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Sean Gaffney

Pick of the Week: Mahjong Manga? Mahjong Manga!

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SEAN: Ringing out the old and ringing in the new, I’m going to cheat this week. My pick of the week is the final volume of My Dress-Up Darling, one of the most obvious licenses ever, AND Reform with No Wasted Draws: The Legend of Koizumi, one of the least obvious.

MICHELLE: There are some intriguing debuts this week, but I’ve gotta go with a new volume of Wave, Listen to Me!. I look forward to getting caught up on it!

ASH: Despite all hope, I never thought we’d see Reform with No Wasted Draws: The Legend of Koizumi released in English, let alone the emergence of an imprint specifically devoted to mahjong manga, so that’s absolutely something I will be reading this week.

ANNA: I’m with Ash this week, bring on the mahjong manga!

Agents of the Four Seasons, Vol. 6

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By Kana Akatsuki and Suoh. Released in Japan as “Shunka Shūtō Daikōsha” by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Sergio Avila.

So the first two-part arc of this series involved the past and present trauma of Hinagiku, the Agent of Spring. The second two-parter gave us even more trauma, mostly present, for the twin Agents of Summer. Now, after a one-volume “break”, we’re ready to dip into Autumn. Nadeshiko has been involved quite a bit in the last few books, both as a victim of kidnapping and as an Agent in her own right. That said, she’s still an eight-year-old girl who has been through far more than most eight-year-olds should. And, as is pointed out several times in this book, she’s much more mature than someone of her age should be when confronted with all this. She should be more like… well, like Ruri, to use an example Ruri herself would probably get mad at. In this book, though, we hear more about Nadeshiko’s life before she became an Agent… and it’s a very depressingly familiar tale. There’s no supernatural forces or twisted destiny here, just a young girl whose parents quickly realize they don’t want a child after all.

Nadeshiko is not having a great time at the moment, though it’s certainly better than it’s ever been for her. Rindo is running himself ragged trying to avoid having to answer a summons from Kyokoku, which is this world’s equivalent of the United States. There used to be a mutual aid policy between countries to help out when an Agent needed it. This is no longer the case, for many reasons, some of which might be that Kyokoku is a very dangerous country filled with religious fundamentalists whose Agents live fast and die young. (If you are looking for light, subtle political commentary, this is not the series for you.) Eventually Rindo realizes that he can’t avoid this, so Nadeshiko is going to not-America… along with a passel of guards and aides, as well as the Agent of Winter and his Guard, the Agent of Summer (Ruri version) and her guard, and Tsukihi, the National Security Agent we last saw with the Agent of Twilight. They expect treachery. They get it.

The author of this series has been talking with the author of My Happy Marriage, I expect, as they included in the Afterword a bit about how readers who would like all the trauma to stop soon are reading the wrong title. “It is a story for the scars you bore back then.” It certainly is, as Nadeshiko’s past of neglectful parents goes down like you’re choking, and her present is worse. The two on the cover are the Kyokoku Agent of Autumn, who is a year younger than her, and his Guard. They’re both unable to fight back against the Church. (Anyone reading this series who loves American unconditionally or is deeply religious may want to drop it here.) I also warn that there is the most dreaded of literary devices here, which is the overheard and misunderstood conversation. That said, when you have so little regard for yourself as Nadeshiko does, it’s hard not to misunderstand that people might care about you.

On the bright side, Ruri is fantastic in this, and I love the banter between her and Rosei. They’ve both grown so much. I hope Nadeshiko is allowed to do the same. In any case, we need to wait for Book 7, which… yeah, is not yet scheduled by Yen. Essential reading for fans of the series or those who love to read about good people overcoming suffering.

A Misanthrope Teaches a Class for Demi-Humans, Vol. 3

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By Kurusu Natsume and Sai Izumi. Released in Japan as “Jingai Kyōshitsu no Ningen-girai Kyōshi: Hitoma-sensei, Watashi-tachi to Mirai ni Susundekuremasuku…?” by Media Factory. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by airco.

