Ash Brown

As Miss Beelzebub Likes, Vol. 1 | By Matoba | Yen Press – Sometimes you just need to roll with the adorable. This slice-of-demonic-life manga stars Beelzebub, who is a short, busty girl who is excellent at her job but otherwise a complete airhead, and Mullin, her straight-arrow assistant who yearns for her to stop walking around naked or getting distracted. These two clearly like each other, and there are sweet and funny romantic moments mixed throughout. The rest of the cast is more variable (I could have done without Belphegor’s need to pee when she gets nervous, which is all the time), but this is relatively cute and harmless, though the nudity limits its audience to otaku. Also, how can you resist a title that has words like ‘flufficity’ in it? – Sean Gaffney

Erased, Vol. 4 | By Kei Sanbe | Yen Press – While there’s technically one more volume of Erased, the main series ends with the fourth omnibus. At this point, Satoru has lived through his fifth-grade year three times as he tries to stop a string of serial killings. Although he largely succeeds, the third time leaves him in a coma which he only recovers from fifteen years later. The murderer was never arrested and has taken a particular interest in Satoru. For his part, Satoru is still determined to bring the killer to justice. A showdown between them is inevitable. Occasionally I felt that Erased would have been even better as a novel–the visuals used to make dramatic plot reveals work sometimes seemed like cheating (or maybe Sanbe just didn’t have the artistic chops to pull them off in a completely convincing way yet)–but the manga’s story was still wonderfully engaging. As a whole, Erased is a very satisfying series. – Ash Brown

Juana and the Dragonewt’s Seven Kingdoms, Vol. 2 | By Kiyohisa Tanaka | Seven Seas – This is not a long-running series (it ends with its third volume), so it’s very content to simply barrel along with its adventure plot. The characters are very relateable, despite being dragonewts—indeed, that’s the point, as we see Nid’s resolve and also their ‘vamp’ friend Zoila’s efforts to rescue her own friend from the evil circus. These are understandable people. And the presence of Juana in their narrative, alternating as a ball of sunshine and a bolt of energy, is a great thing. We also get some hints of issues with Nid’s family, which I’m sure will be cleared up next time, as well as whether Juana is here to stay or not. For those who like fantasy adventures, this is a great buy. – Sean Gaffney

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Vol. 2 | By Aka Akasaka | Viz Media – Even as it moves into Weekly Young Jump proper with this volume, Kaguya-sama maintains its basic amusing premise with aplomb. Miyuki and Kaguya continue to attempt to mentally manipulate each other into doing anything that could be considered as a gesture of love, despite the fact that when it comes to matters of the heart (and indeed social interaction in general), they’re both such dorks. Chika, the seemingly bubbleheaded secretary of the Student Council remains my favorite character, providing excellent balance between the two leads’ overbearingness. And there are, as you might expect, one or two really sweet moments in this as well. I’m happy to see this drag out over several volumes. – Sean Gaffney

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 29 | By Karuho Shiina | Viz Media – OK, folks, we can breathe out, at least for now. Much as I felt Yano and Pin was a great romantic pairing in my heart, my head was going “No, no, don’t do that.” And so we get a confession here, and a rejection. That said, graduation is coming up, and I’m wondering if a flash-forward to the future may still run with it. Graduation and college plans are on most people’s minds here, especially Sawako and Kazehaya, who are also reflecting back on their relationship. As is the manga in general, reminding us of its origins with “Sadako” and having the girl who gave her the nickname apologize. And that valedictorian speech is just amazing. I am so going to miss this when it ends next volume. – Sean Gaffney

Mermaid Boys, Vol. 1 | By Yomi Sarachi | Yen Press – Very loosely based on The Little Mermaid, Sarachi’s manga Mermaid Boys features Prince Naru, a merman who falls in love at first sight with Nami, a human girl. He makes a bargain with a sorcerer allowing him to transform into a human for a chance to win her affections, but if he fails, he’ll turn into sea foam. Most of the similarities between the two stories end there. I like the premise of Mermaid Boys, and the end of the first volume introduces additional intrigue, but I would probably enjoy it more if I actually liked Naru better. The series’ humor can be pretty hit-or-miss, too. However, I did like just about every other character, especially Nami who doesn’t put up with Naru’s crap. I also appreciate that her personality is completely different from what Naru had assumed, putting him in a rather awkward situation in regards to his deal. – Ash Brown

