Manga Bookshelf

Discussion, Resources, Roundtables, & Reviews

Anna N

Pick of the Week: Lesbians or Melting Faces?

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MICHELLE: Hm, probably I shouldn’t pick Wave, Listen to Me! for two weeks in a row, so this time I’ll go for Kindred Spirits on the Roof, which has been on my to-get list for quite a while.

SEAN: There’s lots I’m interested in, including lots of light novels and some amusing/disgusting horror. But yes, my pick is definitely Kindred Spirits on the Roof. This makes three Seven Seas picks this month. Kudos to them.

ASH: While I’m certainly interested in Kindred Spirits on the Roof there can be no other pick for me this week than Dissolving Classroom. Josei horror by Junji Ito? Count me in!

KATE: My vote goes to Junji Ito’s The Dissolving Classroom. It looks gross — in the best possible way — and funny — as all of Ito’s manga are. I don’t know if it’s studded with references to Umezu’s Drifting Classroom, but it seems as if there’s drinking game potential here!

ANNA: I’m with the folks who are choosing The Dissolving Classroom, it isn’t every week a quality horror release comes out!

Bookshelf Briefs 1/30/17

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Alice in Matchaland | By Mosoko Miyatsuki | Manga University – This slim volume is both picture and cook book, offering readers a playful riff on Lewis Carroll’s most famous work as well as recipes for matcha-infused snacks. For tween manga lovers, the button-cute character designs, Technicolor palette, and gentle pokes at manga cliche may be enough to justify purchasing Alice in Matchaland. Anyone intent on making Matcha Energy Bites, however, will need a conversion table handy, as the recipes freely mix teaspoons with grams and milliliters. The book doesn’t offer any tips for procuring matcha powder, either—a curious omission, since many Americans won’t find it on the shelves of their local grocery stores. A little more attention to the recipes would have made this book less of a stocking stuffer and more of a must-buy for tea-drinking manga enthusiasts. (The publisher provided a review copy.) -Kate Dacey

Behind the Scenes!!, Vol. 3 | By Bisco Hatori | VIZ Media – It’s not that Behind the Scenes!! is awful, but that every chapter is essentially filler. In this volume, there’s the one about the bratty child actor whom the team helps emote, the one about protecting a group filming in a park, the one about fundraising through shrinky dinks (yes, really), and the one about creating a haunted house. At times, attempts are made to flesh out the other members of the art squad, but it’s never building on character traits previously established and then paying off in a satisfying way. It’s always Ranmaru noticing on one page that Ruka gives in too easily and then on the next page encouraging her not to give in because shrinky dinks (yes, really). Probably it’s time to accept that this series is just not for me and move on. – Michelle Smith

Behind the Scenes!!, Vol. 3 | By Bisco Hatori | Viz Media – There isn’t a ton of plot or character development in Behind the Scenes!!, but it does reliably deliver a pleasant escape in the adventures of a college art club that supports various film projects. The first story line in this volume deals with the redemption of a child actor who at first seems spoiled, then there is detour into the value of crafts as the gentle rich girl Ruka stands up for herself. The gang also has to fine tune a haunted house, when they make it dangerously realistic. Even if this series isn’t the most memorable thing Hatori has created, it still is diverting in the moment. I enjoy the interactions between all the characters, and this volume also featured several bonus one page manga at end. – Anna N

Horimiya, Vol. 6 | By Hero and Daisuke Hagiwara | Yen Press – I said last time that Hori and Miyamura hadn’t quite taken the next step in their relationship yet. They do that here, but blink sand you’ll miss it—unlike most manga of this type, their first time—while sweet—is not earth-shattering and does not really change either of them. Indeed, Miyamura is far more concerned about the required swimming event, mostly as it could get him expelled. We also see Hori being jealous again, but she’s at least cognizant of how annoying it is, and it’s funnier when she uses her anger against other people, like Miyamura’s old teasing classmates from junior high. This is not particularly going anywhere, even with the sex, but it’s still a well-written leisurely ride. – Sean Gaffney

