SEAN: For me it’s a week where I could easily pick six or seven things. Another digital Kodansha debit, Is Kichijoji the Only Place to Live?; the dark but amusing The Voynich Hotel; Mari Okazaki’s new title Will I Be Single Forever?; the adorable looking Hakumei ad Mikochi; or my usual go-to obsession, Umineko: Then They Cry. But as I already indicated, my pick this week is Teasing Master Takagi-san, which simply puts a smile on my face. Teen romance was never this cute.
MICHELLE: What a position to be in, struggling to choose between two terrific-looking digital josei debuts! I really want VIZ’s experiment to succeed, as it might encourage them to release more stuff digitally (7SEEDS! ), but Is Kichijoji the Only Place to Live? looks like such a breath of fresh air. I think I’m gonna have to go with the latter.
KATE: This week’s new arrival list is one of the most eclectic of the year! If I had to pick just one title — and death was not an option — my vote would go to Mari Okazaki’s Will I Be Single Forever?, as I adored Suppli. If I could pick a second book, however, I’d add The Voynich Hotel, which sounds weird and funny (in a good way). What’s not to like about a manga starring a yakuza hitman, a witch, and a hotelier in a luchador mask?
ANNA: For me there is no question. I’ve often wished for more Mari Okazaki manga, and am delighted that there’s a manga of hers being translated again. Will I Be Single Forever? is my pick.
ASH: If Will I Be Single Forever? was being released in print, it would without question be my pick for this week. Alas, it’s only available digitally (for now???). I am rather curious about The Voynich Hotel, though, so I’ll happily be choosing that instead.