One Piece, Vol. 86 | By Eiichiro Oda | VIZ Media – This is shaping up to be my favorite arc in a very long while! It’s a lot of fun seeing the Straw Hats (at least temporarily) team up with Bege in order to take down Big Mom. We know what the plan is supposed to be, and when things inevitably go awry, waiting on our heroes to ensure certain pivotal moments still transpire is very exciting. I continue to be happy that Brook is getting important things to do in this arc, and taking Big Mom out would feel like such a big achievement and turning point for the series, particularly as Brook was able to copy a vitally important ponegliff last volume. Of course, she’s gotta have a sad backstory—well, only kind of sad since she’s been unhinged since childhood—and we’ve gotta end on a cliffhanger. It’s a really cool one, though! – Michelle Smith

Oresama Teacher, Vol. 24 | By Izumi Tsubaki | Viz Media – First off, let’s face it, the true identity of ‘Inuzuka’ is so obvious that I think its obviousness is the joke. That said, there are certainly some surprises here, mostly in regards to Mafuyu’s new teacher. I thought he was just going to be a simple villain, and he’s certainly an antagonist, but he also gets caught up in what seems to be the running motif of this entire series—loss of memories. Mafuyu has memory issues (seemingly due to head trauma as a child), and so does Hayasaka. Momochi’s entire plotline involved memory erasure. The concept of memories are very important to Tsubaki. That said, rest assured, this series remains absolutely hilarious—I laughed out loud half a dozen times this volume. – Sean Gaffney

Oresama Teacher, Vol. 24 | By Izumi Tsubaki | VIZ Media – Last volume was the start of Mafuyu’s final year in high school, and by the end of this volume, we’re already at summer break. Miyabi’s troublesome little sister has forced Saeki to resign, and for some reason he’s guarding the bancho at a nearby school, where he runs into Mafuyu’s new homeroom teacher, Maki, putting up surveillance cameras. Why? Who knows. But to find out more about Maki, Mafuyu and friends travel to her hometown over the summer, where there are elaborate lies to hide her bancho past from Hayasaka as well as a thoroughly random watergun fight with some delinquents from West High. Honestly, I don’t even really attempt to follow the plot, and I don’t even laugh at the humor. There’s just something about this series that keeps me reading. – Michelle Smith

Again!!, Vol. 2 | By Mitsurou Kubo | Kodansha Comics – Imamura sets about convincing the former members of the ouendan to rejoin the club. Although he has success with drummer Tatsuhiko Okuma (who has an extremenly ardent, unrequited crush on Usami), the other second years want nothing to do with it. Thankfully, he finally manages to convince a pair of third years to return by exposing the cheerleaders’ evil plot via a puppet show. (Yes, really.) Things are looking up, Usami is smiling, but… he’s still stuck in the past, and he’s a member of a club he never intended to personally join, and what’s more, he has knowledge that the school’s sports teams aren’t going to win anything. The volume ends with the suggestion that he might try to change that, but it seems like what he really needs to conquer is his own deep-seated belief that he’s a bad-luck charm. This is a fun series. – Michelle Smith

DAYS, Vol. 8 | By Tsuyoshi Yasuda | Kodansha Comics (digital only)- It’s the semi-finals of the Tokyo qualifiers for the All Japan Tournament, the final chance for Seiseki’s third years to play on the national stage. Unfortunately, with Oshiba and Kazama injured, and captain Mizuki forced to sit out because of penalties in previous games, Seiseki is missing its offensive powerhouses. Tsukamoto plays his first official game in some time, and it’s truly gratifying to see him gradually realize that he doesn’t suck anymore. He has a real affinity for regaining possession of stolen balls, and once he begins to have some confidence in his skill, soccer, which previously was just a way of hanging out with friends, starts to become fun in its own right. Seeing him seize the opportunity for a shot without hesitation is quite a big deal, even though he misses. Looking forward to volume nine! – Michelle Smith

Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction, Vol. 1 | By Inio Asano | Viz Media – While it may not be as immediately dark as some of Asano’s other manga, Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction still has an ominous and disconcerting atmosphere to it; already there is plenty of heartbreak along with the more lighthearted moments. Kadode Koyama is a young woman in high school who is having a difficult time finding the motivation to devote to her studies when the world itself is coming to an end. Three years ago, aliens appeared from outer space, the attack changing both everything and nothing about human life on Earth. While the story itself is intriguing, Asano’s artwork is a real highlight of the series. With dramatic angles and cinematic framing, Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction is always visually dynamic even when the manga focuses on the more mundane aspects of the characters’ lives. Well, as surprisingly mundane as things can be when living through an alien invasion. – Ash Brown

