Manga Bookshelf

Discussion, Resources, Roundtables, & Reviews

Ash Brown

Pick of the Year: So Many Options

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SEAN: It’s always hard to think back twelve months and remember what’s been coming out. There are so many titles that I love and want to mention here. In particular, there have been a lot of great LGBT series such as Boys Run the Riot and I Think Our Son Is Gay. There’s brilliant one-shot Look Back. I love light novels, so I want to mention Bofuri and Tearmoon Empire (it came out in print this year, so counts as a 2021 title) and any number of Villainess books. But I think I will make my pick a plucky digital-only title about an elementary schoolgirl who wants to be a figure skater but has a huge hill to climb. Between its story and its incredibly dynamic art, Medalist is one of the most captivating sports manga I;ve seen in years. I hope it gets a print release soon.

MICHELLE: It’s been a tough year for me in terms of marshaling the mental focus required to read. As a result, there are quite a few debuts I’ve been genuinely excited about that I haven’t yet managed to check out. One series that had sufficient pull on my heartstrings to compel me to finish it was Haikyu!!. I know it wasn’t a 2021 debut, but it did have a 2021 conclusion and I loved it very very much, so I’m going to pick it anyway! The final volume made me cry several times (in a good way). Hikaru no Go reigned for many years as my favorite sports manga ever, but with the perfect execution of its finale, Haikyu!! pulled ahead to claim the title.

ANNA: There’s a lot of manga to be thankful for. Some of my favorite series that come to mind immediately are Witch Hat Atelier, Yona of the Dawn, Given and A Sign of Affection. However, if I need to pick just one series to highlight, I’m going to choose the josei series Knight of the Ice because the combination of sports, romance, and Yayoi Ogawa’s unique sense of humor make every volume entertaining.

ASH: It’s been quite the year and I’ve not gotten in all of the reading that I would have liked, but there were still plenty of releases that I was thrilled to see. As already mentioned, there have been some really excellent LGBT manga coming out of late. We saw some holy grail re-licenses this year, too, like Fist of the North Star and No. 5. I’m also grateful for Drawn & Quarterly’s continued attention to the creators Shigeru Mizuki and Yoshiharu Tsuge. The other publisher that has most consistently captured my attention this past year has been Glacier Bay Books. One of it’s most recent releases, F by Imai Arata, is particularly impactful, but I love seeing the range of works being published by the press.

KATE: My pick of the year is Naoki Urasawa’s Asadora!, which follows the adventures of a plucky teen pilot who’s hot on the trail of a… well, I won’t spoil the surprise. Although it shares some thematic elements with 20th Century Boys and Mujirushi: The Sign of Dreams, Asadora! is more nimble and entertaining than either, thanks in no small part to the compelling relationship between the series’ two lead characters. Equally important, Urasawa’s illustrations feel a little more lifelike and animated than some of his recent efforts; he does a brilliant job of depicting the popular culture and urban landscapes of postwar Japan, as the country prepares for the 1964 Olympic Games. Volume five doesn’t arrive until April 2022, so there’s plenty of time to get caught up with this engrossing series.

Manga the Week of 12/29/21

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SEAN: It’s the last week of 2021, what are publishers squeezing out the door?

Airship gives us How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom 13 in print and Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear 8 in early digital.

J-Novel Club puts out Infinite Dendrogram 16, John Sinclair: Demon Hunter 5, The Magic in this Other World is Too Far Behind! 8 (manga), Mapping: The Trash-Tier Skill That Got Me Into a Top-Tier Party 3 (manga), Perry Rhodan NEO 5, and Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! 4 (manga).

Kodansha has a print box set debut: Attack on Titan The Final Season Part 1. We also see L*DK 17-18, My Boy 8, Peach Boy Riverside 4, Perfect World 9, Pretty Boy Detective Club’s 2nd manga volume, Rent-a-Girlfriend 10, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Trinity in Tempest 5, and Vampire Dormitory 2.

ASH: Perfect World got away from me! I’ve apparently fallen a bit behind.

SEAN: Digitally the debut is Her Majesty’s Swarm (Joou Heika no Isekai Senryaku), which runs in Suiyoubi no Sirius. Based on the light novel released here by J-Novel Club, it’s about a college girl who loves strategy games who suddenly finds herself inside of one… as the leader of the spider monsters!

ASH: I mean, I do like strategy games… (but I also like print.)

SEAN: We also get Back When You Called Us Devils 8, Chihiro-kun Only Has Eyes for Me 5, DAYS 27, Elegant Yokai Apartment Life 22, Even Given the Worthless “Appraiser” Class, I’m Actually the Strongest 2, Harem Marriage 12, The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World 2, My Boyfriend in Orange 11, Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence 7, That’s My Atypical Girl 3, and With You and the Rain 2.

MICHELLE: I need to catch up on DAYS.

SEAN: Seven Seas debuts a new spinoff: My Next Life as a Villainess Side Story: On the Verge of Doom!. Our heroine is reborn as Katarina Claes, the villain of her favorite otome game, as per usual. Only… she’s already in school and bullying the heroine! How can she avoid death when she doesn’t have years to fix everything? This runs in Zero Sum Online.

Seven Seas also has Otaku Elf 3 and The Legend of Dororo and Hyakkimaru 4.

ASH: It’s been interesting to see another creator’s take on Dororo (one of my favorite Tezuka tales).

SEAN: Udon has the 9th volume of Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu.

Yen On debuts a title whose manga came out here last week: The Hero Laughs While Walking the Path of Vengeance a Second Time (Nidome no Yuusha wa Fukushuu no Michi wo Warai Ayumu). It seems to contain everything I hate about light novels. But I’m sure people who are not me will enjoy it.

ASH: It takes all kinds!

SEAN: Lastly, Yen Press gives us Fiancée of the Wizard 4 (the final volume), I Was a Bottom-Tier Bureaucrat for 1,500 Years, and the Demon King Made Me a Minister 2, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side: Sword Oratoria 16, Love and Heart 4, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Chapter 4: The Sanctuary and the Witch of Greed 2, Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts 14, and Val x Love 10.

ASH: I’ve been meaning to give Fiancée of the Wizard a try, so this might be the ideal time to finally get around to doing that.

SEAN: That’s a relatively light week! What are you buying?

MICHELLE: Honestly, not much!

ANNA: Nothing for me, going to catch up on all the unread manga piles in my house.

MJ: Same here, unfortunately.

Pick of the Week: I Can’t Believe It’s Real

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ANNA: I’m usually not incredibly surprised by the manga coming out week after week, but I’m delighted that we’re getting a new volume of Takehiko Inoue’s Real after a gap between print volumes, it is certainly something worth celebrating as Pick of the Week.

