Bookshelf Overload

I was weak in July and succumbed to temptation. Barnes & Noble had its big 3-for-2 manga sale which, when combined with already discounted prices and additional coupons, meant I was able to get a ton of manga for an average of more than 50% off the cover price. So, I tragically took the opportunity to catch up on a bunch of series like Dorohedoro, Food Wars!, Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto, Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, My Love Story!!, and more. While I was rather happy about this, my wallet was less than pleased (even if it did comparatively take less of a beating than it normally would otherwise). Oh, and then I somewhat unintentionally ended up with a used set of Yakitate!! Japan for an outrageously good price. None of that was really planned, though, so I’ll have to to keep my purchasing better in check over the next few months.

As for July’s manga preorders, I was especially excited for the second omnibus of Akiko Higashimura’s Princess Jellyfish (which was technically released at the end of June), the return of Kohske’s Gangsta, the absolutely enormous edition of Toshio Ban’s The Osama Tezuka Story: A Life in Manga and Anime, and the first volume of Leiji Matsumoto’s Queen Emeraldas. I was also excited to see that my copy of Yona of the Dawn, Volume 1 by Mizuho Kusanagi showed up early  (its official release date was in August), and I ended up enjoying Haikyu!!, Volume 1 by Haruichi Furudate even more than I thought I would. Netcomics’ two most recent releases–the full-color His House by Hajin Yoo (the creator of Totally Captivated) and Intense by Kyungha Yi–are some of the most beautifully designed and presented books that I’ve seen from the publisher. I’m also really looking forward to watching The Empire of Corpses, which is based on a novel by Project Ito and Toh Enjoe that hasn’t been translated into English. Considering that I love the work of both authors, I do hope that one day it will be, though!

Manga!
Ajin: Demi-Human, Volume 7 by Gamon Sakurai
The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Volume 5 by Kore Yamazaki
Dorohedoro, Volume 17-18 by Q Hayashida
Emma, Omnibus 4 by Kaoru Mori
Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Volume 10-12 written by Yuto Tsukuda, illustrated by Shun Saeki
FukuFuku: Kitten Tales, Volume 1 by Kanata Konami
Gangsta, Volume 7 by Kohske
Haikyu!!, Volume 1 by Haruichi Furudate
Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto, Volumes 2-4 by Nami Sano
Horimiya, Volume 2 by Hero
Knights of Sidonia, Volume 15 by Tsutomu Nihei
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, Volumes 2-3 by Izumi Tsubaki
My Love Story!!, Volumes 8-9 by Kazune Kawahara
My Neighbor Seki, Volumes 5-7 by Takuma Morishige
Mysterious Girlfriend X, Omnibus 1 by Riichi Ueshiba
Nichijou: My Ordinary Life, Volume 1 by Keiichi Arawi
Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi, Volume 3 by Nanao
One-Punch Man, Volumes 4-7 written by One, illustrated by Yusuke Murata
The Osama Tezuka Story: A Life in Manga and Anime by Toshio Ban
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 17 by Bisco Hatori
Princess Jellyfish, Omnibus 2 by Akiko Higashimura
Prison School, Omnibus 4 by Akira Hiramoto
QQ Sweeper, Volumes 2-3 by Kyousuke Motomi
Queen Emeraldas, Volume 1 by Leiji Matsumoto
Sweetness & Lightning, Volume 1 by Gido Amagakure
Wandering Island, Volume 1 by Kenji Tsuruta
Yakitate!! Japan, Volumes 4-26 by Takashi Hashiguchi
Yona of the Dawn, Volume 1 by Mizuho Kusanagi

Manhwa!
His House, Volume 1 by Hajin Yoo
Intense, Volume 1 by Kyungha Yi

Comics!
Alphabet edited by Jon Macy and Tara Madison Avery
Cook Korean! by Robin Ha
Dirty Diamonds, Volumes 1-6 edited by Claire Folkman and Kelly Phillips
Fantasy Sports, Volume 2: The Bandit of Barbel Bay by Sam Bosma
Kamikaze, Volume 1: Run, Rabbit, Run by Alan Tupper, Carrie Tupper, and Havana Nguyen
The Meat Cake Bible by Dame Darcy
Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
Southern Cross, Volume 1 by Becky Cloonan, Andy Belanger, and Lee Loughridge
Stand Still, Stay Silent, Volume 1 by Minna Sandberg
Summerland by Paloma Dawkins
We All Wish for Deadly Force by Leela Corman

Novels!
Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Volume 2: Ambition by Yoshiki Tanaka
The Vegetarian by Han Kang

Anime!
The Empire of Corpses directed by Ryoutarou Makihara

After the ridiculousness that was May’s Bookshelf Overload (thanks, TCAF!), the number of manga and other books that I acquired in June seems entirely reasonable. Last month I took advantage of a few good sales combined with gift cards to fill in some gaps in a few of my manga series. As I mentioned previously, Kazuo Umezu’s Drifting Classroom looks like it may be going out of print, so I made a point to complete my set. I also supplemented my recent haul of review copies from Kodansha. As for June’s preorders that I was particularly excited for (and dreading in some ways because they’re so emotionally intense) at the top of the list sits Goodnight Punpun, Omnibus 2 by Inio Asano and Orange, Omnibus 2 by Ichigo Takano. (I’d actually like to post some Random Musings about Orange, but it will probably be a while before I can get around to it.) June was also a good month for me for shoujo science fiction. I discovered Wrecked Hearts by Mathilde Kitteh and Luca Oliveri and imported Moto Hagio’s SF Art Works collection, both of which are great. (As a side note, if you’re interested in Wrecked Hearts and ordering directly from PEOW! Studio in Sweden is difficult, I recently discovered that it can also be ordered from Retrofit Comics in the United States.)

Manga!
Drifting Classroom, Volumes 9-10 by Kazuo Umezu
Emma, Omnibus 3 by Kaoru Mori
Everyone’s Getting Married, Volume 1 by Izumi Miyazono
Franken Fran, Omnibus 2 by Katsuhisa Kigitsu
Genshiken: Second Season, Volume 7 by Shimoku Kio
Goodnight Punpun, Omnibus 2 by Inio Asano
Inuyashiki, Volume 2 by Hiroya Oku
Kaze Hikaru, Volume 14 by Taeko Watanabe
My Little Monster, Volumes 11-12 by Robico
Noragami: Stray God, Volumes 8-9 by Adachitoka
Orange, Omnibus 2 by Ichigo Takano
Red Red Rock and Other Stories by Seiichi Hayashi
Say I Love You, Volumes 10-11 by Kanae Hazuki
Vagabond, Omnibus 6 by Takehiko Inoue
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Volumes 5-6 by Miki Yoshikawa
Your Lie in April, Volumes 3-4 by Naoshi Arakawa

Comics!
Elf Cat in Love by James Kochalka
Hellbound Lifestyle by Kaeleigh Forsyth
I.D. by Emma Ríos
New World edited by C. Spike Trotman
Shadoweyes, Volume 1 by Sophie Campbell, colors by Erin Watson
Wrecked Hearts by Mathilde Kitteh and Luca Oliveri

Artbooks!
Seconda by Yeehun
SF Art Works by Moto Hagio

Nonfiction!
Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat translated by Patrick McCarthy
Shed & Frontlawn Zine by Graeme McNee, Ryan Cecil Smith, and An Nguyen

I will be the first to admit that  the amount of manga, comics, and other delights I acquired in May was kind of ridiculous, especially when compared to recent months in which I’ve deliberately tried to curb my spending. However, I expected and planned for a bump in May, mainly because the month includes my annual trip to TCAF. I picked up so many independent comics and zines while in Canada! And it made me very happy. I was also pleasantly surprised to receive an enormous box of review copies from Kodansha Comics at my new address. I really wasn’t expecting to see one so soon after the last box that arrived. (But thank you!) All that combined with a few preorders and other bargains meant that May was a big month for me.