Interviews with Monster Girls, Vol. 2 | By Petos | Kodansha Comics – This is sort of a harem series—there’s certainly enough students and one teacher in love with Takahashi-sensei. But it feels so laid-back and leisurely, and he’s so non-sexual in general, that I can’t really define it as a classic harem comedy. At heart, it’s about the girls and their monster issues—though the best chapter in the volume has the teacher pointing out that you can’t just think of them as monsters OR girls, but you have to balance both sides. Much of the volume deals with a yuki-onna who worries she may live up to her stereotype, and she’s just as sweet and cute (and somewhat boring) as the other girls. This is a nice series, and monster girl fans will like it. It is, however, not a book that will get your pulse racing. Leisurely. – Sean Gaffney

Liselotte & Witch’s Forest, Vol. 3 | By Natsuki Takaya | Yen Press – At last, a volume of Liselotte I can honestly say was excellent throughout. The bargain that she has to strike to save Engetsu’s life essentially resets things to square one, but that’s really for the best, as I think the baggage was crushing them both a bit. We also get more flashes to what Lise was like before the rebellion, and it’s rather sad and also a bit eerie. There’s also still some comedy, mostly coming from Alto and Anna, though the return of a witch from the previous volume also helps. I suspect things may not stay comedic for long, though, as it appears that Lise is not going to be allowed to be merely exiled for much longer. The less fluffy this gets the more I like it, though the fluff is still fun. – Sean Gaffney

Liselotte & Witch’s Forest, Vol. 3 | By Natsuki Takaya | VIZ Media – Man, I can already tell that it’s going to be pretty painful when Liselotte goes on hiatus after two more volumes. Although some of what happens in this installment feels like things I’ve seen before—the heroine who unhesitatingly hacks off her own long hair, the love interest who loses his memories of the heroine, the determined optimism and welcoming spirit—there are some unique things about this story, chief among them the reveal in the final pages that someone has been watching Liselotte and reporting back to her brother, who is being pressured to do something about her. It’d be an interesting development if her world were to get a bit darker; the Akito vibes I got from the tree spirit in this volume were pretty fantastic. – Michelle Smith

Scum’s Wish, Vol. 2 | By Mengo Yokoyari | Yen Press – I have to say, so far this is currently at the top of my “most surprising new series” list, as the second volume is just as strong as the first was. Even as it appears that Mugi and Hanabi may have deeper feelings for each other than they expected, it is shown over and over again how bad this relationship really is, and how much they’re hurting from it. Of course, not having the relationship would not ease the source of the hurt. Meanwhile, we also meet Ebato, Hanabi’s friend who turns out to be in love with her, something that gets revealed a lot more than she’d like at a sleepover, and ends just as ambiguously as you’d expect. This is a fantastic car crash of a romance manga, where even the omake extra is tragic and sad. Well-written and brutal. – Sean Gaffney

Scum’s Wish, Vol. 2 | By Mengo Yokoyari | Yen Press – After making a brief appearance in volume one, a lot of this volume focuses on Hanabi’s only female friend, Ecchan, who has been in love with her ever since the day they took the entrance exam. When she’s invited to a sleepover, she’s unable to contain her feelings anymore and confesses, but more importantly gets Hanabi to confirm that she doesn’t love Mugi. Ecchan offers to be the surrogate herself, but by volume’s end, Hanabi’s in bed with Mugi, seemingly ready to have sex with him. One thing I particularly liked about this volume is though her relationship with Mugi might seem twisted and strange, in a way she’s more pure than other classmates, because she’s acting out of love and not merely juggling two guys, trying to decide who has more to offer her. Looking forward to volume three! – Michelle Smith

Manga the Week of 2/1/17

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SEAN: For a ‘5th week’, this is a pretty huge one. Longtime readers know that when the 1st falls on a Wednesday, it’s not really the first week, but there’s still tons of stuff.

J-Novel Club has made its name mostly with typical “light novel” fare for standard anime fans. That said, the release of The Faraway Paladin is really being touted by them as a good novel in general. It’s a dark fantasy, and they’re REALLY pushing it as not your typical light novel fare.

They are also releasing Mixed Bathing in Another Dimension, which is absolutely your typical light novel fare.

If you enjoyed the first volumes of Deathtopia and Wave, Listen to Me! when they came out digitally Tuesday, well, Kodansha is releasing the 2nd volumes next week.

MICHELLE: Hooray!

ASH: I’m hoping we’ll eventually see a print edition, but I might not be able to wait for it.

