Manga Bookshelf

Discussion, Resources, Roundtables, & Reviews

Michelle Smith

Pick of the Week: Quality Assortment

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KATE: I think the best way to describe this week’s new arrivals is A Whole Lot of Stuff I’m Unlikely to Read. I will cop to being interested in Shuzo Oshimi’s Blood on the Tracks, though the part of me that read Flowers of Evil, Drifting Net Cafe, and Happiness wonders how many volumes I’ll read before it just gets too squicky for me.

ANNA: There’s a bunch of stuff coming out this week but I have to say what most interests me is the reissue of Saiyuki. You’ve got Jeeps! Monkey gods! Cigarettes! Guns! Pointy ears! Cranky Priests! Yokai! Is there a more 90s series than this? I don’t know, but I’m glad it is being released again.

SEAN: It’s definitely a Kodansha week for me – leaving aside Saiyuki, there’s also the debut of Sweat and Soap, and new volumes of In/Spectre and Magus of the Library. Kodansha is my pick!

MICHELLE: I’m intrigued by Blood on the Tracks, though I could not make it through Flowers of Evil, so perhaps that will happen again. And I’ll definitely be checking out Saiyuki and Kodansha’s latest digital shoujo debut, I Fell in Love After School. But what I am most excited about is a new volume of The Ancient Magus’ Bride. I love that series very, very much.

ASH: I love The Ancient Magus’ Bride, too! But this week my pick goes Magus of the Library – I’m really enjoying Mitsu Izumi’s fantasy take on librarianship and how surprisingly accurate it can be at times.

MJ: Even though I’ve still got my old copies of Saiyuki, I doubt I can turn down a chance to buy them again, especially in shiny, new hardcover editions. Though nothing will quell my longing for more of Minekura’s Wild Adapter, I’ll take what I can get. Bring me Saiyuki!

Manga the Week of 2/26/20

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SEAN: It’s the end of February at last, and we celebrate with a huge pile of stuff. Are you ready?

ASH: Always!

SEAN: Cross Infinite World has a 2nd volume of light novel The Eccentric Master and the Fake Lover.

Dark Horse has a 4th deluxe hardcover for Berserk.

ASH: The hardcover edition really is impressive — I’m slowly replacing my paperback copies.

SEAN: A couple of Volume 2s from Ghost Ship: Destiny Lovers 2 and World’s End Harem: Fantasia 2.

J-Novel Club has another shoujo light novel out next week: Tearmoon Empire (Tearmoon Teikoku Monogatari). This is from TO Books, and stars a selfish princess who is about to be guillotined by an angry populace when suddenly she wakes up in the past! It’s time to change the future so she doesn’t die! But… that’s so much hard work… can’t she just get others to do it for her? This seems like fun.

ASH: I appreciate this foray into shoujo fantasy works.

SEAN: There’s also a 9th Lazy Dungeon Master and a 3rd Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf!.

Kodansha has three debuts, two print and one digital. The print is Sweat and Soap (Ase to Sekken), a seinen title from Weekly Morning. A woman who works in a toiletry company is ashamed of the way she smells, and very grateful for her company’s products. Then she meets the company’s lead brand developer, who is fascinated by her natural scent. Romance ensues. Despite sounding like it does for sweat what Mysterious Girlfriend X did for drool, I’ll give this a try.

ASH: I’m cautious, but intrigued?

MJ: This could either be amazing… or really not.

SEAN: The other debut is a license rescue, coming out in deluxe omnibuses: Saiyuki! And yes, this is the original 1990s Saiyuki, not any of the modern remixes and spinoffs. A GFantasy title, it originally came out via Tokyopop. Now Kodansha is re-releasing it. Hope you like journeys to the west.

MICHELLE: I read a little of this ten years ago but never continued, so I’m looking forward to having another chance.

ANNA: I love journeys to the west! I have the old volumes but I’m seriously considering double dipping and I almost never double dip.

ASH: Nice to see this series back in print!

MJ: I’m so happy to see this again! It won’t get me over my eternal longing for Wild Adapter, but I’ll take it.

