Cherry Juice, Volume 1

Picked this up locally and read it while having coffee in the bookstore's cafe. The art is beautiful - much more consistent than, say, Saenagi (Satisfaction Guaranteed), and much more intricate than Hatori (Ouran). However, the story is a bit weak. The premise is good, but there is not enough depth to it. Good for a library read, but not for purchase.

Cute story. Otome and Minami are step brother and sister struggling with feelings for one another that are beyond what siblings should feel. At 15 they are both dabbling in dating and trying to get into high schools, but when Minami decides to go to a different high school as Otome she tries to convince him (and her pseudo-boyfriend, Amane) that they can all co-exist in the same school... that is until Minami and Kasumi start dating... Fun and full of titillating taboo this series will likely turn the idea of sibling closeness on it's end. Nicely drawn, but some of the panels have a hard time conveying imagery that makes sense. I think the creator was getting overzealous with some of the artistry. Overall, not bad. I'll read more in the future.

I very much enjoyed this manga. Its little twists and turns left me wanting more. Its so cute, I can't wait for volume 2! The description: After five awkward years, step-siblings Minami and Otome are finally getting along as true siblings might - even to the point of offering each other romantic advice. But when Amane, Minami's best friend, confesses his love for Otome, suddenly the siblings' peaceful relationship takes an unpredictable turn that leaves them wondering: Who are they really in love with?

I'm a huge fan of Haruka Fukushima. Her new series, Cherry Juice, is just adding on to her stack of greats. Her art style is unique and pretty which always is a plus for any manga. The pacing in the entire book is kind of fast which is it's pretty much only flaw. But there's love and cutesy drama even in the 1st volume as well as good character development. I'm really looking forward to volume 2.