Ao Haru Ride, Vol. 9 | By Io Sakisaka | VIZ Media – Ao Haru Ride is probably the most straight-up dramatic shoujo that I am reading at the moment, and though it relies largely on story beats that would usually annoy me—like misunderstandings and poor communication—I still really enjoy it. Kou and Futaba have feelings for each other, but Kou’s misguided decision to reject Futaba in favor of hanging out with a sad former classmate kept them apart. Now, Futaba believes Kou and said classmate are a couple, so she’s trying to move on with Kikuchi, a very nice boy whom she’s trying her best to fall for. I love that Kou’s actions have consequences and also that we see their friends discussing the situation and deciding that they can’t fix things for him; this time he has to be the one to act. I also note that Kikuchi is especially likable for a romantic rival, which is kind of rare. Recommened! – Michelle Smith
Given, Vol. 1 | By Natsuki Kizu | SuBLime – Ritsuka Uenohara got so good at playing the guitar that he started to find it boring. That changes when he meets a mysterious classmate named Mafuyu Sato, who is carrying around a very nice guitar yet has no idea how to play it. Mafuyu sings for Uenohara the melody that keeps running through his head, which proves to be the spark that gets Uenohara excited about music again. Mafuyu joins Uenohara’s band as their new singer—the other members are two college guys who seem poised to have a love story of their own—and they’re quickly gearing up for their first live show. Meanwhile, Uenohara’s confused about just how he feels about Mafuyu. Given already has a lot to love: the band dynamics, the relationship between the two leads, the mystery of Mafuyu’s past… I’m eager for more! – Michelle Smith
Komi Can’t Commmunicate, Vol. 5 | By Tomohito Oda | VIZ Media – Komi Can’t Communicate is a very charming series with likable characters. (The exception, of course, is Yamai, who continues to be thoroughly gross.) In this volume, the gang patronizes a run-down restaurant whose proprietors think Komi is a famous reviewer, meets a couple of new characters (Komi is up to 13 friends now!), and plans/executes a maid café for the cultural festival. What I really like is that though there are many comedic moments, Komi continues to make genuine progress in overcoming her communication difficulties. Her mom is shocked and happy to see her talking on the phone, she’s able to say something when out shopping with the two new characters, and she even manages a brief solo dance with Tadano before Najimi turns it into a group thing. This series is sixteen volumes and counting so far and I am definitely here for the long haul. – Michelle Smith
A Man and His Cat, Vol. 1 | By Umi Sakurai | Square Enix – A flat-faced exotic shorthair keeps getting passed over at the pet store until a kind older gentleman arrives to take him home. Through a series of short chapters, they get to know each other. The human (Kanda) names the kitty Fukumaru, and it soon becomes apparent that he has lost his beloved wife, who had spoken of the possibility of getting a cat when their children were grown. This is an extremely sweet series about two beings who need each other, with dashes of humor provided by typical cat behaviors. I laughed out loud at a particularly evocative panel depicting what happens when Kanda removes an offending cover from Fukumaru’s litter box. I also appreciated seeing the pair through the eyes of Kanda’s long-time friend, who hasn’t seen him smile this much in ages. I’m looking forward to volume two! – Michelle Smith
My Androgynous Boyfriend, Vol. 1 | By Tamekou | Seven Seas – There’s a certain type of advertising line that goes “come for the _________, stay for the _________,” and I definitely feel that this works with My Androgynous Boyfriend. The androgyny is definitely a strong part of the title, such as needing to hide Meguru’s relationship with Wako to avoid fan rage, and pairing him up with another pretty boy model, Kira (which goes south fast when both disagree with the idea). But mostly I loved the simple loving relationship between Wako and Meguru, which is strong, sexy, and not something I was expecting in this sort of series. Wako also gets a lot to do, as well as some of the best lines. It’s a series where I come away going “is the next volume out already?” – Sean Gaffney
