Manga Bookshelf

Discussion, Resources, Roundtables, & Reviews

Sean Gaffney

Unsung Epics of the Hero’s Journey, Vol. 1

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By Hachigatsumori and Nat. Released in Japan as “Yuusha no Tabi no Uragawa de” by Dre Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by MPT.

It’s been interesting coming at all these fantasy light novels based on Japanese RPGs (which are in turn based on Japanese folklore) without really having played them. The idea of the hero going off to defeat the demon lord, and of course they’re accompanied by the warrior (who is usually “the hero, only not quite”), the cleric (healer girl), and the mage (varies the most, this one seems to be a sad sack of a man) is not one I have played, but I have read enough of these so that it’s as old hat as the author wants it to be. As such, and as you can no doubt tell by the title, this isn’t about the hero. They weren’t even in the original webnovel, and only get a few tiny scenes here. Instead, we follow another cleric and adventurer as they try to stop a prophecy from coming true… though both of them also have their own hidden agenda and hidden tragedies.

Rhuys is a young cleric who is trying to find a strong swordsman as she knows of a prophecy: the newly anointed hero will be killed off early in her journey, leading to devastation for the world. In a rundown tavern, she finds Ariagnée, who is very strong and very cool and wears a strange black gauntlet on her left hand. Everyone is already a bit on edge as the hero, who is supposed to be chosen every 100 years, has been chosen after only ten. Something weird’s going on. Rhuys asks Ariagnée to travel to where the hero is going to be ambushed and take care of the bad guys before the fact, which Ariagnée agrees to partly for hidden motives of her own, but also partly as Rhuys is cute. As they journey on, each one learns about the other’s secret past and horrible backstories, which both tie in with the reason that this hero journey has come so early this time around.

There is definitely yuri here, for those who seek it out, but this is not a romance per se; the focus is on the adventure. Both our heroines are pretty messed up, with Rhuys hiding her true powers and wracked with guilt over her childhood, essentially having become a very passive death seeker. Ariagnée has a past that is not as secret as perhaps it should be – I guessed a lot of it before the reveal – but that doesn’t make it less compelling in terms of the overall narrative. The two of them do make a very good team, and hopefully couple. I will admit that the big fight in this book, which takes up a large chunk of the back half, felt far longer than I would have written it. But this is a fantasy thriller, not a psychological drama or a yuri romance, so it makes sense there’s lots of sword battles and hidden moves and the like.

As with most Dre books, this reads like a one-shot but there’s more. Will we actually meet the hero? Who knows, but the hero certainly isn’t why we’re reading this. We’re reading for the lead couple.

The Fearsome Witch Teaches in Another World: Behold the Growth of My Students

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By Mitsuru Inoue and Suzuno. Released in Japan as “Isekai Teni Shite Kyoushi ni Natta ga, Majo to Osorerarete Iru Ken” by Earth Star Luna. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Gierrlon Dunn.

It’s not a secret that this series definitely has an Agenda with a capital A. The most obvious part is trying to convey how to teach people, how to talk with kids and understand their own varied issues, etc. That certainly applies here as well, but the author also seems determined to kick back against all the cliches that you seem to see in light novels in this sort of world. Getting an arranged marriage without your consent to someone decades older than you? No you’re not. Country determined to prove that Magic A Is Magic A? No it’s not. Are those nobles who insist only those of the upper class can use magic and that filthy commoners should know their place? We’ll put a stop to that. Oh look, those dwarfs only care about magical weapons rather than using magic itself? Not gonna happen. Aoi is here to drag everyone into modern times with the best magic, and she will beat up the world to do so.

As with Tearmoon Empire, this series has trouble figuring out where to end a book. The first third of the book wraps up the trip to the Holy Maple Leaf Empire, as Aoi has to travel to Shenley’s home because her father has decided to pull her out of school. Naturally this pisses Aoi off, especially when she discovers a) he’s ignoring all her other accomplishments, b) he’s ignoring Aoi, and c) he’s marrying Shenley off to the one guy who didn’t grow to love her magic in the 2nd book. Needless to say, “Aoi Being Very Aoi” solves all these problems. The larger part of the book is essentially this world’s version of the culture festival, only it’s an international event, with the world leaders coming to see what cool magic tricks Fiddich Academy has come up with now. As such, it’s mostly the teachers who are stressed about presentations. No worries, though, Aoi is here to help.

There’s a lot of family stuff in this book. Once Shenley’s dad is given a talking to, he travels to the academy to see exactly what Shenley has been going through, and ends up sympathizing far more with her. (It helps that under Aoi’s tutelage she’s becoming a genius.) Dean’s mother is the classic “education mama” for whom no amount of good things is enough, you can always do better. (Admittedly, that plot will have to be resolved in Book 4, because we’re ending in the middle of an arc again.) Felter’s dad is, unsurprisingly, a guy who lives only for battle, and essentially comes every year to beat his son up and is now intrigued at this tiny powerful woman. And there’s even the commoner kid who Aoi teaches magic to show that it has nothing to do with breeding, whose dad may help pave the way for her to spread magic even further. Aoi may beat up a lot of her problems, but she’s also good at negotiation, bartering, and everything except common sense and facial expressions.

As ever, if you hate OP folks who win easily all the time, avoid avoid avoid. Otherwise, this series remains a lot of fun, and Aoi is ridiculous.

Sister Mafioso: O God, Let This Lie Stand

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By Adachi and Kyozip. Released in Japan as “Gisou Shi Shita Moto Mafia Reijou, Nidome no Jinsei wa Zettai ni Ikinobimasu ~Kamisama, Douka Kono Uso dake wa Minogashite Kudasai~” by Dre Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Emily Hemphill.

It’s been a while since we’ve had a straight up thriller light novel. Oh sure, this is in the Heart imprint, and the romance is there, but the romance is not why you read this. You read this worrying that our heroine is about to die, and you do so for almost 300 pages. There’s lots of lies and deception, there’s a truly horrible family that does some truly horrible things (woe to the woman who poses as our heroine, you don’t want to know how she turns out), there is a very high body count, and there’s a lot of people who hate themselves. And of course, as the title might tell you, when I say family I mean “Family”. Like the Hotel California, our heroine discovers that you can check out any time you want (figuratively), but you can never leave.