The Honor Student at Magic High School, Vol. 8 | By Tsutomu Sato and Yu Mori | Yen Press – For a series that’s supposed to be about Miyuki, the side manga really isn’t concentrating on her POV as much as you’d expect. Of course, given Miyuki’s incestuous love for her brother, perhaps that’s for the best. Instead, this volume is Honoka-and-Shizuru heavy, as we see Honoka’s triumphant win at Battle Board (as well as her triumphantly skintight wetsuit, which shows off her large chest to a ridiculous degree) and also see Shizuku’s battle with Miyuki in Ice Pillars Break, whose conclusion is fairly obvious but still emotional. It’s hard to strive to do your best when you hang around with people so far above you every day, let alone when they’re good friends. Excellent – Sean Gaffney

Imperfect Girl, Vol. 3 | By NISIOISIN and Mitsuru Hattori | Vertical Comics – Good news, the series stayed away from disquieting relationships, though there is a bath scene together. This series has been about a girl who has suffered abuse, and her traumatic mindset after the death of her parents. Said death is shown here, a bit unrealistic but evocative, as is somewhat expected of Nisioisin. Speaking of which, the revelation of the stories that the narrator wants to tell now is a nice fourth-wall break, as they’re all if Nisioisin’s other series, from Zaregoto onward. The conclusion is perhaps a bit too pat, but honestly at this point after all the exhausting tension of the three-book series, pat is good enough for me. Good stuff. – Sean Gaffney

Murcielago, Vol. 6 | By Yoshimurakana | Yen Press – To answer my question from last review, yup, this volume begins with a ridiculously over-the-top sex scene between Kuroko and the mother from last volume. As for the daughter, she’s attending a new school, which is an elevator school that also features Hinako and her friends, as well as a mad bomber, some unfortunate bullies, and a seemingly meek young woman whom Kuroko helps to stroll down the path of a twisted lesbian killer. For all that Kuroko is theoretically helping the police, there’s never any doubt that she’s also killing because she loves it, and gets away with it here. I emphasize again: I enjoy reading Murcielago, but it is a nasty series, and you need to accept that going in. Everyone here is awful. – Sean Gaffney

Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn, Vol. 10 | By Shirow Masamune and Rikudou Koushi | Seven Seas – Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. The first half of this is standard Pandora, meaning somewhat dull and also filled with dumb comedy, though I did appreciate that Vlind’s two assistants seemingly look similar to Hyatt and Elgala. The second half, dealing with Mr. Keith Brooklyn, his wife, and their child, is a lot better, getting into the nature of “quality of life” and what it means to be truly happy, and utilizing Nene’s special superpowers for a good, loving reason. I know more than to expect this sort of thing to continue, but it was greatly appreciated as a break from the fanservice and global conspiracy. – Sean Gaffney

Spirit Circle, Vol. 3 | By Satoshi Mizukami | Seven Seas – Fuuta is getting better at reconciling his past lives with his present (and figuring out that his family and friends are also connected to him in the past), but he’s not getting along any better with Kouko, and she’s determined to destroy him for what he apparently did as Fortuna—which we still don’t know, and which Fortuna himself seems to be trying to actively stop him learning. As for the life we see this time around, it’s a tale of old samurai, and he and Kouko literally lose an arm and a leg each to each other. The author is very goo9d at showing the emotional impact of a scene, even if he’s not the best at facial expressions. (That hasn’t changed since Biscuit Hammer, really.) Addicting. – Sean Gaffney

Yowamushi Pedal, Vol. 8 | By Wataru Watanabe | Yen Press – Day two of the Inter-High continues. Although this volume features the triumphant return of Onoda and Tadokoro—which is great, and features Tadokoro crying manly tears of profound gratitude—most of the action has to do with the two teams currently battling it out for the lead: reigning champions Hakone Academy and Kyoto Fushimi, led by deceptive and ever-so-creepy Midousuji. We see how he converted the previously unified members of the Kyoto Fushimi team into his foot soldiers (and there are hints that a rebellion might come soon from within the ranks) and how he exploits the totally justified and sympathetic weakness of Hakone’s ace sprinter, Shinkai. Although readers surely want to see Shohoku take the victory, it’s neat that for this section at least, I find myself rooting for Hakone to smack Midousuji down decisively. Hopefully that will transpire in the next volume! – Michelle Smith

