Manga Bookshelf

Discussion, Resources, Roundtables, & Reviews

Michelle Smith

Manga the Week of 4/22/26

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SEAN: Spring continues to try to become early Summer. In April. Sigh.

ASH: Spring is going to spring.

SEAN: Viz Media debuts Bug Ego, the latest title written by ONE, the author of One-Punch Man, and it runs in Weekly Young Jump. A popular kid tries to help a loner kid get better at socializing. The loner kid… can turn back time? And break reality?

ASH: I am curious about this one, mainly due to ONE’s involvement.

ANNA: OK, might be interesting.

SEAN: Also from Viz: The Climber 5, Kingdom 6, Mission: Yozakura Family 22, Rainbows After Storms 9, Record of Ragnarök 18, Red River 3-in-1 7, Show-ha Shoten! 10, and Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead 19.

ASH: I really need to start reading The Climber.

ANNA: I think I have the first volume stashed around my house somewhere.

SEAN: Tokyopop debuts Waiting for You at the End of the Runway (Crush on Teen Edge), a BL oneshot that ran in from RED. An actor retires, and now finds himself trying to manage his former childhood friend… and former lover.

Also from Tokyopop: the 2nd manga volume of Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko! and the 3rd light novel volume of Her Royal Highness Seems to Be Angry.

Titan Manga debuts Unemployed Killers Support Group, a Taiwanese manga about a former assassin who joins… well, please see the title.

MICHELLE: Huh. I looked this up and the blurb says, ” For fans of Reservoir Dogs-style dark comedy and chaotic criminal camaraderie,” which is kind of appealing!

ASH: I’d give it a chance.

ANNA: Ooh, this sounds fun.

SEAN: Titan Manga also gives us Cosmic Censorship 3 and The Elegant Courtly Life of the Tea Witch 3.

Square Enix has the 15th and final volume of My Dress-Up Darling, Tokyo Aliens 10, and Wash It All Away 7.

ASH: I’ve definitely fallen behind, but I’ve really enjoyed what I have read of My Dress-Up Darling.

SEAN: Seven Seas has no danmei debuts, but we do get Ballad of Sword and Wine: Qiang Jin Jiu 7 and Copper Coins: Tong Qian Kan Shi 3 (the final volume).

Seven Seas does have manga debuts. Everything for Demon King Evelogia (Maou Evelogia ni Mi wo Sasage yo) is another title from BL Screamo, a magazine name I am still sniggering at. (I imagine the title as declaimed by Count Floyd.) A man dies and is reincarnated in a game, where he can be with the Demon King, his favorite character! OK, so he’s a young boy, but life isn’t perfect.

MICHELLE: “Ooh, scaaary!”

SEAN: KILLING ME / KILLING YOU (ah haaaaaaaaa) (sorry) is from Dragon Age Extra. A meteorite caused the apocalypse. Most turned into monsters, a few turned immortal. This follows two immortals trying to die.

MICHELLE: I had the literal same reaction to that title.

ASH: Haha, great minds! Also, immortals, you say?

SEAN: My Darling Devilish Daughter (Boku no Manamusume) is a seinen title from Big Comic Spirits. It’s by the creator of Himouto! Umaru-chan. A human man tries to raise his half-demon daughter, and needs to keep her happy… or else her demon mom will kill him.

ASH: It can be tough being a dad, sometimes.

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: The Ancient Magus’ Bride: Wizard’s Blue 10 (the final volume), The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time and Aims to Become the Ultimate Villain 6, Glasses with a Chance of Delinquent 6, and It’s Just a Dream… Right?! 2.

Nakama Press has a 7th volume of Infini-T Force.

Mahjong Pros has the debut of a title I never thought would be released here. Reform with No Wasted Draws: The Legend of Koizumi (Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku) is a mahjong manga from Kindai Mahjong, and reimagines world diplomacy as if everyone is a mahjong player. Features a cast that will seem very… familiar to anyone who follows world politics.

MICHELLE: Interesting.

ASH: I have been wanting to read this series ever since I learned it existed. I was explicitly told it could never happen. I am absolutely delighted.

ANNA: Oh wow!

SEAN: Kodansha has redone their webpage, how delightful. It’s not in alphabetical order anymore, FANTASTIC. OK, never mind, I can do this. The print debut… sort of… is Chi’s Sweet France, a spinoff of the adorable cat manga. You’ll never guess where Chi is. This is complete in one volume, and ran in Comic Days.

ASH: I adore Chi, wherever she may be.

SEAN: Also from Kodansha Manga in print: As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I’ll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World 14, Blue Lock 29, The Blue Wolves of Mibu 9, The Dashing Zaddy and His Icy Protégé 5, Drifting Dragons 17, Gachiakuta 10, Hitting Rewind with You 2, Shoot Juliet Down 2, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Trinity in Tempest 10, and Wave, Listen to Me! 11.

MICHELLE: Ooh, a new Wave, Listen to Me!.

ASH: Definitely something to look forward to!

SEAN: In digital we get A Couple of Cuckoos 28, Hozuki’s Coolheadedness 30, Sayabito: Swords of Destiny 8 (the final volume), and Yamaguchi-kun Isn’t So Bad 12.

One J-Novel Club debut, and it’s a manga. The Accursed Chef and His Pair of Furry Foodies (Noroware Ryourinin wa Meikyuu de Mofumimi Shoujo-tachi wo Sodatemasu) is based on the LN also licensed by JNC. Guy who dies saving a child gets reincarnated with cool powers – in this case, he can cook monsters. Sadly, his new life is awful. On the bright side, he seems to like beast people like most other isekai’d folks do.

ASH: I may have mentioned it before, but I really didn’t expect cooking monsters to become its own sub-genre.

ANNA: The world can be surprising!

SEAN: Digital light novels from JNC next week: The Banished Former Hero Lives As He Pleases 7, Chivalry of a Failed Knight 9, Dimension Wave 7, Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash 22, Imperial Reincarnation 5, Lady Bumpkin and Her Lord Villain 7, and Reborn to Master the Blade 13.

And for manga we have My Fiancé Cheated, But a New Love Rings! 4 and A Wild Last Boss Appeared! 10.

No debuts for Ize Press, but we do get Finding Camellia 7, I Tamed My Ex-husband’s Mad Dog 6, Lover Boy 5 (the final volume?), Men of the Harem 6, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint 10, The Perks of Being an S-Class Heroine 7, Tomb Raider King 14, and The World After the Fall 13.

HarperAlley gives us Plus-Sized Misadventures in Love! 3.

ASH: I had somehow already forgotten about HarperAlley!

SEAN: Dark Horse Manga has a 3rd volume of Cat + Crazy.

No print volumes for Airship, but we do see early digital of Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord 7 and Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentōshō 13.

And ABLAZE has the 2nd and final volume of HAPPYLAND.

Assuming you have not lost everything in a mahjong game, what manga are you buying?

