SEAN: Sometimes I like to shake things up and do my list in reverse order, usually when a feature image would be right at the bottom of the list. This is one of those times.
So let’s start with Yen On, which has four books out, one a debut, Re: ZERO ~Starting Life in Another World~ sounds like a mouthful, and it is yet another in a series of “normal guy gets summoned to fantasy world” books, but I have heard from those who have seen the anime that this is top tier stuff. We shall see, but I am provisionally excited.
ASH: One of the light novel competitions has actually stopped accepting those types of stories they’ve become so prevalent.
SEAN: Log Horizon has a 5th volume, subtitled A Sunday in Akiba. Will Shiro and company be able to avoid politics and monster killing and have a light fluffy volume of no consequence? I highly doubt it.
After a bit of a delay, we see the 4th Kagerou Daze novel. The main point of interest in the last novel was seeing that one of the Mekakushi group seems to have a grudge against Shintaro, and also knows about his tragic relationship with Ayano. I’d like to see more about that.
The 4th Durarara!! novel, on the other hand, is a bit of a placeholder before the next major arc begins, but as with most Narita novels, the placeholding is possibly more interesting to fans.
ASH: I’ve sadly fallen behind in most of my light novel reading.
SEAN: And now back to manga, so the rest of the MB team can wake up. We have a 13th volume of Terra Formars from Viz, which honestly has gone a lot further than I expected.
I believe that the 9th volume of Monster (Perfect Edition) is the last, which means it’s a perfect time for readers who got behind to catch up.
ASH: I’m really glad Monster is available in its entirety again! And in a great looking edition, too.
SEAN: And hey, it’s been a while – over a year, in fact – but here’s the 7th volume of Gangsta.
ASH: I’ve been looking forward to the continuation of the series as well as the spinoff that Viz recently licensed.
ANNA: I didn’t realize that there was a spinoff coming out too! I enjoy this series and it has been far too long since a new volume came out.
SEAN: The Complete Chi’s Sweet Home has a 3rd omnibus of amazingly cute kitties!
MICHELLE: Yay!
SEAN: Seven Seas has a bevy of titles out. My Monster Secret’s 3rd volume continues to show us that monsters and broad comedy mix really well.
If you enjoyed Love in Hell when it came out a while back, we’re now getting a sequel series, Love in Hell: Death Life. As for me, I’d prefer an anime of Matt Groening’s Life in Hell.
And there’s a 4th volume of yuri thriller Akuma no Riddle, which is beginning to run out of antagonists.
MICHELLE: I haven’t gone back since volume two. Not sure if I am sufficiently compelled.
SEAN: One Peace has a 4th volume of the manga adaptation of Rise of the Shield Hero (which runs in Comic Flapper, for those of you fond of that magazine).
Kodansha has an 8th volume of UQ Holder, which has gone from weekly to monthly recently in Japan, so may start slowing down soon.
And with Noragami 16, we are finally caught up with Japan, so the monthly releases end here.
ASH: I recently caught up with Noragami myself and it’s getting really good. Like, really good.
SEAN: Lastly, we end as we began, with a novel. This one can’t really be called light, though, as it’s the 2nd Legend of the Galactic Heroes book from Haikasoru. Space opera! Intrigue! A whole lot of death! All are within these pages.
MICHELLE: Woot! I confess I still haven’t read the first one, but I am totally getting this via Audible, as I did the first volume.
ASH: Definitely picking this up!
ANNA: I need to confess that I haven’t read the first, but I really want to! Maybe I will schedule a reading binge for a long weekend soon.
SEAN: Which of these books will help you beat the heat?