SEAN: Kodansha also has, in print, In/Spectre 11, Land of the Lustrous 10, and Magus of the Library 3.

ASH: I’ve fallen behind and need to catch up with In/Spectre, but I’m definitely ready for more of Land of the Lustrous and Magus of the Library!

SEAN: Digitally the debut is I Fell in Love After School (Houkago, Koishita), another Dessert title. A shy girl who lacks presence and a volleyball club she’s managing. This looks very fluffy.

ANNA: Aww, this sounds cute if only I were capable of keeping up on all these digital releases.

SEAN: Also out digitally next week: Altair: A Record of Battles 15, Drowning Love 17, Guilty 5, Hotaru’s Way 12, Kounodori: Dr. Stork 13, and Watari’s ******* Is About to Collapse 3.

KUMA has a one-volume title called Can an Otaku Like Me really Be an Idol? (Doruota no Bokudesuga Shinken ni Aidoru Mezashimasu!?). It’s a BL title about cross-dressing idols, and ran in Takeshobo’s Qpa. It was also on the Renta! site.

MICHELLE: My friend assures me it is very cute.

ASH: I’ve likewise heard good things.

SEAN: One Peace has a 7th Hinamatsuri.

Seven Seas has a pile, as is becoming traditional for the last week of the month. There’s another ‘early digital’ novel release, again by the author of I Want to Eat Your Pancreas. This is I Had That Same Dream Again (Mata, Onaji Yume wo Miteita), and is another coming-of-age story.

We also get The Ancient Magus’ Bride 12, The Brave-Tuber 2, Classroom of the Elite’s 4th light novel (in print), How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? 2, Mushoku Tensei’s 10th manga volume, Reincarnated As a Sword’s 4th light novel in print, Skeleton Knight in Another World 4 (print) and 5 (digital), and Ultra Kaiju Humanization Project 4.

MICHELLE: Hooray for more of The Ancient Magus’ Bride!

ASH: Yes, indeed!

SEAN: Square Enix has the debut of Hi-Score Girl, a Big Gangan series with a quirky art style and a love of retro gaming. Two otherwise dissimilar kids share a bond over games.

ASH: I like quirky.

MJ: I’m up for whatever Square Enix throws at us, so count me in.

SEAN: Udon has the 3rd and final Stravaganza omnibus, as well as a 6th Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu.

Vertical debuts Blood on the Tracks (Chi no Wadachi), another psychological drama from Shuzo Oshimi. This ran in Big Comic Superior, and is about a boy who realizes that his doting, over-affectionate mother may NOT be as normal as he’d though. If you’ve read Oshimi you know what to expect.

MICHELLE: Hm, potentially interesting.

ANNA: I’m gonna wait for a review, but I am also intrigued.

MJ: I’m with Anna on this.

SEAN: Yen On technically has a debut, but really it’s just more KH, as we get Kingdom Hearts III: The Novel 1.

They’ve also got Is It Wrong to try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Sword Oratoria 11, KonoSuba EXPLOSION! 2, My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As I Expected 9, Re: ZERO 12, Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online 6, and World’s Strongest Rearguard 2. Lots of heavy hitters in that lineup.

From the manga end, Yen debuts RaW Hero, which is from the creator of Prison School, and also appears to be for fans of Prison School. It runs in Kodansha’s Evening Magazine, and is about heroes, villains, and fetishes, not in that order.

ASH: That’s… the general impression that I’ve gotten, too.

SEAN: We also get Combatants Will Be Dispatched! 2 (manga), The Devil Is a Part-Timer! 15 (manga), Goblin Slayer: Brand New Day 2 (manga), Happy Sugar Life 4 (also a manga, but not a light novel as well like those others), Kemono Friends a la Carte 2, Phantom Tales of the Night 3, and Trinity Seven 19.

ASH: Oh, Phantom Tales of the Night! If nothing else, it’s very pretty (and creepy); I’m interested in how the series continues to develop.

SEAN: A lot of, shall we say, saucy manga out next week. Are you getting any?

