Haikyu!!, Vol. 9 | By Haruchi Furudate | VIZ Media – While the boys set their sights on the spring tournament and prepare for a field trip to Tokyo for practice games, Shimizu looks for someone who can take over as manager of the volleyball club after she retires. She ends up finding Hitoka Yachi, a girl in advanced classes (this comes in handy when several of the boys need help to pass finals before being allowed to go to Tokyo) who has never before felt needed, but who is impressed by the team’s passion. I like Yachi quite a bit, including how Furudate shows how smart she is without beating readers over the head with it. There’s also much talk about how Karasuno needs to evolve if they are going to have a chance at making it to nationals, and by the end of the volume, Hinata seems ready to do just that. Fun and addictive, as ever! – Michelle Smith
Interviews with Monster Girls, Vol. 3 | By Petos | Kodansha Comics – After talking about the lack of romance in my last brief, the author apparently heard me and decided to add some sparks. Thankfully it’s between the adults, as our still-a-virgin succubus seems to think she’s found the one guy who isn’t sexually excited by her in Takahashi. And when it’s pointed out he likely really is getting turned on and just is good at hiding it… well, that just makes her want him all the more. In the meantime, there’s more discussion of demis, as we hear about how to deal with molesters on the train when it’s a succubus, how people taste differently to a vampire, and the care and attention a dullahan needs to have to protect her head. Cute and fun. – Sean Gaffney
Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 26 | By Karuho Shiina | VIZ Media – Seemingly even more so than usual, this volume of Kimi ni Todoke is cover-to-cover feelings. It’s especially gratifying that Sawako has finally gained enough confidence in her relationships that she’s able to speak freely and honestly without fear. Because of that, she’s able to explain herself clearly to Kazehaya, and they reconcile. The most riveting moment, however, comes during a sleepover with one-time rival Kurumi in which the latter reveals how absolutely horrible she feels about how she once treated Sawako, and how she doesn’t feel deserving to be called her friend, while Sawako attests that they are already friends. It’s very moving. And then, to top it all off, we get a chapter wherein Ayane seems to realize that she’s in love with Pin. I don’t think I’ve ever rooted for a student-teacher romance before, but this might be the exception! – Michelle Smith
Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vols. 26 | By Karuho Shiina | Viz Media – I will freely admit it—in the early days of this series, I totally shipped Ayane and Pin in a “this will never actually happen but I love their back-and-forth” sort of way. Then Kento arrived, and then Kento left (he’s not even in this volume), and Ayane is starting to realize that she is really, really falling for Pin, and I’m starting to worry, as it is a teacher/student thing. I’m fairly sure Pin won’t let this get anywhere, but in the meantime, at least we have some amusing faces from Ayane. We also get Kazehaya and Sawako fighting and making up, though I’m going to be honest most of the ship tease in this volume was between Sawako and Kurumi, who have a study sleepover and go over some extremely old and guilty memories. Very strong volume. – Sean Gaffney
Kiss Him, Not Me!, Vol. 9 | By Junko | Kodansha Comics – This series has a tendency to remind me of The Wallflower, and not just because of its reverse harem. Both authors seem far more comfortable and successful when they go for comedy. The first half of this book is absolutely hilarious, as Shinomiya is not only now on his own but also being stalked by a truly ridiculous number of people, and we also get the attempts to fulfill Kae’s ridiculous birthday wishes. The second half gets more serious, as an old upperclassman Igarashi liked shows up again and hears about the guys hanging around Kae, and urges her to make a decision. Which, spoiler, is not going to happen. This is a bit less fun, but does have some heartwarming mixed in among the comedy. Decent. – Sean Gaffney
Natsume’s Book of Friends, Vol. 20 | By Yuki Midorikawa | Viz Media – The author herself notes how much Natsume has changed over the course of the series, and it’s certainly true—he’s far more proactive and compassionate, even if he still occasionally tries to get away from obvious yokai with issues. This is most obvious in the first story, where a yokai “rewards” Natsume’s help by turning him back into a child—memories and all. Thankfully, Tanuma and Taki find him, and can be sensible about it. Seeing his somewhat stoic, untrusting self react to the obvious love and affection his two friends have for him is heartwarming. The series continues to be more episodic than anything else, but that’s fine—it plays to the author’s strong sense of character.-Sean Gaffney
Nichijou: My Ordinary Life, Vol. 7 | By Keiichi Arawi | Vertical Comics – Even for a volume of Nichijou this volume is really, really surreal. Some of the “jokes” are barely funny at all, seemingly designed to make the reader stare as blankly at the page as Sekiguchi stares at her manga. (That’s her on the cover with the rest of the Go Soccer Club, by the way.) The highlight may be Yukko and Mai’s long conversation on the hill, which was so popular the anime animated it very early, possibly as it has fake yuri confessions from Mai, who still takes honest joy in making Yukko freak out. Word of warning: those who dislike the Professor acting like a bratty child aren’t going to like this volume much. But for the rest of us, Nichijou remains a rewarding and very strange experience. – Sean Gaffney
One-Punch Man, Vol. 11 | By ONE and Yusuke Marata | Viz Media – I was worried that this volume would consist entirely of a tournament arc, but thankfully there’s only about 1/3 tournament. The rest is spent dealing with both the kidnapping monster from the last volume, which is battling Metal Bat, and Garo, who interrupts the fight because it’s all about him. We’re not meant to like Garo, and I don’t, but I especially dislike the way that he’s not particularly funny, and when the others are around him they get more serious as well, which can be deadly in a manga that relies so much on not taking itself seriously. Luckily, Saitama is always there for a deadpan one-liner. Also, Metal Bat’s little sister is adorable. Not as good as before, but still good. – Sean Gaffney
Skip Beat!, Vol. 38 | By Yoshiki Nakamura | VIZ Media – In this volume, bolstered by various good-luck charms given to her by Ren, Kyoko finally decides to confront her mother. Only, on the way there she learns some information that changes everything and goes a long way toward explaining her mother’s treatment of her. I honestly never thought I would feel even a little sympathetic towards Saena Mogami, but the entire second half of the volume is a flashback to Saena at age 28 and the circumstances under which she came to be pregnant with Kyoko, and it is very compelling. Alas, it all ends on another cliffhanger that we’ll have to wait six months to see resolved, but I’m very pleased that the truth ends up being more nuanced than I expected and yet still fascinating. I guess I should’ve known it’d be great. – Michelle Smith
Twinkle Stars, Vol. 2 | By Natsuki Takaya | Yen Press – For the most part, the focus in the second volume (comprising volumes three and four of the original release) is on the developing relationship between Sakuya and Chihiro—who initially ignores her pain, telling himself he can’t save her, only to have regrets that compel him to act at a crucial moment—and the stargazing club’s participation in summer camp, which concludes on a truly lovely moment orchestrated by Yuuri. There’s some interesting foreshadowing about Chihiro’s mysterious past, but the most powerful scenes are Sakuya’s present-day interaction with her terrible stepmother and the reveal of the circumstances that drove her from home. Her anguish is heartwrenching; it’s no wonder she feels like there’s a black hole inside her that sometimes threatens to swallow her. I hope for a nice story where she and Chihiro help heal each other, but I expect more darkness ahead. – Michelle Smith