Manga Bookshelf

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Anna N

Bookshelf Briefs 3/17/14

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This week, Sean, Anna, & Michelle look at recent releases from Kodansha Comics and Viz Media.

fairytail35Fairy Tail, Vol. 35 | By Hiro Mashima | Kodansha Comics – Leaving aside the fight between Natsu/Gajeel and Saber Tooth’s Natsu and Gajeel-alike’s that takes up half this book, what struck me most was how it’s trying to have a lot of humor but it feels more and more that this is due to the fact that there will be little opportunity for it soon. We see future Levy talking about everyone dying in 2 days (including her beloved… hrm, Gajeel shiptease there?), and Jellal runs into the mysterious hooded figure, who is clearly someone he knows. And of course there’s the opening scene with Lucy beaten so bad she’s hospitalized. Given that, I am more charitable to the giant fanservice scene that is Chapter 298, and am highly amused by Gildarts’ entire chapter that shows that just because one is middle-aged does not mean you stop being a big dumb shonen hero. – Sean Gaffney

happymarriage5Happy Marriage, Vol. 5 | By Maki Enjoji | Viz Media – With all the yaoi manga coming out, I feel like it is a tiny bit unfair that there are so few currently translated smutty manga for older ladies who enjoy stories about forced marriages and vampire bosses! But it is all the more reason to celebrate the few series like that which are translated! Volume 5 of Happy Marriage continues to document the growing relationship between Chiwa and Hokuto along with plenty of Machiavellian corporate machinations. Hokuto is finally showing his more vulnerable side to Chiwa, but not without plenty of misunderstandings along the way. Even though this manga is fairly predictable, it is still consistently enjoyable. – Anna N

kamisama14Kamisama Kiss, Vol. 14 | By Julietta Suzuki | Viz Media – The gap between the volumes for this series is getting fairly long, but that just makes me appreciate it even more. Suzuki’s world building and unique character designs make every volume a pleasure to read. In this volume Nanami throws herself into another adventure in order to save a dying Tomoe. The long-lost Mikage of the shrine returns for a visit and drops a few not very helpful hints about Tomoe’s conditions, leading to Nanami undertaking a dangerous trip through time in order to prevent the curse that threatens Tomoe. Along the way she meets Tomoe’s first love and sees a much more warlike and aggressive version of the fox ayakashi that she holds so dear. It’ll be interesting to see the fallout from the journey through time, especially if it changes Nanami and Tomoe’s relationship in the present. – Anna N

monster1My Little Monster, Vol. 1 | By Robico | Kodansha Comics – Neither Shizuku Mizutani nor Haru Yoshida has any friends, the former because she’s obsessed with studying and the latter because of his tendency toward violent and/or bizarre behavior. They somehow manage to strike up a friendship, however, and as Haru learns to relate to the world a little better, Shizuku begins to see the benefits of involving herself with other people. This perhaps makes My Little Monster sound like it’s a drama, but it really isn’t. I snickered quite a few times (even at the back cover, a promising early sign!) and basically loved every time Haru’s pet chicken appeared, which was frequently. Again, I’d stop short of calling this series profoundly great, but it was definitely enjoyable and a nice surprise, since I had no knowledge of it prior to its release here. I’ll be checking out volume two! – Michelle Smith

jeanne1Phantom Thief Jeanne, Vol. 1 | By Arina Tanemura | Viz Media – I am very seldom in the position of loving an Arina Tanemura series almost without reservation, but such is the situation I find myself in with Phantom Thief Jeanne. I suspect much of this reaction is due to nostalgia—I have fond memories of watching the anime back in the days of VHS fansubs—but I do honestly think Jeanne has much to recommend it. Maron is not your typical happy-go-lucky Magical Girl heroine, and is confident, to boot, with inner dialogue like, “I don’t need to be saved… I’m not a weak little girl.” Too, I really like how Tanemura paces the development of Maron’s relationship with neighbor/rival Chiaki, and how Maron learns he’s been deceiving her just as she’d decided she could trust him. True, the art can be distracting (those eyes!) and there are quite a few unfunny comedic gags, but on the whole this is a series I’m glad to see back in print! – Michelle Smith

sankarea5Sankarea: Undying Love, Vol. 5 | By Mitsuru Hattori | Kodansha Comics – Again, the cover tells the story, as things really aren’t going well with the whole ‘don’t eat people’ thing Rea’s trying to achieve. Luckily, the cavalry arrives in time, but now Rea and Chihiro are strangely embarrassed to be around each other. (Gosh, I wonder why?) What was more interesting to me was the Wanko subplot towards the end of the volume, where we see that her crush on Chihiro, and desperate realization that it’s not going to happen, is so bad that she ends up trying to turn herself into a zombie to get closer to him. Fortunately, the near-death experiment doesn’t take, and it seems to give her some sort of closure instead, which is a relief. Still, if you read Sankarea as a harem love comedy, I expect you may have run screaming by now. It’s the creepy horror that keeps things hopping. – Sean Gaffney

Manga the Week of 3/19

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SEAN: There are no quiet weeks for the month of March, each week having a surprisingly robust group of manga coming out. Here’s what’s next week.

Genshiken returned after a hiatus, never a good sign, and with a ‘next generation’ cast that almost immediately brought back the previous generation, an even worse sign. Despite this, it’s been incredibly entertaining, always remembering to focus on the people rather than the otaku. Vol. 4 of Season 2 comes out next week.

MICHELLE: Will I lose my manga badge if I admit I’ve never read Genshiken?

ASH: I only got around to it after the omnibuses were released, but I’m glad that I did. I’m enjoying the second season, too.

ANNA: I will have to lose my manga badge too, because I have never read it either.

MJ: I’ve had this on my “to read” list forever. Perhaps I can finally start picking up the omnibus release.

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SEAN: Speaking of returning after a hiatus with a next-gen cast, UQ Holder is Ken Akamatsu’s new work for Kodansha after the abrupt end of Negima. The series takes place in 2086, and magic is now known to the world after the events of Negima. The main cast (with perhaps one exception) is not from Negima, however, but a new crew getting ready for some adventure. Expect action, humor, and gratuitous nudity.

And while CLAMP has indeed gone back to the well and restarted their old series xxxHOLIC, we aren’t getting that new run yet. Instead, here’s the first omnibus putting back into print the old series that came out 11 years ago – an eternity in manga boom years! – from Del Rey Books, who also published Negima. And Genshiken.

