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Observation Records of My Wife: The Misadventures of a Self-Proclaimed Villainess, Vol. 5

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By Shiki and Wan Hachipisu. Released in Japan as “Jishō Akuyaku Reijō na Tsuma no Kansatsu Kiroku” by Regina Books. Released in North America by Hanashi Media. Translated by Ethan Holms.

I did enjoy this volume a lot more than the previous one, let’s get that out of the way. With that said… there is a point at the start of this book where Charles tells Cecil that he’s going to have to do something that might look very suspicious to others, and Cecil wonders out loud “shouldn’t you tell your fiancee?” The trouble is that what this involves is a minor bad guy who’s been sleeping around and getting women pregnant, and the men in this series all want to shelter their significant others from the horrors of that. That said, Charles’ response wasn’t quite “no, I have to keep her in the dark, or else this book will be 40 pages long”, but it was close. This plot is designed purely to have the girls get mad at the boys, and even then, it’s mostly an excuse for Bertia to be mad. The trouble is, she’s terrible at being mad, but very good at being trouble.

Charles’ brother, who we’ve heard about since the first book, has been getting worse and worse in his lothario ways. Unfortunately, their father, after a throne-war struggle during his generation, does not want family drama and has already said the eldest is the next head of the family. To fix this, Charles plans to confront and interview his brother’s victims, and also try to protect them. Unfortunately, because this involves sex, cheating, and other distasteful topics, he decides not to tell Anne, and Cecil likewise wants to avoid mentioning it to Bertia as she’d just run and yell at the guy. Unfortunately, what this means is Charles is rumored to be cheating with all these girls. As such Bertia, Anne, and the other women are various kinds of furious. And nothing can be solved until the evidence is gathered, meaning this gets dragged out.

My absolute favorite part of the book was seeing Heronia again. This was hinted at in the last arc, when they found that piece of Pii, but Cecil doesn’t like Heronia, so there was no reason for him to do anything nice for her. But towards the end of this book, Bertia does something that requires another Japanese import to explain, so he’s forced to make a deal. We see that Heronia, post-villainy, is a) not putting up with any of Cecil’s shit (she calls him the “android prince” multiple times), but also b) adapting to life in the convent and helping out the younger children. I love seeing broken villainesses break out of it and do better. I also liked the other antagonist in this book, who seemed to be yet another petty brat, but turned out to have a lot more depth than I expected, and it’s set up that we’ll be seeing her again. As for Charles and Anne… eventually, they work it out. Not everyone can be as shiny as Bertia, though Anne does come close.

This series continues to have legs long beyond what it should have, and I’ll continue to support it.

Repeated Vice: I Refuse to Be Important Enough to Die, Vol. 5

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By Kuroakawa Hitsugi and Kushiro Kuki. Released in Japan as “Repeat Vice: Akuyaku Kizoku wa Shinitakunai node Shitennou ni Naru no wo Yamemashita” by HJ Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by piyo.

While amusing, it can also be a pain in the ass when I decide what I’m going to base a large chunk of my review on and then have the author, in the afterword, say what I was going to and that they are well aware of it. So yeah, let’s just get this out of the way: for a harem series, Lilka has been getting a lot more attention than the rest of the girls. This is especially true in this book, where Fol and Yusurika are basically absent, and much of the book features Lofus and Lilka arguing like a couple that says they hate each other but will totally be married by the end of the book. That said, the author may not agree with me, and tries to stick a fork in this relationship by having Lofus point out that she’s not his type, and that he finds another kind of woman attractive. Which, fine, but the narrative disagrees. Also, still 13 years old, I believe.

We pick up where we left off, with Lofus, while being very grumpy about it, rushing to the rescue of Lilka and the rest of the sky pirates, who are about to be annihilated. As it turns out, they’re about to be annihilated by a monster that is FAR stronger than it was the first time Lilka went through her life. Fortunately, Lofus brought Raymond along, and so his able to, if not defeat the monster right away, at least slow it down. Unfortunately, he also runs into a guy named Lars, who. like Raymond, wants Lofus to join him, and goes on to explain how Lilka’s assumptions of what needs to happen are bullshit. Unfortunately for Lars, he’s a smug kind of guy, and Lofus naturally hates joining up with anyone anyway, so we get another big battle, this time involving the soul of a long-dead warrior. And after that they have to go rescue Lilka’s pirate ship, which involves meeting yet another heroine.

The thing I liked best here were the various perspective shifts. Lofus has his knowledge of the game, but that’s third-person, so when he’s asked why he specifically joined Raymond’s doomed rebellion he doesn’t really know. Lilka has her own perspective, but also died early in her first life, so doesn’t have access to everything. As for Raymond, when told about Lofus’ “dreams” and what he did in them, he’s just as puzzled as anyone else – if he wants to rule the world, why choose the worst possible way to do it? This, more than the Demon Lord shenanigans, are what makes me want to read more. Well, that and seeing Lofus and Lilka fight. I love 30s screwball comedies, and there’s a lot of that here, with Lilka finally admitting by the end of the book that she really has fallen in love, and while Lofus doesn’t feel the same, he is forced to admit that he actually cares for people quite a lot. Certainly more than his image can bear.

Also, I think we managed to get through a volume without something major ticking me off. This remains an underdog sort of book, the type that is more interesting than it sounds.

The Tale of a Little Alchemist Blessed by the Spirits, Vol. 4

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By yocco and Junsui. Released in Japan as “Outo no Hazure no Renkinjutsushi: Hazure Shokugyou datta node, Nonbiri Omise Keieishimasu” by Kadokawa Books. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Andria McKnight. Adapted by Lex Reno.

It’s genuinely hard to review this series. I’ve said before that I prefer happy endings and don’t need to read books where lots of people die. But, I mean, I do like SOME conflict. This is a fun, enjoyable series, but in terms of things I can grab on to to review, I’d rather be reading a tournament arc. Daisy is here, and she’s making cool things. She’s setting up her Montessori school. She’s spending time with her adorable adopted sister, who is starting to show an interest in blowing things up (for good, not for evil, so you can relax). She’s going on beach vacations with her friends, which seem to be excuses for the author to put in the standard “I am jealous everyone has bigger breasts than me”, which at least this time is coming from an actual 11-year-old. Oh, and in her spare time, she’s the messiah saving the world from its inevitable end. Just girly things.

Most of Daisy’s activities in this book are meant for her to get her party ready to tackle That One Level again. You remember that tower that no one has ever climbed, with the unkillable boss? Well, they killed the boss, but still couldn’t get to the top of the tower, so it’s time to try again, which means lots of fire weapons, lots of ice cloaks, and plenty of cool magical doodads. Elsewhere, she’s busy making Schwartz and Weiss from Ascendance of a Bookworm, and also discovering the soul of her mysterious older sister has also now leveled up. (Yeah, I know. More on that later.) Oh yes, and in the middle of one of their difficult quests for materials Gondor calls for aid, as those elves that said they’d solve their own problems suddenly have a Hellmouth. Well, the spirits coming out aren’t really evil, so it’s more of a Heckmouth.