In the long interim between the second and third volumes coming out over here (there was a gap in Japan as well, plus a translator change), we had the anime version of this title, and while I’m not sure if it was a success in Japan, I do know that it went down over here like a lead balloon. I didn’t watch it, but a lot of folks made it sound like it was a romantic fantasy of a nebbish guy meeting a smorgasbord of supernatural monster girls, rather than what the novels make it clear that it actually is, which is another in the long line of “teacher arrives at school and proceeds to make the kids’ lives better whether they like it or not”. That said, there was a past trauma that made it sound like maybe he had a teacher student romance in his past? This third volume makes it clear that it was a lot more ordinary than that… while also maybe making you think the anime had a point.

It’s a new year, with two new students, who as usual appear on the cover. What’s that? No, the third girl is a human… and Hitoma’s new assistant teacher. Which is a problem as Haruna is also the high school girl who caused him to resign and become a shut-in for two years as well. The bulk of the book is in the present, but each chapter ends with a past flashback to the two of them in their previous school, and why things happened the way they did. (Spoiler that isn’t one: bullying is omnipresent, and teachers who try too hard to stop it get destroyed.) As for the new kids, Wakaba is a cool elf girl with a surprising past, and Okonogi is a gyaru-type oni girl with a depressing past. That said, we’ve had one graduation per book so far, and given that Haneda isn’t going anywhere, the end of the book becomes “what’s going to happen with Usami?”.

The Usami plotline is easily the best part of the book, to be honest, which makes sense given she’s the student we’ve known the longest who’s still there. As for the new folks, Wakaba’s origins are a terrific idea that ended up being less interesting than I expected, and she doesn’t really feature after her spotlight. Ononoki provides some nice drama, but I was a little uncomfortable with the reverse of the usual blonde vampire rule – instead of “she’s 800 years old but looks 8”, here we have a girl who looks like a 16-year-old high school girl who’s much younger. And then there’s Haruna. I clocked what was going on with her long before Hitoma did. That said, I’m not sure how I feel about her feelings for him even though she’s now a colleague. We see Hitoma rejecting Ryuzaki here as well, so I don’t know if he’d go for it regardless, but… it does make me wonder if this was meant to be a romantic fantasy after all.

I had assumed that the series would end with the third book, and it definitely wraps up the major plotlines from the start. But there’s two more to go, and I think we get a seed of that when we see Hitoma telling the director that his goal for next year is to see Haneda graduate. This is an awkward series that either doesn’t do enough or missteps, but you end up liking it a lot anyway. Much like its main character.

Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, Vol. 9

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By Sunsunsun and Momoco. Released in Japan as “Tokidoki Bosotto Russia-go de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san” by Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Matthew Rutsohn.

There was only so long that the main mystery of this series that doesn’t involve “who will the winning girl be” got cleared up. (And honestly, “who will the winning girl be” is not much of a mystery, either – this isn’t the sort of series that’s going for a last-minute swerve.) So yes, Masachika admits to Alya what the relationship between him and Yuki really is, and then goes to visit her. That said, the series still wants to be a romcom, even in what amounts to the most serious volume to date, and so it also flashes to Alya’s POV during these scenes, which amounts to “OMG we’re holding hands no stop I’m comforting him, shut up brain” over and over again. Alya may be a romantic wreck, but thanks to the boy she not-so-secretly loves she’s found a way forward in life. In this book, Masachika also finds a way forward in life, but sadly he manages to botch that in a really bad way.

Yes, that’s Yuki on the cover, only the 2nd person to feature on a cover that isn’t Alya. She’s looking surprisingly serious as well, which fits the tone of this serious volume. After arriving at his sister’s house, and seeing how far Yuki has relapsed, Masachika decides that it’s time he stop running away from everything and has a long chat with his mother about why she started to reject him. Unsurprisingly, the answer turns out to be that they have a lot more in common than they possibly imagined. He then comes to a decision – he’s going to return to the family and become its head, which means Yuki doesn’t have to. He talks with his father about this, who is as easygoing and hands-off as always. He talks to his grandfather about this, who is grumpy but will let him try. He does NOT talk to Yuki about this. That’s where he botches things.

