D.N.Angel Volume 13
Daiduke Niwa is just an average middle school student until one day he discovers he has the unique ability to transform into the legendary phantom thief Dark Mousy. The only cure is for the girl he loves to return his feelings.
Volume 13 begins with a flashback revealing the history between Dark and his rival Krad and how their battle is still playing out in the present. Despite this, Daisuke has more pressing matters to worry about, such as rescuing his crush, Risa Harada, from the clutches of the mad child Argentine, who plans to restore his own love by using Risa as a sacrifice.
As one has come to expect from D.N.Angel, the artwork is fantastic. Characters designs are pleasant to look at with each one carrying a unique look. It’s clear from the amount of detail on each page, how enthusiastic the artist is about this series.
This volume answers many questions that have been building since the beginning of the series while introducing several more. With an engaging plot, action, and romance, D.N.Angel has something for everyone.
D.N.Angel Volume 13 – B+
.Hack//Alcor
Acting as a standalone chapter in the .Hack Franchise, Alcor tells the story of Nanase as she enters the popular online game, The World. There she develops a close relationship with her guildmaster , Silabus. Unfortunately for her, everyone is too busy paying attention to the new arena champion Alkaid.
Throughout the story, Nanase is forced to come to grips with her emotions and journeys on a quest to prove herself. Aside from Nanase, everyone else is bland and one-sided. Silabus is your average handsome love interest and Alkaid is the strong female that everyone aspires to be.
Besides Nanase’s quest, the other building arc is Alkaid’s upcoming challenge with a rival who has the potential to dethrone her as champion. Sadly, only one of these plot points deliver as the Alkaid’s battle is never shown. Instead, we only see the aftermath.
All in all, even though this is a one-shot, it feels incomplete. Not enough time is devoted to other characters making them little more than plot devises. It carries with it a nice message to work toward making your own dreams come true but other stories have done it so much better. Fans of the .Hack franchise might want to give it a look but otherwise pass.
.Hack//Alcor – B-
Maria Holic Volume 2
Maria Holic tells the story of Kanako as she enrolls herself into an all female student catholic school in the hopes of finding her “soul mate”. Instead she encounters Mariya, a foul mouthed cross-dresser who is also enrolled in the school as part of her Grandmother’s eccentric tests to determine her heir.
In case you couldn’t tell by the above description, this is an off the wall series. It breaks convention with both its story and its characters. Even stranger is the unexplained plot devices such as the creature in Kanako’s bag that appears and disappears without any notice.
Unfortunately, there are more than a few anti lesbian jokes scattered throughout the volume. Kanako is constantly made to look either perverted or like a fool. Mariya is almost always presented as abusive and Kanako usually takes it in stride because she can’t help but feel attracted to his girlish figure.
It’s hard to recommend this series, especially due to the sheer absurdity of its premise; that coupled with its disturbing humor will more than likely put off a majority of people. There almost seemed to be an open hostility toward Kanako for being lesbian though others may look at it as all in good fun. Either way, based on my own personal opinion I would say skip it, but I suggest everyone else form their own conclusions.
Maria Holic Volume 2 – C-
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