As for some of the highlights from May: Kazuo Umezu’s manga series The Drifting Classroom appears as though it may be going out of print. Volume 11 is becoming particularly difficult (and expensive) to find, but I was able to nab a stray Canadian copy. After a several-year delay, Masahiko Matsumoto’s Cigarette Girl was finally released by Top Shelf last month. Likewise, it’s been a few years since Drawn & Quarterly published its initial collection of Shigeru Mizuki’s Kitaro, but now there’s The Birth of Kitaro which I loved. There are several other May release which I’m excited about and hope to review in the future, too, including Lianne Sentar and dee Juusan’s short comic Shut In Shut Out from Chromatic Press/Sparkler Monthly, Requiem of the Rose King, Volume 4 by Aya Kanno from Viz Media, and Another: Episode S/0 from Yen On which contains both Yukito Ayatsuji’s novel and Hiro Kiyohara’s manga. My in-depth review of Yui Sakuma’s Complex Age, Volume 1 should be posted later this week as well; I didn’t anticipate that it would resonate with me as much as it did. Oh, and the Dororo anime is now available, too!

Manga!
As Many As There Are Stars by Miecohouse Matsumoto
Attack on Titan, Volume 16 by Hajime Isayama
Bakuman, Volumes 3-5 written by Tsugumi Ohba, illustrated by Takeshi Obata
Bleach, Volume 1 by Tite Kubo
Cigarette Girl by Masahiko Matsumoto
Complex Age, Volume 1 by Yui Sakuma
The Drifting Classroom, Volume 11 by Kazuo Umezu
Fairy Tail, Omnibus 2 by Hiro Mashima
Fairy Tail, Volumes 52-54 by Hiro Mashima
Forget Me Not, Volume 2 written by Mag Hsu, illustrated by Nao Emoto
Genshiken: Second Season, Volume 8 by Himoku Kio
Inuyashiki, Volume 3 by Hiroya Oku
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency, Volume 3 by Hirohiko Araki
Kiss Him, Not Me, Volumes 3-4 by Junko
Kitaro, Volume 1: The Birth of Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki
My Little Monster, Volume 13 by Robico
Noragami: Stray God, Volumes 10-14 by Adachitoka
Ouran High School Host Club, Volumes 4-16 by Bisco Hatori
Paradise Residence, Volume 2 by Kosuke Fujishima
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, Side: P3, Volume 2 by So Tobita
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, Side: P4, Volumes 1-2 by Mizunomoto
Planetes, Omnibus 2 by Makoto Yukimura
Real Account, Volume 2 written by Okushou, illustrated by Shizumu Watanabe
Requiem of the Rose King, Volume 4 by Aya Kanno
Say I Love You, Volumes 12-13 by Kanae Hazuki
The Seven Deadly Sins, Volumes 12-14 by Nakaba Suzuki
A Silent Voice, Volume 7 by Yoshitoki Oima
Tract by Shintaro Kago
UQ Holder, Volume 7 by Ken Akamatsu
What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Volume 10 by Fumi Yoshinaga
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Volumes 7-8 by Miki Yoshikawa
Your Lie in April, Volumes 6-7 by Naoshi Arakawa
Ze, Volume 11 by Yuki Shimizu

Comics!
Always Raining Here, Volume 1 by Hazel and Bell
Avialae, Chapter 1 by Lucid
Bad Company, Part 2 by Guilt | Pleasure
Before the Snows Come by Kat Verhoeven
Cautionary Fables and Fairy Tales: Asia Edition edited by Kel McDonald and Kate Ashwin
Foundations of Chinese Civilization: The Yellow Emperor to the Han Dynasty by Jing Liu
Foxfire by Carolyn Gan
GQutie, Issue 1 by Ronnie Ritchie
Human Plantation by Various
If There Be Magic by Kez
Is This a Fetish?: A Weird Aesthetic Zine by Sfé R. Monster
Leveret written by Andrew Wheeler and illustrated by Tory Woollcott
Life on the Hill 5 by Love Love Hill
Magical Beatdown, Volume 2 by Jenn Woodall
Muddlers Beat, Volume 1: Literally Everything Is Outside My Comfort Zone by Tony Breed
Nameless & the Scientist, Volumes 1-2 by Amei Zhao
Portals, Chapter 1: Twenty Minutes by Kori Michele Handwerker
The Prince and the Swan, Volumes 1-2 by April Pierce and Gareth Cj. Wee
Pupa: A Bug Anthology edited by Lawn and Saicoink
Romeo X Julien, Act 1: The Family by Marina
Shitty Horoscopes: The Anthology by Amrit Brar
Shut In Shut Out written by Lianne Sentar, illustrated by dee Juusan
This Will Be Worth It by Sfé R. Monster
Those Spaces Between by Kez
Up Until Now by Akimiya Jun
Valley of the Silk Sky, Part 1: The Long Run by Dylan Edwards
Wayward, Volume 3: Out From the Shadows created by Jim Zub and Steve Cummings

Artbooks!
Samurai 2.0: A Tribute to Men by Various
Take My Revolution!: A Revolutionary Girl Utena Fanzine by Various
Yuko Shimizu by Yuko Shimizu

Novels!
Another: Episode S/0 by Yukito Ayatsuji
Horses, Horses, in the End the Light Remains Pure by Hideo Furukawa
The Secret Biwa Music That Caused the Yurei to Lament by Isseki Sanjin

Anime!
Dororo directed by Gisaburō Sugii

April was a fairly reasonable month when it came to the number of manga and other books that I acquired, but by far my biggest acquisition was a house! It took nearly six months and a lot of stress to get everything to align properly, but I was finally able to close on the house that my family and I have had our eyes on since the the beginning of the process. We aren’t moved in yet, though we hope to be by the end of May. One of the (many) reasons that I’m especially excited about the new place is that it’s large enough that I’ll be able to devote an entire room to books. Now I’ll finally have a place to properly house my absurdly large library.

Anyway! Back to April’s manga. I happened across a bunch of Kaze Hikaru volumes for only a dollar each at my local comic book store, which made me very happy. As for preorders, there were several April releases that I was particularly happy to see, including Kaori Ozaki’s The Gods Lie (I loved Ozaki’s series Immortal Rain/Meteor Methuselah, so am glad to have the opportunity to read more of her manga) and the newly revised and expanded edition of The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame (I reviewed the original collection back when it was first released). However, what I think is probably one of the most notable and most important manga from April is Rokudenashiko’s What is Obscenity? I believe the official release date was technically in May and my copy simply arrived early, but that certainly didn’t stop me from reading and reviewing it.