Bookshelf Briefs 4/13/26

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Ayaka Is in Love with Hiroko, Vol. 1 | By Sal Jiang | Love Love – Ayaka is a beautiful newbie at an office, who is in love with her cool and attractive boss. For Ayaka, this doesn’t have much to do with gender at first—she simply has this massive crush on Hiroko, and it’s only at the end of the volume that she realizes that this actually extends to women in general. For Hiroko it’s a lot more complicated—she’s convinced Ayaka is straight, and what’s more, she does not want the office knowing she’s gay—though she does spend a lot of her time complaining about this at the local lesbian bar. For the first half this reads like a typically frustrating “why don’t they just GET IT?” sort of romcom, but the addition of a third person in the mix, as well as Ayaka’s growing awareness, make me want to read more. – Sean Gaffney

Colette Decides to Die, Vol. 6 | By Alto Yukimura | Viz Media – At its heart, this series is about the romance between Colette and Hades, and that’s true here as well, but I do appreciate that it takes the time to expand its worldview and focus on other things—especially Colette’s job. We get to see an apothecary who is suffering from overwork because his town has a very rigid “who can take over the position” system. We also get to see Colette’s parents in the afterlife, which is impressive given that, like all the souls that pass to the afterlife, they are basically “street sign” designs, i.e. black bodies and blank heads, like you see on no crossing signs. And yet we’ve left with no doubt that those are her parents. I need to hype this series up every time I review it. GO GET IT. – Sean Gaffney

The Ghostly Darkness of Kanata, Vol. 1 | By Nokuto Koike | Titan Comics – A young woman named Kanata has lost her ability to feel fear. Now, she seeks out encounters with ghosts, looking for something that scares her so badly that she returns to her past self. The overall creepy vibe of this volume is excellent, but the execution so far is a bit disjointed, with various characters and spooky happenings introduced that do eventually intersect with Kanata, but some more impactfully than others. The meeting with a fellow paranormal investigator seems like it will continue to be significant in the next volume, but what about the YouTuber? Is that plotline just… over? It’s also sometimes hard to tell what’s happening, visually. I’m intrigued enough to keep going, but I hope a cohesive story coalesces soon, because sheer atmosphere can only take you so far. – Michelle Smith

Ichi the Witch, Vol. 1 | By Osamu Nishi and Shiro Usazaki | Viz Media – The most recent breakout hit from Shonen Jump, I was wary of this at first because “only women can become witches, but we are Shonen Jump, so now a guy is a witch” made me raise an eyebrow. But it’s handled so well, and all the characters are delightful. Plus the amazing art is from the artist behind act-age, and I’m so happy to see her recovering from that minefield and getting a real success. Ichi is very much a Jump guy, and I like him, but I’m really here for Desscaras, the arrogant, eccentric witch who ends up having to take him under her wing, and is simply a delightful bitch, in the best way. I do think that I might enjoy this better in volume form, so I eagerly look forward to the second book. – Sean Gaffney

Marrying the Dark Knight (for Her Money), Vol. 1 | By Suoh and Sometime | Kodansha – As you’d expect, a lot of the reason to read this yuri title is it’s funny. Clarice is trying to save her ailing sister and decides to marry the terrifying armored Dark Knight, who in fact is a woman concealing her identity. Initially deciding to simply kill Clarice, as it turns out Frost is easily susceptible to good food, good chess playing, and not being treated like a terrifying monster. Which is good, as her staff has all resigned bar a few maids, so Clarice needs to make life better around here fast or she’s never going to get that money. Clarice is the main reason to read this, as she’s fun and the money-grubbing is clearly for a good cause. She’s also clearly attracted to her “husband,” so I hope that develops soon as well. – Sean Gaffney

My Dress-Up Darling, Vol. 15 | By Shinichi Fukuda| Square Enix Manga – (This is based on a review copy from the publisher.) The big climax of the series turns out to have been in the previous volume, and this one is mostly just wrapping things up. It turns out that Gojo and Marin’s friends ARE surprised—they thought they’d already been dating for a long time. The surprise is that they weren’t. We get an extended scene with Marin’s dad, who Gojo worries is going to be a big scary dad but is a pushover, really. We get cute out the wazoo. And we get a flashforward to the future, showing the couple with their kid. Sadly, the series does not give us the extended first time that the fans were craving but that’s what fanfic is for. An excellent manga, with a pretty good ending. – Sean Gaffney

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You, Vol. 17 | By Rikito Nakamura and Yukiko Nozawa | Ghost Ship – As always lately, there’s one new girlfriend here, Nekonari Tama, whom Rentaro discovers in an abandoned box, and who resolves to live her life as a cat. As you’d expect with this series, it’s both a very silly bit and also grounded in genuine character, as Tama has decided life as a socially awkward human is far too difficult. Elsewhere, we meet Karane’s family, which consists entirely of tsunderes, including the baby and the pet. Karane turns out to be worrying their child will end up like her, which leads to the realization that yes, these girls are all going to marry Rentaro (and each other) someday. This remains the best polycule comedy there is. – Sean Gaffney

Short Game: Mitsuru Adachi’s High School Baseball Collection | By Mitsuru Adachi | DENPA – I was excited to learn this collection was coming out, but now that I’ve read it, I’m underwhelmed. There are five stories of substance here, interspersed with unfunny gag strips, and they’re similar in that they don’t include much in the way of actual baseball. The absence is especially felt in the first story, “Relief,” in which a pitcher sidelined by injury since middle school gets his second chance, except that this occurs entirely off-camera! Some plot points recur, too, like a girl who’s in love with an unassuming guy or an error that cost a team their chance at Koshien. I liked best “Over the Fence,” about a team unknowingly giving their fathers another chance at baseball glory, and was irritated the most by “Team Reunion,” in which Adachi’s idea of humor is to never show the face of an overweight female character. Wow. Hilarious. – Michelle Smith

They Are Still Being Shaken This Morning, Vol. 1 | By Eiji Masuda | Seven Seas – I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did. The premise is terrific. A boy and a girl sit next to each other on the train, but are far too shy to interact. The manga is from the POV of the other riders, for whom this is their daily soap opera, and they’re desperately rooting for the couple to get together. It’s a great one-shot, and indeed the first chapter is great. But it continues. By the end of the book, when we’ve already had to cameo the cast of My Monster Secret (the author’s other series), I really wanted to see some progress, even though I know the whole point of a series like this is that there is no progress. It’s cute for those who love blushing teens, but don’t expect anything but the blushing. – Sean Gaffney

Pick of the Week: Yokai and Time Travel

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MICHELLE: I am absolutely unable to resist a josei series in which someone goes back in time to their high school years, so it’s Drawing From Your Memory for me!

ASH: Drawing From Your Memory definitely intrigues me, but I’m still going to have to make Shigeru Mizuki’s The Definitive Yokai Field Guide my official pick this week. According to the translator, Mizuki specifically requested that this be released in English “felt it was the culmination of his work both as a cartoonist and a folklorist.” I’m very excited for it.

SEAN: I am going to agree with Ash, though I will admit I am tempted by Apprentice Nail Artist in a Foreign Land, where it turns out that an isekai’d girl’s nail art abilities make her the most valuable person ever in fantasy world. Commit to the bit.

KATE: I second (third?) Shigeru Mizuki’s The Definitive Yokai Field Guide.

ANNA: Did you say josei??? Drawing From Your Memory is for me!!!

Manga the Week of 4/15/26

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SEAN: April continues. Is it going to be… THE CRUELEST MONTH?

ASH: It just might.

ANNA: I’m not going to argue with April.

SEAN: Airship has no print debuts, but they do have The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen 10, Survival in Another World with My Mistress! 9, and The Tale of a Little Alchemist Blessed by the Spirits 2.

They do have an early digital debut. Venus Mission: I Was an Assassin-for-Hire Who Died, Now I’m Hunting Heroes in Another World (Venus Mission: Moto Koroshiya de Youhei no Chuunen, Yuusha no Ansatsu wo Iraisare Isekai Tensei!) is about an assassin who can kill anything except the cancer that he has. When he dies, he wakes in another world… where he has to hunt down heroes!

ASH: He should know what he’s doing, at least?

SEAN: Also early digital: A Tale of the Secret Saint 10.

Drawn and Quarterly have The Definitive Yokai Field Guide, Shigeru Mizuki’s own guide to Japanese yokai folklore.

MICHELLE: I feel like this has Ash written all over it.

ASH: It absolutely does! I’m very excited for this release.

SEAN: Ghost Ship has a 7th volume of Inside the Tentacle Cave.

Hanashi Media debuts I Saved Myself with a Potion! (Potion, Wagami wo Tasukeru), which is not the same as the other potion isekai fantasy. An isekai’d girl tries to return to Japan, and all she can do is make potions.

Inklore has a 4th volume of Cherry Blossoms After Winter.

