It was really hard getting through Previews this month. In the catalog, May is Manga Month, so along with all the regular series, there were new ones coming out that had to be evaluated. Top that with a weakening economy, and you get some really tough decisions to be made with this month’s order.  More after the cut.

Basically, it came down to the titles I absolutely have to have. The newest volume of Saiyuki Reload, Volume 8, is finally coming out, and that’s a must. This is a series where I admit it’s all about the hot guys. And Sanzo’s devil-may-care attitude. Goku is very cute too. Now that Saiyuki Gaiden is going again as well, I wish Tokyopop would license it.

Also from Tokyopop, is the second Volume of Petshop of Horrors, Tokyo. I absolutely love Count D and his menagerie. This is another series where the hot guy gets an in, but the stories are always good as well. The Tokyo stories have had a harder edge to them than the first series I thought.

My last Tokopop book is Tactics Volume 5. Trifecta for the hot guys. I love the art of this series, and the Japanese folklore that the stories always involve. The culture and folklore of Japan have always interested me, and I’ll read about it in practically any form!

I’m getting four titles from Viz this month. The final volume of Yurara comes out, so that was a total must. I’ve really been enjoying Yurara, and can’t wait to see how it ends. Did you know there was a sort of sequal to Yurara? It features Yako as he joins a ghost exterminating agency where the exorcist is a spitting image of Yurara’s guardian spirit. It’s called Rasetsu no Hana. I hope Viz licenses it.

Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya Volume 22 is also a must have for me. I’ve been wanting to read the manga since my then future husband showed me the series back in the 80’s. It’s old school, but it’s pretty boy old school, with action that just too outrageous! And the manga has finally reached the Hades chapters that weren’t originally animated until the OVAs that came out in the early 2000s. Since the anime doesn’t sell, and fan subbers won’t sub it, the manga is the only way to get the story. And I’m not stopping until the end!

The next Viz book I ordered was a new title, Gimmick. Brigid totally stole my thunder when she put up the press release with it in it. FX was the first thing that came to my mind when I read the description too! It’s how I described it to my husband, who is also now interested in reading it. It’s nigh impossible to find manga he likes.

This last Viz title was a struggle for me, O-Parts Hunter Volume 10. I almost wasn’t going to order it, but once all of the books I absolutely, positively had to have were in, I only needed a few dollars more to roll us over into the next discount level, so this title was my next choice. I’ve really enjoyed the story, which reminded me of the original Dragonball series. And despite the superficial similarities to Seishi Kishimoto’s twin brother’s manga Naruto, it’s a very entertaining story. So, when given a chance to add one title, this one had to be it.

My only Del Rey Must Have is Mushishi, Volume 4. Need I say more? This atmospheric manga has a way of pulling you in and keeping a hold of you, and unfortunately (or fortunately) this one has a tight hold on me. It’s also the most expensive of all the books I ordered. Still $10 after my discount. But, this series is worth it, as Del Rey obviously knows.

The last book I bought was for my oldest daughter. Simon and Schuster has decided to get into the manga business it seems, doing just what I think more publishers should; adapt popular YA books to manga. Simon and Schuster is starting with Pendragon: The Merchant of Death. My oldest daughter has been reading this series, and when I told her about the graphic novel adaptation, she was interested in getting it despite her current Pokemon obsession.

American graphic novels/manga, whatever you want to call it, would probably get a better reputation if they did more of these adaptations. How many manga do we hear about being an adaptation from a Japanese light novel adaptation? Yen Press is getting it with their inclusion of the adaptation of Maximum Ride, a current YA series in their upcoming anthology. Tokyopop really got it with their side story for Warriors, and Vampire Kisses. We’ll see how well Del Rey does when their original Odd Thomas story comes out (also available in to order in this issue). If it does well, I have some suggestions for some series that I think would make a good transition…**cough The Cat Who Mysteries cough**cough Mrs. Murphy Mysteries cough** I should take something for that…

So, that’s nine manga this month for a total of $66.36. I’m $6 over my stated limit, but with one volume for my oldest, and one title that’s primarily for my husband (though you know I’ll read it) that only 7 books for me this month. It was hard. There were a lot of books I had to skip over, mostly from Tokyopop. The final volume of Tarot Cafe had to hit the chopping block. As well as Dragon Knights. This series would have at one time been a must have, but the story has really degraded over the last several volumes, so I put it up for cutting.

I’ve given up on Mamotte Lollipop from Del Rey as well. While I enjoyed the first two volumes, the third volume was very generic shojo, and I don’t really want to read more of that. Not when I’m paying for it. In Odd We Trust also looked interesting, but I just couldn’t fit it in.

Dark Horse had an interesting series in Previews that I would have liked to check out. It’s called Dayan, about the adventures of a mischievous cat named Dayan, in the world of Wachifield. It’s written for children, but the art is different and cute. I would have liked to have checked them out. Dark Horse is releasing the first four in durable hardback for those grubby hands! Also new from Dark Horse that I considered but ultimately passed on was Ghost Talkers Daydream. Dark Horse’s description of the title just couldn’t grab me. If it had been more like this, maybe I would have given it more consideration.