Pick of the Week: As Expected

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SEAN: A lot of diverse choices this week. The “prestige” title is clearly Downfall, but let’s face it it’s far too bleak for me. Instead, to no one’s surprise, I’ll go with Silver Spoon again. Because it is Silver Spoon, and because it is my heart.

MICHELLE: I am ashamed to admit I still haven’t read any Silver Spoon. I, too, am turning away from bleakness and toward my favorite genre, which means I am picking Shojo FIGHT! this week.

MJ: Silver Spoon. It is always Silver Spoon.

KATE: This week’s list is chock-full of great manga, from MB fave Silver Spoon to Drifting Dragons, one of the best-looking fantasy titles being published in English right now. (I reviewed the first two volumes back in 2018, if you’re curious.) My pick goes to another under-appreciated gem, however: O Maidens in Your Savage Season. If you were a nerdy teen girl—and I certainly was—Maidens should be on your list, as writer Mari Okada clearly remembers how hard it was to be horny, awkward, and VERY SERIOUS at fifteen. You’ll laugh and cry and cringe in equal measure.

ASH: So many great titles are being released this week, it’s hard to choose just one! I gladly join the chorus for Silver Spoon and all the other manga already mentioned, but the first volume of Nicola Traveling Around the Demons’ World was such a treat that the second gets my official pick.

Bookshelf Briefs 2/16/20

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Black Clover, Vol. 19 | By Yuki Tabata | Viz Media – The nature of these volumes is they tend to be between 9-11 chapters no matter what, and while some thought is always given for an appropriate “cliffhanger” (and there’s a good one here), it does sometimes mean that the emotional beat can happen earlier than the author might like. That’s definitely the case here—this book is front-loaded as hell, with the absolute highlight being Noelle reuniting with her family, kicking ass, and her older brother apologizing for the constant abuse he hurled at her. It’s really fantastic. The rest of the book can’t help but feel like an anticlimax, though there is a nice bit at the end where Asta and company make a chaotic entrance to join in the fight. Which isn’t over yet, so next time? – Sean Gaffney

Horimiya, Vol. 13 | By Hero and Daisuke Hagiwara | Yen Press – This manga has too many cast members in it we have to remember, especially given that it only comes out now about once every six months or so. We see Iura dealing with his younger sister, who is having exam worries, and it’s meant to contrast to his “the guy nobody likes” persona at school, but I can’t really retain enough about what he was like for it to really impact. One good thing about this volume is that Hori is relatively behaved, so there’s a lot less of the “wacky” consent issues we saw in prior volumes. When she acts relatively normal, she and Miyamura remind you why we loved this manga in the first place. That said, it really does not appear to be headed towards any specific conclusion. How long will it go on? – Sean Gaffney

Levius/est, Vol. 1 | By Haruhisa Nakata | Viz Media – I probably should have read the Levius omnibus before picking up Levius/est. As far as I can tell, the first volume is mostly a recap of the original series told at an astonishingly breakneck speed. (Levius ended prematurely when Ikki ceased publication; Nakahata essentially had to restart the series in a new magazine, Ultra Jump.) It’s admittedly impressive how much ground Nakata manages to cover in such a short span, but I’m hoping that Levius/est finds a more sustainable and enjoyable pace soon. I want to see the mixed martial arts matches between cyborgs that will either save or destroy the world. I want a chance to actually get to know the characters beyond a surface-level lightning overview of their tragic backstories. I want the worldbuilding to not need to rely on heavy-handed exposition. Right now, Levius/est‘s greatest strength is Nakata’s stylish artwork, but something more would be welcomed. – Ash Brown

Magus of the Library, Vol. 2 | By Mitsu Izumi | Kodansha Comics – Having enjoyed the first volume of Magus of the Library, I was looking forward to the second, even if the series is not always the most subtle of works narratively speaking. But I can’t help but love the underlying message of libraries (reading in generally, really) as a method of gaining knowledge, expanding one’s horizons, and developing empathy for others. At the same time, the work acknowledges the potential harm the written word can cause depending on its use. As a librarian, I can especially appreciate Izumi incorporating real-world social, economic, and political concerns surrounding libraries (fairly accurately, actually, although with simplification) into the fantasy setting of Magus of the Library. Other related areas the second volume of the series specifically addresses include bookselling and bookbinding. The volume also serves as something like a travelogue and introduces new characters destined, I’m sure, to become Theo’s cohorts in training at the Central Library. – Ash Brown