J-Novel Club has a few print titles out this week. For light novels, we have By the Grace of the Gods 16, Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill 5, My Quiet Blacksmith Life in Another World 5, and Tearmoon Empire 15.

And for manga there’s Ascendance of a Bookworm Arc 4 3, My Quiet Blacksmith Life in Another World 2, Isekai Tensei: Recruited to Another World 5, and Tearmoon Empire 8.

No digital debuts for J-Novel Club. The light novels are Ascendance of a Bookworm: Hannelore’s Fifth Year at the Royal Academy 2, Flung into a New World? Time to Lift the 200-Year Curse! 4, The Frontier Lord Begins with Zero Subjects 14, I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic 9, Isekai Tensei: Recruited to Another World 13, So Dearly Reckless 2, Zero Damage Sword Saint 3, and Zilbagias the Demon Prince 6.

And the manga are Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade 8, The Fearsome Witch Teaches in Another World 3, and My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S-Rank Adventurer 9.

Kodansha Manga debuts Drawing From Your Memory (Sekai de Ichiban Hayai Haru), a josei title from Kiss. A best-selling manga artist is worried. She plagiarized the ideas from her dead high school friend, and she can’t come up with any on her own! What to do? If your answer is “time travel to the past”, congrats.

MICHELLE: I am kind of a sucker for these stories. And josei, to boot…

ASH: Oh, yeah, I’m here for it, too.

ANNA: Yes! Sounds interesting!

SEAN: Also in print: In the Clear Moonlit Dusk 9, Medaka Kuroiwa Is Impervious to My Charms 15, Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN Deluxe 5, Mushishi Collector’s Edition 2, Orient 20, Parasyte Paperback Collection 5, Quality Assurance in Another World 12, Senpai is an Otokonoko: My Crossdressing Classmate 6, and To Your Eternity 24.

ASH: Mushishi is still one of my all-time favorites and, yes, I am buying it again.

SEAN: In digital, we get Giant Killing 54 and My Home Hero 24.

One Peace Books has the 10th manga volume of The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic.

Seven Seas has two debuts. Dear Sister, I’ve Become a Blessed Maiden (Zenryaku, Onii-chan wa Seijo ni Narimashita) is a BL series from the amazingly named magazine BL Screamo. A brother takes the place of his younger sister as a Blessed Maiden when they’re isekai’d, not realizing that the blessings are more intimate than expected.

ASH: Whoops. You really do have to watch out for those “other duties as assigned” in a job description.

ANNA: Words to live by for everyone.

SEAN: Koharu and Minato: Happy Life with My Girlfriend (Koharu to Minato: Watashi no Partner wa Onnanoko) is a Yuri Hime series about two women who met online and got together, based on the actual authors’ relationship.

ASH: D’awwwww.

ANNA: That does sound adorable.

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: 365 Days to the Wedding 11 (the final volume), Bastard 4, Diary of a Female Lead: Shujinkou Nikki 6, Hitomi-chan is Shy With Strangers 12 (the final volume), How Heavy are the Dumbbells You Lift? 20, IDOL x IDOL STORY! 5, Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear 13, Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari 14, Sacrifice of My Manly Soul 3, True Love Fades Away When the Contract Ends 3, and Wolf’s Daughter: A Werewolf’s Tale 3.

Two debuts for Square Enix. Betrothed to a Fox Demon (Kyougane-ke no Hanayome) is a Gangan Joker series about a passionate and stern exorcist who one day gets himself a bride… with secrets. Now he has to protect her.

ASH: I am intrigued.

ANNA: Me too!

SEAN: The Prince’s Keeper (Ouji-sama no Kainushigatari: Norowareta Denka ga Mofumofu Body de Sasottekimasu) is a Manga UP! series based on an as-yet unlicensed LN about an apprentice witch who is invited to a royal tea party one day… and finds the prince is a cat?!

ASH: That was unexpected!

ANNA: Aren’t all cats royalty, really?

SEAN: They also have A Man and His Cat 15 and My Isekai Life 24.

Steamship have Don’t Hold Back, Lord Hades 3 and Virgin Marriage: A Maiden Voyage into Passion’s Embrace 4.

SuBLime debuts May I Have a Taste? (Yabun ni Kyuuketsu Shitsureishimasu), a Web Comic Zenyon about a new vampire who’s scrupulous and honest, and his human co-worker, who… isn’t.

MICHELLE: Hm. I kinda like the dynamic, there.

ANNA: Yeah, sounds a little different.

SEAN: They also have Black or White 12 and His Favorite 14 (first new volume in 2 1/2 years).

ASH: Oh! I didn’t realize that was still ongoing! I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read, but it’s obviously been a while.

SEAN: Titan Manga has a 5th volume of Working for God in a Godless World.

Tokyopop debuts Apprentice Nail Artist in a Foreign Land (Ikyou no Tsume Nuri Minarai), about a nail artist who gets isekai’d to a fantasy world where magic power depends on nail art. This runs in Comic PASH!.

I Want to See Me in Your Eyes (Furimuite Tsukamaete) is a BL oneshot that ran in from RED. A young man is crushing on someone else, but their younger brother is crushing on him!

A Nightingale Awaits the Blooming Love of Spring (Harukakete, Uguisu) is a BL oneshot that ran in Nuude. After becoming the school’s top delinquent, a young man is asked to take on the legendary former top dog… who is now their teacher?

ASH: I do have a soft spot for delinquents in manga.

ANNA: Me too!

SEAN: They also have an omnibus release of the first three volumes of A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation.

Viz Media debuts The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Seen (Tonari no Seki no Yatsu ga Souiu Me de Mitekuru), a romantic comedy from Sunday Web Every. Two horny teens who like each other try to one-up the other in terms of showing skin!

ASH: That can only really go so far.

SEAN: Also from Viz: Animal Crossing: New Horizons 10, Case Closed 98, Destroy All Humans 7, Girl Crush 6, How Do We Relationship? 14 (the final volume), Kaiju No. 8: Relax 2, Spider-Man: Kizuna 3, Splatoon 3: Splatlands 6, and Yaiba: Samurai Legend 4.

Yen On has three (well, three and a half) debuts. The Azure Sword, Slayer of Distortions (Aoken no Yugami Tachi), a supernatural fantasy whose description exhausts me, frankly. Weapons that make you awesome yet cursed. Young girls controlled by fate. Is the destined future set in stone?

The Bubble Love of the Mermaid (Ningyo no Awakoi) is a new series from the creator of My Happy Marriage. A girl whose family treats her like a monster thanks to a birthmark on her wrist gets a marriage proposal. This… sounds familiar?

ASH: So many manga do these days.

ANNA: Yeah, I liked My Happy Marriage though so will probably check it out.

SEAN: Saint’s Fallen Antlers is the 3rd in the Sasaki Agency series.

And Shanti is an urban fantasy about a young man who lives happily with his beloved sister until TRAGEDY STRIKES, and he is then picked up by a disreputable guy. It’s not clear what the tragedy is, but I sense a dead sister.

ASH: What would ever make you think that?

SEAN: Also from Yen On: Agents of the Four Seasons 6, Almark 2, Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian 9, Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture EX (a short story collection), Bofuri 17, Classroom for Heroes 6, The Ephemeral Scenes of Setsuna’s Journey 6, A Misanthrope Teaches a Class for Demi-Humans 3, Reign of the Seven Spellblades 14, Witches Can’t Be Collared 2, The World’s Strongest Witch 2, and You Can Have My Back 4 (another short story collection).

ASH: Honestly, I was expecting that list to go on a bit longer.

SEAN: That’s it. Was anything cruel? Probably the dead sister.

Pick of the Week: Vamps, Drugs & Rock ‘n Roll

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SEAN: I have no idea what this title is really like, and its publisher, Alien Books, is also new to me (it seems to be another Penguin Random House imprint), but Kinryo Rock – Code Amrita looks and sounds cool, so I’ll make that my pick for this week.

