Hmmm . . . maybe there was a break in the series last week after all.

This week’s episode is: …Hotaru’s promise.

The kids in the kindergarten want Kobato to read them a story about fireflies. Unfortunately, Kobato isn’t too good at this. She takes the book with her to practice (with Sayaka’s approval). When Kobato practices in the park, an older gentleman tells her not to read the book. All is not well at the Kindergaton either. It is apparently in debt and Sayaka keeps getting harassing phone calls. The next day things are even worse. When Kobato gets there, there are some thugs who want payment. Fujimoto harasses them back and even Ioryogi helps, but it’s still three to one. Sayaka asks them to leave and come back when the children aren’t there but the thugs refuse. Kobato then intervenes and she refuses to back down. This unnerves the thugs. Then one of the kids start saying how the police are coming. The thugs retreat, though it ends up not being true^^; Still, this is a problem that isn’t going to go away. I wonder what the full background on the debt is. If Kobato could help with it, that would surely help fill her bottle.

Meanwhile, Kobato runs into the old man again but he is still not exactly friendly. It turns out Fujimoto lives at the same apartments Kobato does. When she asks him about he old man, he says the old man is the author of the firefly book, but that is all he knows. Ioryogi says something must have happened. Kobato does tons of research on fireflies and invites the old man to go see them with her. He actually shows up. It turns out his love did the illustrations for the firefly book. She wanted to take him to see them but he was too busy. She got in an accident and they never went. However, Kobato somehow finds the very area that was the inspiration for the illustrations. Yep, the old man is healed:)

This week’s episode is: Friends.

So Sadako tries to explain things to the bullies. She is quite surprised to find that supposedly she is the one causing all the rumors about Yano and Yoshida! Still Sadako persists and Yano and Yoshida overhear her defense of them and hear how much she really likes them. Meanwhile, Kazehaya can only stand outside (since all this is taking place inside the girl’s bathroom) and pray. He is not happy, though. Well Yano and Yoshida come to Sadako’s rescue and everything is resolved, though the girl who initiated it is quite upset. It seems she has quite the thing for Kazehaya and that is the reason for her actions. Sadako, Yano, and Yoshida renew their friendship and Sadako gets invited out to raman with them:) They start calling Sadako her real name, Sawako:) Kazehaya is upset that Yano and Yoshida are stealing Sadako from him. This . . . could be trouble. Interestingly enough, the pretty girl we saw earlier wasn’t a part of the bullying or rumors. I suspect she too likes Kazehaya but knows better than to play any mean tricks. And Pin is quite upset – he so wanted to break up a fight but by the time he got to the girl’s bathroom the fight was over^^;

The first episode is: Fleeting Light.

In this episode, Natsume meets a guy who once saw Ayakashi, but no longer can. Then Natsume meets an Ayakashi who knew the man back when he could see her. Actually, she was probably the first Ayakashi he met that he liked. In fact they fell in love though neither admitted it until it was too late. I wonder if that has anything to do with why he can’t see Ayakashi any more?

Anyway, the Ayakashi is the spirit of a firefly, a gift from the mountain god when they lit the forest for him and the human woman he loved. Natsume ends up talking to the guy a bit about what happened. It turns out he is getting married – he finally found someone who he cared for as much as he cared for the Ayakashi. And this is the reason she came back. In the end, she chooses to become a real firefly and end her life that way so they can see each other one last time.

The second episode is: Ayakashi Exorcism.

Ah, this is the episode where we meet Natori. Publicly he is a popular actor. In reality, he is an exorcist who can see the Ayakashi. It is rather funny how he confirms that Natsume can also see them, and the fight that Nyako-sensei gets into with Natori’s two spirit helpers . . . ^^;

Anyway, Natori is interested in taking on Natsume as an apprentice. Natsume isn’t sure about this. An Ayakashi is haunting a building and the owner wants her gone. The thing is another exorcist put her there in the first place and Natori met her long ago. Natsume of course interferes and thankfully while everyone is the worse for wear everything turns out alright. Maybe Natori was lying when he said he didn’t remember her. In any case, the choices were destroy the rope binding her or destroy the rope and her. She decides to become one of Natori’s spirit followers. Natsume on the other hand doesn’t agree with Natori’s philosophy on things. However, they do agree to be friends sort of:)

This week’s episode is: Each of Their Decision.