Murcielago, Vol. 13 | By Yoshimurakana | Yen Press – OK, the master swordsman arc did not finish off quite as fast as I’d hoped, but that’s fine, as it gives us a chance to see Kuroko in action some more (and still really struggling, which is cool), as well as Himiko’s dynamic entrance in her car, always a treat. After that’s resolved, we start a sequel arc, as Goldmarie’s body is not lying mouldering in the grave as it should be, but has gone missing. And now there’s a bunch of murders happening in and around the sewers, which gives the artist another chance to lovingly depict a lot of corpses and gore. Murcielago is never going to be children’s entertainment, but it’s a lot of fun provided ultraviolent lesbians are your bag. – Sean Gaffney

My Hero Academia, Vol. 23 | By Kohei Horikoshi | Viz Media – So Izuku has multiple powers now. That said, he’s still having trouble learning about them at all, so has to finish the fight quirkless. Honestly, Uraraka is the MVP of this battle, and there’s some nice ship tease with her and Izuku as my reward. After that, we switch over to the dark side of the cast—it even gets pointed out, with one chapter being called “My Villain Academia,” and a heavier focus on the League of Villains, who are falling on hard times at the moment. Things are not helped by a new, more corporate set of villains trying to get their foot in the door, and the volume ends with a confrontation. This has become one of the biggest Jump series, and it’s well deserved. – Sean Gaffney

My Hero Academia, Vol. 23 | By Kohei Horikoshi | VIZ Media – There is so much going on in this volume. As the battle training with class B comes to a close, Midoriya learns that he will eventually inherit six additional quirks from past wielders of One for All and Shinso gets to use his power to save someone and earns admission into the hero course. Mina gets a couple of badass panels while Uraraka gets several (as well as a rare smile from Aizawa). I love how much Aizawa has taken Shinso under his wing and that we get a glimpse of and a reference to someone he and Mic knew when they were students, a boy called Shirakumo. We also meet the Meta Liberation Army, who are determined to take down the League of Villains. Todoroki and Bakugo get their provisional hero licenses and we learn a little of Shigaraki’s backstory. Phew! I love this series so much. – Michelle Smith

My Hero Academia: Smash!!, Vol. 3 | By Hirofumi Neda| Viz Media – Again, I like how this gag series is handled. It’s character-based exaggeration, but it also follows the main storyline for the most part, so it can use multiple modes of humor. It’s also not above pointing out its own flaws—when Momo is lacking confidence, Eraserhead tells her to spend a week living with Uraraka, and the latter is quick to point out that “my poverty being of service to you” is offensive. Of course, the series is also not above mocking her love of rich person’s food over and over again, so. We even get a good look at the league of villains here, and they’re just as goofy. This is still a lot of fun. – Sean Gaffney

The Quintessential Quintuplets, Vol. 7 | By Negi Haruba | Kodansha Comics – Somehow I missed reviewing the sixth volume of this series, and it’s a shame, as the seventh book is fantastic, possibly the highlight of the series in general. After spending about half of it leading up to the exams, and reminding us what’s at stake, we see the girls taking them one by one, each flashing back to their own issues and challenges—the biggest of which may be Yotsuba’s, as she reveals she’s the one who failed the makeup exam at their old school, and the others left with her in solidarity. The results are brought off perfectly, but Nino is saved for last, and she’s the one who gets the best part, right at the end. Still one of the best romantic comedy manga we’ve seen in some time. – Sean Gaffney