MICHELLE: Ooh! I somehow missed out on buying the last couple of volumes of the first run of xxxHOLiC, and now they’re pretty expensive. Maybe I’ll pick up the final omnibus instead.

MJ: This makes me very happy!

SEAN: Seven Seas reminds manga bloggers who don’t follow the series that casual readers who don’t follow manga bloggers can’t get enough of Dance in the Vampire Bund. The spinoff The Memories of Sledge Hammer has Vol. 2 arrive, and still does not star David Rasche.

MJ: Heh.

SEAN: They are also bringing you Vol. 5 of Mayo Chiki, which is what it is, and no amount of my wishing it was more like Railgun or Toradora will change that.

And there’s another Witch Buster omnibus on the manwha front, as Vols 9-10 are due out next week.

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On the Viz front, we have the final volume of March Story, which is not quite manwha – the creator is Korean, but the story itself ran in the Japanese Sunday GX, home of Black Lagoon. I never did get around to reading it, but always heard good things.

MJ: I’m looking forward to this! I’ve enjoyed it from the start!

SEAN: Lastly, it has been a full year since the last volume of Vagabond, so Vol. 35 had better be worth the wait. Oh wait, it’s still an Inoue manga, of course it is.

MICHELLE: Someday, I will read more Vagabond. I just seem to prefer basketball!Inoue, though I know Anna disagrees with me! :)

ASH: I adore Inoue’s work and Vagabond is fantastic. I’ve actually read the novel that the series is based on, too. They’re both epic, and I love Inoue’s interpretation.

ANNA: Vagabond is the best. I pine for more VizBig editions of this excellent series.

SEAN: Sadly, there are no Irish manga this week, just Japanese (and Korean). What are you getting?

Pick of the Week: Shounen & Seinen

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potw-3-10-14ASH: There’s a fair amount of manga being released this week, and quite a few titles that I’m particularly interested in. In the end though, I think my pick of the week will have to go to the third volume in Kohta Hirano’s Drifters. The last volume was released in 2012, so it’s been quite a while since I’ve read any of the series. However, I distinctly remember being highly entertained by Drifters. It doesn’t always make a lot of sense and it can be fairly over-the-top, but the battles are engaging and I do get a kick out of series as a whole. It does help to have at least some passing familiarity with the historical figures that Hirano borrows for his story, though.

ANNA: I’m going to have to go with the reissue of Ranma 1/2 as I have fond memories of the manga and anime way back in the 90s.

SEAN: Given I’ve already reviewed all three of Kodansha’s debuts this week, I feel safe in agreeing with Anna. Ranma 1/2 is ingrained deep into my bones, for good and for bad, and reading it again will no doubt fill me with memories, horror at how flat the characterization is, amusement at the amazing stupidity of every flat character, and pain as I remember all the shipping wars and Akane bashing. It’s 1996 all over again, folks!

MICHELLE: While I have a modicum of interest in My Little Monster and Arata: The Legend, add me to the Ranma 1/2 train. For some reason, I’ve never read this manga, despite ample opportunities to do so, so it’s kinda nice getting to do so from the start with unflipped art, which I was a bit too early to benefit from where Inu-Yasha was concerned. My expectations for it are pretty low; I’m just going in to enjoy a classic.

MJ: Though I have some interest in everything that’s been mentioned here so far, there’s nothing that compels me quite as strongly as the latest 3-in-1 edition of Fullmetal Alchemist. Volumes 19-21, which are contained in this omnibus, are particularly dramatic and revealing (and in the context of a series like Fullmetal Alchemist, that says a lot), and show off Arakawa’s skills as a storyteller extremely well. Fullmetal Alchemist is one of those series where I found myself continuously re-evaluating what I thought the story was about as Arakawa slowly revealed its core, and the experience was thrilling. If you haven’t yet treated yourself to this experience, I urge you to start now!

What looks good to you this week?

Phantom Thief Jeanne, Vol 1

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Phantom Thief Jeanne Volume 1 by Arina Tanemura

Phantom Thief Jeanne is by far my favorite Arina Tanemura series. It is also one of her earlier ones, since it came out in 1998. It might be less polished than her more recent series, but I have always found it amusing because it has a certain magical girl “throw the spaghetti on the wall and see what sticks” approach to plotting that I find amusing. It also has one of the most bonkers ending volumes I’ve experienced in shoujo manga. I already own the full set of this series from the CMX edition that came out in 2005, but this reissue from viz is based on what I assume are the Bunkoban volumes in Japan, so instead of a seven volume set, this edition will be 5 longer length volumes. There’s a new translation, a color page, and a couple extra sketches in the back.


The Jeanne in the title is in real life the ordinary high school student Maron Kusakabe, who is in the rhythmic gymnastics club at her school. At night, she magically transforms into Phantom Thief Jeanne, who fights for the forces of good in the universe by detecting demons hidden inside masterworks of art and exorcising them. The demonic possession will also extend to the owner of the piece of art, leading Maron to have plenty of encounters with oddly acting art collectors. Maron is aided in her holy quest by her helper, the tiny angel Finn. Maron’s phantom thief name is due to the fact that she’s the reincarnation of Joan of Arc, so she is extra skilled at being a art thief warrior for God. As the volume begins, Maron attempts to deflect her friend Miyako’s interest in her secret alter ego and she’s made a bit nervous by Chiaki, the flirty new boy who just moved in next door in her apartment building.

Maron has a frustrating day and heads out for her typical night out phantom thieving. Her best friend Miyako, who’s father is a police detective, is on the scene determined to capture Jeanne. Like any good phantom thief, Jeanne tends to leave warning notes with clues about where she intends to strike. Jeanne has one of the best magical girl introductions, as she proclaims “I am the Phantom Thief Jeanne…sent down before you by God!” It is hard to argue with the power of the Almighty. When she seals the demon inside the painting, she yells “Checkmate!” and a white chess piece appears. The painting changes into a depiction of an angel, and usually the owner of the painting is so happy at the quality of the new work of art and the lack of danger to their immortal soul that they don’t tend to mind Jeanne’s intervention.

