Ash Brown

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

ACCA 13-Territory Inspection Department, Vol. 2 | By Natsume Ono | Yen Press – I’m not entirely certain how seriously I should be taken the plotting against the crown here, or indeed the crown’s own attempts to overthrow ACCA. It does seem like Jean has no shortage of people who hate him and want to see a) his department obliterated and b) him arrested for treason. The trouble, of course, being he’s not actually plotting any sort of coup. In fact, he seems to be doing his job more because he has the hots for his superior officer more than anything else, although that’s as much of a lost cause as his own junior who has a crush on him. ACCA is a great series to read, but I don’t think I quite feel the sense of ominous danger I’m meant to. It needs a corpse or two. – Sean Gaffney

Battle Angel Alita: Deluxe Edition, Vol. 2 | By Yukito Kishiro | Kodansha Comics – Having previously read only a portion of the sequel/alternate ending Last Order (parts of which I greatly enjoyed although as a whole the series didn’t overly impress me), I never quite understood the immense popularity of Battle Angel Alita. But now, thanks to the deluxe, hardcover edition from Kodansha Comics, the original manga is back in print in English and I finally get it. The series is terrific, with an appealing lead, intense action sequences, and a striking and visually imaginative cyberpunk setting. The story of the second omnibus (most closely equivalent to the third and fourth volumes), turns to the dangerous and deadly sport of Motorball. After a tragic end to her first romance, Alita leaves behind her life as a bounty hunter to become a rising star of the game. Her search for identity continues as she strives to find purpose and meaning in who she is. – Ash Brown

A Centaur’s Life, Vol. 14 | By Kei Murayama | Seven Seas – I’ve said this before, but the longer this series goes on, and the less the main cast appear in it, the more I suspect that the anti-war story with the frogs that he has going on is the story he really wanted to tell, only he had to write about 7-8 volumes of fanservicey monster girl antics in order to get the series so popular he could get away with it. This is not to say we don’t still see Hime and company, or that there’s not fanservice—just look at the first chapter. But there’s more and more of the warfare in this book, and as it goes on it’s becoming clear that the participants being centaurs or frogs or angels is irrelevant to war being hell for all concerned. Easily the strangest monster girl series coming out these days. – Sean Gaffney

The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Vol. 11 | By Aya Shouoto | VIZ Media – Anyone expecting any sort of evolution of Aoi and Himari’s relationship in the wake of his confession at the end of volume nine will be disappointed, since here we are in volume eleven and the gang is primarily focused on getting control of a spreading darkness at the back of Momochi House. Himari is learning more about what happened to the previous Nue(s) and what fate might await Aoi, too, but for the most part this volume just has a lot of battles between Aoi and his immediate predecessor, whose body has been resurrected by his one of his shikigami. I appreciated the BL vibes I got from them during their final panel, but otherwise this volume was a trifle meh. – Michelle Smith

Flying Witch, Vol. 5 | By Chihiro Ishizuka | Vertical Comics – There actually is some plot development here, as Makoto is starting to get jobs, though the job amounts to ‘babysitting.’ More importantly, Chinatsu has been watching witches and magic for some time, and apparently her body is allowing her to use mana now, meaning… she can become a witch! For the moment that just amounts to squirting people with water, but I’m sure that the series is going to have a lot more to do with this going forward. Other than that, and the affirmation that there really is not going to be any romance in this series, even one-sided, thankyouverymuch, and that it is content to have chapters like “try to cure hiccups.” For fans of Yotsuba&! and similar series. – Sean Gaffney

Golden Kamuy, Vol. 4 | By Satoru Noda | Viz Media – There is… a bit less gore this time around, though that’s mostly relative. In fact, at times the genre of Golden Kamuy seems to be switching with every volume, as this time it’s turning into a political thriller, as there’s a lot more focus about what to do with the gold once it’s found, as well as showing off that the comedy relief character, while still funny, may be a bit less goofy than we expected. But rest assured there’s also lots of what brought people to Golden Kamuy in the first place—cooking wild anmals, lots of discussion of poop, and the occasional bloody death and cool action shot. Also, please do not let your heroine get kidnapped by eagles. She is far too valuable. Thank you. – Sean Gaffney

Kiss & White Lily for My Dearest Girl, Vol. 5 | By Canno | Yen Press – Another volume, another relationship, this one featuring the classic forgotten childhood friend. Sawa and Itsuki are entertaining on their own, but there’s no real drama as to whether or not they’ll get together The best part is that Sawa takes a while to struggle with “oh, yeah, I guess I do like her this way,” rather than having an immediate epiphany like some other couples we’ve seen. We also get more attention devoted to the main couple, as we see Ayaka dealing with her Education Mama and her frustration at not being able to be number one… even if she’s not sure that should be her goal anymore. This is not the best yuri manga out there, but it’s pretty solid overall. – Sean Gaffney