In a remote nunnery, Novice Sister Dina Tosca has been there for ten years, being a pious young nun in training. Unfortunately, a ne’er-do-well comes looking for a Dina Ferletti, a blonde daughter of a mafia don who went missing ten years ago and was presumed dead. Now, Dina Tosca is not blonde, and she’s a year younger than the other Dina is supposed to be, but that’s good enough for the Ferletti family, who kidnap her and drag her back to the current head of the family, Aurelio… and if it tursns out not to work, well, they can always kill her. Fortunately, there’s a mole in the Forletti family who’s trying to take them down, and he wants to help Dina. Though to do so she’ll have to pose as Dina Ferletti. Which should not be hard, as well, she really *is* Dina Ferletti, and she really doesn’t want to tell her new ally as he may just kill her.

There’s some good intrigue here, much of it nasty. Dina’s dinner with her brother and his lover turns out to be “do you remember the right way to eat to avoid being poisoned?”, and when another “Dina Ferletti” shows up, our Dina worries that, even if she is the real deal, she may not be real enough. The romantic leads are both good, but my favorite character may be Luca, a member of the family who brought Dina there and who doesn’t like Teodoro… and the feeling is mutual. He’s the classic “I am mostly a terrible person, but I am also attracted to the main heroine” sort, and I was delighted by his character arc. Let’s also say that he and Teodoro are very lucky this is the Heart line and not the Knight line. If there’s a weakness it’s Aurelio, whose backstory didn’t really resonate for me, as well as a bit TOO much “are they really poisoned this time” set pieces.

This is very much told in a single volume… but it’s Drecom, so you know they were asked to write another, and it’s coming. If you like a good dark action thriller, this is right up your alley.

Manga the Week of 6/3/26

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SEAN: It’s June, and a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of what manga is coming out next week, because young men are idiots like that.

MICHELLE: Snerk.

ASH: I mean…

SEAN: Yen Press have one straggler from May, the 5th volume of Is the Order a Rabbit?.

Two debuts for Viz Media. I’m No Angel (Tenshi Nanka ja Nai) is an ancient shoujo manga from the early 90s written by someone named… oh, right, Ai Yazawa. It’s even earlier than Neighborhood Story, and ran in Ribon. Viz is releasing it in omnibus format. A girl runs for student council when she hears her crush is also doing so, but once they’re on the council she discovers he likes… their teacher? This is very Ai Yazawa.

MICHELLE: Ooh.

ASH: I am thrilled that we’re getting even more of Yazawa’s work!

ANNA: Nice!

SEAN: Shinobi Undercover (Shinobigoto) is the newest “successful enough to get a print release” Shonen Jump series. A ninja is assigned to attend high school, which is a shame, as he’s great at being a ninja but terrible at being a social animal. Now he’s got to guard a girl beset by assassins.

ASH: These things happen sometimes.

SEAN: Also from Viz: Astro Royale 6 (the final volume), The Bugle Call: Song of War 7, Chainsaw Man 21, Dark Gathering 18, The Elusive Samurai 20, Ichi the Witch 3, Let’s Do It Already! 9 (the final volume), Magical Girl Dandelion 2, Nana 25th Anniversary Edition 4, Pink Candy Kiss 5, A Star Brighter than the Sun 6, and Tamon’s B-Side 11.

MICHELLE: Some good shoujo, here!

ASH: Forsooth!

ANNA: Always nice to have a good shoujo week!

SEAN: Udon Entertainment have the 5th volume of Daigo The Beast: Umehara Fighting Gamers!.

Tokyopop debuts I Picked Up a No-Good, Useless Prince (Danzaisareta Dame Ouji, Hiroimashita), a Comic Gardo title based on an as-yet unlicensed light novel. A spoiled young prince finally pisses off too many people, and is reduced to being a commoner. Now he’s met a young woman who adores royal drama and fangirls him. (Yes, I know. The digital debuted a week earlier and I misread it. Print is this week.)

It also gives us Boyfriend, Sometimes Girlfriend 3. (See above.)

Steamship have Healer for the Shadow Hero 4.

Square Enix Manga have the 7th volume of Always a Catch!.

Seven Seas have a danmei debut, Golden Terrace. This apparently came out from a smaller publisher in 2022, but Seven Seas is redoing the translation and it has new illustrations. Two rivals are forcibly engaged, but they’ve got a secret backstory.

MICHELLE: Oh, yes! I have the Peach Flower House edition of this.

ASH: Nice!

SEAN: Also danmei: Run Wild: Sa Ye 5

And in “Japanese novel but not Airship”, we get The Twelve Kingdoms Book 5 – A Thousand Miles of Wind, the Sky at Dawn.

ASH: Still very in love with this series.

ANNA: I need to get caught up!

SEAN: And in “Not danmei but Korean”, we get Lout of Count’s Family 8.

Seven Seas’ manga debuts start with The Delinquent and the Transfer Student (Sukeban to Tenkousei). This Web Action yuri series stars a yanki girl and a cute smol bean who enjoys making her say cute things.

ASH: Sounds like a series I would enjoy.

SEAN: The Exiled Heavy Knight Knows How to Game the System (Tsuihousareta Tensei Juu Kishi wa Game Chishiki de Musousuru) is based on an as-yet unlicensed light novel, and also had an anime. It runs in Young Magazine Web, and is coming out in 2-volume omnibuses. Our hero… sigh… get the wrong gacha job when he comes of age, and is disowned and exiled. But… sigh… it’s secretly the STRONGEST gacha job!

Sea Melt Lover is a BL one-shot from a magazine called Equal. In a world where beastmen keep humans as pets and sex slaves, one escapes, and is protected by an honorable beastman.

Also from Seven Seas: The Beast King: Master of Medicines 2, The Feisty Omega and His Twin Mates 4, Ghost and Witch 2, I Got Married to the Girl I Hate Most in Class 6, and Low Tide in Twilight 2.

Kodansha Manga have one print debut. Secondhand Sisters (Kemutai Ane to Zurui Imouto) is a josei title from Kiss. An older sister whose younger sister has “borrowed” everything from her and never given it back – including, years ago, her boyfriend – sees her again at their mother’s funeral and finds things starting up all over again. Expect DRAMA here.

MICHELLE: Always here for josei, though!

ASH: Josei drama is great.

