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Bookshelf Briefs 4/13/26

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Tanaka Family Reincarnates, Vol. 6

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Manga the Week of 4/15/26

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

ASH: It just might.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ASH: Oh, yeah, I’m here for it, too.

ANNA: Yes! Sounds interesting!

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

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

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

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

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

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

ANNA: Words to live by for everyone.

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

ASH: D’awwwww.

ANNA: That does sound adorable.

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

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

ASH: I am intrigued.

ANNA: Me too!

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

ASH: That was unexpected!

ANNA: Aren’t all cats royalty, really?

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

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

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

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

ANNA: Yeah, sounds a little different.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ANNA: Me too!

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

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

ASH: That can only really go so far.

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

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

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

ASH: So many manga do these days.

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

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

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

ASH: What would ever make you think that?

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

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

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

Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex, Vol. 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Her Royal Highness Seems to Be Angry, Vol. 3

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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.

Generally speaking, it must be fun to be a petty noble in a world like most of these otome game-esque magic academy worlds. The protagonist being a little too perfect, a little too attention-grabbing, reinventing all of modern magic to replace it with the powerful ways of old? Just do your best to discredit and ruin her. What’s that? Didn’t work? Her fiancee the prince is now seemingly a vegetable? Not a problem. She has friends. You just have to show them what a bad idea it is to be friends with her. Make it really clear that being tight with her can destroy not only your life but that of your entire town. Hrm? That didn’t work either? It’s OK, there’s a school festival. You can show up to belittle and crush her with your sneering, mocking ways… hrm? Is that the third Queen? Going gaga over what they’re selling? Talking with the protagonist about her health and inviting her to the palace soon? Maybe it’s NOT fun to be a petty noble…

Leticiel has a lot on her plate. Despite doing well in nearly everything at school, she’s struggling in liberal arts. She’s still getting the odd nightmare flashback to Drossel’s memories, including time spent with the mysterious Alec. Her older sister is trying to manipulate her twin sister into hating her even more, which… honestly does not really need that much of a push. The two spirit kids she made friends with last time have spirit parents who are very angry that they deigned to talk with a human. Heck, even the book she really wanted to buy from a mysterious merchant who totally doesn’t have a secret identity isn’t for sale. Oh, and innocent people are being kidnapped and shipped to another country to be sold as slaves. With all this going on, it’s no wonder that she’s behind in black cloud investigation.

The big climax of this book, in addition to allowing for a really cool sorcery battle (and showing off alchemy, which apparently also exists, and I’d love to see the final volume somehow combine magic, sorcery AND alchemy), Leticiel discovers that it’s not just Drossel’s past that she needs to worry about but her own. The bad guys are using some very familiar sorcery, and that means that someone else has returned from the dead like she has. As for the Drossel side, that’s also getting harder, as it’s becoming more and more clear that this is not simply a case of “if I just pretend everything’s fine, no one will notice I am a blank slate”. The Third Queen I mentioned before has been ill, and apparently she and Drossel used to be “sick buddies”, so it’s hard to just say “yeah, I totally know who you are” and nod politely. Especially when you may be asked to heal said Queen later on.

Basically, this series has a LOT of balls in the air, and whenever the fourth volume comes out, I hope I remember what they are. Also, I still would not describe her as angry. Peeved? Vexed?

The Brooding Duke’s Guide to the Lie-Detecting Lady

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By Mayo Momoyo and Wan Hachipisu. Released in Japan as “Fukigen na Koushaku-sama wa Uso Hakkenki Tsuki Reijou no Torisetsu wo Goshomou desu: Ophelia ni wa Uso wa Tsukenai” by Maple Novels. Released in North America by Cross Infinite World. Translated by Victoria Kasahara.