Of course, not all the upcoming chaos is going to be caused by Masachika. Nonoa still exists, of course. I’ve talked before about how much I appreciate her role in this, and I still do. I really liked her showing up late to “comfort” Masachika, and being genuinely a bit annoyed at Alya for getting there first. Which leads to what she does best, making Alya doubt Masachika. She frames things she found out by coincidence – which she freely admits – as if Alya ended up being the last to find out, and this plants seeds that I’m sure will extend this series into at least three to four more books. She’s also seemingly working on Ayano, and I have a sneaking suspicion that will be Nonoa’s downfall. Don’t try to outplot the woman who freely tells Masachika he makes her womb tremble.

I also did not mention Yuki’s complete meltdown when she hears what happened, or her heart-to-heart with Alya, where we realizing just how much all the incest subtext we love (OK, everyone but me loves) is an act – ALL of it. Basically, the next volume promises to be filled with a lot of repressed rage and tension…..short story volume? (checks) Oooh, differently numbered short story volume! So may be 10, may be BTS, which I assume stands for Behind The Scenes rather than a crossover with the KPop band.

The World’s Strongest Witch: I’m Starting My Free Life in a World Where Only I Can See the Online Strategy Guide, Vol. 2

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By Mochimaru Sakaki and riritto. Released in Japan as “Sekai Saikyou no Majo, Hajimemashita: Watashi dake “Kouryaku Site” wo Mireru Sekai de Jiyuu ni Ikimasu” by SQEX Novels. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Phil Charbonneau.

This series is definitely written to be incredibly silly first and think about everything else second. That said, it is at least thinking about other things. This volume makes it very clear what it would be like to be in a game world – not one with a linear through plot, like most isekais that have game elements are based around, but something where there’s a weekly “event”, which is a valuable opportunity for amateur players to earn skills killing monsters, or there’s a way to get “familiars” that involves a random gacha pull. Only it turns out that the town that the weekly event happens in is tormented by the fact that it happens over and over and there’s nothing they can do to stop it. And duplicate gacha pulls, mostly annoying for a player, can lead to existential crises. Fortunately, this is also a “no thoughts, head empty” sort of series.

Lorna is still heading to the capital, barring a few shortcuts, such as through the evil swamp to the evil church staffed by the evil minions, who are no match for her niceness and mayonnaise. She ends up at the shore, but unfortunately the ferry to the capital is a little booked, because tomorrow is … WEDNESDAY. Every Wednesday the monsters attack and destroy the town, and then they do it again the next week. Sure, sometimes strong adventurers can stop it… but it always comes back, so they get discouraged. Luckily, Lorna has her wiki page and her cheat guides. She then ends up looking for a “cute familiar” sort and accidentally summoning the Water Dragon Princess… and then the same Princess again, as she got a duplicate pull. Now there are two identical princesses… who she’s accidentally kidnapped? Uh oh…

I was worried this would get old fast, and it does still worry me a bit. So far, though, the humor is mostly dead on and very funny. (I could do without the lesbian guild leader into cute little girls, but I think I may have to sigh and just give up on telling Japan not to do that stereotype.) Lorna’s horror at finding that looking up guides in front of others may lead to unskippable ads of incest pornography games is hysterical, though. And there is a BIT of non-silly near the end, as the villain of this book (who is taken down ludicrously easily due to Lorna’s cheats) turns out to have been a bitter thousand-year-old sacrifice, and there’s a message from the man she loved apologizing for it. Again, one game’s mid-tier boss is a fantasy world’s tragic victim, and while this series is never going to lean too hard on the tragedy, it’s nice to know it’s there, if only so Lorna can make things better. Also, it turns out the Princess’ father is fine with twins, so that works out as well.

If you can’t stand the broadest of comedy, stay away. If you love the broadest of comedy, though, dig right in.