ANNA: Nice! Preparing for a good digital only edition of manga binge.

SEAN: Many may remember the Alice in the Country of Hearts series coming out primarily from Seven Seas. It’s not anymore, for reasons that remain murky, but Seven Seas has tried to retain the spirit by doing Captive Hearts of Oz, which is an original manga series based on the Oz books with art by Mamenosuke Fujimaru, the most popular Alice in the Country of artist.

ASH: I’m actually really curious about this collaboration!

ANNA: I’m a little curious, but also wary because I’m burnt out on both Oz and Country of Hearts stuff. The art should at least be very pretty!

SEAN: I really enjoyed the visual novel Kindred Spirits on the Roof when it came out here last year, being a “yuri” title that actually cared about character depth and not just bodies squishing. There was a short manga spinoff as well, and Seven Seas is putting it out as one omnibus. The good news is it’s NOT an adaptation of the game – these are new stories, and stars some new cast members (it takes place after the game proper, I believe). If you like “non-skeezy” yuri, you must pick this up.

MICHELLE: This one was definitely on my list.

MJ: I’ll put it on mine as well.

ASH: Oh, interesting! I had assumed that it was an adaptation. I guess I’ll need to move it up on my list.

SEAN: And there is also a 2nd and final volume of the Love in Hell spinoff Death Life.

Udon’s Persona schedule has been slipping a bit, but here’s the 2nd volume of Persona 3.

ASH: Since I’ve actually played some of Persona 3, I’ve been meaning to check this series out. Apparently I’ve already fallen behind, though.

Vertical has a 1-volume Junji Ito title, Dissolving Classroom, which comes from a series of stories that ran in Motto!, Akita Shoten’s josei horror title. It’s Junji Ito, so it should be great (and also gross) (and also terrifying).

MJ: I like the sound of that!

ASH: I’m very excited for this release! I like josei, I like horror, I like Ito, so I expect that I’ll like Dissolving Classroom, too.

ANNA: Also curious to check this out.

SEAN: Yen has some new digital only releases. Aphorism 8, Corpse Princess 8, and Sekirei 8.

They also have their light novel titles for the month, beginning with the debut. Death March in the Parallel World Rhapsody had its manga adaptation come out this week, meaning I already discussed it in last week’s Manga the Week of. But hey, prose!

There is a 6th volume of cult favorite Kagerou Daze, which if nothing else promises to be short, and also hopefully clear up a few more mysteries.

The 3rd Overlord novel is unlikely to be short, and will continue to feature our evil protagonists having evil adventures.

Spice & Wolf has its 2nd and 3rd books released digitally for those (like me) who never read it in print years ago.

And Strike the Blood’s 5th volume hopes to resolve the cliffhanger from the last volume and also astound me with its originality. I suspect it will achieve one of those. But the fights will be cool.

Yen also held over two titles to next week. Alice in Murderland gives you more Kaori Yuki goodness (is the entire cast dead yet?).

And they debut Big Order in omnibus format. I had hoped this was a baseball manga, but alas. It’s from the creator of Future Diary.

MICHELLE: I wish it had been a baseball manga, too!

SEAN: Do you have a favorite title you’re picking up?

Demon Prince of Momochi House Vols. 5 and 6

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As I was trying to get caught up on this series one of the things that struck me about Demon Prince of Momochi House is that Aya Shouoto has developed a unique sensibility for the series. It manages to blend warm heartfelt moments about a found family (even if that family is a house of beautiful spirits) with moments of unsettling menace and a general lingering sense of unease due to the fact that as the human in Momochi house, a wrong decision by Himari might have profound consequences. The tension between these two themes is part of what makes reading this series so rewarding.

Demon Prince of Momochi House Volume 5 by Aya Shouoto

One of the things I appreciate about manga series with an expanded cast of characters is the chance to delve into the motivations and feelings of characters who aren’t as central to the main story. This volume opens with a story centering on Yukari. The house is sweltering, but he seems to be unaffected. Yukari reveals that he used to be human, but this revelation isn’t followed up on very much as the gang decide to travel somewhere to escape the horrible weather. They visit a spring from Yukari’s past where the dragon god Ryujin used to be a guardian. There’s something wrong with the water though, and Yukari wonders if if it might be an indication of trouble for Ryujin. Himari is quick to jump in and offer to help. They call the god Ryujin and he takes Himari away. Aoi in his spiritual form as the Nue goes after her immediately. In the end, Yukari and Ryujin renew their connection and the found family in Momochi House feels as though it has expanded once again.