SEAN: Let’s be real, Real is what absolutely should be Pick of the Week. But since I’m a good 10 or so volumes behind on it, I will instead pick the new collection of Monkey Punch’s Lupin III manga. Manga Lupin is… an acquired taste, but this is where it all began, and I look forward to reading it and watching him be clever and also lecherous.

MICHELLE: I’m actually current on Real, but since volume fourteen came out in 2016, that doesn’t exactly count for much. I’m very happy to see a new volume, and definitely picking it this week, but I would be happier still if I had any confidence that it won’t be another five years of waiting for the next one.

KATE: Since everyone else has been keepin’ it Real, my pick is Lupin III: Greatest Heists, a collection of twelve stories drawn from various stages in the manga’s history. Tokyopop tried to make Lupin III happen back in 2002, but it didn’t click with American audiences. Here’s hoping fresh translations and a new publisher–Seven Seas, in this case–inspire more readers to give this famous, influential series a try.

ASH: Though I’m certainly interested in Lupin III, my pick has to be Real. I like Takehiko Inoue’s manga in general, but Real is my personal favorite. (Which actually surprises me a little bit.) While the series as a whole is terrific, the characterization in particular is phenomenal.

MJ: I’m also interested in Lupin III, which I adored when we got a taste of it back in the day, but we’ve been waiting for the next Real for SO long, I can’t choose anything else. Like many, I’d given up on it. So glad to be proven wrong.

Manga the Week of 12/22/21

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SEAN: If you buy these books they probably WON’T get there by Christmas. Santa is sad.

Yen On has one title: Kingdom Hearts: The Complete Novel Collector’s Edition. This box set collects 12 novels, along with a box, prints, and a keychain. It’s a must for Kingdom Hearts fans! (I am guessing, not being a Kingdom Hearts fan.)

ASH: I haven’t read the series myself, but that does look like a pretty sweet set.

SEAN: Three debuts for Yen Press. The Hero Laughs While Walking the Path of Vengeance a Second Time (Nidome no Yuusha wa Fukushuu no Michi wo Warai Ayumu) is a Comic Walker adaptation of the light novel due out from Yen On, erm, next week. If you love everything I hate about light novels, this is absolutely the title for you. It almost drips with ichor.

I’ve Become an Omega Today (Kyou Kara Omega ni Narimashita) is a BL title from Media Factory’s Comic Fleur, and is complete in one volume. Our hero’s in love with his best friend… but his best friend is an Alpha, and he’s a Beta!… OR IS HE?

ASH: Duhn, duhn, duhn!

Let This Grieving Soul Retire!: Woe Is the Weakling Who Leads the Strongest Party (Nageki no Bourei wa Intai Shitai – Saijaku Hunter ni Yoru Saikyou Party Ikuseijutsu) is a manga based on a light novel licensed by the late unlamented Sol Press. Our protagonist has vowed to become a hero along with his friends!… but they’re talented, he is not. What can he do? Well, he can beg and plead!

Also out next week: I’m the Catlord’s Manservant 2, Murcielago 17, and So I’m a Spider, So What? 10.

Get your children the Christmas Gift all families enjoy: Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection. Out from Viz, it has 100% more melting faces than Santa normally provides.

ASH: Happy! I’m still here for it.

SEAN: Also from Viz: Fist of the North Star 3, Golden Kamuy 24, Levius/est 9, Maison Ikkoku Collector’s Edition 6, and Real 15… wait, what? Real? As in the wheelchair basketball manga? As in Vol. 14 of Real came out in 2016? That Real? Holy guacamole!

MICHELLE: !!!! I had given up hope on seeing more Real!

ANNA: I think I only have the first five volumes, but I’ll order this on principle!

ASH: I’m excited for quite a few of these, but Real is one of my top series ever, so I’m absolutely thrilled to see a new volume being released.

SEAN: Udon Entertainment gives us Persona 5: Mementos Mission, which I think is also a Comic Walker title. As for the premise, well, it’s a Persona manga.

Square Enix Manga has Beauty and the Feast 2.

ASH: I didn’t enjoy the first volume as much as I expected I would, but I’m always glad for food-oriented manga.

SEAN: Seven Seas has a pile of debuts. Cat Massage Therapy (Neko no Massageya-san) is a josei manga from Comic Qurie. If you liked cat as a barista, you’ll love cat as a massage therapist!

MICHELLE: Oh, jeez. “As the professional “meowsseur” digs soft toe beans into Nekoyama’s aching muscles, his heart warms and his worries melt away.” I think this is too much even for me, lover of both cats and josei manga.

ANNA: LOL

SEAN: The Country Without Humans (Ningen no inai Kuni) runs in Futabasha’s Manga Action. The last human in the world tries to survive and make friends. This has ‘hauntingly beautiful tragedy’ written all over it.

ASH: That’s a subgenre I generally appreciate.

SEAN: Lupin III: Greatest Heists – The Classic Manga Collection is a curated collection of the best of Monkey Punch’s manga that inspired the incredibly popular franchise. It was specially [published in Japan after his death. Now we have it.

ASH: I somehow completely forgot about this license!

SEAN: The Savior’s Book Café Story in Another World (Isekai ni Kyuuseishu to shite Yobaremashita ga, Around 30 ni wa Muri na no de, hissori Book Café Hajimemashita) is a shoujo title from Ura Sunday Jyoshibu. A woman is summoned to another world to save it!… but hell, she’s over 30 and tired, so no thanks. Instead she’ll start a book cafe. No, the novel it’s based on isn’t licensed.

ANNA: This sounds amusing.

ASH: If I’m going to read isekai, a book-themed series is probably where I’ll turn. (Also, “over 30 and tired” hits home for me…)

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest ZERO 5, Berserk of Gluttony 4, Dragon Goes House Hunting 7, and The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent 4.

And they also have an early digital version of I’m in Love with the Villainess 2 (manga).

One Peace has The Riding of the Shield Hero 22.

No print debuts for Kodansha, but we see Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost 3, Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest 9, Fire Force 25, Hitorijime My Hero 11, and In/Spectre 14.

Digitally the debut is My Darling, the Company President (Darling wa Shachou-kun). This josei title from Ane Friend is about a “plain” office lady who finds the new company president is the boy she used to tutor! I hear this one is spicy.

Also digital: Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You 2, Blue Lock 10, Boss Wife 3, Doing His Best to Confess 2, GTO Paradise Lost 16, Hozuki’s Coolheadedness 5, I Want To Hold Aono-kun So Badly I Could Die 8, and Our Bodies, Entwining, Entwined 2.

MICHELLE: I need to get on the Blue Lock train before it completely passes me by. Doing His Best to Confess also looks cute.

