Manga Bookshelf

Discussion, Resources, Roundtables, & Reviews

Anna N

Pick of the Week: Outside the Box

by , , , , and Leave a Comment

ASH: It’s a relatively small week for new manga releases but, unsurprisingly, there are still a few things that I’m interested in. Apparently I’m in the mood for quirky horror since both Franken Fran and Dorohedoro are high on that list. My official pick goes to Dorohedoro though as I can’t seem to resist it’s bizarrely charming characters and humor.

KATE: I didn’t find much in this week’s new manga arrivals, so I’m going off-list for my recommendation: Snow Blind, a TPB that collects all four issues of a limited-run series by Ollie Masters and Tyler Jenkins. The artwork is moody and gorgeous — who knew Alaska was such a good setting for noir? — and the plotting is skillful. Heck, even Warren Ellis seems to like it, so there’s that, too.

SEAN: Like Ash, it’s pretty much a choice between Franken Fran and Dorohedoro this week, and, like Ash, I will be picking the latter. Still one of the more surprising Viz licenses, especially without an anime, I am so pleased that this has gotten to Volume 20. Even if I will no doubt find it confusing again.

MICHELLE: I’m sure I would enjoy Dorohedoro if I actually got around to reading it, but since I haven’t, I’d feel weird recommending it. So, instead, I will recommend two series that I actually have finally gotten around to reading, after seeing both recommended multiple times on Manga Bookshelf: One-Punch Man and A Silent Voice. I am enjoying both quite a lot and can now add my voice to the chorus of praise.

ANNA: There isn’t really anything that appeals to me this week, but I’ve recently been trying to get caught up on The Demon Prince of Momochi House, which incorporates lovely art into a story exploring the relationship between human guardians living in a nexus between the human and spiritual world. That’s my pick!

MJ: I’m not particularly excited about anything on this week’s list, but I have a considerable backlog to get through, so that’s not necessarily a bad thing. First on my docket, I think, is the SuBLime series, Ten Count by Rihito Takarai. I have the first two volumes sitting here, with volume three on its way next month. I’m a little nervous about what looks to be a problematic relationship (therapist and patient), but considering how common that is in BL, I can at least take heart that the characters are adults, and that there isn’t a terrified uke on the cover. So I’m feeling optimistic.

Manga the Week of 1/18

by , , , , and 2 Comments

SEAN: Mid-month, and it’s a mostly quiet time in manga land. Some series end, but others carry on regardless. What’ve we got this time around?

ASH: Wow! It’s been a while since we’ve had a week this quiet.

SEAN: Kodansha has a 2nd volume of Interviews with Monster Girls, whose first volume I found pretty good. It’s more on the ‘cute’ than ‘sexy’ end of the spectrum.

ASH: Hopefully the recent anime adaptation will encourage people to try the manga, too.

SEAN: And there’s an 18th volume of The Seven Deadly Sins.

One Peace gives us an 8th volume of yuri trap manga Maria Holic.

.

Seven Seas has one of my favorite horrible guilty pleasure series come to an end with the 4th and final omnibus of Franken Fran. I understand it wasn’t a big seller, which is a shame, but its over-the-top horrible horror and humor always tickled my funny bone. Or made my jaw drop.

ASH: I’ve been thoroughly enjoying Franken Fran. It’s sad to hear it hasn’t done especially well, but I’m glad to have it on my shelves.

SEAN: How to Build a Dungeon also made my jaw drop, but not in a good way. Vol. 2 is out. Buyer beware.

My Girlfriend Is a T-Rex also has a 2nd volume, and I found the first, like Interviews with Monster Girls, cute and ‘pretty good’. This is a mild recommendation.

And Non Non Biyori’s 6th volume, a series that takes slice of life to such extremes you may fall asleep just reading the synopsis.

Vertical gives us a 7th volume of Ninja Slayer, which has ninjas, who possibly slay.

Viz has the 20th volume of Dorohedoro, and I could not be more delighted. I look forward to this series every time a new volume comes out.

ASH: Yes! I love Dorohedoro.

SEAN: And there is a 16th Terra Formars as well.

Lastly, Tokyo Ghoul has a 2nd novel based on the popular series, this one called Void.

MANGA? It’s what’s happening. What are you getting?

MICHELLE: Uhhh… nothing, apparently.

KATE: That makes two of us, Michelle! There’s a whole lotta “Whoa!” and “No!” in this week’s shipments as far as I’m concerned.

MJ: Same! Is it sad that I’m somewhat relieved to finally have disembarked the Seven Seas train? Sorry, Seven Seas.

ANNA: There is nothing that appeals to me this week, which is good because I can hopefully get caught up reading other things!

