So in the last volume its all about Kito and Nagi. Student President Yuushi Kito's still the main character but Nagi barely features - there's onlyEh?
So in the last volume its all about Kito and Nagi. Student President Yuushi Kito's still the main character but Nagi barely features - there's only one hint of Kito's affection - he protests at the journalist's negative articles only when one of the photos features Nagi - that's the only hint that the last volume happened. In this one we focus on the relationship between Kito and the vice president Akira Takamura.
If you had only read this volume you'd totally think kito/Akira were an item which completely negates the first volume.
Art work's quite nice and i like the characters, but its not very yaoi - if you like pretty boy dramas like Antique Bakery you'll enjoy this, but disappointing on the romance and heat levels. ...more
First of all I should say this is nothing whatsoever like the author's previous series Oly The Ring Finger Knows.
It's set in an elite boys school and First of all I should say this is nothing whatsoever like the author's previous series Oly The Ring Finger Knows.
It's set in an elite boys school and follows the princely Student council president Yuushi Kito and his affection for fellow council member Nagi Tokieda.
It's cute and the characters are engaging, but honestly for a June Yaoi imprint its ridiculously tame - we don't even get a kiss. If pretty boy high-school drama is your thing, this will probably float your boat - I did love Kito & Nagi as a couple but you could write it down to Kito's kindness and close friendship - there's little passion here or emotional drama. Artwork's quite nice.
In this new arc we follow Asa (in contract with the War Devil) - her goal to unmask (and kill) Chainsaw Man. She finally makes a best friend, Yuko butIn this new arc we follow Asa (in contract with the War Devil) - her goal to unmask (and kill) Chainsaw Man. She finally makes a best friend, Yuko but it seems that Yuko has made a contract with the justice devil and Asa and Yuko have to fight each other.
This isn't bad, but there's not much Denji or chainsaw man action in this volume and I find myself really missing Makima, Power and Aki. I'm just not as invested in these new characters. I mean the last arc went so dark and this just feels lite in comparison. really like the design on the justice devil.
The big question is... will Denji ever get a normal love-life? As he agrees to go out with Asa... oh boy, here we go again.... ...more
The final story in this has Class A Challenge Class E in their exams - Whichever class gets the most top subject scores gets a favour from the other cThe final story in this has Class A Challenge Class E in their exams - Whichever class gets the most top subject scores gets a favour from the other class. What motivation! What a cliff-hanger!
I love how this challenges the tiered education system. Some nice character development in the other stories - we learn how Meg Katoka got to be in class E and resolve her bullying issue. Ryoma Terasaka gets manipulated by Itona - I like how this story plays out - how Rymoa likes Class E the way it was and actually resents Koro's improvements because it means he has to try.
As all the series so far, really enjoying this....more
The first episode in this volume deals with a baseball match between 3E and the main school - The Principal takes over the opposing team to try and keThe first episode in this volume deals with a baseball match between 3E and the main school - The Principal takes over the opposing team to try and keep 3E in their place - but our underdogs won't be kept down.
The main story then kicks in - a new Tough Love assassin gets sent in to replace Karasuma as PE Teacher. Unassuming Nagisa gets to shine as he is chosen to weild the knife against Takaoda.
There's a fluff filler story about henna tattoos that's quite silly and we end on Koro damming up a stream to create a pool 3E can swim in without having to hike the mile and a half to the one in the main school.
Another really enjoyable volume. I like how this one highlights different teaching methods. Who knew Nagisa could be so scary! ...more
Volume 4 begins where the last volume left off with the competition between Irina and her Boss - Koro sensei isn't the target though - It's Karasuma -Volume 4 begins where the last volume left off with the competition between Irina and her Boss - Koro sensei isn't the target though - It's Karasuma - the ministry of defence PE Teacher! After that story resolves itself Sensei takes three students to see a ninja movie - a plot line of which reveals the big bad to be the protagonists brother. This sets up the next story in this volume where another assassin gets sent to class 3E and it's Koro Sensei's remarkably human looking brother! The only thing Koro will say on the matter is that they were both artificially created.... So not aliens at all then, the plot thickens.... The last volume features a baseball grudge match with the main school and again leaves us on a cliff-hanger for part 5.
