Initially, I wanted to make a series where every month I'd talk about one anime and one manga series that I read and then rate/recommend it but I'm really not that much of an anime fan anymore so I actually found it very difficult to find something new to watch and actually watch it every month. However, I'm always reading new manga so I think I'll just stick with manga after all hahaha. Or I'll alternate, who knows~ I mean just updating this blog is good enough isn't it?! Hahaha.
Ballroom e Youkoso by Takeuchi Tomo
Rating: 7.5/10
So I checked this one out because it was one of the highest rated on Batoto and the fact that it is about ballroom dancing made me all the more curious. I have to say, I'm so glad I picked it up! It's exactly what you would expect from a shounen manga about ballroom dancing! Heated competitions, the will to improve, finding a partner to dance with etc. It does it so well, I finished it in one sitting hahaha. It's too bad that it's currently on hiatus due to the author's health though.
I think it gives very fascinating and interesting insight into something that you would think to be predominantly feminine since anyone who hears ballroom dancing would think of rich women dancing in their high class ball (or that's what TVB has turned me into) but this just flips that stereotype completely. You'd start to even think of how masculine it can be and this is definitely enhanced because of the art. The art is so enrapturing in how it's so capable in expressing their expressions and dance. To be fair though, I'm still a bit confused on how they move sometimes but this manga did make me curious enough to youtube what a slow foxtrot was hahaha.
Essentially, the plot revolves around our MC Fujita Tatara who can't find a goal in life that he could be passionate about and then stumbles upon ballroom dancing where he meets a classmate that is actually in competitive dancing and I guess he gets inspired and interested because of her passion as well. Typical storyline but it's so interesting in how they interweave it with ballroom dancing! The characters are very interesting and omg Hyoudou and Shizuku dancing the tango and the waltz really made me see through a manga how sensual and passionate it could be when dancing. Too bad, I won't have the eyes for it in real life since sometimes I do have difficulties relating to the whole dance thing haha.
Otherwise good characters, interesting plot. Although I'm not very fond of Chinatsu right now (although everyone loves her) just because everyone seemed to think it was only Tatara's fault that they weren't working well together as dancing partners. But yeah, definite recommend if you want to see a different light into ballroom dancing. Personally, I think I'd love to see this animated. Art might look a little rough in the beginning but it's gets better so definitely well worth reading!
Berserk by Miura Kentaro
Rating 8.5/10
Since I heard that there was a new Berserk anime coming out soon, it made me finally pick up my lazy ass and read it and I have to say, I wasn't disappointed. I never really had high expectations to begin with so that might contribute to it but man, this is amazing. Not like super amazing but still amazing. The most amazing thing would have to be the art to be honest, I absolutely love it, the detail, the atmosphere, the characters, everything is so well put and matched with the story that the story and the art just seems made for each other. Absolutely amazing.
Anywho, Berserk follows our MC Guts in a time of medieval Europe-inspired fantasy world where he is in the Band of the Hawk and how things well, go downhill from there. Personally, I don't know how to talk about it without spoiling it but the beginning to the end of the whole Band of the Hawk part was amazing. Not like the journeys after aren't but it was amazing how well portrayed Guts and Griffith were as characters and how everything essentially went downhill because of camaraderie itself. In the beginning, I didn't think Griffith cared about Guts more than Guts did for him but it seems that it might have been the opposite. Let's just say this is very action packed but also fascinatingly deep in character interactions and it built a really good foundation to the true beginning of the story. So good that it makes me reminisce about their old days and how nice it would be to go back to that haha.
However, it is heavily wrought with violence and some rape etc so you might not want to read it if that utterly puts you off. Personally, I don't mind since those are not an issue for me and I think the violence (if you can call it that) is an essential part of what Berserk is. To me, the violence is so natural in their world that classifying it as something bad makes it feel weird haha! But yes, highly recommended! Guts is truly the epitome of a 硬漢, someone extremely resilient physically and perhaps perceivingly invincible but carries an enormous weight of trauma, troubles and sadness. Every time I see how Casca treats him, I'm so sad T_T I think this is one of those manga where I can really see where the protagonist and antagonist are coming from in their point of views. Like it's obvious who is in the wrong but you can understand how everything turned out like it is currently and that makes Berserk all the more interesting and entertaining. It's definitely one of the few where I really like and am really interested in Griffith; our antagonist.
Oh, btw I think I forgot to mention that this is on hiatus right now as well lol or maybe to be more concise, Berserk will be on an irregular schedule for now, but yeah don't think we'll see it until Summer in Japan which is Winter here so maybe July? T_T How I love to read manga that is on hiatus hahaha. On another note, I AM SO EXCITED TO SEE HUNTER X HUNTER AGAIN IN APRIL!! I'm so happy Togashi is back!!