Manga!
The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Volume 4 by Kore Yamazaki
I Am a Hero, Omnibus 1 by Kengo Hanazawa
The Gods Lie by Kaori Ozaki
Guardians of the Louvre by Jiro Taniguchi
Kaze Hikaru, Volumes 12-13, 15-18 by Taeko Watanabe
Library Wars: Love & War, Volume 15 by Kiiro Yumi
Midnight Stranger, Volume 1 by Bohra Naono
Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi, Volume 2 by Nanao
The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame by Gengoroh Tagame
What is Obscenity?: The Story of a Good For Nothing Artist and Her Pussy by Rokudenashiko
Yowamushi Pedal, Omnibus 2 by Wataru Watanabe

Comics!
Broken Frontier edited by Frederik Hautain and Tyler Chin-Tanner
The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks
Two Keys, Volume 1 by Chloe Chan and Aliena Shoemaker
Vertoscope edited by Nechama Frier and Ten Van Winkle

Artbooks!
Bearutus by Cauro Hige
Blanc et Noir by Takeshi Obata
Living with Yuko Shimizu by Yuko Shimizu

Anthologies!
In Light of Shadows: More Gothic Tales by Kyōka Izumi

Nonfiction!
Straight from the Heart: Gender, Intimacy, and the Cultural Production of Shōjo Manga by Jennifer Prough

Well, while still not as large as some previous months, March did end my streak of smaller monthly hauls, but I swear I have some legitimate excuses! First of all, Kodansha Comics apparently remembered my mailing address and the fact that I read and review manga. It’s been about half a year since I last received any review copies, but it was a big box so it should keep me happily occupied for some time. A bunch of Kickstarter rewards arrived in March as well, but since those were already paid for, they didn’t impact my budget for March, just my shelf space. As for the other March arrivals that I was particularly excited about, at the top of the list is Princess Jellyfish, Omnibus 1 by Akiko Higashimura (which I just reviewed earlier this week). A few of Viz Media’s March releases also had my attention and wallet, such as Real, Volume 14 by Takehiko Inoue, the first Goodnight Punpun omnibus by Inio Asano, and Yoshiki Tanaka’s novel Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Volume 1: Dawn. And I’m very happy to have Ken Liu’s first short story collection The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories in my hands. The volume includes his award-winning story “Mono no Aware” which I first read in The Future Is Japanese and which was my introduction to his work. Hopefully I’ll find some time to actually read (and review) the collection soon!

Manga!
Attack on Titan, Volumes 17-18 by Hajime Isayama
Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Volume 7 written by Ryo Suzukaze, illustrated by Satoshi Shiki
Crime and Punishment by Osamu Tezuka
Fairy Girls, Volume 1 by Boku
Fairy Tail: Blue Mistral, Volume 2 written by Hiro Mashima, illustrated by Rui Watanabe
Fairy Tail: Ice Trail, Volume 1 by Yuuskuke Shirato
Forget Me Not, Volume 1 by Nao Emoto
Goodnight Punpun, Omnibus 1 by Inio Asano
I’ve Seen It All, Volume 3 by Shoko Takaku
Kiss Him, Not Me, Volume 2 by Junko
LDK, Volume 2 by Ayu Watanabe
Livingstone, Volumes 1-2 written by Tomohiro Maekawa, illustrated by Jinsei Kataoka
Maga-Tsuki, Volume 1 by Hoshino Taguchi
Ninja Slayer Kills, Volume 2 by Koutarou Sekine
Noragami: Stray Stories, Volume 1 by Adachitoka
Otouto no Otto, Volume 2 by Gengoroh Tagame
Paradise Residence, Omnibus 1 by Kosuke Fujishima
Persona 4, Volume 2 by Shuji Sogabe
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth Side: P3, Volume 1 by So Tobita
Princess Jellyfish, Omnibus 1 by Akiko Higashimura
Prison School, Omnibus 3 by Akira Hiramoto
Real, Volume 14 by Takehiko Inoue
Real Account, Volume 1 written by Okushou, illustrated by Shizumu Watanabe
A Silent Voice, Volume 4 by Yoshitoki Oima
Storm Fairy by Osamu Tezuka

Comics!
Anatomy of Melancholy: The Best of a Softer World by Joey Comeau and Emily Horne
The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye by Sonny Liew
Bulldogs written by Dale Lazarove, illustrated by Chas Hunter and Si Arden
Curveball by Jeremy Sorese
Dates: An Anthology of Queer Historical Fiction Stories edited by Zora Gilbert
Dream Tube by Rebekka Dunlap
Food Porn edited by Gina Biggs
Cuttings: A Johnny Wander Collection by Yuko Ota and Ananth Panagariya
Lucky Penny by Yuko Ota and Ananth Hirsh
The Young Protectors, Volume 1 written by Alex Woolfson, illustrated by Adam Dekraker and Veronica Gandini

Novels!
Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Volume 1: Dawn by Yoshiki Tanaka
United States of Japan by Peter Tieryas
Six Four by Hideo Yokoyama

Anthologies!
The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu

Anime!
My Neighbor Seki directed by Yūji Mutoh

February was a rather reasonable month for me when it came to additions to my collection, though I did end up with a little bit of everything. After a small delay, Persona 4, Volume 1 by Shuji Sogabe was finally released which I was particularly curious about, so I made sure to review it. I’ll have a review posted of Mechademia, Volume 10 in the very near future as well, which may be of interest to those looking for a scholarly approach to the study of Japanese pop culture. I finally got around to importing Takako Shimura’s Illustration Works, an artbook that includes some Wandering Son material among other artwork. (I don’t expect that we’ll ever see an English-language release, but it’s mostly illustrations, anyway.) As for February releases, some of the things that I was most excited about weren’t manga-related at all. The most recently translated volume in Keigo Higashino’s Detective Galileo series, A Midsummer’s Equation, is now available, for one. (I also discovered that another of Higashino’s works, Journey under the Midnight Sun, was released in translation a few months ago, but only in the United Kingdom. I’m not sure if there will be a North American release or not, but either way I’ve got some catching up to do!) And surprising no one who is aware of my obsession with Lianne Sentar’s Tokyo Demons, I’m also thrilled that the collection of the series’ sexually-charged short stories Know What You Want has now been released! I should hopefully have a review of that one at some point, too.