MICHELLE: Yeah, it’s hard to beat a synopsis like “humans and vampires must team up with the power of rock and roll!” I’ll endorse this pick, too.

ANNA: Me too, I hope vampires and rock is a winning combination.

ASH: Likewise! I am more than willing to give a new series and a new publisher/imprint a try when a supernatural music manga is involved.

KATE: The plot summary at the Penguin site makes zero sense, but I, too, like the idea of human/vampire crossover, especially if there’s a killer guitar solo involved. Add me to the Kinryo Rock—Code Amrita fan club.

Manga the Week of 4/8/26

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SEAN: It’s April! The best month! Let’s see what manga treats we have post-Easter.

ASH: There must be some, right?

SEAN: Yen Press has a third volume of Super Ball Girls.

No debuts for Viz, but we get Astro Royale 5, Blue Exorcist 32, The Bugle Call: Song of War 6, Dandadan 18, Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai 6, Firefly Wedding 6, Gokurakugai 5, Ichi the Witch 2, Kill Blue 6, Marriage Toxin 12, Otaku Vampire’s Love Bite 7, and Phantom Busters 3.

ASH: I’m definitely behind with most of these series, but there’s good reading in that list.

SEAN: I have no idea what Honkai Impact 3rd: Second Eruption is, but it’s coming from Tokyopop, and I suspect it’s related to a mobile game.

Tokyopop also has The Tale of Luvelia Kingdom (Rubelia Okoku Monogatari: Itoko no Shirinugui wo Saserareru Hame ni Natta), a Comic Gardo manga based on an as yet unlicensed light novel. A broken engagement story, this one seems interesting in that everyone sides with her and she’s immediately married to the NEW Crown Prince… who is a stranger to her.

ASH: Not a stranger for long, I would assume.

SEAN: Also from Tokyopop: My New Wife’s Fake Smile 3, Reincarnated in a Mafia Dating Sim 4, and The Unwanted Bride Loves the Crown Prince With All Her Heart 3. Yes, it’s an all-het romance week from Tokyopop, a rarity in these modern times.

ASH: Ha! That’s true.

ANNA: What is the world coming to?

SEAN: Titan Manga has the second and final volume of Do Women Need Sex Entertainment? as well as Tengen Hero Wars 3.

Steamship gives us The Trapped Former Villainess Wants to Escape from the Sadistic Prince 4.

Square Enix Manga has Daemons of the Shadow Realm 10 and Love in the Palm of His Hand 3.

Seven Seas has, in non-Japanese stuff, The Villain’s White Halo (danmei) and KinnPorsche 6 (Korean, the final volume).

Their manga debut is Dungeon Elf: What’s a Dungeon without Treasure Chests? (Dungeon Elf: Dungeon ni Takarabako ga Aru no wa Atarimae desu ka), a seinen series from good! Afternoon. This elf is here to place treasure chests in weird places in dungeons. Why?

ASH: I’ve enjoyed other series from good! Afternoon, so I should probably give this one a try.

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: BOSS, BXTCH, BABY 2, Dance in the Vampire Bund: Age of Scarlet Order 17, Gene Bride 4 (the final volume), Himegasaki Sakurako Is a Hot Mess 4, How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord 24, I Won’t Let Mistress Suck My Blood 2, Life with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated into a Total Fantasy Knockout 9, My Bias is Showing?! 2, Plus-Sized Elf: Second Helping! 5, and Rozen Maiden Collector’s Edition 5.

Two debuts for Kodansha Manga. Honey Bee & Lemon Balm (Mitsubachi to Lemon Balm) is a BL series from Comic Pool. A lowlife who has no money or future is hired by a handsome young florist with a few secrets.

ASH: “Quirky and heartfelt.” I’m in.

ANNA: I’m curious!

SEAN: Love Out on a Limb (Bokura no Suki wa Warikirenai) is from Dessert, and features a girl coming back home after eight years when her parents remarry. But oh no, her brother is hot now! And so is her childhood friend! How can she avoid… INCEST? (The answer is obvious if you’re read any shoujo manga featuring “I have feelings for my supposed brother”.) (Or Citrus.)

MICHELLE: Oh, dear. Ordinarily, I’d give this a wide berth but I have liked Yoko Nogiri titles in the past.

ANNA: I feel like it has been awhile since we’ve had a crazy series like this.

SEAN: Also from Kodansha Manga: Blue Lock: Episode Nagi 7, FAIRY TAIL: 100 Years Quest 20, The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity 12, Issak Omnibus 6, Peach Boy Riverside 15, Shimazaki in the Land of Peace 8, and Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun 19.

Digitally, they have The Dashing Zaddy and His Icy Protégé 5, TenPuru -No One Can Live on Loneliness- 14, That Beauty is a Tramp 8 (the final volume), WIND BREAKER 23, and Ya Boy Kongming! 23.

Kana has Space Punch 5

Another quiet week for J-Novel Club. The only light novel they have is the 4th volume of Blade Skill Online.

They do have a manga debut, though. Starting on Hard Mode: God Levels, Got Problems (Level Count Stop kara Hajimaru, Kamisama-teki Isekai Life: Saikyou Status ni Tenseishita node Suki ni Ikimasu) is a DRE Comics manga based on the light novel coming soon from JNC. A guy is reincarnated and wants to live the slow life… but he’s simply too handsome, too powerful, and too unable to stop helping pretty girls!

Other manga from JNC: Black Summoner 22, Doll-Kara 11 (the final volume), and Safe & Sound in the Arms of an Elite Knight 6.

Guess who keeps forgetting about Hanashi Media? It’s me. Let’s catch up. Two weeks ago they had the debut of GATE: Thus the JSDF Fought There (Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri). When monsters incur into Japan from another world, the JSDF fights them back… and winds up in the fantasy world themselves! This got an anime, and is very popular.

ASH: That it is! And always glad for a license rescue.

SEAN: And last week they had The Fruit of Evolution 12 and Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy 14.

Ghost Ship has a 2nd volume of The Cuckolding Wizard’s Adventure.

Dark Horse has the 2nd and final volume of Oldboy Deluxe Edition.

ASH: It’s good to see this series back in print.

SEAN: Alien Books releases Kinryo Rock – Code Amrita, a seinen title from Monthly Hero’s. Vampires are trying to make it so they can live among humans, but some vampires can’t help being bad. To solve this, humans and vampires must team up with the power of rock and roll. Honestly, this sounds amazing.

ASH: I’d read it.

ANNA: I like vampires and music manga!

SEAN: Airship has print volumes for The Devil Princess 3 and The Strange Adventure of a Broke Mercenary 14.

And their digital debut is digital only. Fluffy Café in Another World (Isekai Mofumofu Cafe) had its manga come out two weeks ago. A man dies saving a cat, who turns out to be a god. The god gives him the powerful tamer skill in his next life, which he uses to… open an animal cafe?

ASH: There are worse life choices.

ANNA: Maybe there should just be more cat cafes?

SEAN: And for early digital there is Chronicles of an Aristocrat Reborn in Another World 2.

Lastly, Ablaze has Gannibal 4, Get Schooled 4, and Witch of Mine 4.

What glories await you in the list I have proffered?

Pick of the Week: New Aya Kanno

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KATE: So many manga… so little that interests me. I’d sit this week out, but I feel morally obligated to point out that there’s a new omnibus edition of Dragon Head, a stylish apocalyptic horror story that Tokyopop published back in the aughts. Volume two arrives in stores on Wednesday.

MICHELLE: Yeah, I’m not really inspired, either. I suppose a new Aya Kanno series wins by default.

SEAN: I too am sort of meh about this week, so I’ll pick an ongoing favorite. The Tanaka Family Reincarnates is a delightfully silly light novel series AND it has giant cats.

ANNA: I’m with Michelle this week, new Aya Kanno is what I’m finding most interesting.