Jeanne is bounding along in the night, trailing ribbons when an enemy appears! It is Phantom Thief Sinbad and he announces his intention to challenge her! Maron goes through her regular school activities, fending off Chiaki by day and dealing with Sinbad’s sudden appearance near all the works of art that she’s targeting at night. It is amazing how Sinbad basically looks just like Chiaki but with a headband and a cloth covering the lower half of his face. Sinbad has similar powers as Jeanne, but he can turn captured demons into black chess pieces and has a dark angel helper as a counterpart to Jeanne’s angel Finn. As a shoujo manga heroine, Maron is both exuberant and kind. Chiaki clearly starts developing feelings for her as he spends more time with her. Maron is also desperately lonely, because her parents went away and haven’t been in touch with her. Maron has a great deal of difficulty trusting people, but she starts opening up to Chiaki a little bit. As Jeanne’s missions continue, Sinbad acts as more of a helper than a rival, but he seems very conflicted about it.

The art in Phantom Thief Jeanne is exactly what you would expect from a Tanemura title, but maybe a tiny bit less detailed than her later works. I enjoyed having a chance to read the manga again in a new edition. I thought that the new Shojo Beat translation was a bit more subtle and smooth than the CMX editions. I also preferred the lettering in the Shojo Beat edition. The CMX version tended to use a great deal of variation in font size and font weight to convey emotional aspects of the dialog, and while that can be an interesting approach, when I was reading a few pages from each edition side by side, I thought that the CMX edition was a bit more choppy in terms of reading experience. Since this is a reissue, I almost wish that the edition had been a bit more deluxe, with a few more color pages or some other extras. I did like the new edition very much, I’m not sure I’d recommend that everyone who already has the CMX version rush out and buy it right away but it has been so long since the first edition of Phantom Thief Jeanne came out there’s a whole new group of readers that can experience this title for the first time!

Bookshelf Briefs 3/3/14

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This week, Michelle, Sean, and Anna look at recent releases from Yen Press, Kodansha Comics, Seven Seas, Viz Media, & Vertical, Inc.

bloodlad4Blood Lad, Vol. 4 | By Yuuki Kodama | Yen Press – It’s been nearly a year since we had a new volume of Blood Lad, and I’d forgotten just how well it suits my sense of humor. Right from the start, it had me giggling, and even rereading the few lines of dialogue I jotted down had the same effect. Kodama could also give lessons on how to effectively introduce antagonists, as Team Fearless, a group of vampire hunters targeting Staz, is immediately funny, memorable, and interesting. They’ve all got some unique powers, but my favorite is the cat-like leader, Shamkid, who basically grooms his enemy and swallows their hair to gain the ability to predict their movements. After the battle, he horks it back up. Hee! On top of this, we learn what Braz’s endgame has been, which has the potential to affect the entire demon world. Happily, we’ve only to wait until July this time for the next installment! – Michelle Smith

eden13Cage of Eden, Vol. 13 | By Yoshinobu Yamada | Kodansha Comics – Cage of Eden has moved from every 2 months to every 4, never a good sign for a North American release. Nevertheless, it’s ended at 21 volumes in Japan, so should finish up over here. This volumes features a lot fewer attacks by prehistoric animals – zero, in fact. What we get instead is some plot development. Yarai and his group find their building is not what it seems, and also that his teacher is slowly dying. On Akira’s side, we see the introduction of two men from another camp elsewhere on the island, which is led by a doctor who may be Akira’s evil counterpart. And yes, there’s nude bathing, because this is Cage of Eden – monsters may be optional, but breasts are not. It’s still a good, fluffy read, but it’s starting not to justify the investment put into it. And as ever, no real romance. – Sean Gaffney

fairytail34Fairy Tail, Vol. 34 | By Hiro Mashima | Kodansha Comics – Well, if nothing else, I think we know who our next Big Bad is going to be. From the first chapter to the last, Minerva has shown herself to be a rather loathsome, yet insanely powerful figure. Naturally, Lucy ends up getting the brunt of the suffering here – Erza and Cana earlier showed off the massive power that Fairy Tail possesses, but Lucy’s job seems to be punching bag a lot of the time. Meanwhile, Laxus gets a battle of the mind with his father, and Wendy gets a cute adorable shonen battle which ends with true friendship, just as you’d expect. There’s nothing really wrong with this volume, but as with most tournament arcs, things are getting rather predictable. I’d really like some sort of hideous disaster to come along and shake things up a bit. Perhaps Mashima can oblige me. – Sean Gaffney

genbu12Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 12| By Yuu Watase | Viz Media – I admit it: I read the ending first. I feared some sort of sappy retcon of what had been established about the Genbu priestess in the original Fushigi Yûgi series, but I needn’t have worried. The ending is a satisfying one, but like volume eleven before it, volume twelve feels pretty rushed. I wish there was more time to dwell on the various sacrifices made to bring peace to an icy and wartorn land. One of the best things, though, is this comment from Watase’s comments at the end of the volume: “I hope you’ll be patient in waiting for the Byakko arc!! Sure, I want to work on it!! Now that I’ve come this far, I can’t die before I finish every arc.” It feels a little wrong to say “woohoo” after the events of this volume, but I admit the temptation is strong. – Michelle Smith

knights7Knight of Sidonia, Vol. 7 | By Tsutomu Nihei | Vertical, Inc. – I’m enjoying Knights of Sidonia a great deal, but it’s sometimes hard to express why in a review, even a brief one. There’s less wacky harem antics here, though it is notable that Tsumugi, the newborn hybrid Gauna, seems to have a massive crush on Tanizake like all the other female (or even ambiguously gendered characters) do. There’s lots of epic space battles for those who like them, with both Tsumugi and Tanizake getting to show off their awesome battle prowess. There isn’t quite as much creepy body horror here as in previous volumes, but it’s there. Mostly, though, this is a series that’s hard to really describe to someone when they ask why it’s good. You just have to give it a try, and see for yourself. Because it’s addictive, and once you start reading you won’t be able to stop. – Sean Gaffney

midnight4Midnight Secretary, Vol 4 | By Tomu Ohmi | Viz Media – As this volume opens secretary Kaya is torn…between two bosses! She continues to work on her temporary assignment to the Erde company while juggling secretarial and blood donation duties to her vampire boss Kyohei Tohma at night. Kyohei is disconcerted by his feelings of jealousy whenever he sees another man near Kaya while Kaya continues to maintain that providing the president with her blood is just a routine part of her job. Kaya knows that she’s in love with Kyohei, but is determined to just live her life with unrequited feelings because she’s so devoted to her secretarial job. The sudden presence of a new female vampire also throws off the equilibrium in Kaya and Kyohei’s relationship. This volume won’t disappoint fans of the series! Midnight Secretary is so delightfully trashy and gothic, I always enjoy each new volume. – Anna N

strike1Strike Witches: Maidens in the Sky, Vol. 1 | By Humikane Shimada, Project Kagonish, and Yuuki Tanaka | Seven Seas – This turned out to be a lot more harmless than I was expecting – possibly deliberately, I understand there was a manga version in Japan before this that was cancelled for content reasons. Aside from a wacky panty-snatching dog familiar, and panty-rocketed teenage girls, this is your standard girls in school learning how to use their awesome powers manga. The girls in question are soldiers, brought in to battle aliens who have devastated the Earth. The teen soldiers include our heroine, the naive Yoshika, who may have more power than any of the others. If you can get past the basic premise, and don’t mind fanservice, this is a pretty good action comedy runaround. It wraps up next volume, I think, but there’s more spinoffs on the way. – Sean Gaffney

