Manga the Week of 4/16

SEAN: Mid-April brings us a wide variety of titles, with something for absolutely everyone.

I often feel guilty for forgetting about Gen Manga’s releases, so will take the time to point out a new collection called Alive, which is apparently “a collection of melancholy love stories”, which will likely appeal to, well, indie comics fans.

ASH: Gen releases some interesting material; I like to support its print releases.

MJ: That actually sounds like it might be up my alley. I should check it out.

SEAN: I suspect that the Tournament Arc Fairy Tail has been doing is about to get totally derailed in Vol. 37, which is likely for the best. This has been around the right length for a tournament arc.

As for Missions of Love, this 7th volume will no doubt see everyone continue to not get together in the most soap opera way possible.

ASH: This series is such a guilty pleasure for me.

SEAN: And the volume that everyone has been waiting for (or at least people like me who enjoy amusing name/number jokes), No. 6 No. 6.

ASH: No. 6, No. 6! Not to be confused with No. 5, No. 5. That’s a different manga entirely.

MJ: Heh.

SEAN: A Certain Scientific Railgun is a rare case of a spinoff outdoing the original both in popularity and quality. We’ve caught up with Japan, so are back to only 1 volume every 8-9 months or so. Vol. 9 should be worth the wait, as Misaka finds herself without allies.

Devils and Realist is a new series from Seven Seas, and it seems to be more for the Alice crowd than the Monster Musume crowd, as it’s a josei manga from Comic Zero-Sum. It has a certain Black Butler tone to it judging from its description, and I suspect will please fans of that series as well.

ASH: I’m looking forward to giving this one a try. (I also really just like the cover of the first volume.)

MICHELLE: It *is* quite pretty.

ANNA: Huh, I hadn’t realized that this was a josei manga. The cover is pretty! I will likely check this out.

MJ: I am always up for anything from Comic Zero-Sum, I admit, though I’m not a fan of Black Butler, so we’ll see.

SEAN: And Love In Hell wraps up with its third volume. Can our hero and heroine live happily ever after in the hereafter? Or will we just have more amusing bloody injuries?

Meanwhile, World War Blue 5 continues to combine standard shonen fantasy manga with ‘spot the 80s Japanese gaming reference’.

Vertical has the 4th volume of grim yet worthy medieval manga Wolfsmund.

ASH: Grim might be putting it mildly, but if you like dark manga Wolfsmund is definitely worth checking out.

ANNA: I have too much to read! I do want to check this out one day.

And SigIkki yet lives, even if it’s down to 2 or 3 titles. Afterschool Charisma 9 will no doubt involve celebrity clones who just happen to look like hot bishonen. For some reason. I understand it’s gotten darker and more serious as it’s gone on.

MICHELLE: One day I will get caught up on this.

ANNA: I also want to get caught up on this!

SEAN: Dorohedoro has also gotten darker and more serious as it’s gone on, which is a surprise given it was already pretty damn dark, just not very serious. Poor En! What will happen to everyone now?

ASH: I’m always happy to see more Dorohedoro! It’s such a weird series.

SEAN: Lastly, it may have come out digitally on the 1st, but Vol. 3 of Sunny ships to stores next week. I always manage to be startled at how good it is, even if I can’t quite figure out what to say about it. I don’t expect that to change.

ASH: I’m glad to see Sunny, too. Viz’s deluxe hardcovers are a treat.

MICHELLE: It’s simultaneously accessible and impressive. I’m really looking forward to volume three!

ANNA: This manga really does deserve the deluxe production.

MJ: Yes! Yes!

SEAN: An Easter Basket of manga treats. What’re you seeking?