I'm up to episode 21 of of Shikabane Hime, and am still enjoying it. Ouri still isn't a favourite, but I like him a lot more than I did in the beginning. His big plot twist definitely came as a surprise. The momma shikabane in the first season gave birth to her child before dying, but if I understand correctly, Ouri's mother was already a corpse when he was born. Ouri's first three years were spent with a corpse. No wonder he was such a mess in the flashbacks!

My favourite part is still Makina and the other Shikabane Hime; I love the small glimpses of the bonds between the girls (and that their bond comes with a darkness, and a knowledge of what they are, and what they might need to do if circumstances demand it). Itsuki's true form had me flapping my hands in surprise--so awesome.

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I let myself fall behind on One Piece so that I'll be able to really dig into several volumes' worth of story. I just finished Thriller Bark, and am full of hearts. Robin is cool, but I didn't click with her as easily or quickly as I did with the original Strawhats. This arc was really helpful in helping me get attached to Robin; I love her dry sense of humour (the "docking" scene had me in helpless tears of laughter. So awesome).

It's hard to talk about One Piece, because there are so many little moments that make me flail around with joy. Usopp vs. Perona (he beats her with pessimism!) was great. I loved Nami(zo) and Lola's unexpected friendship.

I've slowed down a bit, because I've started the Sabaody arc, and I know what's coming up. My heart!

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I've raced through the first several chapters of Beach Stars, a manga that inkstone has mentioned favourably several times. There's a lot of fanservice, but the story itself is all about female dreams, strength, friendships and rivalries. Our heroine, Nanase Iruka, is heartbroken when the volleyball club is shut down without notice. She bounces back from her deep unhappiness when she discovers beach volleyball, and a new rival, the "Silent Angel" Hayakawa Sanae.

inkstone mentioned the femslashy subtext in the series, which I am all for. So I was taken by surprise by the vibe between Iruka and her teacher. I don't know if they're being set up as a potential pairing, or if it's just more fanservice. As an example of what I'm talking about, see this.

Still, there are lots of awesome girls being amazing with each other. I'm really enjoying the series so far. ♥

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