Pick of the Week: Old Favorites & New

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potw-3-3-14SEAN: There’s a heck of a lot of stuff here, almost too much to choose from. Therefore I will go with an old favorite, because I am lazy like that. It’s the rare manga series in America that can hit its 70th volume and show no signs of stopping, and One Piece is that manga series. More than any other, I think this title exemplifies all the good qualities of shonen manga – and, yes, a few of the bad ones, as Nami and Robin’s figures have expanded to ludicrous proportions over the years. But oh well. Pirates! Comedy! Creepy poison power villains! Give me 70 more volumes after this! (No, don’t do that, pleads Viz.)

MICHELLE: I do love me some One Piece, but I really can’t pass up my final chance to pick Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden, which finally comes to an end this week with its twelfth volume. (It’s been a year since volume eleven.) It’s got all the drama of the original, but Watase has matured a lot as a storyteller, which leaves me hopeful that she’ll allow tragic events to unfold without some kind of cheery retcon or presumably editor-mandated continuation to the story. And, of course, I can’t pass up this last opportunity to hope for Byakko Kaiden someday!

ASH: My pick of the week goes to Inio Asano’s Nijigahara Holograph. The previews that I’ve seen have been beautiful, dark, and disconcerting. Fantagraphics’ hardcover manga are gorgeous, too, easily making Nijigahara Holograph one of my most anticipated releases for the year.

ANNA: I’m torn, because I want to read Nijigahara Holograph as soon as I can, and it has been a very long time since we’ve had new manga from Asano to enjoy. But I’m going to team up with Michelle and highlight Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden. It took a long time for the series to be completed, but Watase can do shoujo adventure romance like no one else. I’m also holding out hope for the Byakko storyline!

MJ: I’m extremely anxious to read the final volume of Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden, but I think this week I have to go along with Ash and Nijigahara Holograph. I first encountered Inio Asano’s work by way of Solanin, which has been one of those rare manga that sticks with me over time, cropping up in my mind at surprising moments. Add to that my very positive feelings about the line of manga Matt Thorn has curated for Fantagraphics, and Nijigahara Holograph becomes the obvious choice.

What looks good to you this week?

Manga the Week of 3/5

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SEAN: Sooooo much stuff. Let’s break it down. Oh, and apologies for last week, the date of Wallflower 32 got shoved back to May after I’d written the post. This is the danger of last minute date-changes. I will discuss it in May, and no doubt Michelle will have the same “it’s still going?” reaction.

MICHELLE: That is probably true.

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SEAN: As for this week, let’s start with a Fantagraphics title from Inio Asano, Nijigahara Holograph. This single-volume release is dark, tragic, and creepy, and should immensely please Asano fans. Hey, if it sells well, maybe Viz will take a flyer on Oyasumi Punpun.

ASH: This is one of my most anticipated releases for 2014! I’ve been looking forward to getting my hands on a copy ever since it was announced.

ANNA: I am very excited about this! I enjoy Asano’s works very much, and Fantagraphics editions are always a treat.

MJ: This is definitely a draw for me. Everything about this sounds compelling.

SEAN: Did you enjoy Jiro Tanaguchi’s The Walking Man but wish it took place 300 years earlier? Than you’ll love the same author’s Furari, out from Ponent Mon.

MICHELLE: Ooooh! I really like Jiro Taniguchi!

ASH: It’s always nice to see more Taniguchi.

MJ: Agreed!

SEAN: You cannot stop the Alice in the Country of Hearts spinoffs! They are endless! Here’s March Hare, a 2nd series focusing on Alice pairing up with Eliot.

ANNA: I can take or leave new spinoffs, but sometimes they are fun.

SEAN: Seven Seas also has the 6th volume of Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends, featuring the tight group of not-friends getting involved in further not-friendship events.

I’ve enjoyed The Sacred Blacksmith far more than I was really expecting, and hope Vol. 4 keeps me happy despite my general distrust of manga fantasy-oriented stories.

Senran Kagura ended up being pretty much exactly what I was expecting, but the 2nd volume should give us more of that as well.

Vertical’s From the New World gives us a 3rd volume as well, speaking of popular titles I try to say as little as possible about.

ASH: I haven’t read beyond the first volume yet, but I have been told the fanservice was toned down considerably in the second.

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SEAN: There’s no blood on the cover of Black Bird 18, and the protagonists are smiling, so we must have reached the final volume! Black Bird sold a pile, so let’s give a round of applause to this title I never warmed to but others most certainly did.

MICHELLE: I hear Strong Bad’s voice in my head, going “It’s over!”

ANNA: I’m sure that this was a financially remunerative title for Viz, so that’s nice even though I really never connected with this series.

MJ: Oh, Black Bird… I really won’t miss you.

SEAN: Blue Exorcist is always a treat, and I’m sure Vol. 11 will live up to the anticipation and not advance any of the potential romances I read it for.

MJ: Hee!

I fell behind with D.Gray-Man’s omnibuses, so should see if I can pound through them now that the 3rd one is coming out.

I can’t even remember if this Dragon Ball 3-in-1 is the original series, Z, or the color edition. Or the VizBIG edition. But hey, it’s Dragon Ball, surely someone hasn’t read it yet. Somewhere. Perhaps in outer Mongolia.

Oh hey, look, a new volume of Fushigi Yu– (Sean is trampled by the rest of the Manga Bookshelf team rushing forward to squee.)

MICHELLE: Hmm, did I just step on something squishy?

ANNA: If trampling is the best way to express my love for this series, I will be right back as I need to put on my trampling boots!

MJ: SO MUCH LOVE. Sorry about the trampling.

SEAN: Ow. Moving on to Midnight Secretary? (cheers but no violence) Excellent. Vol. 4 is approximately halfway through this series, and I expect things will take a darker turn round about now.