So Akira tells Hikaru that their schools will be playing each other second round if they both make it and Akira is third board to play Hikaru. Kaio’s first board goads Mitani, though surprisingly enough Tsutsui defends him. It is true that (minus Sai) Matani is the strongest player from Haze. So the first round starts. Mitani easily wins. It is more of a struggle for Tsutsui and Hikaru is losing for a while. But in the end they both manage to win their games too, even though the guy Hikaru plays laughs. He laughed too soon. While waiting Mitani looks at the game Kaio’s first board is playing. Even he is impressed and he decides to prove he is good enough to go against him without cheating. Then it is lunch break. Hikaru goes out and overhears the nice girl who stopped the idiot trio from bullying Akira and Kaio’s first board talking about Akira and how he was bullied and how he will quit the Kaio Go club after the tournament. Hearing all of this, Hikaru knows this is all because Akira wants to play Hikaru or rather Sai so badly. Hikaru tells Sai he can play the match with Akira.

This week’s episode is: Was the First Short Story Plagiarized?

So Judy is all fired up to enter the short story competition. Sally likes the story that Judy comes up with, but Judy is unsure. So Sally suggests that Judy show it to an expert – like their English teacher. In fact Sally approaches him first. He agrees to read it and comment on the story. Judy decides if she wins the prize she wants to get a typewriter. Sally and Judy go typewriter shopping^^; When Judy goes to see the professor about her story, he tells one part that is interesting, but then tells her the hard truth that her story is bits and pieces of her favorite books stitched together – in other words, plagiarizing. This upsets Judy a great deal and she wonders if she really can be an author. Some snide comments by Julia galvanize Judy. The next story is somewhat based on Judy’s life. At least no one can claim she plagiarized it. The professor is pleased with this story and Judy submits it. No one ends up winning first place. Judy does take second. The prize is a fountain pen. Oh well!

This week’s episode is: Usagi’s Motherly Love? Triangle with Curry.

So Chibi-Usa’s class is having a curry day with their parents. Unfortunately, Usagi’s parents aren’t available. At first Usagi has no interest in helping, but when she sees Chibi-Usa crying Usagi’s better nature prevails. She decides to invite Mamoru as well. Since it’s for Chibi-Usa, he actually agrees. Only one problem – both Mamoru and Chibi-Usa have doubts about Usagi’s cooking abilities. So Usagi agrees to do a preview dinner. First, she gets some curry lessons from the Scouts^^;

Meanwhile another crystal point has been found by Rubius – a grocery store. Calaveras and Petz go to take it over. Yeah, those two don’t get along too well. Their strategy, sell dark fruit at the store infecting everyone who eats it, and they in turn infect all the goods in the store. So when Usagi, Mamoru, and Chibi-Usa arrive there is hardly anything eatable left. Mamoru and Chibi-Usa leave and run into Rei. At first Chibi-Usa thinks Rei would be a much better person to come to her class activity, but it just isn’t the same without Usagi. Rei is actually quite happy Chibi-Usa realizes this, so they go back for Usagi.

Usagi stayed behind in the store on Luna’s insistence – something is going on in there. The monster with the two sisters starts draining energy from everyone. Luna distracts the monster while Usagi transforms. Rei then arrives as Sailor Mars as well. Then Tuxedo Kamen shows up to help as do the other Scouts. Usagi defeats the monster and surrounded the sisters retreat.

And how did Usagi’s curry turn out? Well, minus points on presentation but as far as taste goes pretty good actually. Who knew?

