moggling - an anime.manga.gaming imageblog

Kannazuki no Miko is a yuri-themed manga turned anime around the plot that two girls, Himeko and Chikane (shown) are reincarnations of the solar and lunar miko and must protect the world from Orochi (Eight headed serpent) from Japanese mythology.  But who are about the protecting the world deal - we just want the girl-on-girl yuri action!  I love the intensity and implied action from this close-desu shot. She looks like she’s about to cleave some fool. Learn more about miko / shrine maidens here.

I’m not a big fan of Inuyasha as a whole, but the characters are nice enough. Created as a manga by Rumiko Takahashi (who also did Ranma 1/2, which is classic), Inuyasha is a fairly long running show that went for several seasons. Kagome is shown here with her bicycle  - Inuyasha is in the tree.  Kagome also has a traditional get-up which includes a bow/arrow dealio, which is cute.

Yotsuba is the best. Here she’s showing off a crayfish that she caught. So kawaii!  ^.^

Tony Taka is a well known artist for his own illustrative style, and for doing art for visual novel games (eroge included).  Kureha is a character from Shining Wind - I don’t own, but really like this figure of her.

Anyone who isn’t familiar with the GIST franchise should probably get their head out of the sand. Most well-known of the works of Masamune Shirow is probably the original Ghost in the Shell movie which follows the story of section-9, lead by Major Kusanagi, in a cyberpunk epic that asks ‘what does it mean to be human?’  I love the design of the Tachikoma fighting robots.  I mean, come on, they’re metallic blue, talk with childlike voices, but have guns and kick ass. 

Welcome to the N.H.K. is a dark story of Tatsuhiro Satō, a hikikomori (social recluse who rarely leaves his room)  who meeets, Misaki Nakahara, a girl who is intent on helping him with his problem. Her intentions are never clear, and neither are his willpower or desires. Originally a novel, then a manga, and finally an anime - in the the adaptation to each format, certain aspects of the story such as Tatusuhiro’s drug use, are left out. This image is great because Tatsuhiro looks insane and looks about ready to let that grenade go.  I wonder if Japan blames murders (or even pedophilia) on manga and anime the way the US tends to blame things on media… 

 Yotsuba&! is the manga series by Kiyohiko Azuma (creator of Azumanga Daioh) It follows the daily adventures of a little girl who is learning about life. Yotsuba&! is the first manga that I’ve actually been able to get into  - the characters are adorable, the stories are hilarious, and the art of easy to follow.  Not to mention this manga created the infamous Cardbo character. I recommend the Yotsuba and Cardbo posable Revoltech figures. 

Chocho / Cyocyo Police (Takara Shinnosuke)  has a really distinctive style of drawing that sticks out in technique and character design. The pissed off gothy girls are quite fun.

Honey and Clover (Hachimitsu to Kurōbā), created by Chika Umino as a manga originally, and adapted into two anime seasons, a live action movie, and a j-drama series. Pictured are Hagumi Hanamoto (Haguchan) and Ayumi Yamada.