Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction, Vol. 9 | By Inio Asano | Viz Media – By the ninth volume of Dead Dead Demon, any hope that this series was a “lighter, softer” version of Inio Asano’s usual manga has long since left town—this is the bleakest, most depressing volume in the series to date, with even the Doraemon parody going into the “you will die old and alone” bin for its “comedy.” Last time I said that I could not see the current situation ending in any way but tragedy, and that’s absolutely the case, as Kadode essentially turns this series into a new volume of Death Note, to the point where it takes Oran beating her up in sheer horror to make her… well, let’s just say we know why Oran hopped universes. As for the universe they’re in now? Not optimistic. Brilliant, but ugh. – Sean Gaffney
I Was Reincarnated as the Villainess in an Otome Game but the Boys Love Me Anyway!, Vol. 1 | By Sou Inaida and Atakai | TOKYOPOP – Another villainess otome that can best be described as “Bakarina only taking itself seriously,” this volume does not really make any major mistakes but also suffers from not really doing much to stand out. The heroine is trying to avoid her death flags, but doing it in perfectly sensible ways, and the fact that the boys fall for her anyway baffles her. Again, I like the message, which is that being good rewards you with good things happening to you, but I keep waiting for the deconstruction or the zany antics. If you really love otome game villainess stories, read this, but if you want a serious Bakarina, read Accomplishments of the Duke’s Daughter instead. – Sean Gaffney
I’m in Love with the Villainess, Vol. 1 (manga) | By Inori and Aonoshimo | Seven Seas – This early digital version is out a good four months before the print release, but I’ll still take it, as I adore this series. This being the first volume, and thus concerned with setting the table, it’s filled with light and goofy comedy, as Rae is very, very concerned with getting Claire to make angry faces at her, which are the poses she loves to see. There is a bit of foreshadowing of future events here, which the manga should be getting into soon, but for the most part, this is breezy fun, and I especially love how Rae explains that Claire’s bullying is much better than the garden variety sort—she does it herself, she makes sure there’s no permanent damage, etc. Rae sees the beauty of Claire, and soon we will too. – Sean Gaffney
Oresama Teacher, Vol. 28 | By Izumi Tsubaki | Viz Media – As the series begins to come to a close, it’s definitely getting around to wrapping up the main problems that the final arc has left our cast with. Maki learns that sometimes your actual memories can be papered over by other things, such as grudges and hatred, and you have to remove those to see what’s underneath. Toko learns not only that when it comes to madcap, zany schemes she has nothing on this school’s students, but also that she can’t win against her older brother… who also cares about her far more than she imagined. And then there’s Mafuyu, who manages to be cool and awesome in about five different ways even when in her Natsuo persona. Not as popular as Nozaki-kun, but I will miss it. – Sean Gaffney
Rainbow and Black, Vol. 1 | By Eri Takenashi | Seven Seas – I have a soft spot for weird, peculiar manga, so the bizarre creature on the the cover of Rainbow and Black immediately piqued my interest in the series. What sold me on the first volume, however, was the lead character punching out a man within the first few pages. (Unfortunately, this does lead to her losing her waitressing job, but the ill-behaved customer absolutely deserved what he got after groping her.) Shirahoshi Kuroe is a college student who likes things to be very clear-cut; life, of course, has a tendency to be anything but. And so when circumstances lead to Kuro taking in an abandoned “happy mouse”—an animal that defies being neatly categorized—she finds herself having to start thinking about things a little differently. In part, Rainbow and Black is a cute story about (incredibly strange) pet ownership, but it’s also about Kuro’s charming growth as a person. -Ash Brown
A School Frozen in Time, Vol. 1 | By Naoshi Arakawa and Mizuki Tsujimura | Kodansha Comics – On an especially snowy day, eight students of an elite prep school find they are the only people to have shown up to class. Not only that, once they’re inside the building, they can’t leave. Soon, all watches and clocks stop at the exact time that a suicide occurred two months ago during the school festival, resulting in the death of a classmate that none of them can remember. And what’s more, that classmate’s spirit might actually be among them right now! I enjoyed this first volume a good bit. The creepy vibe is well done, and though I at first found the characterization a bit shallow, it improves as it goes along. It seems we might focus on one kid at a time as they finally remember who it was who died and are then eliminated from the scenario in bloody yet ambiguous fashion. Okay, I’m hooked. – Michelle Smith
Skip Beat!, Vol. 45 | By Yoshiki Nakamura | VIZ Media –I have been reading Skip Beat! for thirteen years now. THIRTEEN. And for the majority of that time, I’ve been anticipating something that finally, finally, finally happens at the end of this volume. The build-up is suitably epic, as Kyoko begins the volume believing Ren is in a sordid relationship with a porn star, but after he explains the embarrassing truth to her (in Bo costume), she’s back to believing it’s manipulative Morizumi that he loves. Still, she wants Ren to be happy more than anything, and right now the girl he loves thinks he’s a creep, so Bo convinces him to confess his real feelings. Cue Ren spotting Kyoko in the lobby, a two-page sprint scene, a dramatic elevator entry, and Ren finally clearing away all the Morizumi mess until Kyoko believes him: it’s been her all along. Sniff. Can’t wait for volume 46! – Michelle Smith