Pick of the Week: Manga from the Other Side

by , , , , and 2 Comments

SEAN: There’s a significant amount of stuff I’m getting this week, but I’m going to go with Seven Seas again, as my pick is for The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, because it’s winter and I therefore want more moody fantasy.

MICHELLE: This week, that Wolf-boy will be mine!

KATE: I second Sean’s pick: The Girl From the Other Side looks like the kind of Seven Seas title that a grown woman could read in public without raising too many eyebrows. That cover is swoon-worthy! The Midtown Comics website indicates that we can expect 4″ – 8″ of new VIZ product on Wednesday, so there’s temptation in that pile, too. I liked the first two volumes of Bisco Hatori’s Behind the Scenes!! enough to pick up the third. I’m also still enjoying One-Punch Man–miraculously, it hasn’t gotten stale–so I’ll probably pick up volume ten.

ANNA: There are some great manga coming out this week, but The Girl From the Other Side seems most interesting to me. I don’t normally pick up many Seven Seas titles, but I am very intrigued.

ASH: The Girl From the Other Side is easily my pick this week as well. The series has been on my radar ever since it was reviewed at Brain Vs. Book, so I’m thrilled to finally be able to read its English-language debut.

MJ: Am I really picking a Seven Seas title for the second week in a row? Wow, I really am. The Girl From the Other Side is by far the most interesting of this week’s prospects to me. Well played, Seven Seas, well played.

MICHELLE: Ash, that link of yours has convinced me to defect! To the Other Side!

Sakura Hime Volumes 1-4

by

Sakura Hime Volumes 1-4 by Arina Tanemura

One of my reading goals over winter vacation was to make some headway into some of the series that I’ve been hoarding but not finishing. The main ones I’ve had around the house are 07-Ghost, Magi, and Sakura Hime. Since Sakura Hime is the shortest, I decided to start with that. Also, for someone that genuinely loves Arina Tanemura manga as much as I do, it is just plain weird that I haven’t finished the series before now. I didn’t reach my goal of reading the entire series during winter vacation but I hope to whittle away at it over the next couple months.

Sakura is a 14 year old princess from the moon who is engaged to Prince Oura, the son of the emperor. She is extrmely unhappy about her upcoming marriage. Hanging out in a tree in protest, she falls into the arms of Aoba, a handsome and obnoxious emissary who has come to escort her to her new husband. They immediately start bickering in that “I hate you because I’m secretly attracted to you!” way that so often happens in shoujo romance. And in a not very great surprise, Aoba is actually Oura.

Sakura and Aoba are fighting from the start, as he thinks that she has the potential to turn into an evil demon due to her moon heritage, while Sakura is determined to protect humans. Demons called youko attack Sakura if she looks directly at the moon, and she is able to manifest magical girl powers when she calls on the somewhat cranky sword Chizakura. One interesting aspect of this manga is that each character has a unique soul symbol that defines their lives. Sakura’s is “Destroy” which highlights the tension between her otherworldly nature and her desire to protect humanity. It also feeds into Aoba’s worries that Sakura is dangerous.

A large supporting cast is introduced at a quick pace in the first few volumes, including the tiny mononoke Asagiri, who is a companion to Sakura. Sakura is also joined by a spunky ninja protector named Kohaku, who has a companion frog named Hayate who is actually a handsome ninja boy with an unfortunate curse. The Priestess Byakura serves in the role of mystical advisor. Lord Fujimurasaki shows up to hint at love triangle possibilities, and just be generally fabulous with a tendency to compose random poems as commentary on whatever is happening around him.

One thing I was surprised about as the story unfolded is that the relationship between Aoba and Sakura ends up evolving greatly in the first few volumes, as based on patterns in other Tanemura series, I expected the “I hate you, no I love you” dynamic to continue for at least 6-7 volumes. Sakura grows in capabilities and confidence as she continues to reclaim her heritage as a princess from the moon. It wouldn’t be a Tanemura series if the heroine wasn’t spending a great deal of time stressing out over a man so since the situation with Aoba is quickly resolved, Sakura’s long-lost brother Enju appears and takes her away.

Tanemura does a good job juggling the character relationships with such a large cast, and in the first few volumes she has moments of levity balanced with some serious mystical creepiness. The moon is a creepy, creepy place. Sakura’s good human companions are balanced out by Enju’s followers, and I’m looking forward to the coming conflict in the rest of the series. I had to laugh when I was reading one of the authors’ notes, as Tanemura commented that she was using less screentone, and I have to say I can’t see it. The combination of historical setting, magical girl hijinks, and moon people ensures that all the flowing ribbons and fluttering flower petals that Tanemura fans would expect are present in this series. After reading the first few volumes, I’m enjoying it very much.