There is a hint of theoretical future conflict, as we get a scene with a bad guy very upset that their plan to poison the elves’ tree has been undone for some mysterious reason, and they now vow to use their final last resort but of evil. That said, I laughed my ass off when Daisy just ran up the side of the tree, poured potion all over it, then grabbed an evil worm and threw it to the ground. And then multiple Gods showed up to thank her. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a messiah. As for the older sister, I had to go way back to the start of this series. I remember thinking the voice wishing Daisy farewell was the previous “soul” in that body, going to the afterlife. It turned out to be a spirit basically making sure she had the skills to be a title character. And now she’s back, and has also leveled up, because everyone who hangs around Daisy gets ludicrously strong, except maybe for the kid who still struggles with math. But at least he has a childhood friend waiting back home.

I do enjoy this series quite a bit, and there’s only two more volumes to go so it won’t wear out its welcome. But man, it’s OP as hell.

The Isle of Paramounts: Reborn into a Slow Life Among the Strongest in the World, Vol. 5

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By Heiseiowari and Noy. Released in Japan as “Tenseishitara Saikyou Shu-tachi ga Sumau Shima deshita. Kono Shima de Slow Life wo Tanoshimimasu” by SQEX Novel. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Alex Castor.

There have been a lot of amnesia plots over the years, and one of the more popular has always been “what if a bad person gets amnesia and ends up being really good?”. Now, the person affected here is not exactly a villain per se, but the previous few books have certainly featured her as a sort of mentor from hell, and all the magical folks seem to have a twitchy reaction when her name is brought up. As such, the most interesting part of this book is not the reaction of everyone else to the amnesia, but the reaction of the amnesiac to everyone else. Because it also hits on another popular plot line for amnesia stories, which is the person not really wanting to get their memories back. For the moment, they have their wish, but I’m not sure that will fly in the long run. Especially when Mina tells us who they actually are.

After the events of the last book, it’s not much of a surprise when Arata goes down to the shore and finds a woman there on the beach. Unfortunately, she’s forgotten who she was, and takes on the name Nanashi briefly. But that’s OK,everyone ELSE knows who she is – Edinburgh Emil Edelheid, the most powerful magician in the world. The trouble is that while Reina and the others have many stories of what she was like as a teacher – terrifying – all Arata can see is this nice woman who enjoys playing with his daughter. After a while they gather the other Celestial Mages and the Hero’s Party, and everyone arrives at Arata and Reina’s place – leading her to realize that they need more houses. Meanwhile, remember the gorgeous ogre girl from the last book? Well, her brother now knows who she’s in love with, and he’s reacting like the way a teenage overprotective brother would. Is a big fight really the best way to resolve all this?

I mean, given this cast, yes, it pretty much is, but it also requires Sakuya to confess, which she does almost by accident. I do actually wonder if we’re ever going to leave the Isle again – the cast members that we were flashing over to the mainland to see are now all basically here. Sakuya’s won the heart of her man. Arata and Reina are still not having sex, but everyone treats them as if they are. Tailtiu has made it very clear Arata is not going to have only one wife. And the hero’s party are a polycule, they just don’t know it yet. They even buy a house – well, build a house. There are still a few things left to resolve on the island, notably the High Elves, who show Arata a horrible island-killing problem and then tell him “we’re dealing with it, go away”, but for the most part… why not just get married and live happily ever after?

Because there are five more books to go, that’s why. Still, this remains a solid “OP guy constantly insists he’s normal” series.

Manga the Week of 11/4/26

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SEAN: All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey, but it’s not winter yet, it’s just November.

ASH: But winter is coming.

SEAN: Yen Press has a few titles that got bumped to start us off. Full Metal Panic! Family is a Dragon Age manga that’s a sequel to the classic series (and based on an as-yet-unlicensed light novel), taking place 20 years later and looking at Sousuke and Kaname’s children.

ASH: That should make fans of the franchise happy.

SEAN: Two A.M. at the Dining Table (Gozen Niji wa Shokutaku de) is a yuri horror manga that ran in Harta. A girl’s mother has just passed away, and she’s having trouble dealing with that. Worse, she’s now being haunted by a strangely attentive ghost?

ASH: This absolutely sounds like something I would read.

SEAN: We also see Bocchi the Rock! Comic Anthology 4, Kindergarten Wars 5, and Lycoris Recoil Official Comic Anthology: Reload 3 (the final volume).

Viz Media debut The Seaside Where Dragon Boys Dwell (Shiokaze to Ryuu no Sumika), which runs in LaLa. (Feels like we haven’t had a LaLa manga in forever.) A girl moves to a town known for its dragon folks, and meets a prickly boy who makes her curious.

MICHELLE: I do like a prickly character, I must admit.

ANNA: Me too!

ASH: And I like dragon folk and the seaside!

SEAN: Also from Viz: Blue Box 22, Colette Decides to Die 9, Daydream Darling 2, The Elusive Samurai 22, Kagurabachi 9, Mission: Yozakura Family 25, Nue’s Exorcist 9, Prince Freya 14, Shiba Inu Rooms 2, Skip Beat! 52, Super Psychic Policeman Chojo 6, Tamon’s B-Side 12, and Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi 4.

MICHELLE: Yay, Skip Beat!.

ANNA: Always happy to see a new volume of Skip Beat!, and this is reminding me I need to read more Colette Decides to Die.

ASH: Same!

SEAN: Tokyopop has some debuts. Better the Devil You Know Than the Devil You Don’t Know (Oshikake Satan wa Koi wo Shiranai) is a oneshot BL manga from Arca Comics. A guy working at his family’s temple accidentally summons Satan… who’s kind of a helpless little guy?

ASH: That’s an interesting take. (Also, whoops!)

SEAN: Chibon Kaburi: The Masked God is a horror/mystery series from Manga Action. A murder in a small isolated town unlocks the god who said that there should be no murder. Now the god is kinda mad.

MICHELLE: Hm.

ASH: I am intrigued.

SEAN: There, Beneath the Water (Mina Soko nite) is a yuri series from Web Action. A girl who refuses to admit her mother has abandoned her moves to a small town and meets… Mr. Millennium?

ASH: I’m not sure about Mr. Millenium, but I’m always game for small town folk horror.

SEAN: Square Enix Manga has On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance 4 and The Villainess’s Guide to (Not) Falling in Love 6.

Seven Seas has a couple of ongoing danmei series. We see Mistakenly Saving the Villain 4 (the final volume) and Run Wild: Sa Ye 6 (the final volume).

No debuts for Seven Seas. But we get Aharen-san is Indecipherable 5-6, Al the Adventurer: That Magic Shouldn’t Work! 2, Black Night Parade 11, Draw This, Then Die! 2, The Eccentric Doctor of the Moon Flower Kingdom 14, I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire! 9, Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari 16 (the final volume), Mocha the Cat and His Forever Family 4, My Darling Devilish Daughter 3, A Prince of a Friend 3, and You Like Me, Not My Daughter?! 9.

One Peace Books debuts Lockdown Life with the Class Beauty (Remote Jugyou ni Nattara Class 1 no Bishoujo to Doukyosuru Koto ni Natta), a romance manga based on an as-yet-unlicensed light novel. It ran in Shonen Gangan. During COVID, school dorms are closed… but walking around at night in the park, he meets the school’s prettiest girl… who has a favor to ask. (It looks pretty PG, so probably not that kind of favor.)

ASH: From an intellectual standpoint, it’s really interesting to see the impacts COVID has had on art, literature, and popular culture.

SEAN: Noir Caesar have a 4th volume of Deep 3.

Living the Line has a new one-shot. Mother, Please Don’t Give Birth to a Monster ran in the 1980s, and has a teenager discover that her family gives birth to half-human, half-cow monstrosities. For the horror fans. This was the author’s final work, and hasn’t even been reprinted in Japan.