Twinkle Stars, Vol. 5 | By Natsuki Takaya | Yen Press –Twinkle Stars, Vol. 5 | By Natsuki Takaya | Yen Press – And so, Twinkle Stars comes to a sometimes painful, sometimes lovely close. Just when Chihiro has finally accepted his feelings for Sakuya, he gets a surprise phone call from Sakura, who has actually been awake for some time. He’s afraid that she’ll try to kill herself again unless he shows her what he learned from Sakuya—that kindness and warmth are not an illusion—and so he chooses to leave for Tokyo to be by her side. Not before Sakuya realizes that he’s in love with her, though—in a majorly tear-inducing scene!—and not without telling Sakura that he can’t consider her his girlfriend anymore because he’s fallen in love with someone else. There’s a lot of self-sacrificing going around, including Sakura eventually realizing that she alone can make Chihiro happy… by setting him free. This was such a great series and I look forward to rereading it in the future. – Michelle Smith

Wake Up, Sleeping Beauty, Vol. 3 | By Megumi Morino | Kodansha Comics – Well, that cliffhanger from the last volume went nowhere fast. Instead, we deal with Tetsu’s love of soccer, and the fact that various circumstances led him to leave the team despite that love. This has not sat well with some friends of his, and Shizu and her ghosts end up being dragged into things in order to get him to reconcile with the team. This is pretty heartwarming, and also shows us that Shizu is getting better at being herself when she’s outside, even if the ghosts still occupy her body much of the time. We’re now halfway through the series, and I suspect things may get a little more serious towards the end, so it’s nice to see something like this that is serious yet easily solvable. Also, Shizu’s cute. – Sean Gaffney

Blue Morning, Vol. 7 | By Shoko Hidaka | SuBLime – Encouraged by Akihito to pursue his own individual ambitions for once, Katsuragi becomes determined to save the workers at the spinning mill he briefly had charge of, and most of this volume depicts his plans to wrest control of the mill from a powerful ally without jeoparding said ally’s support of Akihito. It’s interesting, but of course the most important thing is Katsuragi finding something he really wants to do that does not involve serving the Kuze family. After a volume that’s 95% chaste, he finally travels to the remote villa where Akihito is recuperating and, okay, yes, they totally get it on. It’s not just smut, though; there is so much love between these men. Mutual respect, the sincere wish for other to find happiness and fulfillment… Blue Morning continues to be something special. – Michelle Smith

DNA Doesn’t Tell Us, Vol. 1 | By Mintarou | Seven Seas – Now that Monster Girls have become the new trend, it’s perhaps inevitable that we’ll get Animal Girls along with it. And so we get this series, which has animals spontaneously turning into human girls for no real reason. (Yes, always girls.) They’re still basically animals, though, so they go to a school to learn how to be human. This first volume follows the “tame” animals through the eyes of Youko, a Bighorn Sheep who is a bit more together and sensible than the rest of her goofy classmates. This edges towards the ‘fanservicey’ edge of the spectrum, but is essentially harmless, and didn’t really bother me too much. That said, I’d only recommend it to fans of animal girls—there’s nothing beyond that. – Sean Gaffney

Dragon Half, Vol. 1 | By Ryusuke Mita | Seven Seas – Before reading the first Dragon Half omnibus, I only knew the series by name, mostly due to the fans of the anime adaptation from the early 1990s. The manga itself was originally serialized between 1988 and 1994. Dragon Half is a ridiculous, absurd, and incredibly silly blast from the past. As a gag manga heavily inspired by fantasy and role-playing games, the series has its fair share of powerful, scantily clad women, including the titular half-dragon Mink. The daughter of a red dragon and a famous swordsman, Mink is on a quest to become human so that she can win the love of the dragonslayer (and teen idol), Dick Saucer. While I was amused from the very beginning, it wasn’t until about halfway through the omnibus that Mita’s sense of humor really started to click with me. The comedy can be a little hit-or-miss, but at it’s best, Dragon Half is hilarious. – Ash Brown

