I’m reading ‘Monster’ and ‘Ganz’ at the moment. Although these are the English versions ‘Monster’ has helped with katakana, as the sound effects have been kept in Japanese.

Am waiting for the rest of the manga ‘No longer human’ to come out – read the first one and loved it.

Currently poking my way through manga at the moment. There’s a few in my to-read pile – I basically went to Kinokuniya and grabbed a few volumes that looked interesting. First volumes of よつばと and 鋼の錬金術師, mostly because I have the English versions to compare it to – plus, よつばと features a kid who doesn’t use complicated kanji when she talks. First volume of a series whose name I can’t read, but is subtitled “Hero Tales” in English, by Arakawa Hiromu of Hagaren fame. Second and third volumes of リューシカ・リューシカ, by Yoshitoshi ABe of Haibane Renmei fame – I got the first volume a while back after spotting the author’s name, and found the main character also speaks only in kana, and quite enjoyed it. (Main downside: each chapter basically features Ryushika getting herself or imagining herself into some situation, and then her elder brother or sister would come along, speaking in kanji, and fix it, but since I didn’t know the kanji, I had no idea what the solution was. Mind you, I’ve learnt more kanji since then, so maybe it’s time to re-read the first volume too.)

I also bought the book of 1リトルの涙 ages and ages back. Been meaning to try reading it sometime.

Currently reading: ハリーポッタと賢者の石。

I’ve already read all the harry potters about 5 times in English, but I felt like reading it again and I saw it in book off in Japan (105円!)

Thanks for reporting the use of furigana in Spice and wolf, it’s #1 on my list of books to read when I get good enough.
Until then I’ll have to stick to the english translations, just finished Vol. 9, (Don’t ask, just follow the blue-red-yellow-blue-green-red brick road following the references to Mr. T).

Is there an easy way to tell what sellers/items can ship outside of Japan? Also, does anyone know about what the shipping costs for getting a book across an ocean and halfway across the US are?

my raabu: http://tinyurl.com/d5nczxu

If that doesn’t work out, there’s always … the overpriced alternative: http://tinyurl.com/bm3dqk6 The terrible translation of the title will always amaze me.

God do I want this book bayd. I’d almost be afraid of posting it here if I didn’t have a high amount confidence in the lack of interest in literature on most of the internet. Plus there’s an anime that seems to be all that most people care about, even in Japanese searches. It is a damn good anime though; very very unique, and free on Hulu, and will never be released in the US on DVD/BD because Funimation’s dumb.