One thing I was intrigued by was the continuing presence of Aoi’s old childhood friend Hayato. His memories of the supernatural and Aoi were erased, but he continues to be a bit of a melancholy presence at school, and he does represent a possible friend for Yukari who isn’t tied to the supernatural world. He and Yukari get thrown together at school, but she ends up openly talking about her feelings with Aoi, and he denies thinking of her romantically.

Demon Prince of Momochi House Volume 6 by Aya Shouoto

The next volume finds Yukari and Aoi dealing with the aftermath of her confession. She wakes up in the morning to a teenage girl’s worst nightmare as everyone at Momochi house knows that her feelings have been rejected. They start throwing a party to commemorate her rejection. Even school isn’t a refuge, as Hayato guesses what’s wrong and starts patting Yukari on the head in commiseration. There’s some distraction in the form of a new teacher, who looks suspiciously like Aoi, and who happens to have a mysterious mirror that sends Yukari into a dream of a mirror dimension comprised of her own thought projections and feelings.

Back at Momochi house, Aoi is distracted and Ayakashi are starting to pop up from all over. A giant malicious cat spirit who seems to be a bit emotionally fixated on Aoi moves in temporarily and sets up a number of tests designed to torment Yukari, except she sails through them with her usual good cheer and indefatigable work ethic.

While at times this manga seems like a series of short episodes, at the end of each volume the relationships between the characters have shifted, sometimes in a dramatic fashion and sometimes in more subtle ways. The mysterious ties of Aoi to Momochi house continue to make the reader feel uneasy for the young couple and intrigued to see their next adventures.

Pick of the Week: Catch the Wave

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SEAN: As always, there’s a ton of stuff I’d like to pick this week. The new digital volumes from Kodansha, the Nisioisin novel, new Horimiya and Furuba… that said, I will have my pick be the final volume of Umineko When They Cry: Dawn of the Golden Witch, if only as I’m not sure when the next arc will be coming out and I’d like to recommend it one last time. Even if it can be aggravating.

MICHELLE: I’ll definitely be picking up a few things from Yen Press this week, but I am officially picking Wave, Listen to Me! this week. Not only am I interested in radio stations, I also admire Samura-sensei’s artwork, so it’s the obvious choice for me.

ASH: I’m not usually one for digital manga but like Michelle the release I’m most interested in this week is Wave, Listen to Me! Samura’s Blade of the Immortal was actually one of the first manga that I ever read, so I’m always happy for the chance to read more of his work. I definitely hope there will be a print edition in the future, though!

MJ: I, too, will be jumping on the Wave, Listen to Me! bandwagon this week! Though I was never a big fan of Blade of the Immortal, I’m very interested in the premise of Wave. It’s the kind of story that, on the face of it, you’d expect to be written by someone like Moyoco Anno. I gotta check it out.

KATE: At the risk of sounding like a skipping record, I’m also going to surf the Wave. (Sorry–not sorry.) I liked Samura’s Ohikkoshi and Emerald — more than Blade of the Immortal, if I’m being honest — so I’m pretty sure Wave will be in my wheelhouse.

ANNA: No surprise, I’m also most interested in Wave, Listen to Me!. I have very fond memories of Samura’s non-Blade of the Immortal Work so I’m also very intrigued by this new title from him.

Manga the Week of 1/25/17

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SEAN: For a Yen week, this is actually pretty reasonable. Mostly as Yen moved a bunch of titles to the week after next, but hey.

Kodansha first, though. They’ve recently announced several new titles as digital releases. Deathtopia debuts next week, from the creator of Cage of Eden. This is a seinen title from Evening Magazine, and we’ll see if it’s as fanservice-laden as its shonen predecessor. It’s a thriller.

Wave, Listen to Me! gets the award for best title of the week. It’s an Afternoon manga from the creator of Blade of the Immortal. Fans of that series will be happy to hear this new one takes place… at a radio station?

ASH: I just found out about this series and I am incredibly curious about it.