Manga the Week of 1/11

by , , , and Leave a Comment

SEAN: The holidays are over and it’s back to the grind, but we have some manga here to help you along.

Dark Horse is not only putting out Shinji Ikari Raising Project omnibuses, but also the actual series. Vol. 17 is the 2nd to last. Love those Evangelion AUs.

Kodansha has a few books. I was very pleased with the first volume of In/Spectre, whose female lead basically ticks many marks I look for in female leads. I am very excited for Vol. 2.

ASH: I’m very curious to see how this series unfolds!

SEAN: And we also get a 3rd volume of That Wolf-Boy Is Mine!, though the wolf boy himself may say otherwise.

MICHELLE: I really enjoyed the first two volumes and am looking forward to the third!

SEAN: Meanwhile, the 12th Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches starts to show us how it intends to move on after for all intents and purposes ending last volume.

ASH: The series seems to have done this a few times now.

SEAN: The big publisher this week is Seven Seas, with five titles. First we have a 9th volume of techno thriller Arpeggio of Blue Steel.

And a 3rd volume of Zero Sum-tastic action series Battle Rabbits.

The debut this week is The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, which is a mouthful but I have high hopes. Also known as Totsukuni no Shoujo, it’s a Mag Garden title from Comic Blade. We haven’t seen much of them since the old Tokyopop days. It seems to be along the lines of Ancient Magus’ Bride and similar titles.

ASH: I am looking forward to this one immensely; possibly one of my most anticipated debuts of the year.

ANNA: This sounds interesting to me.

MJ: Oh, this. I’m definitely interested in this!

SEAN: Golden Time’s 6th volume continues to show us that law school students can have just as many angsty romantic triangles as high school students.

And the always gloriously silly My Monster Secret has a 5th volume.

Speaking of silly, or at least just plain weird, there’s a 6th volume of Nichijou from Vertical Comics.

Viz closes things out. First we have a 61st volume of Case Closed, which continues to feature lots of mysteries and lots of pointing.

The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition’s first volume was a huge bestseller, and I suspect the second, which will have Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, should do equally well.

Lastly, Ranma 1/2 has its second to last omnibus, which means that at least one of its many hanging subplots will get wrapped up. No, really, it will. But not any of the romantic ones, fear not.

ASH: Still glad Ranma is getting a re-release!

SEAN: There’s some really good titles here. What interests you?

MICHELLE: Apparently only wolf boys!

Pick of the Week: Bloom Into 2017

by , , , and Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: I adore Haikyu!! and Honey So Sweet and undoubtedly will be acquiring the new volumes, but I am very intrigued by Bloom Into You, particularly after reading Sean’s review, so that is my official pick for this week.

SEAN: There’s plenty of Viz this week to enjoy, but Seven Seas is where my focus is, with a new volume of The Ancient Magus’ Bride and a new series, Bloom Into You. I’ll make that my pick, as it starts off looking just like many other derivative yuri series, but its new take on an old genre is refreshing and intriguing.

ASH: It’s Bloom Into You for me as well! I’ve been looking forward to the series ever since the license was announced. I’ll definitely be picking up Haikyu!! and The Ancient Magus’ Bride, too, though.

MJ: I’m absolutely on board with the group, here! It’s Bloom Into You for me! A Seven Seas pick is a rarity for me, so that’s an especially strong statement.

ANNA: I’ll be the outlier here and pick the latest volume of Honey So Sweet. This cute but not cloying manga is a great read to kick off the new year.

Manga the Week of 1/4

by , , , and 1 Comment

SEAN: No respite for anyone this January, as unlike past years the manga keeps on piling in. What’ve we got next week?

Dark Horse has the 2nd Shinji Ikari Raising Project omnibus. So much lighter, fluffier Evangelion lately…

J-Novel Club debuts a new digital-only light novel series, and boy does this have a light novel title. I Saved Too Many Girls And Caused The Apocalypse has a tremendous number of volumes out in Japan, but it’s a harem series so that may explain it. At least our hero isn’t in a fantasy game-type world… I think.

Your Lie in April finishes from Kodansha with its 11th volume, and you’d better get ready for some Bridge to Terabithia level tears, let me tell you.

Seven Seas has a 6th volume of The Ancient Magus’ Bride, one of my favorites of their lineup. First printings will have extra material!

ASH: I’m really looking forward to this!

SEAN: They also debut Bloom Into You, a yuri title that for once is not ‘yuri for fanservice’s sake because girl-on-girl is hot’. This well-written series from Dengeki Daioh also boasts great art. If you enjoy manga like this but have avoided it because of Seven Seas’ recent yuri titles, give it a shot.

MICHELLE: I’ve been looking forward to this one!

ASH: Me, too! I’ve heard very good things about the series.