I saw the premise for this and I thought it would just be another one of those “girl has an ability that no one understands except the guy who is perfect for her” books, sort of the distaff equivalent of “everyone says my power is useless but it’s the strongest power”. But the author does not go down that road, mostly as Ophelia’s power is literally crippling. Being able to tell someone is lying is bad enough given how the world functions around lies, but her body literally shakes the longer and worse the person is lying, to the point where she falls over just because her limbs are vibrating too hard. This is not a cute power, it’s actually a bit horrifying. Fortunately, the girl with the power is cute enough on her own, though it’s unsurprising that she has a bit of an anxiety problem, and she’s now found the perfect job… maybe?

Ophelia is an earl’s daughter, but unfortunately she’s rarely left the domain since she was a child, because… well, see the previous paragraph. In a world where divorce is almost unheard of because cheating is considered socially acceptable, she’s simply unable to cope… and her parents are one of the few couples who have ever had to divorce, for that very reason. All she has is her very overprotective brother and a job cleaning at the Architectural Institute. However, she is a young woman, and as such has wants and needs. She wants to see the Duke, who is very, very handsome, and that means forcing herself to go to a party. Unfortunately, when she’s near the duke and his fiancée Stella, she has a bad reaction and has to leave. Unfortunately for her, the duke eventually figures out what she can do, and requests she change jobs, as he’s in charge of interrogating lying nobles. And boy does he hate liars.

Despite its premise being a bit more focused on how much Ophelia’s ability affects her, this isn’t as dark as I expected. Claudio turns out to be an awkward guy who doesn’t like admitting things straight out, and boy has he fallen for the wrong girl in that regard. After hearing about Ophelia’s childhood I was worried that her family was torn apart by it, but as it turns out her mother still meets regularly with her and her brother, and seems very happy married to her lover. Indeed, this turns out to be an important plot point, as it turns out she’s not the only one dealing with wanting to marry someone else. Oh yes, there’s also a lot of talk of religious symbols and how important they are, and a different duke with a big secret. Actually, the other duke may be my favorite character, and I’m glad Ophelia and Gian ended up bonding.

This is complete in one, though if you like the author you may want to watch the Always a Catch! anime, based on another LN of theirs. If you like cute, awkward people falling in love despite a disability this is a good one.

Loner Life in Another World, Vol. 14

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By Shoji Goji and Saku Enomaru. Released in Japan as “Hitoribocchi no Isekai Kouryaku” by Overlap Bunko. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Andrew Schubauer. Adapted by Zubonjin.

This is the second volume in a row that can be described as “nothing happens except dungeons and fanservice”, with one exception, but even that exception stays pretty local. Haruka even remarks on the fact that the Empire, who you’d expect would be very angry about everything that’s been happening in the four months (!) since the arrival of our main cast, are instead being ominously silent. So instead Haruka concentrates on improving himself so that he can run dungeons without everyone being terrified he’s going to die, which he manages to make… some progress on. And he also manages to have a lot of sexy encounters with all the women in the cast, culminating in a scene I suspect I’ll have to simply not talk about in this review. Throughout this, though, we’re never allowed to forget how Haruka feels guilty over every bad thing that happens in this world, even things he can’t control, and that all the girls adore him, much as they might yell.

The one bit that’s not dungeon crawling or fanservice involves a ceremony to honor the dead. The dungeon crawls at the start of the book are less wacky than usual, and we’re reminded that all of these dungeons were, until the arrival of Haruka & Co., handled by the people of Omui, who fought to save their city and often died horribly. And that doesn’t even get into folks like that village that was destroyed by monsters, the one that Haruka continues to agonize over. So they decide to do a Shinto-esque ceremony, complete with a shrine on top of the hill (there is no hill, so Haruka built one expressly to have a hill for a shrine to be on top of), and the girls are all dressed as Shrine Maidens. Including Angelica, which is a bit awkward, as this shrine is dedicated in her name, and there’s a statue of her at the center of it. Should she really be eating yakitori next to it?