SEAN: J-Novel Club has Ascendance of a Bookworm 16, Der Werwolf 13, Holmes of Kyoto 7, Mapping: The Trash-Tier Skill That Got Me Into a Top-Tier Party 8, Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire ♀ 3, Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles 17, and Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! 7. Rozemyne for Christmas!

ASH: Speaking of book-themed isekai, hooray for Bookworm!

SEAN: Lastly, Airship has, in print, Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything With Low-Level Spells 3. And in early digital form we get Disciple of the Lich: Or How I Was Cursed by the Gods and Dropped Into the Abyss! 2.

What’s in your stocking?

Pick of the Week: Danmei At Last!

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SEAN: Um, it’s the three Danmei books. I believe Heaven Official’s Blessing has the most buzz? It’s certainly the longest of the three. In any case, these three novels sort of dwarf everything else on the list.

KATE: Anytime there’s a new volume of Kageki Shojo!! is a cause for celebration, so volume three is my pick o’ the week.

ANNA: Seems like a Danmei week to me!

MICHELLE: I’m ridiculously excited about the Danmei. I hope these books are a spectacular success for Seven Seas and prompt them to license even more. ‘Cos when is a geek never not grateful on one hand and greedy on the other? :)

ASH: I’d be remiss if I failed to mention Vinland Saga, which is still one of my favorite series even with the releases now being so far apart. But, I’ll also have to admit this is a Danmei sort of week for me; I’m particularly looking forward to Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation.

Manga the Week of 12/15/21

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SEAN: If you buy these manga, they should still arrive by Christmas!

Denpa Books has Gambling Apocalypse: KAIJI 3.

ASH: Looking forward to this one coming out after all the delays!

SEAN: Ghost Ship has a debut, Who Wants to Marry a Billionaire? (Tamarowa), a Comic Days title about a game show where debt-ridden women try to show a rich guy why they’d be a great wife. Most of it seems to involve their, um, technique, shall we say.

No debuts for J-Novel Club, but lots of ongoing digital light novels and manga. We see Cooking with Wild Game 15, Culinary Chronicles of the Court Flower 4, Dahlia in Bloom: Crafting a Fresh Start with Magical Tools 2, Dragon Daddy Diaries: A Girl Grows to Greatness 2, The Emperor’s Lady-in-Waiting Is Wanted as a Bride 3, the 7th Faraway Paladin manga, Fushi no Kami: Rebuilding Civilization Starts With a Village 5, and Her Majesty’s Swarm 4.

Kaiten Books has Gacha Girls Corps 3 digitally.

No debuts from Kodansha either, but we get some finales. In print, we see Ajin: Demi-Human 17 (the final volume), Gleipnir 10, Magus of the Library 5, Sachi’s Monstrous Appetite 5, A School Frozen in Time 4 (the final volume), That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime 18, and Vinland Saga 12.

MICHELLE: The first volume of A School Frozen in Time was fun. I look forward to seeing how it wraps up.

ANNA: I’ve had Vinland Saga pre-ordered forever.

ASH: Same! I love that series so much. Glad to have more of Magus of the Library to read, too.

SEAN: The digital debut is SHAMAN KING & a garden, a spinoff of the main series focusing on the women in the cast. It runs in Nakayoshi, so is definitely for shoujo readers.

There’s also Are You Lost? 8, Cells at Work and Friends! 6 (the final volume), Giant Killing 28, Peach Boy Riverside 9, Police in a Pod 7, A Sign of Affection 5, Vampire Dormitory 7, and Yamaguchi-kun Isn’t So Bad 5.

MICHELLE: I need to have a Giant Killing marathon and soon.

SEAN: One Peace Books gives us Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway 2 and The New Gate 7.

Seven Seas has no light novels, print or digital, out this week. Because they’re devoting all their energy to the debut of three Chinese Danmei novels, which are SUPER SUPER POPULAR. Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi, Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu, and The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System: Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong are all out next week. I’ll be giving the last of those a try, since it’s a reincarnated villain(ess) book.

MICHELLE: I am very, very excited about these.

ANNA: I expect even more (is it possible?) Danmei fever.

ASH: I am likewise very excited for these! Having greatly enjoyed watching The Untamed, I’m looking forward to reading the source material and then some.

SEAN: Seven Seas also have some manga debuts. semelparous runs in Comic Yuri Hime, and asks what Attack on Titan would be like if it were a yuri series.

ASH: Huh.

SEAN: The Two Lions (Futari no Lion) is a one-shot BL series that ran in Gentosha’s Rutile. A guy trying to change his reputation goes to a distant university. Unfortunately, the only one there who befriends him is a classmate from his high school!

ASH: I’m intrigued.

SEAN: There is also Dai Dark 3, Dungeon Builder: The Demon King’s Labyrinth is a Modern City! 5, Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything With Low-Level Spells 3, Headhunted to Another World: From Salaryman to Big Four! 2, Kageki Shojo!! 3, Magical Angel Creamy Mami and the Spoiled Princess 3, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid 11, Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! 2, ROLL OVER AND DIE: I Will Fight for an Ordinary Life with My Love and Cursed Sword! 2, She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man 3, Superwomen in Love! Honey Trap and Rapid Rabbit 3, and Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! 6.

ASH: That’s quite a bit! Dai Dark is the one that has most of my attention, though.

SEAN: Square Enix has Suppose a Kid from the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town 5.

SuBLime debuts Therapy Game Restart. First there was Secret XXX, then Therapy Game, and now its sequel, Therapy Game Restart. Also running in Dear +, the main couple try to avoid Moonlighting Syndrome.

MICHELLE: I’ve heard good things about Therapy Game so should probably check this out at some point.

SEAN: Also from SuBLime is the 2nd volume of Black or White.

ASH: Which reminds me that I still need to read the first…

SEAN: Tokyopop has the 2nd and final volume of Springtime by the Window.

Viz, for some reason, did not have Natsume’s Book of Friends 26 on their website (they still don’t), so I missed it was out this week. Pretend I didn’t! It’s totally on last week’s Manga the Week of!

ASH: Such a good series, whenever it’s released.

SEAN: Viz Media gives us Call of the Night 5, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Land of Sand (a light novel), Kirby Manga Mania 3, Komi Can’t Communicate 16, Pokémon: Sword & Shield 2, and Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle 16.

Yen On debuts Magical Explorer: Reborn as a Side Character in a Fantasy Dating Sim (Magical Explorer – Eroge no Yuujin Kyara ni Tensei Shita Kedo, Game Chishiki Tsukatte Jiyuu ni Ikiru), where a young man is reincarnated into an 18+ dating sim with gorgeous girls who all sleep with the hero!… except he’s not the hero. He’s the goofy best friend. Who gets no girls. Well, THAT will change.

