Currently Reading: Impressions

Loveless: Chapter Six
So I was reading this, enjoying it very much and then I read chapter 6 and I am shocked! All of the character development for Ritsuka was thrown out the window. I'm so shocked I decided to write a little spiel just on it. Ok, so I don't confuse anyone, I am going to point out that for the last five chapters, Ritsuka has refused Soubi's advancements, has mistrusted him, and in general feels that Soubi does not love him. Yet in chapter six ALL that is thrown out the window! During their battle with Sleepless, Ritsuka gives Soubi a bit of his tongue (if you know what I mean) and even licks the blood off his neck in a very sexual way. WHAT THE HELL?! Ritsuka, pacifist Ritsuka, Ritsuka who refuses Soubi's advancements, who thinks Soubi is toying with him when Soubi tells him that he loves him, this very same Ritsuka KISSES Soubi?! what ever happened to character development? God, I hate when a mangaka does this, it's so illogical. Ritsuka isn't suppose to be making the first move, at least not until he comes to terms with Soubi's feelings and his own. Really this just pissed me off. I'm still going to read Loveless, but my enjoyment just plummeted. :/ I do not read shounen-ai for cheap thrills (kissing, fan service, sex scenes, ect) I read it for story and character development and I expect that a mangaka who isn't just trying to give her/his readers cheap thrillers will stick with what s/he has written instead of discarding everything for literally two panels of fan service. Yes, me likes to write angry rants, they make me feel better. :)

G Senjou Heaven's Door
I want to start by saying this manga is REALLY good! I didn't think it would be as good as it is, and I don't even like any of the characters. Well, I am warming up to Machizo and his dad. The story really pulls you in and I cannot wait to see what happens to the careers of the two friends, Machizo and Tetsuo. My biggest annoyance with this series? I wish all the chapters were already released! I want to know what is going to happen! sigh, guess I'm stuck waiting for more scanlations...anyways, if your looking for something new to read, Heaven's Door is really good seinen work. :)

Bleach
Lately its been rather boring, with most of the focus on fights. I like fights as well, and being introduced to some of the yet not shown bankai(s) is nice, but what I am really interested in is the plot and all the unanswered question. Ok, and also the fact that I like Rukia and I want to see more of her and the fact that most of my favourite characters are currently in Hueco Mundo. =P I also have this weird feeling that Urahara is the big mastermind behind everything and that Aizan answers to him. I don't know why, but I'm getting this vibe. I hope I'm wrong because I like Urahara, and if he did turn out to be the mastermind, well he would be killed eventually. Wish the story would head back to Hueco Mundo so some of the questions would be answered: like what happened to Ichigo during that transformation, and are Grimmjow and Ulquiorra really dead?

One of the biggest unanswered question involves Rukia though. When and why did Urahara place the Hougyoku in Rukia. The anime seems to say that he put it into the gigai he gave her when she gave Ichigo her powers, but the manga seems to say something different. Aizen says that when he finally discovered the hiding place of the Hougyoku, Rukia had already gone missing in the Human World and hence he had to orchestrate her retrieval. What he says suggests that Urahara hid Hougyoku in Rukia at some point and then when she came to earth gave her the gigai that would turn her human so that she could continue to hid the Hougyoku, and it was at this point that Aizan realized where the Hougyoku was hidden. But if that's the case, there are two key questions. One, when did Urahara hide it in Rukia (seems like there wasn't much time for him to do it according to the Turning Back the Pendulum chapters) and why Rukia? (Of course there is also a possibilty that the translation hasn't been as tight or I am misunderstanding what Aizan is saying.) Anyway, here are the two pages in question:

~Joanna