Yep, they actually have four volumes of manga of Howl’s Moving Castle. Many of Studio Ghibli’s works have gotten the manga treatment. This is just the one I like well enough to get. Now if they had Whisper of the Heart . . .

Aham. Anyway, it is very interesting. Basically it looks like they took tons (and I mean hundreds at least) of screenshots  and added speech bubbles to the appropriate shots. The effect is you really are reading the movie. There is nothing new added to the story or any difference. Still it was a very interesting experience. This method also lets you slow down and admire Miyazaki’s art if you so desire. I will recommend the manga for three groups of people in particular:

1. If you loved the movie so much you want everything related to it (this would be my category).

2. This would be nice to take on a long trip or a vacation in the middle of no where with no way to watch movies.

3. If you have a reluctant reader who enjoyed the movie, this might be something to try with them – especially since reluctant readers learn better visually.

So our favorite girlly man is back. This time, Asuka and Ryo’s father try to make a good birthday for their favorite girl. The results are interesting and not what anyone planned. Then we meet a guy who loves flowers as much as Asuka loves girlly things. Then Asuka’s kohai who really looks up to our hero asks Asuka and his friends to help his grandfather’s beach stand. Not exactly what Asuka had in mind for summer vacation. Things go from bad to worse when the grandfather is injured and has to go to the hospital. Still, our heroes persevere, but when Asuka’s kendo rival who loves make-up and hair as much as Asuka loves girlly things shows up will our heroes be able to save grandpa’s beach stand?

This week’s episode is: The Promise Made for 520 Cenz.

I forgot one part last week. In the end Mustang wants to turn the country into a democracy and go after war criminals from the Ishbal rebellion. Of course he realizes that he himself and Hawkeye would be included in that category.

Well, May Chang (and Shao May) leave the doctor guy. They find Scar, who it turns out didn’t kill Marco – he killed a chimera transmuted by Marco to look like a human. Scar still has questions and he thinks Marco may be able to help him with this brothers notes, which said there was something odd about the alchemy of Amestris. It will be interesting to see what that was, because only Scar and May Chang were able to do alchemy after Father did his thing. After disfiguring Marco’s face, the group is off to where Scar hid his brother’s notes.

Meanwhile, Ed tells Al what Hawkeye told him. When they get where they’re staying, Fu is there, apparently back from Xing. They take him to Lan Fan. The two decide it is time to leave the doctors as well. Their goal is to get Ling back to normal. They don’t want the Eldric’s help since that could endanger innocent people. Then Ed and Al go off looking for May Chan, wanting to learn her version of alchemy. They don’t find her. What they do find is Mustang. Mustang’s group has been dispersed, but he’s still making his plans to become Fuhrer. Apparently Ed owes him money, but Ed refuses to pay until Mustang is Fuhrer. (Then he’ll borrow money again and refuse to pay again until Amestris is a democracy.)

Elsewhere, Kimberly is freed. It seems he wasn’t killed because when he refused to return his philosopher’s stone, he swallowed it. But now Envy frees him and gives him another philosopher’s stone. It seems Kimberly is wanted to go after Scar to kill him and then bring back Marco if he is still alive.

So after much waiting and anticipation the next volume of Aria is finally out! In it Akari helps out the mailman when his gondola needs repairs, we meet Alice’s trainer Athena who has a gorgeous voice but is even more of a klutz and spaced out than Akari, Akira puts the girls through tough training, Aika and Al (and Akari) find the perfect spot to see a meteor shower, and Akari finds and enjoys a new, unusual cafe.

This volume reminds me exactly why I love this series so much! The visuals are lovely as always, especially the backgrounds – which is a good thing since Aria itself is as much a character as anyone else! This is such an optimistic series, where the best is seen in everyone and in every situation. I love our main characters too. Please TokyoPop, don’t let the release of the next volume take quite so long, but whatever else you do, please don’t drop this series!