ASH: The debut of Aya Kanno’s Fruit of the Underworld is my pick as well, seeing as I’ve thoroughly enjoyed much of her previous work. However, I’d also like to highlight He Rolled Me Up Like a Grilled Squid considering the recent passing of Yoshiharu Tsuge. His work can be quite powerful and I’m so glad to see it being translated.

Manga the Week of 4/1/26

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SEAN: It’s a Marchey, Apriley sort of week.

ASH: That it is.

SEAN: Airship’s print title is the 13th volume of Failure Frame.

For early digital we debut Classroom of the Elite: Year 3 (Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e: 3-Nensei-hen), the sequel to the first two years, which explores what to do when the protagonist is now your enemy.

Also early digital: Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex 2 and She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man 16.

Cross Infinite World has a new one-shot, The Brooding Duke’s Guide to the Lie-Detecting Lady (Fukigen na Koushaku-sama wa Uso Hakkenki Tsuki Reijou no Torisetsu wo Goshomou desu: Ophelia ni wa Uso wa Tsukenai). A girl who can tell is someone is lying… and thus her life among petty nobles is a living hell… is recruited by her crush the Duke to ferret out vice.

ASH: I feel like I’ve read something else along these lines recently, but can’t quite recall what it was.

MICHELLE: Usotoki Rhetoric, perhaps?

ASH: Oh, right! That’s the one.

SEAN: CIW also has Breaking Up Was the Plan, the Duke Falling For the Villainess Was Not! 2 and Dinners with My Darling 3.

Drawn and Quarterly has a 5th volume in their Complete Yoshiharu Tsuge library. He Rolled Me Up Like a Grilled Squid collects stories from the mid-late 1970s.

ASH: This series has been so good.

SEAN: Ize Press has the 3rd volume of the Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint novel, as well as Radio Storm 4.

No debuts for J-Novel Club. For light novels we get DUNGEON DIVE: Aim for the Deepest Level 12, Long Story Short, I’m Living in the Mountains 5, Peddler in Another World 12, and The Tanaka Family Reincarnates 6.

And for manga, we get Demon Lord, Retry! R 10, Fushi no Kami 9, The Invincible Little Lady 12, A Late-Start Tamer’s Laid-Back Life 9, and What’s with the Bag, Kamiyama-san? 2.

Kodama is putting out Sun-Ken Rock: Perfect Edition. The digital version had come out here years ago, but now it’s in print. Delinquent Japanese guy chases a girl to Korea and winds up in the Korean mafia. This is classic Boichi.

ASH: This should make some people happy.

SEAN: They also have Baki the Grappler 13 and 14 and Me and the Alien Mumu 2.

Kodansha Manga debuts Fruit of the Underworld (Meiou no Zakuro), the latest title from Aya Kanno. This runs in Champion Cross. A young man fell into a well as a child, and since then has been cursed with bad luck. But when he tries to get rid of what he thinks led to the bad luck, he finds himself in a much worse situation.

MICHELLE: Huh. Aya Kanno does shounen.

ASH: I’m looking forward to giving it a try!

ANNA: I’m curious!

SEAN: There’s also Dragon Head Omnibus 2, Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards 8, Omega Megaera 3, Senpai is an Otokonoko 5, The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse 21, Shangri-La Frontier 21, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime 29, and Wistoria: Wand and Sword 12.

ASH: I should really give Dragon Head a re-read.

SEAN: Digitally we get The God-Tier Guardian and the Love of Six Princesses 17.

Seven Seas’ one debut is When a Clueless First-Person Shooter Player Falls into Another World (Manuke na FPS Player ga Isekai e Ochita Baai), a seinen manga from Young Ace Up! based on the light novel they’re releasing digital only. The manga has print, though. Gun guy ends up in RPG fantasy world.

Other manga from Seven Seas: CALL TO ADVENTURE! Defeating Dungeons with a Skill Board 11, Chillin’ in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers 12, Drugstore in Another World 12, DUNGEON DIVE: Aim for the Deepest Level 8, Dungeon People 6, Grand Metal Organs 2, Headhunted to Another World 10, His Majesty the Demon King’s Housekeeper 12, Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! Omnibus 2, The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate 2 (the final volume), Made in Abyss 14, Magic Artisan Dahlia Wilts No More 8, The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today 11, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: Elma’s Office Lady Diary 10, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: Kanna’s Daily Life 14, Nakamura-san, the Uninvited Gyaru 5, and Reborn as a Space Mercenary 10.

ASH: That’s a fair amount!

SEAN: Titan Manga has Villain Actor 2.

Tokyopop has a 2nd volume of Fated NOT to Meet.

And Udon Entertainment has Hidetaka Tenjin’s Artistry of Gundam, an artbook.

ASH: Udon’s artbooks are generally solid, quality-wise.

SEAN: And that’s it for a very Marchey, Apriley sort of list. Did something catch your eye?

MICHELLE: Not much, honestly.

ANNA: Yep, more time to get caught up on things!

Pick of the Week: Bible Studies

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SEAN: No question, my pick this week is The Manga Bible, the new nonfiction coffeetable book by Helen McCarthy. It looks terrific, and is no doubt a treasure trove of lore.

MICHELLE: I agree; it looks amazing.

ANNA: Absolutely the release to highlight this week!

KATE: I’m excited to pick up a copy of The Manga Bible, but I’ll also make a pitch for Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty, a manga that doesn’t break all the rules, but recognizes that even demure young women like REALLY LOUD MUSIC. As a late-in-life metal fan, that’s a message I can get behind.

ASH: I can get behind that message, too! And also The Manga Bible, which should be excellent. (Although, I personally would have gone with a different title for the work, to avoid being conflated with the various other manga bibles out there…)

Manga the Week of 3/25/26

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SEAN: The end of March is nearing, and will it be a lion or a lamb?

ASH: Seems pretty lion-ish of late.

SEAN: Yen On has two spinoff debuts. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End -Prelude- (Shusetsu Sousou no Frieren ‑Zensou‑) is a short story collection that, despite the word prelude, does cover folks from the present day. The author is best known for The Mimosa Confessions, though I’ve no doubt the Frieren author supervised.

So I’m a Spider, So What? Ex (Kumo Desu ga, Nani ka? Ex) is the long-delayed companion volume to the light novel series that ended here in 2023. It has short stories, character profiles, some artwork, etc.

ASH: That’ll be nice for fans to finally have.

SEAN: Yen Press has the bulk of its March titles out this week. Bad Girl is a Manga Time Kirara Carat series, so you know there’s a limit to how bad she can be. Our bad girl heroine is only being bad as she has a crush on the public morals club president, and this way she can see her all the time! The trouble is her attempts at being bad are… cute. This got an anime recently.

ASH: I am actually delighted by this premise.

SEAN: Battlefront of the Great Powers (Rekkyo Sensen) is a sci-fi action series from Comic Zenon. It’s a battle royale-style manga, where if you lose a tournament arc not only do you die, but so does everyone you care about! Needless to say, not a comedy.

ASH: I have been known to enjoy tournament arcs from time to time.

SEAN: How to Love a Loser (Dame Ningen no Aishikata) is a Web Comic Apanda title that was originally a doujinshi. Our hero is a complete loser, but he has a wonderful girlfriend who loves him. Why does she love someone like him? He resolves to find out. I think this will go badly for him, but hey. I was told this is “for masochists”.

ANNA: No thank you!!!!

SEAN: A Pen, Handcuffs, and a Common-Law Marriage (Pen to Wappa to Jijitsu-kon) is a seinen manga from Young Animal. A detective finds that his witness on a case can’t speak, but she can draw, which is good enough for him. Wait, she wants to marry him?

MICHELLE: I was intrigued by the pen and the detective, but now I think I’ll pass.

SEAN: Soulless: The Complete Omnibus is an OEL steampunk manga with vampires and werewolves, which should come as no surprise once you saw the “OEL”.

ASH: Nice to see this staying in print for a bit longer.

ANNA: I enjoyed the books!

