While casting envious glances on Anime Expo ’08 attendees, this blogger soothe herself with her regular manga routine. Well… She tried. Bah.

This week in manga-land (in my manga-land, anyway): Sekirei turns out to be a big tease; Children of the Corn appears in Psyren; Hikaru rides the luv train in Ouran; XxxHolic unleashes an awesome moment; One Piece recalls Gold Roger’s words; and School Rumble pushes this blogger to bloody murder.

In case you’re wondering, Bleach seems MIA in the latest Shonen Jump. More of MW after the jump.

Sekirei c.67

After a tip of power balance, the opponents retreat from the Minato Harem ™. An unfortunate thing, I say. Why? Simple. No epic fight betweeen drunken Nee-sama and Uzume. Shame, shame. But I’ll be patient. And for the record, I’m rooting for Kazehana. Just because of her pure awesomeness.

Although calm reigns again, Asami reveals a third stage in the Sekirei battle, which was prompted by Homura‘s newly sprouted wings. Being marked as #1, Asami’s knowledge of the inner-workings of MBI is tremendous. But how much does she know?

BTW, six notches on Minato’s post prove that the dude, despite his dorky ways, is a stud. Isn’t he glad for fiction?

Psyren c.29

More character introductions in the form of really, really creepy children sans lively kid who kicked Ageha. A Dead Zone vibe emanate from these orphans who are under eccentric
millionaire-cum-psychic. Peeping Van with blank eyes disturbs me most.  The kid is creepy.

Will the intervention of the old lady be the cause of the barren future? Will this be another of those time traveling fraks the past?

Ouran High Host Club c.62

I’ve been waiting for this chapter forever. But I’ll make is short and semi-sweet.

The inevitable happens. Hikaru wrenches out a luv confession to Haruhi. Haruhi gently refuses. Tamaki is still clueless. Despite it all, the tension between the Host Club members dissolved as they learn from each other.

The next chapter could mean severely-missed antics. I can only hope. BTW, isn’t it disconcerting to see Haruhi acting like a shoujo romance heroine? How odd.

xxxHolic c.160

Holic frustrates me, but this chapter gave Watanuki a wonderful line. To Domeki, he says (as translated by FrankyHouse), “…even if I don’t remember, as long as there are people who remember me, I’ve come to think that I want to be here.”

Isn’t that a sign of maturity or what?

One Piece c.506

One Piece’s conceit is not the glorious battles, but the discovering key moments of the characters who lived them. Raleigh offered clarity about Gold Roger and the man behind the legend. A glimpse to his past painted a picture of a magnificent visionary. His legacy: The rebirth of the great pirate age.

It was touch and go at the earlier chapters, but I believe, the Shabondy Arc is shaping up nicely. Again, yay to Raleigh.

School Rumble c.280

For solace, I turn to poorly written fiction.  Let’s call it, The Aftermath:

A piercing scream echoed through the cloudless night. A defeated woman’s unseeing eyes stared at a glowing screen. A broken whisper was uttered from her frozen lips.

“Nooooo….,” she said, angry tears glittering her brown eyes. “What have you done Jin?”

She cursed and cried and wailed.  Her blackened heart yearned for revenge.  Hands shaking, she reached for her mobile phone.  From memory, she dialed a number.

A week later, she caught a sight of a headline.   Smiling, she scanned the bulletin.   The lifeless body of a certain Japanese artist was discovered.  Suicide, the police say.

Or so they believe.

Ah, rage is a wonderful motivator.  Fake fiance or not, I abhor ErixHarima.  I refuse to accept it.  No, thank you.