Manga!
A Bride’s Story, Volume 7 by Kaori Mori
Ding Dong Circus and Other Stories, 1967 to 1974 by Sasaki Maki
Does the Flower Blossom?, Volume 2 by Shoko Hidaka
Franken Fran, Omnibus 1 by Katsuhisa Kigitsu
Hey, Class President!, Volumes 1, 4-5 by Kaori Monchi
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency, Volume 2 by Hirohiko Araki
Ouran High School Host Club, Volumes 1-3 by Bisco Hatori
Pandora Hearts, Volume 10 by Jun Mochizuki
Persona 4, Volume 1 by Shuji Sogabe
Tomodachi x Monster, Volume 1 by Yoshihiko Inui

Manhwa!
Behind Story, Volume 3 by Narae Ahn

Artbooks!
Guin Saga Artbook by Naoyuki Kato
Illustration Works by Takako Shimura

Novels!
Journey under the Midnight Sun by Keigo Higashino
A Midsummer’s Equation by Keigo Higashino
Silence by Shusaku Endo

Anthologies!
Mechademia, Volume 10: World Renewal edited by Frenchy Lunning
Tokyo Demons: Know What You Want by Lianne Sentar

Anime!
Free! Eternal Summer directed by Hiroko Utsumi
Library War directed by Takayuki Hamana

Another month has passed and my manga collection continues to grow and evolve. The nice thing about December and January is that I usually end up with at least a few gift cards (and gifts), so I can splurge a bit even though I’m actively reducing the number of manga and books I’m buying at the moment. There are a few things that I definitely didn’t want to miss out on though, such as  Requiem of the Rose King, Volume 3 by Aya Kanno (review to come soon!) and Orange, Omnibus 1 by Ichigo Takano, which at the moment is a strong candidate for becoming one of my favorite series of the year. Also released in January, though I’m not sure when I’ll be able to actually get around to reading it, was Casey Brienza’s Manga in America: Transnational Book Publishing and the Domestication of Japanese Comics, one of the very few works about the North American manga industry. I also managed to snag an early copy of Tokyo Decadence, a “best of” collection of short stories by Ryu Murakami due to be released in March. (I recently posted my review of the volume which, though engaging, definitely won’t be to everyone’s taste.) Also arriving in January, though technically I believe it was released in December, was one of Chromatic Press’ most recent paperbacks, KaiJu’s delightful Mahou Josei Chimaka . (Unsurprisingly, I reviewed that one, too!)

Manga!
Aldnoah.Zero: Season One, Volume 1 by Olympus Knights
Brave Dan by Osamu Tezuka
Clockwork Apple by Osamu Tezuka
Even So, I Will Love You Tenderly by Kou Yoneda
A Girl on the Shore by Inio Asano
Kamisama Kiss, Volumes 2-4 by Julietta Suzuki
Kaze Hikaru, Volumes 8-11 by Taeko Watanabe
My Love Story!!, Volume 7 written by Kazune Kawahara, illustrated by Aruko
Natsume’s Book of Friends, Volumes 4-8 by Yuki Midorikawa
Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi, Volume 1 written by HaccaWorks*, illustrated by Nanao
Orange, Omnibus 1 by Ichigo Takano
Requiem of the Rose King, Volume 3 by Aya Kanno
The Tyrant Falls In Love, Volume 9 by Hinako Takanaga

Comics!
Bug Boys, Volume 1: Welcome to Bug Village by Laura Knetzger
Mahou Josei Chimaka by KaiJu
Shades After by T. A. Kimpton
The Tipping Point edited by Various

Novels!
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Anthologies!
Biogenesis by Tatsuaki Ishiguro
Tokyo Decadence: 15 Stories by Ryu Murakami

Nonfiction!
Manga in America by Casey Brienza
Sake Confidential by John Gauntner

Anime!
Ouran High School Host Club directed by Takuya Igarashi

Well, here it is! The last Bookshelf Overload for 2015. For anyone who regularly follows this particular feature, it’s probably immediately obvious that the number of books that made their way onto my shelves last month is significantly smaller than usual. As alluded to in November’s Bookshelf Overload, it will likely be quite a while before the days of absurdly large monthly acquisitions returns. There’s a very good reason for this: In what is simultaneously one of the best and worst decisions that I’ve made in my life, I’m currently in the process of buying a house. Thus, my spending habits must be adjusted accordingly and for the foreseeable future I’ll need to be much more selective in my purchases. That being said, there were a few manga released in December that I simply couldn’t pass up. It was a great month for Makoto Yukimura fans, whose Planetes is once again available in English in a new and improved edition courtesy of Dark Horse Comics. The most recent Vinland Saga omnibus was released, too. (Look for a review to come soon; it was excellent.) I was also very happy to see the release of Kore Yamazaki’s The Ancient Magus Bride, Volume 3 and am greatly looking forward to starting Wataru Watanabe’s Yowamushi Pedal. Also, Die Wergelder by Hiroaki Samura of Blade of the Immortal fame has made its debut. (I’ll likely be reviewing this series as well.)

Manga!
The Ancient Magus Bride, Volume 3 by Kore Yamazaki
Die Wergelder, Omnibus 1 by Hiroaki Samura
From Far Away, Volume 13 by Kyoko Hikawa
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Volume 12: Encounters by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Pandora Hearts, Volumes 11-19 by Jun Mochizuki
Planetes, Omnibus 1 by Makoto Yukimura
Tenjo Tenge, Omnibus 8 by Oh!Great
Vinland Saga, Omnibus 7 by Makoto Yukimura
Yowamushi Pedal, Omnibus 1 by Wataru Watanabe

Comics!
Purity: The “Post-Yaoi” Anthology edited by Anne Notation and A. E. Green
Teleny and Camille by Jon Macy

Anthologies!
Southern Exposure: Modern Japanese Literature from Okinawa edited by Michael Molasky and Steve Rabson

November’s Bookshelf Overload will very likely be the last of its size for quite some time. A few things happened to make the number of manga that I received last month particularly absurd. Right Stuf recently changed its website and had stopped automatically sending out partial shipments. Well, that service has now resumed. As a result, I ended up with multiple giant boxes arriving at once with orders that had been piling up on Right Stuf’s shelves instead of mine. Akadot has been having some huge sales lately, so I made a point to stock up on some Digital Manga titles, especially as they’re becoming more difficult to find elsewhere. It’s also the time of year that Right Stuf has massive sales, too. I took advantage of that fact to fill in the gaps in my Slam Dunk collection. Other manga that I was especially excited to get my hands on in November included but wasn’t limited to The Contracts of the Fall by Gengoroh Tagame, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency, Volume 1 by Hirohiko Araki, and Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, Volume 1 by Izumi Tsubaki. Last, but certainly not least, two new Chromatic Press paperbacks are now available! I just reviewed Studio Kôsen’s Windrose, Volume 1, which I loved, and will eventually have a review for Jessica Chavez’s novel Dead Endings as well. I started reading it not too long ago and am already really enjoying it.