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?

Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense, Vol. 17

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By Yuumikan and KOIN. Released in Japan as “Itai no wa Iya nano de Bōgyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu” by Kadokawa Books. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Andrew Cunningham.

Last time I was quite happy, as the author was setting up the end of the series, and there was a lot of non-gaming stuff… well, a little bit of non-gaming stuff… that I could get my hands on. This volume is gaming gaming gaming, and the number of times ‘Kaede’ and ‘Risa’ appear in it is zero. As such, here I am again trying to wring five hundred words (see what I did there?) out of “and then Maple put on her angel throne thing again and they all won”. That said, there are differences here. Maple started this series by essentially playing by vibes, and getting ahead by doing stuff no normal gamer would think of. While the words “normal gamer” still don’t apply to her, she is now thinking like a veteran, and knows when to use her gonzo build to acquire additional buffs that will help her get by in future levels. Our Maple has grown up.

The nostalgia tour continues, as Maple and Sally wander the tenth level, which is made up of bits of the previous levels, and try to get bits of the “demon king’s mana” which will help them in the final floor battle. This means hitting the third level part to teach Maple how to use those flying shoes a lot better than she did last time, as well as help Iz (who reminds us again that everyone in Maple Tree is eccentric and looney tunes a bit). They walk the clouds of the fifth level, where they deal with clouds that may suddenly be less walkable than is ideal. They help Kasumi with her quests on the fourth level, meaning it’s a lot of antiquing and sword battles. And they even team up with Lily, which mostly means that she and Maple can combine to make an even more terrifying atrocity. That said, we all know the Demon Lord battle is not gonna be the end of this book.

There is one bit of through line with the previous book, and it’s Sally pining for Maple. No, not that way – I wish – but there’s a scene where they have to decide if one part coming up will be PvP or party vs. monsters, and you can feel Sally’s anguish as Maple obviously chooses the second. Sally really really REALLY has a fight boner for Maple by now, to the point where she fights both Frederica *and* Velvet and neither one can touch her because she’s saving her first time for … look, sometimes a cigar isn’t just a cigar. The trouble is that Sally has internalized “Maple hates PvP and will agree to this but be unhappy” in her mind, and has therefore decided without bothering to ask Maple at all. I other words, in case it wasn’t clear, Sally is a teenager. Maple is not the girl you remember, Sally. She’s grown up.

All this plus Iz has a tank, something that I really feel should have had the cover art, but oh well. Two volumes to go, hang in there, yuri fans. Your scraps that are plausibly deniable will be coming.

Ascendance of a Bookworm: Hannelore’s Fifth Year at the Royal Academy, Vol. 2

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By Miya Kazuki and You Shiina. Released in Japan as “Honzuki no Gekokujou: Hannelore no Kizokuin Gonensei” by TO Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by quof.

It’s been a while since we last saw Hannelore, chasing her love into the past and learning a valuable lesson, that lesson being “Wilfried is not the one”. (Wilfried waxes and wanes as the books require it, but he is absolutely not at his best in this book – I equated his thought process on social media to that of a bagel.) On the bright side, the goddess has allowed her to remember everything she did in the past, and all her character growth. Oh, don’t worry, she still blushes a lot and shies away from the idea that anyone would be in love with her for anything other than political reasons. But in many other ways she’s grown and matured a huge amount. Which is good, as, well, she accidentally created a huge crisis, and Rozemyne is not around to help fix things this time. Mostly as Rozemyne is off in her own adventures… offscreen. Yeah, sorry, she is Miss-Not-Appearing-In-This-Book.