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 23 | By Yuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki | Viz Media – After teaching Hayama the lesson of this entire series, which is to say ‘have fun cooking and trying new things,’ Soma is able to win. Which is more than can be said for the rest of his merry band, as most of the minor good guys are summarily expelled after being defeated, and promptly leave the series, never to be seen again. Well, OK, maybe not. But we still have a few, and those few are ready to hear the tragic backstory of Soma’s father and Erina’s father, and the pressure that comes from needing to constantly be “the best.” Soma, of course, who has lost to his dad CONSTANTLY, doesn’t feel this pressure, which is why he does so well. An excellent volume. – Sean Gaffney

Gabriel Dropout, Vol. 3 | By Ukami |Yen Press – Gabriel Dropout continues to do what it does best: make the reader laugh. We get a new cast member this time around with Taplis, a young angel who hero-worshiped Gabriel and has come down to Earth to see how she’s doing. Needless to say, it’s not a pretty picture. Her addition just helps to give us more opportunities for fun, though. Actually, Gabriel may be the one cast member seemingly ignored by this volume, as the artist has realized that the other girls are easier to use for gags and also character development. She can’t hold her liquor, though, even when it’s amazake. My favorite continues to be troll Raphael, but all these girls are funny and great to read about. – Sean Gaffney

In/Spectre, Vol. 7 | By Kyo Shirodaira and Chashiba Katase | Kodansha Comics – This volume of In/Spectre is more of a short-story volume, adapting two prose stories as well as creating one original story for the manga. The stories themselves are what we’ve become used to—Kotoko listening to the problem and then theorizing us to death. But they’re also decent mysteries, and I don’t mind lots of theorizing if it manages to keep my interest and be visually striking, which the artist is quite good at. Meanwhile, Kotoko may not be getting any (I feel bad for falling for her telling us she wasn’t a virgin in volume one—she was clearly lying), but she remains one of the horniest manga heroines I’ve ever seen, constantly doing anything she can to try and get her boyfriend into bed. Nothing works. – Sean Gaffney

Kuroko’s Basketball, Vol. 21-22 | By Tadatoshi Fujimaki | Viz Media – Throughout this series, we’ve grown so used to Seirin being the underdog that it has to be pointed out to us that they’ve never really played while trying to maintain a lead—something that’s a lot more difficult than it sounds. This is despite the fact that, as everyone watched Kagami, they realize that he has the same magic that was in the Miracle Generation, even if he was never part of it. And it’s going to take that magic to hold on, as they’re up against Kise and his perfect copy, which is able to crush them even with his sitting out a good deal of the game. That said, Kuroko is still the title character, and I’m pretty sure the cliffhanger indicates he’ll solve things. Solid sports shonen. – Sean Gaffney

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Vol. 29 | By Shinobu Ohtaka | Viz Media – So Harukyu has won, but is this really what he wanted? The girl he likes, Morgiana, has finally realized that she loves Alibaba even though he’s dead. He’s leading his country thanks to Sinbad… but is that really going to last? The next few volumes shoold tell us — oh no, timeskip! Yes, in time honored shonen tradition, we now jump ahead a couple years, the better to deal with Alibaba, not as dead as everyone thinks (in fact, that makes a terrific running gag) and here to step back into everyone’s lives. Sadly for him, everything is seemingly a perfect utopia now, run by Sinbad. Of course, no utopia is perfect, and I suspect Alibaba will soon be leading some sort of resistance. Once he can explain to everyone that he’s not dead. – Sean Gaffney

My Hero Academia, Vol. 12 | By Kohei Horikoshi | Viz Media – We’re back in class, and it’s time for exams—at least after a very amusing couple of chapters where the students go to mad scientist Mei to get alterations to their hero costumes. But the bulk of this is the provisional license exams, after which they’ll be able to do the hero sorts of things they got in trouble for doing before. That is if they survive the exam, which puts them against other schools in one giant melee battle, and only 200 can pass. This gives nearly everyone a chance to stand out—I particularly liked Midoriya spotting a fake immediately based purely on hero knowledge—and gives the volume tension, as we try to see who’s going to fall and have to be left behind. So glad this is now speeding up. – Sean Gaffney

Takane & Hana, Vol. 2 | By Yuki Shiwasu | Viz Media – This is not quite as hysterical as the first volume, possibly as it’s clearly now an ongoing series rather than a bunch of one-shots, and thus needs to work harder at plot and character development. I like how the author is not shying away from the age difference between the two of them, and the scandal that it would cause were it to get out. We’re also introduced to an old friend and rival of Takane’s, who I think I would like more if he didn’t keep reminding me of Saki from I Hate You More Than Anyone/VB Rose. In the meantime, rest assured that there is still a lot of great humor here—I was especially amused by Takane referring to Hana’s two friends as “Friends A and B.” I love Hana to Yume comedies. – Sean Gaffney

Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku, Vol. 1 | By Fujita | Kodansha Comics – I picked up Wotakoi more on a whim than anything else, but the manga quickly became one of my favorite debuts of the year. The series actually had its beginning as a webcomic on Pixiv before being picked up by a print publisher. Even more recently, Wotakoi became the basis of an anime. The attention the manga has received is understandable. The story features quirky but relatable characters, four adult friends and coworkers (two couples) who to different extents can be described as otaku. There isn’t much of a plot, but the humor and story revolve around how being a fan of games, manga, anime, cosplay, etc. impacts relationships, romance, and worklife. In some ways, Wotakoi reminds me a little of a more subdued, grownup version of Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, another series that I adore. Unsurprisingly then, I’m greatly looking forward to reading more of the charming, smile-inducing Wotakoi. – Ash Brown

Yowamushi Pedal, Vol. 8 | By Wataru Watanabe | Yen Press – This volume doubles down on Midosouji—he’s all over it, and twice as obnoxious, and I think your enjoyment of the book will depend on how much you can resist wanting to see someone slug him. The majority of this volume, in fact, does not feature our heroes, as they’re still waiting for Onoda to drag Tadokoro back—which he does, and it’s awesome—but instead focuses on the other teams, showing us their own drive to succeed—as well as the questioning of the rest of Midosouji’s teammates, wondering if this is really the right way to win? We’ve still got a long way to go in this race, but even in omnibus format I want to read it faster and faster. Can’t wait for the next volume. – Sean Gaffney

Akashic Records of Bastard Magic Instructor, Vol. 2 | By Hitsuji Tarou, Tsunemi Aosa and Kurone Mishima | Seven Seas – Perhaps I was just in a bad mood the first two volumes, but it seems to me that this third volume of Akashic Records is much stronger than the previous ones. It’s essentially a tournament arc, and features a lot of the standard cliches that you would expect. But I’ve gotten used to the proclivities of the characters by now, and the narrative does something very good in regards to Rumia and her hidden past, showing how she clearly wants to make things better but also can’t get over exactly what was done to her. Unfortunately, she’s also accused of treason. Which kinda sucks. This has gotten good enough that I want to read more, which is impressive given its bad start. – Sean Gaffney

Baccano!, Vol. 2 | By Ryohgo Narita, Shinta Fujimoto and Katsumi Enami | Seven Seas – After a first volume that functioned as a prologue to the series, this second book begins the actual adaptation of the first novel, which means we get a whole lot of Isaac and Miria being hilarious. That said, I’d still argue that this series is meant more for the hardcore fan than a newbie wondering what the fuss is all about—several references thoughout the volume only make sense if you know what’s going to be happening down the road. But in the end, as I said when I reviewed the first novel, I think the series at this point is about Ennis, and how she grows beyond what she was created to be. The scenes with Ennis are my favorite in the book, and I can’t wait for the last volume. – Sean Gaffney

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, Vol. 3 | By CLAMP | Kodansha Comics – It feels like I spent the entirety of this volume just waiting for something to happen, already. True, Sakura collects a few new cards, but they both appear and are dealt with swiftly. She has a date with Syaoran, but we only see a couple of pages of it. Most of the volume is just mundane school stuff, particularly involving the new transfer student Akiho. For example, Akiho decides to join the choral ensemble and she and Sakura discover they both despise konnyaku. Be still my heart. It does seem like something is probably going on with Akiho—she has a plushie pal that reminds me of Kero-chan—but I guess I would’ve liked just a little more hinting that all is not as inconsequential as it seems. Oh well. I suppose I’ll keep reading for a while longer, at least. – Michelle Smith

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, Vol. 3 | By CLAMP | Kodansha Comics – We’ve introduced a new cast member, Akiho, who fits in quite nicely with the rest of the group, i.e. she’s sweet and charming and rather well-off, to the point where she has a butler, though he functions more like a guardian. I’m not sure what the relationship between those two is—you’d think after writing Rika out of the series they’d have clued in to the idea that January/December romance is bad, but I can’t quite trust it. I’m also not sure if she’s going to end up being a villain, though I highly doubt it. Other than that, this is cute and fluffy, and also exactly what the old series used to be—I sometimes wonder if it’s actually the exact same chapters with new dialogue. For hardcore fans only – Sean Gaffney