Moving on to the other 4/5 of the book, the dungeon sections are more interesting than usual as it shows, over the course of the book, that Haruka’s current style of “react so fast that he never dies” is not going to be sustainable. Eventually he is going to get hit – and indeed we see his HP rapidly go down. So he actually listens to what the dungeon emperors are saying, sits back and watches as they kill all the monsters, and takes notes. He’s got to be fast AND clever, not just instinctual. As for the fanservice, it continues to be the reason why, as much as I love this series, I cannot recommend it to anyone except people who are already reading it. There’s another round of underwear making (the series continues to imply that Haruka and the girls are gradually getting a bit less than human, as the girls’ bodies are basically “evolving” a bit too rapidly), and the girls’ attempts to flirt with/get a rise out of Haruka, in the hope that he’ll stop avoiding the very concept of being with anyone other than dead monster girls, ends up getting very… messy. This was the scene that, having read a Japanese wiki about the webnovel, I was waiting for to see if the light novel would cut it. It did not.

The next volume promises a new girl, if the cover is any indication. Until then, enjoy a book that uses the phrase “and stuff?” a lot, only the stuff is more like what you get in Oreo cookies. Also, another MariMite reference, the 2nd in the series!

Goodbye, Overtime! This Reincarnated Villainess Is Living for Her New Big Brother, Vol. 7

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By Chidori Hama and Wan Hachipisu. Released in Japan as “Akuyaku Reijō, Brocon ni Job Change Shimasu” by Kadokawa Beans Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Rymane Tsouria.

This is a relatively plot-lite book. Apart from introducing the next presumed antagonist (who shows up to be menacing and then goes away until the next book), the main thrust is that, as much as Ekaterina would like to just quietly work behind the scenes and let other people shine instead of her, that’s simply not going to fly. Not only is she gorgeous, smart, compelling, etc, but everyone around her also sees her as if… well, as if she’s the main character in a light novel. When she tries to deflect, people interpret it in the best possible light. Especially her brother. Yes, it’s another volume of Goodbye Overtime so we get a lot more of Alexei and Ekaterina talking about how devoted they are to each other, though thankfully it’s as sexless as always. And for all that she’s trying to do her best to avoid getting a bad end/executed, I think she may have more trouble NOT marrying the crown prince. The universe wants her to be Queen.

This does take place at a magic academy, and even though it’s not Japan and there are nobility and commoners, all that is irrelevant as it’s School Festival time. Ekaterina is worried as she vaguely recalls the game has their class doing a play where she’s cast as the wicked villainess, and she’s like to avoid that, thank you. She wants to do a choir, seeing as they now have classmates beloved by the God of Music. Unfortunately, her classmates have other ideas, and want a play. But it’s OK. She can write it, and, well, direct it, produce it, and stage manage it, but she doesn’t have to BE in it, she can cast everyone else! Flora is the heroine, of course. And Olga is the villain, and will get the big weepy song, as sung by Susan Boyle on Britain’s Got Talent! Nothing could POSSIBLY go wrong!

The highlight of the book is the performance, because of course, something goes wrong. In a world where you have Gods who can literally whisk people away to Valhalla for concert performances, casting their new talent in your play is perhaps not the best idea. So Ekaterina has to play the villain after all, and try to fit into a dress that’s far too tight for her more voluptuous figure, sing a song that requires hitting a few high notes she’d rather not, and also try to remember her lines. She succeeds at two of these, but fortunately not only does everyone adore her, but her desperation fits the character she’s playing anyway. And she’s as oblivious as ever, not realizing the danger she’s in in the student council room, and also not realizing the song she’s ripping off from Les Mis could also describe her own childhood. Let’s just say the sister complex is not getting smaller anytime soon.

The next volume only came out in Japan a few months ago, but seems to continue the festival. Fans of the series should enjoy this new volume.

Manga the Week of 4/8/26

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

ASH: There must be some, right?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ASH: Ha! That’s true.

ANNA: What is the world coming to?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ASH: “Quirky and heartfelt.” I’m in.