ANNA: Very interested in this!

SEAN: Also in print: The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World 13, Initial D Omnibus 10, Shugo Chara! 20th Anniversary Edition 2, Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun 20, and You Can’t Bluff the Sharp-Eyed Sister 4.

MICHELLE: And Iruma! This is a good week!

SEAN: Kodama have Baki the Grappler Perfect Edition 17 and 18, Me and the Alien Mumu 3, and Sun-Ken Rock Perfect Edition 2.

Kana have a debut folks have wanted for years. Billy Bat is a seinen manga from Weekly Morning by the legendary Naoki Urasawa. A Japanese-American artist in the late 40s worries he plagiarized his popular bat detective from a drawing he saw in Japan, so he goes there to find the original artist.

ASH: I’m a fan of Urasawa’s work in general and am aware of the demand for this series in particular.

ANNA: Wow, I’m excited for this.

SEAN: They also have a 2nd volume of Blades of the Guardians and a 3rd City Hunter omnibus.

ASH: Excellent.

SEAN: No debuts for J-Novel Club. In light novels, they have Even Exiled, She’s Still the Beloved Saint! St. Evelyn’s Weird and Wonderful Friends 3 (the final volume), How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom: Short Story Chronicles (the final volume?), and I Parry Everything 10.

For manga they have The Coppersmith’s Bride 7, Looks like a Job for a Maid! The Tales of a Dismissed Supermaid 4, Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter 5, and The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World 9.

Ink Pop debut Our Aimless Nights (Yoru no Manimani), a sweet romance from Web Action. Outgoing girl. Shy boy. Every night, they meet at the convenience store.

ASH: There are worse places to meet.

SEAN: And they have the 4th and final volume of I Wanna Be Your Girl.

That’s it, as Airship are taking a week off, apparently. What manga is there to distract you from life?

The Too-Perfect Saint: Tossed Aside by My Fiancé and Sold to Another Kingdom, Vol. 6

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By Fuyutsuki Koki and Masami. Released in Japan as “Kanpeki Sugite Kawaige ga Nai to Konyaku Haki Sareta Seijo wa Ringoku ni Urareru” by Overlap Novels f. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Amelia Mason. Adapted by Shaenon K. Garrity.

I suppose if you’re going to have a romantic age-gap romance, you might as well lean right away into the fact that it’s very problematic. From the moment that Philia hears about Lena’s engagement to the knight Elmhardt, an engagement that was arranged right after Lena was born, and when Elmhardt was already a young man, her reaction is essentially the reader’s: what the heck? As it turns out, the engagement mostly comes down to a whole heaping helping of guilt from almost all parties – even Lena, whose innocent question to her fiance several years ago led to him just giving up and avoiding her. But Lena’s an adult now, at least by the standards of this world, and the book makes it very clear that everyone’s been going around doing things without asking what she wants. Fortunately, Philia, who is learning about this strange thing called friendship, is different.

Despite the fact that things are still fraught after the events of the last book, there’s a pilgrimage coming up, and Osvalt is in charge of it. The neighboring country of Alectron journeys there for religious reasons. Unfortunately, Philia also hears that assassins are plotting to kill her – again. So they’re adding lots of extra security, including knight (and friend of Leonardo) Elmhardt, who it turns out is Lena’s fiance. Though both of them seem very uncomfortable about it. After an attack on Philia (maybe?) by monsters, it turns out that the assassin is using a magical tool that’s been stolen from the kingdom’s vaults… a tool that was also used years ago, when there was a coup attempt. Which also involved the current king of Alectron. And Elmhardt.

I mentioned the friendship thing earlier, and it may be my favorite moment of the book. Lena’s been around from the start, but she’s basically been fulfilling a “maid/bodyguard” role. Philia has her mother and sister, she has other saints who are more like disciples, and she also has Erza, but she hasn’t been around for a while. More importantly, Philia is still having to deal with normal human emotions after repressing them for her entire life, so the idea that she cares about Lena and wants what’s best for her is more important than it normally would be. There’s also a convoluted plot and backstory here, which mostly checks out fine, though it feels like an excuse for romantic conflict more than anything else. If there’s a flaw here it’s probably Lena, who’s simply too nice about the whole thing – yes, even when she’s furiously attacking near the end – and who I wish would at least kick back a little against a setup she’s had since birth.

Still, overall this was solid. And next time we have Mia’s wedding. Which I’m sure will be trouble-free and totally boring. Right.

In Another World with Household Spells, Vol. 5

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By Rika and HIROKAZU. Released in Japan as “Isekai ni Kita kedo, Seikatsu Mahou shika Tsukaemasen” by Mag Garden Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by sachi salehi.

For once, Patience ends up having a really good volume with minimal chaos. Sure, her summer vacation keeps getting interrupted with visits to every single noble family around, but as is pointed out to her, this is what noble girls her age are supposed to be doing, in preparation for her coming out party in a couple of years. It’s all about connections, and while she has made many connections with the eccentric nerd population of the school, her female friends pretty much consist of Princess Margaret and her relatives. What’s more, given this is one of those noble families in a magic academy books, everyone’s getting engaged when they’re eleven or twelve, and the option of “don’t get married but have a career instead” is likely not going to be happening. Alas for Patience, most of her suitors are obsessed nerds. Or literal royalty. Fortunately, there’s one exception, and he’s the one she is starting to fall for. A bit. Maybe.

Patience and her two brothers are headed off to Samuel’s family territory, which is near the sea. You know what that means, especially with that cover. Beach time! Which means it’s time for Patience to buckle down and invent waterproof swimsuits, even if she has to make them more modest than she’d like, and also use monster materials that gross her out a bit. The territory also has an extensive set of ruins, which are actually in very good shape, from the country’s shrouded past of war. Indeed, some of the ships shown in the murals are so advanced Patience suspects they were invented by other folks reincarnated from Japan. Elsewhere, she’s making dyes, making pool floats, and avoiding Albert’s father, who remains so obsessed with music he would happily marry an eleven-year-old just to lock her away. Fortunately, even her marriage-happy aunt realizes this is not the marriage Patience wants.