SEAN: Also from Yen Press: Agents of the Four Seasons: Dance of Spring 4, The Anemone Feels the Heat 3, Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra 5, Be My Worst Nightmare! 4, Blend-S 4, Common-Sense Monster 2, Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody 18, The Demons Are Planning Something Good! 2, Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree 8, Excellent Property, Rejects for Residents 5 (the final volume), The Fiancee Chosen by the Ring 7, Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku?! 2, Game of Familia 8, Hollow Regalia 2, If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love 3, In the Heavenly Prison, the Devil Enchants Me 3, It’s All Your Fault 3, I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History 4, Kunon the Sorcerer Can See 2, Lycoris Recoil Official Comic Anthology: Reload 2, Me and My Beast Boss 4, mono 4, My Dear, Curse-Casting Vampiress 7, My Mate Is a Feline Gentleman 4, No Game No Life Chapter 2: Eastern Union Arc 3, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Chapter 4: The Sanctuary and the Witch of Greed 10, Reincarnation Coliseum 3, Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty 2, Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts Heir 3, Secrets of the Silent Witch 5, Spy Classroom 3rd Period: Forgetter 2, Stray Cat & Wolf 4, A Terrified Teacher at Ghoul School! 17, The White Cat’s Revenge as Plotted from the Dragon King’s Lap 5, and With You, Our Love Will Make It Through 4.

MICHELLE: Somehow, I missed that a sequel (?) to Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts was coming out.

SEAN: Viz Media would like to remind you that only one author has ever written horror manga in Japan ever. Or at least make it seem that way. Statues: Junji Ito Story Collection is stuff from the early 90s, and ran in Monthly Halloween, a shoujo magazine.

ASH: I mean, I do like Junji Ito’s work, but it’s good to mix it up sometimes, too.

SEAN: Viz also has JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Part 7–Steel Ball Run 6.

ASH: I’ve got some catching up to do!

SEAN: Tokyopop gives us The Margrave’s Daughter & the Enemy Prince 7 and Wild Beast Forest House 3.

Steamship has the 4th volume of Sweet Heat Before Falling in Love: The CEO and His Fated Omega.

Square Enix Manga has Always a Catch! 6, Dragon Quest: The Mark of Erdrick 3, Just Like Mona Lisa 8, and On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance 3.

Seven Seas has, in danmei, the 11th and final volume of The Husky and His White Cat Shizun, which also has a Special Edition filled with postcards and such.

ASH: Nice.

SEAN: And there’s a 4th deluxe hardcover of Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi.

ASH: Also nice.

SEAN: The first manga debut is Fluffy Café in Another World (Isekai Mofumofu Cafe), a josei series from B’s-Comic Log which has a light novel also coming out soon from SS. A man dies saving a cat, who turns out to be a god. The god gives him the powerful tamer skill in his next life, which he uses to… open an animal cafe?

ASH: It pays to be nice to cats.

ANNA: I strive for this daily.

SEAN: And we get His Little Amber, a BL manga from the magazine Nuude. What if a yakuza found a leopard cub that turned into a hot young man?

ASH: What if, indeed!

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: The Barbarian’s Bride 6, HOOL!GAN’S 2 (the final volume), I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl 10, It Takes More Than a Pretty Face to Fall in Love 5, The Legend of Dororo and Hyakkimaru 11, Skeleton Knight in Another World 14, and Time Stop Hero 14.

Prestel, an imprint of Penguin Random House, publishes The Manga Bible, which is a history of the genre by the legendary Helen McCarthy. If you wanted a new coffee table manga book, this is for you.

ASH: This should be excellent! Helen McCarthy’s work is great.

ANNA: Nice, this sounds great.

SEAN: No debuts for Kodansha Manga. For print we have Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You 10, Blue Lock 28, A Condition Called Love 17, Kei X Yaku: Bound By Law 11, Nezumi’s First Love 3, Tune In to the Midnight Heart 6, and Versus 5.

MICHELLE: Someday, I will read more Blue Lock.

SEAN: And digitally we get Even Given the Worthless “Appraiser” Class, I’m Actually the Strongest 16 (the final volume) and Shangri-La Frontier 24.

No debuts for J-Novel Club. On the light novel end, we get From Two-Bit Baddie to Total Heartthrob 5, The Goddess Says, “Kill the Tsundere Witch!” 3, Goodbye, Overtime! This Reincarnated Villainess Is Living for Her New Big Brother 7, Now I’m a Demon Lord! Happily Ever After with Monster Girls in My Dungeon 15, The Poison King 7, and Scooped Up by an S-Rank Adventurer! 3.

And on the manga end they have The Brilliant Healer’s New Life in the Shadows 5, The Eternal Fool’s Words of Wisdom 8, A Livid Lady’s Guide to Getting Even 7, and The Water Magician 6.

Inklore has a 6th volume of My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999.

Ghost Ship has Becoming a Princess Knight and Working at a Yuri Brothel 5 (the final volume).

Dark Horse Manga has Lone Wolf and Cub Deluxe Edition 2.

ASH: I am so tempted.

SEAN: Airship’s print debut is My Girlfriend Cheated on Me, and Now My Flirty Underclassman Won’t Leave Me Alone (Kanojo ni Uwakisareteita Ore ga, Koakuma na Kouhai ni Natsukareteimasu), whose title is the plot.

ASH: At least you know what you’re getting?

SEAN: Also in print: Reincarnated as a Dragon Hatchling 13.

And in early digital we get Loner Life in Another World 14 and Witch and Mercenary 6 (part 1).

That seems like a lot, but I think that’s mostly Yen Press’s fault. What interests you?

Pick of the Week: Shut-Ins, Witches, and Villainesses

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MICHELLE: Admittedly, there isn’t a ton coming out this week that appeals to me, but the debut volume of Omori intrigues me the most, so I”ll go with that, this week.

SEAN: We all know I can’t resist villainess books, and while they’re usually very talkative folks, I can get behind the alternative, so I will pick The Villainess Speaks Not this week.

ASH: Omori is the title I’ll be making sure to take a look at this week! If I look hard enough, I’m pretty sure I can find a few mini-comics from Omocat in my collection, so I’m interested in seeing this more formally published work.

ANNA: Realistically, what I’m going to run out and read is the latest volume of Witch Hat Atelier so that’s my pick!

Manga the Week of 3/18/26

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SEAN: Ask your doctor whether manga is right for you. Do not read manga while operating heavy machinery.

ASH: This is good advice. Don’t ask me how I know.

MICHELLE: Oh, dear.

SEAN: ABLAZE has Neo Faust, Tezuka’s third attempt at the Faust story, which ran in Asahi Shimbun and which he was working on when he died.

ASH: I’m glad that Tezuka has found a new home in English.

ANNA: Indeed!

SEAN: Airship has a print debut. Magic Maker: How to Create Magic in Another World (Magic Maker: Isekai Mahou no Tsukurikata) is an ongoing light novel in the genre of “I am reincarnated into a fantasy world and proceed to revolutionize it as a young child because I am so amazing”.

There’s also The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time and Aims to Become the Ultimate Villain 7 and I Got Married to the Girl I Hate Most in Class 2.

Digitally we see Though I Am an Inept Villainess 10, Too Many Losing Heroines! 7, and The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash 12.

Ghost Ship gives us The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You 17 and Parallel Paradise 25.

ASH: I still really, really, really, really, REALLY need to get around to reading Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love. I’m such a delinquent. And have no time. Which is only a construct, but still feels very real.

SEAN: Ize Press has Marriage of Convenience 3 and Solo Leveling 15 (Side Stories 2).

One debut for J-Novel Club. The Villainess Speaks Not (Akuyaku Reijou wa Shaberimasen) has a woman wake up in the body of the villainess again. This time, not only is she threatened by assassins and political rivals (she’s six, by the way), but a sickness has led her unable to speak, so she can’t use magic or even call for help. As it turns out, though, when you’re reincarnated and also know that you don’t have to speak to use magic, you can accomplish a lot.