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún, Vol. 4 | By Nagabe | Seven Seas – There are many scenes in this volume of The Girl from the Other Side that elicit a pang of empathy. There’s Shiva, feeling so bad for lying to Auntie about having been touched by an Outsider. There’s Auntie, gradually losing her memory of her humanity and revealing to Teacher that the worst part about the curse is that after it fully takes hold the afflicted can’t die, putting a new spin on humans killing those who are only suspected of having been exposed. And there’s Teacher, watching Shiva and Auntie together and concluding that the girl no longer needs him, that it’d make no difference if he was around or not, and that perhaps he’s harming her by trying to keep her close. At least Shiva has other ideas about that, but it’s hard to see how a happy ending is going to be possible for this story. – Michelle Smith

Horimiya, Vol. 10 | By Hero and Daisuke Hagiwara | Yen Press – We don’t seem any closer to wrapping up, but there is a bit more forward progress here, though anyone expecting a straightforward answer to last volume’s proposal may be disappointed. Instead, the reader can enjoy seeing the over-serious Sengoku dealing with the pangs of love, and his conversation with Remi is also something of a proposal in a way, spoken through the plots of books. I enjoyed it. There’s also a nice helping of humor here, as we see Sengoku’s dad was friends with the Horis—and is not fond of that fact. We also see Hori’s dad with his hair up, and I straight up did not recognize him at first. We seem to be back on an upswing, and I’m looking forward to more. – Sean Gaffney

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Four-Panel Comic: Days of Goddess | By Masaya Takamura and Fujino Omori | Yen Press – These sorts of spinoffs are all over the place in Japan, but we rarely see them over here. It’s exactly what you’d expect—the DanMachi story told as 4-koma gags with the cast in superdeformed mode. Since it’s “Days of Goddess,” we follow Hestia more than Bell, as she struggles to get by despite only having one follower. It’s sort of nostalgic given how far the series has come since then. The other early cast members appear as well, though given Ais’ running gag of always eating, you’ll wonder if the author confused her with Saber. There’s another volume in the fall—twice a year seems about right for this cute and funny spinoff. – Sean Gaffney

Kemono Friends: Welcome to Japari Park!| By Fly and Kemono Friends Project | Yen Press – Sadly, this is one of those series where the real-life travails of the franchise prove to be far more interesting than the manga that came out of it. Based on an unsuccessful mobile game that got an anime that was VERY successful… until it blew up… the manga concerns a young woman named Nene, who is hired to essentially be a zookeeper for various young animal girls who are able to talk to humans and are basically eccentric young women with animal characteristics. Cute ensues. This volume contains both volumes of the original series, and as such wears out its welcome quite fast—series this fluffy should not be omnibuses. If you really like Kemono Friends, get this. – Sean Gaffney

Land of the Lustrous, Vol. 5 | By Haruko Ichikawa | Kodansha Comics – Although the narrative as a whole remains somewhat ambiguous, Land of the Lustrous continues to be one of the most visually striking series currently being released in English. With world-building and character introductions happening in fits and starts, the manga tends to favor mood and style over an obvious, logical narrative, but the melancholic atmosphere that Ichikawa has created with the manga is a compelling one. There is an intensity of emotion that makes it feel as though the gems’ psyches are as precariously close to shattering as their physical manifestations. Phos, the manga’s lead, has suffered immense trauma over the course of the series and has transformed dramatically as a result. However, as more is revealed about the characters and world, it becomes clear that Phos isn’t the only one hiding both secrets and pain. I’m still incredibly intrigued by Land of the Lustrous. – Ash Brown

Nameless Asterism, Vol. 1 | By Kina Kobayashi | Seven Seas – The premise of this sweet but deliberately frustrating series is that all of the main cast are in unrequited love with someone else in the main cast, and none of it ever goes anywhere. As such, it can be a bit teeth-grinding to see everyone confess over and over in their head but not do anything. A lot of the unrequited relationships are between girls, which explains some of the angst—indeed, one of the girls who goes on about all the boys she dates and talks about how that’s “normal, right” is possibly in the most transparent closet I’ve ever seen in any media. It’s decently written, and the kids are all likeable, but I have to admit that the volume did not really do anything for me. Still, if you like frustrating yuri. – Sean Gaffney

The Young Master’s Revenge, Vol. 1 | By Meca Tanaka| Viz Media – An unfortunate trend of most Meca Tanaka series that I read is that I enjoy them while also having very little to say about them, and that’s the case here. The premise is also remarkably similar to Masamune-kun’s Revenge, another series licensed over here, but fortunately the core audience are almost total opposites. Our hero was traumatized by an unthinking childhood friend when he was a kid. He returns, as a gorgeous rich teen, to make her fall for him and then dump her, as a somewhat petty revenge. Sadly, she’s no longer rich. Also sadly, she’s cute, plucky and adorable, and he rapidly finds himself falling for her for real. This fits the Shojo Beat line admirably, though I wasn’t wowed. – Sean Gaffney

