Wednesday, 10:00

*keyboard mashing*
*incoherent flailing*
( *silent screaming* )

This just came out, but I'm already anxious for the next one. *gasp* I love this series again! Yay!

[Ugh, LJ, why you gotta take away the old update page? ;_; ]

( spoilers for Flesh & Blood 17-19 )

( spoiler spoiler spoiler )

How long until book 13? :(

ETA: Why would faeries use the Julian calendar?

イングランド人は『ブラック・サーペント』とか、『スネーキーフェロー』ってよんでた。

Halfway through this sentence, I stopped and thought, "Oh, so Raul's spy name isn't 'Snake,' it's 'Black Serpent'"...and then I deciphered "Snakey Fellow" and died of laughter. Snakey Fellow? Snakey Fellow???? So I guess both were just nicknames that Geoffrey (or Kit?) came up with, which (Snakey Fellow aside) is too bad, because I think Black Serpent makes a better spy name. Also, apparently this is a translation of 黒い悪魔 and 蛇野郎, except how it's not, but whatever. Other book 12 thoughts so far:

1. Alonso! ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ He is so adorable I can't stand it. He is like Vicente's own personal version of Kit except that he's married and just wants to be friends and they are sooooo adorable together, D'awww!

2. Leo! T^T I don't think I realized how much I loved Leo until this book.

3. I can't take much more of the Kaito Worshipfest. -_-;; I swear, half of this book so far has been Kaito going on and on about how guilty he feels and the other characters going on and on about how much they love Kaito and can't let anyone else have him ever and blah blah blah ENOUGH ALREADY, WE GET IT.

4. I can't decide if I'm anxious to read the end and find out what happens or just terrified. ._.

While reading this book (specifically, the dream sequence [OH GOD OH GOD HIS DREAM LOLOLOLOLOLOL ]), I realized that somewhere along the line here, I seem to have gotten over my hatred of Vicente. He just makes me laugh so much, how can I keep hating him? Poor Vicente. *pets him*

Also, I didn't think I could do the reunion scene justice as a summary...okay, I'll admit it: I just couldn't bring myself to make fun of it. :( Anyway, enjoy those few pages as a full-blown translation. (A million thanks to spacealien_vamp for the beta, and to collarnojutsu for her advice on how to not gross readers out with a kiss scene.)

( I can make fun of everything else, though. )

I haven't started reading it yet, but...AAAAAAAGH! No, the pictures definitely do NOT look happy. I'm afraid I'm going to be throwing this book around a lot. orz

Also, for the first time there's a little character introduction thing in the front of the book. My initial reaction was Really? We need this after 11 books? Then I noticed that Geoffrey and Vicente are only 26, and Nigel 25. So I guess I did need the character introduction thing, because for some reason I thought they were older, maybe around 30? I'm not sure why. I guess because they always talk about Kaito like he's so much younger. Which he is, I guess, just...not as much younger as I thought. I mean, it's not a huge difference, it just surprised me.

...I am simultaneously really, really eager to read this book and really, really dreading it. I think I'll put it off a little longer by finishing up the volume 11 summary.

There's a post on Matsuoka's blog about the upcoming release of F&B 12 (which I believe is scheduled for 2/25); there's also going to be a limited edition version that comes with an extra booklet. (No mention of what the story will be about. BUT, it will have a color cover illustrated by Aya, yay! Oh, wait...) It's already up for pre-order on Amazon, which is making me have (probably irrational) fears about it selling out before I get a chance to order it. (I think I'm still bitter about the time I tried to order a limited edition...something (it's a little sad that I can't remember what now) from Amazon and they were sold out BEFORE the release date.)

Also, looks like Chara is finally getting around to the fair that was planned...I dunno, a year or two ago? where you get an extra booklet if you buy any of volumes 1-11. No word on what this story will be, either, except that it is different from the LE 12 booklet.

AAAUUGH! HIS EYES! HIS EYES! THEY ARE CREEPY AND SCARY WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM AAAAUGH!!!! Is Kaito INSANE now? Because that look on his face says INSANE to me. And I guess Geoffrey is supposed to look cocky or something, but he mostly he looks evil and creepy also. AGH.

Also, I (finally) got the issue of Shousetsu Chara with the side story, and I really, really do not like the art there. I was on the fence, thought maybe this Aya had some potential, but now I am firmly in the NO BAD WRONG camp.

Aya's cover for the new Flesh & Blood drama CD:



(I know, it's tiny. It's the biggest Chara had on their site. According to Matsuoka, there's going to be a big poster up at Animate soon...for all the good that does me. *sigh*)

I like how Kaito's hair is SUPER red. Also, the way Geoffrey's sitting with his head on his hand is cute. Kaito, on the other hand, looks totally whipped. I think it's an interesting contrast that in this picture, Geoffrey looks lordly and in control, while the book cover shows Geoffrey kneeling and kissing Kaito's hand.

According to Matsuoka's blog, there's a going to be a special bonus CD (which apparently she's doing an interview for?), which, like last time, you can get if you buy all three drama CDs. Of course, you have to buy the CDs from either Animate or Marine Entertainment, so I guess I'll be trolling Yahoo Japan Auctions for it. -_-;;

...Somebody remind me why I left Japan, again?

I guess I've been expecting this for a while, but according to Matsuoka's latest blog post, there's officially going to be a new illustrator for Flesh & Blood, starting with a short story scheduled to come out in the next Shousetsu Chara. I guess I am a little torn, because on the one hand, maybe now we won't have to put up with the constant delays (and kissy scenes with no pictures!), but on the other hand, AAAAAAAGH NO DO NOT WANT, YUKIFUNA KAORU 4EVA.

The new illustrator's name is Aya (彩); it's a bit difficult to search for a single character, but I managed to track down two books she's illustrated (here and here). I wish I could see some of her black and white work...I guess I'll have to wait for Shousetsu Chara.

On the bright side, Matsuoka also writes that F&B 12 is scheduled to come out after the next drama CD (which will be released 12/26), so maybe January? Yay or something, I don't know, I feel a little numb right now.