I'm still really enjoying this series and I'm very curious to see where it's headed now that we've had the bombshell that Koro Sensei was created.... By who? and why? And what is up with his complte sociopath brother?...more
Another fun instalment - this one's a bit more episodic, but no weaker for that. We begin with the conclusion to the cliff-hanger of the last volume wiAnother fun instalment - this one's a bit more episodic, but no weaker for that. We begin with the conclusion to the cliff-hanger of the last volume with the kidnapped girls on the school trip - Koro Sensei's guide to surviving a school trip really does cover every eventuality and teaches the kidnappers a lesson or two.
Next we get a new classmate - an A.I assassin, and again she learns from Koro to become more than her programmer's thought possible.
Then there's a small revenge story on a couple from the main school who look down on Class E - The girl having dumped her boyfriend Maehara when he got demoted to class E, and taken up with a new snobby BF.
Again we end on a cliff hanger, the final episode has Irina Jelavitch's boss turn up wanting her to quit as her skills aren't suited to assassinate Koro Sensei - He turns the tables and sets the challenge to see who is the best assassin....
From this one you can clearly see how it can be serialised into episodes - There's very little main plot arc here but rather a series of different scenarios. Honestly though, I'm enjoying this so much I didn't care that it's not a great story in its own right. Very much a filler volume but the characters are larger than life and I love the subtle way that everyone who trys to assassinate Koro learns a lesson and is improved in some way be the attempt. ...more
In this second volume we look at what happens when Irina Jelavich (a Black Widow style assassin) joins the school as the new language teacher. In the In this second volume we look at what happens when Irina Jelavich (a Black Widow style assassin) joins the school as the new language teacher. In the last volume we saw how Koro Sensei motivated the seemingly hopeless students by giving them individual attention, lessons based to their skill sets and the fun of constantly trying to kill him. He does a similar thing in this volume with Irina - Showing her limitations - sure she's a great assassin but can she be a great teacher....
Far less assassination and death than you'd expect from the premise and title (I was expecting something darker and more Battle Royale). But this really is a fascinating exploration of the tracked Education system. I love how the principal and teachers of the school become terrified as Class 3E begin to show pride and actually start achieving - and are no longer 'in their place' - a horror story to threaten the higher achievers with - do well or end up in 3E.
While Koro Sensei still threatens to destroy the world - I'm getting some hints that he's a kind of messianic figure. The principal says "I imagine it makes you sad... wanting to be the saviour of this world, but ending up as the villain who is going to destroy it instead." - You suddenly begin to question whether our Alien is a bad guy at all or whether he's actually a saviour showing mankind his potential - If he can teach the worst of the worst then there's clearly home. Will have to see how this pans out.
The last part of the volume has 3E go on a class trip where the girls get kidnapped. It'll be interesting to see if and how they escape in volume 3. ...more
A grinning yellow octopus alien takes out 70% of the moon and then comes to Earth threatening to destroy the planet in one year. In that year, he demaA grinning yellow octopus alien takes out 70% of the moon and then comes to Earth threatening to destroy the planet in one year. In that year, he demands to become the teacher of class 3E - the dumping ground for all the school rejects (kids with poor grades, bad communication skills or general delinquency). class 3E becomes the Assassination classroom where the students attempt to assassinate their teacher Koro sensi - for a monetary prize as well as of course to take him out before he destroys the world.
This is incredibly surreal and yet a great deal of fun - Think The Breakfast Club meets Battle Royale with aliens. Koro Sensi is an excellent teacher and gives motivation to kids who have pretty much lost all hope.
It's a clever way to highlight the flaws in the tracking education system - Once the kids get sent to 3E, they are written off and shunned by their more able ex-classmates. They are ignored and poorly treated by staff, banned from all extracaricular activities and given substandard equipment and resources. It's an educational death sentence - and while it motivates the higher achievers - do well or you'll end up in 3E - it demoralises those sent there - they are the worst of the worst and will never amount to much so why bother?
Throw a freaky alien octopus into the mix and suddenly these kids have the will to try again - plus since they already hate the establishment who shunned them - who wouldn't want to assassinate their teacher?
I rather enjoyed this first volume and look forward to seeing how the story pans out.
Vamps is a fun YA vampire novel - 18 year old Dillon finds out that he's not human but a dhampir (half vampire) he is sent by his Irish father to an eVamps is a fun YA vampire novel - 18 year old Dillon finds out that he's not human but a dhampir (half vampire) he is sent by his Irish father to an elite vampire finishing school where all the rich pure blood vampires and their families will do anything to get rid of him.
