Ah...we all have favorite manga-ka, don't we? Well, today I'm typing up my giddyness of  two of my favorite manga-ka: Takaya Natsuki and Minami Maki. Both of these women debuted in the Hana to Yume magazine and are authors of extraordinary shojo series.

Takaya-sensei is known for creating the ever popular Fruits Basket. She's also known for Those With Wings and Phantom dream.  In the 13th issue/2007 of Hana to Yume, Takaya-sensei's new series, called Twinkle Stars, will begin with a special chapter 48 pages long (these kind of special chapters are often called chapter 0). Takaya-sensei has a tendancy to touch her readers and bring her stories together (but for a disappointing ending, if you ask me...)

The second favorite of mine is Minami Maki! This manga-ka is still fairly new and debuted with a one-shot chapter. She is known for creating the cute popular series: You're my Girlfriend and S.A Special A. Her major work, Special A, first ran in Za Hana to Yume, a bimonthly magazine breakoff from Hana to Yume. It is probably because there were such big lengths between chapters that the first four chapters of SA contain changes in the character's looks. (Comapre the character's looks in chapter 1 and 4 and tell me they didn't change!) After that, though, SA was picked up by the regular Hana to Yume and became a regular.

Minami Maki took a break from Special A around chapter 14-18 and worked on You're My Girlfriend, a one-shot story that ran in Hana to Yume.  Soon she was back on Hikari and friends. Special A still runs in Hana to Yume and is up to chapter 65, where the story is reaching a turning point that could lead to big conflict soon! CHEER ON MINAMI-SENSEI~~~~~!!!!!!!

By the way...it took a few paragraphs, but today is the 20th in Japan....HAPPY BIRTHDAY MINAMI MAKI-SENSEI!!!!!!!!!!