19 May 2010 street date)

• Elex Media: BECK 17 · Godhand Teru 23 · Katsu! 4 · The Moon & Lake by Ashihara Hinako · Pangeran Kacamata 4 · The Puppet Master Lin 7 · Spiral: The Bonds of Reason 3 · Summer Storm! 1 by Kobayashi Jin · V.B. Rose 2 · HanaLaLa 50/2010
• Level Comics: AirGear 11 · Bambino 3 · Blade of Immortal 7 · Dolls of God 1 by Yamamura Hajime · Gun Smith Cats 5 · Historie 1 by Iwaaki Hitoshi · Nurse Aoi 12 · Shattered Knife 3

other invaluable resources

7net Shopping · Amazon Japan · Baka-Updates Manga · Wikipedia · TV Tropes (Bleach)

Technorati tags
m&c! · AMERO · Malaysian comics · manga · manhua · shoujo · shounen · Bleach · C-blossom -case 729- · Fu and Dragon · Happy Café · The Impeccable Twins Final Chapters · Innocent Dragon · Long Hu Men · Monika · School Hotel · Shiawase Kissa 3-chome · Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures · White Paper Ark