GUEST POST by Keira Gillett of Love Romance Passion - Why Have One When you Can Have Two?

GUEST BLOG: Why Have One when you can Have Two? (Keira Gillett on Her Favourite Romance Periods in History.)

My favourite romantic era is actually two eras. The first is the Regency period, which if you read my blog, is very apparent. The second is historical American romance, which I cut my romance teeth on as a teenager. It’s a little harder to spot because I am reading less of it right now, but I do in fact love it to pieces.

BOY'S LOVE RUMBLE - WHAT M/M ROMANCE MEANS TO ME

Boy’s Love Rumble – What M/M Romance and Yaoi Mean to Me

Hello all, I'm Sandra Scholes and I've been reading yaoi since 2005. I like to indulge in the mixed genres of fantasy, science fiction, horror, and Historical. I started out as a reviewer of standard manga for Active Anime, and it didn't take long before I became introduced to yaoi via other yaoi publishers. Yaoi Press was one of the first I reviewed for. Their titles were M/M based fantasy graphic novels depicting the ups and downs of characters caught in the kind of private turmoil that brings two men together.

JEALOUSY AND UNLIKELY LOVE IN MANGA

 
Jealousy and unlikely love rivals in manga!

Ichi - Eerie Queerie
Officer Berkley Rose - Fake
Wolfram - Kyo Kara Maoh!

Jealousy comes in many forms - even in yaoi novels. When the green-eyed monster rears its ugly head, you know there will be a bad boy at the hear t of the problem, but take officer Berkley Rose from popular manga novel series Fake by Sanami Matoh. In volume 2, Ryo and Dee take a trip to England where they check into a hotel where a murder takes place and as soon as they investigate, Ryo sees Berkley on the stairs wondering who he is, and when he tells Dee, he gets instantly jealous. He tells him he shouldn't be thinking about another man, his focus should be on him and him alone.

K-ON! THE MOVIE REVIEW

 
K-On! The Movie
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: PG
Running Time: 106 Mins
Audio: English DD 5.1 & Japanese DD 2.0
Release Date: 28/10/2013
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

We've had the series so here's the movie. You know what to expect if you've seen it before you even watch the movie. It's battle of the bands and it looks like they are putting in the effort, but we soon see the reality when they're playing to a tape recorded track. At least we know they're not taking their practising too seriously!

GOODBYE HALCYON DAYS....

 
Goodbye Halcyon Days...

In the intro song Alones by Aqua Timez, Orihime Inoue turns round to see a menacing former Captain Aizen staring at her, his intentions obvious from season seven of the Bleach series.

HORIZON ON THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE SERIES 2

 
Horizon on the Middle of Nowhere Series 2
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 12
Running Time: 300 Mins
Audio: English DD 5.1 & Japanese DD 2.0
Release Date: 21/10/2013
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

In this second offering of the series, Tori and his friends during the Mikawa conflict have to rescue Horizon from the evil  Testament Union, but not without problems and clashes of personality. The floating city of Musashi is going to its next destination of the floating city of England, while conflict is starting with the floating city of Tres Espana against the British. Everything is happening as transcribed by prophecy, and the fairy queen may rule again.

REVIEW FOR MAWARU PENGUINDRUM BOX SET 2

 
Mawaru Penguindrum Box Set 2
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 18
Running Time: 300 Mins
Audio: English DD 5.1 & Japanese DD 2.0
Release Date: 21/10/2013
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

Before I go into this review I just want to mention that though this three disc set has been rated at 12, one disc (the first one) is rated 18 due to material some young adults may find they are sensitive to.

KNIGHTCON: STAR CARS & HEROES CONVENTION REPORT

KnightCon: Star Cars & Heroes
by Sandra Scholes

Saturday September 7th 2013

There are the standard conventions in Manchester and London and there are the unexpected ones. KnightCon is one of the latter. It is held once a year at the Xscape in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England both out at the car park, and inside, though only one floor was used. Unlike most cons, this celebrates the many vehicles used in popular TV series such as Knight Rider, The A Team and The Dukes of Hazzard. Many bring these vehicles to the event for both old and new fans of the series to see them up close and personal.

STIENS;GATE PART 2

 
Stein's;Gate Part 2
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 12
Running Time: 300 Mins
Audio: English DD 5.1 & Japanese DD 2.0
Release Date: 30/9/2013
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

If someone told you you could make a time machine out of a microwave oven, you would laugh at them, but in Stein's;Gate it's a reality that gets a mad scientist's friends in trouble. This concept is what can be called the Japanese propensity for making something impossible believeable in anime series. In this second part, their invention has come to the attention of CERN, and it looks like the team might not make it out alive.

ONE PIECE

One Piece Uncut Collection 3
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 12
Running Time: 98 Mins
Audio: English & Japanese DD 5.1
Release Date: 23/9/2013
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

Luffy and his friends have found the entrance to the Grand Line, but it's dangerous seas ahead for them. There is good news though as they have all decided on what they want before they get there, and everyone has a different goal in mind. A girl held captive on a ship goes missing to escape her harsh captors only to be taken on board a pirate ship. Lucky for her, the pirates are Luffy's crew and vow to look after her once they have her name and why her captors wanted her so badly. The girl is called Apis and comes to Warship Island while her former captors need to get her back for reasons Luffy and his crew don't know.

JAPANESE ART EXHIBITION

 
Under the Kimono
Shunga: Sex and Pleasure in Japanese Art Exhibition.

It isn't rare for hentai, yaoi, and yuri to be displayed on the shelves in bookshops that sell manga. Many like the large eyes, small mouths and sexy poses associated with the art form, and recently Japan's early art is being exhibited in London this week.

BLEACH SERIES 12 PART 1 REVIEW

 
Bleach Series 12 Part 1
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 12
Running Time: 300 Mins
Audio: English & Japanese DD 5.1
Release Date: 28/10/2013
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

In a break from the normal arc where the captains and lieutenants of the Soul Society are battling it out with the Espada and Arrancars of Aizen's army, the Zanpakuto have all started to turn strange, but why is that?