Ace of the Diamond, Vol. 5 | By Yuji Terajima | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – It’s been a while since the last volume of Ace of the Diamond and I’d forgotten how much I enjoy it! Eijun, who began the series as a hothead, has matured without losing the emotional side that makes him sympathetic. Seeing him not only grow from Chris’ tutelage and execute one truly amazing pitch during their last inning of play together but then bawl his eyes out when he makes varsity and Chris doesn’t is, honestly, pretty darn sweet. He may be brash, but he’s a good kid. Even better, we get more insight into Furuya, who is currently stronger in pitching but lacks in people skills. I love that he doesn’t see himself as better than Eijun at all and is, in fact, motivated by him to try harder. This is such a good series and I delight in the knowledge that there are 40+ volumes still to come. – Michelle Smith
Chihayafuru, Vol. 5 | By Yuki Suetsugu | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – Well, this volume is lacking on miracles, as the Mizusawa High team makes it only a couple more rounds without Chihaya (who has fallen ill) before they are defeated. Still, there’s another day for the individual tournament, and it’s here that Chihaya meets the reigning queen, Shinobu Wakamiya, a high-school first year who trounces Chihaya by a twenty-card margin. This is completely what Chihaya needs, though, since now her dreams have achieved a solid shape: do what it takes to beat Shinobu. Taichi, meanwhile, is determined to attain his class A ranking so that he can face Arata. I absolutely love that he’s decided to devote his entire self to karuta now and look forward to all of the intense rivalty to come! – Michelle Smith
Descending Stories, Vol. 3 | By Haruko Kumota | Kodansha Comics – OK, there are extended flashbacks, and then there are flashbacks that make you think “why didn’t you just tell this story instead?,” and I think that’s what we have here. Don’t get me wrong; I’m greatly enjoying Kikuhiko and Sukeroku’s story, and the love triangle that seems to be bubbling beneath them both. I also liked the extended rakugo performance we saw here, a reminder that that’s really what the series is about. But I admit I sort of agreed with Yotaro in the afterword—isn’t this his story? I wouldn’t blame the reader for having forgotten all about him by the time we get back to the present in what I assume will be the next book. Good, just oddly paced. – Sean Gaffney
Flying Witch, Vol. 3 | By Chihiro Ishizuka | Vertical Comics – I have to admire a series that is always peaceful and soothing, yet not boring. In this volume Makoto and her cousins visit a cafe recommended by Akane, where the waitress is a shy ghost and where Makoto meets a witch her age named Anzu. She receives a hideous souvenir t-shirt from Akane, shows Nao cute edamame blossoms, and picks a plethora of radishes. A witchy newspaper delivers news about a flying whale, which the girls go see. Then they leave when they get hungry and go home to have hotcakes. And that’s it. Makoto can’t even summon any worries to ask about during a fortune-telling session. But, y’know, I’m okay with that. Plus, there are cute cats, one of which turns out to be an anthropology buff. There are times I’m definitely in the mood for manga like this. – Michelle Smith
Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 20 | By Yuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki | Viz Media – Erina gets the cover here, and the bulk of the story as well. We’re finally starting to dig deep into her psyche, after so many volumes casting her as cold, grumpy, annoying, and unlikable. It stems from abuse, naturally, and also being exposed to Soma’s father, who showed her there was a different way to view food. That said, I suspect most Food Wars! fans have said “too little too late,” but that will just lead them to heartache. Meanwhile, to no one’s surprise, Soma did not win against the top chef of the school, but it’s alright as he gets out of his punishment on a technicality. Now we head to the next set of exams, and if you don’t do things the Azami way, you’ll be expelled. So now what? Can’t wait to find out. – Sean Gaffney
Giant Killing, Vol. 6 | By Masaya Tsunamoto and Tsujitomo | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – ETU has managed their first win of the season, and the fans are fired up. They manage to extend the streak to two games, but Sera is growing frustrated with his inability to score and his journey from self-doubt to determination progresses throughout the volume. Meanwhile, the old faithful trope “the previously unmentioned injured teammate returns” comes into play, with oddball Natsumi making his debut. It’s interesting to see a tried-and-true sports manga staple alongside the elements that make Giant Killing stand out from others in its genre, namely that a pro soccer season is way different from elimination-style tournaments, allowing the narrative to swiftly hop from match to match, sometimes skipping a few, as Tatsumi assesses the team’s mood after a series of draws. As a result, this series continues to feel fresh. – Michelle Smith
Haikyu!!, Vol. 16 | By Haruichi Furudate | VIZ Media – Karasuno has reached the semifinal round of the Miyagi Prefecture qualifier and it’s a rematch with Aoba Johsai, which turns out to be an immensely entertaining nail-biter that goes to three sets. Hinata and Kageyama potentially discover a new move they can work on in the future, each member of the team gets a triumphant moment, and Yamaguchi overcomes his nerves to achieve his first success with the jump floater serve. I always love it when characters who’d been somewhat in the background get their turn to shine, and I also loved that we actually got to see some interaction and evolution amongst the Aoba Johsai team, making one even root for them a little bit. Be forewarned, though: there’s an excruciating cliffhanger at the end of this volume! – Michelle Smith
Haikyu!!, Vol. 16 | By Haruichi Furudate | Viz Media – After seeing Yamaguchi choke under pressure last game, the highlight of this book is undoubtedly the start of it, where he manages to push past that failure and show off the serving that he’s learned—and it’s terrific. As for the rest, it’s back and forth and down to the wire, as we knew it would be. Aoba Johsai are really good, and we get a few flashbacks to show us that they’ve had their own ups and downs just like our heroes—including a player who tends to get FILLED WITH RAGE who desperately needs discipline, and manages to do it himself here. And of course loving shots of volleyball, which you can tell the author really loves. Looks like well see the end next time—who will pull it off? -Sean Gaffney