Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:
Asuka is the epitome of manliness. Not only is he captain of the Kendo team, he is also the best in Judo and he has the highest grades in school. He is quiet and all of the girls want him, which makes all the guys want to be him. However, what they don't know is that deep inside, hidden away from everyone, is an Otomen: a man who likes lovely things. When Asuka is not around a girl he likes, he's fine, but, when he met Ryou, he lost all restraint and is cannot help but cook, sew, read Shojo Manga, and think about love. Just when things could not get anymore complicated, he befriends Tachibana who has taken quite an interest in Azuka and Ryou. What Asuka and Ryou don't realize, is that Tachibana is hiding a secret as well. Asuka's biggest fear is being rejected by Ryou so he tries to hide his "girly" side, but, ironically, Ryou is not a typical girl. In fact, Ryou cannot cook, sew, or be girly because he father has not shown her how to be a girl. For Tachibana, he knows that Ryou is Asuka's opposite, which makes his plans a lot more exciting. Throughout this story, there are twists and turns that will bring Asuka and Ryou together, but, at the same time, tear them apart.

Critical Evaluation:
The manga is just too cute beyond words. I think it's absolutely perfect for teens simply because it deals with gender stereotypes in a rather hilarious way. We live in a world where those stereotypes are shifting, which makes this story incredibly enjoyable. Asuka may be a "manly" man on the outside, but he is ashamed of the fact that he likes cute things. I think what I find refreshing about Asuka is that he is learning that its okay to be himself around those he cares for because, as far as the reader knows, he hasn't been given the opportunity since his parents divorced (his father decided to live his life as a woman; thus, forcing his mother to raise him as a  super masculine boy). For Asuka, he fears that liking things such as stuffed animals and sweets will eventually lead to him being being rejected because men aren't supposed to like "girly" things. For Ryou, the same exact thing is happening to her because her father has no idea how to teach her to be a traditional woman since her mother passed. Furthermore, when he meets Asuka for the first time, he flips out because Asuka knows how to cook and clean. Eventually, Ryou's father comes to terms with this since his own daughter is like his own son, which conveys how ridiculous the adults in this story are. We have two characters here who are clueless about being men and women, but what's re-assuring is that they can teach one another about themselves. Honestly, this is a very sweet story about two teens who need one another in ways that we take for granted. Personally, I love it when my boyfriend makes me breakfast and selects my lotions from Bath & Body Works. Does that make him less of a man? Heck no! Asuka and Ryou will learn that its okay to do things that are beyond the traditional gender roles because it we were all the same then life would be boring!


Information about the Author:
According to Wikipedia:

Aya Kanno (菅野文 Kanno Aya^?, born 30 January 1980 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese shōjo manga artist. She is the former assistant of manga artist Masashi Asaki of Psychometrer Eiji fame. Her debut was in the January 2001 issue of Hana to Yume with Soul Rescue. Thus far, her work has only been serialized in Hakusensha's shōjo manga anthologies: Hana to Yume, The Hana to Yume, Hana to Yume Plus, and now primarily in Bessatsu Hana to Yume, in which her latest work, Otomen, is currently running. Also, she has completed Kokoro ni Hana wo.

Genre:

Teen Romance Manga

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 8 & up

Books Similar to Otomen:

• Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori
• Skip Beat by Yoshiki Nakamura
  

Awards & Recognition:
From Amazon.com
Publisher's Weekly
An otomen as defined by this book is [a] male who has feminine hobbies, skills, or way of thinking. Asuka, the title otomen of this well-drawn comedy, secretly reads shojo manga, makes stuffed animals and prefers caramel macchiatos to coffee. Forbidden by his mother from girlish behavior after his transvestite father abandoned the family, Asuka takes on a very masculine public character. He is nationally ranked at judo, karate and kendo. Asukas tragedy is somehow hilarious. He falls for Ryo, the nongirly daughter of a manly martial arts instructor who finds Asuka unacceptable as a friend, let alone a potential suitor: Men dont go in the kitchen! he bellows. The strange deus ex machina character Junta acts as a catalyst to bring Asuka and Ryo together while enjoying Asukas elaborate bento lunches. The over-the-top gender stereotyping is ham-handed at times, but reveals interesting insight into what the Japanese consider the most manly and most girly extremes. The strong artwork carries the comedy premise further than the script could alone, and the manga-within-a-manga, Love Chick, is a hilariously accurate parody of typical shojo. Kannos other manga in translation include the sci-fi series Blank Slate and angel comedy Soul Rescue. (Feb.) 