ASH: I’ve already snagged my copy of this.

SEAN: Kodansha Manga have a big debut. Black Jack Deluxe Edition is a hardcover that puts out a selection of Black Jack chapters in a deluxe hardcover, 425 pages. It looks really nice. (If I recall correctly, Tezuka’s estate refuses to do a complete in order release anymore, as some chapters are, um, a bit controversial now.)

ASH: I’ve held onto my Vertical release of this series, but am sorely tempted by this deluxe edition! I’m very glad to see the series readily available again, because it is excellent.

SEAN: Also in print: The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride 8, Blue Lock Full Color Selection 2: Seishiro Nagi, CITY 14, Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow 5, Luca the Dragon Vet 2, Marrying the Dark Knight (For Her Money) 3 (the final volume), MF Ghost 10, Omori 3, Twilight Out of Focus 7, Witch Hat Atelier: Grimoire Edition 3, The World is Dancing 5, and Yuri Is My Job! 14.

ASH: Speaking of great deluxe releases, the Witch Hat Atelier: Grimoire Edition is absolutely gorgeous.

SEAN: And for digital we get I Left my A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! 12.

Kodama has a 2nd Baki The Grappler Perfect Edition Box set, with Vols. 9-16.

They also have the first two omnibuses of New Grappler Baki, the sequel to the original, which also ran in Shonen Champion. It’s exactly the same, but he’s fighting criminals.

ASH: Kodama is doing amazing work.

SEAN: And we get The Magical Forest of Hoshigahara (Hoshigahara Aomanjuu no Mori), a fantasy manga from Nemuki. A man lives in the forest with spirits. This is by the author of Saturn Apartments.

MICHELLE: I wasn’t especially into this until your last sentence there. I looked it up. “Contains emotional themes of loneliness and loss.” Okay, now I am on board.

ANNA: I’m intrigued!

ASH: I’m definitely giving this one a read.

SEAN: And they have Me and the Alien Mumu 5.

Kana debuts The Gentleman, the Cat & the Tearoom (Neko to Shinshi no Tea Room), a foodie manga that runs in Comic Zenon. An older man – and his cat – run a tea room, and always seem to know just what the customer wants.

ANNA: Nice.

ASH: Very nice.

SEAN: J-Novel Club has four debuts, all light novels. Déjà Vute: Betrayal Begets New Beginnings (Imouto ni Subete o Ubawareta Reijou wa Kon’yakusha no Uragiri o Shiri Kaiki Suru (Jou)) is a Heart title. A young woman is betrayed by her fiancée Vute and her sister, and dies. But now it’s two years in the past. She wants nothing to do with her old life anymore… but running away from Vute proves strangely difficult.

Keep Me Close: Finding My Home in You (Watashi ga Kaeritai Basho wa ~Ibasho o Nakushita Reijou ga “Tokenai Hyouzou” to Uwasa Sareru Ryoushu-sama no Moto de Shiawase ni Naru made~) is also a Heart title. After her father dies, a girl is abused by her stepmother and stepsiblings, made into a servant, accused of a crime she didn’t commit, exiled, and forced to live with the cruel ice Duke. Fortunately for her, she’s in a romance novel, we know what Ice Dukes are really like in those.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall (Kagami yo Kagami, Doku Ringo o Tabeta no wa Dare?) is a Knight title. An idol who’s hard up ends up as the “muse” to a famous photographer. Now, years later, he wants to take things further, but a new muse is on the horizon!

ASH: I could be convinced to give this series a try.

SEAN: An Otaku Prince Finds Love in Akiba (Otaku Ouji to Akiba de Koi o) is a one-shot Knight title. A gorgeous prince loves a very simple yet beautiful game, and travels to Japan to meet the creator. Sadly, the creator is a nervous shut-in who hates his own work.

Other light novels out next week: Fired? But I Maintain All the Software! 3, Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash 23, Housekeeping Mage from Another World: Making Your Adventures Feel Like Home! 10, and Miss Medic’s Diary at War 3.

And for manga we see I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic 9 and The Invincible Summoner Who Crawled Up from Level 1 8.

Graphix has the 2nd volume of Crescent Moon Marching.

ASH: Still absolutely delighted by marching band manga.

SEAN: Ghost Ship has a 5th and final volume of Yandere Dark Elf: She Chased Me All the Way From Another World!.

Drawn and Quarterly have Sassy Cats (Showaru Neko), a 70s-80s manga that ran in Garo. The artist conveys their own feelings and meditations through the titular cats.

ANNA: So much cat manga!

ASH: And from Garo, too! It’s like this was meant for me.

SEAN: Dark Horse has more Lovecraft. H.P. Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror Deluxe Edition collects the series from Comic Beam in one massive 650-page tome. Bullied outcast boy turns out to be super powerful, opens portal to horrors.

ASH: This should be great.

SEAN: Airship has two print volumes. Survival in Another World with My Mistress! 10 and A Tale of the Secret Saint 11.

Airship has a digital-only debut of a title that they release the manga of in print. I’m Running for Crown Princess, but All I Want is a Steady Paycheck! (Taikouhi Kouho dakedo, Kenjitsu ni Ikou to Omoimasu) has a poor minor noble encouraged to run for Betrothed to the Crown Prince, as even the losers could get steady work as ladies in waiting. But the competition is fierce. Fortunately, our heroine is blunt and has common sense.

And in early digital we see Classroom of the Elite: Year 3 3 and Reincarnated Into a Game as the Hero’s Friend: Running the Kingdom Behind the Scenes 7 Part 2.

That was more than I was expecting. What do you like?

Her Royal Highness Seems to Be Angry, Vol. 4

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By Kou Yatsuhashi and Mito Nagashiro. Released in Japan as “Ojou Denka wa Ookari no You desu” by Overlap Bunko. Released in North America by Tokyopop. Translated by Katie Kimura.

After three volumes of sort of faffing around, even though we have had several cool sorcery battles, this volume pulls out all the stops. Black clouds, Drossel’s past, the mystery of Alec, Leticiel’s own past.. by the end of this book it’s clear we are setting up for a new stage of the series. A stage that may not involve school anymore, as by the end of this book Leticiel is not really a noble anymore. Still, she has options, which is more than I can say for the rest of her family. There’s also a lot of discussion of “yes, nobles have more privilege, but in return they have more responsibilities” that we see in a lot of books that want to say “yes, evil nobles are everywhere, but our heroes are the GOOD nobles”, thus allowing everyone to live in mansions but still be lovable. It wold be nice if that were the case in real life, but alas, this is why fiction exists.

The first third of the book is basically research, as Leticiel and Zeke try to look into the past to find answers. Leticiel does find a bit more about alchemy, and how it differs from magic, and also even more hints that the reason she can’t find anything is that it’s been very covered up. Unfortunately, at that point, word gets out of a rebellion back in her domain… which turns out to be because her older brother is being an evil piece of shit. Pausing only to verify that this rebellion has not killed off her loyal maid, who went home to attend to her ailing mother, Leticiel then ends up joining the rebel forces, much to the surprise of the rebels, who are not used to good nobles. Unfortunately, also joining the party are her older sister and her massive, suicidal guilt complex, and her younger twin sister, who has kind of snapped.