ASH: That’s good, because that’s a lot to deal with.

SEAN: Also out next week in light novels: The Accursed Chef and His Pair of Furry Foodies 3 (the final volume), Black Summoner 22, Butareba -The Story of a Man Turned into a Pig- 8, Even Exiled, She’s Still the Beloved Saint! 2, Reforming an Icy Final Boss 2, The Tiny Witch from the Deep Woods 3, and The Trials and Tribulations of My Next Life as a Noblewoman 4 (part 1).

On the manga end, we get The Conqueror from a Dying Kingdom 7 and This Alluring Dark Elf Has the Heart of a Middle-Aged Man! 2.

Kodansha Manga debuts Omori, an Afternoon series that stars a) a young shut-in whose sister died, now starting to leave house again, and b) The same shut-in’s dream world self, who joins up with friends to try to find the missing member of their group. This is one of those “please ignore my bad description and just read it” titles.

ASH: Omocat has been on my radar for quite some time, so I’m definitely interested in this one, no matter how it’s described.

MICHELLE: Hm. I do like the ‘find the missing member’ angle.

ANNA: Sounds interesting!

SEAN: There’s also The Drops of God 3, The Ghost in the Shell: The Human Algorithm 8, Ninja Vs. Gokudo 12, Parasyte Paperback Collection 4, Re:Anima 4 (the final volume), Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement 14, and Witch Hat Atelier 14.

ASH: Oh! Always good to see a new volume of Witch Hat Atelier. Although I am now faced with a dilemma considering the gorgeous deluxe grimoire edition of the series will be debuting in May.

ANNA: Oh, man why do there have to be fancy deluxe editions too?????

SEAN: For digital we get Blue Lock 36, Elegant Yokai Apartment Life 32, I Have a Crush at Work 13, and Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms 20.

One Peace Books has a 7th volume of Tales of the Tendo Family.

Seven Seas has one danmei, After the Disabled God of War Became My Concubine 2.

Their manhwa debut is Our Sunny Days, a webtoon BL series about a man whose ex left their child with him and scampered, Now he’s moved to a village to start over. Can the village head be of help? Can the village head remind us this is BL? Both are likely.

ASH: Excellent.

SEAN: Tonight, I Have a Date with a Serial Killer (Konya no Serial Killer to Machiawase) is a good! Afternoon series about a psychic woman who is brought in to try to stop the titular killer. Well, OK, I suspect it’s about the guy, a cop whose fiancée was a victim of the killer.

ASH: Seems like a good guess.

MICHELLE: Hm, again. Another potentially intriguing seinen offering.

SEAN: We also see A Certain Scientific Railgun 12, Chainsmoker Cat 2, Crossplay Love: Otaku x Punk 14, Dysfunctional Family Theory 2 (the final volume), I’m in Love with the Older Girl Next Door 4 (the final volume), Kemono Jihen 20, Lazy Dungeon Master 12, My Cute Cousin Always Gets Her Way 2, A Ninja and an Assassin Under One Roof 2, and Succubus and Hitman 10.

Square Enix has the 15th volume of The Apothecary Diaries manga. (You know, the Square Enix one, as opposed to the one Viz just announced. That’s going to be a pain.)

ASH: I’m not going to complain about more of The Apothecary Diaries, but it’s going to be interesting to see how this goes.

SEAN: Steamship has a 4th and final volume of Seduced by the Demon King: A Sensual Rebirth.

Tokyopop debuts Stan By Me (Kowamote-kun to Oshikatsu), a BL oneshot from Chara Selection. Two fans of an idol group agree to meet in real life… but one has a scary yakuza-type face!

ANNA: Will they overcome this??????

SEAN: And there’s also a 3rd volume of Eternal Covenant.

Viz Media debuts Sakamoto Holidays, a one-shot comedy spinoff of the popular Jump manga.

Also from Viz: After God 9, Dogsred 5, Fool Night 8, Haikyu!! 3-in-1 8, Kaiju No. 8 15, Kingdom 5, Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. 12, Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt 25, Sakamoto Days 21, Trillion Game 10, and Undead Unluck 24.

Yen On just has Magical Explorer 11.

What are you getting next week, assuming that you can read manga without a prescription?

Pick of the Week: Manga and Death Gods

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SEAN: There are several titles I’ve got my eye on this week, including the Komi Can’t Communicate self-help book. But while buying manga, why not also get M.J. Beasi’s new novel I Was a Teenage Death God? It has the Manga Bookshelf seal of approval.

MICHELLE: While Deep 3 might turn out to be something I like, I’m happiest about the return of Welcome to the Ballroom, this week! I’m sure the prolonged delays will promptly resume, but I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.

ASH: In addition to I Was a Teenage Death God, I’m probably most excited by The Legend of Kamui this week. It’s not a debut, which is what I generally try to highlight, but I’m still thrilled that this series is being translated.

ANNA: I’m going to highlight the josei debut this week, On-the-Job Training, while we have a bit more josei coming out now than many years ago, it is still nice to see new series coming out.

Manga the Week of 3/11/26

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SEAN: Please help us, manga. You’re our only hope.

ASH: It does seem like that sometimes.

ANNA: Some form of hope is needed!

SEAN: Yen On has another huge clump of books. Casebook of Kurumi Tokisaki, Magic Detective (Majutsu Tantei Tokisaki Kurumi no Jikenbo) is a spinoff of Date a Live, showing one of its most popular characters solving crimes.

Legend of the Far East’s Savior (Kyokutou Kyuuseishu Densetsu) is a sci-fi mecha anime except that it’s actually a light novel. Demons were summoned during World War II, and they now rule the world. A hundred years later, a boy with memories of a different Japan fights back using giant robots.

ASH: Mecha novels can actually be pretty good, in my experience.

ANNA: I’m a little curious!

SEAN: Lycoris Recoil: Recovery Days is another short story collection based on the hit anime.

To the Monster I Love (Bakemono no Kimi ni Tsugu) stars a man who is charged with stopping four supernatural women who are running amuck outside a city that bans anything magical. Betcha they fall for him.

ASH: They just might! (I’ll admit to being a little wary of the premise that the women’s supernatural abilities are gained from unstable emotions, but that could legitimately be interesting if handled well.)

ANNA: I thought he was charged with shopping for supernatural women and I was imagining an entirely different manga.

SEAN: Also out from Yen On: 86–EIGHTY-SIX Alter.2, Bungo Stray Dogs 9, How to Eat Life 2, Liar Liar 7, My Happy Marriage 9, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Ex 6, Spy Classroom 10, Sword of the Stallion 2, and To Sir, Without Love: I’m Divorcing You 2.

Yen Press has just one title. Demi-Human Sharehouse (Ajin Sharehouse) is a horny fantasy series about a shy office worker who wants to be able to make friends, so moves into a boarding house… which turns out to be filled with supernatural women! Will he make friends? Or “make” friends?

ASH: Only one? And I feel like there was at least one other manga about this already?

SEAN: Viz Media debuts Akira Failing in Love (Momose Akira no Hatsukoi Hatanchuu), a Shonen Sunday series about two childhood friends who had crushes on each other, and now that she’s moved back to their country hometown she’s ready to confess! If only they weren’t both in a comedy manga that revolves around misunderstandings. But what are the odds of that?

MICHELLE: Shonen Sunday romance is usually pretty appealing, though!

ASH: As a country kid, I can appreciate the setting.

SEAN: Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Manga – Book of Scarabia is the latest arc in that ongoing series.

It also has the 37th and final volume of Komi Can’t Communicate, which I mention here as they also put out a hardcover self-help book, Komi Can’t Communicate: Making Friends and Not Scaring People. It’s written by a health and human services writer who uses the world of Komi to give advice on dealing with social anxiety.

ASH: The self-help book looks delightful, by the way.