MJ: I will check this out!

SEAN: And there’s also a 10th volume of Magical Girl Apocalypse, for those who enjoy seeing cute girls dying.

Lastly, in case Seven Seas’s normal demographic was feeling left out, there is a 3rd volume of the Monster Musume side-story series I Heart Monster Girls.

And now it’s time for Viz. First off we have a 3rd volume of 7th Garden.

And a 3rd volume of “we’re still not Ouran” series Behind the Scenes!!.

ANNA: I still like it!

SEAN: The Demon Prince of Momochi House gets a 7th volume.

ASH: I just recently caught up with this series and plan on reading more.

ANNA: It is one of those series that just keeps getting better with each volume.

SEAN: And if you still can’t get enough of buying Dragon Ball over and over and over again, here’s the 5th Full Color Freeza Arc.

We’re on an odd month, so Haikyu!! is the sole sports series out from Viz this time.

MICHELLE: At least there’s never a month when we’re without!

ASH: Plus, Haikyu!! is great!!

ANNA: Yay for volleyball!

SEAN: Honey So Sweet has a 5th volume of cute cuteness.

MICHELLE: Yay. I could use some adorable about now.

ANNA: It is SO cute.

SEAN: And Naruto is still churning out 3-in-1s – this is the 17th.

Nisekoi 19 begins the march to slowly resolving all the harem pairings – and by resolve I mean let down gently.

One-Punch Man 10! PUNCHING!

MICHELLE: I am embarking on this series in the very near future!

ASH: I hope you enjoy! It can be a highly entertaining series.

SEAN: A new 3-in-1 debuts, as we now get Rurouni Kenshin for those who didn’t read it ages ago. If you didn’t, do so, it’s very good.

MICHELLE: Forsooth.

ANNA: It is so good! But I find it odd how many printings some series go through!

SEAN: An 11th volume of Seraph of the End stares quietly, waiting stoicly for me to make a vampire joke. I back down.

Skip Beat! has its 3-in-1s catch up with its main release again with this 12th omnibus.

Twin Star Exorcists trundles along as well with a 7th volume.

And we also get a 14th World Trigger, and wish the author a ‘get well soon’.

See what I mean? Not your usual slow January. Whadya got?

Yona of the Dawn Volume 3

by

Given my general tendency of loving fantasy shoujo series, it is no surprise that I’m thoroughly enjoying Yona of the Dawn. In the last volume Yona and her trusty guard Hak have a narrow escape from her pursuers and end up being cared for by a long-lost priest. I think pacing can be so essential for a good fantasy series. A more rushed storyline doesn’t fit in all the world building that is needed to make a series seem believable for the reader. Yona gets to know her rescuers, the priest Ik-Su, and his snarky companion Yun.

I appreciated that there was some time for flashbacks as Yun tells Yona the story of how he became Ik-Su’s helper. The unlikely combination of a street-smart orphan boy and a priest with an inability to focus on worldly concerns like the necessity of shoes is the foundation for a lifelong friendship. As Yun gets to know Yona, he begins to see that she isn’t the pampered princess he was assuming she was. Hak continues to make random flirtatious comments that don’t seem to register with Yona at all, so I’m assuming that any romance will be developing at an excruciatingly slow pace.

Yona has a new direction and quest, as she learns about the descendants of legendary dragon guardians who protected the Crimson Dragon King in the past. She sets out with Hak and Yun to search for these mystical warriors, and along the way she demands lessons in swordsmanship or archery so she can be of more use in a battle. Hak hands her a bow and she dedicates herself to practicing even though she isn’t very good at the start.

There’s something very cozy and reassuring about reading a volume of a shoujo fantasy series like this, being able to settle in and look forward to a long adventure with many volumes ahead to read. This is one of my favorite manga series of the past year.

Heiress and the Chauffeur 2 and Shuriken and Pleats Vol 2

by

Short manga series can be a bit troublesome at times. Sometimes they are short because they obviously weren’t all that popular, or because it seems like the premise for the series isn’t enough to stand up to multiple volumes. Sometimes two volume manga series really deliver on a a good short story, and here we have examples of one good and one not so great two volume series.

Shuriken and Pleats Volume 2 by Matsuri Hino

Matsuri Hino’s art is always gorgeous, and I enjoyed the first volume of this series mostly because I liked the concept of an overly serious ninja girl being forced to be a regular highschooler. The second volume of this series fell apart, although there were a few hints of humor along the way that I appreciated. First, I was totally confused because I remember putting down the first volume thinking that the heroine, Mikage, was an orphan. Imagine my surprise when Mikage’s mother shows up to visit her daughter, stands in the doorway and has a brief conversation with her and then promptly leaves. And it turns out that her mother has no idea that she’s a ninja, while Mikage’s father is actually running the ninja organization that Mikage used to work for.