I appreciate that Patience, as she grows up, is getting some character development. For all that she suspects her poor horse-riding is due to the OG Patience’s reticence, in reality it’s likely more due to her just being too skittish of the horse, which is therefore skittish of her. That said, Patience is very much an “if all you have is a hammer” sort of character, so it should not come as a surprise to find that the solution is Household Spells. She also starts to realize that, Japanese knowledge or no, she’s very sheltered when it comes to THIS world, and like most nobles she has no idea what the value of money is here, or how she looks when she walks into a normal store dressed as she usually does. And it’s just going to get fancier, as she finally gets some good news about her father… who stays behind the entire book, so how that plays out will have to wait.

Technically this is a two-parter, as the rest of her obsessed alchemy friends have only just arrived to explore/excavate the ruins. We’ll see that next time. Stay strong, Patience, and stop using the word shotacon.

Tearmoon Empire: Short Story Collection, Vol. 1

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By Nozomu Mochitsuki and Gilse. Released in Japan as “Tearmoon Teikoku Monogatari” by TO Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Madeleine Willette.

It’s honestly rather surprising that we haven’t had one of these yet for Tearmoon Empire. Other light novel series are very fond of their .5 volumes or added bonus story collections – hell, Spy Classroom almost has more short story collections than regular volumes. But Tearmoon Empire has pretty much been too busy with Mia trying to save history and make it so she’s not guillotined, poisoned, or does not otherwise live to see her grandchild grow up. As a result, we not only have this collection, which seems to go up to about the 9th or 10th book in the series in terms of the timeline, but there’s a second already out in Japan. I’m not certain if they’re bookstore exclusive-type short stories or if they’re written for this volume. One thing is for sure, though, which is that while Tearmoon Empire is hilarious, and also a thriller, and sometimes a mystery, one of the things it does best is show off that doing good things, and paying it forward, makes everyone happier.

There are too many short stories here to give a breakdown as I sometimes do. I will therefore note some of my favorites, starting with the wraparound plot. Empress Mia, now a grandmother, is having trouble sleeping because her husband Abel is away visiting Sion, no doubt for another sword battle. As it turns out, Bel is also awake, mostly so she can get into mischief. To prevent this, Mia starts telling Bel old stories from back in her teenage years, i.e. around Book 1-10. Anne later shows up, and the whole vibe of these sections is just so nice to see. Seeing Mia at rest, having accomplished what she set out to do, and everyone else living their best lives, just puts a big silly grin on your face. I also loved the glimpses into Mia’s mother, and how this passes down into the wedding dress she shows her father before she marries Abel.

There’s also another ongoing plotline throughout this, which has to do with how Mia’s story is being retold. I’ve talked before about who I think the identity of the snarky narrator of this series is, and while we don’t delve into that we do get two other strands of the story escaping from the bounds of reality. Mia and company go to see a theater group putting on a “fictional” play that seems a little too real to Mia… it’s her life, right down to the time travel! The writer seems to get divine inspiration, rather than it being sinister, but I did love Mia wondering when she’ll tell Abel the truth about herself, as she knows she’ll have to one day. The other subplot shows Mia trying to stop everyone overselling her accomplishments – Elise’s history books have Mia literally flying, something that causes the actual Mia to cringe in embarrassment. She reassures herself that everyone will realize it’s exaggerated. That does not, in fact, happen. Sorry, Mia, you’re just that amazing to everyone. Even Ludwig. (The fountain pen gift, and how Mia makes him accept it, was also brilliant.)

Basically, these stories put a smile on your face and a song in your heart. Now let’s get back to the main plot, as if Mia is killed off in Book 17 all this may be irrelevant.

Pick of the Week: Yotsuba, Of Course

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MICHELLE: I, of course, want to read Scenes from Awajima and that cover for Beacon of Light in the Dark Sea is really pretty, but I think it’s just got to be Yotsuba&! this week. I actually have two volumes to catch up on, and am looking forward to it!

SEAN: Agreed, it has to be Yotsuba&!, which I keep forgetting how good it is and then I read a new volume and am reminded.

KATE: I can’t believe it’s been FIVE YEARS since the last installment of Yotsuba&!! That is definitely five years too many. Let this week’s column be a reminder that Yotsuba&! is that rare series that just about anyone can enjoy whether you’re ten or 50.

ANNA: I agree! Looking forward to this new volume!

ASH: Who am I to go against the trend, especially when such a delightful series is involved? Yotsuba&! it is!

Royal Spirits Are a Royal Pain! Give Me a Regular Romance, Vol. 3

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By Rei Kazama and Fujiazuki. Released in Japan as “Tensei Reijō wa Seirei ni Aisarete Saikyō Desu…… Dakedo Futsū ni Koi Shitai)” by TO Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by okaykei.

It continues to be entertaining watching Deirdre wondering why everyone in the cast considers her to be less of a human and more of a monster – or worse, a bomb. It’s especially amusing watching Chris and Alan doing it, because of course those two are also considered to be not quite the same as normal humans in their peer group. In this book full of nobles and their politics,l this is definitely a top-down series – the crown prince, dukes, and marquises are heavily involved, as are their children, and it tends to be counts and barons who end up wither as the villain of the subplot or struggling to accomplish what the rest of the cast can easily do. One reason that light novel authors have glommed onto noble teenage politics is that it’s the best of both worlds – you can write all the pretty rich kids and courtship you want, and then see them screw it up, as they’re teens. Albeit teens with assassins after them, in some cases.

Deirdre is ten yours old, which means at last she gets to attend the magical noble academy that’s a staple of all these books. If nothing else, that should at least slow down Prince Andrew, who continues to drop by their estate to chat whenever he feels like it. She also reunites with Kamil, the young boy she mistook for a girl four years prior. He and his suspicious merchant friend are trying to sell them chocolate… but alas, it’s “we don’t have modern conveniences” chocolate, so she’s not as delighted as they hoped. And there’s also a heaping helping of romantic tomfoolery, as almost all kids are engaged by the time they’re fifteen in this world. The prince is interviewing marriage candidates, an arrogant guy is trying to break up a true love couple (we know how that will go). As for Deirdre? Well, she’s not interested in anyone right now, but the author does give us a few hints.