ANNA: I’m curious!

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

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

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

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

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

Kana has Space Punch 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ASH: I’d read it.

ANNA: I like vampires and music manga!

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

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

ASH: There are worse life choices.

ANNA: Maybe there should just be more cat cafes?

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

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

What glories await you in the list I have proffered?

From Two-Bit Baddie to Total Heartthrob: This Villainess Will Cross-Dress to Impress!, Vol. 5

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By Masamune Okazaki and Hayase Jyun. Released in Japan as “Mob Dōzen no Akuyaku Reijō wa Dansō Shite Kōryaku Taishō no Za wo Nerau” by TO Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Caroline W.

All otome game villainess stories are, by definition, somewhat metatextual. It has characters who are trapped in a world based on a game, trying to avoid Bad Ends. Even if they don’t talk to others about their choices, they narrate to the reader about them. But Two-Bit Baddie is even more meta than most. We have two people who’ve both played the game and know what’s coming, and discuss it with each other. We have a narrative that occasionally tries to lure them back into canon, even if they both want to disregard it. More to the point, the entire reason Elizabeth dresses and acts the way she does is to avoid a bad end that’s already passed. There’s no need to keep doing it. So when Richard asks why she’s dressed as a man, she answers “because I like it”, and I think not only does this surprise her but she means it. This is who she is now.

The book picks up where it left off last time. Elizabeth, Christopher, Edward and Lilia have to stay a little longer than planned. Sure, thanks to Lilia accidentally turning Diana into a BL fangirl, the marriage seems to be off the table. But there’s the troubling information that people are kidnapping nobles, and then giving them back the next day. What’s going on there? Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Lilia get an opportunity to explore a dungeon, and while they don’t find any monsters, they do come across some very human villains. When they are finally allowed to go home, after everyone finally realizes that Elizabeth is a woman and her brother is rejecting the marriage proposal, Elizabeth finds new problems. Yoh, the villain from the last book, has joined the knights and become a masochist. And worse, the plot of the second fandisc is beginning… four years too early!

The otome game mechanics are not the only things analysed in this volume. There’s an extra bonus route involving Lilia getting romanced by her teacher, a forbidden love sort of thing, and while Lilia is not interested in anyone but Elizabeth, Elizabeth is furious at the very concept of the route’s existence. She delivers a multi-page takedown of “teacher/student romance” as a concept, stating that anyone who would take advantage of a student in real life is the worst of the worst. Lilia finds this baffling, but that’s because Lilia is still caught up a bit too much in thinking in terms of tropes and fiction – to her, teacher/student romance is hot because of the forbidden aspects. It’s a very interesting diversion in what ends up being a solid but typical volume in the series. Elizabeth remains handsome and seductive but unable to see the very obvious affection anyone has for her – except Lilia, who had to literally confess. Subtlety is not gonna fly here.

The main drag on this volume is that it ends not even 2/3 through, and the rest is taken up with other POV stories and side stuff. It’s the equivalent of a LaLa volume, and I hate it. But the bulk of this is still pretty good.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End ~Prelude~

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By Mei Hachimoku and Tsukasa Abe, based on the manga by Kanehito Yamada. Released in Japan as “Sousou no Frieren: Zensou” by Shogakukan. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Jenny McKeon.

It’s another tie-in novel, and by now I think we know what to expect with these. The title says “Prelude” because it’s the safest place to play around it. You can’t change the story the original author is still getting to, and sometimes you can’t even tell stories set at the same time as the manga. But things that take place before the manga starts, or in the past, are fair game, provided you don’t change the future. As such, it’s no surprise this is a short story collection, and honestly of the five short stories three of them are really obvious: seeing Fern and Stark before they met Frieren is a gimme, and seeing Frieren with Himmel and party is also unsurprising. The other two stories are more interesting choices, and they’re also both pretty strong. I usually talk about whether a short story collection is front or backloaded, and this is the latter, which is good, as that means it gets better as it goes.