My Hero Academia: Smash!!, Vol. 3 | By Hirofumi Neda and Kohei Horikoshi | VIZ Media – Smash!! continues to be pretty fun, though there seemed to be an inordinate amount of Mineta in this particular volume. True, much of that consists of the girls orchestrating his punishment for being such a total creep, which I guess is better than it could’ve been. Story-wise, volume three takes readers through the League of Villains’ attack on the training camp, but there are many diversions prior to that, including summer vacation hijinks, rescue drills, Halloween, etc. What I like best are things I’d never had reason to think of before, like Tokoyami’s inability to perform CPR, or just completely absurd visuals like Todoroki being depicted in a poodle costume or Aizawa playing the victim in a rescue scenario. I don’t know how much reread potential this series has, but… well, “pretty fun” about sums it up. – Michelle Smith
Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu, Vol. 6 | By Natsuya Semikawa and Virginia Nitouhei | Udon Entertainment – This is still, for the most part, a lighthearted series about people enjoying delicious pub food, but there is an ominous undercurrent to the whole thing that implies that the conservative forces are starting to rally against the izakaya as being a den of witches and that things may not be bright and sunny for long. Till then, there’s omelettes, and Hamburg Steak, and any number of tasty food that the customers, even if they may be reluctant at first, come to love. The question is whether that love of food can enter the hearts of the Church, which is very much in a “everything progressive and non-traditional must go into the fire” frame of mind. – Sean Gaffney
Scarlet, Vol. 1 | By Chiri Yuino | Seven Seas – This proved to be a lot darker and less fanservice-filled than I expected given the cover… and yes, I know the cover shows a vampire and her (rather happy) victim. But the vampire’s not all that happy, and in the end this is a book about the horrors of drug addiction, albeit one coached in the language of fairy tales and legends. Fine is a tragic vampire who wants to be human again, and Iris Redblood gets to be Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf at the same time. Together, they do indeed fight crime, but they don’t always win the day—sometimes the cute little girl ends up dying. And yes, there’s more than a tinge of yuri to this, which is why I suspect folks here will pick it up. It’s pretty good, but not sure if I need more of it. – Sean Gaffney
Takane & Hana, Vol. 13 | By Yuki Shiwasu | Viz Media – Another unbalanced volume, this is definitely front-loaded, with the first half having some of the best material in the entire series, as Takane and Hana open up to each other in a private moment (that turns out to be a little less than private) and admit their feelings. The second half shows them trying to negotiate this thing they now have, going on a date (well, more of an endurance hike), and a trip to Okinawa, where they run into another annoying little problem—they still have to hide things, so she’s the “kid sister,” which irritates Takane no end. And, well, there’s also the problem if Hana lacking a certain sense of shame—fortunately Takane has it for her. The first half, though? Magnificent. – Sean Gaffney
Tales of Wedding Rings, Vol. 8 | By Maybe | Yen Press – I enjoy the art and characters, but the series does love its one plot, which is “make it look like sex will be happening any day now but never actually have it occur.” Yes, they figure out a way to get out of the “bone or die” space without actually boning, and are able to move on with the fantasy part of the plot. Which actually involves the somewhat unwieldy party splitting up, so the next book should at least try to move away from will-they-or-won’t-they? a bit. In the meantime, this is another one where there’s no real conflict between the girls (as opposed to the previous generation of ring bearers). Even Saphir, seemingly the one who cares the least, is more a jerk with a heart of gold. Getting sort of trying. – Sean Gaffney
Umma’s Table | By Yeon-sik Hong | Drawn and Quarterly – Having greatly appreciated Uncomfortably Happily, I was excited that Drawn and Quarterly would be releasing another of Hong’s manhwa in translation, Umma’s Table. The narrative follows a cartoonist named Madang and his struggle to balance (and to some extent keep separate) his life as a new parent and his life as a caregiver for his ailing mother and father. Although shadowed by his father’s alcoholism and the lasting impact it has on multiple generations, some of Madang’s happiest and most nostalgic memories are those of family meals and his mother’s food. Overall, Umma’s Table is a bittersweet, wrenching work, but it’s not without moments of hope as Madang reflects on the complexities and parallels of his experiences both as a father and as a son. While not as explicitly autobiographical as Uncomfortably Happily, elements from Hong’s life are present in Umma’s Table as well, providing a sense of visceral honesty. – Ash Brown