We also see the 11th and final volume of Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?, and In the Land of Leadale 4.

Two debuts for Yen Press. The Detective Is Already Dead (Tantei wa Mou, Shinde Iru) is a Comic Alive title that adapts the light novel of the same name.

The Splendid Work of a Monster Maid (Kaibutsu Maid no Kareinaru Oshigoto) is a Comic Newtype series. A phantom girl hunting for her master ends up in a foreign world inhabited by demons, where she must… become a maid?

Also out from Yen: Hazure Skill: The Guild Member with a Worthless Skill Is Actually a Legendary Assassin 3, I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level 7, Teasing Master Takagi-san 12, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: The Ways of the Monster Nation 5.

Which of these looks like a great Christmas gift?

Pick of the Week: Foodies, Weddings, and Robots

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KATE: I’m gonna need a bigger boat for this week’s haul! I’m excited for several of Wednesday’s big debuts, including Akira Toriyama’s Manga Theater, Kaiju No. 8, and Robo Sapiens: Tales of Tomorrow. If I had to pick just one title, however, it would be Emma Dreams of Stars, which Vertical Comics promises will give readers a “rare glimpse into the inner workings of The Michelin Guide, and the grueling yet rewarding life of an undercover professional foodie!” Three stars for Emma!

MICHELLE: There are some nifty oneshots coming out this week, and a new volume of Yona of the Dawn is always something to celebrate, but I simply must pick the final volume of Takane & Hana. I have enjoyed the series immensely and will miss it when it’s over, but still look forward to these two having their happily ever after.

SEAN: Must agree. Whether you get the regular (him holding her) or special edition (her holding him), Takane & Hana Vol. 18 is a must-read for shoujo comedy fans.

ASH: There really is a bunch of interesting releases this week! While I’m particularly fond of food manga, robot stories are another weakness of mine, so my pick this week is the award-winning Robo Sapiens: Tales of Tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to giving the omnibus collection a try.

ANNA: There’s a lot of great manga coming out this week! I’m always lured by new series though, so I’m going to make reverse harem vampire manga my pick and go with Rosen Blood.

Manga the Week of 12/8/21

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SEAN: Busy busy busy! Almost forgot to type this up this week! What do we see?

ASH: Oh, do I know the feeling!

SEAN: Yen On has the 3rd volume of The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten as well as Reign of the Seven Spellblades 4.

Yen Press debuts an artbook: AidaIro Illustrations: Toilet-bound Hanako-kun. This does exactly what it says on the tin.

ASH: I quite like the art in Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, so I’m looking forward to this collection.

Also out from Yen’s manga imprint: Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense 2, The Eminence in Shadow 2, Final Fantasy: Lost Stranger 6, For the Kid I Saw in My Dreams 7, and The Saga of Tanya the Evil 15.

MICHELLE: As with much else, I do mean to get around to reading For the Kid I Saw in My Dreams someday.

ASH: I read the first few volumes and have the next few on hand, though I haven’t actually gotten around to reading them yet.

SEAN: Three debuts from Viz. Akira Toriyama’s Manga Theater is a massive, 625-page hardcover featuring a ton of short stories from the legendary Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball creator.

ANNA: That sounds like a great holiday present!

MICHELLE: I didn’t love Dr. Slump but really adored Toriyama’s COWA! oneshot, so might check this out.

ASH: Wow, that’s a lot of manga packed into one volume! Should hopefully be pretty good.

MJ: This is pretty cool!

SEAN: Kaiju No. 8 is a Shonen Jump + release that already is getting simulpubbed, and has HUGE buzz. A man who works on cleaning up after Japanese Godzilla monsters suddenly finds himself with new powers. Can he now achieve his dream of fighting them?

ANNA: Also intriguing.

ASH: Indeed! I’ve heard good things.

MJ: Okay, I’m ready.

SEAN: Rosen Blood is from Akita Shoten’s Princess, and if I said reverse harem vampire story would that get your attention?

ANNA: This fully has my attention, surprising no one.

We also get the final volume of Takane & Hana, the 18th, which is out in both a regular edition and a special edition which has a variant cover and an extra chapter. I’ll miss these goofballs.

ANNA: I’m behind on this series, but I am fond of it!

MICHELLE: I will miss them too!

SEAN: There’s also Chainsaw Man 8, Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition 15, Jujutsu Kaisen 13, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War 21, One Piece 98, Queen’s Quality 13, We Never Learn 19, Yakuza Lover 3, and Yona of the Dawn 33.

ANNA: Stoked for the excellence of Yona of the Dawn and the insanity of Yakuza Lover.

ASH: Always glad to see Yona on the list. I’ve been enjoying Queen’s Quality, too.

SEAN: Tokyopop has a 5th volume of Laughing Under the Clouds.

Square Enix has the 8th Hi Score Girl.

Seven Seas debuts Robo Sapiens: Tales of Tomorrow (Robo Sapiens Zenshi), a done-in-one omnibus from Kodansha’s Morning Two. This is a multi-award winning manga about robots and humans, and how far apart and close to each other they are.

MICHELLE: Sounds intriguing.

ASH: I’m here for it!

MJ: Same!

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: CALL TO ADVENTURE! Defeating Dungeons with a Skill Board 3, DUNGEON DIVE: Aim for the Deepest Level 2, Hitomi-chan is Shy With Strangers 2, and Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games 2.

Kodansha’s first print debut screams “this is actually Vertical”: Emma Dreams of Stars (Emma wa Hoshi no Yume wo Miru). A one-shot from Kodansha’s Morning, but it was originally published in France, and is about the first woman Michelin Guide Inspector.

ANNA: Ooh!

MICHELLE: I second that “Ooh!”

ASH: And thirded!

MJ: And I’ll just repeat, “Ooh!”

SEAN: Also debuting is Hitorijime Boyfriend, a one-shot from Ichijinsha’s Gateau and prequel to Hitorijime My Hero.

Kodansha also has a lot of print titles whose ebooks came out a week or two (or more) ago. We see Bakemonogatari 11, Blood on the Tracks 7, Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro 9, Orient 6, Shaman King Omnibus 6, Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie 7, UQ Holder 24, and When Will Ayumu Make His Move? 2.

Digitally our debut is My Master Has No Tail (Uchi no Shishou wa Shippo ga nai), a good! Afternoon series that has the unlikely teamup of a tanuki and a rakugo master.

ASH: Sounds like my kind of team!

SEAN: And there’s Chihayafuru 29, Kounodori: Dr. Stork 18, Love After World Domination 3, My Dearest Self With Malice Aforethought 11 (the final volume), Saint Young Men 14, Smile Down the Runway 21, With the Sheikh in His Harem 8 (also a final volume), and Ya Boy Kongming! 6.