Manga!
Ajin: Demi-Human, Volume 6 by Gamon Sakurai
Akuma no Riddle, Volume 1 by Yun Kouga, illustrated by Sunao Minakata
Alabaster, Volumes 1-2 by Osamu Tezuka
Alice in the Country of Clover: Bloody Twins by Mamenosuke Fujimaru
Alice in the Country of Hearts: The Clockmaker’s Story by Mamenosuke Fujimaru
Bambi and Her Pink Gun, Volumes 1-2 by Atsushi Kaneko
Beast Master, Volumes 1-2 by Kyousuke Motomi
Black Rose Alice, Volume 6 by Setona Mizushiro
Caramel by Puku Okuyama
Chi’s Sweet Home, Volume 12 by Konami Kanata
The Contracts of the Fall by Gengoroh Tagame
The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Volume 2 by Aya Shouoto
Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Volume 8 written by Yuto Tsukuda, illustrated by Shun Saeki
Itazura na Kiss, Omnibuses 2-3, 6-10 by Kaoru Tada
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency, Volume 1 by Hirohiko Araki
Kamisama Kiss, Volume 1 by Julietta Suzuki
Kamunagara: Rebirth Of The Demonslayer, Volumes 1-6 by Hajime Yamamura
Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances, Volumes 1, 4-21 by Masami Tsuda
Knights of Sidonia, Volume 14 by Tsutomu Nihei
Lone Wolf and Cub, Omnibuses 9-10 written by Kazuo Koike, illustrated by Goseki Kojima
Love Stage!!, Volume 4 by Eiki Eiki and Taishi Zaou
Library Wars: Love & War, Volume 14 by Kiiro Yumi
Maid-sama!, Omnibus 2 by Hiro Fujiwara
Merman in My Tub, Volume 1 by Itokichi
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, Volume 1 by Izumi Tsubaki
My Love Story!!, Volume 6 written by Kazune Kawahara, illustrated by Aruko
My Neighbor Seki, Volumes 3-4 by Takuma Morishige
Noragami: Stray God, Volume 6 by Adachitoka
One-Punch Man, Volumes 2-3 written by One, illustrated by Yusuke Murata
Slam Dunk, Volumes 15-16, 21-22, 26, 28-31 by Takehiko Inoue
Voices of Love by Kanae Hazuki
Witchcraft Works, Volume 6 by Ryu Mizunagi
You Make My Head Spin by Kazuhiko Mishima

Manhwa!
Behind Story, Volume 2 by Narae Ahn
Masca, Volume 1 by Young Hee Kim
Void’s Enigmatic Mansion, Volumes 1-2 by HeeEun Kim

Comics!
Eat More Comics: The Best of The Nib edited by Matt Bors
Love in All Forms: The Big Book of Growing Up Queer edited by Serafina Dwyer
Sfeer Theory: The Uitspan Era, Volume 2 by Alex Singer and Jayd Aït-Kaci
Windrose, Volume 1 by Studio Kôsen

Novels!
Dead Endings by Jessica Chavez, illustrated by Irene Flores

Anthologies!
Ten Nights Dreaming and The Cat’s Grave by Natsume Soseki

Anime!
Another directed by Tsutomu Mizushima
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri

Another month has passed and my collection of books and manga continues to grow. (I am, however, in the process of pulling together a rather large library donation, so at least there will at least temporarily be space for new acquisitions.) I had quite a few Kickstarter rewards arrive last month which I was happy to see. I’m especially looking forward to reading the TJ and Amal epilogue comic Five Years Ago and Three Thousand Miles Away by E.K. Weaver and the queer science fiction and fantasy comics anthology Beyond. Last month I started trying to collect Kyoko Hikawa’s manga series From Far Away, which may take some time to complete since it’s out of print, but if that fails at least it’s now available digitally. I also managed to find a fairly nice copy of Hideshi Hino’s out-of-print Panorama of Hell for a reasonable price, which is one of the best horror manga that I’ve ever read. (It’s definitely not for the weak of heart or stomach, though) Speaking of horror, Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu, probably my most anticipated October release, is now available! Expect an in-depth review to come soon, but for now know that I absolutely loved it.

Manga!
Alice in the Country of Clover: March Hare by Soyogo Iwaki
Alice in the Country of Clover: The March Hare’s Revolution by Ryo Kazuki
Battle Angel Alita, Volumes 1-5 by Yukito Kishiro
Because I’m a Boy! by Asia Watanabe
Boys Over Flowers, Volumes 1-4 by Yoko Kamio
Citrus, Volume 2 by Saburouta
Devil Survivor, Volume 1 by Satoru Matsuba
Fairy Tail, Volume 50 by Hiro Mashima
From Far Away, Volumes 1-3 by Kyoko Hikawa
Horimiya, Volume 1 written by Hero, illustrated by Daisuke Hagiwara
Imadoki!, Volumes 4-5 by Yuu Watase
Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu by Junji Ito
Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances, Volumes 2-3 by Masami Tsuda
Kiss Him, Not Me!, Volume 1 by Junko
LDK, Volume 1 by Ayu Watanabe
Love at Fourteen, Volume 4 by Fuka Mizutani
My Little Monster, Volume 10 by Robico
Ninja Slayer, Volume 1: Machine of Vengence written by Yoshiaki Tabata, illustrated by Yuki Yogo
Noragami: Stray God, Volume 7 by Adachitoka
Otouto no Otto by Gengoroh Tagame
Pandora Hearts, Volume 4-9 by Jun Mochizuki
Panorama of Hell by Hideshi Hino
QQ Sweeper, Volume 1 by Kyousuke Motomi
Say I Love You, Volume 9 by Kanae Hazuki
Slam Dunk, Volumes 3-14, 17-20, 23-25, and 27 by Takehiko Inoue
Tenshi Ja Nai!!, Volumes 1-3 by Takako Shigematsu
Tokyo ESP, Volume 1 by Hajime Segawa
Tokyo Ghoul, Volume 3 by Sui Ishida
Witchcraft Works, Volume 7 by Ryu Mizunagi
Wolf Magic by Natsuki Zippo
The World’s Greatest First Love, Volumes 2-3 by Shungiku Nakamura

Comics!
Beyond: The Queer Sci-Fi & Fantasy Comic Anthology edited by Sfé R. Monster
Check Please!, Year One by Ngozi Ukazu
Darlin’ It’s Betta Down Where It’s Wetta, Volume 1 by Megan Rose Gedris
The Fall of the House of West written by Paul Pope, JT Petty, illustrated by David Rubín
Get Jiro: Blood and Sushi written by Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rose
Five Years Ago and Three Thousand Miles Away by E.K. Weaver
Last Man, Volume 3: The Chase by Bastien Vivès, Michael Sanlaville, and Balak
Lost in the Snow, Volume 2 by Velvet Toucher
The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal by E.K. Weaver
Lumberjanes, Volume 2: Friendship to the Max created by Grace Ellis, Noelle Stevenson, and Shannon Watters
Meaty Yogurt, Volume 1: Small Town Blues by Megan Rose Gedris

Anthologies!
Hanzai Japan: Fantastical, Futuristic stories of Crime from and about Japan edited by Nick Mamatas and Masumi Washington

Artbooks!
Art Collection, Volume 1: 2011-2015 by Inuyoshi

Anime!
Kitaro directed by Katsuhide Motoki
Paprika directed by Satoshi Kon
Tekkon Kinkreet directed by Michael Arias

Makoto Yukimura’s Vinland Saga is back! The publication of the manga’s sixth omnibus was one of my most anticipated releases for September. I was also very excited for Requiem of the Rose King, Volume 2 by Aya Kanno, which I’ve already managed to review. I was happy to see the second volume of The Ancient Magus’ Bride by Kore Yamazaki as well. September was also a successful month for me in regards to out-of-print shoujo series like Red River by Chie Shinohara. (I’m hoping to find Kyoko Hikawa’s From Far Away, next.) I stocked up on more Japanese crime and mystery novels in September, too, partly inspired by my recent reading of Yukito Ayatsuji’s The Decagon House Murders. I’m actually currently reading Another by the same author and should have a review up in the relatively near future.

