#tsuruma

[maureen2musings]

belt4760

[dancers-7]

Medalist by Ikada Tsuruma

[hikarukamisaki]

MY DAUGHTER?! SO CUTE?! WHY ARE YOU SO CUTE?!?

THE TV SCREEN IN THE BACK .,”..!!! THE PATCHES!!! (CRYING) I LOVE YOU SO MUCH …. dotter…. her stupid headband …… hot chocolate…. SHE IS IN HER OWN WORLD TRULY !!!

[majokkoradio]

"Akko-chan Natsuyasumi Kaze oe Uta" - Himitsu no Akko-chan - Insert Song

[animeandmangaswitch]

Chapter 27 (I think)

These two pages answered two questions I have lingering around from two other separate manga.

“Seed” is a title given to someone who is going to pass to matter what and “golden egg” is like someone with huge potential (I’m not entirely sure but this is how my mind thinks of these two term)

The only other time I’ve seen “seed” in anime/manga is in, tower of god, in the tests arc where they’re split up into red and blue team and some people had “seed” beside their name. I don’t rethink they ever gave an explanation and it was never brought up again so I forgot about it until today.

The term “golden egg” was used in the anime/manga, world trigger, one of the mc’s Chika Amatori, has a lot of trion (I think of it as mana) and is referred to as a “golden egg” in the arc where the neighbours invade and try to capture her so they can power their own planet.

[evgon]

[okaeri-ossan]

When looking up information about some kawaii desktop maid programs I stumbled across a very pretty looking gothic scifi horror (?) action eroge titled ＧＯＴＨＩＣ（ゴシック） ～The Age of Innocence～ created by HEXA soft sister company, PENTA. I can't find too much info about them-- Screenshots of actual gameplay evade me and I can't find a proper release date, so I can only assume the game was never actually released.

Unfortunately I could not find higher res versions of the cgs, but regardless the gothic lolita fashion and dramatic lighting are to die for.

[ardour-87]

[bronze-gamin-o]

TODAY's SHOPPING TREASURY August 26th, 2023

A bag of bread ears used to be free at super markets about a decade or two ago. It's not bad nowadays, still, because you can buy one big bag of these at approximately a 100 yen = $0.68 at a MEGA DONKEY storeΣd(ﾟ∀ﾟ｡)ﾈｯ♪.

[hiromusicarts-blog]

新譜「叙情 - Lyric Suite」ですが、先にフライヤーデータが届きました。 サンプル盤は、７月１７日に到着予定です（例年に比べ２週間ほど遅いです） 今回のジャケットは、名古屋、鶴舞公園の噴水塔で、薔薇の季節に撮影したものを加工しています。 追記：HMVは、６月２９日の段階で、新譜が9月25日に発売決定したとの商品情報を発表しました 商品詳細です。 ジャズマンヒロオガワが創り奏る、クラシカルな作曲作品集。 タイトル「叙情 – Lyric Suite」　アーティスト「ヒロオガワ」 ２０２４年９月25日（水）発売　レーベル：サ��ンドデザインワークス　　　　 発売元：Hiro Music & Arts 定価¥2.200-（+税込）　　品番：HMA-9852    形式：CD（全１２曲収録）　 取り扱い：全国のCDショップ（お取り寄せ、新星堂を除く） Amazon、HMV、タワレコ 、楽天ブックス等オンラインショップ　　　 音楽配信：iTunes(Apple Music)、Spotify、Deezer、d-ミュージック、my sound　 レコチョク、mora 等、 The flyer data for the new album "Lyric Suite" has already arrived. The sample disc is scheduled to arrive on July 17th (about two weeks later than usual). The jacket for this album was edited from a photo taken at the fountain tower in Tsuruma Park, Nagoya, during rose season. Update: On June 29th, HMV announced product information that the new album will be released on September 25th. Product details: A collection of classical compositions created and performed by jazzman Hiro Ogawa. Title: "Lyric Suite"     Artist: "Hiro Ogawa" Released: Wednesday, September 25, 2024 Label: Sound Design Works Publisher: Hiro Music & Arts List price: ¥2,200 (+tax)     Product code: HMA-9852 Format: CD (12 songs total) Available at: CD shops nationwide (This is a back-ordered item. Shinseido does not handle this item.) Online stores such as Amazon, HMV, Tower Records, and Rakuten Books, etc Music distribution: iTunes (Apple Music), Spotify, Deezer, d-Music, my sound Recochoku, mora, etc.

HMV発表の商品情報

FBページの同内容の記事

[choujinx]

MEDALIST (2020-?) by tsuruma ikada

[dancers-7]

Medalist by Ikada Tsuruma

[the-art-of-sanshoku]

Manga Recommendations from Things I Read in 2023

I wanted to make an end of the year post highlighting things I read last year and want others to know about! I tried focusing on manga that don't have anime adaptions (although a few of these are getting ones soon) and covering a variety of genres. Anyway, let's get right into it with:

Ikoku Nikki (Tomoko Yamashita)

Status: Complete, 54 Chapters, unlicensed - complete fan translation (Note: When I say something is licensed or not this only refers to having an English release.)