The confusion continued as random scenes of high school life were interspersed with the conspiracy about seeds that was explored in the first volume, but the main thing that remained constant was Mikage being attracted to much older men with her feelings unreciprocated, while other much older men continue to find her adorable. The only part I found somewhat amusing about this volume was Mikage’s tendency to reach for ninja weapons and when called on her actions, proclaim that she was just holding a pen. The pretty art wasn’t enough to compensate for an incoherent storyline, and it is perplexing because Hino is capable of so much better.

The Heiress and the Chauffeur Volume 2 by Keiko Ishihara

Two volumes is probably just the right amount of length for this story about a Taisho Era heiress who is in love with her childhood companion and chauffeur. Sakaya is unusually forthright and straightforward about facing her problems, and she exhibits a great deal of resilience considering some difficult life circumstances that she’s dealing with. She has a lame foot which sometimes causes her pain, and her father is off overseas working. Her protector is Shinobu, a chauffeur who she persists in seeing as an older brother even though he is clearly in love with her.

A suitor for Sakaya shows up in this volume, and continues to meet with her even while telling her that he has business that is 10 times more important than socializing with her. Sakaya’s father is pushing for the match, so this ends up being a test for Sakaya in standing up to family pressure. This causes Sakaya and Shinobu to become a bit more honest with themselves about their feelings for each other, even going as far as stealing away with each other briefly. Like many short series that get pressured to wrap up quickly, the pacing of the story was a little bit rushed, and the authors’ notes contain some hints at stories she would have incorporated if she had more time. Still, this was a satisfying conclusion to this short series, and I enjoyed both the clarity of the art and the historical setting. I’d definitely be on the lookout for a longer series from Ishihara if Viz finds another one to put out under the Shojo Beat imprint.

Pick of the Week: Farewell to 2016

by , , , and 2 Comments

SEAN: A bit of the post-Christmas blah, as there’s stuff I’m getting this week but nothing I’m wild about. I’ll make my pick the 2nd volume of The Ghost and the Lady from Kodansha, which features a great interpretation of Florence Nightingale.

MICHELLE: I think Cells At Work! Volume Two is the only thing I’m getting this week, so that makes picking it the obvious choice.

ASH: I’ll definitely be picking up the finale of The Ghost and the Lady, too, but my pick of the week has to go to Vinland Saga. For a time there it didn’t look like the rest of series would be translated, so I’m very happy to see more of the incredible manga finally being released.

MJ: I gotta admit there’s nothing I’m really keen to slap my money down for this week, so I’m going to go way off list. Sometime last week, Michelle convinced me that I needed to check out a digital-only series from SuBLime, The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window, and I have a feeling I’m going to be picking up all the available volumes pretty quickly this week, in my post-Christmas haze. I haven’t paid enough attention to these digital series, which is a shame, since so often the kind of BL that I love best is not the kind that is popular enough to warrant print releases. At $5.99 a volume, they’re decently affordable, too, at least for a short series! So that’s my major purchase for the week.

ANNA: I’m with Ash, I’m most excited about the next volume of Vinland Saga. I thought that we weren’t going to see another volume translated, so seeing a new volume released is a wonderful surprise.

Manga the Week of 12/28

by , , , and 1 Comment

SEAN: I remember only 4-5 years ago when the Christmas week releases numbered zero, or at most one. Those days are gone forever, though this is a light week compared to the previous ones.

Dark Horse has a 6th omnibus of the Astro Boy manga.

Kodansha has the 20th volume of Attack on Titan, and if you like there’s also the Special Edition which comes with an actual Titan that will eat you… OK, it’s just a DVD. But I bet they’d do it if they could.

Cells at Work! gives is a 2nd volume of anthropomorphic medical action.

MICHELLE: I’m reading the first volume now and it’s pretty entertaining. I’m interested to see how (and if) the story develops.

ASH: The first volume was a great deal of fun! I’m interested in reading more.

SEAN: And a second (and final?) volume of The Black Museum: The Ghost and the Lady. No word if the other series in this collection has been picked up.

ASH: I really liked the first half of this story. If the rest of the series is anywhere near as good, I hope it’s licensed, too.

SEAN: Potboilers continue to do well, as we get an 8th L♥DK.

Lastly, rejoice! An 8th Vinland Saga omnibus is here in all its glorious carnage.

ASH: I am beyond thrilled for Vinland Saga’s return.

ANNA: I did not realize that this was coming out, but I’m very excited!

SEAN: Seven Seas has D-Frag! hit double digits. My guess: there will be boke and tsukkomi humor within… like the nine previous volumes.

