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Domo gets his own manga series; Maria Holic bends genders; Kimi Kiss will make you sweat, and Cause of My Teacher will thrill with six tales of Yaoi love but Mad Love Chase will just confuse.

Kanako is terrified of men, but she loves the ladies. In volume one of Maria Holic, she enrolls in an all girl academy to find her one true love, only to run into Mariya. Mariya is insanely cute, but has a dreadful mean streak - not to mention she’s a he. For reasons he won’t share with Kanako, he dresses up like a girl, and it’s Kanako’s rotten luck that she’s uncovered the truth, because now sadistic, mean-spirited and utterly adorable Mariya won’t leave her alone in order to protect his secret. He’s a jerk, and a bully, but he gets Kanako’s blood going (often out her nose). What’s a girl who breaks out into hives at the barest touch of a boy to do when the kind of person she fears most just happens to look like her ideal girl?  Maria Holic is fun with just a hint of pervy, which, along with the fun characters, makes for an excellent manga. I read the first volume giggling like mad, and can’t wait for the next. 

Mad Love Chase is, sadly, one of those series that I was excited to read but didn’t really live up to my expectations. The tale of the prince of hell who runs away to the human world only to be chased by his father’s minions in an attempt to bring him home, the opening of the manga (and setup for the ongoing story) is disjointed and jumbled, making it hard to form any kind of attachment to the characters. Add in the ridiculous stupidity of hell’s minions and an unexplained sense of loyalty the prince’s followers act on, and you’ve got a manga that confuses its audience as it alienates them.

What is it about Yaoi that‘s so enjoyable? Cause of My Teacher is a collection of stories about men in a student-teacher relationship that leads to more - like love, and sex. Six stories with a little bit of extra content at the end, this manga takes us through the romance of six sets of guys - from Tohru and his sensei, who won’t take off his glasses, to ninjas Asagi and Hiiragi and even a little bit of royalty gone undercover (and then under the covers), these stories should appeal to yaoi fans everywhere. Because they’re all short tales, there isn’t much struggle or plot - a lot of skipping to the action. It doesn’t take away from the book, though, and by the time the volume is out, you’ll be struggling to figure out which is your favorite pair.

In volume one of Kimi Kiss, Kouichi fell for Mao, his childhood friend who explored the nature of love with him. Now, in volume two, he meets another gal; Asuka. She’s cute and athletic, and in order to get closer to her, Kouichi helps her practice soccer so that she can master her trademark move, the Asuka turn. But since Kimi Kiss is a book based on a dating simulation game, naturally the tension quickly becomes less about athletics and more about love. As you’d expect, this book is less actual plot and more sexual tension gone making out, and so expect lots of bathing suit shots, lots of open mouths, lots of fan service. On its own merits, it isn’t very good, but if you’re looking for a little romance where the girls do all the work and the boy reaps the reward, then Kimi Kiss is your series.

Finally, Domo. Who doesn’t love Domo? Is it possible not to love him? Everybody knows the big brown fuzzy guy with the gigantic choppers and an ongoing war with kittens; now TokyoPop has brought his exploits to manga form, and what a lovely manga it is. Full color pages make it absolutely beautiful, and the silly, simplistic stories make it accessible to all ages. Domo does everything from playing with a Wii (a story which would make an excellent tutorial about how NOT to use your Wii. Pay attention, Nintendo) to saving the world, and it is all very good. Buy this book, because who doesn’t need a little more Domo in their lives? And if it isn’t enough, well, you’ll just have to follow Domo on twitter, or buy the awesome trinkets from 7-11.

(Amanda Rush loves her manga. Got a title she should read? Tell her on Twitter: @BrokenAmanda)