I was very amused at the resolution of the raging sibling hatred that Christa has had for Leticiel since the start of the book. After being allowed to stab her sister in the gut, once, as a treat, she seems to magically realize that it’s just a normal “I’m jealous of my twin because she’s better at everything” sort of hate, and she just accepts that. It’s certainly more easily wrapped up than every other plotline. Leticiel now has Drossel’s memories again, and we now have a basic idea of what happened in the past, but that doesn’t make things any easier, especially with the revelation of who Alec is (and the hint, especially to the reader, that Alec is not as dead as everyone seems to think). The royal family has its own agenda, of course. There’s mysterious monks, going around healing people but in a creepy sort of way. Oh yes, and Leticiel is rather startled to find she’s worshiped as a Saint… or rather, someone is using her past self to create a Saint. This was a terrific volume but doesn’t wrap up much of anything except her family’s noble title, which is toast.

The series is complete at nine books in Japan, which is ominous given the questionable fortune of the company putting it out in English. Still, if a 5th book comes onto the horizon, I’ll be reading it like a shot.

Haibara’s Teenage New Game+, Vol. 10

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By Kazuki Amamiya and Gin. Released in Japan as “Haibara-kun no Tsuyokute Seishun New Game” by HJ Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Esther Sun.

First of all, go back and read the last half of my review of Book 9, and then come back here and point and laugh at me. I haven’t been THAT wrong in a while. Secondly, it’s worth noting that while this is a high school romcom taking place in modern-day Japan, it is in many ways a typical “Cheat Skill” book. After all, our hero is looping back in time, just as several other heroes and heroines do. And he has a cheat skill – his memories of the first time he did this, what he did wrong, and the maturity of a 28-year-old that allows him to fix it. This has led to a confident, popular young man, who has the girl of his dreams (quiet, you), some very good friends, and a band he loves playing in. He’s all set for a career in engineering. It’s just, well, he is technically cheating. And you know what happens to cheaters. Eventually, it all comes crashing down.

As with the previous volume, we go back and forth between the world Natsuki went back in time to, and the adult world where he didn’t. In that adult world, things are going very well. And and Miori date, lose their virginity to each other, he proposes, and they marry. Hikari, who he hasn’t seen since high school, even comes to the ceremony, and he apologizes to her for his high school awfulness. In the high school world, everything’s great. He and Hikari get closer, getting to third base. Everyone goes to a festival and watches the fireworks. Hikari’s novel wins an award. And they’re planning for the trip to Okinawa. Only… Natsuki’s been having these dreams of the future. A future with him and Miori. And when Hikari asks to go all the way with him, and his mind is still filled with alternate futures… things get very bad very fast.

Despite my words from the last review, I was pretty sure, given the “main” series ends in Book 11 and we get a short stories epilogue, that we’d see a breakup arc here. After all, things have just been going too well for Natsuki, due in large part to the above cheating. That said, I’m pretty sure the God talking to him in his mind at the end is more a guilty conscience than a God. I did appreciate how Hikari actually proved to be a damn good detective, and has been slowly accumulating evidence to figure out that Natsuki is from the future. It’s well-reasoned. Unfortunately, emotionally she’s a wreck, and I don’t blame for for breaking it off as she can no longer trust him. And while I appreciate Miori being there to pick up Natsuki’s shattered remains, I also thought “oh my God, your timing is AWFUL”. I bet Hikari saw them.

So, while I do think this will work out eventually, and no I don’t mean going back to the original timeline, let’s all prepare for the worst class trip ever. Start Over Yes/No?

Zero Damage Sword Saint: I Enrolled in a Magic School and Wound Up in a Contract with the Demon Queen, Vol. 5

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By Isle Osaki and kodamazon. Released in Japan as “Kougekiryoku Zero kara Hajimeru Kenseitan: Osananajimi no Oujo ni Suterare Mahou Gakuen ni Nyuugakushitara, Maou to Keiyakusuru Koto ni Natta ” by Overlap Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Stephanie Liu.

When you are a country that prides itself on being the best of the best, and you see a different country doing something amazing that no one has ever done before, it is only natural that you want to replicate that success. If they can do it, we can do it too! Unfortunately for everyone else in this series, there is only one Eugene, and he’s the main character who drives all the amazing stuff. As such, this book is neatly divided into halves, both of which are essentially “can we borrow your Eugene?”, but go in very different ways. As for Eugene, it’s all the same to him. For all that he gives off the impression of mild, boring light novel guy (who gets laid a lot more than most LN guys), what he really wants is a good fight, and his girlfriends are realizing that stopping him is much harder than you’d expect.

So yes, the first half of the book takes us to Sara’s home country, full of saints and religious fundamentalists. They’re there to take out their country’s own gothic horror, the Shadowbird Raum. Unfortunately, Erinyes reveals that the bird has a bit of a curse – once slain, the one who killed it dies… along with everyone they ever knew personally. As such, they’re going to PRETEND to set out to kill it, but not really do it. Unfortunately, they run into a disciple of the Demon Queen with other ideas. Then they travel to the Blue Sea Union, which is trying to kill off its killer mermaids, but they’re proving a lot stronger and more lethal than expected. Fortunately, something comes along and does it for them! Unfortunately, they then have to fight the something, who is worse. Much worse.

I made the plot sound dramatic, but rest assured, this *is* still Zero Damage Sword Saint, so there’s a lot of harem antics as well. I will smack the me who wrote a review of the last book, where I said that Airi was clearly too childish right now to get it on with Eugene. Spoiler, it only took one more book. Erinyes, Sara, and Sumire also get some in this book, though as always we get a fade-out before any actual sexy things happen. And there’s other potential girlfriends as well, though I’m not sure if Lily’s boring-as-hell-tsundere character is really needed here, even if the author does like her. Heck, Claude also has his own harem going – in addition to his two rivals/girlfriends (I did enjoy Claude noting that, for all Sara and Sumire are always fighting, they’re clearly best friends, unlike his girls), and a not-yet-fallen angel, he’s also engaged to a Princess, and my guess is she gets preference. Basically, everyone’s getting some in this series.

Speaking of princesses, there’s a surprise transfer student at the end of this volume. Well, not that much of a surprise. In any case, if you like harem fighting books, this remains a very good example.

Bookshelf Briefs 10/25/26

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The Apothecary Diaries: Xiaolan’s Story, Vol. 1 | By Natsu Hyuuga, Itsuki Nanao, and Touco Shino | Square Enix Manga – A spinoff that focuses on one of the least focused-on characters in the main series, Xiaolan is there to be Maomao’s friend and gossip the plot at her until such time as Maomao has other folks to do that, whereupon she is shuffled off screen. But that hasn’t happened yet here! So we see how Xiaolan ended up at the Inner Palace, and how despite her good cheer things are not always great for her and her fellow laundry girls who are not also apothecaries and detectives. It’s also nice to see a lot of the bonkers things that happen in the main plot from the perspective of those who are not only outsiders, but who never really hear what happened at all. Fun stuff, with a bit of darkness within. – Sean Gaffney

Even the Student Council Has Its Holes!, Vol. 1 | By Muchimaro | Ghost Ship – I took a flyer on this as the anime is being released, and I’d heard it was ecchi fun. It’s certainly both. A guy who’s all humanities no math is at risk of not getting into college, so joins the student council. The president’s got sex on the brain, the treasurer is a sadist, the PR officer is a boy who has a feminine appearance he uses to tease other boys, and is lazy as hell, and the general affairs officer is a shortstack who starts the series by getting hit by a truck. The books is filled with sexual humor, but it’s also quite funny—I really enjoy the light music club who clearly don’t play music but use the club as an excuse to be yuri—and the afterword, which discusses how the main characters masturbate. For ecchi lovers. – Sean Gaffney