Plot Summary:
After the demise of the Royal Family, Vetti Sforza has crowned himself Holy Emperor of the Galaxy, favoring nobility and oppressing the masses. Michel Volban, leader of the People's Army, have been waging battle against the empire in order to restore order in the Galaxy. However, Vetti cares little for the People's Army and is obsessed with beating Michel and will pull out all of the stops to get him. What was supposed to be an ambush and the downfall of Michel, he is saved by a glass ship bearing the royal symbol. Not only is this ship a one of a kind, it is powerful and able to crush its opposition thanks to the rag tag crew led by a mysterious man named Cleo who claims to have royal blood running through his veins. After rescuing Michel from disaster, he asks Cleo to join his cause and fight to free the galaxy; however, this royal heir is nothing but a pirate. After agreeing to return Michel to headquarters, the crew run into quite a few close calls with Vetti and they learn that Michel is not who he seems to be; Michel is in fact a woman who is posing as her brother in order to lead the People against Vetti. Although Cleo knew from the beginning that Michel is a woman, he didn't say anything, which later reveals that he has deep feelings for her. Meanwhile, Vetti is not only pursuing Michel, he is obsessed with Cleo after failing to defeat him in a showdown that revealed he is dying. In order to live forever, Vetti must fulfill an ancient prophecy that will not only ensure his immortality, but will give him a power like any other. Glass Fleet is a Sci- Fi adventure where secrets can destroy galaxies.

Critical Evaluation:
I will have to admit that I am absolutely in love with this anime because the art and the animation are absolutely spectacular. Rather then utilizing conventional illustrations, the character detail is spectacular and the fighting sequences are amazing. Although I was not expecting romance in this story, I was crushed that Michel and Cleo could not live happily every after. Although some critics have not given favorable reviews on the plot and writing, this story contains situations that are very deep and somewhat disturbing, which serves as a warning that this anime is not at all suitable for teens under 16. Vetti, the main villain, was molested by his adopted father and, after years of abuse, seduced his adopted mother to murder his mother. Vetti, like many victims of sexual abuse, will either succumb to the abuse or react. In his case, he plotted and murdered his way into power because if there is one thing he can control is his lust for power. I am not quite sure if Vetti is gay, but he is fixated mostly on males and his closest companion is a young boy named Ralph. However, there is an episode where he drugs Michel, or Racine Blanche, and overpowers her (he rapes her) and discards of her. Again, Vetti will do anything and everything to gain power, which contributes to the madness of his wife, Rachel, the daughter of the Pope. This is yet another complexity of the story, which may confuse viewers, but it's all part of a story that will make sense towards the end. Cleo, unlike Vetti, was raised by man who not only cared for him, but made him the impeccable warrior that he is. Cleo is definitely a mystery that no one really knows and then he met Michel. Little by little, he opens himself up to her and the times they spend together fortifies their bond. As for Michel, she is yet another complex character. She is not only an aristocrat, she has lived her life as her brother, who not only taught her to fight, but loved her unconditionally. Although she could have done the job just as well, as Racine, she feels guilty; as a woman she could not fight alongside her brother so his death has been haunting her. However, with Cleo, she not only begins to feel like herself, she falls in love as well. Cleo, who has always been a loner, finally learns that he can be loved and love in return. Although the romance is just one of the many facets of this story, it definitely has the ability to draw in both male and female crowds. The ending will definitely provide one hell of a plot twist, but it is worth the wait.


Information about the Author:
According to Wikipedia:

Mainly, Yonemura works on screenplays for anime. After having graduated from Tokyo Zokei University, he worked as a freelance writer in Arakawa and would attend various film festivals. Then, he studied with  and proceeded to win the Otomo Shoji Award seven times and became a screenwriter.

Okama (born May 25, 1974) is a Japanese manga artist and illustrator. He is known as the artist of Cloth Road as well as the original character designer for Himawari and Glass no Kantai. He was also involved in Gunbuster 2, most noticeably in the ending design.

Currently, Okama is involved in a multitude of works and projects, including the serialization of Cloth Road, association with several animation projects, illustration for various magazines, as well as minor dōjin activities. His most recent work was with the video game No More Heroes as costume designer and artist for the fictional anime 'Bizarre Jelly' featured in the game. Okama is also the illustrator of Vocaloid Nekomura Iroha. Okama also means a transvestite or homosexual. The artist's explanation for his name is that he always plays female characters in online games.

 Genre:
Teen Anime

Rating:
Ages 16 & up

Number of Episodes:
26 episodes

Anime Similar to Glass Fleet:

• Escaflowne
• Cowboy Bebop

Awards & Recognition:
From Wikipedia.com:
"In the end, Glass Fleet tends to suffer from having too many stupid people milling about in control of massive fleets, weapons and soldiers. At this point I'm tempted to believe those stupid people may be the creative staff as this is looking like the first stages of a serious train wreck." — Chris Beveridge, Mania.
 