And a 4th survival game-ish Not Lives.

My #1 guilty pleasure, and believe me the guilt outweighs the pleasure by a metric ton, Seven Seas also has a 6th Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn, where two amazing talents prove they can reinforce each other’s worst habits.

The debut next week is the first volume of Seven Princes of the Thousand Year Labyrinth. It’s one of the most Ichijinsha things you’ve ever met, despite also being a survival game. I reviewed it here.

ASH: I plan on giving the first volume a look at least.

SEAN: Lastly, Vertical gives us a 4th omnibus of Mysterious Girlfriend X. Get yourself some drool for the holidays.

MICHELLE: Ew.

MJ: Nothing really calls out to me from this week’s list, but I did want to say “Happy Holidays!” to all our readers, and to you all, too!

SEAN: So what are you getting with those Christmas gift cards?

Pick of the Week: Holiday Reads

by , , , and Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: There are several things coming out from Yen this week that I’m pretty excited about, but the one that I most look forward to—even more than Fruits Basket, since I’ve read that a time or two already—is the fourth omnibus of Yowamushi Pedal.

SEAN: I’m basically reading half this list (whimper), but there’s no doubt my pick of the week is Bakemonogatari. I’ve loved Nisioisin’s writing for some time now, and this is both his most popular as well as his most mainstream series. The fanservice can be appalling, but I’m ready for it.

ASH: I’m right there with you, Sean! There are so many things being released this week that I’m looking forward to reading. Yowamushi Pedal, Tomie, Goodnight Punpun, and Gangsta: Cursed are all definitely high on that list, but I think the manga I’m most curious about this week (and which therefore gets my pick) is the debut of Bungo Stray Dogs.

MJ: So, I feel a little guilty, because if I hadn’t already read it and been somewhat disappointed (look to this week’s Briefs for my elaboration on this point) my obvious choice would have been Jun Mochizuki’s The Case Study of Vanitas, given my long-standing devotion to her previous series, Pandora Hearts. But as it stands, I’m going to have to go with Bungo Stray Dogs, which has the advantage of not having had the opportunity to disappoint me yet. Is that fair? Maybe not, but there you have it.

ANNA: I absolutely adore Gangsta, so the prequel series is what I’m most interested in this week. I hope Gangsta: Cursed doesn’t disappoint me!

The Gods Lie

by

The Gods Lie by Kaori Ozaki

I waited a long time to read one of my favorite manga of the year. I bought The Gods Lie shortly after it came out, but it has been sitting on my to-read pile for months. This is a coming of age story showing the developing relationship between Natsuru, a soccer prodigy, and Rio, a girl who stands out at school for being overly tall and silent. When the story opens, it first seems like a slice of life manga, but soon the reader sees that death overshadows the lives of the characters. Natsuru lives alone with his quirky writer mom, because his father died recently. His grandfatherly soccer coach is in the hospital with cancer, and while the replacement coach actually knows how to play soccer, Natsuru doesn’t react well to his new coaching methods.

Natsuru and Rio develop a friendship when he rescues a kitten his mom is allergic to. She offers to take care of it if he’ll help pay for the cat. It is clear that Rio has a stronger sense of household budgeting than is normal for a 6th grader. Her younger brother Yuuta just sails through life cheerfully, seemingly unaffected by their run-down house and need to economize on everything. When Natsuru visits their home, Rio tells him that her father is fishing in Alaska, but will be back in time for the spring festival. Natsuru decides to secretly ditch soccer camp and stays with his new friend over the summer. As the story develops, it is clear that Rio is guarding a secret that she can’t share with her new friend.

There’s a sense of clarity and assurance in Ozaki’s art, it is expressive without being bogged down by too many details. She perfectly portrays the stuck-up and clueless attitude of the class princess, the disrepair of Rio’s house, and the freedom of unstructured summer days. It is a rare manga that is perfect in one volume but The Gods Lie has the feeling of a great short story, capturing a range of experience for the characters in just a few pages, and hinting at what they’ll become as they grow up.

Manga the Week of 12/21

by , , , and 2 Comments

SEAN: Abandon hope all ye who enter here.

ASH: Deep breaths!

SEAN: Kodansha starts things off with an 8th volume of Kiss Him, Not Me!

ASH: It has its problems, but I’m still enjoying this series.

SEAN: One Peace gives us a 2nd volume of Kuma Miko, which I hope is a bit more strange and cute and not strange and creepy.

ANNA: I have the first volume of this, I need to read it.

SEAN: Seven Seas has a 2nd volume of Lord Marksman and Vanadis, in which, hopefully, the village is saved? Or not, it could be a much darker sort of story.