Manga!
The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Volume 2 by Kore Yamazaki
Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto, Volume 1 by Nami Sano
Love Stage!!, Volume 3 by Eiki Eiki
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer, Omnibus 4 by Satoshi Mizukami
Master Keaton, Volume 4 written by Hokusei Katsushika, Takashi Nagasaki, illustrated by Naoki Urasawa
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Volume 11: A Cosmic Glow by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
One-Punch Man, Volume 1 written by One, illustrated by Yusuke Murata
Pandora Hearts, Volumes 2-3 by Jun Mochizuki
Planet Ladder, Volumes 1-7 by Yuri Narushima
Red River, Volumes 1-28 by Chie Shinohara
Requiem of the Rose King, Volume 2 by Aya Kanno
Showa: A History of Japan, 1953-1989 by Shigeru Mizuki
A Silent Voice, Volume 3 by Yoshitoki Oima
Terra Formars, Volume 8 written by Yu Sasuga, illustrated by Ken-ichi Tachibana
Vinland Saga, Omnibus 6 by Makoto Yukimura
Witchcraft Works, Volume 5 by Ryu Mizunagi
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Volume 4 by Miki Yoshikawa
The Young Magician, Volumes 1-13 by Yuri Narushima

Manhua!
Monkey King, Volume 1: Birth of the Stone Monkey by Wei Dong Chen
Three Kingdoms, Volume 1: Heroes and Chaos written by Wei Dong Chen, illustrated by Xiao Long Liang

Comics!
Deep Dark Fears by Fran Krause
Flutter, Volume 2: Don’t Let Me Die Nervous written by Jennie Wood illustrated by Jeff McComsey
Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
Heart in a Box written by Kelly Thompson, illustrated by Meredith McClaren
Ikebana by Yumi Sakugawa
Julio’s Day by Gilbert Hernandez
Little By Little by Guilt|Pleasure
Nanjing: The Burning City by Ethan Young
Never Learn Anything from History by Kate Beaton
Oh Joy Sex Toy, Volume 2 by Erika Moen
Peacock Punks written by Dale Lazarov, illustrated by Mauro Mariotti Janos Janecki
Sacred Heart by Liz Suburbia
Step Aside, Pops by Kate Beaton
Speculative Relationships, Volume 2 edited by Tyrell Cannon and Scott Kroll
Unflattening by Nick Sousanis
The Usagi Yojimbo Saga, Omnibus 4 by Stan Sakai

Novels!
Attack on Titan: The Harsh Mistress of the City, Part 2 written by Ryo Kawakami, illustrated by Range Murata

Novels!
Another by Yukito Ayatsuji
Honeymoon to Nowhere by Akimitsu Takagi
The Informer by Akimitsu Takagi
The Inugami Clan by Seishi Yokomizo
Patriotism by Yukio Mishima
The Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi
The Tokyo Zodiac Murders by Soji SHimada

Anime!
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Season 1 directed by Kenichi Suzuki and Naokatsu Tsuda.

Along with August comes 801 Day, and along with 801 Day comes boys’ love sales, so in addition to usual slew of preorders last month, I replenished my supply of BL manga and novels. I even managed to snag a few that I believe are technically out of print. As for newly-released manga with queer themes, Takeshi Matsu’s second collection of erotic gay manga in English is now available: Dr. Makumakuran and Other Stories. (I reviewed the volume a couple of days ago; it’s pretty great.) There were plenty of other preorders that I was happy to see released in August, too, including but certainly not limited to the next installments in the lovely hardcover editions of Kaoru Mori’s Emma and Hirohiko Araki’s Phantom Blood. And as I feared and expected, my artbook collection continues to expand. Last month I picked up the two volumes of Takehiko Inoue’s gorgeous Vagabond illustrations, Sumi and Water. Outside of manga, I was very excited for Haikasoru’s re-release of Otsuichi’s award-winning light novel Goth since I thoroughly enjoyed Tokyopop’s edition of Goth back in the day. Haikasoru’s edition uses the same translation at Tokyopop’s, but it also includes the newly-translated novelette “Morino’s Souvenir Photo,” which I’m looking forward to reading. I also picked up the anthology Press Start to Play specifically because it includes the short story “Respawn” by Hiroshi Sakurazaka (the author of All You Need Is Kill and Slum Online), but I was happy to discover that a bunch of other great authors, including Ken Liu, contributed to the volume as well. And, after some delay, Yurei: The Japanese Ghost by Zack Davisson has finally been published!

Manga!
Another by Hiro Kiyohara
Citrus, Volume 3 by Saburouta
Crushing Love by Ritsu Natsumizu
Depression of the Anti-Romanticist, Volumes 1-2 written by Yasuna Suginuma, illustrated by Riyu Yamakami
Dorohedoro, Volume 16 by Q Hayashida
Dr. Makumakuran and Other Stories by Takeshi Matsu
Embracing Love, Omnibus 3 by Youka Nitta
Emma, Omnibus 2 by Kaoru Mori
The First Stage of Love by Kazuhiko Mishima
Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Volume 7 written by Yuto Tsukuda, illustrated by Shun Saeki
Inuyashiki, Volume 1 by Hiroya Oku
Itazura na Kiss, Omnibus 1 by Kaoru Tada
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Part 1: Phantom Blood, Volume 3 by Hirohiko Araki
Love at Fourteen, Volume 3 by Fuka Mizutani
Love Bus Stop by Ritsu Natsumizu
Maria the Virgin Witch: Exhibition by Ishikawa Masayuki
Millennium Darling 2006 by Maki Naruto
My Hero Academia, Volume 1 by Kohei Horikoshi
Poison Cherry Drive by Motoni Modoru
Prison School, Omnibus 1 by Akira Hiramoto
Red by Sanae Rokuya
Sea View by Ayumi Kano
Tokyo Ghoul, Volume 2 by Sui Ishida
Ultraman, Volume 1 by Tomohiro Shimoguchi
Weekend Lovers by Kiriko Fuwa
Wolf Children: Ame & Yuki written by Mamoru Hosoda, illustrated by Yu

Comics!
The 6 Voyages of Lone Sloane by Philippe Druillet
Guardians of the Kingdom by Tom Gauld
Here by Richard McGuire
Hopeless Savages: Greatest Hits 2000-2010 written by Jen Van Meter
Lumberjanes, Volume 1: Beware the Kitten Holy created by Grace Ellis, Noelle Stevenson, and Shannon Watters
Pages to Pages by Lai Tat Tat Wing
This Tastes Funny by Suddenly Sentai
Thoughts From Iceland by Lonnie Mann
Wayward, Volume 2: Ties that Bind created by Jim Zub and Steve Cummings

