Rolling Stones: Forty Licks: This is the album for which cheap Stones fans (like me) have been waiting. I don't have the dough to buy the whole collection, so it's nice to have a compilation that actually includes my favorite song of their's, "Gimme Shelter."

Princess Nine, Vol. 6: Grand Slam:What an awesome way to end this series! This is one that no one knew about... it deserves its "sleeper hit" status. Good stuff.

Blue Gender, Vols. 6 & 7: And now the long wait begins... the final volume of this series doesn't come out until at least January 2003.

Paradise Kiss, Vol. 3 by Ai Yazawa: Handled some mature subject matter in a very humorous, yet, in the end, poignant way. (I wouldn't go back to that age if you paid me! ;-) ) Let's not get into how much I love the clothes...