MICHELLE: Insert obligatory Chihayafuru rejoicing.

SEAN: J-Novel Club has a few series in print which, well, are mostly already out, but Amazon lists them as next week, so… anyway, it’s Ascendance of a Bookworm 10, I Shall Survive Using Potions! (manga) 5, Infinite Dendrogram 14, A Lily Blooms in Another World, My Friend’s Little Sister Has It in for Me! 1, Tearmoon Empire 2, and The Unwanted Undead Adventurer (manga) 2.

ASH: I am so far behind on my light novel reading, but there are some good ones here.

SEAN: Digitally we have two light novels debuting. Goodbye Otherworld, See You Tomorrow (Sayonara Isekai, Mata Kite Ashita), a post-apocalyptic journey series that looks a bit more serious than most recent isekai titles.

There’s also Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter (Koujo Denka no Kateikyoushi), the story of a commoner who was trying to become a court magician… but failed. Now his only recourse to avoid debt is a suspicious tutoring job.

We also see Lazy Dungeon Master 15 and the 7th Unwanted Undead Adventurer (manga version).

Ghost Ship has Call Girl in Another World 3 and Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs 16.

Denpa Books gives us The Girl with the Sanpaku Eyes 3.

And Dark Horse has the 3rd volume of Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!.

Cross Infinite World gives us Reset! The Imprisoned Princess Dreams of Another Chance! 2 digitally.

Lastly, Airship has two digital-early titles: The Most Notorious “Talker” Runs the World’s Greatest Clan 2 and Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! 3.

Too much, too marvelous, too marvelous for words. What titles make you dance?

Bookshelf Briefs 11/30/21

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Gabriel Dropout, Vol. 10 | By Ukami | Yen Press – Possibly the best chapters in this volume of Gabriel Dropout are the ones dealing with hypnosis, as (to no one’s surprise) Satanya is very vulnerable to it. That said, what happens is more like the Looney Tune where Elmer is hypnotized by Bugs Bunny—all of a sudden it’s Raphael who has to be the boke in order to get her back to normal, and the results are hilarious mostly as it’s so rare to see her as the victim in all of this. In fact, Raphael has a bad volume in general, as we also meet her butler back in heaven, who is, well, a bit of a perverted stalker. hat said, Satanya does not escape being the buttmonkey all volume… though, as we see in the back half, her parents are not really that much better. Still funny. – Sean Gaffney

Interviews with Monster Girls, Vol. 9 | By Petos | Kodansha Comics – Sorry, everyone, still no major focus on the teachers and why they are not banging each other like drums, though at least we get the date. Instead the focus is on Hikari and her sister Himari, as we finally get their backstory here and it’s a lot more serious than you’d expect. Indeed, Hikari is out of character the whole book, being in a depressive funk as she tries to (somewhat) fight against her vampire heritage, not really accepting that drinking blood is gonna have to be like other people taking a daily pill—something she can’t get away from. As always, the writing is sensitive and caring, with the monster girl as metaphor coming across strongly. I just hope we don’t wait another sixteen months for the next book. – Sean Gaffney

Komi Can’t Communicate, Vol. 15 | By Tomohito Oda | Viz Media – The majority of this volume is devoted to Isagi, a girl running for student council president despite the fact that (like most of the cast in this series) she has terrible communication skills, and comes off as brusque and rude. Fortunately, Komi needs friends, dammit, and she’s not going to let rejection get in her way. She also has Ase, her closest friend, who gives the best anti-campaign speech ever, and (as with a lot in this manga) it turns really heartwarming. And of course we continue to crawl towards drama as Manbagi gets closer to admitting she likes Tadano. If you saw the anime and thought twice about buying the manga, Yamai’s barely in the series anymore. Give it another shot. – Sean Gaffney

Never Open It: The Taboo Trilogy | By Ken Niimura | Yen Press – Having greatly enjoyed Niimura’s previous work, including but not limited to Henshin, I was thrilled to find out about Never Open It. The volume collects three distinct stories of varying lengths, Niimura retelling and reimagining three traditional Japanese folk tales: “Urashima Taro,” “Ikkyu-san,” and “The Crane Wife.” While the tales are independent from one another, they do all share a central plot element in which the characters are instructed to never open something—a chest, a pot, a door. Niimura’s artwork and narratives meld European, American, and Japanese influences in beautifully expressive ways. The illustrations are primarily black and white, but Niimura uses red as a spot color to spectacular effect. Red is the color of blood and fate in these comics, heightening the drama and impact of Niimura’s visual storytelling. Never Open It is a marvelous collection; Niimura’s talent for creating engaging and striking comics is clear. – Ash Brown

No Matter What You Say, Furi-san Is Scary!, Vol. 1 | By Seiichi Kinoue | Seven Seas – If you like Komi Can’t Communicate, this has a very similar premise, though the personalities are not the same. Furi-san has a harsh, “yanki girl” face but is really a sweet girl who has to take care of her siblings a lot. She has a crush on her seatmate… but all he sees is her looking terrifying! “Misunderstandings happen” is literally the entire plot, but it’s cute enough, and it opens up a bit more when Furi actually makes a friend who realizes that she isn’t really as scary as all that. There’s a plethora of this sort of manga around lately, so only read it if you like the genre, but it’s good if you do. Plus, who can resist those blushing faces? – Sean Gaffney

Sex Ed 120%, Vol. 2 | By Kikiki Tataki and Hotomura | Yen Press – This continues to be much better than expected, and gives some excellent advice throughout. This is not only advice that reminds you that real life is not like porn fanfics, but also how to deal with pick-up artists (and define them) and long discussion of how to negotiate consent and how it’s not as easy as yes or no. The main cast continues to be small but varied, with a teen lesbian couple (who get a chapter to themselves explaining how they got together), an adult lesbian tease couple (the two teachers, who also get a chapter to themselves, though it’s just one-sided for now), an asexual student, and… well, and the BL fan, who seems to be the default goofy one. Give it a try, much better than you’d expect. – Sean Gaffney

We’re New at This, Vol. 9 | By Ren Kawahara | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – There’s a clever resolution to the cliffhanger from last time, as it turns out that everyone is right and everyone is wrong—Ikuma’s coworker is ready for a more serious relationship, but he’s NOT ready for cohabitation. It’s handled quite well. Other than that, we get more of what we read this series for—these two being absolutely syrupy sweet. There’s a costume party where Ikuma is easily able to identify his wife despite their best attempts to disguise it, and memories of holidays past, with Sumika being somewhat envious of Ikuma’s loud and boisterous yet loving family. We’ve caught up to this series so it’s not out as often, but it’s still a great read. – Sean Gaffney

Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games, Vol. 1 | By Eri Ejima | Seven Seas – The school and uniforms reminded me a lot of Maria-sama Ga Miteru, and that’s not by accident—this is definitely a yuri manga. The gorgeous queen of the school turns out to be a game addict, and the commoner girl trying to start over and be an “upright young lady” discovers this… but she’s a former game addict herself. The trouble is, games are very, very banned at this boarding school. As the two of them try to find a way to play each other while also hiding from THE LAW (aka house mothers), will they also realize that they’re also really attracted to each other? Another one of those “better than it sounds” yuri titles, this one relies on excellent pacing and two great leads. – Sean Gaffney

Pick of the Week: Cats, Brats and Flowers

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SEAN: I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep up with it, given it’s over 20 volumes in Japan, but this week the appeal of Cheeky Brat really hits home to me. Hoping for something along the lines of Power!! or Girl Got Game. Wait, those were the same manga. Anyway, cheeky brats are my pick this week.