If you like things like Heirs of the Night, Vampire Academy, Vampire Diaries and Harry Potter this should be right up your street.
I liked that the Dhampir was male rather than female and while there is of course some romance, I liked that that wasn't the focus. I liked the concept of a vampire school and I loved the fang art (tattoos, studs and caps that are like a vampire fashion statement - thought that was quite hip) - This would make quite a good TV series I thought.
Bewildered by the cover - Its a great cover don't get me wrong, and immediately caught my eye, but it completely fails to capture the essence of the contents - indeed Waterstones shelved this with their new horror rather than YA fiction and I fear that the misleading cover will mean that it won't get read by its target audience - The cover with its neon text feels more suited to something like Live Girls or the film Vamp, rather than a teen vampire finishing school tale.
The plot is a bit disappointing - With the different lessons/teachers and challenges I was getting a Harry Potter vibe, especially with the flying lessons but there wasn't much substance - The end reveals who Dillon's mother is and who is responsible for framing him - its over in a matter of a few pages - Not only is this terrible pacing, but leaves no hook for sequels which is a shame because I think there's a lot of mileage here for a series.
Did I enjoy it? Absoluely - but then I devour this type of vampire fiction. It's not bad but it needed more emotion, better pacing and a more intricate plot - The core idea is solid and the characters are fine, I just think it could have been so much more. If there's a sequel though, I'd definitely check it out....more
**spoiler alert** I rather enjoyed the movie - a kind of teen re-working of Pygmalion and thought I'd give the book a go. It's nothing like the film -**spoiler alert** I rather enjoyed the movie - a kind of teen re-working of Pygmalion and thought I'd give the book a go. It's nothing like the film - There's no Pygmalion make over here at all.
Our heroine Bianca is horrified when hunky school womanizer Wesley approaches her to put in a good word with her two beautiful best friends because she's their Duff. Her parents divorce and her Ex is back in town and feeling really down and insecure she starts an affair with Wesley - Who it turns out isn't that bad after all (he exemplifies most standard hero tropes - handsome, rich, intelligent and moderately sensitive, as well as broodingly lonely) - But Bianca starts to have real feelings for Wesley and bails knowing he'll never want to date a duff. Things get more complicated when the guy at school she's had a crush on for years breaks up with his girlfiend....
I found this one compulsively readable. What I particularly liked was its ring of authenticity - It captures teenage angst well and Bianca's behaviour in sleeping with Wesley seems perfectly natural. Having been a duff myself in high school I really felt empathy for the characters - I'm also a total sucker for happy ending romances, so I found this one a huge guilty pleasure, and have to say, I preferred the book over the film - it has more bite. ...more
For some reason this reminded me a little of Van Von Hunter (not a good thing!) with shades of Slayers and Dalkstalkers.
It's an exceptionally stupid (For some reason this reminded me a little of Van Von Hunter (not a good thing!) with shades of Slayers and Dalkstalkers.
It's an exceptionally stupid (parody?) supernatural fantasy in which a (human?) girl joins a monster high school and befriends the class drop outs; Demon Dev, Vampire Mordicas, Mummy Pannus Tyrannus and werewolf Lukan - Art is so so. I do like succubus Notra who has the bat ears like Morrigan in Dalkstalkers. Jokes are a bit repetative and its quite silly, but I've read worse....more
Princess Princess is a bit of an oddity in the BL genre, because its not really a romance (at least not so far) but more a tale of male friendship - IPrincess Princess is a bit of an oddity in the BL genre, because its not really a romance (at least not so far) but more a tale of male friendship - I suppose in the vein of Antique Bakery and Free! However with less slashability and more cross dressing!
Kouno transfers to a new school and is met by an unexpectedly warm welcome usually only given to cute girls... Only this is an all boy's school. He learns that there is a weird tradition where the prettiest boys dress up in Gothic Lolita Costumes and are known as Princesses - They are school pin-ups and give the boys a way to vent their frustrated lusts, as well as cheerleaders motivating the students. Because of his good looks Kouno is selected and he along with two other guys Shihoudani and reluctant Mikoto become cross-dressing school celebrities.
So this is a weird one in the genre, but the art is nice and the characters are engaging. Curious to see how the series develops....more
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