Half Is More, Vol. 1 | By Yoiko Fujimi | Viz Media – I first heard about this series at Anime NYC, and it sounded really good. As it turns out, it justifies the hype. The cover girl is merely one of the protagonists, as the series follows a group of four young women who are friends and go out drinking, who all share one thing in common: they’re “half,” a derogatory term that means they have one Japanese and one non-Japanese parent. Each of the four stories shows us how this affects their daily living, mostly due to constant microaggressions that by themselves are easily forgivable, but build up until you want to watch them explode. Each of the main cast is compelling, and I liked that none of them have quite the same experience, and are dealing with different things. This is worth a read, absolutely. – Sean Gaffney

I Don’t Know Which Is Love, Vol. 5 | By Tamamushi Oku | Yen Press – I am starting to get the feeling this series is going on a bit too long, and I’m pleased to hear it’s actually ending in Japan. As for who Mei will end up with, god knows. If there’s one thing this series does well, it’s obfuscate about who the Best Girl will be. Mei, very clearly likes them all a lot, and also very clearly wants to have sex with all of them, but this is unlikely to go poly, so a choice will need to be made. Frankly, I’m OK with either the model or the roommate, but I do worry that her teacher may be making a last-minute play. But yeah, at this point Mei needs to take stock… though honestly her life is so random and without drive that I’m not sure I’d trust her decision. Perhaps if she works out her life the girl will solve herself. – Sean Gaffney

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, Vol. 16 | By Izumi Tsubaki | Yen Press – Every volume I think we have reached the peak of Sakura’s obsession with Nozaki, and every volume I am proved wrong. That said, the funniest parts of this volume may be the ones with Seo and Wakamatsu, where her reputation as the Lorelei has somehow mutated via rumor into her being able to give love advice. Everyone agrees that would be the WORST THING EVER, and so we get to see Wakamatsu attempting to give love advice while Seo silently mimes… only, like the rest of this cast, he thinks in terms of shoujo manga—worse, he thinks in terms of Nozaki’s shoujo manga. As such, his advice… works, sort of, mostly thanks to Seo cutting things off. I do hear we may be reaching an end soon, which is a shame, as this is always going to be hilarious. – Sean Gaffney

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You, Vol. 19 | By Rikito Nakamura and Yukiko Nozawa | Ghost Ship – New volume, new girlfriend. Dei Matsuri is one where you might be able to guess some of her gimmick by her name—sure enough, she loves festivals—but her mother’s from England, and she grew up there. Apparently in the East End, as she has a thick Cockney accent, exaggerated for comedic effect, which fits in very well with the rest of the cast. The rest of the volume has various short stories that can be summed up very well by Karane, who says “Stupid things are always happening in this town!” Any drama? The second festival chapter, where Matsuri runs afoul of a god who grants her wish of a never-ending festival in a monkey’s paw way. Rentaro’s expressions here are nightmare-inducing Love it. – Sean Gaffney

Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty, Vol. 3 | By Hiroshi Fukuda | Yen Press – I first saw the anime for this, as the manga was picked up after its success. I’m very glad it got an anime, because if I’m being honest, these chapters suffer from not having sound and motion. We get a battle of the bands, and have to watch as our heroines initially struggle and then finally come together and rock out. Theoretically this is all about Tamaki, who gives in and joins their band (and discovers her inner masochist). But in reality, everything in this series is background to Lilisa and Otoha using rock music and anger as sublimations for sex. Their screaming match after the gig basically is sex, with the other band quietly leaving as if they’re watching something they really shouldn’t see. Good stuff. Also watch the anime. – Sean Gaffney

Ruridragon, Vol. 4 | By Masaoki Shindo | Viz Media – Most of this has the athletics festival, where Ruri is running all over creation and also dealing with friends and not-so-friends who still aren’t quite sure how to deal with her, mostly as she’s not quite sure how to deal with herself. She starts being on fire all the time. She covers half the room in ice. Being a metaphor for puberty is tough. The series really excels at teen interaction, though, and Ruri just has to be prickly about it all while still being rather earnest and a good kid. She’s also got some guys who like her, too, though I’m pretty positive romance is not remotely what this series is about. This doesn’t come out too often, but is always worth the wait, one of the best titles Jump is doing right now. – Sean Gaffney

Spy x Family, Vol. 16 | By Tatsuya Endo | Viz Media – There’s a lot going on in this volume. Loid psychoanalyzes Melinda Desmond, who thinks her husband is an alien and can read minds… not out of the question given what Anya can do. We get a new semester at Anya’s school, and she’s in a new class with new kids, who are all a different variety of eccentric. And there’s Yor’s ongoing assassin job, which here involves taking out a bunch of poachers in a forest, with the help of one of her colleagues, who is uptight and seems to regard Yor being married, even if it is a fake marriage, as her betraying her profession… so he decides he’s within his rights to kill her. This leads to an excruciating cliffhanger. Is Yor going to confess who she really is?… Probably not, but hey. Great fun. – Sean Gaffney

The Bladesmith’s Enchanted Weapons, Vol. 6

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By Kazuma Ogiwara and CARIMARICA. Released in Japan as “Isekai Toushou no Maken Seisaku Gurashi” by Kadokawa Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Ryan Burris.

I mentioned online that this is one of the most testosterone-laden series I’ve ever read, and that remains true in this book. A lot of everything driving the plot here can be summed up as “a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do”. Lutz and Claudia are still very in love and very sexually active, and Claudia, while she is also brilliant and gets other things to do, remains very defined by her voluptuous body. We get more katanas given out here, and one of the men who receives them is basically “MANLY: THE KNIGHT”. Unfortunately, another man who received a katana is driven by an all-consuming guilt, and it’s that that drives the second half of the book, where we gets more battles, some nasty horror, and another thing that has to be taken care of or it could mean the end of the kingdom. And yes, Lutz has to be involved in all this, much to Claudia’s chagrin. Because, well, a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.

Gerhard has a new assignment for Lutz and his “disciples” – forge thirty katanas for the King to give out. Now, Lutz only has to do three of them, but the three have to be able to have a four-jewel enchantment, which is very difficult. Lutz finds that he is at the point where unless he interviews the recipients in advance, he simply CAN”T make the katanas work. So he goes to the capital and meets the three recipients – one is normal and a minor character, one is GAR as I mentioned above, and one is tortured and emo as I also mentioned above. Lutz is particularly worried about the last captain, who asks for a katana that can be taken up by the person who kills him. Lutz sensibly instead gives him a katana to protect against ambushes. Unfortunately, the plot will not be denied…

While I will admit the series is full of manly men being manly, I will praise it for not neglecting the women. The third princess shows up again, and while she acts childish and spoiled in front of Claudia (because she can), everyone else is worried that she now has what amounts to a private army loyal only to her, which could potentially attempt a coup. We also meet Leonard’s sister Karen (Leonard is the guilt-ridden knight), who is very sensible and wants nothing more than to be rid of all the trappings of the kingdom that led to everything her brother has gone through, but who is also in a testosterone-laden book, so when she gets mad at Leonard’s knight for whining too much she reaches out and squeezes his balls while saying he’s a loser. I like her.

