By Shigeru Sagazaki and Tetsuhiro Nabeshima. Released in Japan as “Katainaka no Ossan, Kensei ni Naru: Tada no Inaka no Kenjutsu Shihan Datta noni, Taisei Shita Deshitachi ga Ore o Hōttekurenai Ken” by SQEX Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Hikoki. This series leans a little lighter on it than some others I can think of, but it has to be said that this is a harem series that adds new girls every volume. As such, sometimes it feels like the new character acts the way she does not because of their backstory or because of how they’ll fit into the overall story, but because of which “anime girl stereotype” boxes they tick. We have the blond, quick-to-jealousy but cool knight commander, the “I am Yotsuba…
LATEST FEATURES, ESSAYS, COLUMNS, ROUNDTABLES, & REVIEWS
By Sean Gaffney
From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman: My Hotshot Disciples Are All Grown Up Now, and They Won’t Leave Me Alone, Vol. 3
By Sean Gaffney
The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time and Aims to Become the Ultimate Villain, Vol. 2
By Bakufu Narayama and Ebisushi. Released in Japan as “Danzaisareta Akuyaku Reijō wa, Gyakkō-shite Kanpekina Akujo o Mezasu” by TO Books. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Alyssa Niioka. Adapted by Vida Cruz-Borja. Sometimes you know that the worst case scenario is not going to happen. Not because this series wouldn’t kill anyone off – there are one or two deaths in this book, and I expect that trend to continue – but more because sometimes the author hits on a new character who is so good that they cannot bear to pull the trigger and have them die, even if they happen to be the evil mastermind. Yes, that’s right, the major weakness of the first book was the “heroine” being a terrible character, and the author…
By Sean Gaffney
Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll Do Anything to Become a Librarian!, Part 5: Avatar of a Goddess, Vol. 10
By Miya Kazuki and You Shiina. Released in Japan as “Honzuki no Gekokujou: Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan wo Erandeiraremasen” by TO Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by quof. It’s honestly been a long, long time since we’ve seen the main raison d’etre of this entire series, which is one girl’s complete and utter obsession with books. Back when Rozemyne was just Myne, she could afford to be a one-note samba, but since she’s been adopted into nobility, the sheer weight of the politics of this world has conspired to keep her from obsessing about reading QUITE as much. As such, I was highly amused by what is supposed to be a dramatic highlight of this book, where we have three contenders for the…
By Sean Gaffney
Bookshelf Briefs 5/17/24
Adults’ Picture Book: New Edition, Vol. 1 | By Kei Itoi | Yen Press – Boy, this was weird. And I was already expecting it to be weird. The premise is that a man suddenly has a daughter, thanks to the wishes of his dead college friend. He has no real idea how to take care of her, and while going through the adoption process impulsively proposes to the woman helping him… who impulsively says yes. The reason it’s weird is that Kudou is heavily implied to have been in love with his old college buddy… and that his new wife looks an awful lot like him. I’d feel a little more worried if I were not fairly confident that this is far more interested in the found family than…
By Anna N
Sakura, Saku Vols 1 and 2
Sakkura, Saku Volumes 1 and 2 by Io Sakisaka I feel like Io Sakisaka is a great go-to author for heartfelt shoujo stories that reaffirm one’s faith in humanity and young love. Sakura, Saku might not be terribly surprising, but it delivers all the feels that one would want from a shoujo romance. Saku Fujigaya was rescued on a train when she was feeling faint by a mysterious stranger, and she is so inspired by this kindly act that she decides to devote herself to helping others. She rescues dropped train passes, shares umbrellas, carries extra pencils in case someone needs to borrow one, and takes on extra chores at school. When people comment on her being a “goody-two-shoes” she is delighted that she is succeeding in her new life…
By Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Anna N and Ash Brown
Manga the Week of 5/22/24
SEAN: As May starts to dwindle… oh, wait, it’s Yen week. No dwindling allowed. But first, Airship. In print, we see Modern Dungeon Capture Starting with Broken Skills 2 and Reincarnated as a Sword 14. And early digital gives us Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! 9. Denpa Books has a 4th volume of Vampeerz, retailers say as I type this. ASH: I want to trust them, I really do. SEAN: Ghost Ship gives us a 9th volume of Ayakashi Triangle. Two digital debuts from J-Novel Club, both manga. The Eternal Fool’s Words of Wisdom: A Pawsitively Fantastic Adventure (Yuukyuu no Gusha Asley no, Kenja no Susume) is based on an unlicensed light novel, and runs in Comic Earth Star Online. A failure at…
By Sean Gaffney
Invaders of the Rokujouma!?, Vol. 44
By Takehaya and Poco. Released in Japan as “Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?” by HJ Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Warnis. It has to be said, Rokujouma!? is a very methodical series. We’ve gotten so used to seeing series derived from webnovels where the author is clearly making up each chapter… and sometimes each page… as they go along. So it’s refreshing seeing a series that really feels plotted down to its bones. I suspect the author has outlines and spreadsheets up the wazoo to keep track of all this. A “Pantser” they are not. And sometimes this can be a drawback. There are a few conversations in this short story volume between the heroines where you sort of want one of them to snap and turn…
By Sean Gaffney
I Guess This Dragon Who Lost Her Egg to Disaster Is My Mom Now, Vol. 2
By Suzume Kirisaki and Cosmic. Released in Japan as “Saigai de Tamago o Ushinatta Dragon ga Nazeka Ore o Sodate Hajimeta” by M Novels. Released in North America by Cross Infinite World. Translated by Jordan Taylor. The first volume of this series had the past of Lushera hold my interest more than her present with her dragon mom, so it’s ironic that in this second volume it’s the bonding with dragon mom that is the better part of the book. Of course, some of that is due to the fact that, although names are not really clear still due to the nature of the resurrection, everyone now knows who Lushera is. As such, we’re allowed to concentrate, especially in the first half of the book, on Lushera and her mother…
By Sean Gaffney
True Love Fades Away When the Contract Ends: One Star in the Night Sky, Vol. 1
By Kosuzu Kobato and Fumi Takamura. Released in Japan as “Unmei no Koibito wa Kigen Tsuki” by Maple Novels. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Julie Goniwich. Adapted by Max Machiavelli. Yes, I will admit that adding a Vol. 1 to the review title is optimistic. The book itself lacks a volume number, and there’s no sign of a Book 2 in Japan over a year after the first book. But the series has the equivalent of five books as a web novel, and this book certainly does not come to a definitive close, so I’ll include it just in case. I also realize that whenever I talk about series that are unfinished in Japan, a lot of people resolve to never read the title, showing a disdain…