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Alice 19th was the first Watase work that I picked up actually. I'd decided that I wanted to get mangas that weren't based on any of the anime that I watched and Alice 19th happened to be the first one I picked up. Weird thing is I initially thought Alice looked a lot like Sakura from Cardcaptor Sakura which I had just finished reading and part of my middle name is Alice. Huh, any who Alice 19th is a great manga with a great story that at the time really seemed to apply to my life (no I don't have magic powers or am being attacked by freaky darkness stuff). A friend of mine who might as well have been my sister said some things to me that basically killed who I was at the time. When I picked up Alice 19th I found a) I wasn't the only one who felt that words could be more powerful than actions (Watase-sensei certainly does!) and b) I had a choice I needed to make; I could either become hateful and strike out like Mayura or I could grow and learn to be a better person like Alice. On a purely personal level, Alice 19th helped me make that decision helped get me through that difficult time in my life. That alone makes it not only my favorite Watase manga, but also my favorite manga period.

Ok enough sappiness. The only other Watase work I've seen is Ceres and only as an anime. Frankly can you say creepy? I sure can. But it's creepy in a good way. It's not a totally happy walk through the park fantasy with intermittent conflicts. It's a dark, creepy, sad story and it's because of those elements that it's such a good anime. Plus I love seeing Yuhi beat the crap out baddies with chopsticks. Take that Iron Chef!

I'll tell you why. Because of all of Watase-senpai's works, which everyone always considers "shoujo", Fushigi Yuugi is the least Shoujo... it really is... there's action, there's less emotion in it... its more about plot.. and everyone knows that guys just typically prefer not to get too emotionally involved in stuffs... and of all of Fushigi Yuugi's works, this is the one thats least mushy, even if it does end all lovey dovey.. and people do die...

Alice 19th deals with people themselves, and their tendencies to lean towards the negative feelings they bare. Ceres deals with confronting your loved ones, and what would happen until the world goes against you or something... and both focus on the growing heroine herself, while Fushigi Yuugi is more about the plot than its characters... that's what I think *shrug* *goes off to learn Japanese*

Adding to that is Imadoki! Imadoki! is about a girl who transfers from a rural area and into an urban area. Of course people tease her but she tries to make friends and keep an upbeat attitude. Especially a boy who has two personalities. There are flowers involved in this one.

This was probably the most shojo-ness in it. It has lots of WAFFY feelings in it. By the way, the students tease the main character because her name is Tanpopo.

Ceres: Celestial Legend was most dark though. But that's what makes it good. It does has it's share of violence...but it's like instant gore. sweatdrop

That's a couple but...I can't find the one that grossed me out the most! It's a scan and I can't seem to find it sweatdrop .

Yeah. I got that just now. Um... well just look for it in a bookstore and take out vol. 10 :Monster. Augh...but it's so dark it's good!

Alice 19th was my least favorite of Watase-sensei's works. It was too easy for the bad guys to lose. But the leson you learn in it was a one that is about life itself. "In every heart, there's a shadow." And it's true. You can unknowingly sucumb to darkness. Even though it was my least favorite it was still a nice series.

I think you 'knowingly' succumbed to darkness...

Ugh! Why can't the bad guys, like, win one measly battle? It makes the book more... intense. I think that's the word..I don't know what else it could be called.

Well, the point is that Alice 19th was such a short series because the bad guys always lose! I mean, example: A Maram (bad) word master vs. A just-found Lotis (good) master. Guess who wins?