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The Yagyu Ninja Scrolls GN 1-2
Grounded in actual history and styled similar to Basilisk and Ninja Scroll, these first two volumes have no actual ninja in them. That doesn't prevent them from offering a solid and well-crafted, if pedestrian, excursion back to the bloody days of early 17th century Japan.

Blue Dragon Dub.DVD 1
A standard epic quest upon whose skeleton clichéd developments hang like rotten shounen fruit. Character designs by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama. Whoopee.

Black Lagoon: Second Barrage DVD 1
Back after most of a year's absence, the second season of this series about a torpedo boat crew in the seedy underside of SE Asia begins with a lot of nasty, bloody, action-laden fun. It's great-looking, well-written, and sports an impressive English dub.

Tweeny Witches DVD 3
There's no denying it: the series is beautiful to behold—more so now than ever. Too bad there's nothing else to recommend it.

Fairy Tail GN 2
One thing that can be said for Fairy Tail's sophomore volume: it exceeds expectations. How high the expectations were is something of a sticking point however.

Thunderbolt Boys: Excite GN 1-2
Thunderbolt Boys: Excite, actually a sequel to a series never published in the States, is unlikely to please anyone. Sure it's got some bishounen eye candy, but eye candy is penny-cheap these days, and it's not demanding too much to expect more.

12 Days GN
If you are looking for a sensitive depiction of lesbians that strives for literariness, you have come to the right place. Creator June Kim delivers her quiet tale of friendship, love, and loss with nuanced, high-serious sensibility that looks a bit like an indie comic and a lot like a josei manga.

Strawberry Panic!: Third Wheel Sub.DVD 3
Those who plodded through the cutesy, frilly content of earlier volumes while hoping that something would happen will be partly rewarded here. Greatly increased fan service, decided relationship advancement, and a semblance of a developing plot all speak in this volume's favor.

Gakuen Alice GN 1
Gakuen Alice mangaka Tachibana Higuchi, who wanted to make her third series cheerful, delivers a delightful shoujo series well worthy of its U.S. publisher's push for the frontlist.

Kujibiki Unbalance DVD 3
If you too cringed at the sound of Kujibiki Unbalance flushing itself down a smelly toilet of irritating humor clichés, then perhaps you'll be pleased to hear the sound of it clawing its way back out with a renewed focus on its central love triangle.

Utawarerumono DVD 2
The first story arc finishes, a second begins, and several characters either get introduced or take on new roles and allegiances as this solid but unremarkable fantasy story continues. It may not excite, but it should entertain.