Sorry to anyone thinking she’d end up with the prince, but a) clearly having her as a queen would be a disaster and they both know it, and b) Kamil is given over one-third of the entire novel, as we hear of his entire tragic backstory and his present struggles, including his own POV of his initial meetings with Deirdre. Foreign prince, still somewhat a secret prince, who’s handsome and clever but has also renounced his title so she can do whatever she wants with him? Yeah, this guy’s endgame, though it may take a while. Taking less time is Deirdre and her posse starting to grow up to be incredibly powerful young women… though admittedly with some of them it may be with regret. (Karla, you need to get it together, as I suspect you’re right in Andrew’s sights.) There’s also some really good heartwarming stuff among this intrigue – I enjoyed Deirdre’s happy memories of her family back in Japan, which had a “difficult dad”, and I was also surprised when the standard “there’s a rumor of a ghost” turn out to be not only 100% true but they even got the identity of the ghost right.

This thankfully lacks the high body count of the 2nd book, so is more relaxing (leaving aside Kamil’s backstory), but I’m still intrigued to see how things play out in future books. A lot of fun.

My Next Life As a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, Vol. 15

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By Satoru Yamaguchi and Nami Hidaka. Released in Japan as “Otome Game no Hametsu Flag Shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei Shite Shimatta…” by Ichijinsha Bunko Iris. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Joshua Douglass-Molloy.

While it’s still a disappointment to the Western fandom who still wishes it were a lot more gay, there’s no doubt that recent volumes of Bakarina have been much better than the doldrums of the single digits where the author was asked to write more but didn’t really have much of a plan. This now reads like it’s traveling to a destination, at least in terms of the dark magic plotline and the state of the country. In terms of the romance, things are still pretty much at 1) Jeord, 2) Maria, 3) everyone else. This volume has a new character (though don’t get attached to them), lots of backstory going back hundreds of years, a final battle that comes close to taking out our heroine and villainess, and a bountiful amount of produce. All this plus Mary at her absolute cattiest, and Jeord at *his* absolute cattiest. These are getting to be a lot of fun again.

After a brief “let’s have all the original love interests together in one scene” bit where they harvest the sweet potatoes from Katarina’s garden, she’s off to the ministry, trying to stop Raphael from overworking himself to death… which he has to do as Larna has been busy at the palace lately. Katarina knows that’s because she’s really Susannah, but the other’s don’t. Things really get going, though, when Katarina’s body is possessed by a dark spirit… one who’s been asleep for five hundred years! Katarina knows this plot, it’s part of the 2nd game that she’s watched in dreams… only there it happened to Maria. As it turns out this spirit, Lucie, is closely tied to a tragedy from long ago… the details of which may be very important to stop it reoccurring. Especially as those folks from 500 years ago seem awfully familiar.

Lest folks misunderstand, there’s no indication that Katarina and Maria are somehow going to go back in time or anything. But several people mentioned here, particularly Susannah’s magic tutor and Lucie’s master, are described in such a way that makes me suspect they’ve been reincarnated from Japan and are, like Katarina, a wee bit eccentric. It’s even more obvious with Jean, who has her own Maria Campbell as her best friend… or rather Maria’s ancestor. I liked how this tied into a folklore tale from her own family, rather than (as I suspected would happen) reading it in the white magic book she’s been translating. As for Lucie, she’s sweet and cute and what happened to her was very tragic… and what happens to her here is slightly less tragic, but also bittersweet. I’m not exactly sure what we’re doing with all this backstory, though it may also tie into a generation before, when the throne war wiped out so many people. Unfortunately, a cliffhanger implies the wrong sort of people might also be better informed.

If you’re reading Bakarina for the plot or characters, this is really solid. And she’s still not interested in romance at all, so status quo there.

Fired? But I Maintain All the Software!, Vol. 1

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By Yuki Kashirome and icchi. Released in Japan as “E, Shanai System Subete One Operation Shite Iru Watashi o Kaiko desu ka?” by PASH! Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Minna Lin.

Content warning: This review will be discussing a book that deals with multiple companies that use AI, and it discusses AI throughout the book, usually in a positive way (though it does emphasize AI without humans making decisions is a disaster). Reader discretion is advised.

It’s always an event when a book gets licensed in a genre that no one really dabbles in much. We’ve seen a lot of bad companies, overworked office staff, and overtime from hell in light novels, but usually that’s as a setup to killing them off and setting them up in another world. This book is not going to do that, as it is very much interested in this world. It’s essentially a story of how you should not stay tied to a job that is destroying you, that effective communication can still be learned even years after school. and that you need to be careful about getting rid of the weirdo in the company because usually the weirdos are in companies for a very good reason.

Ai Sato (punny first name very much intended) gets to say the title as the first line of the novel. A new executive has taken over her company, goes to see the revolutionary new system that they’re famous for, and discovers that the woman who runs it is dressed in a sexy succubus bikini. With horns. She’s drowning her sorrows in an izakaya with melon soda (none of the main characters drink) when she’s spotted by her childhood friend Ken Suzuki, who’s running a startup programming school and thinks she’d be perfect for it. As it turns out, both of them have major flaws in their respective business personalities that are complemented by the other, and with two other employees they’re ready to take the world by storm. Unfortunately her old company is falling apart at the seams, and the CEO has decided it’s all her fault and he wants revenge.

This series, frankly, drips with idealism over realism, and if that bothers you it will probably taste like acid. That said, I did mostly enjoy it. It’s odd seeing a manic pixie dream girl sort from the narrative perspective of the dream girl herself, though the book is pretty good about showing us her flaws and that, under all the tech genius and overly peppy gung-ho attitude is a socially awkward young woman who is nearing 30 but is very much a child at heart. There’s suggestion of a romance between her and the childhood friend, but I get the feeling that’s all it’s ever going to be – this isn’t a romcom, it’s a workplace handbook. (Also, one of their “students” is a young woman who blatantly has a crush on Ai, and is not ashamed to show it.) I did also enjoy seeing the long, lingering interludes showing the CEO of Ai’s old company slide from “I’m here to streamline things and there is a girl in a succubus bikini in my office” to “BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” evil cackling over the course of the book.

If you’re a corporate drone, or an engineer, this is probably right up your alley. If not, I don’t think Ai actually does enough cosplay throughout to justify it. Also, naming the leads Ai Sato and Ken Suzuki is like naming your leads John Smith and Jane Jones.