The five stories: 1) A young Fern practices her magic and worries about Heiter, who is not only very old but is also down with a cold, so she decides to go searching for herbs; 2) Stark is at the village with the dragon, which he “drove off” by being in its face when it decided to go away, and frets about his reputation, while also saving the one guy who doesn’t like him when he goes missing; 3) Kanne and Lawine are taking the test to prove they’re mages back in their hometown, but have to deal with a bratty rich girl mage and a stronger than usual monster; 4) Aura the Guillotine runs into the hero’s party and lives to regret it; while recovering from her wounds, she talks with other demons around her, most of whom are familiar to us; 5) Frieren wakes up on a wagon headed for… well, somewhere, and is distressed to see her friends getting off it and leaving her behind.

Fern and Stark’s stories aren’t bad, but they’re both very predictable and stay in their lane. Kanne and Lawine’s story is surprising in that it happens at all, but I enjoyed seeing them again, and their teamwork and bond is in full force here. Aura’s story may be the best in the collection. She’s a terrible… well, demon, not person, but you know what I mean. But the story is designed to poke around Frieren’s “all demons are evil and you need to kill them on sight” philosophy, as we see some demons trying o understand why humans do things and failing, and some continuing to make the effort regardless – we’ll be getting to that in the 3rd anime season late next year. Finally, the Frieren story is basically an “all things must one day pass” metaphor, but it’s well written and emotional, and works well with Frieren, who is coming to terms with people she cares about passing, bit by bit.

So yeah,k this is a solid book. Fans of the manga will definitely enjoy it. Casual buyers… read the manga first, OK?

Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Maiden Court, Vol. 10

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By Satsuki Nakamura and Kana Yuki. Released in Japan as “Futsutsuka na Akujo dewa Gozaimasu ga: Suuguu Chouso Torikae Den” by Ichijinsha Novels. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Tara Quinn.

Something we’ve seen throughout this series but especially in this volume is the idea of what an “ideal” woman is in this Court Intrigue series. The series began by showing us that Reirin was delicate, fragile, and good at all the things that men prized in a woman, whereas Keigetsu was boorish, clumsy, and the one thing she’s really good at she has to keep hidden. Of course, we now know that delicate flower is not the word anyone would use to describe Reirin – except maybe Seika, and even she, by the end of this volume, has had the Reirin pedestal in her mind taken down. Here we also get a foreign delegate who explicitly regards all Ei women as weak and unable to fight back, and Seika (who among the five maidens has been the most feminine one) has to come to the realization herself, and then tell him, that in fact the Maidens all learn to be silk hiding steel. No more so than Reirin.

After the events of the last two volumes, everything is seemingly back to normal, and the maidens are back to learning how to be consorts. However, a foreign prince is visiting the country, and Seika is in charge of the welcome. She decides to rope in Reirin (because she adores her) and Keigetsu (because Reirin won’t go without her) to help her with the ceremony, which is mostly ceremonial – they roll out the red carpet and the prince says he is content, and everyone is happy. Unfortunately, it turns out that Seika, especially after torturing and starving the consort and effectively moving up in the power structure, is battling family who very much want to bring her down. What’s more, Seika’s seaside city is a lot less happy and content than she thought when she grew up there. And the prince, who has his own agenda, is far from content. Worst of all, I used the word “seemingly” at the start of the paragraph for good reason.

When I started this volume I was a bit puzzled. The last book ended with such a dire cliffhanger for Reirin, what happened to it? As it turns out, I had reckoned without Reirin’s powers of trying to make everyone around her think things are totally fine. We’ve had lingering in the background the fact that the bodyswaps seem to be affecting Reirin’s health to a degree, but it’s only to a degree – and after the last extended swap, she’s actually worse than before. Reirin has a chronic unknown illness that no one can find a cure for. She has been dying for years, and it feels much closer now. And she just cannot quite work up the strength to tell Keigetsu about it. Unfortunately, that means that when Keigetsu, trying to protect Leelee by being brash as usual, ends up in a dire situation., a bodyswap means that Reirin is now in the dire situation. Reirin, who has come very, very close to accepting this is how she dies.

