Review: PURI PURI

 Valentine's Day may be past, but that's not going to stop me from trashing on some poorly conceived harem manga.

PURI PURI, by Chiako Taro.  First published in 2005 and first published in North America in 2007.

PLOT:

Shocked by the scandalously sloppy looks and behavior of his students, the principal of the all-girls Saint Sophia's divinity school decides that the best solution is stricter surveillance and to make the school co-ed.  That's how Masato Kamioda became the school's first male student, hoping to use this opportunity to study for the priesthood like his foster father.  Following in that holy path will be more challenging than Masato anticipated, as when he's not being threatened with expulsion by the student council he's being tempted by the soft, squishy, panty-clad bodies of his fellow students.  In particular, the body of sweet, motherly Ayako might be the biggest temptation of them all.

Review: WITH THE SHEIKH IN HIS HAREM

 It's Bad Romance Month once again at the Test Drive, and we're taking a spin once again through Kodansha's digital shojo offerings and fishing out yet another dud.  

WITH THE SHIEKH IN HIS HAREM (Shiekh-sama to Harem de), by Rin Miasa.  First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2021.

PLOT:

Just a few weeks ago, Sanagi was just another Japanese teen girl.  Sure, she had to work a bunch of menial part-time jobs and save every yen to keep her family financially afloat, but aside from that she was fine.  Then she managed to talk a weird rich blond boy out of jumping off the roof at one of her jobs, and that boy turned out to be a prince from a far-away land who wants to reward her with marriage!  With her family in dire straights, Sanagi has no choice but to accept his offer.  Now she's being whisked off to the sun-baked land of Armadia where she'll be surrounded by luxury and intrigue.

Review: THE SECRET NOTES OF LADY KANAKO

Let's end this month with an unjustly overlooked shojo series from the dying days of Tokyopop.

THE SECRET NOTES OF LADY KANAKO (Warau Kanoko-sama), by Airiku Tsujita.  First published in 2007 and first published in North America in 2010.

PLOT:

Kanako lives for drama.  Her personal desire to track and observe all the secret relationships, passive-aggressive rivalries, and general misbehavior of her classmates verges upon an obsession.  In the name of objectivity, Kanako keeps her distance from her classmates.  Unfortunately, she finds herself caught up in her own drama, and her hatred of bullies overweighs her need for objective distance.  That's when Kanako uses her notes to dish out a bit of justice.

Review: READ OR DREAM (R.O.D.)

 I've never been shy about my fondness for Read Or Die.  Hell, for years my choice of online avatar was usually some form of Yomiko Readman.  But my fondness for this franchise only goes so far...

READ OR DREAM (R.O.D.), written by Hideyuki Kurata with art by Ran Ayanaga.  First published in 2003 and first published in North America in 2006.

PLOT:

The Paper Sisters Detective Agency is made up of three members.  There's Michelle, the eldest member, who is the most romantic, optimistic, and obsessive of the lot.  There's Maggie, the quiet, dreamy, androgynous one in the middle.  Then there's Anita, the youngest, a spunky tomboy who actually doesn't like to read.  While they are not related by blood, they are all united by two things: the ability to control paper and their commitment towards solving any and all book-related mysteries, even if they also happen to involve estranged family members, sick kids, and the occasional alien.

Review: THE SAINT'S MAGIC POWER IS OMNIPOTENT

OK, it's time to shake off the holiday hangover, look forward to my birthday at the end of the month and enjoy another month of Dealer's Choice reviews.  There's no theme connecting these reviews beyond "I want to talk about them," and we're starting with another lady-led slow life kind of isekai book.

THE SAINT'S MAGIC POWER IS OMNIPOTENT (Seijo no Maryoku ha Banno Desu), based on the light novels by Yuka Tachibana and character designs by Yasuyuki Syuri, with art by Fujiazuki.  First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2020.

PLOT:

Sei was just another overworked office drone coming home to an empty apartment when all of a sudden she was transported to another world alongside an unknown teen girl.  While the teen girl was whisked off to become the destined Saint of legend, Sei was left to her own devices.  A trip through the castle gardens leads her to the Royal Research Institute, where Sei turns out to have a knack for potion-making.  She soon finds herself applying her skills in all sorts of new directions, winning over not just her fellow researchers but also the hunky captain of the royal guard.