Unfortunately for everyone reading this, it’s a two-parter, so we’ll have to wait to see what happens. Fortunately, 7 is out in January. Recommended for all, even those not fond of manly men. It’s a really compelling series.

I Was Reborn as a Refugee Girl, So I’m Working Toward Citizenship from Scratch, Vol. 1

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By Torisuke and nyanya. Released in Japan as “Tensei Nanmin Shoujo wa Shiminken o 0 kara Mezashite Hatarakimasu!” by TO Books Novel. Released in North America by Hanashi Media. Translated by Bianca Darcy.

It’s always amusing when you spend most of a book thinking that the plot and characters are going in a direction you very much did not expect, only to get to the author’s afterword and have them lay out exactly why this is the case. When I was reading this book, I could not help but think that it was a lot… fluffier than I was expecting from the premise. The main character spent most of the book worried about how she’ll be treated, but she ended up almost entirely fine. Then I read the afterword, and it turns out the webnovel version of this was much darker, with people treating her like crap, mugging her, etc. And the author took one look at that and thought “isn’t this a bit mean?”. And so we end up with what we have here, which is very much a slow life book about an earnest 11-year-old being hardworking and everyone around her – with one exception – looking at her and thinking “how cute!”.

Lil wakes up one day with memories of her old life in Japan, where she was a boring office worker. Now she’s an 11-year-old refugee girl living outside the city with abusive parents. Previously apathetic to it all, her new memories show her that there’s a much better life than this, and she sets out to try to better herself, first by fetching water from the river, killing rats that eat the stored food, fishing… then finally she’s allowed to go into town and join an adventurer’s guild! She’s just an F-rank, so goes on quests like “collect garbage” and “clean the guild rooms” while also learning how to read and write, because it turns out the only thing in this world that is not a stock light novel cliche is that the language isn’t Japanese. Her goal is to leave the city and become an adventurer!… but let’s start with “baker’s helper”.

So yeah, this is so optimistic and shiny it’s almost too bright to look at. Lil’s parents are scum, and it’s implied they’ll eventually be expelled from the refugee camp, but as she works her little butt off to help the others, everyone’s heart grows three sizes and they accept that the daughter is different. In the town, she’s constantly assuming she’ll be subject to prejudice and abuse, and that just… doesn’t happen, mostly as she uses polite language and is a really hard worker. The memories of her past life mostly come into play to let her do math fast, putting her a cut above other girls her age and allowing her to end up at a job where she has to calculate change. It’s just very, very NICE. I enjoyed that. It’s also a bit dull, frankly. I do hope the entire series isn’t this nice.

Will she leave the town and go dungeon crawling? Will she learn the magic that she’s said to have? Will she be cute and industrious? One of those things is guaranteed.

The Devil Princess, Vol. 5

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By Harunohi Biyori and Geso Umiu. Released in Japan as “Akuma Koujo” by K Lanove Books. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Julie Goniwich. Adapted by Emlyn Dornemann.

I had some worries when I began this 5th book that it would be difficult. After all, we’ve basically abandoned the world of the first four books to go back to Japan (albeit a Japan with a lot more magical-powered shamen and spiritualists than I suspect are really around). And this does start a bit slowly as we get used to the new background. That said, not THAT much has changed. Yulucia may be Yuzu now, but she’s a spoiled rich kid here just like she was back home, she’s beloved by all despite being pretty creepy just like she was back home, and the entire climax of the book is her snapping and just going full horror movie, just as in previous volumes. Rest assured, this is still the Devil Princess you know. We even get her servants popping in and being hilarious and disturbing again. Honestly, “hilarious and disturbing” is a good summary of the series as a whole.

This series began with a young teenager with health problems dying and being reincarnated as a demon, then being reborn as Yulucia, the Devil Princess we all know and love. Now, after the events of the 4th book, she’s back in Japan, and back to her old life – a decade before she died. She’s still sickly, but for some reason that only the readers really know, has become terrifyingly beautiful for a little girl. There’s also other oddities. People keep trying to kidnap her, and it’s not *just* because she’s from a rich family (though some of it is that). People keep going crazy around her and trying to murder her. And for some reason when she comes across obviously bad people, with hearts as black as coal, she cannot help but think how incredibly TASTY they look.

As with previous books, Yuzu manages to be thoroughly evil without actually doing many bad things… except to those who deserve it. The climax, not to spoil too much, is basically a yakuza massacre, and there are several pieces of excellent art in this showing her as basically Your Worst Nightmare(tm). But she also makes friends with other children, loves her family, and helps her best friend and potential marriage partner lose weight so he becomes a bit more bishonen. It’s just that because the narrative is presented through her “I don’t really care that much” narration, it can be hard to pick up on. There’s also plenty of humor here – special points to the otome game heroine who shows up a decade early as well, tries to warp the narrative, and immediately gets arrested for her troubles. I wonder if we’ll see her again.

This “arc” finishes in Book 6, so don’t go thinking that we’re back for good. The author says all our questions will be answered, but I don’t have too many. As long as I can see a little girl gleefully murdering bad guys and eating their souls like jelly donuts, I am content.

Genius in the Library: This Bookish Rookie Will Save the Day!, Vol. 1

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By Misa Aoi and Yoh Hihara. Released in Japan as “Toshokan no Tensai Shoujo ~Honzuki no Shinjin Kanri wa Boudai na Chishiki de Kuni o Sukuimasu!~” by Kadokawa Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Dawson Chen.

I’ve written several times about “sometimes you want McDonald’s”. This is not quite that. This is going to a place that you heard was pretty high-end, that served elite, expensive food. The sort of restaurant you’d dress up for. And it does look just like that. Nice ambiance, fancy waiters, impeccable service. And then you get your meal, and it’s… chicken fingers and fries. Now, don’t get me wrong. These are some of the best chicken fingers you’ve ever had, just the right amount of crispiness. And the fries are not only perfectly done, but just the style you prefer. You couldn’t ask for a tastier meal. But come on. You were expecting fancy French food in a wine sauce, eight courses, food for the elite. And you get freaking CHICKEN FINGERS? That’s sort of what reading Genius in the Library was like for me. It has Chicken Fingers at its center, and their name is Martina.

Martina is delighted. She’s passed the civil service exam, and is going to be one of the rare commoners who is allowed to work for the Crown. She is incredibly happy as this gives her access to MORE BOOKS. You see, Martina is a voracious reader, and has already read every single book in the commoner’s library, now she will be able to get to the Royal Library. And things go well, mostly! Her co-workers are mostly nice, except for That One Guy. She gets to be in the library whenever she’s not at work. And they don’t really find her photographic, perfect memory weird at all! Well, OK, yes they do, but in a good way. And frankly, it’s very good for the kingdom that Martina is there, as the monsters, which had been quieter recently, have been getting worse. A dark miasma is spewing them out. They may need to…

Well, that’s a spoiler, but one I was quite amused to see. It’s nice to come to this kind of book from the preparatory side. I really liked this book. The cast are nice, the pacing is good, and… well, OK, let’s talk Martina. I don’t like using a word that rhymes with Barry Blue, but yeah, Martina is pretty much perfect here. She’s not overly shy like, say, Monica Everett, she’s nice to everyone, her book learning translates perfectly to applied learning, she’s a natural born leader, even if she doesn’t realize it, and she rapidly has at least three guys (and one girl?) who seem into her. Hell, even the prejudiced guy who sneers at her does a 180 so fast in the middle of the book your head will spin. This plot is driven by one thing alone, to make Monica the greatest thing since sliced bread. If you hate that sort of thing, you’ll want to read another book. If you don’t mind it as long as it’s well written, enjoy your chicken fingers.