ANNA: I do enjoy Midnight Secretary quite a bit!

MJ: As do I!

SEAN: Nisekoi continues to try to catch up to its digital releases with the 2nd print volume. Do you like Jump harem comedies? Sure we all do! Well, a good 40% of us, perhaps…

MICHELLE: Now I’m hearing the voice of Sally Struthers!

SEAN: One Piece hits another milestone with its 70th volume. Donflamingo steps up to what seems to be the next ‘big villain’ role here, and it promises to be a lot of fun.

MICHELLE: Somehow I’ve gotten a couple volumes behind on One Piece. Clearly I need to rectify that!

SEAN: Comedy volume of the week has to go to Oresama Teacher 16, which is filled with idiots being idiotic. Each volume takes it to a new level.

ANNA: This manga never fails to make me laugh.

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SEAN: License Rescue of the week absolutely goes to Phantom Thief Jeanne, the one remaining Tanemura title that was out of print after CMX went under. Kudos to Viz for picking it up!

MICHELLE: Despite owning the full CMX run (and watching VHS fansubs of the anime long ago), I have not actually read this series. Perhaps the VIZ edition will compel me.

ANNA: This is my favorite Tanemura series, because it is absolutely bonkers. And Jeanne makes failed attempts to turn rhythmic gymnastics equipment into deadly weapons, which is always good for a laugh.

MJ: I’m definitely looking forward to having a chance at this!

SEAN: We’ve hit the 2nd to last volume of Psyren, which is good, as it feels like it’s just about time to start wrapping things up. Given it’s a Jump series, I’m not sure how sudden the ending will be, but…

MICHELLE: Some day I’ve gotta catch up on this.

SEAN: What’s Rin-Ne 14 doing among all these Shueisha titles? Take your Shogakukan-ness to the 2nd week of the month where it belongs! Wait, likely it’s here so that it doesn’t get in the way of that week’s OTHER Takahashi release…

MICHELLE: I’m torn. Do I like RIN-NE enough to cheer for it?

SEAN: Skip Beat! 3-in-1 hits Vol. 7, which I think means it’s still dealing with Black Moon rather than Box R.

Strobe Edge 9 is also a penultimate volume. How much worse can things get than they already are? Well, it *is* a romantic comedy…

MICHELLE: No question about these two. *Cheer!*

ANNA: I’m impatient for Strobe Edge to wrap up, but I do enjoy it!

MJ: Seconded!

SEAN: Lastly, Tegami Bachi has also reached 16 volumes, and as ever I have next to nothing to say about it.

That’s a lot of manga. What will you get this week, and what will you put off?

Bringing the Drama: Heirs

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Heirs is available for streaming on Dramafever.

Anna: I’ve just finished watching Heirs, and if someone had told me months ago that I would be forcing myself to watch a show with Lee Min Ho and Park Shin Hye, I would have been absolutely flabbergasted. But Heirs has managed to produce a show that squanders a good cast due to the lack of an interesting plot. I can’t believe I watched the whole thing! Really, the only thing keeping me going was knowing that I’d have the chance to discuss it with you. So I’m hoping for a chance to process my feelings of resentment for losing 20 hours of my life watching this show.

Heirs. This Picture is Much Better than the Actual Show.

Heirs. This Picture is Much Better than the Actual Show.

Nancy: Ha! Though I think it is important we discuss this K-drama because it got high ratings and won drama awards for popularity in Korea. So basically Heirs is about a poor high school girl Eun Sang, who meets Kim Tan, a rich, unhappy boy. Her mother works for his family, and she ends up going to his posh school where the have-nots are bullied. It’s said the writer wanted it to be like a Korean Gossip Girl, and there are many similarities. But where Gossip Girl suffered from too many plot turnovers so that the characters couldn’t fully develop, here THERE IS NO PLOT. The characters interact with each other, but nothing really happens. They are all gorgeous. They are all unhappy. And…? And…?

Woo Bin Eats Noodles!

Woo Bin Eats Noodles!

Anna: I think also it is somewhat similar to Boys Over Flowers, but Kim Woo Bin had the Tsukasa Domyouji part instead of Lee Min Ho. This is actually something that might have been interesting if it had been more fully explored, but nothing much happened. As I was thinking back over this show I thought that it would be great for people who want to see Lee Min Ho cry a lot, but I am unfortunately not one of those people.

In California for some reason. Also inexplicably wet.

In California for some reason. Also inexplicably wet.

Nancy: But Eun Sang has no spirit or courage like Tsukushi does in Boys Over Flowers, so the formula does not work. I remember thinking, “It’s good Park Shin Hye can cry at the drop of a hat, because nothing else is going on….” Let’s talk about the shining light in this drama–the reason I kept watching (besides morbid curiosity): Kim Woo Bin! Woo Bin as Choi Young Do stole the show. Heck, he WAS the show. The climax in this drama did not involve the heroine. It was Young Do running to find Kim Tan. Young Do was the only character who showed growth in this drama. He was a compelling baddie. I enjoyed his scenes with Eun Sang far more than Kim Tan’s. Though sometimes it was painful to see how much the script tried to pull from Woo Bin’s role in School 2013 and fail. Unexpectedly, I also enjoyed Lee Bo Na [played by Krystal of f(x)]. Her scene running from Yoon Chan Young in the hallway was delightful. But she talked so fast that keeping up with the subtitles was a challenge. And what did you think of the scenes shot in California?

Woo Bin being annoying and awesome!

Woo Bin being annoying and awesome!

Anna: I agree that there was far too much crying in this show. Kim Woo Bin was great! At first I found Choi Young Do really annoying, but as the drama progressed it was clear that his character was the main one that had any character development written into the plot of the show. Young Do was also so much more dynamic in personality than the large supporting cast. I also enjoyed the supporting romance between Lee Bo Na and Yoon Chan Young. I looked forward to their scenes, just because the more lighthearted nature of their issues was a huge relief compared to the heavy handedness of most of the other scenes.

I thought that the California scenes relied far too much on the scenery and setting, which was a problem since they came at the start of the show and nothing was really happening to make me invested in the story. The American actors were uniformly terrible, but I was expecting that.

Nancy: Someone told me on Twitter that the “Californian” actors had been hired in Korea and sent over, which makes perfect sense as they all had dodgy accents and looked like they had just stepped out of a rather seedy underwear catalog. Not only that, but nearly all the “Californian” roles were offensive–don’t even get me started on the wife beater wearing a wife beater! I was embarrassed for the writer for the puerile racism in those episodes. But I did enjoy the scenery and had a giggle at the number of locations they spliced together.