Return of the Corpse King: Reining in My Cringe Secret Society, Vol. 1

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By Sty and Tsumeki. Released in Japan as “Shiou no Kikan: Moto Yuusha no Ore, Jibun ga Soshikishita Chuuni Himitsukessha wo Tomeru Tame ni Futatabi Isekai ni Shoukansareteshimau” by MF Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Roy Nukia.

Occasionally there are series where I’ll buy it for one reason, usually because it’s advertised as something that intrigues me, only to end up enjoying the book for a completely different reason. This was one of those. The book seems to have been pitched (and judging by that cover, it was pitched in Japan that way as well) as being very much “for fans of The Eminence in Shadow”. There’s a guy prone to making over the top statements, there’s a society of evil made up of extremely loyal servants (though not all of them are women in this one), and there’s lots of fun comedy. But there’s another book that exists behind this book, the prequel that the author thankfully never wrote. And that book certainly is not a comedy. And it drives everything that happens in this book, and makes it a lot more interesting.

Back in middle school, an entire class full of students was summoned to another world by God to defeat the Demon King, each of them gaining special cool powers. At the end of this battle, the demon king is dead, but so are all the classmates, except one, whose special power gains strength whenever an ally dies. He’s returned to Japan, a month after he left, and after police questioning and hospitalization, he’s left to pick up his shattered life. Three years later he’s about to graduate high school when suddenly he’s summoned again. It turns out the “secret society of evil” he created while he was there, made up of various eccentrics, is causing havoc in his absence, and he has to return to clean it up. Two problems. One, he hates remembering his chuuni phase and wants nothing to do with all this edgelord stuff. Two, it’s almost 200 years later!

As noted, while there is humor in this it’s not the reason to read it. It’s mostly “ha ha, it’s funny as he’s horrified by his middle school dramatics being written in stone”. But there are several better reasons. First of all, Shio has suffered genuine trauma from his isekai stunt, and has lingering PTSD. He also feels guilt because, albeit unintentionally, he abandoned his secret society allies for two hundred years… and now it turns out someone is committing genuinely evil acts in its name, as opposed to merely using it to look cool which actually doing good. Most of all, thanks to his actions at the start of the book, ANOTHER class of students has been isekai’d to this world… to stop him. And they may not survive either.

So yeah, the dark, tragic edges in this series interested me a lot more than the funny parts. It was good, I’ll read another.

Manga the Week of 5/27/26

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SEAN: The end of May and time for summer to be icumen in. Seems like it’s a bit early this year.

MICHELLE: I understood that reference!

SEAN: Airship has print volumes for Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord 7, Reborn as a Space Mercenary 15, and Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentōshō 13.

And for early digital there is The Misdeeds of an Extremely Arrogant Villain Aristocrat 3 and Roll Over and Die 6.

Cross Infinite World has The Drab Princess, the Black Cat, and the Satisfying Break-up 6 and Welcome to Olivia’s Magic Jewelers 3 (the final volume).

Crossed Hearts (which I admit has been releasing print-only manhwa I have been missing) has a manga debut, You’re Way Too Cheeky, Chigaya-kun! (Namaiki Sugiru yo, Chigaya-kun). This runs in Ganma!. Why is this hot guy only in a teasing mood around her? Also, archery.

MICHELLE: Probably this is the sort of thing I’d read and think “needs more archery.”

ASH: Always more archery. Always.

ANNA: I’m not opposed to more archery!

SEAN: Dark Horse Manga has a 2nd omnibus volume of Innocent Rouge.

ASH: I haven’t read any of Innocent Rouge yet, but I have been reading Innocent. If nothing else, the artwork is incredibly striking.

SEAN: And retailers say Denpa Books has the 4th volume of Nana & Kaoru: Black Label.

ASH: Maybe, maybe not. Hard to tell with Denpa.

SEAN: Ghost Ship gives us Rebel Hero: I Will Use My Skills to Control the Scheming Princess’s Heart and Body 3 and Survival in Another World with My Mistress! 9.

A debut from Hanashi Media: The Disfavored Prince is a Genius Alchemist: All I Want is to Spoil My Little Siblings (Fuguu Ouji wa Tensai Renkinjutsushi: Koutei Nante Gara ja Nai node Teimai wo Kawaigaritai) stars a guy reincarnated as the first prince, but politics force him to step aside. Now he’s going to be an amazing alchemist… who ends up influencing the politics far more than he would have if he’d stayed prince.

ASH: I like alchemists.

SEAN: They also have Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy 16.

J-Novel Club has their last debut for a while (they’re saving their new licenses for AX). The Reincarnated Mastermind: Sundering Fate with Magic Swords (Monogatari no Kuromaku ni Tensei Shite ~Shinka Suru Maken to Game Chishiki de Subete o Nejifuseru~) stars a guy who is delighted to clear the game he’s playing before anyone else… then finds himself reincarnated in the game as the villain. Dammit, he’s just going to live a slow life and avoid the cast, then. (cough) Good luck with that, dude.

ASH: He’ll need it.

SEAN: Other light novels from JNC: The Apothecary Diaries 16, My Stepmom’s Daughter Is My Ex 13, Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden 9, and Repeated Vice: I Refuse to Be Important Enough to Die 3.

ASH: Yay, Apothecary Diaries!

SEAN: Other manga from JNC: My Tiny Senpai 5, Sometimes Even Reality Is a Lie! 7, and Zero Damage Sword Saint 3.

Kodansha Manga has… three print debuts? Maybe? Omega of the Divine (Aijitsu to Hanayome) is an omegaverse manga from Gateau that was announced for print and digital, but the print seems to be AWOL at the moment, so here’s the digital. A sick boy is chosen as the sacrifice to the local god, but the god may be nicer than suspected.

That’s Not Love (Koi ja Nee kara) is a seinen manga from Morning Two. A middle-aged woman goes to see a sculpture exhibit by her old teacher, and finds one sculpture looks a lot like her old middle-school friend… right down to the scarring. Was something happening in school she didn’t know about?

MICHELLE: Intriguing!

ASH: Oh, ho!

ANNA: Hmmmm.

SEAN: Wicked Spot is a yuri manga from CandleA, from the creator of Ayaka Is in Love with Hiroko. A witch discovers the powerful world of social media, and ends up crossing paths with a young woman who’s not a fan of witches.

