Manga: For The Kid I Saw In My Dreams

For The Kid I Saw In My Dreams Vol 1 

Rating: 3/5

Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Senri Nakajou's twin brother was his everything, the one who protected him from their abusive father, the one whose pain he felt as his own. That is, until the day thirteen years ago when Senri's entire family was murdered before his eyes. He couldn't have cared less about his parents, but without his brother, his world ended. Ever since, finding the killer and making him pay has been Senri's only goal...and now-finally-he's caught a glimpse of a clue...! 

The opening of this volume is a little bit chilling as you get to learn all about the murder that sets our main character, Senri, off on his revenge mission. He's quite the little vigilante it has to be said, regardless of what he was really up to with his scheme. There's a nice little twist about he and his twin that was a nice surprise and livened things up a little bit. I'm also wondering if twins may run in the family, but that's me theorising about the murder! 

I liked the smooth switches between the present and the past as we built up a picture of what happened and how he became friends with Enan, and then in the present we see him start to pick up a clue and get his first lead. I will admit, for a good chunk of this volume I did find the past more intriguing than the present. I'm really interested to see if Enan is going to stop him from getting his revenge, or stop him from getting it in the way he wants, based on how she was acting in this volume! 

This first volume is fairly fast paced, and there's a lot to keep you hooked and lots of questions you'll be asking about this volume! I wasn't a fan of the art style, I have to say, and while I do have questions and was fairly hooked in to the mystery aspect of this...I was also a little bit bored by some parts of this volume. 

Manga: Dive

Dive!! 
Rating: 3/5
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Tomoki has long been passionate about the blink-of-an-eye performances that take place off the ten-meter diving platform. But as a member of the Mizuki Diving Club, he'll need more than passion when his team's lackluster record leaves them on the outs with their sponsors! With a new coach and a deadline to qualify for the Olympics in one short year, Tomoki and his teammates compete for glory with the fate of their diving club riding on their shoulders!

I don't really read any sports manga to be honest, but I was curious about this one as it's about Diving which I thought was quite an unusual choice! 

In order to stop their diving club being closed one of them will have to qualify for the Olympics and this volume very swiftly lays that out for us, along with meeting a new coach and a new team mate for them! 

Said new coach swiftly starts to whip them in to shape, and our main character is soon aspiring for new heights. Tomo kind of struck me as just going along with the training because he just likes diving and how freeing it is, he didn't initially strike me as competitive and there's nothing wrong with that. But just in this volume we see him get a new drive for the sport, and start to push himself more. 

Youichi, however, is definitely competitive and he seems quite perfect. I'm waiting for his character to snap though, because we do see the pressure he's under, especially as his dad's a coach. I feel like his journey may be just as interesting, if not more so than Tomo's. 

The third of our main characters is Okitsu and his Grandfather was a big deal in the sport, and he gets lured to their diving club. He's used to diving in to the sea, and he loves to make a splash which you're not really supposed to do in diving, to be honest! I'm intrigued by his journey...will he keep doing things his way? Or will he adapt to the competition rules? 

Our three main characters all look set to have interesting journeys, and I haven't decided who, or if, I should root for one in particular! I liked that we got swiftly acquainted with some of the basics of the sport, although it is one that I already had some prior knowledge of! 

There's plenty of drama in this volume, between friend drama as Tomo's friends are jealous of the attention he's getting from the new coach, and meeting a couple of the other divers that our main three will be up against in the future. I have to say, Atsuhiko is super extra and I'm so ready to see more of him! 

This initial volume lets us meet the characters and get a quick and simple crash course in the world of diving. Things get shaken up and we're swiftly on the path to the Olympics, as well as meeting the colourful characters who are going to be seen, presumably, a lot on the way there. The volume does end on a bit of a sad note thanks to some drama and I don't think the drama is going to stop there! Tomo's journey should prove to be an interesting one and I'm intrigued to see how far this series will go!

Manga: The Witch's House - Diary of Ellen

The Witch's House: Diary of Ellen Vol 1 
Rating: 3/5
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Ellen, who has been plagued by sickness her whole life, heavily relies on her mother's care and love. When the bond between them decays in a horrific turn of events, Ellen despairs that she'll never get the love she so desperately craves and thinks she's done for-that is, until she crosses paths with a mysterious black cat. The cat offers her powers and a house to live in, which seems to change Ellen's life for the better. But the new witch soon discovers the gruesome secrets within this ever-changing house... 

First things first, I have not played the game that this is apparently to do with and while I can imagine it'll enrich the game if you play it...I don't think you need to have played the game to read this! 

The dark and grim colour pages definitely drew me in, and the first chapter..well it was pretty messed up! I felt for Ellen, but this one is definitely dark! Alongside that, it's also kind of a huge set up. We get all the backstory on Ellen and her childhood and how she became to be at the House and how she met the demon cat, and how she became a witch. Honestly, I wasn't that in to it, and I did find myself a little bit bored at points, but the sinister overtones, and the creepy air to it along with the sense of foreboding I had kept me reading. Plus I was curious about the cat and what the deal with the house was! 

I did like how the expressions were drawn for the characters, I have to say! The sinister ones and the twisted ones are really excellently done! I also liked the pretty, yet at the same time a little bit sinister, settings. 

This introductory volume is gruesome and dark, but certainly intriguing. It's the beginnings of everything and largely serves to acquaint you with Ellen and her full backstory with the promise of more dark and twisted tales to come.