"Glass Fleet is the anime fans of Last Exile have been waiting for. Suspenseful, fantastic animation, and a bevy of intriguing characters, this is an involving sci-fi drama series filled with action, mystery, and the thrilling journey of a young noble in search of justice." — Holly Ellingwood, activeAnime.

"Glass Fleet is off to quite a start. The show has great pacing and exhilarating inter-stellar battles. This volume ends on quite a cliffhanger, and one would hope that Cleo will figure out Michel's secret sooner or later." — Jeffrey Harris, IGN.

"Gonzo and co-producer Satelight have a great-looking piece of work here, but the story lacks a consistent tone and tries to do (and be) too many different things. The first volume shows potential but has yet to realize it." — Theron Martin, Anime News Network.

 "If you like politically charged sci-fi on an epic scale—along with sassy teen pilots in slinky lingerie, boozing pirates sporting eyepatches and a strong undercurrent of swirling ambisexual possibilities—Glass Fleet is definitely your show." — Jack Wiedrick, Newtype USA.

Plot Summary:
"A" is a being that lives in a different every body every single day. "A" is not a guy or a girl..."A" just exists. Although "A" is used to waking up in a different body, "A" doesn't become the person in his temporary body; "A" has feelings and memories all its own and can act on its own accord. What was supposed to be another day accessing its host memories and life, "A" is in the body of Justin, a guy he despises. Granted, "A" has occupied bodies that are similar to this guy, "A" didn't count on falling in love with Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon. "A" has rules and routines, but Rhiannon does something that changes everything--she has shown him the beauty of kindness, grace, and gentility. Rather than forgetting about her, "A" decides to put itself before its hosts; "A" is always careful to not upset the lives of the host he has taken it knows that its existence is temporary. However, after Rhiannon, "A" takes the biggest risk of its life: having a relationship and falling in love for the first and only time. Whether "A" was in a body of a girl named Amy, or guy named Xavier, "A" pursues Rhiannon with a determination and fire it has ever known; "A" has been in the mind and heart of Justin and knows that he does not love or appreciate her. Rhiannon has no idea what's going on, but when "A" reveals itself to her, she starts to realize that within every body "A" possess, she can actually see and feel "A" within all of them, which is scary, but comforting and exciting. While trying to be with Rhiannon, "A" is transported to many different realities that show him the many facets of life, which bring him joy and sadness. Whether it's the girl who wants to kill herself, the drug addict, the bully, the sheltered homeschooler, the gay guy, the alcoholic, the transgendered female, the bad guy, the lesbian, or the nice guy, "A" is gathering experiences that challenge him to make decisions that could affect the person "A" is in and its own existence. Although "A" tries to make Rhiannon see that Justin is not for her, "A" learns that people need to look within themselves to find the truth no matter how much we know in our experiences, minds, and hearts. Unfortunately, "A" makes a mistake in one of is his hosts (Nathan), which not only threatens what he has with Rhiannon, he learns there is something more diabolical out there that could help or hurt "A" in a way it has ever known.

Critical Evaluation:
I am seriously blown away by the complexity and the beauty of this story. Although incredibly heart wrenching, David Levithan has given readers the ultimate forbidden romance with an ending that is very bittersweet. I absolutely love the journey "A" takes through the story because it not only provides readers with an insight into their peers, they see the triumphs and struggles within each character. There were definitely a few characters who plight in life is so difficult that broke my heart. Readers will definitely learn that there are others who struggle with the same issues or may know someone; by providing us with glimpse into the very private lives of these teens, we can't help but feel something for them and want nothing more than to cheer them on and help them. I cried for Kelsey because no one could see her pain and I was just so happy and relieved that "A" was able to help her find her way back from the darkness that was consuming her and would ultimately kill her. Granted "A" is very careful with hosts and tries not to do anything that would affect the overall well-being of him or her, "A" learns that some of them need someone to help them make decisions to seek help or reassure him or her that everything will be all right in the end. With each body he inhabits, "A" learns that not every teenager is created equal; every single one of these characters has a set of challenging circumstances that reveals so much about being human. Like Kelsey, all of these individuals were dying for love, for approval, respect, and acknowledgment that they would do anything to have control over their own lives no matter what. As an adult, this story is incredibly compelling because I have seen and experienced some of these battles and teens need to know just how wonderful and special they are. Furthermore, they need to know that with every action, and reaction, there will always be a set of consequences that will affect those around them and themselves. As for "A," my hope is that he, or she, will find his/her happiness in one state and that everything he or she has experienced will not have been in vain. All we can do in life is hope for the best and no matter what happens there will always be a tomorrow that could change us forever. Be prepared to cry, or have an unwavering amount of emotions pass over and through, because this book will force us to re-evaluate everything we have and are because there could always be someone, or something, like "A" that cannot have what we have. Lastly, "A" is an example that love knows no boundaries so we should embrace the fact that love does conquers everything.