Also in print: GALAXIAS 2, Go! Go! Loser Ranger! 17, Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards 9, Kaijin Fugeki: Kindled Spirits 3, Kei X Yaku: Bound By Law 12, Omega Megaera 4, and Shangri-La Frontier 22.

And for digital we have I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! 7, Saint Young Men 21, and Shangri-La Frontier 25.

MICHELLE: I had entirely forgotten that Saint Young Men exists.

ASH: I had not! (But am still behind in my reading…)

ANNA: I am glad it does exist!

SEAN: Crybaby Mermaid : Illustrated Memoir of Yumi Uotani is a new series from Mahjong Pros, assuming it doesn’t get bumped like Koizumi did. It’s a biography of the emotional ups and downs of a woman who plays professional mahjong.

MICHELLE: Neat!

ASH: I’ll happily read it.

ANNA: Sounds cool!

SEAN: Getter Robo High is Getter Robo, mahjong style.

ASH: Honestly, I’d read that, too.

SEAN: And yes, they also have Reform with No Wasted Draws: The Legend of Koizumi, which I discussed last month. It got bumped.

ASH: This is the one I’m really here for.

SEAN: One Peace Books gives us I Was Sold Dirt Cheap, but My Power Level Is off the Charts 5, Nukozuke! 6, and the 26th The Rising of the Shield Hero manga.

There’s a Korean novel from Seven Seas not in the Airship line. Beacon of Light in the Dark Sea stars a dentist hired to work at an undersea research facility… but when he arrives he finds everything starting to get creepy.

And for danmei, Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi finishes its deluxe hardcover release with Vol. 5.

Two manga debuts. My Cat’s Aura is Strong Today (Kyou mo Neko-sama no Atsu ga Tsuyoi) is a cat manga, which means technically, like all cat manga, it’s josei. Have you ever wondered if cats are really sarcastic to you in their heads? Wonder no more.

ASH: I’m assuming they are, but I guess I’ll find out!

ANNA: I assume that they may be sarcastic, but are also all perfect angels.

SEAN: The Scum Laugh is a full-color seinen series (I can’t find magazine info on either of these, they’re both Kadokawa). Have you ever wondered about the thoughts of beastmen as they’re about to rip you to shreds? Wonder no more.

ASH: Full-color we don’t see very often.

Also from Seven Seas: Breakfast with My Two-Tailed Cat 4, Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord 7, Even Dogs Go to Other Worlds 6, Free Life Fantasy Online: Immortal Princess 13, Gap Papa: Daddy at Work and at Home 6, Ichi the Killer Omnibus 4, Kitayama and Minamiya 2, Soara and the House of Monsters 6, and You Like Me, Not My Daughter?! 6.

Tokyopop debuts I Picked Up a No-Good, Useless Prince (Danzaisareta Dame Ouji, Hiroimashita), a Comic Gardo title based on an as-yet unlicensed light novel. A spoiled young prince finally pisses off too many people, and is reduced to being a commoner. Now he’s met a young woman who adores royal drama and fangirls him.

It also gives us Boyfriend, Sometimes Girlfriend 3 and In So Deep, It’s Love Already 2.

Viz Media has Cosmos 5 and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Part 7–Steel Ball Run 7.

ASH: Excellent.

SEAN: And we’re done!… no, we’re not. Here’s Yen Press and its 11 billion titles.

ASH: It feels like it’s been a while.

The Adventure of Black Cat Nyango (Kuroneko Nyango no Bouken) is a shonen title from Dragon Age. A young boy (kitten?) is trying to join a famous adventuring party… but they’re away, so instead he goes into research. This looks cute.

ASH: It does.

SEAN: Every Adventure Needs a Weapon!: The Blacksmith Life of Rudy the Obsessed (Bouken ni wa, Buki ga Hitsuyou da! Kodawari Rudy no Kajiya Gurashi) stars a young woman (Rudy) who is obsessed with weapons, and testing weapons. It runs in Monthly Action.

ASH: That seems like something I would read.

SEAN: Four in Love is a Taiwanese comic anthology, in full color, showing the agonies of love.

Kuro: The Complete Edition collects all three volumes of this monster/horror title from Tonari no Young Jump. A cute girl loves playing with her adorable cat Kuro. To everyone else, the cat is a nightmarish beast.

ASH: I love the cat/monster design of Kuro.

SEAN: Love from the Tip of the Tongue (Shitasaki kara Koi) is a … sigh… Cakeverse title about a young man who is hiding his forkness until he meets an irresistible cake… I’m sorry, I can deal with Omegaverse, but I draw a line here. It’s BL, OK? It runs in Comic Marginal &h.

MICHELLE: Today I learned Cakeverse exists.

ASH: I was likewise unaware.

ANNA: I wish to go back in time when I was unaware.

SEAN: Monster Eater: A Delicious in Dungeon Board Game is what it sounds like.

ASH: I want this to be good!

On the Boundary’s Road: The Works of Suzuka Morino is also what it sounds like, a one-shot from Harta featuring an author known for beast and human manga.

Redeem: Only One Forever (Redeem: Tatta Hitotsu no Eien, Redeem) is a BL manhwa. A man who sees his older lover die in an accident finds himself ten years in the past… but getting his lover to fall for him again may be difficult.

ASH: I’m intrigued.

SEAN: Sailor Zombie: Complete Omnibus is a massive 900-page volume collecting this series from Monthly Hero’s. High school girls try to survive in a world overrun by zombies and also by assholes. Guess who’s the greater danger.

ASH: A giant omnibus can pose a legitimate threat.

SEAN: Shino & Ren (Shino to Ren) is a yuri series – again, can’t find the magazine, but it’s Kadokawa. Loud brash tomboy. Quiet, reserved girly girl. They’re in love. And very attracted to each other.

ASH: Awww.

SEAN: Toxy Noxy Foresty Forest (Doku Doku Mori Mori) is another Monthly Hero’s series. It’s a violent gory horror manga… only they’re all mushrooms.

ASH: I will admit to being curious.

Void: No. Nine (Void: No. Nine – 9-banme no Utsuro) is a seinen manga from Comic Beam. Scavengers search the post-apocalyptic underground depths, hoping to find treasure, but more likely to get killed.

ASH: That is a thing that happens sometimes.