Hannelore is back in the present, and everything has gone bonkers. Since the Goddess of Time used Hannelore’s body as a vessel, everyone is now also saying she’s chosen by the Gods, despite Hannelore pointing out that she was just a messenger. That, plus the fact that she fixed her poor reputation during the recent war, means EVERYONE now wants her hand in marriage… and are challenging Dunkenfelger for it. Sometimes this is merely annoying (most of the lower duchies). Sometimes it’s a lot more serious (Ortwin, who tries to make his case that he really does love her, but suffers from his reputation). And sometimes it’s a nightmare, as Sigiswald is still after her, and he’s set up this Bride-Stealing Ditter match to get her, by hook or by crook. Unfortunately, for everyone who is not part of Dunkenfelger, no one knows what Bride-Stealing Ditter really entails.

It’s hard to talk about this book in brief, as it’s filled with terrific moments. My first favorite moment comes when Hannelore meets with Eglantine, and it becomes very clear that Eglantine, like most people (and the readers) assume that this is just a big soccer match. In reality, Bride-Stealing Ditter is frequently lethal, and a lot more like the war they just had. Eglantine assumes that Hannelore, being a fluffy bunny sort of person, will object to this. Hannelore, though, is only a fluffy bunny sort of person compared to the rest of her friends and family, and is not backing down on this. They need to prepare to die, she says. (Eglantine does not have a fun book.) My other favorite moment is right at the end, when she turns down Ortwin’s marriage proposal. She explains that the protection and sympathy he can offer her, even if it does come from love, is something she doesn’t need anymore and has grown past. She admits if he asked a year ago she might have accepted, but his “timing was poor”. Given that this is something Hannelore has always seen as her biggest weakness, the irony is absolutely delicious.

We end before we get the ditter itself, and while I would never wish death on anyone, Sigiswald is fictional, so come on, throw me a bone. Bookworm fans should be quite happy.

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!!!

The Tanaka Family Reincarnates, Vol. 6

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By Choko and kaworu. Released in Japan as “Tanaka-ke, Tensei Suru” by Dragon Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Sasha Schiller.

Haaaah. Did I say the 5th volume was Part 1 of 2? Try Part 1 of 3. That said, a lot of what was potentially horrible was taken care of in this volume, and for once it was not directly due to Emma and her family. Though you could argue they did it indirectly. It’s also a great example of how this series can have drama, with real consequences, and then turn on a dime and have the most hilarious bullshit imaginable. The first prince returns from the West, and there’s something… off about him. The Queen can tell something’s wrong, but can’t prove it, and everyone else thinks that things are absolutely fine. But then, he talks to Rose, the king’s concubine who we remember from previous volumes… and doesn’t stare at her enormous breasts. And this fact is SO mind-boggling that everyone immediately gets on board with him being compromised and starts to investigate. The sublime and the ridiculous are married in this series, ad it makes things even funnier, as it takes the edge off the fact that there’s about to be a war.

Emma is back at school, despite most of the student body convinced that she’s dying due to being Too Frail For Words. And just in time, as they’re all going on a field trip to view monsters in the forest, an incredibly dangerous foray that few usually do… except not only are all three Stewarts going, but so are all of Emma’s besties. Naturally the rest of the student body falls into line, including Edward and Arthur… and the King, who has somehow managed to finagle himself onto this so he can see what monsters are really like. What they all find is that this is all part of a crafty plan the Western Empire have been doing to invade and wipe out the kingdom, something unheard of in an age where all nations unite to fight monsters. Is it already… too late?

Lest you think that there’s not enough of Emma being a disaster here, think again. One of the big emotional climaxes also balances between trying to bring the King, who is out of his mind due to being covered with monster blood (which acts like a drug), back to his senses, and also trying to feel the King up because Emma is a giant pervert who loves middle-aged dudes. That said, it’s not ALL laughs. The invasion is very real, and while Juana feels bad about it she is also very dedicated to firing the cannons that will lead to mass death in the capital… death that does not happen thanks to the cats and bugs playing a giant game of “hit the cannonball”. And of course the book ends with the Western Empire sending in very dangerous monsters, which make even the Stewarts act seriously as opposed to just seeing them as food and/or goods. By the end of this book, we’re still about to be at war.