Genre: Josei, SOL, Drama

Synopsis: After the loss of her parents, 15 year old Asa finds herself in the custody of her aunt Makio Koudai. Makio, the introverted novelist, has no experience with children but will do what she can for Asa.

While this isn’t an ordered list I will start with what is probably my favorite manga I read this year. Ikoku Nikki is a very cathartic read for me as there are a lot of adult characters who are just trying to figure things out (although this also applies to the teen characters, but it’s just more relatable with the characters closer to my age). Figuring out how to like yourself even when you don’t fit to society's “norms”, figuring out how to process traumas from growing up that still affect you well into your 20s and 30s and beyond, figuring out how to love others, figuring out who “you” even are.  And it’s written and worded so lovely and deliberately that sometimes it says something and just puts into words a feeling you’ve had for forever but were never able to express and all of a sudden it just makes sense.

The cast is diverse and I think everyone can find someone to relate to. There are neurodiverse characters, and characters that widely spread the LGBTQIA + spectrum. But they don’t feel trope-y or anything, they’re just well fleshed out and well realized people. Ikoku Nikki just has a very “understanding” vibe that is just comforting to read and be seen by media. In a way it was a little of a life changing (life affirming?) read for me and I highly recommend it to anyone, and I pray it gets an official English release in the future so I can add it to my collection and support the author properly.

Tenkaichi: Nihon Saikyou Bugeisha Ketteisen (Yousuke Nakamaru & Kyoutarou Azuma)

Status: Releasing, 32 Chapters, unlicensed - ongoing fan translation

Genre: Action, Battle Royale, Seinen

Synopsis: 16 historical figures participate in a grandiose tournament of 1v1 battles to determine Nobunaga’s successor

On the opposite end of the manga spectrum we have Tenkaichi, which is just a very fun read. And sometimes I feel kind of crazy how little I’ve seen this talked about online by anyone, as it’s a super quality battle manga. It feels like a manga written by battle manga lovers for battle manga lovers, and in the author’s notes you can see this to be true. They love unpredictable battles with over the top powers and larger than life characters and they deliver. Tenkaichi lacks a “main character” so every fight feels like either side could win and I have even been surprised by a few outcomes of the battles. And even without a main character, the characters that exist are just super cool and easy to pick one to root for. They also usually become a bit more fleshed out via backstories so they’re not super shallow either. The art, paneling, and character designs are also really good, if you like fighting manga at all check this out.

Medalist (Ikada Tsuruma)

Status: Releasing, 36 Chapters, licensed 

Genre: Sports, Drama, Seinen

Synopsis: A cinnamon roll coach and his cinnamon roll student aim to make her a gold medalist level skater

Medalist is a classic underdog story that is really elevated by its superb main characters and art. Inori and Tsukasa are a very silly and endearing duo, but are also incredibly dedicated and hardworking that make them impossible not to root for. Their relationship and belief in each other really forms the core of the manga. The art can be really funny with silly faces, but also really intense and beautiful to capture the figure skating and emotions of the skaters pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into their work. Each competition feels really thrilling and has you on the edge of your seat, and it does a good job of getting into the specifics of the scoring so you can follow along. It’s inspirational in the way that great sports manga are, it just makes you want to work hard to become someone you can be proud of.

Souboutei Kowasubeshi (Kazuhiro Fujita)

Status: Complete, 250 Chapters, unlicensed - complete fan translation

Genre: Supernatural, Horror, Action, Shounen

Synopsis: A lovecraftian mansion poses a threat to Japan. To handle this, a team of supernatural/paranormal/spiritual experts are sent in along with - a scrungly artist?

Kazuhiro Fujita is a mangaka that I feel is super underrated in the west. Despite getting anime adaptations of 2 of his works in Ushio to Tora and Karakuri Circus (although the Karakuri adaption was not the best unfortunately), I feel that these were overlooked and he doesn’t really get talked about. Which is a shame because I think he’s a really great mangaka. He’s been around since the 90’s, and you can tell through his artstyle and storytelling style. Despite Souboutei coming out in 2016 it still feels very old school shounen, but this isn’t a bad thing at all. Fujita’s manga are full of heart and his artwork really exaggerates faces and body language to communicate the character’s feelings. I like his manga a lot because from the start it will often tell you “the big bad” and the whole manga will build up this antagonist until a satisfying end and climax. It doesn’t introduce new threats, or powerscale indefinitely, or pad its runtime with unnecessary filler, it starts - brings you through an emotional rollercoaster of twists and turns - and then ends.

Souboutei is no different in this regard. It builds and builds on the primary antagonist (in this case the mansion of Souboutei) and its mysteries to make a journey full of intrigue where you want to keep turning the page to find out more. The mansion is also a great setting that becomes a character in its own right, a twisting labyrinth full of malice and various horrors. Fujita also always makes a unique cast of characters with varied motivations, ages, character designs, and abilities that make each memorable and likeable. Fujita also likes to make every little detail count and sometimes add to the main plot where you least expect. Being a shounen there’s also plenty of action, and his battles feel creative and the abilities are inventive to make for some exciting fights. Souboutei has a bonus for the main character being an artist and having large themes on passion and creation and “what is art” that gave me an extra layer of enjoyment. Also it must be said that Sakamaki Deido would totally be a hit as a tumblr sexyman if this manga had any fanbase at all. But whether you read Souboutei or one of his other works, I hope you give Fujita a try.