At last, one year after the release of the chronological prequel Kizumonogatari comes the book that started it all. Bakemonogatari is being published by Vertical in 3 parts, fitting the Japanese re-release, and the first one contains Hitagi Crab and Mayoi Snail. If you love complicated prose, glorious dialogue, and the supernatural, you’ll love this.

MJ: I possibly should take a look at this.

SEAN: And Vertical also has the final Chi’s Sweet Home omnibus. Bye, Chi!

Viz has a 12th volume of Afterschool Charisma, reminding you that the SigIkki brand remains awesome.

MICHELLE: I believe this is the final volume, as well.

ASH: I really need to catch up!

ANNA: Me too! I need to wait for a sale or something and fill in my collection.

SEAN: Gangsta: Cursed is a prequel to the main series with the same writer but a different artist. It runs in the wonderfully named Go Go Bunch.

ASH: I’m looking forward to this.

ANNA: I am too, but I like the main series art so much!

SEAN: Viz also has a 4th omnibus of the cheerful and innocent fantasia Goodnight Punpun.

ASH: Very cheerful! Very innocent!

MICHELLE: *is not fooled*

SEAN: Master Keaton has a 9th volume, reminding me it was quite a long series.

ASH: I actually didn’t realize how long a series it was.

SEAN: And even though Amazon isn’t listing it for some odd reason, there’s a 10th Tokyo Ghoul.

The big Viz release, in more ways than one, is Tomie: The Complete Collection, a 750-page hardcover containing all of his classic horror story. If you love getting scared witless, try this book.

ASH: I love Viz’s Junji Ito releases, so I’m definitely picking this up (even though I also have the ancient Dark Horse edition).

MJ: I love getting scared witless!

SEAN: I always forget to mention Yo-kai Watch when it comes out, so this is me correcting that, as Viz has Vol. 6 of it.

And now it’s time for Yen, but stay comfortable, we’ll be here for a while. There are new digital volumes of Aoharu x Machinegun (7), Black Detective (7), Saki (7), and Corpse Princess (…8, goddamn you).

ASH: Saki!

MJ: Always love Saki!

SEAN: There are also old Yen Press releases from way in the past getting shiny new digital releases! With the Light, Yen Press’s first ever title. Dragon Girl, a fun shoujo omnibus. And Sundome, which was Flowers of Evil before it was cool. All are worth a look.

Yen On has a record number of novels out this month. Accel World’s 8th volume may finally finish this arc, perhaps? Will Takumu turn evil? Probably not.

The Asterisk War 2 continues to have magical school antics.

Baccano! Vol. 3 has the back half of the 1931 Flying Pussyfoot story, focusing on different characters as well as showing us where the heck Ladd went.

MICHELLE: Someday I really will try out this series, even though light novels are not usually my thing.

ASH: I’ve been meaning to try it out, too.

SEAN: Black Bullet 5 has the start of what I’ve heard called the “NTR” arc, a phrase that always makes me groan. We’ll see.

The Devil Is A Part-Timer! 6 apparently gets us back to the part-time work.

The debut this month is Goblin Slayer, which takes place in a fantasy world but strangely has no one come into it from another world. How weird.

The 3rd Irregular at Magic High School novel is the start of a 2-volume arc about the school Sports Festival, which uses magic. Don’t get it confused with November’s A Certain Magical Index, the start of a 2-volume arc about the school Sports Festival, which uses magic.

The 7th Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? novel is HUGE, much bigger than the other books. Set aside time for it.

After what seems like ages, the 5th No Game No Life volume is upon us. Can it live up to the wait?

Sword Art Online seemed to only two one to two arcs before this, but not anymore. The 9th book is the first in a 10-VOLUME arc. Are you prepared for this much Kirito?

And now we finally get to Yen’s manga deliveries. Akame Ga KILL! ZERO has a 4th volume, or should that be FOURTH! VOLUME.

Aoharu x Machinegun has a 2nd print volume. More fake gun battles, I assume?

The first of Yen’s debuts this month is Bungo Stray Dogs, which has supernatural powers, a detective agency, and I suspect a lot of pretty young men.

ASH: I’m actually really looking forward to this series! Supernatural, bishonen versions of some of Japan’s literary greats? Count me in.

MJ: Sounds great!

SEAN: We also have The Case Study of Vanitas, which has – you guessed it – vampires, and is by the author of Pandora Hearts.

MJ: Okay, so I know you’re all looking at me here. I checked out the first volume and wasn’t immediately drawn in as I had hoped, but I’ll give it some time to charm me.

SEAN: Fruits Basket Collector’s Edition 8 has the comedic highlight of the entire series.

MICHELLE: These volumes multiply so quickly!

MJ: Hurray, hurray!