So yeah, things look bad, but they’ve already solved most of the really dangerous issues, and I’ve no doubt that Book 7 will be really silly. Let’s just remember the lesson learned from this volume: no man can resist looking at a pair of really exceptional tits. Unless they’re mind-controlled.

Long Story Short, I’m Living in the Mountains, Vol. 5

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By Asagi and Shino. Released in Japan as “Zenryaku, Yama Kurashi wo Hajimemashita” by Kadokawa Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by N. Marquetti.

Yes, it’s time to write the same review for the fifth time. I’ve talked before about slow life books that are not actually slow life at all, but “I want a slow life but I keep having all these girls and wars and battles” books. This is a genine slow life book, with plot twists such as “they go hunting”, “they go hunting again”, and “they eat what they hunted”, where the only surprise is that Sano, a relatively non-athletic sort, doesn’t go with them, so we never see any of the actual hunting. I suppose this fits with previous books, where we’ve heard about the chickens doing amazing things offscreen, but never get to see it. This book is laser focused on Sano, his depression, and his bonds with the folks who live at the foot of his mountain and in the mountains next door. And, of course, his non-romance with any of them. I think by now the author is genuinely trolling the readers about that, though.

Winter is here, and with this book we see the first snow hit Sano’s mountain retreat. His efforts to keep his screen door from freezing over work well, but you get the sense he’s not prepared for a really deep freeze. What’s more, the Katsuragi sisters have gone to town for the winter, so aside from one meal before the snows hit, they mostly communicate by text. Fortunately, he has Aizawa, who stays over at his place for a bit… then he stays over at Aizawa’s for a bit… then the two of them bond at a restaurant over the fact that society expects them to marry. Honestly, a large chunk of this book is BL except for the obvious. That said, not only is Sano still gaga over his chickens, particularly Yuma, the “chicken wife” of the group, but Aizawa still has Rin, his lamia, who is holed up in the house for the winter but you get the sense is definitely what Yuma is to Sano.

If you’ve read the previous reviews of this series, you know what I’m gonna talk about next. Sano is, for the most part, fairly laid back and mellow this book… except for Christmas, where for obvious reasons he slips back into depression. Aizawa too is struggling, as he tried to reconnect with his family recently, only to find that they just wanted to marry him off, so he fled again. Combine this with the Katsuragis fleeing from stalkers and you have a book whose entire premise seems to be “shut up and leave me alone”. That said, it also loves the community living in this area, and shows that they all love Sano as well. You don’t have to conform, you don’t have to get married and have kids and a normal job. You can, in fact, run away and live on a mountain. Provided, of course, you’re getting passive income from the apartment complex you’re renting out. I hope Sano is not a slumlord.

This is 11 volumes and counting, and I’m not exactly sure where it can really go except to explain why the animals on this mountain are bananas. Perhaps next time.

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.

Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex, Vol. 2

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By Tobirano and Mai Murasaki. Released in Japan as “Zutaboro Reijou wa Ane no Moto Konyakusha ni Dekiai Sareru” by M Novels f. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Rymane Tsouria. Adapted by Zubonjin.

(There’s a spoiler I talk about, but I’ll try to wait till after the summary. Also, the spoiler is obvious.)

I will reiterate that those who cannot accept that Marie’s entire life to date has revolved around being told how terrible she is will find this volume very hard going, because it will feel grating that she loathes herself to such a degree that it almost drowns the narrative. The third quarter of the book is awash in everyone just being very, very sad, and I get the feeling the author knew this and wanted to make sure it didn’t overflow. As such, eventually, when Marie ends up fleeing from her engagement and the castle, things proceed to turn into farce, starting with Mio driving around and around the castle while pretending to be driving her back home, waiting for her to change her mind, and then getting capped off by Kyros leaping onto the carriage to follow them around the castle. It’s so over the top it’s fun.