The book ends on a cliffhanger that I’m very interested to read. I presume we will not be changing main characters in Book 2, but you never know. For fans of Bookworms without any real flaws.

Manga the Week of 10/28/26

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SEAN: Happy Halloween. Have a deluge of manga.

ASH: Tricks and treats!

SEAN: Airship’s print titles next week are Adachi and Shimamura 13, Heroine? Saint? No, I’m an All-Works Maid (And Proud of It)! 7, and Virgin Knight: I Became the Frontier Lord in a World Ruled by Women 4.

And in early digital we see Space Orc: Barbarian Raider of the Stars, Aiming for the Queen! 2 and The Tale of a Little Alchemist Blessed by the Spirits 4.

And in ONLY digital, we see Al the Adventurer: That Magic Shouldn’t Work! 2.

ASH: I’ll admit, I initially read that as A.I. the Adventurer, which would be a different type of story, I think.

SEAN: Cross Infinite World debuts The Villainess’ Journal: Newlywed Life of an Obsessive Researcher (Akujo Nisshi -Otaku na Akujo (?) no Shinkon Seikatsu-). A young woman who lives for research and being a scientist finds an “icy count” wants to marry her… because she’s known as a villainess. But that’s just her sister using her name! Didn’t I see this plot from CIW last month?

ASH: Uh-oh!

SEAN: They also have From Bumbling Prodigy to Villainess: Will the Duke’s Love Go Unnoticed? 2, which tells me that yes, I did. Also, wow, this series is fast tracked.

Dark Horse Manga has a 3rd omnibus of Innocent Rouge.

ASH: I haven’t made it to Innocent Rouge yet, but the artwork is is stunning.

SEAN: Denpa, according to retailers, have Nana & Kaoru: Last Year (Nana to Kaoru: Last Year), the final series in the erotic comedy-drama showing them about to graduate high school. It ran in Harem (yes, that’s the magazine name). (It got bumped.)

Drawn & Quarterly debut A Lullaby From Hell (Jigoku no Komoriuta), the first of two collections compiling the horror works of Hideshi Hino, one of the masters of the art. Gross, grim, and unsettling stuff.

ASH: And also very powerful. Hideshi Hino’s work is definitely not for everyone, but I’m very glad to see more of it being released in English.

SEAN: Ghost Ship has A Reincarnated Carrier’s Strategy for Another World 3.

Hanashi Media have a few light novels. I Saved Myself with a Potion! 3, A Journey Through Another World: Raising Kids While Adventuring 3, An Observation Log of My Wife Who Calls Herself a Villainess 5, and Reincarnated Onmyoji: Empowered by the King of Hell, I’ll Never Return to the Underworld 2.

J-Novel Club are putting out An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride in an omnibus format now. Get light novels 1-3 in print.

Also in print, The Young Lady Is the Substitute Harvest Goddess is another JNC contest winner. A young gamer is sent to a different world by a goddess, who wants her to take over as harvest goddess. Fortunately, this world runs along the lines of her beloved farming games.

ASH: I’m actually kind of amused by this premise.

SEAN: And there’s some print manga. The 100th Time’s the Charm: She Was Executed 99 Times, So How Did She Unlock “Super Love” Mode?! 3, Black Summoner 9, and The Water Magician 2.

J-Novel Club has a debut in its Knight line. Fraudulent Fiancés Roll Out the Red Carpet (Tamanokoshi Goyoui Shimashita) is the first in the “Fraudulent Fiancés” series. A man tries to scam another man who turns out to be a hot-shot CEO, and is offered a choice: go to jail or be his fake boyfriend.

ASH: Oh, my!

SEAN: Other light novels out next week: The Fearsome Witch Teaches in Another World 5, The Isle of Paramounts: Reborn into a Slow Life Among the Strongest in the World 4, Knight’s & Magic 10, Let This Grieving Soul Retire 11, Now I’m a Demon Lord! Happily Ever After with Monster Girls in My Dungeon 17 (the final volume), and Repeated Vice: I Refuse to Be Important Enough to Die 5.

And the only manga out next week is Scooped Up by an S-Rank Adventurer! This White Mage Is One Heck of a Healer 6.

Kodansha Manga debut in print Erin the Beast Player (Kemono no Souja), which was released digitally as just The Beast Player and is now getting an omnibus of the first two books. It’s a Shonen Sirius title from the creator of Seirei no Moribito, and based on her novel. A girl who adores her mother is cast adrift when her mother is blamed for a mysterious illness affecting their clan’s giant serpent mounts.

ASH: I’m so glad this is being released in print! The original novels are great.

SEAN: Also in print: Blue Lock Omnibus 5, Blue Lock: Episode Nagi 8 (the final volume), I Have a Crush at Work 8, Love Out on a Limb 4, Phantom of the Idol 9, and Rent-a-Girlfriend 39.

MICHELLE: I kinda forgot Phantom of the Idol existed. I did enjoy what I read.

SEAN: And digitally we get Nina the Starry Bride 19, Shangri-La Frontier 27, and the 46th and final volume of Space Brothers.

ANNA: I always enjoy seeing new volumes of Nina the Starry Bride pop up even though I’m behind on the series.

SEAN: Retailers say Mahjong Pros has a 2nd volume of Reform with No Wasted Draws: The Legend of Koizumi.

ASH: I did manage to finally get my hands on the first!

SEAN: One Peace Books has a rare light novel: The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic 6.

Three debuts from Seven Seas. The Apology of Noumi-Senpai (Noumi-senpai no Benmei) runs in the magazine Vinyl. A confident young man joins his university’s book club, and meets an easygoing guy – who’s openly gay, to boot. What will happen between them?

ASH: I’m here for BL book clubs.

SEAN: Phenomenon X: Paranormal Crime Files (Phenomenon X: Paranormal Crime Files) is a mystery series from Harta. A practical cat-eared female detective. An FBI agents with secrets in his past. They fight crime!

MICHELLE: This looks kinda fun.

ANNA: It does sound cute!

SEAN: Reluctant Space Commander: From Death Wish to Galactic Hero! (“Koko wa Makasete Saki ni Ike!” wo Shitai Shinitagari no Nozomanu Uchuu Gekokujou) is based on the light novel coming out digitally from Seven Seas, and runs in Comic Corona. It stars a guy who wants to end it all after his girlfriend dumps him. He’ll join the Space Corps and have a noble death! The trouble is, he’s too good at Space Corps!

ASH: Whoops.

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: The Ancient Magus’ Bride: Collected Fragments 2, The Beast King: Master of Medicines 3, Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex 4, The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time and Aims to Become the Ultimate Villain 7, Dungeon Friends Forever 7, The Dungeon of Black Company 14, Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything With Low-Level Spells 13, Get Married So I Can Curse Your Firstborn and Finally Be Free! 3, Glasses with a Chance of Delinquent 8, I Have a Secret: The Complete Manga Collection 2 (the final volume), Magic Repo Man: Dumped by My Party, I’ll Cash In With a Cute Support Fairy to Become the Strongest! 2, My Girlfriend’s Not Here Today 7, The Scum Laugh 2, Slow Life In Another World (I Wish!) 10, Someone’s Girlfriend 7, A Tale of the Secret Saint 12, Workin’ the Night Shift at Akumart 2, and Yakuza Reincarnation 16.