Information about the Author:
According to his website:

I find it downright baffling to write about myself, which is why I’m considering it somewhat cruel and usual to have to write this brief bio and to update it now and then. The factual approach (born ’72, Brown ’94, first book ’03) seems a bit dry, while the emotional landscape (happy childhood, happy adolescence – give or take a few poems – and happy adulthood so far) sounds horribly well-adjusted. The only addiction I’ve ever had was a brief spiral into the arms of diet Dr Pepper, unless you count My So-Called Life episodes as a drug. I am evangelical in my musical beliefs.

When not writing during spare hours on weekends, I am a publisher and editorial director at Scholastic, and the founding editor of the PUSH imprint, which is devoted to finding new voices and new authors in teen literature. (Check it out at www.thisispush.com for a full list.)  Among the authors I’ve edited and/or published under the Scholastic Press imprint are Suzanne Collins, Maggie Stiefvater, Ann M. Martin, Garth Nix, Patrick Carman, Natalie Standiford, Alice Hoffman, Gordon Korman, M. T. Anderson, Blake Nelson, Cecil Castellucci, and many, many other awesome writers.

Genre:
Teen Fantasy, Teen Romance

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to Every Day:

• Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Awards & Recognition:

From Amazon.com
School Library Journal Best of Children's Books 2012

Kirkus Reviews Best of Teen's Books 2012

Booklist Best of Children's Books 2012

"Fresh, unique, funny, and achingly honest, Levithan brilliantly explores the adolescent conundrum of not feeling like oneself, and not knowing where one belongs. I didn't just read this book — I inhaled it."  —Jodi Picoult, NYT bestselling author of Lone Wolf and Between the Lines

Entertainment Weekly, August 22, 2012:
"Rich in wisdom and wit...Levithan keeps the pages turning not only with ingenious twists on his central conceit but with A's hard-earned pieces of wisdom about identity, isolation, and love. Every Day has the power to teach a bully empathy by answering an essential question: What's it like to be you and not me — even if it's just for one day?"

New York Times Book Review, August 26, 2012:
"It demonstrates Levithan's talent for empathy, which is paired in the best parts of the book with a persuasive optimism about the odds for happiness and for true love."

Los Angeles Times, September 2, 2012:
"It's the rare book that challenges gender presumptions in a way that's as entertaining as it is unexpected and, perhaps most important, that's relatable to teens who may not think they need sensitivity training when it comes to sexual orientation and the nature of true love. ‘Every Day' is precisely such a book...A story that is always alluring, oftentimes humorous and much like love itself — splendorous."

MTV Hollywood Crush, September 28, 2012:
"Thoughtful and fascinating...A study in the most real and human of concerns: the importance of empathy, the value of friends and family, and the beauty of permanence that we have the luxury of taking for granted."

Boston Globe, September 15, 2012:
"Ambitious and provocative...we’re not ready to let A go."

OUT Magazine, December 2012:
"One of the most inventive young adult novels of the year."

Romantic Times, October 2012:
"Levithan is a literary genius. His style of writing is brilliant — practically flawless... Reading A’s journey to make love last, in a world that is always changing, is an experience I hope everyone gets to share."

Starred Review, School Library Journal, September 2012:
"Every step of the narrative feels real and will elicit a strong emotional response from readers and offer them plenty of fodder for speculation, especially regarding the nature of love.”

Starred Review, Booklist, July 1, 2012:
“Levithan has created an irresistible premise that is sure to captivate readers….
[Every Day] is a study in style, an exercise in imagination, and an opportunity for readers themselves to occupy another life: that of A, himself.”

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2012:
“An awe-inspiring, thought-provoking reminder that love reaches beyond physical appearances or gender.”

Starred Review, Shelf Awareness, September 7, 2012:
"Levithan's unusual love story will make teens think about how the core of the soul never changes. A speaks of faith, love, dreams and death with a wisdom derived from thousands of lives visited over 16 years and firsthand proof of how much humans share rather than what sets them apart."

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, September 2012:
"This unconventional romance considers some fascinating and unexpected questions about the nature of identity, consciousness, love, and gender...Readers will identify with A’s profound longing for connection, but they’ll also be intrigued by the butterfly effect A’s presence may have on numerous other teens who make brief but memorable appearances."

The Horn Book, November 2012:
"Brilliantly conceived...[Levithan] shapes the narrative into a profound exploration of what it means to love someone."

Letter Blocks, the BN Parents & Educators blog, August 23, 2012:
"A definite crowd-pleaser."

The L Magazine, August 29, 2012:
"The premise allows for stimulating parallels: A’s experience is both like the writer’s, who inhabits the consciousnesses of random characters, and the adolescent’s, who tries on myriad identities."