SEAN: GA Art Design Class has its 7th and final volume. I know most fans here preferred Shoulder-a-Coffin Kuro, but I always loved this series’ focus on art and cute girls.

He’s My Only Vampire has a 9th volume.

MICHELLE: I’m a bit bummed this has gone downhill quality-wise, but I’ll probably still finish it.

SEAN: The Honor Student at Magic High School has caught up with the novels, meaning it too is starting the Sports Festival.

Just as GA Art Design Class ends, Kiniro Mosaic begins. It’s also got cute girls, and while it may lack art school, it makes up for in yuri tease. (Which GA Art Design Class also had, to be honest.)

The 3rd My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As I Expected manga still has a long title.

There’s more Of the Red, the Light and the Ayakashi with a 5th volume. Is it halfway through adapting the game yet?

MICHELLE: I’ll be reading this one.

SEAN: Overlord also has a 3rd volume of the manga adaptation.

And Strike the Blood has a 5th manga adaptation. Expect novels from those last two in January.

Ubel Blatt’s 7th omnibus takes us to the 15th volume of the Japanese release, in case you’ve gotten lost.

Lastly, there’s a 4th omnibus of cycling manga Yowamushi Pedal.

MICHELLE: Yay! Oh sports manga, how I adore you.

ASH: Yes, yes, yes!

ANNA: I have not read this yet! Someday!!!!

SEAN: And we’re done. At last. Good God. What’re you getting from this morass?

Haikyu!! Vol 5 and Kuroko’s Basketball 3 and 4

by

Haikyu!! Volume 5 by Haruichi Furudate

I still feel like pinching myself a little bit to remind myself that it is actually real that so much great sports manga is coming out now! I’m trying to get caught up with my manga reading after a very hectic few months at work, and there’s something very relaxing about retreating to a world where everyone’s biggest concern is sports tournaments.

One of the reasons why I like Haikyu!! so much is that the focus shifts around with every volume, so while the odd rookie couple Hinata and Kageyama are certainly progressing with each volume, the emotional core of the story changes to focus on different team members. As Karasuno heads towards a tournament with the weight of their past reputation still following them around, it becomes an opportunity for redemption. Karasuno can be recognized as a legitimate opponent again. One important theme stressed in tournament play is the need to focus on one game at a time. While the bracket facing the team is challenging, they take on their first opponent with a serious sense of purpose. The experience of the boys’ team is contrasted with the girls volleyball team, who falls to their first opponent. Furudate takes a beat to acknowledge how athletes feel when they are knocked out of a season unexpectedly early, without the opportunity to play their sport anymore.

Karasuno faces the “Iron Wall” of Date Technical High school, and here we see how Hinata’s jumping abilities and athleticism have turned him into a great decoy on the court. With the opposing team distracted by his unexpected athletic brilliance, it slowly builds into an opening for Asahi. Some of the more striking panels in the manga show Hinata in the spotlight with Asahi in the background growing more and more intense, until he’s able to prove his abilities as an ace again. Karasuno has shown all the pieces of their team though, and they won’t be able to take advantage of the element of surprise again. Haikyu!! continues to be incredibly gripping and fun.

Kuroko’s Basketball Volumes 3 and 4 by Tadatoshi Fujimaki

In contrast, while Kuroko’s Basketball sometimes feels more like a traditional shonen battle manga transported to the basketball court, with a little less focus on the emotional story associated with sports and a bit more emphasis on defeating opponents who have honed their skills at basketball in order to develop sports superpowers.

Kuroko’s invisibility continues to be an asset to Seiren High, and no surprise they are in a tournament too! They have the tough draw of having to fight two opponents in the same day. First up is Seiho, who have an intimidating center, and a brash player who starts running off his mouth about Kagami being the only good player on the Seiren team. Seiho’s team is difficult to read and defend against, because all their movements are informed by martial arts practices instead of ordinary basketball. Gradually Seiren comes up with unexpected plays that wear the other team down.

The next team contains the best shooter of Kuroko’s old team, “the Miracle Generation”. Midorima’s superstitions are funny, but his insane ability to never miss with a basketball makes him seem more like an overpowered fighting manga villain than a high school basketball player. The shots he makes are so improbable, I was worried about Seiren’s ability to come up with a strategy to defeat him. Along the way Kuroko and Kagami have some interpersonal conflict yet again as Kagami decides that he has to win the game all by himself, which is in direct opposition to Kuroko’s team-driven approach. While there’s a little bit of character development, most of these two volumes was devoted to non-stop dynamic basketball action. I appreciate the omnibus release for this manga, since the story isn’t quite as gripping as Haikyu!! for me, I’d rather read it in larger chunks. This is still an enjoyable manga, even though I don’t think it will reach the iconic status of Slam Dunk.