My Favorite Ongoing Manga Series

I got into a car accident last week, so I've been a little behind in my reviewing. So, I thought I would tell you all which ongoing (still being released) manga series I am currently reading. These are some of my favorite series, but it doesn't include Genshiken or Death Note for example, because both of those series are finished.

BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad - In Volume 10 band is trying to take off, and Koyuki is trying to figure out his relationship with Maho (or if there's even a chance to have one with her). Volume 11 is due out on March 4th.

Bleach - The Bleach gang has returned from the Soul Society, now they have to deal with a new enemy, the arrancar, but are they the real enemy? Volume 23 is due out June 3rd.

Fruits Basket - More of the mystery of the Sohma family unravels. Will Tohru end up with either Yuki or Kyo? Fruits Basket 19 is due out on March 18th

Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service - The team is still helping the bodies of the dead find their rightful resting place. Lots of creepiness and dark humor. Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service 6 is already out, but I'm a bit behind. Volume 7 is out on July 25th.

Nana - Nana is trying to become a star with Blast while Hachi (other Nana) tries to decide between Nobu and Takumi. Nana 9 is due out on March 4th.

Ouran High School Host Club - Haruhi is settling in to life at the Host Club well, and the fun continues. I am behind on this series, only having finished 5 volumes, but there are 10 volumes out. I am hoping for some more consistent plot soon, but I still love the hilarity. I have to say though that the anime is even better, and if you can track it down, check it out.

Venus Versus Virus - Gothic lolita + supernatural = win! Volume 3 is due out March 18th

The Wallflower - The boys are still trying to turn Sunako into a lady and keep the fact that she's still lurking in shadows from her Aunt. In volume 4, Kyohei has to pretend to date Sunako to avoid her havign to go on a blind date. This is another series I am behind on. I have finished the first four volumes and love them more and more. Volume 15 comes out on April 15th.

Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service

Overall Rating: A
Synopsis: Your body is their business! From writer, Eiji Otsuka, and artist, Housui Yamazaki, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service is a manga that combines horror, and humor. The surprising thing about the series is that it does a good job at both. The story follows five Buddhist college students as they start up a unique service, one that serves the dead. Using unique skills, like dowsing and speaking to the dead, they find the dead and help them free their souls for reincarnation. Oh, and did I mention one of them speaks to aliens through the puppet on his hand?

Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service follows Kuro Karatsu, an average student at an average Buddhist college. Kuro is trying to find a job, but his grades aren't good enough to get anything good. Fortunately for Kuro, he has a skill the other students don't, he can also speak to the dead. After getting roped into some volunteer service where he meets other specialists like himself, who can find dead bodies using dowsing, speak to aliens, and an embalmer (a rare occupation in Japan), the group forms the Kurosagi (which means black crane) Corpse Delivery Service. Their job is to find dead bodies whose souls cannot move on, and help free them so they can be reincarnated. Unfortunately for Kuro and the others, apparently the reason souls can't move on is because of some fucked up shit.

For example, the first case they get involved in deals with two lovers killed by the girl's father. Apparently, the girl had been a member of the pop group, Dokkiko, and the father had been abusing the girl. When he found out about her relationship, he became jealous and killed her and her boyfriend. Even more disturbingly, he replaces her corpse with a deer's carcass and takes her corpse back to their home to further abuse. Don't worry, the case ends happily enough, with the dead lovers killing the father so their souls can be released.

So, where's the humor? Well, if people speaking to aliens through hand puppets isn't enough to make you smile, I'm fairly sure you're dead inside. Even if that isn't your cup of tea, there is lots of shit to make you giggle in the series. For example, in the same story, Numada, the bad ass Dowser, comments on the pop group the dead girl belonged to, saying that she was a pure idol, and her departure from the group broke the hearts of all her fans. The delivery is fantastic and it's this kind of humor that makes the book great. The characters in the book deal with the horror like normal people. Well, normal people who have special powers and are kind of weird.

You might think that in a book where characters can speak to the dead, that the stories would be more action focused, or at least fast-paced, but the writing is often somber, and spends a lot of time presenting different facets of death and how people deal with it. The series also does an excellent job of juxtaposing real life issues like scrapping up enough money to buy lunch, and the supernatural issues that come along with speaking to the dead. I highly recommend checking this one out, but don't read it alone at night, unless you like creeping yourself out.