Artbooks!
Sumi by Takehiko Inoue
Water by Takehiko Inoue

Light Novels!
Attack on Titan: The Harsh Mistress of the City, Part 1 written by Ryo Kawakami, illustrated by Range Murata
Don’t Worry Mama written by Narise Konohara, illustrated by Yuki Shimizu
Goth by Otsuichi
The Man Who Doesn’t Take Off His Clothes, Volumes 1-2 written by Narise Konohara, illustrated by Yuki SHimizu

Anthologies!
Press Start to Play edited by Daniel H. Wilson and John Joseph Adams

Nonfiction!
Global Manga : “Japanese” comics without Japan? edited by Casy Brienza
Yurei: The Japanese Ghost by Zack Davisson

Well, it didn’t take me very long at all to get back into the habit of bringing a ridiculous number of books into the house. On top of that, I think I’ve discovered a new addiction: artbooks. I picked up two in July—A Sky Longing for Memories: The Art of Makoto Shinkai (which I reviewed not too long ago) and Yuki Urushibara’s Mushishi artbook (which was recently published in Japan)—and I have an increasingly lengthy list of others that I’m eying. Matthew Meyer’s new yokai guide/artbook The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits: An Encyclopedia of Mononoke and Magic is now available, which I’m very excited about. (His earlier book The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons was great.) July also saw me finally get my hands on the fifth and final volume of The Summit of the Gods by Baku Yumemakura and Jiro Taniguchi which I’ve been looking forward to a great deal. Another release that I was happy to see in July was the most recent paperback from Chromatic Press/Sparkler Monthly: Heldrad’s delightful Orange Junk, Volume 1, which I made a point to review. And since I just happened to mention Sparkler Monthly, I’d of course like to take a moment to give a shout-out to the Sparkler Monthly: Year 3 Kickstarter as it enters its final day!

Manga!
Aquarion Evol, Volume 3 written by Shoji Kawamori, illustrated by Aogiri.
Black Rose Alice, Volume 5 by Setona Mizushiro
The Color Of Love by Kiyo Ueda
Cross Game, Omnibuses 2-8 by Mitsuri Adachi
The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Volume 1 by Aya Shouoto
Fairy Tail, Volume 49 by Hiro Mashima
Let’s Dance a Waltz, Volume 2 by Natsumi Ando
A Liar in Love by Kiyo Ueda
Love Stage!!, Volume 2 by Eiki Eiki
Ludwig B, Volumes 1-2 by Osamu Tezuka
Maid-sama!, Omnibus 1 by Hiro Fujiwara
Maria the Virgin Witch, Volume 3 by Ishikawa Masayuki
My Little Monster, Volume 9 by Robico
My Love Story!!, Volume 5 written by Kazune Kawahara, illustrated by Aruko
Ninja Slayer Kills, Volume 1 by Kotaro Sekine
Noragami: Stray God, Volume 5 by Adachitoka
Say I Love You, Volume 8 by Kanae Hazuki
A Silent Voice, Volume 2 by Yoshitoki Oima
The Summit of the Gods, Volume 5 written by Baku Yumemakura Baku, illustrated by Jiro Taniguchi
Sunny, Volume 5 by Taiyo Matsumoto
Terra Formars, 7 written by Yu Sasuga, illustrated by Ken-ichi Tachibana
UQ Holder, Volume 5 by Ken Akamatsu
What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Volume 9 by Fumi Yoshinaga
xxxHolic, Omnibus 6 by CLAMP
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Volume 3 by Miki Yoshikawa
Your Lie in April, Volume 2 by Naoshi Arakawa

Manhwa!
Behind Story, Volume 1 by Narae Ahn
Core Scramble, Volume 1 by Euho Jun
Give to the Heart, Volume 4 by Wann

Comics!
Adventures of a Japanese Businessman by José Domingo
Beautiful Darkness by Fabien Vehlmann, Kerascoët
Corto Maltese: Beyond The Windy Isles by Hugo Pratt
The Divine by Asaf Hanuka, Tomer Hanuka, and Boaz Lavie
Fantasy Sports, Volume 1 by Sam Bosma
High Crimes written by Christopher Sebela, illustrated by Ibrahim Moustafa
The Hourglass written by Itoshi, illustrated by Aldaria
Lost in the Snow, Volume 1 by Velvet Toucher
Orange Junk, Volume 1 by Heldrad
SuperMutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki

Artbooks!
Mushishi Artbook by Yuki Urushibara
A Sky Longing for Memories: The Art of Makoto Shinkai

Novels!
The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji

Anthologies!
The Book of Tokyo: A City in Short Fiction edited by Michael Emmerich, Jim Hinks, Masashi Matsuie
Folk Legends from Tono: Japan’s Spirits, Deities, and Phantastic Creatures edited by Ronald A. Morse
Monkey Business International, Volume 5 edited by Motoyuki Shibata and Ted Goossen

Nonfiction!
The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits: An Encyclopedia of Mononoke and Magic by Matthew Meyer
The Science of Attack on Titan by Rikao Yanagita

Anime!
Children Who Chase Lost Voices directed by Makoto Shinkai

Video Games!
Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom

After the ridiculousness that was May, I was able to rein in my purchases somewhat for June. Somewhat. There were a few releases that I was particularly looking forward to, like Fragments of Horror, a new collection of short horror manga by Junji Ito, Taiyo Fujii’s debut novel Gene Mapper, which I recently reviewed, and Ping Pong: The Animation. And I’m happy to see Netcomics continue to release new series, such as Hyekyung Baek’s Chiro: The Star Project and Seyoung Kim’s Sweet Blood. But what I was really excited about in June was the fact that I was able to find a complete set of Akimi Yoshida’s Banana Fish for less than some of the individual volumes are going for these days. I’ve been wanting to reread the series, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to track down. Another out-of-print find was Shiho Inada’s Ghost Hunt, a manga based on a light novel series Fuyumi Ono who, among other things, is the creator of The Twelve Kingdoms, which I love.