MICHELLE: I admit there is something appealing about Cheeky Brat, but I’ve gotta go with josei cat manga I Am a Cat Barista. I’m not sure if it’ll be quite my thing, but I want to experience at least one volume.

KATE: Given how gregarious our male cat is, I can easily picture Buster pouring drinks and listening to patrons’ sob stories. Count me in for I Am a Cat Barista.

ANNA: I Am a Cat Barista sounds pretty adorable, it is my pick too.

ASH: As much as I’m looking forward to giving I Am a Cat Barista a try, my pick this week simply has to be Red Flowers. My brief doesn’t really do it justice, but both the volume and its series are excellent. Some of the stories collected leave quite an impression.

Pick of the Week: Niiiiii-cola! Niiiii-cola!

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MICHELLE: There are several BL/LGBT titles out this week, which is great! Although I definitely look forward to reading I Think Our Son Is Gay, I just love the cover of Restart After Coming Back Home so much, I’ve gotta pick that one.

ASH: Both of those titles interest me, for sure, but since this will be the last time that I can pick Nicola Traveling Around the Demons’ World, I’m going to have to go with that. It’s been such a lovely and charming series; I’m looking forward to reading the final volume, but am a little sad to see it end, too.

ANNA: I’ve been stockpiling Nicola Traveling Around the Demons’ World, but haven’t read it yet. It is still my pick, I’m looking forward to it!

SEAN: Yeah, Nicola Traveling Around the Demons’ World has been a surprise hit, and four volumes is just about the right length. I’ll pick that as well.

KATE: I heartily agree with all the folks praising Nicola Traveling Around the Demons’ World: it’s an imaginative, beautifully illustrated series that never condescends to younger readers even as it imparts lessons about kindness, generosity, and courage. Equally important, the heroine’s can-do spirit and occasional setbacks prevent the story from becoming too saccharine or predictable. Highly recommended!

Manga the Week of 11/24/21

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SEAN: No time to lose! What manga is out next week?

ASH: Only a few titles, I’m sure.

SEAN: Yen On has one title, a debut. Orc Eroica is a new light novel series about an orc who, after doing nothing but fight and win battles for years, finally realizes he’s still a virgin! He needs to find a wife and lose his V-card! I’ve been told this is much better than it sounds, which frankly would not be hard to achieve given the bar is lying on the ground.

MICHELLE: Hee (at the bar, not the concept).

MJ: I guess, on the upside, virgin orc shenanigans are a unique, new niche?

SEAN: Yen Press debuts two new manga titles. The Eminence in Shadow (Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute) is an adaptation of the light novel and runs in Comp Ace. It’s not as good as I think fans think it is, but it’s still fun.

And it’s back. Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Wraith Arc (Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica – Majuu Hen) is a spinoff, this time in the original continuity, which takes place between the TV series and the movie.

Yen Press also has the third and final volume of After School Bitchcraft, Bungo Stray Dogs: Beast 2, the third and final volume of ID:Invaded #Brake-Broken, Love of Kill 5, Mieruko-chan 4, Please Put Them On, Takamine-san 2, and Trinity Seven 24.

ASH: I’ve been meaning to give Mieruko-chan a try—better get on that before I get too far behind!

SEAN: Square Enix gives us I Think Our Son Is Gay 2 and The Strongest Sage with the Weakest Crest 6.

MICHELLE: Hooray for the former. Not that I ever managed to read volume one.

ASH: The first volume of I Think Our Son Is Gay was truly wonderful.

ANNA: This makes me want to check it out!

MJ: Ah! Looking forward to another volume of I Think Our Son Is Gay!

SEAN: Two debuts from Seven Seas. My Lovey-Dovey Wife is a Stone Cold Killer (Haikei… Koroshiya-san to Kekkon Shimashita) is a Comic Cune title about a killer assassin who also happens to be a loving wife. The emphasis is on the comedy here.

ASH: Are assassins the new trend? I think assassins may be the new trend.

ANNA: I enjoy assassins!

SEAN: The other debut, complete in one volume, is Restart After Coming Back Home (Restart wa Tadaima no Ato de), a BL title about a man forced to move back home after losing his job, and how he meets another young man who was adopted by the community while he was away.

MICHELLE: I’m very much looking forward to this one!

ASH: Oh! I do like the sound of this one.

ANNA: Me too.

MJ: Here for it!

SEAN: Seven Seas also has Chillin’ in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers 2, Dungeon Toilet 2, the 16th and final volume of Magical Girl Site (did it kill them all off at last?), The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today 2, My Androgynous Boyfriend 3, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! 6, My Room Is a Dungeon Rest Stop 5, the 4th and final volume of Nicola Traveling Around the Demons’ World, School Zone Girls 3, and Skip and Loafer 2.

ASH: Lots of interesting things in that mix, but Nicola Traveling Around the Demons’ World is the one that has most of my attention.

ANNA: I have the first two volumes on my to read pile.

SEAN: Kodansha has a treat for anyone who didn’t get Vertical’s original release: nichijou 15th anniversary box set! (Capitalization deliberate.)

Kodansha, in print, gives us Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost 2, Cardcaptor Sakura Collector’s Edition 9, Interviews with Monster Girls 9, Living-Room Matsunaga-san 8, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Trinity in Tempest 4, and What Did You Eat Yesterday? 17.

MICHELLE: Insert obligatory What Did You Eat Yesterday? squee.

ASH: Indeed!

MJ: Same.

SEAN: Digitally we have three debuts. His Extra-Large, Ever-So-Lovely… (Itoshi no XL Size) is a BL title from Ichijinsha’s Gateau about two men who meet at a college club. One confesses to the other that he’s still a virgin because his dick is simply too big. Well, we’ll soon see about that! (No, I’m not making this up. Is AO3 outsourcing to manga creators now?)