Anonymous Noise, Vol. 7 | By Ryoko Fukuyama | Viz Media – To answer the question I posed in my last brief, apparently this will be running a little longer, as the cliffhanger indicates we’re starting up a new subplot. That said, as the end of an “arc” this wasn’t bad, though I admit that I always take more notice when the focus is on Nino and Yuzu—I honestly want Ayumi’s domestic angst drama to end as quickly as possibly, as it’s annoying me. Still, Nino and Yuzu are both fantastic here, and the art gives us lots of fantastic screams. Both are now ready to expand their horizons, which for Yuzu may mean getting past a few psychological blocks. I’m still happy to let this play out, though I do hope it wraps up in a few more volumes. – Sean Gaffney

Astra: Lost in Space, Vol. 2 | By Kenta Shinohara | Viz Media – The cast is advised to forget about who the traitor is among them for the moment, and I think the reader is meant to as well—the pacing of the main plot in this series can be awkward, and you get the sense things are being walked back. Things get a bit more interesting when we’re exploring more bizarre alien worlds, which can be both amazing and deadly. We also get some development of our shyest, most introverted crew member, who has a ball of self-worth issues and a voice like an angel. (The two are connected, as you might guess.) And there’s also some hints of romance. This is solid, but not great, and you get the sense the author is starting to realize this is not going to be the next One Piece. – Sean Gaffney

Barakamon, Vol. 15 | By Satsuki Yoshino | Yen Press – Handa is a good guy, but he’s impulsive and doesn’t think things through, such as the fact that his dad had been paying his rent up till now, or that he’s charging an exorbitant fee to get island folks to learn calligraphy. He needs someone like Kawafuji, who is angry and contrary and guides Handa along every step of the way even as it goes against the reason he came there in the first place. They make great friends, even if Kawafuji seems more like a minder at times. When Handa actually starts trying to teach the kids, he’s awkward at first, but you gradually realize that he’s going to be quite good at this. As for whether he can make enough money doing it, well… – Sean Gaffney

Beasts of Abigaile, Vol. 3 | By Spica Aoki| Seven Seas – Poor Eva, in the end she doesn’t have it in her to be the chief Evil Girl in the series, being more of a jealous little sister who wants her brother a bit too much. So we need to introduce the new Evil Girl in Angelica, the Student Council President, daughter of the warden, and all-around manipulative… well, you know. Nina, of course, is not all that easily manipulated, being that she wears her heart on her sleeve so much she’s willing to risk death just to pick some flowers on the side of a cliff. Luckily, that’s why drugs were invented, just to keep folks like Nina docile. This is a total potboiler, but fun. – Sean Gaffney

Delicious in Dungeon, Vol. 4 | By Ryoko Kui | Yen Press – I love the mix of food, fantasy, and humor in Delicious in Dungeon and have been enjoying the series a great deal. However, while the ingredients are the same, the exact proportions of the mix has changed somewhat with the fourth volume. Food is still an important element, and the manga’s terrific comedic moments continue to be a staple, but the story has taken a significantly darker, more serious turn–the series’ intrepid adventurers must now face off with the red dragon they’ve been hunting down from the very beginning. It’s an intense battle brilliantly executed by Kui who demands both sacrifices and clever thinking from the manga’s quirky yet endearing cast. This easily could have been the series’ grand finale, but there’s more to come; I’m intensely curious to see where the manga, and its frequently unexpected cuisine, goes from here. – Ash Brown

Frau Faust, Vol. 4 | By Kore Yamazaki | Kodansha Comics – You get the sense, reading this volume of Frau Faust, that Johanna is the sort of protagonist who has the magical ability to have good friends die around her so that she can suffer and also deal out justice and a good moral lesson. Which means that this series is not exactly filled with fun and games, but the title might have been a clue that wasn’t going to happen. Johanna’s undying nature is unhelpful here, as she spends half the book being gruesomely tortured on behalf of the evil nun in charge of hating demons—except, of course, the ones she can use for her own benefit. Still greatly enjoying Frau Faust, but you need to realize going in the premise is “everything is awful and everything hurts.” – Sean Gaffney

Giant Spider & Me: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale, Vol. 1 | By Kikori Morino | Seven Seas – I almost passed up on Giant Spider & Me, but as soon as I learned that it was in part a food manga, I couldn’t resist giving the first volume a try. One day, Nagi, a young woman largely living on her own in the mountains, encounters a strange but intelligent creature in the woods that looks an awful lot like a giant spider. It ultimately follows her home, essentially becoming Nagi’s pet and guard animal, but more importantly her companion against loneliness (even if food is their most successful means of communication). The worldbuilding is a little vague at this point which can be frustrating, and Morino’s artwork isn’t always consistent when it comes to scale, but as a whole Giant Spider & Me is charming and surprisingly sweet. I was delighted by the first volume, so I’ll certainly be picking up more of the series. – Ash Brown