Rojica to Rakkasei (Kinome)

Status: Complete, 25 Chapters, unlicensed - has complete fan translation

Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, SOL, Seinen

Synopsis: The titular characters Rojica and Rakka spend wacky days in their wacky world.

Rojica to Rakkasei is a breath of fresh air with a fantasy world that’s just plain weird and unique. A lot of manga fantasy lately feel like derivative goblins and dragons and slimes type worlds in medieval european-esque settings. Not Rojica though, it kind of feels almost like surreal and absurdist manga, but doesn’t go quite that far so it’s easier to follow as a series of episodic adventures. It’s a short, creative read that I enjoyed from start to finish. 

Witch Hat Atelier (Kamome Shirahama)

Status: Releasing, 74 Chapters, licensed

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Drama, SOL, Seinen

Synopsis: In this world there are people born as witches who can wield magic to help others. Or at least that’s what the world is made to think. After one fateful day, ordinary girl Coco, will learn the truth behind magic and become a witch apprentice.

Speaking of refreshing fantasy worlds, Witch Hat Atelier is a wonderful manga with great worldbuilding and setting. The “magic system” used in the manga is unique and feels very naturally woven into the world and society. This magic is harshly regulated and has many rules of its use, but Witch Hat Atelier lives by the creed “restrictions breed creativity” to create interesting solutions to difficult scenarios. The characters are delightful, focusing more on a younger cast of aspiring and bright girls who aim to become witches proper. Their struggles to make a magic unique to them and find their own voice in society make them a relatable bunch. Kamome Shirahama’s artsyle and paneling is also to die for, I love just looking at this manga. This manga isn’t all just school life and rainbows though, there’s a dark undercurrent to the story in the form of the antagonists the “Brim Hats” that bring some extra excitement and thrill to the story as well.  Just a brilliant manga. Also the only manga with my little meow meow Qifrey

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (Uoto)

Status: Complete, 62 Chapters, recently licensed

Genre: Historical, Drama, Seinen

Synopsis: We’re studying heliocentrism! But it’s the 1400s…

A manga that really touched me on its themes of legacy, and passing knowledge down to new generations. This manga focuses on the secret studies of those who look at the stars and dare to challenge the current knowledge of the world. It takes place in Poland, which is a rather unique setting, in the 1400s. The constant threat of the inquisitors is felt at all times and our characters are left to question if this pursuit of knowledge is worth the weight of risk. What is the worth of my life? What is my purpose? What does it mean to be fulfilled? Philosophical, romantic (in a literary sense), and profound, this manga stands out among the crowd.

Futari Ashita mo Sorenari ni (Suzuyuki)

Status: Complete, 87 Chapters, recently licensed

Genre: Romance, Comedy, SOL, Seinen

Synopsis: Long term couple moves in together - fluff ensues

This is likely my favorite romance manga as it is one of the few to depict fluffy domestic life with your partner. Finding manga that deal with established relationships can be hard, but to find one about a healthy romance where the characters just live together and love each other and feel like adults and not the blushy “oooh she h-hh-holding my hand??” teenager mentality is a super fresh and nice thing to read (although I like those kinds of romances too, it’s just a bit oversaturated of a market comparatively). It’s a feel good romcom SOL with pretty much zero drama which some people may not like, but it had me grinning from ear to ear like a madman the whole time. If you like cute domestic fluff it’s a must read. Doesn’t overstay its welcome and has a great ending.

I have some more manga I want to talk about, but this post is pretty long so there will maybe be a part 2 ^.^

[bonguri]

20240710 Tsuruma park 7 by Bong Grit Via Flickr: バラ園ではまだ少しだけバラが咲いていました。 Photo taken at Tsuruma park, Showa ward, Nagoya city, Aichi pref.

[kennak]

(そらすの喰歴２ａ: Tsuruma kebab & drunk house@大和鶴間 「ミックスサンド」から)

[blog-of-hubris]

So I Fell in Love 🖤 w/ another Manga…

Medalist by Tsuruma Ikada, English license by Kodansha Comics.

There is something magical about seeing young characters grow into who they want to be as people. Especially when reading about coming of age stories, there is an extra special touch that is given (when done well) that can really elevate not only the admiration for the character but also the story in itself. I feel as if Medalist, encompasses this at its utmost zenith of execution. I know a lot of people brag about a manga they love, and I’m no different. When I enjoy something, I can go on for days about the things that make me enjoy it however with Medalist it’s different. It’s not as simple as saying “I love these characters” or “I love this story”, it more so is that I love the overall existence of this manga in general. From the setting, to the characters, to the overarching theme, to the undeniably exquisite plot writing, Medalist comes to deliver in every single aspect of manga writing, I say zero exaggeration.