Sharing a tender moment!

Sharing a tender moment!

Anna: That rumor about the casting makes a lot of sense. Honestly, my expectations for the California setting were really low, and there wasn’t anything on those few episodes that was very good. I was holding out hope that the show would get better when the characters went back to Korea, and while more Woo Bin was good, if I hadn’t been planning on discussing the show with you, I would have given up midway through the season.

With the topic of wife beaters, I found myself mentally constructing a narrative about the costuming choices for the show. I wondered at times if the costume designer was deliberately trying to punk the audience, or if there was some other explanation for the terrible things that Lee Kin Ho had to wear. The sweaters were really something else.

Hello. Here is a sweater.

Hello. Here is a sweater.

Nancy: I tend to focus on knitwear when a K-drama gets boring, so it was good this was a fall/winter show! Min Ho in the pale pink angora cardigan to show his “soft heart”–BA HA HA HA! But Woo Bin’s sweaters were always dishy. They really should have a K-drama award for knitwear.

Lee Min Ho can wear almost anything, but I think even he cannot pull off pink angora.

Lee Min Ho can wear almost anything, but I think even he cannot pull off pink angora.

I feel that we must mention Heirs was the most-watched drama on DramaFever in 2013. It won out over Master’s Sun, Two Weeks, and School 2013: all of which had great stories. Heirs is pretty with pretty actors, and of course there is Woo Bin. But if you require that something actually happens in your K-drama, this show is not for you.

Anna: Woo Bin was great, and I would honestly like to see Lee Min Ho and Park Shin Hye together in a show again with much better writing.

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And one can hope that Lee Min Ho will make a triumphant return to hurting people with spoons once again!

Watch at Dramafever!

Bookshelf Briefs 2/24/14

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This week, Michelle, Sean, & Anna look at recent releases from Viz Media and Yen Press.

devil13A Devil and Her Love Song, Vol. 13 | By Miyoshi Tomori | Viz Media – Recently, A Devil and Her Love Song has been pretty melodramatic, but I’m pleased to report that the thirteenth and final volume is the best in some time. The best parts, though, have nothing to do with main couple Maria and Shin. Instead, I really liked how much focus the group of friends received as a whole, particularly Ayu, with her unrequited feelings for Yusuke, and Yusuke with his unrequited feelings for Maria. Their plight is much more genuinely interesting than that of Maria and Shin, and the ending is actually kind of awesomely bittersweet, if I am interpreting Yusuke’s narration in the right way. Unfortunately, the series struggled a little getting to this point, and I’m not sure if I’m down for rereading it, but at least it comes to a very satisfatory conclusion. – Michelle Smith

saika3Durarara!!: Saika Arc, Vol. 3 | By Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi | Yen Press – In the first Durarara!! arc, we saw how seemingly meek and mild-mannered Mikado was far more than he seemed. In this arc, we discover the same thing about quiet and reserved Anri, who is quiet and reserved for a very good reason. The series has several ‘monsters’ in it – Celty, Shizuo and his strength, and now, as we discover, Anri. Yet it also takes pains to show us how human and relatable they all are, and in fact the one inhuman monster left, Izaya, seemingly has no superpowers at all (is jerkass a superpower?). It’s a fun series with lots of fights and smug characters being smug. I expect the Yellow scarves arc, coming this fall, will focus on Masaomi, given what we’ve seen so far. I hear it’s much darker than the Saika Arc. – Sean Gaffney

librarywars11Library Wars: Love and War, Vol 11 | By Kiiro Yumi | Viz Media – I feel like it has been quite some time since I’ve been able to enjoy a new volume of Library Wars. This volume takes a turn towards the grim and solemn side, as a confrontation defending freedom of expression at a museum turns deadly, giving Iku her first traumatic combat experience, and severely wounding superior officer Genda. Dojo helps Iku get through the aftermath as best he can, but the political pressures on the Library Corps prompt Commander Inamine to announce his resignation, leading to even more emotional turmoil in the ranks. Library Wars tends to shift in tone a bit, and this volume didn’t have much of the light-hearted scenes to break up the action and angst. I did find this volume very gripping and I’m looking forward to what happens next, hopefully with a bit of relaxation time for my favorite front line combat librarians. – Anna N

magi4Magi, Vol. 4 | By Shinobu Ohtaka | Viz Media – The first half of this volume is devoted to showing off the pure awesome that is Morgiana, and I for one could not be happier. Aladdin may have destiny, and Alibaba may have street smarts, but Morgiana has PURE POWER, and she learns here how to use it to help and save others. Meanwhile, in case the cover didn’t clue you in, we get a new hero introduced in the 2nd half. Given that his name is Sinbad, I expect that he will be playing a large role here. As for Alibaba, well, we’re not really sure what to make of him, as he seems to have joined the side of the villains this time around. Luckily, his friends are there to beat some sense into him (literally at times), and I expect that the nxt volume will give us a nice, tragic backstory to explain everything. This is still a terrific shone action series. – Sean Gaffney

strobeedge9Strobe Edge, vol 9 | By Io Sakisaka | Viz Media – I could feel myself getting a little bit impatient with this series during the last volume, and I am still looking forward to the conclusion, just because I generally don’t enjoy romance scenarios where the inevetible main couple is kept apart because they refuse to actually talk to each other about their emotions. This does continue a bit in this volume, but I’m also really enjoying Sakisaka’s art while I’m waiting for Ninako and Ren to hurry up and finally get together. Here Ninako’s holding back from confessing her feelings again for Ren due to her not wanting to hurt Ando, while Ren finally seems to be ready to force the issue. The next volume is the last, which seems about right for this series. Even though the plot elements are a bit predictable, Sakisaka’s execution of standard shoujo manga tropes is excellent, and I hope that more series from her get translated. – Anna N

voiceover3Voice Over! Seiyu Academy, Vol. 3 | By Maki Minami | Viz Media – Most of this volume is devoted to the fact that Hime can’t do her ‘prince voice’ on command, and trying to make it come naturally to her. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done – to date, she’s only done it when the situation really needed it, which isn’t something that an actor can count on all the time. Luckily, she has her manager and friends to help her, even if it may also involve falling for her. (She’s contrasted with another actress who didn’t have the willpower to succeed Hime possesses.) We also get a closer look at Senri, and open one one of the classic genderbender plot t2wists – Hime is disguised as a boy and Senri can’t spot the difference. I expect this to lead to a lot of wacky and tragic misunderstandings. Not as eventful as the 2nd volume, but still fun. – Sean Gaffney

Pick of the Week: Insufficient Direction

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directionMJ: It’s a slowish week for new manga releases, but there is at least one release I’m greatly looking forward to. To be more specific, I’m talking about Insufficient Direction, Moyoco Anno’s comic about her relationship with husband (and famous anime director) Hideaki Anno, out this week from Vertical. I was surprised by a few bits of Moyoco Anno’s personality when I interviewed her a couple of years ago at NYCC, and I expect to be surprised further by this (presumably humorous) look into her personal life. This is a must-buy for me this week!