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún, Vol. 4 | By Nagabe| Seven Seas – If you’re still comparing this with The Ancient Magus’ Bride, I can see why, but this series seems to be turning down a far darker alley. Teacher has decided that things will be best if he, Shiva and her aunt all live together. but just because the aunt is now cursed does not mean that she’s ready to trust and forgive the teacher—quite the opposite,. There is a stereotypical cooking scene where everything goes wrong and the three end up covered in white flour that is simply brutally jarring in terms of tone—it helps put the rest of the book in stark relief. Meanwhile, the main mystery for this series is “what is Shiva’s deal?”, and I hope we find out more about that next time. – Sean Gaffney

Lovesick Ellie, Vol. 4 | By Fujimomo | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – My least favorite attribute of Ellie’s personality is how her fantasy life blinds her to the reality of certain things, like… if you fail your final exams, you’re going to have to take remedial classes during winter break. Of course, the angst over missing Christmas with Akira and not recognizing that he has been looking forward to it just as much as she was eventually leads to a really sweet moment (and smooch!) so I guess we have to suffer through some “derp” stuff to get to the good stuff. Meanwhile, Ellie seems to have made a couple of new friends in class thanks to her ping pong prowess (yes, really); we get to know Sara’s second-year protector, Takagi, a little better; and a boy in Ellie’s remedial class seems to be the one commenting on her Twitter fantasies. Not groundbreaking shoujo, but I enjoy it. – Michelle Smith

One-Punch Man, Vol. 13 | By ONE and Yusuke Murata | Viz Media – Last time I said the tournament was the least interesting part of the volume, this time the opposite is true. Saitama’s fight with Suiryu is not only filled with a lot of fantastic and ludicrous action, but also helps once again to define what Saitama’s ideas of being a hero and being strong are compared to other people—and why he’s the title character. That said, he learns the wrong lesson from the battle—but that’s why One-Punch Man remains very funny. Of course, things aren’t all fun and games, and I worry that we may lose some innocent bystanders in this ongoing war between heroes and monsters—especially as Saitama is running away and may not be able to help. – Sean Gaffney

One-Punch Man, Vol. 13 | By ONE and Yusuke Murata | VIZ Media – You know you’re middle-aged when you’re watching heroes battle a giant octopus and you keep thinking about how massive and costly the cleanup will be from all the damage! At least we learn more about the source for all these monsters, and that Saitama will probably be facing them soon, since they invade the martial arts tournament at the end of the volume. The tourney was quite entertaining this time, as Saitama faces the one guy (who could be called One-Kick Man, based on his previous bouts) who he thought could give him a challenge, only to realize once again that it’s not the case. Still, I enjoyed their fight and hope that Saitama will now get back to the hero game. Also, I missed Genos! Thankfully, the wait for the next volume is not as long this time. – Michelle Smith

Skip Beat!, Vol. 40 | By Yoshiki Nakamura | Viz Media – The cover to this volume is adorable—Kyoko just wants to act together with Kanae SO MUCH, and you can hope that she will get her wish someday, though the cliffhanger implies it may be a lot more difficult than the usual “audition.” Fortunately she has Yashiro in her corner, who is acting as a temporary manager for her, and reminds the reader once again that when it comes to “manager” activities, he is essentially superhuman. More seriously, we meet an old rival in this volume and, like Kyoko, our jaw drops when we finally realize who she is. I will admit that I was more interested in Kyoko’s swordfighting and rhythmic gymnastics training than I was anything with Erika. That does not change the fact that Skip Beat remains essential.-Sean Gaffney

UQ Holder, Vol. 13 | By Ken Akamatsu | Kodansha Comics – I have to admit, I have no idea how time, dreamscapes, or indeed any aspect of magic work in Akamatsu’s universe, and I suspect neither does he, as we’re in a dreamscape that is also the past, except we also get the rest of the main UQ Holder heroines here as mind-controlled darkness versions of themselves, before EVERYONE is saved by Asuna showing up with her big-ass sword, something so unbelievable even Eva has to say she doesn’t think she’s the real Asuna. She certainly acts like her, though, and is ready to help Touta and company battle against the evil Negi and his evil sentai team. This is exciting when you read it, but logic and proportion have fallen softly dead a long time ago. – Sean Gaffney