MICHELLE: …

MJ: Is he an ORC, though?

SEAN: Also on the BL tip (and also in Gateau) is Sugar Dog Life, about a short baby-faced guy and the tall manly police officer he meets.

MICHELLE: Okay, this is more my speed.

SEAN: The final debut is With You and the Rain (Ame to Kimi to), about a girl who adopts a…dog? Sure, we’ll go with dog. Not a tanuki at all. This runs in Young Magazine.

MJ: There are a lot of tanuki in the game I’m playing, which makes me interested in this for no good reason.

SEAN: We also get Back When You Called Us Devils 7, Chihiro-kun Only Has Eyes for Me 4, Harem Marriage 11, and Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence 6.

It’s a small week for J-Novel Club, as we see My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S-Rank Adventurer 2, Record of Wortenia War 13, and Slayers 11.

Lastly, Airship has several print titles. We see Drugstore in Another World 3, Reborn as a Space Mercenary 2, Reincarnated As a Dragon Hatchling 2, and The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent 4.

And in early digital we get Mushoku Tensei 14 and The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent 5.

What are you going to get? Speak now or forever hold your peace.

Pick of the Week: Reluctant Picks

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SEAN: Hrm, I could choose any number of interesting new and continuing new manga titles, or I could pick another Villainess light novel to add on to my teetering pile. What to do… Yup, my pick this week is Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte.

MICHELLE: Although technically it came out last week, I would be remiss if I didn’t choose the final volume of The Girl from the Other Side for my pick of the week. I recently realized I haven’t read this series since volume seven (two years ago) because I am legitimately that worried about the fate of these characters. I reckon it’s time to take the plunge and hope for the best.

ASH: I’ll be joining Michelle in selecting The Girl from the Other Side as my pick this week. Though I am likewise a few volumes behind in my reading, it is such a wondrous series. Hard-hitting, too, but truly special.

MJ: Okay, so I’m recovering from getting my COVID booster, and running a fever for a few days means I’m not really up for much that takes any concentration, so the idea of buying anything to READ is not the most compelling thought in the world. I’d love to hear what our readers are picking up this week, though! Let us know in comments!

ANNA: It is The Girl from the Other Side for me too, one of these days I’ll get back to it.

KATE: I freely admit that I gave up on The Girl from the Other Side. The artwork is gorgeous–truly, Nagabe is a major talent–but the story was just too grim for me, and I bailed at volume seven. That said, I hope that folks who are enjoying this fairy tale know it’s available this week, since this is the final volume.

Bookshelf Briefs 11/14/21

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Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction, Vol. 10 | By Inio Asano | Viz Media – The end of this volume states in big, bold letters that there’s twelve hours till the end of humanity, and nothing we see in this volume contradicts that at all. Even seeming antagonists like TV reporters in it for the ratings come to tragic, heartfelt ends here. The plot is expanding so much, in fact, that it’s hard to keep it focused entirely on our main cast, though Oran continues to essentially take over the heroine title from Kadode. It makes sense that the teens all have a final day on the beach with fireworks at the end… this is it, there’s no magic wand. That said, the series goes on hiatus at the drop of a hat, so the final end may be a bit. Still worth reading. – Sean Gaffney

If You Could See Love, Vol. 1 | By Teren Mikami and Yuuki Nanaji | Yen Press (digital only) – A good gimmick is always good when you’re starting a manga. This series stars Mei, who can see little pink arrows (they’re colored throughout the entire volume, which is probably why this is digital only) showing who people love. After a disastrous middle school life where she tried to use this power to help others and just ended up hated, she is now at an all-girls’ school… but now two girls are in love with HER. This works well because Mei has a lot to her backstory that makes her more than a standard romance protagonist. She was ill a lot as a child and also has bad experiences with love, meaning she can see love but can’t read it very well. Looking forward to more of this. – Sean Gaffney

Kageki Shojo!!, Vol. 2 | By Kumiko Saiki | Seven Seas – After the cliffhanger from the last volume, this one takes place mostly over break, where Sarasa invites Ai to come home with her and meet her family and friends… and also find out, obliquely, why she is who she is. The answer, unsurprisingly, is in kabuki, which Sarasa is fantastic at but which is an all-male profession, despite her being drafted in as a young child to fill in in the chorus. It also shows why she’s struggling with her acting in the troupe—kabuki depends on precise imitation of someone else, whereas the acting required where she is now requires a new interpretation for each actress. Given Sarasa’s drive and innate talent, I think she’ll pick it up fast. This is excellent, even if you’ve already seen the anime. – Sean Gaffney

My Hero Academia: Ultra Analysis | By Kohei Horikoshi | Viz Media – The first guidebook for the series to come out in North America, this is actually the second one to be released in Japan. That said, no worries, this one covers all the chapters up through about volume 23. It’s got introductions to the cast framed as tradable cards, so you know some cast members are more important than others—they’re SR, others are N. It also goes over most of the highlights of each arc, and gives little tidbits of information that might otherwise never come out. It’s particularly useful for Class 1-B (and also Yui Kodai gets the best gag in the volume with her “quotable lines” section). If you’re a fan of the series, there’s no reason not to pick this up. – Sean Gaffney

My Love Mix-Up!, Vol. 1 | By Aruko and Wataru Hinekure | VIZ Media – Aoki discovers that his crush, Hashimoto, likes another boy, Ida. After pledging to protect her secret (and intending to root for her happiness), he ends up confessing to Ida in her stead. He expects a swift rejection, but Ida says he wants to get to know Aoki better before giving him an answer. I was worried for a minute there that Ida was going to fall in love with Aoki and end up feeling like an idiot when the truth was revealed. Happily, the story doesn’t go that route, as Ida is continually such a wonderful person that by the end of the volume, Aoki begins to think he actually may like him after all! It’s definitely silly and has already trotted out some tropes like the cultural festival performance of Cinderella, but these really are good kids that I already care about. Looking forward to volume two! – Michelle Smith

When Pink Rain Falls | By Yoiyu | Star Fruit Books – As the first print release from Star Fruit Books, a new small publisher generally focusing on indie manga, When Pink Rain Falls immediately caught my attention. Also notable is the fact that the story was originally created for J.GARDEN, a BL doujinshi festival—it is very uncommon for self-published manga to be licensed in English, so I was thrilled to see this translation. When Pink Rain Falls is a short, quickly paced manga just under forty pages. However, it still manages to convey a heartfelt story with satisfying emotional arcs. Yoiyu describes the manga as a “bromance,” but the BL tensions are real. The opening sequence alone shows Hanao, a budding florist, fleeing with the bouquet he was asked to make for the wedding of a male friend for whom he obviously has feelings. Throughout the manga humor balances the bittersweet, silliness the seriousness; When Pink Rain Falls is delightfully charming. – Ash Brown

