Who are you?
I’m Da-manta-ray… I am a university student obsessed with manga, and to a lesser extent, anime. I’m also a big fan of the Japanese culture.
How were you introduced to manga/anime?
My first ventures with this stuff started when I watched Card Captors (the English version of Card Captor Sakura), Pokemon and Sailor Moon on television, and read a volume of Inuyasha that a friend brought to band camp.
However, what really got me into it was when my friend first introduced me to Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa, which is still my favourite manga to this day.
Why are you doing this?
The real reason I put out this blog is to hopefully get some of you hooked on some lesser known manga. They vary from being under-rated licensed series and to those only available in English through the hard work of scanlators. There are some good series out there that never get the light of day because they’re often overshadowed by the big three of shounen (One Piece, Bleach, Naruto) and popular shoujo series such as Fruits Basket, Skip Beat and Absolute Boyfriend. While I have reviewed some big-name manga, I really want people to check out some of the other manga mentioned on this site that you might not have heard of.
How did you get involved in scanlation?
Well, as I became more interested in manga, I would read a lot of series on the internet, and sometimes, I would find that the next chapter wasn’t out yet and I couldn’t find it anywhere. It was through this search that I stumbled upon scanlation groups, and found out how manga came to be on the internet.
What can I find on this site?
You can find various reviews for completed manga I’ve read, as well as cool new manga I’ve discovered, character features, some scanlation news (although not very often) and random rants and obsessions I’ve recently gotten into.
How do you choose a manga to review?
Well, it’s usually kind of random. If I finish reading something, and I really liked it, found it unique or really hated it, chances are that I’ll probably review it. Sometimes I go over the list of manga I’ve read and pick a random one to review. It all depends.
Why do you review so much shoujo manga?
It’s mostly because most shoujo manga are relatively short, and most are finished. The shounen/seinen series tend to be unfinished/super long, so I’m less inclined to start picking them up, even if they’re better. It’s mostly a commitment issue.
Which manga have you helped to scanlate?
Sorted by scanlation group, an incomplete list.
Ochibichan
-Kiss vol. 7
-Kanojo ga Tonda hi
-Ayakashi Tennen Beans
-R-18
-Sprout (1 chapter)
Manga-Heaven
-Crimson Grave
-D.H.A.
-Shinigami to Chocolate Parfait
-Tena on S String
Domo Scans
-Sakura no Ichiban!
-Peace Maker
Other
I have a life outside of manga (*gasp*). If you care about that (which you probably don’t), this be my main blog.
can i add you to the blogroll on my site ? im planning to start one ^^ my site’s still new….
I stumbled upon this website today, and I’ve been reading a lot of your reviews (mostly shoujo – I’m a sucker for a good ol’ slightly overused cliche story). Just wanted to say, i really like your reviews! They aren’t overly subjective which makes it easily read by everyone. It also gives a fair chance to the manga, some people just slam a manga without really giving any thought. You mange to identify flaws and areas that should be praised!
A lot of your posts have inspired me to pick up those mangas that I left off halfway simply because I’m a person that reads things but never finished it (often because they are toooo long!)
Hope you update your blog soon!
Awesome blog you got here
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