Karneval, Vol. 2 (Karneval, #2)

Karneval, Vol. 2 - Touya Mikanagi Just going to say this now... I am a HUGE fan of this series... so I'll just get this out of the way now before I commence with my fangirling... READ THIS MANGA SERIES! It is so good! I am someone who actually saw the anime first before reading the manga and I really liked it. However, reading the manga is so much better because you get a lot more information that the anime left out. In fact, the anime can be downright confusing because of the lack of explanations throughout. The manga does an impressive job of keeping the reader engaged and explaining the plot as it progresses that you never feel left out. I love this manga so much and I cannot express accurately what my feelings are in a comprehensible manner. Just give it a shot!

Touya Mikanagi is amazing! This mangaka knows how to weave a story in a way that keeps the reader invested. (DAMN THOSE BLOODY CLIFFHANGERS!) But what I think Mikanagi really excels in is character development. The characters of this series is what really makes the entire story. You want to keep reading to see how the friendships are form, how the develop, and where they are going to go from here. It's really moving and beautiful when I see my favorite characters start off so naive yet grow into so much more than you ever thought possible.

Gareki, Nai, Yogi, Hirato, and Tsukumo return in this volume and they went through so many changes! The most noticeable being Gareki. He reveals his past to both Yogi and Nai and it says so much about his character; how he's becoming more comfortable with them... being able to trust them. Nai is learning so much. He's very intelligent and he can pick up on things a lot quicker than most people. Yogi is a sweetheart; he shows so much affection towards his new friends. I love how Yogi protects them as much as he can... there is so much love within this character alone that... I just get all the feels! Hirato is a lot more playful than he first let on. It's actually quite cute! X3 Tsukumo has also changed. She is a serious person, wanting to get her job done as efficiently as possible. However, she seems to drop her guard whenever she is around Nai. She really became attached to him and it's quite sweet to see her become more protective.

There were a few new characters introduced as well. Or more like we got to see more of. Tsukitachi, Kiichi, Uro, Eleska, Tsubame, Yotaka, and Tsubaki. Some of them we've seen before; others not so much. I won't talk about them all (you should experience them for yourself) but I will touch on a few. Eleska is annoying... that's all you need to know... well, she is always throwing herself on Karoku so... pathetic. Tsubame is a darling girl who suffers through something tragic. Her brother, Yotaka, is the same. Tsubaki... *Blubbers* TSUBAKI!!!! *Slaps self* ... *Ahem* All three of them have tragic pasts so... before I spoil anything... I'm going to stop talking.

This manga series has action, plot, driven characters, and feels to boot. I think that you should definitely give this series a chance. You might like it. Also, don't mind the yaoi undertones... I don't mind... in fact... I quite enjoy it. >:3 Anyway! It's a great series and I highly recommend it if you've read the first volume and liked it.