Hapi Mari Booklet: Part 1

So...I finally got the booklet that came with the wedding magazine, and I must say, I'm not too impressed with the so-called extra illustrations and comic strips.  In fact, I feel a bit ripped off for paying so much for a magazine I don't need just for Hapi Mari...but oh well.  The magazine was ginormous (they should have said it was more like a phone book instead), and there were three separate issues on rings (ah, so sparkly), wedding venues, and hotels.  Anyways, I'll do the illustrations first (5 total), and the comic strips in a second post.

Hokuto: You know this is the 100th shot...
Chiwa: Ah...even the sheets look like a dress now♡  Take another, take another~♡

Chiwa: Which ones should we pick for the invitations~♪
Hokuto: Main products...?　Your list is full of mistakes.  (T/N: Chiwa typed the wrong kanji 主品 instead of 主賓, which is supposed to mean guest of honor)

Hapi Mari Chapter 40 Spoiler

I've JUST gotten the raws and read the first few pages (which is here).  Since this is the last chapter, I'm going to do an exact translation, so there really isn't any summarizing per say.  The italics are Chiwa's thoughts, and the rest are translated as usual.  I have only skimmed the chapter by quickly flipping through the pages, so I haven't really read it.  There is a wedding, a lot of silly fights and arguments, but no baby.  I think the fights are a little excessive and forced, almost turning it into a gag ending, but I'll have to actually read the speech bubbles before drawing my conclusion.  Since I haven't fully translated it yet, Minchi will NOT have the summary and will be UNABLE to post it on bxsmanga.  I have to go to a friend's graduation tomorrow, so I won't be able to get to the rest of it until Sunday.  So please no badgering her for updates!  I'll let you guys know when I've finished translating.  Have fun reading~

“Enough!!  I’m for sure not sleeping with you tonight!!” Chiwa says in defiance.

“You’ll probably be lonely…” Hokuto cheekily comments.

“I won’t!  Definitely won’t!!” Chiwa puffs.

Hello.  After Hokuto pulled out from the Mamiya registry and we’ve remarried, I became Miura Chiwa.  The flat we’ve been living in has been sold off after the divorce, so Hokuto and I are presently living at my house...but we’ve been fighting every day. 

“Why?!  Why didn’t you consult with me before buying it??  This is the umpteenth time!” Chiwa complains.

“Oh shut up.  Why do I need to report back to you for every single thing I buy.  I told you I’m not used to sleeping in a futon,” Hokuto retorts.

“But you didn’t have to go and buy a double king-sized bed.  It doesn’t even fit in the room!!” Chiwa argues back.

“You too said you liked wide beds in the past.  It’s useful for doing stuff,” Hokuto comments.

Hapi Mari News + Short Translation

I would like to thank you Rosamar3 for tipping me off on the new collaboration between Hapi Mari and wedding magazine Zexy.  The news and images are posted on PetitComic's own facebook webpage (which sometimes I forget exists after a while because I don't check regularly).  Anyways, the collaboration is essentially just a short booklet that comes with the magazine.  It has some original drawings in color and short comic strips that cannot be read anywhere else (or so it claims).  Judging from the title as it being a "support book to weddings", I think it also includes a checklist of wedding preparation stuff.  I may just run out to the bookstore to get it after the interview tomorrow!  It's across the street anyways.  I hope Kinokuniya still has the issue and that it wouldn't be marked up too much.  For those who are interested in purchasing online, you can find out more here.  Or you could just run to the local bookstore like I do.  Lastly, a small translation for my readers who've been patient about my lack of updates.  It's a message from the author on the Hapi Mari postcard you would get if you subscribed yearly to the magazine.

~Hapi Mari~

We’re finally at the last chapter.  Thank you for sticking to the series for the whole 3½ year run!  A lot of things happened for the characters during these 3½ years, but I’ve also experienced and thought about many things in the real world while drawing this, so the series was really meaningful to me.  The word “bonds” is used readily nowadays, but I would be happy if the reader can see how Chiwa and Hokuto’s “marriage” turns out.

Enjouji Maki

Off to interview preparation for tomorrow.  I think my jitters are coming back.

This month's cover and other rambling

OMG...is there a wedding in the last chapter?  Judging from the cover of this month's magazine on the left...and the monthly wallpaper available for download below, it seems highly likely!  I can't wait to read it!  Also, it seems that we'll be deprived of Enjouji-sensei's work until the October issue after Hapi Mari.  I wish she would do the side stories that other authors do for those small comics that comes attached with the magazine.  Sometimes I wonder if it's because she's such a big author that she can skip the short stories for the special furoku.  I remember buying the magazine just for her series...which seems kind of expensive (since Kinokuniya does mark up the magazine quite a bit over here).  I do flip through the other serializations, but the art doesn't really catch my eye.  Of course, art isn't everything, and sometimes the story is just so damn good that I read on anyways (ex. Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, which is BL btw).  But mostly I'm just a sucker for pretty pictures.  This month's cover looks so pretty, I may just buy the magazine even if I've already read it by the time it comes out here.

I apologize for the dearth of novel updates, something I hope to get to soon once the job-search craze is over.  But like always, I'll make a timely update for the last summary once I receive it.  Also, does anyone have good series to recommend?  Or just books in general?  I've read People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks lately, and it was amazing.  I bought it for a trip a while ago overseas to occupy myself during the plane ride...but since I brought like 7 books with me that time, I never got around to reading it.  I totally recommend this one though.  The writing is tight and concise, and the story is just magical.  It took me a while to get into it though.  I almost wanted to stop reading after the book suddenly switched stories (so it wasn't focusing on the main character anymore).  But I'm glad I didn't...and each successive story was more beautiful.  I took a look into Caleb's Crossing on Amazon...but I guess I'm still not ready for reading fiction that takes place in historic America.  American history has never really appealed to me for some reason, and the stories set in some period of it even less so.