Marie is doing her best, even though she may not think that it is. As we learn more about her childhood, we discover that she can speak/write in multiple languages, that her dancing is excellent, and that the fact that her favorite children’s book was delivered to her may be the holding thing keeping her from a breakdown. Meanwhile, Mio investigates back at her parents’ manor, and discovers that things are far more disturbing than they or we imagined, especially in regards to the death of Marie’s sister. Even a lovely outing in the merchant district to look at rings and clothing can’t pass by without Mio hearing the voice of her sister calling her and having nightmares. Surely the best thing to do is to simply call everything off and go back to her abusive home.

Rest assured, dear reader, this does not happen. For one thing, Anastasia isn’t dead. I know this will come as a shock to no one. What came as a shock to me was that I was expecting her to have deliberately faked her death to go off the the capital to make things. As it turns out, no, she was almost raped by her coach driver, escaped by the skin of her teeth, and only by miraculous fortune did she wind up in the capital. Oh yes, and her hair is being used to pacify her half-insane mother. Suffice it to say, neither sister has had it easy, and they both love each other yet also deeply envy each other’s positions. Towards the end of the book, when both parents are taken into custody, Marie has to decide what to do with them, and we get a bit of backstory that explains but does not excuse their actions. Much as I liked the wackiness in the middle of the agony, the agony is very much there.

That said, there’s more to this series. Marie and Kyros aren’t married yet. The third prince is hitting on a former noble turned commoner who just wants to be left alone. And what of Mio, the best character in this series? We’ll find out next time.

Dinners with My Darling: How the Former Monster King Ate Her Way to Happiness, Vol. 3

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By Mugi Mameta and Nagisa Hanazome. Released in Japan as “Aisanai to Iwaremashite mo – Moto Maou no Hakushaku Reijou wa Kimajime Gunjin ni Ezuke wo Sarete Shiawase ni naru” by M Novels f. Released in North America by Cross Infinite World. Translated by JC.

The scope of this series is expanding a bit as we get to the third book, and as we continue to deal with the fallout of what happened with Abigail’s parents. Their domain is currently turning into a bit of a nightmare, and while Gerald doesn’t really wish otherwise, he does have to help investigate it. Moreover, Abigail may be human now, and theoretically able to do magic, but it’s clear that she has a foot in both worlds, and that she needs to be very careful to keep that balance, because right now her ability to talk to and control monsters may be more important than things like learning to do healing and recovery magic. That said, rest assured that we do get a lot of food here, and Abigail regales us with how good it is. The series is not going to abandon its title anytime soon.

As the book opens, Abigail and Gerald are still being pestered by the fourth prince, who desperately wants their help because Abigail is the only one who can possibly decipher the horrible bookkeeping of her old domain. Gerald agrees, albeit very reluctantly, but Abigail is fine with it. She meets some old schoolmates of Gerald as well, who are very different personality types but who both share a trait of being far too blunt and direct about everything. And she has to cope with managing the household when Gerald has a military maneuver that takes him away for a while. Unfortunately, her stepmother takes this opportunity to try to invade and demand that Abigail return with them. Even more unfortunately, she seems to have tried to stage a rockfall to kill off Gerald. Can food save the day?

As with the prior two volumes, I still have an issue with Abigail frequently sounding like a six-year-old rather than a young woman who used to be the Monster King. It makes the lovey-dovey stuff a bit weird. Apart from that, we get two new cast members here, though one may also leave us here. The Wendy subplot feels a bit half-baked, mostly as she’s not really aggressive or awful, she’s just direct and can’t take a hint. I was expecting her to clash with Abigail, but that didn’t happen, she just sort of finally gets the message and decides to go be a good girl from now on. You get the sense she was there for Abigail to pick up healing magic from. Much better is the other woman, Rickman, a brilliant but autistic (it’s not explicitly stated in the text, but it’s pretty obvious) aide to the prince who finds Gerald scary but warms to his fiancee right away, telling her stories. Frankly, she’s really good at telling the stories, and I wonder if a career change is in the offing. She’s also fun, as she too can’t seem to stop saying – well, stuttering – what she thinks.

This isn’t great, but it’s decent, and there’s enough meat on the bones for me to keep going despite my issues.