Keigetsu, needless to say, is utterly devastated when she finds out, especially when she realizes that she doesn’t have the power for several days to swap them back. Keigetsu still has a tendency to feel that everything she has achieved is thanks to Reirin, and even more so, that everything bad that’s happened to Reirin is her fault, leading to her literally saying “let’s stop being friends” at one point. Keigetsu, of course, fails to realize that she is the best thing in Reirin’s life right now. One of the funnier scenes in this book is seeing Gyoumei trying his damndest to talk to Reirin via Keigetsu’s fire every day, and realizing, as does Keishou, that Reirin honestly is just not that into him – or anyone, really. Again, this isn’t yuri, but if there’s anyone Reirin is interested in most at the moment, it’s Keigetsu.

Fortunately, the fact that there’s been another body swap, as well as Keigetsu literally begging Reirin to live, makes things better for the moment. Though I’ve no doubt that Reirin’s chronic illness is the series’ final boss. In any case, next time, it’s Reirin’s time to fight back. And we all know what that means. There’s going to be utter chaos. Highly recommended, and I hope the anime is good.

Too Many Losing Heroines!, Vol. 7

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By Takibi Amamori and Imigimuru. Released in Japan as “Make Heroine ga Ōsugiru!” by Gagaga Bunko. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Matthew Jackson. Adapted by Hayame.

The strength of this series does tend to be the fact that, in regards to everything except his own attractiveness to women, Nukumizu is a pretty savvy guy. While you want to beat his head in with a shovel during casual, downtime moments, when the chips are down and you’re having a crisis, he will be the one that’s there to offer the best thing to say that will make all your problem feel like they’re in focus. Unfortunately, it won’t make all your problems go away, and in other respects, as the girls note, Nukumizu is the worst. Not only is he absolutely a sucker for a pretty face, something his matter-of-fact narration denies but is obvious regardless, but he has hung out with all these insane losing heroines for so long that he will naturally assist them even if the idea is not only lunacy but literally illegal. If their teachers weren’t there this would be the final volume as they’d be expelled.

It’s the start of the new school year, and the literature club is in trouble. After a disastrous club presentation, none of the first years will give them the time of day, and without a fifth member they’re disbanded. Fortunately, their advisor has a first-year who will join… except somehow she’s already serving a two-week suspension. Riko Shiratama is cute and nice, and the guys love her, while the girls… don’t love her as much, but don’t despise her yet. Unfortunately, she has a problem. You see, her childhood crush is getting married, and it’s not to her, so she’s actually… a losing heroine! As such, Nukumizu is quick to offer the club’s help to let her get over her issues. Even if that means breaking and entering. Which she’s already been arrested for once already.

Riko makes a good addition to the cast, essentially being Kaju only without the incest, and she also reminds me of the new first-year in Chitose Is in the Ramune Bottle, in that she’s a lot more straightforward and honest about her feelings than the rest of the cast, and that means she’s going to make a lot of them very unhappy. Elsewhere, assuming your favorite isn’t Lemon, who’s barely in this because she had the last book, you should be pretty happy. Chika is a wreck, Kaju is obsessed and creepy, Shikiya is going to try to airhead her way into being married to Nukumizu, etc. As with a lot of these “balanced harem” series, though, the balance can be off, and if your favorite isn’t Anna, you may not like how I suspect this series would end if the author weren’t a coward. Anna gets several long scenes, both comedic and serious, with Nukumizu, and she identifies so much with Riko’s crush that she even genuinely loses weight in order to help. You could argue she and Nukumizu would be very bad for each other, but I mean, what series are you reading again?

All this plus the student council president seducing women while dressed as a man. Next is the eighth….. no it’s not. Short story collection? Short story collection.