From: kenmlin@aol.com   
      
   I have the aforementioned book but struggled to get into it as it was a   
   rather tedious read with dialogues that are hard to keep track of in   
   Japanese.   
      
   Iwaaki (岩明 å�‡) is most famous for Kiseiju (寄生砠 
   £), an alien invasion story   
   taking place in a small town.  The alien is supposed to take over the brain   
   of the host but one failed and got stuck at the right arm but then developed   
   friendship with the victim and helped destroyed rest of the aliens.   
      
   He's currently doing Historie (ヒストリエ), about an obscure Macedonian   
   scholar   
   Eumenues  that served under Alexander the Great.  This is a super slow work   
   of love and despite started in 2003, it's only at volume 8.  With the pace   
   he's going, this story might never finish.   
      
   "Bobbie Sellers"  wrote in message news:lrhvlg$acr$1@dont-email.me...   
      
          YUKI NO TOUGE TSURUGI NO MAI Manga   
   é›ªã�®å³ ãƒ»å‰£ã�®èˆž; 雪之崖.剑之舞; Snow Ridge, Sword Dance; Yuki no   
   Touge   
   Ken no Mai   
   Released: Author & Artist(s):   
   2001   Iwaaki Hitoshi   
   Genre(s): Action, Drama, Historical, Seinen, Tragedy   
      
   The closing stages of Sengoku (Warring States) Japan.   
   A setting commonly explored in Japanese manga through vivid scenes of   
   gory battles, samurai, and feats of bravery, honour, and loyalty.   
   Iwaaki Hitoshi dares to go against the popular grain by not focusing on   
   the 3 unifiers but on the common people.   
      
   Above from Manga Fox.  Great list of freshly scanalated manga,   
   Google remains your friend and you can easily locate any that seem   
   interesting.  Below are my comments.   
      
   Not very common people though,  The first part concerns the   
   conflict within the Satake clan freshly moved to Dewa province from   
   their home grounds as a result of choosing the wrong side in the great   
   battle at Sekigahara.  The lord has adopted an intelligent commoner   
   into the clan and the old samurai and counselors resent being put aside.   
      
   Well live by the sword die by the sword.   
      
   And the next part concerns a girl raped by brutes who slaughtered her   
   family and that girl wishes to learn sword fighting.   
      
   By the way there are amusing moments as well as horrific scenes.in both   
   stories.   
      
   bliss   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)