ASH: Insufficient Direction is a must for me this week as well! I love Moyoco Anno’s manga (so much so that I hosted the Moyoco Anno Manga Moveable Feast last year) and am thrilled that we’re seeing more of her work released in English.

MICHELLE: I have a feeling this one might be unanimous! Insufficient Direction for me as well!

ANNA: I’m going to pick this too!

SEAN: Yup, it’s unanimous. Insufficient Direction for me as well.

What looks good to you this week?

Manga the Week of 2/26

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SEAN: This is a very small end of the month, which is good, as it gives me time to pick out two titles I forgot to mention last week, and one digital only title that made its big debut this Tuesday.

Dark Horse has Blood Blockade Battlefront 5 and Blood-C 3 coming out this week, so they should have been on last week’s list. Honestly, I find both titles so uninspiring that I often forget they exist, which may explain why I didn’t include them. But here they are.

Fairy Tail ended its last volume in a really nasty place, and I’m pretty sure that all the reader is thinking right now is REVENGE. We’ll see if they get it. Also, would Lucy lose quite so many fights if she were a male protagonist? (A reminder that she, and not Natsu, is the protagonist.)

I’m finding that reading The Wallflower is much like reading Ranma 1/2. The moment you take it seriously or hope it is heading into a final arc, you get extremely ANGRY with it. Best just to let Vol. 32 roll off of you and be amusing.

MICHELLE: Man, is that series still going?!

ASH: It is! Though it’s been a while since I’ve read any of it.

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SEAN: The big release this week is Vertical’s manga autobiography of Moyoco Anno – or rather, of her relationship with Uber-Otaku and Evangelion overlord Hideaki Anno. Insufficient Direction simply looks like a giant pile of fun, and I have very high hopes for it.

MICHELLE: Oooooh.

ASH: I’m always happy to see more Moyoco Anno manga in English, so I’m very excited for this release.

ANNA: I am also very excited!

MJ: As am I!

SEAN: Lastly, Viz is finally releasing the first collected volume of One-Punch Man digitally. The rumor is that a print release may follow, but I’m not holding my breath. But that shouldn’t matter – you should buy this, as it’s an awesome title that mocks superheroes and shonen cliches in the best way.

MICHELLE: After having read Bakuman, I can’t help but envision this concept being pitched at the Shueisa serialization meeting! It’s good to hear it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

ASH: I’ll hold my breath as long as it takes to get a physical release! (In the meantime, I’ll be reading it digitally.)

ANNA: I’m looking forward to reading this too, it sounds great.

MJ: I’ve been keeping up with Derek’s weekly recaps, so my expectations are a bit tempered, but perhaps I’ll be pleasantly surprised!

SEAN: Any manga plans this week?

Dawn of the Arcana Vols 11 and 12

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Dawn of the Arcana Vol 11 by Rei Toma

Dawn of the Arcana is a series that I think is best experienced in mini bursts of 2 or 3 volumes, simply due to the deliberate pace of the storytelling in the manga, as well as the fact that it sometimes takes a half volume or so for my brain to kick in with my memories about what happened in the previous volume due to all the relationships developing and the shifting nature of the geopolitical situations happening in Toma’s world. Usually I’m far too impatient to let the volumes pile up like this though!

After 10 volumes, the new status quo for red haired socially outcast with alarming powers of precognition Princess Nakaba and formerly arrogant but really a nice guy who has a social conscience inspired by the power of love Prince Caesar is to be separated. Nakaba has returned to Senan, determined to do some ruling in her own right, and Caesar is back in his home country of Belquat, dealing with his evil family. This volume shows the emotional impact of Nakaba’s power, the Arcana of Time, as she is determined to save the outcast child of a village that is in the direct path of an avalanche. This becomes a story that further explores the position of the humanoid animal hybrid race called ajin, as Lala the child with bunny ears is actually the product of a human/ajin encounter, leading to her abandonment. Lala has one human friend, and Nakaba’s ever present ajin protector Loki is there to save the day as always.

Loki always seems to have a new revelation every few volumes, either about his emotions or background, and a secret is revealed in this volume that shows that he and Nakaba have even more in common than I previously thought. While there’s the more conventional romantic storyline with Caesar and Nakaba, I actually find Nakaba’s relationship with Loki much more interesting, as they trade off protector duties in unexpected ways. Nakaba decides to take power in her home country, and her choices are largely driven by wanting to prevent Loki from going too far for her.

Dawn of the Arcana Vol 12 by Rei Toma

Everything keeps zipping along, as now that Nakaba and Caesar are in power in their respective countries, they have a chance to finally see each other again, when Caesar is ordered to invade Senan. Nakaba’s been looking in on Caesar and remarks that he’s going to start a revolution, so she’s “Here to lend a hand.” Nakaba’s power also provides Toma with a great way of providing more backstory about her characters. Nakaba looks back at Caesar’s father when he was young, even though Loki warns her that it might be difficult for her to see because she’s “too kind”. Nakaba sees King Guran’s first meeting with his unconventional first queen, the commoner Sara. The unhappy ending of this romance provides a reason for why King Guran might have ended up so twisted and bitter, but it doesn’t prevent a confrontation that is sure to cause even more fallout to happen in the volumes ahead.

One of the things that I really like about the art in this series is that it is so clear and easy to read. Toma might not have the most intricate backgrounds or innovative approach to paneling, but I’m never left puzzled about action scenes or finding that I have to go back and reread a page to make sure I understand the sequencing. The wordless exchanges between Nakaba and Caesar and the sidelong glances between Loki and Caesar do more to express the tensions between the characters than several pages of dialog. Overall, these were two very solid volumes in a fantasy series that is always surprising me with unexpected depths. I’m looking forward to the next few volumes to see what will become of Nakaba, Caesar, and Loki (well, really mostly Loki).