Manga!
Ajin: Demi-Human, Volume 5 by Gamon Sakurai
Banana Fish, Volumes 1-19 by Akimi Yoshida
Duck Prince, Volumes 1-3 by Ai Morinaga
Eden, Volume 1 by Bash
Fragments of Horror by Junji Ito
Ghost Hunt, Volumes 1-11 by Shiho Inada
Master Keaton, Volume 3 written by Hokusei Katsushika, Takashi Nagasaki, illustrated by Naoki Urasawa
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Volume 10: Solomon by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
New Lone Wolf and Cub, Volume 5 written by Kazuo Koike, illustrated by Hideki Mori
Nyotai-ka!, Volume 4 by Ru-en Rouga
Passion, Volumes 2-3 written by Shinobu Goto, illustrated by Shoko Takaku
Servamp, Volume 2 by Strike Tanaka
Tokyo Ghoul, Volume 1 by Sui Ishida
Twittering Birds Never Fly, Volume 2 by Kou Yoneda
La Vie en Rose by Sakurako Yamada
Ze, Volume 10 by Yuki Shimizu
Zipang, Volumes 1-2 by Kaiji Kawaguchi

Manhwa!
Chiro: The Star Project, Volume 1 by Hyekyung Baek
Sweet Blood, Volume 1 by Seyoung Kim

Comics!
Bessatsu Rose Tear by Nozmo and Saicoink
Curvy, Volume 1 by M. Magdalene
Demon, Issues 1-14 by Jason Shiga
The Hues, Volume 1: Spectrum by Alex Heberling
In These Words, Chpater 13 by Guilt|Pleasure
Last Man, Volume 2: The Royal Cup by Bastien Vivès, Michael Sanlaville, and Balak
Shirtlifter #5 edited by Steve MacIsaac
The Usagi Yojimbo Saga, Omnibus 3 by Stan Sakai

Light Novels!
Attack on Titan: Kuklo Unbound by Ryo Suzukaze
The Doll by Guilt|Pleasure
Passion: Forbidden Lovers by Shinobu Gotoh

Novels!
Gene Mapper by Taiyo Fujii
The Sign of the Chrysanthemum by Katherine Paterson

Anthologies!
Drawn & Quarterly: Twenty-Five Years of Contemporary Cartooning, Comics, and Graphic Novels edited by Tom Devlin
A String of Flowers, Untied… : Love Poems from the Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu
The Voice and Other Stories by Seicho Matsumoto

Nonfiction!
Tales from the Western Generation: Untold Stories and Firsthand History from Karate’s Golden Age by Matthew Apsokardu
A Year in Japan by Kate T. Williamson

Anime!
Ping Pong: The Animation directed by Masaaki Yuasa

Film!
The Mystery of Rampo directed by Rintaro Mayuzumi and Kazuyoshi Okuyama
Rampo Noir directed by Akio Jissoji, Atsushi Kaneko, Hisayasu Satō, Suguru Takeuchi

So, over the last few years, I’ve come to expect that May will have a very large number of comics and manga that I want to buy and I try to plan accordingly. I generally fault attending the Toronto Comic Arts Festival for most of this. Being exposed to so many great creators makes me want to bring home their work. And on top of that, I have the usual slew of preorders to deal with in May, too. I made some great out-of-print finds last month as well. I was very happy to finally complete my collection of Yayoi Ogawa’s Tramps Like Us, for one. Although I believe it was technically released in April, my copy of Menatiko Itto’s Priapus arrived in May (which I promptly reviewed). As for other May preorders, I was very excited for the beautiful license rescue of Kaoru Mori’s Emma. Though I haven’t read it yet, I was also pleased to see Tadao Tsuge’s Trash Market, a collection of short manga from an important Garo mangaka, released. I continue to be incredibly grateful that Shimura Takako’s Wandering Son is being translated into English. I have no idea when the next volume is scheduled to be published, but the eighth volume is now available. (Review to come soon!) I’ll be reviewing Kaiju’s The Ring of Saturn in the very near future as well since it was recently released in print. May also saw the publication of two of the best comics that I’ve read so far this year: Noelle Stevenson’s Nimona and Yoshitoki Oima’s A Silent Voice, Volume 1.

Manga!
Alice in the Country of Clover: Cheshire Cat Waltz, Volumes 6-7 by Mamenosuke Fujimaru
The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Volume 1 by Kore Yamazaki
Aquarion Evol, Volume 2 written by Shoji Kawamori, illustrated by Aogiri
Attack on Titan: Junior High, Omnibus 3 by Saki Nakagawa
Black Rose Alice, Volume 4 by Setona Mizushiro
Cretian Cow by Gengoroh Tagame
Dorohedoro, Volume 15 by Q Hayashida
Dream Fossil by Satoshi Kon
Drug and Drop, Volume 2 by CLAMP
Emma, Omnibus 1 by Kaoru Mori
Fairy Tail, Volume 48 by Hiro Mashima
Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Volume 6 written by Yuto Tsukuda, illustrated by Shun Saeki
Gangsta, Volume 6 by Kohske
The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Volume 3 by Hiromu Arakawa
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Part 1: Phantom Blood, Volume 2 by Hirohiko Araki
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past by Shotaro Ishinomori
Love Stage!!, Volume 1 by Eiki Eiki
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer, Omnibus 3 by Satoshi Mizukami
Maria the Virgin, Volume 2 by Ishikawa Masayuki
My Little Monster, Volume 8 by Robico
My Neighbor Seki, Volume 2 by Takuma Morishige
Noragami: Stray God, Volume 4 by Adachitoka
Peach Girl, Volumes 1-8 by Miwa Ueda
Peach Girl: Change of Heart, Volumes 1-10 by Miwa Ueda
Priapus by Mentaiko Itto
Say I Love You, Volume 7 by Kanae Hazuki
A Silent Voice, Volume 1 by Yoshitoki Oima
The Seven Deadly Sins, Volume 8 by Nakaba Suzuki
Terra Formars, Volume 6 written by Yu Sasuga and illustrated by Ken-ichi Tachibana
Tramps Like Us, Volumes 7-10, 13-14 by Yayoi Ogawa
Trash Market by Tadao Tsuge
Wandering Son, Volume 8 by Shimura Takako
What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Volume 8 by Fumi Yoshinaga
Witchcraft Works, Volume 4 by Ryu Mizunagi
xxxHolic: Rei, Volume 3 by CLAMP
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Volume 2 by Miki Yoshikawa

Manhwa!
Give to the Heart, Volume 3 by Wann

Comics!
Bookhunter by Jason Shiga
Cry to the Moon by Various
An Entity Observes All Things by Box Brown
Hot/Cold by Alisha Jade
I Grew Up Beautiful by Alisha Jade
Ink for Beginners: A Comic Guide to Getting Tattooed by Kate Leth
King City by Brandon Graham
Mighty Star and the Castle of the Cancatervater by A. Degen
MTS by Alisha Jade
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Sea Urchin by Laura Knetzger
Second Quest written by Tevis Thompson, illustrated by David Hellman
Shades of A by T. A. Kimpton
A Stray in the Woods by Alison Wilgus
Sunstone, Volume 1 by Stjepan Sejic
The Ring of Saturn by Kaiju
Towerkind by Kat Verhoeven
Usagi Yojimbo: Senso by Stan Sakai
Valor edited by Isabelle Melançon, Megan Lavey-Heaton
Weeping Flower, Grows in Darkness by Kris Mukai
Wonderland written by Tommy Kovac, illustrated by Sonny Liew
Wuvable Oaf by Ed Luce
Zero by Ken Nimura

Light Novels!
The Devil Is a Part-Timer, Volume 1 by Satoshi Wagahara

Novels!
The Master Key by Masako Togawa

Nonfiction!
Gay Erotic Art in Japan, Volume 1: Artists from the Birth of Gay Magazines by Gengoroh Tagame

Anime!
Free!: Iwatobi Swim Club directed by Hiroko Utsumi
Ghost Hunt by Rei Mano
Golden Boy directed by Hiroyuki Kitakubo
Horus: Prince of the Sun directed by Isao Takahata