Black Butler, Vol. 1 by Yana Toboso

Black Butler, Vol. 1 by Yana Toboso 192 pages

Sebastian is the dignified butler of a young nobleman and toy company owner Ciel Phantomhive. Having lost his family tragically, Ciel made a deal with Sebastian. He must be his butler and help him to avenge his family's death. In exchange, he has promised Sebastian something most precious. The graphics are wonderfully done and the text is easy to read and follow. The anime version of the manga series is not tied too closely to the book, but enough to still be enjoyable.

Blue Exorcist, v. 1 by Kazue Kato

Blue Exorcist, v. 1 by Kazue Kato - 200 pages

Rin is the offspring of Satan and a human mother.  The moment he finds this out is the moment that his whole life changes.  His foster father dies protecting him, he unleashes his demon powers, and he decides to attend True Cross Academy to become an exorcist.

I'll be honest.  I didn't care for the anime of this series.  I only picked this up as it fit the month's challenge theme of books turned into tv.  However, I like the manga better than the anime.  The characters don't seem quite so whiny.  It also condenses the story quite a bit so you're not getting a lot of extra stuff that doesn't really matter.  I'm not sure if I'll keep reading the series -- but it is much more likely than my watching the show.

Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation by Helen McCarthy

Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation by Helen McCarthy - 239 pages

I saw this book on the holds shelf for someone else and decided to put myself on hold for it.  It is a look at Hayao Miyazaki's film works through the mid-1990s.  I didn't realize it was an older title until I was already reading the book.  It doesn't contain information on any of his newer films -- including my favorite Miyazaki film "Howl's Moving Castle".  Still, it was fascinating to read about his earlier works - his techniques, the inspirations, and the story lines.  This is definitely only for those who have an interest in anime and Miyazaki's films in particular.
Just one side note -- the book is in spiral-bound format which was very annoying the read.  The pages kept catching making it difficult to turn the pages.

Haibane Renmei, v 1, by Yoshitoshi Abe

Haibane Renmei, v 1, by Yoshitoshi Abe, 160 pages

The haibane are a race of angel-like humanoids, who lived in a village from which they cannot leave.  Rakka is born into this race with fleeting memories of a "before"- memories of before her birth.  Apparently, this is based on an anime series.  The artwork is beautiful- and in color, which is nice.  But the story leaves alot to be desired, and ends in a vague, kind of "huh?" way.