Lovely Complex by Aya Nakahara
Margaret Comics
Shueisha
A tall girl. A short boy. Both have a knack for words and together they make the manzai comedy pair of their school. However, our giantess, Risa Koizumi, finds herself caught in quite a pinch. After getting to know her unforeseen comedy partner, Atsushi Ootani, she eventually falls in love with him. How would she get by? How would she able to show this midget that she's more than a funny girl? Aya Nakahara shows us a how a comedy combination turns into a love combi in Lovely Complex.
Edit : It seems that Viz / Shoujo Beat picked up Lovely Complex. So some things written down there might not be applicable.
Last spring was a breath of fresh air after the stark dry season that is post-Nodame. Yes, Nodame's drama and anime was such a blast that nothing came close to compare the fun and energy that Nodame had. Until of course, spring came. Now, there are many series to keep note of during the season. There were many GREAT animes that came out, but what really sparked my curiosity was the line of dramas that came out during spring. Particularly, Liar Game and Bambino.
If lying and cooking is your turf, I recommend that you watch these two series. While you're at it, read the mangas as well.
Koukou Debut by Kawahara Kazune
Published by Shueisha
Serialized in Bessatsu Comic Margaret
High school's not easy. For a girl who spent her life in junior high school as a certified jock, the mission to snag a boyfriend in high school is quite a tall task. But Haruna Nagashima is not the girl who gives up. She'll do anything and everything to make her High School debut! Even if it meant getting a snobby yet handsome high school senior as her coach.
This is a completely hilarious romance about a boy and a girl who's just starting to figure out what love is all about. Having studied all the formulas in shoujo romance, how can Haruna Nagashima's go wrong? Well, Kazune Kawahara tells you that a romantic life ain't no shoujo manga. But Kawahara also depicts a romance quite true to most girls out there. Koukou Debut serves a fresh tale on what it's like to fall in love the first time.
Tokyo Boys and Girls by Miki Aihara
Published by Shogakukan
Serialized in Betsucomi
It's your first day in High School. You chose the school with the best school uniform so you could round up more boys. Everything looks great so far until a guy you can't remember suddenly tells you that he's going to get his revenge at you. And you try to remember all the things that you have done in your life, but you just can't. What starts out as a beginning of a funny comedy, turns into a sappy high school romance. Miki Aihara takes the usual shoujo formula and expands it to a 5 volume teenage drama. God, if it took her four volumes to figure out what she has done to the guy, you wouldn't wonder why the publishers considered pulling the plug.
Planetes by Makoto Yukimura
Published by Kodansha & Tokyopop
Serialized in Weekly Morning
When you look outside your window, what do you dream? For Hachirota Hoshino, he dreamt of reaching the deep ends of the dark void with a big spaceship of his own. I believe it's universal to be enchanted by space's beauty. However, we discover that space isn't merely a painting for us to adore. It is a reality that we all live in. Makoto Yukimura beautifully drafts the life of DS-12 "Toybox" as they encounter space. From what is commonly seen as just another space odessey, Yukimura takes it a step further to offer to us not just a tale, but a reflection on the importance of life, love, humanity, and space. Planetes explores the being in Being as the crew of DS-12 struggles in space. Sounds a bit complex, but hey, that's life.
Guest on 
d4rkn on 
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