Aya Kanno: Blank Slate and Otomen

Blank Slate is like a one of a kind manga where the main character is actually bad. hard core evil. XD hehe. and I just love that. I am sorta weird like that. The main character, Zen, is super hot looking (XP) and mysterious. He is a ruthless criminal who isn’t bound by laws or the police.

from the manga itself:

"What does it take to find your true inner self? Zen's memory has been wiped, and he can't remember whether he's a killer or hero. And a lot of people will do anything they can to keep it that way."

Well, there are only two volumes and I totally got super into it. I wasn't sure whether I would like it or not at first, but once I started reading it, I loved it. XD Here's a part that I totally loved, at the end of the volume 2:

"A purely evil soul cannot be controlled by anyone. All living things are evil in some way. Down the long path of destruction of death... what awaits at the end is light... and at the same time, darkness."

P.S. I absolutely loved how Zen just do whatever he wants and how he's not bound by anything, except fate for those who believe in that. XD

This is definitely a 10 out of 10.

Otomen is another of Aya Kanno's work, and I didn't exactly realized till I read the author's bio on Blank Slate. Coz I usually like never pay attention to who the manga's author is. =P but anyways. here's a summary of the manga from the manga itself:

"Asuka Masamune, the kendo captain, is actually an otomen(a girlish guy) - a man who likes cute things, housework and shojo manga. When he was young, his father left home to become a woman. His mother was traumatized, and ever since then, he has kept his girlish interests a secret. However, things changed when he meets Juta, a guy who is using Asuka as the basis for the female character in the shojo manga he is writing (<- top secret). Asuka also starts having feelings for a tomboy girl who is good at martial arts. Because of this, he's slowly reverting to his true otomen self!"

this is a pretty good manga, not the best, but it's pretty interesting. XD When I marry, I sorta want a husband like Asuka, good-looking, strong, good at cooking and basically housework and such, and he has a lot of the qualities that would suit me coz... I am more like Ryo, I mean.. I can cook.. barely. XP I do love to bake, and I am sorta tomboyish. I find Ryo pretty similar to me. XD But I also love Juta (but I don't think I can accept him as my boyfriend, coz he's so flirtatious and sorta play-boy-ish.) and I sorta envy him for his ability to draw. XP

I just finished reading the English version of Volume 5, and the end was like the "What-happened-next? I-wanna-know." kinda ending. XD so I might try to find online translated scans of the manga just to fulfill my curiosity. hehe. good luck to me.

I would give this manga a... 8 or 9 out of 10 so far.

When I compare the art of Blank Slate and Otomen, they are pretty diversing, I would say I like Blank Slate's art more. It's more detailed and pretty and in-depth. =D And the story lines are pretty different.. one is about a super evil guy, the other is about a sensitive otomen who is like a dream-guy, basically. heh. but both of them are from a guy's point of view pretty much. :D which I love. these are two pretty good mangas, I am prob going to try to find more of Aya Kanno's work and read it. XD good luck to me on that.. but first I have something else to do...

I can't wait till the summer!!! then I can laze around and pretty much do nothing but watch animes & dramas, read books & mangas, and attempt to draw. :D I am also going to try to make some videos soon... good luck to me.. if it's any good, I will prob post it on here. :)