ASH: That is quite the list.

SEAN: Takumigraphics debuts Wandering Cat’s Cage (Mandarin Gypsy Cat no Roujou), a 2-volume complete in one omnibus that ran in Comic Bridge. It’s a future sci-fi dystopia genderqueer manga from the creator of Sensei’s Pious Lie.

MICHELLE: Well, that sounds pretty fabulous!

ANNA: Alright!!!

ASH: Very much looking forward to this one.

SEAN: Titan Manga debut Tojima wants to be a Kamen Rider (Toujima Tanzaburou wa Kamen Rider ni Naritai), a comedy sentai manga from Hero’s. It had an anime recently. A guy decides to fight for justice, despite no call to action and no powers. This is also technically a sequel to Air Master.

ASH: Huh.

SEAN: They also have the second volume of The one. Later on… and the third and final volume of Farewell, My Odin.

ASH: I feel like I ought to read Farewell, My Odin.

SEAN: Viz Media releases Horror Picture Book: A Bad Book, another of their 32-page scares. This is from the author of Brave Story.

ASH: It should be excellent, then.

Jujutsu Kaisen Complete Box Set is a complete box set of Jujutsu Kaisen. It has a poster. It’s over 6000 pages.

ASH: So many pages.

SEAN: Kiki’s Delivery Service: The Official Cookbook is what it sounds like.

Takumi: A Little Japanese Bakery is also a cookbook.

And they also have one normal manga, Boy’s Abyss 15.

Yen Press! Let’s start with Defying Expectations with Gravity Magic to Be Unparalleled (Noroma Mahou to Yobareta Mahoutsukai wa Juuryoku Mahou de Musou suru: Mada Juuryoku no Gainen no Nai Sekai Nite, Shounen wa Banyuu Inryoku Ou to Naru), a Comptiq title based off a webnovel. A guy gets gravity magic… what is gravity? Then he remembers his life in Japan, and now he knows!

The Dragon School Is Atop the Mountain (Ryuu no Gakkou wa Yama no Ue) is a collection of short stories from the author of Delicious in Dungeon.

MICHELLE: This also looks pretty great.

ASH: It really does!

SEAN: Fate Rewinder: All Great Achievements Require Time (Unmei no Makimodoshi) is a sci-fi manga with an anime coming soon. It runs in Monthly Corocoro Comic, so likely is for young boys. These young detectives have to solve every case – even if it means time looping till they do!

ASH: Oooooooh, time loops!

SEAN: Fate/Prototype: Fragments of Sky Silver runs in Type Moon Ace. It’s the “pilot” that eventually became Fate/Stay Night, only with a female master and a male servant.

How to Keep a Human (Ningen no Kaikata) is serialized on Twitter. Humans are hard to keep as pets – they’re so fragile they easily die – but this monster really wants one.

ASH: Awwwww.

SEAN: N, and yes, that’s the title, is a horror title, and ran in Dengeki Comic Regulus. Various mass murders and disappearances are happening, all with the letter ‘N’ left at the scene.

MICHELLE: Also potentially cool!

ANNA: Good to have some spooky stuff come out during spooky season!

SEAN: The Record of Fantastical Nomenclature (Gensou Meimeiki) is a supernatural title from Comic Gene. A man who can see spirits is hired by another man to catalog them. But what’s the reason behind this?

ANNA: More spookiness!

ASH: And cataloging! That’s one of my favorites.

SEAN: Tokujo-chan: The Girls Who Brighten Your Day (Tokujo-chan: The Girls Who Brighten Your Day) is a manga based on a doujinshi, and seems to be about young women who brighten a man’s day in various ways. It’s marked ecchi. It’s also done in one.

Also from Yen Press: Black Butler 35, Cheeky Brat 17, Dara-san of Reiwa 4, Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku? 3, Game of Familia 9, The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All 4, Honey Lemon Soda 12, Kunon the Sorcerer Can See 3, Love Bullet 2, mono 5, My Mate Is a Feline Gentleman 4, Redeem: Only One Forever 2, A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom 8, Reincarnation Coliseum: The Weakest Skill Conquers the Strongest Women and Creates a Harem 4, Sasaki and Peeps 5, Slasher Maidens 14, The Summer Hikaru Died 8, A Timid Lady Was Turned into an Ugly Cat, but on the Verge of Fainting Is Picked Up by the Most Fearsome Military Duke 2, The Villainess Stans the Heroes: Playing the Antagonist to Support Her Faves! 6 (the final volume), A Witch’s Life in Mongol 4, and You Can’t Escape from Mizudako-chan! 2.

MICHELLE: I didn’t know Black Butler was still going!

SEAN: Save money on candy, buy manga!

The Dorky NPC Mercenary Knows His Place, Vol. 6

by

By Toryuu and hamm. Released in Japan as “Kimo Ota Mob Yōhei wa, Mi no Hodo o Wakimaeru” by Overlap Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Josh DM.

The highlight of each volume of this series continues to be John vs. the plot. The plot has John involved in major battles, John being highly desired by everyone around him, both professionally and personally, John being colleagues with most of the movers and shakers in the galaxy, John is the star of this book. John, meanwhile, considers himself “just a guy”, makes sure to be one of the nameless mercs involved in battles, avoids interaction with other women as much as he possibly can, with the exception of his friend Gonzalez, who is a man in a woman’s body. John resolutely regards getting recruited as being a huge hassle and a mistake. And, as we see at the end of this volume, John is right. I wish that it didn’t come down to “I hate him because he is fat” as much as it does, but it’s also because, while the Empire is trying its best, nobles still think commoners are there to get glory for the nobles and then be sacrificed. No thanks.

What was implied in the last book becomes reality here: the Empire is at war with another Kingdom, who are very much on the “nobles rule, commoners drool” side of things. As such, John and most of the cast are corralled up to be part of the army fighting them, which mostly goes well until the kingdom shows off that they have a literal planet destroying weapon. John eventually does have to subtly ask for help there. The rest of the book involves the aftershocks of this war, as John’s “mind the store” mission goes south due to a sandstorm and robot dogs, and escorting a corporate group goes very badly as the group ends up killed, which leaves a bad taste in John’s mouth – he may be an NPC but he hates failure. Heck, even seemingly kind old men turn out to secretly be watching him very closely. As are the many women in this series.

Last time I avoided mentioning it, but I will briefly discuss the elephant in the room here, which is Scuna’s subplot. She’d been seen the least of the main girls, mostly as it’s just harder to find excuses to get her in John’s orbit. This works very well. It will probably also have repercussions down the line, and I’d worry about her chances of surviving if this weren’t a series with cover art like what we have. I also liked Shiora, and the fact that she was straightforward and earnest because, as the author says in the afterword, he already had a tsundere in the group with Fialka. John’s advice on how to be a great pilot like him amounts to “do it over and over and over again”, and I hope we see more of her. I also liked the Mei Hatsume addition to the cast. Every light novel seems to get its own Mei Hatsume these days.

The next volume in the series came out in Japan literally two days ago, so we’ll be waiting a bit. Till then, assuming you don’t mind a harem that goes nowhere due to the lead’s total lack of interest, this is great fun.