SEAN: Also from Viz: Akane-banashi 15, Fly Me to the Moon 31, Minecraft: The Manga 5, One Piece 111, Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle 29, and Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life 5.

ASH: I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read of Akane-banashi and Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle; I should read more.

SEAN: Tokyopop debuts Deep 3, which is in their “Noir Caesar” imprint, an imprint I was unaware of. It’s a Big Comic title about a young basketball player who freezes up when he gets close to the basket. The solution… shoot from far away!

MICHELLE: Welp. I have instantly pre-ordered this.

ASH: Sports manga!

SEAN: On-the-Job Training (Shinonome-kun to wa Dekinai Kankei), a josei title from Comic Qurie. A woman who avoids love after a bad experience is tasked by her company to assist their top salesman after he gets off-his-ass drunk at a party. Then she finds this popular guy may also have love issues…

ASH: Josei manga!

ANNA: Yay!!!!!

SEAN: Tokyopop also has a 2nd volume of We’re Not Cut Out to Be Lovers.

SuBLime has Engage 4 and Trickster’s Tale: Hu Yan Zhuan 2.

Steamship debuts The Tea Ceremony Master’s Rich and Steamy Service: Spoiled by His Skillful Hands (Sadou-ka Danshi no Noukou Ecchi na Otemae: Gokujou na Yubizukai de Dekiaisarechau), a one-shot that ran in Love Parfait. A man saves a woman from some harassment, and they get along well. Very well, they go to a hotel and she has a magical first time. Then she sees him again… and he’s a tea ceremony master? An amazing surprise for people who don’t read titles.

ASH: Completely unexpected.

SEAN: They also have Fire in His Fingertips: A Flirty Fireman Ravishes Me with His Smoldering Gaze 11.

Square Enix manga debuts A Howl of the Heart (Sennenki Sue ni Hoeru Koi), a BL series from Gangan BLiss. (It must be really gay if Gangan can’t even put it in GFantasy.) Two soldiers are also lovers, but one day one of them is killed. The other vows to murder the enemy general responsible… but two years later, finds the enemy general looks like his old lover!

MICHELLE: Is he the Dread Pirate Roberts?

ASH: Ha!

SEAN: And they have The Strongest Sage with the Weakest Crest 29.

Seven Seas’ danmei is just one title, The Wife Comes First: Qi Wei Shang 2.

All Seven Seas’ debuts are in its other imprints this week. But we see Asumi-chan is Interested in Lesbian Brothels! 6, The Big Apple 5, D-Frag! 19, Dungeon Friends Forever 6, I Quit My Apprenticeship as a Royal Court Wizard to Become a Magic Item Craftswoman 5, I Want to Escape from Princess Lessons 4, and I’m in Love with the Villainess 10.

One Peace Books has a 10th volume of My Death Flags Show No Sign of Ending.

Kodansha Manga debuts Marrying the Dark Knight (For Her Money) (Gakeppuchi Reijou wa Kurokishi-sama wo Horesasetai!), a Comic Yuri Hime title about a woman whose sister needs medical care, so she agrees to marry the mysterious Dark Knight. Then she finds out why the dark knight is so mysterious. Hint: This is a Yuri Hime title.

ASH: Oh-ho!

ANNA: Things like this happen!

SEAN: Also in print: Initial D Omnibus 9, Kaijin Fugeki: Kindled Spirits 2, The Magnificent Bastard 2, Tank Chair 7, and Welcome to the Ballroom 12 (the first new volume since 2022).

MICHELLE: Oh! That’s the second dance-centric title in as many weeks to have a new volume after a long break!

ASH: Very nice!

SEAN: And digitally we get The Café Terrace and its Goddesses 20, Otherworldly Munchkin: Let’s Speedrun the Dungeon with Only 1 HP! 12 and Yozakura Quartet 34 (the final volume).

One print debut for J-Novel Club. Ascendance of a Bookworm: Hannelore’s Fifth Year at the Royal Academy (Honzuki no Gekokujou: Hannelore no Kizokuin Gonensei) is a continuation of the main series after the final volume, but Rozemyne is now a supporting player and the main character is Hannelore!… oh god, poor Hannelore. She is not ready to be a main character.

ASH: I did not realize there was another series!

SEAN: Also in print: An Archdemon’s Dilemma 19, the 5th light novel volume of The Brilliant Healer’s New Life in the Shadows, the 3rd manga volume of The Brilliant Healer’s New Life in the Shadows, the 4th manga volume of Campfire Cooking in Another World With My Absurd Skill, Gushing over Magical Girls 9, Isekai Tensei: Recruited to Another World Omnibus 4, Making Magic: The Sweet Life of a Witch Who Knows an Infinite MP Loophole 4, and My Quiet Blacksmith Life in Another World 4.

No digital debuts for JNC. On the light novel end, we see The Diary of a Middle-Aged Sage’s Carefree Life in Another World 9, Notorious No More 3, The Otome Heroine’s Fight for Survival 6, Pens Down, Swords Up 4, Repeated Vice 2, and The Water Magician Arc 1 6

On the manga end, we get Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 4 6, Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill 11, My Tiny Senpai 4, and The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World 8.

Ghost Ship debuts Girls Zombie Party, a Web Comic Gamma Plus title about a zombie apocalypse, except only the boys become zombies! Can the girls find the strength to survive? The fact that this is a Ghost Ship title makes me think I know the answer, but maybe things will go well.

ASH: Hmmm.

SEAN: Also from Ghost Ship: The Elf Sisters Can’t Wait for the Night 4 and Imaizumi Brings All the Gals to His House 5.

Drawn and Quarterly has a 3rd omnibus volume of The Legend of Kamui.

ASH: Yes! I am still so incredibly excited this series is being released.

SEAN: Dark Horse Manga has Blood Blockade Battlefront Omnibus 3.

Airship’s print debut is I Wish I Could Meet You Again on the Hill Where That Flower Blooms (Ano Hana ga Saku Oka de Kimi to Mata Deaetara), a one-shot light novel in the genre of “tragic yet heartwarming book about teenagers and time travel that gets made into a movie”. A genre Airship has so many of.

Also in print: Free Life Fantasy Online: Immortal Princess 10, The Misdeeds of an Extremely Arrogant Villain Aristocrat 2, and Reincarnated as a Sword 18.

Airship has a digital-only debut: Reborn as an Assassin’s Apprentice (Assassin no Tamago ni Tensei Shita), which advertises itself as the darkest of fantasies without a shred of morality. For you 13-year-olds who are getting beaten up and hung in the locker every day, then, I guess.

ASH: For every book, its reader.

ANNA: Sometimes I wonder!

SEAN: In early digital, there is The Devil Princess 3 and Survival in Another World with My Mistress! 9.

Any manga in there to make you happier?

Pick of the Week: Grim and Gritty or Sweet and Fluffy?

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KATE: The cover of Blades and Guardians is indeed giving me Lone Wolf & Cub vibes, so that’s my pick of the week. My gentle nudge of the week is to all the youngsters who haven’t read NANA. To mark the series’ twenty-fifth anniversary, VIZ is in the process of reissuing Ai Yazawa’s soapy classic. Volume three arrives in stores this week.

ASH: I’m not sure how I’m only now finding out about Blades of the Guardians (especially considering the recently released film adaptation with Jet Li), but a martial arts epic with great artwork is absolutely something I will be reading.

SEAN: I’ll go with something on the complete opposite end of the spectrum and make my pick They Are Still Being Shaken This Morning, which I have heard is incredibly sweet and adorable and feels like just what I need.

MICHELLE: I’m always intrigued by mystery manga, so Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow definitely appeals to me. However, I could also use something less grim, so my official pick is the eighth volume of 10 Dance, a series I greatly look forward to getting caught up on.

ANNA: I’m going to pick magical girls this week! With the anniversary release of Shugo Chara! and the release of Magical Girl Dandelion it does seem like magical girls are having a mini moment.