Pick of the Week: Gangsta, Blood Lad

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potw-2-17ASH: It’s another good week for manga releases (granted, I think just about every week is a good week), but there are two manga that I’m particularly interested in this time around–the fifth volume in Hinoki Kino’s manga adaptation of No. 6 and the first volume of Kohske’s Gangsta. No. 6 keeps getting better with each volume so I’m looking forward to reading the next installment, but I think my official pick of the week will have to go to Gangsta‘s debut.

MICHELLE: This is ordinarily the spot where I’d be all “Pandora Hearts!,” and I am still looking forward to volume twenty, but since I haven’t had a chance to mention it in a while, this week I’m going with Blood Lad, my official “Surprise Favorite of 2013.” Some elements of the series aren’t really my thing, but its sense of humor is, and I’m glad we’re finally getting a bit more of it!

SEAN: I’ll be brief: Gangsta for me as well!

ANNA: I’m going to have to go for Gangsta too. It certainly looks like the most intriguing manga coming out this week.

MJ: I’m certainly interested in Gangsta, but I’m going to stand in solidarity with Michelle here, and proclaim my love for Blood Lad! I feel a little guilty about forsaking my beloved Pandora Hearts, but Blood Lad was such a stunning surprise for me, I can’t help but rejoice that we’re finally seeing the next chunky volume! I really can’t wait to read it.

What looks good to you this week?

Pick of the Week: Manga Wonderland

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potw-2-10MJ: There’s a lot to choose from this week, and I will certainly be checking out new volumes of Blue Morning, Knights of Sidonia, and more. But I’ll give my pick this week to Viz’s latest license rescue, Deadman Wonderland. Originally published (but not completed) by Tokyopop, this series missed me the first time around, so I’m grateful for an opportunity to hop on. I’ve been disappointed in some other recent entries into the “survival game” genre (if it is, indeed, a genre), so I’m anxious to try one that has elicited positive comments from my co-bloggers. That’s at least a very hopeful sign. Count me in!

MICHELLE: I feel like I have touted both Blue Morning and Knights of Sidonia several times each already, but they’re still my tandem picks of the week. (Even though I am glad Deadman Wonderland is back.) In terms of artwork and scope, Sidonia gets the edge, but I do still look forward to each new volume of Blue Morning quite a bit.

ASH: As for me, as much as I’m enjoying Knights of Sidonia, this week I think I’ll actually be going with the second volume of Crimson Spell. I’m still incredibly happy that SuBLime rescued this smutty and surprisingly humorous fantasy series. And after this volume, we’ll start seeing material that hasn’t previously been released in English.

SEAN: Sean Gaffney, Patron Saint of Lost Causes, would like to take this time to remind you all how funny Hayate the Combat Butler can be, and also how exciting and action packed it can get when it’s in the middle of a rare serious arc, such as the one here. Also, a harem where people are actually not sure who will win. I’ll pick it this week.

ANNA: I’ll have to go with Knights of Sidonia. I love that we are getting outer space giant mecha fighting alien manga. I love it every month it comes out!

What looks good to you this week?

Manga the Week of 2/12

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SEAN: Assuming that you are able to get out of your house and are not snowed in, there’s a lot to like in this 2nd week of February.

Does anyone here remember Hey! Class President from DMP? Vol. 3 came out back in September 2010. Well, here’s Vol. 4, despite the fact that he surely should have graduated by now.

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Do you like tournament arcs? Do you wish that they came out in giant omnibuses so that you could get EVEN MORE TOURNAMENT ARC per volume? Then you will love the 3rd Battle Angel Alita: Last Order omnibus from Kodansha.

ASH: Ancient Martian martial arts and space karate! What’s not to love?

SEAN: Do you like tournament arcs? Do you wish that they came out in giant omnibuses so that you could get EVEN MORE TOURNAMENT ARC per volume? Then you will love the 9th Negima omnibus from Kodansha.

MICHELLE: *snerk* Somehow, this has left me wondering when/whether The Prince of Tennis will get the omnibus treatment.

MJ: This whole conversation just made me smile. Though I mostly don’t like tournament arcs. Unless they are about Go. Apparently.

SEAN: Sankarea looks like it may be taking that big step towards full-blown horror, but will it find the time to be silly and have harem antics? Find out with Volume 5.

Blue Morning 4 is filled with tortured embraces and flowers blooming from nowhere.

MICHELLE: It’s so good!

MJ: I’m looking forward to this!

SEAN: Meanwhile, in Crimson Spell 2, our heroes would prefer to merely glare at the reader. Both of these from SubLime.

ASH: I’m still incredibly happy about this license rescue.

SEAN: Knights of Sidonia looks like it may be taking that big step towards full-blown horror, but will it find the time to be silly and have harem antics? Find out with Volume 7.

MICHELLE: Also so good.

ASH: Yes, it is!

MJ: More Sidonia, more!

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SEAN: Deadman Wonderland manages to combine the survival game genre with a prison drama, as a young man who is the sole survivor of a brutal massacre is convicted of being the cause and sent to Japan’s Next Top Prison.

MICHELLE: I liked the first volume of this, back when it was a TOKYOPOP title. I’m looking forward to being able to revisit it and hopefully get more of the story.

ASH: I enjoyed what TOKYOPOP released, too, though I preferred the earlier volumes over the latter ones.

ANNA: I also enjoyed the first few volumes of this, and it makes sense that it is going to be reissued, what with the anime tie-in. I really really wish someone would license rescue old Tokyopop titles like Demon Sacred and Sky Blue Shore though.

MICHELLE: Oh, me too x 1000.

MJ: I’m grateful for this one because I missed it the first time around. Count me in on Demon Sacred, though!

SEAN: Hayate the Combat Butler 23 finally begins to get dramatic (no, seriously, it does), but will it be able to actually resolve the Athena plot? Or will we wait another 6 months with a nasty cliffhanger?

The last VIZBIG InuYasha is looking like it may be the last VIZBIG edition period, but it was a nice way to get a very long series.

MICHELLE: I have still not finished InuYasha. One of these days.

SEAN: Our heroes are separated as of the end of the 3rd Magi volume. Can we get them back together in this 4th book? Let’s hope so, I love shonen teamups.

MICHELLE: I’ve been really impressed by Magi so far. Hooray for more.

SEAN: Lastly, the 4th volume of Tiger & Bunny continues to attract a very devoted audience.

MICHELLE: That’s very diplomatic.

SEAN: What’s your poison this week?