SEAN: In addition to those… TWELVE debuts, we also have Assorted Entanglements 9, Bocchi the Rock! Comic Anthology 3, Bride of the Barrier Master 6, The Girl Past the Filters 2, Handyman Saitou in Another World 9, Hazure Skill: The Guild Member with a Worthless Skill Is Actually a Legendary Assassin 8, I Cannot Reach You 9, I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level 16, Immortality and Punishment 2, Isekai Samurai 3, Kowloon Generic Romance 11, Magical Midlifer 2, Monster-Colored Island 2, Nights with a Cat 7, The Saga of Tanya the Evil 28, Scenes from Awajima 2, So What’s Wrong with Getting Reborn as a Goblin? 10, Sword Art Online Ordinal Scale 4, Takahashi from the Bike Shop 4, This Monster Wants to Eat Me 6, Tougen Anki: Legend of the Cursed Blood 5, The World’s Strongest Rearguard 9, and Yotsuba&! 16 (the first volume since 2021).

MICHELLE: Some good stuff here! (But mostly Scenes from Awajima.)

ASH: Indeed!

SEAN: So clearly I saved the big surprise for the very end. Are you getting Yotsuba&…?

MICHELLE: I guess I should. I haven’t read any since volume 14 in 2018!

ANNA: Wow, what a big surprise!

The BS Situation of Tougetsu Umidori, Vol. 4

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By Kaeru Ryouseirui and Natsuki Amashiro. Released in Japan as “Umidori Tougetsu no “Detarame” na Jijou” by MF Bunko J. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Andrew Cunningham.

I worried this would be something of a disappointment because the author was clearly being told to end it with the fourth book. That turns out to be both true and false. it’s false as I think this contains some of the best writing in the series, with some great comedy that is also kind of horrifying. It also, like a good penultimate volume, starts giving us a lot of answers, particularly in regards to Bullshit-chan and Tougetsu. The problem, of course, is that it’s not a penultimate volume, it’s a final volume. As such, it’s pretty much a failure, as it does not resolve any of its important plots, it just reveals the answer sheet. It’s a good answer sheet! But the ending just made me sigh and go “well, this is what happens sometimes, and I suppose we should be glad the author wasn’t signed to Futabasha.” I do recommend that fans of the series read this last book. But temper your expectations.

After a confrontation that makes Bullshit-chan uncomfortable, she decides to finally come clean to Tougetsu about her past and her powers… or at least she says she is, but mostly she just takes Tougetsu out on a date and dresses her in a cat hoodie… which looks far more like fetish gear on Tougetsu than on Bullshit-chan. Unfortunately, as this is going on, Mud Hat has decided he’s going to have a giant festival with all the faction’s core members letting loose at last… which will probably destroy the city, but can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs! What’s worse, they’ve kidnapped Tougetsu… and then one of the faction kidnaps her again, having found the World’s Most Perfect pre-reader. Can Tougetsu’s harem weaponize itself to do something about this? And will Bullshit-chan admit her past, or will it all just be given as flashbacks to the reader instead?

I’ve talked about the issues with this book, so let me talk about what I really liked. The scene between Nara and Seiryoin in the car, where they talk about their dreams, is possibly my favorite scene in the series, if only as it’s hilarious. That said, if looked at objectively, these dreams are also horrific, which at least Seiryoin can admit. I also do really love that Mud Hat is such an utterly unlikable asshole here that even his collaborator and bodyguard lets Bullshit-chan have one free shot to almost break his jaw, because he’s just that much of a dick. Unfortunately, despite being warned that Tougetsu can amass a yuri harem to change the world, and also giving hints as to how the series would have ended had it gone on, this ends where it began, with Tougetsu and Bullshit-chan back in the apartment, and nothing much changed except the reader now knows their backstories.

So a solid series with a few big flaws, only some of which are due to the publisher. I still quite enjoyed it.

The Executioner and Her Way of Life: Otherworlders Must Die

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By Mato Sato and nilitsu. Released in Japan as “Shokei Shoujo no Virgin Road” by GA Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Jenny McKeon.

So let’s get the bad news out of the way, and it’s not really a spoiler. This volume came out in Japan on the same day as the 11th and final volume did, and they are clearly meant to be read as a pair – the author even says so in the afterword, which at least Yen translates properly. Unfortunately, that’s not Yen’s policy. On the bright side, the 11th and final volume *is* on the schedule, so we know vaguely when it will be coming out – six months from now. So you are reading half a book, and the ending is very abrupt. On the bright side, we’re pretty much in the home stretch, and as such the author does not have to faff around and delay things until the second half of the book as they normally do. This is a very solid volume, possibly the best to date, and folks who do choose to read it now and then wait will be quite satisfied. Lots of folks are cool, even the ones who don’t think they will be.

After the events of the last book, Menou is back to normal, Akari is back to normal, and Momo is cranky. Which is to say, she’s as normal as ever. Heck, even Ashuna, after making me worry for the cliffhanger of the last book, is pretty much back to normal. Which is good, as they’ll need everyone at their best to try to deal with both Hakua and Pandæmonium. It’s time to plan. Unfortunately, after the events of the last few books, Akari is no longer in control of time, but she can do a few things. Momo, of course, can kick ass. Sahara… exists. And then there’s Maya, who has the perfect plan – sacrifice herself to get rid of Pandæmonium. It *is* a sensible plan if you support the needs of the many philosophy, but after watching Menou do the same thing recently, I don’t think it’s where we want to go. They do have a complicated plan, which will send Pandæmonium back to Japan… leaving them to fight Hakua. Who decides to show Akari her tragic backstory.

I’ve made no secret of my favorite character in this series, and I was absolutely over the moon with how she was handled here. Sahara is grumpy and dour and wants to run away, and that doesn’t change. She also hates herself, as she’s made explicitly clear in this volume. But there is one thing that has changed, and that’s what makes her – finally – take a stand and fight. As for Menou and Akari, they’re both clearly still in love, much to Momo’s displeasure, but Hakua has just as much a right to Akari, seeing as they knew each other in Japan. Hakua’s backstory has a lot of stuff we suspected or could guess – and there’s some really disturbing stuff that does right back to the gimmick this series became known for – but it also shows how these powers everyone has are too easily corruptible. Gotta do something about that.

But we gotta wait, even if in Japan could could just reach for the next book. So goes life. This is a top-notch entry in the series, though.