Dreamin’ Sun, Vol. 6 | By Ichigo Takano | Seven Seas – Zen makes his triumphant return in this volume, as the relationship between Shimana and Fujiwara can’t even last an entire chapter before crashing and burning. It’s not quite a train wreck, but you definitely get the sense the author was barreling towards a six-volume series and then was told to stretch it out a bit. And so there’s tears, and self-hatred, and Zen being honest and helpful and getting emotionally stomped on, which is his role in this series. I’m going to be honest, the main issue I have with this series remains the main pairing, who I still think do each other more harm than good. But in the end, I can only go where the author takes me, and I’m entertained enough to soldier on. – Sean Gaffney

Dreams of the Days | By Kyungha Yi | Netcomics – Having previously read Yi’s earlier and very aptly named series Intense, I was glad to discover that her newest boys’ love manhwa was also recently released in English. Dreams of the Days follows three young men about to graduate from high school who are having recurring dreams. Though they don’t share the intimate details with one another, Howon describes his as horror, Jihyung freely admits his is erotic, while Changwoo says his is a crime mystery. The reality is that all three dreams cause them to reexamine their sexuality. Jihyung’s reaction is the most refreshing (and amusing)–he’s an incredibly straightforward individual with no qualms about liking a guy. On the other hand, Howon struggles to accept that he could be gay largely due to societal pressures. As the most reserved of the three, Changwoo’s character arc is even more bittersweet. – Ash Brown

The Faraway Paladin, Vol. 4 | By Kanata Yanagino | J-Novel Club – As we get more and more light novel series, I am likely going to have to skip full reviews for some of them. Unlike Demon King Daimaou, though, that doesn’t mean I think anything less of Faraway Paladin, which remains one of the purest of the fantasy light novels out there. This one is a collection of three longish short stories, featuring an unlikely but cute marriage (no, it’s not William, who it’s made clear here only has eyes for his Goddess); a trip to a wizard castle to help Bee research a song (I love Bee); and a fight against an old and stubborn giant who really just wants to have friends again. The series is earnest as hell, which is actually its main selling point—if you’re tired of snarky light novel heroes, try this out. – Sean Gaffney

Haikyu!!, Vol. 22 | By Haruichi Furudate | VIZ Media – The boys from Karasuno are almost entirely absent this volume so that the story can focus on the Tokyo qualifiers, where Nekoma is striving for a spot at the Spring Tournament. They’ve reached the top four and, after being squashed by Fukurodani in straight sets, must compete for the “venue sponsor” slot against Nohebi, a team who uses taunts to goad Nekoma’s hotheads yet acts obsequiously polite to referees in order to earn their favor. It’s all appropriately slimy (“hebi” means snake, after all) and it gets even worse when Nekoma loses their excellent libero to an injury. I did appreciate the brief appearance of some Karasuno characters as Nishinoya explains just how fabulous Nekoma’s libero is, but otherwise, while this was decent enough, it’s just not the same without characters one cares about. – Michelle Smith

Love at Fourteen, Vol. 7 | By Fuka Mizutani | Yen Press – The kids are fifteen rather than fourteen, so it’s time to start thinking about high school, and the fact that you can’t just make a school choice based on what your boyfriend is doing. Or maybe you can, as the moral here actually turns out to be “talk to your partner about future plans and don’t just assume.” There is also a dream Kanata has of being a flight attendant, which is so “WTF?” given her intelligence that Yen had to include a footnote explaining how glamorous Japan finds the position, and how it’s meant to be “jetsetting.” And yes, Nagai and Hinohara and their rather tortured not-quite romance, which alters between heartwarming and disquieting. I enjoy Love at Fourteen even though it makes a lot of choices I wouldn’t. – Sean Gaffney

Waiting for Spring, Vol. 5 | By Anashin | Kodansha Comics – Given that this is a shoujo series that is not making any brave choices, it’s astonishing how much I’m still enjoying it. But, as I’ve said before, sometimes a reader wants “the exact same thing I’ve read before only with different people,” and Waiting for Spring gives us that. The cute but low-confidence female lead, the brooding male lead, the smooth-operator rival, the friends who also subdivide so nicely that I thought I was reading Kiss Him, Not Me for a moment. There’s nothing here that makes you have to read this, but there’s lots of things that make you want to read it—everyone’s likeable, the situations aren’t too forced, and you’re content to see it take its time. What more can one ask? – Sean Gaffney