No, I'm not dead yet!! :D

Title: Porcelain
Focus: Sumeragi Subaru from Tokyo Babylon & X
Owner: Kyuu (chrysa)
URL: glass.ainoyume.net

You should visit this shrine because...: Making a shrine to characters from a CLAMP series can be difficult and even more so when its from the still unfinished series of X, but Kyuu is lucky in her choice of Subaru because CLAMP has given her more than a single series to work off of for Subaru. The layout itself is very eye catching, fancy without getting too over the top, nice light colors; it makes you want to take the time to sit through this shrine. Content wise, there's a lot covered over with Subaru's character, even with a few sections still left incomplete, mostly for the on-going series of X and Tsubasa where Subaru appears; there is still a lot of read through and enjoy. The articles are interesting and informative. Porcelain is worth a visit for any fan of this character, and I look forward to see more updates of it in the future.

Highlight: I thought hanged man tarot card section was something very interesting to cover-- and things like tarot reading and preordained destinies are an important theme through-out X.

Title: Whisper
Focus: Princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII from Final Fantasy IX
Owner: Jinny
URL: http://garnet.royal-hours.net/

You should visit this shrine because...: Despite being a princess in a Final Fantasy game, Garnet has very few shrines dedicated solely to her. "Whisper" is one of the scant few dedications to Garnet still available online - thankfully, it's about the only one you'll ever need visit. Jinny clearly holds both admiration and affection for the plucky heroine of the last Final Fantasy game designed for the original Playstation system. The simple and softly designed layout invites visitors to explore the exemplary content at a relaxed paced. It conjures up memories of older-styled character shrines, with easily understood navigation and a solid variety of written content.

In fact, you might well be tempted to spend several hours exploring the treasure trove of information house at "Whisper". Every element of Garnet's personality, history and in-game exploits has been carefully examined here. Jinny writes in an accessible style that makes understanding Garnet quite possible even for those who have never played the game. She paints Garnet as a strong, well-meaning and intelligent princess -- and let's face it, who the hell doesn't want to read about a heroine like that?! The media gallery is much smaller than the information archive however, it does offer high-quality content that Jinny has put together herself. This is not a copy-and-paste gallery job, this is intelligent shrine-making at its finest.

"Whisper" is a shrine I heartily recommend others experience. Its well-composed content is engaging and insightful. Final Fantasy IX fans in particular will want to bookmark this timeless tribute.

Highlight: "The Play" which is an article focused on the play-within-a-game production, I Want To Be Your Canary and its parallels in Garnet's story. Very enjoyable.

Title: Beastking
Focus: Yuri Hyuga from Shadow Hearts & Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Owner: Nao (delphi)
URL: http://www.losstarot.net/yuri/

You should visit this shrine because...: The Shadow Hearts series is usually relegated to back room business when compared to its flashier cousin Final Fantasy. This is a shame. Few play the games, let alone create humorous, smart tributes to them. Nao has set out to fix that.

This shrine covers every aspect of series protagonist Yuri Hyuga: personality, soul fusion, relationships, journey, psychology, and more. These aren't tiny little blurbs, either. Each page links to a thoughtful essay strong in both length and humor. Media is not the focal point of the site, but it does provide an excellent source of Yuri-related imagery and icons, especially considering the limited Shadow Hearts sources left.

Most importantly, what impressed me about this shrine was Nao's introduction on the main information page: "You'll notice this page is lacking in the in-game stats department. ...Instead, I've opted to try to express what makes Yuri and the games so fascinating and interesting to play in the hopes I might inspire somebody to pick them up."

A fantastic reason to make a shrine if I've ever seen one.

Highlight: The "Relationships" section. Nao is honest about the characters that shape Yuri's life, but retains a sense of humor that is very refreshing when it comes to pairings. Aren't we all tired of ship wars??

Title: Maid of Might
Focus: Supergirl from DC Comics Universe
Owner: Michelle michellebacon
URL: http://maidofmight.net/

You should visit this shrine because...: There aren't many shrines to comic book identities that come close to the brilliant "Maid of Might". Originally designed to focus on a single incarnation of the Supergirl character, (Linda Danvers from the 90's Supergirl series) it has since grown to encompass every imaginable facet of the iconic DC heroine. Examining so many different incarnations, series and continuity nuances is an incredible achievement in itself. What makes "Maid of Might" even more memorable is how intelligently composed the content is. Michelle makes reading about the complex lives of each Supergirl an utterly compelling experience. The often confusing continuity of the early DC universe is tamed by Michelle's deft writing and clear knowledge. Even those unfamiliar with the elaborate history behind the Supergirl character will find themselves drawn into the universe by "Maid of Might".

Additionally, the shrine features expansive multimedia content covering Silver Age illustrations right through to the latest comic issues. There is even a section for the Supergirl movie soundtrack - talk about comprehensive! For those seeking to know more about specific Supergirl comic appearances, Michelle's "Comic Books" section will guide you through each and every issue imaginable.

At this point in the review, I'm running out of words to describe how thoroughly enjoyable this dedication is. So please, do yourselves a favour and check out "Maid of Might" - you're sure to learn something new with each visit.

Highlight: The profiles focused on each Supergirl are an undeniable highlight. There's hours worth of powerful written content between them. Utter gems.

Title: Munich
Focus: Ootori Kyoya of Ouran High School Host Club
Owner: Lore (karmacoded)
URL: kyoya.fated.nu

You should visit this shrine because...: Despite being an incredibly popular animanga series, Ouran High School Host Club has few shrines dedicated to its wacky, lovable characters. Thankfully, fans of the series, and in particular the cunning character Ootori Kyoya, can find a haven in Lore's Munich.

The Essays section is the meat of the shrine, with plenty of snippets detailing everything from family history to a speculative take on Kyoya's life without the Host Club. There is little media outside of icons, but those are in abundance. I was particularly fond of the layout, which was simple to navigate but still beautiful. Shrines like Munich capture the quirky fun of Ouran and reinvigorate the series without taking the source material too seriously -- or making it too silly.

Highlight: "Alternate Future": where would Kyoya be without the Host Club?