MICHELLE: Oooooh! I especially like that the Kodansha site mentions “the beginning of an aggressive ramp-up in new digital manga series!”

KATE: Count me in for Wave, Listen to Me!, too. I’m a little biased — I teach a class on radio and television history — but I’m delighted to see a few grown-up options in the mix.

MJ: Oh, interesting.

ANNA: I am officially intrigued.

SEAN: And this isn’t out in volume form yet, but a new series from the creator of A Silent Voice debuts next week with 10 individual chapters, which catches us up with Weekly Shonen Magazine. Called To Your Eternity (Fumetsu no Anata e), it’s more supernaturally tinged than A Silent Voice but apparently just as depressing.

Kodansha also has an 8th print volume of Forget Me Not.

Seven Seas surprisingly only has one title out this week, given how much they’ve been piling on the books lately. It’s the 5th volume of Nurse Hitomi’s Monster Infirmary.

Vertical Inc. has the first volume of Nisioisin’s popular Zaregoto series, Decapitation: Kubikiri Cycle, though they emphasize they’ve only licensed this one volume, to tie in with the current Japanese OAV adaptation. It was actually released by Del Rey years ago; this is a re-edited version, and hopefully now that Bakemonogatari is popular it should see more readers.

Vertical Comics also gives us a third Immortal Hounds.

And the rest is Yen Press. First off, a 9th volume of capital letter and punctuation loving Akame Ga KILL!.

The 8th manga volume of A Certain Magical Index wraps up the adaptation of the 6th novel.

Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody is the runner-up for best title of the week. As for the content, it’s a story where a guy finds himself transported to another world, gaining impressive powers, and surrounded by beautiful… wait, why are you running away? “Transported to another world” is this year’s vampires! This is the manga, the novel is out one week later.

First Love Monster has a 6th volume.

Fruits’ Basket Collector’s Edition reached Vol. 9, and get ready, because this is the one with THAT spoiler which shattered Furuba fandom forever.

MICHELLE: I continue to boggle that we’re up to this point already. But I also love that we’re still maintaining the secrecy of that spoiler.

SEAN: Horimiya has a 6th volume, and we’ll see if things advance on the romance front.

ASH: I’ve been enjoying Horimiya a great deal.

MICHELLE: Woot!

SEAN: I’ve enjoyed the light novel The Isolator, dark as it’s been, and so am pleased to see the manga adaptation is now coming out over here.

And there’s a 3rd volume of fantasy Liselotte & Witch’s Forest.

MICHELLE: I’ll be picking up this one, too.

SEAN: Murciélago also debuts this month from Yen Press. It’s a Young Gangan title that is apparently SUPER violent, and has humor so black it causes you to redefine “funny”. And it also has a lesbian lead, though this isn’t your cute high school girls sort of lesbian. I’ve heard good things about it (it has the Erica Friedman seal of approval), but with lots of “it’s pretty sick” warnings.

ASH: I’ve heard good things, too, but it definitely won’t be a series for everybody.

MJ: I would describe myself as interested, but skeptical.

SEAN: Rokka: Brave of the Six Flowers also has its manga adaptation debut (the novel arrives in April). It’s a fantasy series with strong word of mouth – real fantasy, rather than light novel fantasy. This adaptation ran in Shueisha’s now defunct Super Dash & Go!.

ANNA: Huh, I am always up for more fantasy manga.

SEAN: I was pleasantly surprised at how good I found the first volume of Scum’s Wish, though ‘pleasant’ is perhaps the wrong word for what’s going on with these kids. I look forward to the second volume.

MICHELLE: Same. Dark and complex, but not ecchi like the cover of volume one might suggest.

SEAN: Taboo Tattoo has a 5th volume, and is very Monthly Comic Alive.

Today’s Cerberus sees a 2nd print volume, and is still cute and silly.

You can’t have a long list of manga without at least one survival game title, and there is is: the 2nd volume of Tohyo Game.

Lastly, we wrap up the 6th Umineko arc with the 3rd and final omnibus of Dawn of the Golden Witch. I’m not sure when the 7th arc will begin – Yen hasn’t scheduled it – but this volume at least resolves Erika Furudo’s role in the series… at least for the time being.

A lot of new stuff this week. What appeals to you most?

Pick of the Week: Outside the Box

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.