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 8 | By Kamome Shirahama | Kodansha Comics – The nature of witches, and how much they can and cannot do to help others, comes up quite a bit in this book. Things may be very tough for our heroes, but they are still witches, meaning they have options other people don’t. At the same time, the danger of creation is also shown—if you make a spell that creates a fake flame and give it to a child, will they end up not realizing you should not touch flames? We’re also introduced to a new witch, who exudes ‘ominous’ from every pore, but might also be able to help Coco with her most pressing issue. Oh, and did I mention the artwork is amazing? We’ve caught up with Japan, so these don’t come out as often, but that makes them all the sweeter. – Sean Gaffney

Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku, Vol. 5 | By Fujita | Kodansha Comics – I never reviewed the fourth omnibus of this series—I think Kodansha had an issue getting it on the platform I read their titles on—but it’s not because I dropped it or anything. This volume is not a great one if you love the two “main” leads, as they get less to do, but it’s wonderful if you like the other main characters. (I will say I am grumpy that we did not get the cover art with the wedding couple as the ‘main’ cover for the omnibus.) Hanako and Taro are getting married, and we learn about the difference between compromising and spoiling—and why it’s not that bad to do either. Meanwhile, Ko and Naoya are still shy and fumbling and running away from each other… well, OK, it’s one-sided running. Great stuff. – Sean Gaffney

Manga the Week of 11/17/21

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SEAN: Hey, remember when I totally screwed up? And did all of Seven Seas’s release dates wrong? No? Well. So everything you saw in LAST week’s Manga the Week of should have been on THIS list. Go look at the post for 11/10 for those. I will backtrack and do stuff that should have been on that list for this one. Apologies to Seven Seas.

Airship, in print, has My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero’s and Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?! Lily’s Miracle.

Digitally we see Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything With Low-Level Spells 3.

Cross Infinite World has the 2nd volume of Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra: World Conquest Starts with the Civilization of Ruin.

Ghost Ship already has out Double Your Pleasure – A Twin Yuri Anthology. Twincest: the manga. Yaaaaaay.

ASH: Goodness!

MJ: Oh dear.

SEAN: As well as the 8th and final volume of Destiny Lovers.

J-Novel Club debut a new title, Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte (Tsundere Akuyaku Reijou Liselotte to Jikkyou no Endo-kun to Kaisetsu no Kobayashi-san). Two guys playing a game with a villainess suddenly realize that her fiance can actually HEAR their commentary on the game! Can they change the outcome?

Also coming out next week: Are You Okay With a Slightly Older Girlfriend? 6, Ascendance of a Bookworm Fanbook 2, Demon Lord, Retry! 7, Min-Maxing My TRPG Build in Another World 2, the 2nd manga volume of My Instant Death Ability Is So Overpowered, No One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me! —AΩ—, Otherside Picnic 6, and the 2nd manga volume of Villainess: Reloaded! Blowing Away Bad Ends with Modern Weapons.

ASH: I’m certainly behind, but hooray for more Bookworm fun!

SEAN: Kodansha, in print, has Drifting Dragons 10 and Sweat & Soap 10.

ASH: I’m reading both those series right now, so this is a good Kodansha week for me.

SEAN: Digitally, the debut is Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You. (Dose Koi Shite Shimaunda), a Nakayoshi title. From the author of I Fell in Love After School, this is straight-up reverse harem fun.

MICHELLE: I am easy to please and this cover is cute so I will check it out.

ANNA: I do enjoy reverse harem fun.

MJ: As do I.

SEAN: Also debuting is Arakawa Under the Bridge. It had come out print-only years ago, now enjoy the digital.

ASH: I enjoyed this series, so am glad that it’ll be more accessible to even more people now.

SEAN: And we get Blue Lock 9, Cells at Work: Platelets! 4 (the final volume), Medalist 3, Mr. Bride 4, and Quality Assurance in Another World 4.

One Peace has a 3rd volume of Farming Life in Another World.

Seven Seas has some debuts. That are already out, please see above.

THE EXO-DRIVE REINCARNATION GAMES: All-Japan Isekai Battle Tournament! (Chou Sekai Tensei Exo Drive: Gekito! Isekai Zen Nihon Taikaihen) is from Mag Garden’s MAGCOMI, and is a parody of the genre, as isekais have become bread and circus tournaments for spectators.

A Life Turned Upside Down: My Dad’s an Alcoholic (You to Bakemono ni naru Chichi ga tsurai) is an autobiographical essay manga from Champion Cross. It’s complete in one volume.

ASH: That’s certainly a tough subject, but I’ve heard good things about the manga.

MJ: I suspect this is an important story to tell.

SEAN: And there’s Bite Maker: The King’s Omega 3, The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún 11 (the final volume), Karate Survivor in Another World 2, Species Domain 11, The Strange Adventure of a Broke Mercenary’s 2nd manga volume, and Time Stop Hero 2.

MICHELLE: I am several volumes behind on The Girl from the Other Side, but that just means I have a nice little chunk to read up until the end. I hope it’s happy but it’s hard to see how just now.

ANNA: I really liked the first few volumes but stalled out on this series. I’m curious to see what you think of the ending.

ASH: I’m a few volumes behind, too, but I really do love this series.

SEAN: Back to things actually coming out in the future, Square Enix has Wandering Witch’s 3rd manga.

SuBLime has a surprise non-2nd week of the month release with Sayonara Game. A one-shot from Shinshokan’s Dear+, it’s a baseball BL story?

MJ: I’m listening…

SEAN: Tokyopop has Ossan Idol! 5.

Udon has the 2nd omnibus of Steins;Gate 0.

Viz gives us BEASTARS 15, Children of the Whales 18, Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku 11, Urusei Yatsura 12, and Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead 4.

ASH: Whoops! BEASTARS has gotten away from me; I didn’t realize how much catching up I have to do!

SEAN: Yen On has Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody 15 and The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody Side Story: The Wonderful Life of a Typical Nobody.

Yen Press debuts the manga version of Reign of the Seven Spellblades (Nanatsu no Maken ga Shihai suru), which runs in Shonen Ace. I love the novels, so the manga should also be great.

ANNA: I’m a little curious about this!

Also debuting… sort of… is Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? II, the sequel to the first manga, but let’s face it, it’s just a continuation with a different artist.

We also have Solo Leveling 3, Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun 11, and A Witch’s Printing Office 5.

ASH: I still need to read Solo Leveling, but I’m ready for more Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun!

So, as I try to forget this list and the previous one ever happened, what are you buying?