The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 2 | By Kousuke Oono | Viz Media – There’s not really much here in plot or characterization beyond the surface. But when the surface is this, you absolutely don’t care. Househusband is all about style, and in that the book succeeds dramatically. I liked that it featured his wife a bit more in the various chapters, and you can see why he loves her. Everyone keeps mistaking him for doing horrible yakuza deals, even when he’s pushing spices for birthday parties. That said, you really can’t blame them given he’s also pushing his yakuza thoughts into his everyday life, such as the yoga poses, which was absolutely hilarious. We also meet his wife’s family, and their desperate attempts at bonding, which they do after a fashion. This is a whole lot of fun. – Sean Gaffney

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 22 | By Mizuho Kusanagi | VIZ Media – This volume begins with the aftermath of the adventure in Sei, with Lady Riri dealing with the gratitude of her people, which she doesn’t feel she’s earned; Hak reflecting on adolescent memories of Su-Won, whose ability to see the world impartially means he has no special attachment to anyone; and the Four Dragons working to get back a hairpin for Yona that Su-Won gave her. Then we’re off to another adventure in a foreign land. One of the princesses of Xing is sure they’re Kohka’s next target for expansion and proposes war while her younger sister proposes preemptive surrender in order to save lives. Would-be assassins raid the latter’s compound, where there are a couple of badass fighters and lots of kitties. It’s very much a transitional volume, but still quite good. I’m always bummed whenever I run out of Yona to read. – Michelle Smith

Manga the Week of 2/19/20

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SEAN: February. I can’t believe we’re still in February.

ASH: It really does seem to be taking its time this year.

SEAN: Fantagraphics gives us the 2nd volume of Kago’s (has he dropped his first name?) Dementia 21, which promises to be disturbing in many and varied ways.

ASH: The first volume was pretty great, in true Kago fashion, so reader be warned.

SEAN: J-Novel Club has dabbled in shoujo light novels (Bakarina), but at Anime NYC they announced a big push to start a shoujo LN line. The first of those is out next week, I Refuse to Be Your Enemy! (Watashi wa Teki ni Narimasen!). It’s from PASH! Books. The premise is quite similar to Bakarina: the heroine realizes that she’s the villain character in an RPG… but she’s not the villain till she gets married! When her future husband shows up, she decides to RUN AWAY!

MICHELLE: Sounds potentially fun.

ANNA: Running away from husbands is a good trope.

SEAN: J-Novel Club also have Banner of the Stars 2, Cooking with Wild Game 6, and The Greatest Magicmaster’s Retirement Plan 4.

In print next week, Kodansha gives us Drifting Dragons 3, Eden’s Zero 6, Fairy Tail 100 Year Quest 3, Gleipnir 6, and O Maidens in Your Savage Season 6. That’s more print than the last four weeks have had.

ASH: I’ve been meaning to give Drifting Dragons a try now that it’s available in print. I’m a volume or so behind, but O Maidens in Your Savage Season has been consistently excellent.

SEAN: The digital debut is I’ll Win You Over, Sempai! (Senpai! Ima Kara Kokurimasu!), a 5-volume shoujo series from Nakayoshi. A girl has lived a life when she’s always confessed successfully and never been dumped… till now. Still, she persists… because if she just keeps confessing over and over, eventually he’ll say yes! This seems like the sort of series that had better be very funny or it may be excruciating.

MICHELLE: Forsooth.

SEAN: Also out digitally is GE: Good Ending 2, Living Room Matsunaga-san 7, Lovesick Ellie 10, MabuSasa 2, and Shojo FIGHT! 9.

MICHELLE: Yay for more Lovesick Ellie and Shojo FIGHT!.

ANNA: I need to get caught up.

SEAN: Seven Seas has four titles, all 2nd volumes. We get Arifureta ZERO’s 2nd manga volume, How to Train Your Devil 2, the 2nd (early digital) volume of Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA, and Nicola Traveling Around the Demons’ World 2.

ASH: The first volume of Nicola Traveling Around the Demons’ World was an absolute delight! The second is high on my list to pick up.

SEAN: Tokyopop gives us the done-in-one volume Dekoboku Sugar Days, another BL title from Gentosha, this one from LOVE xxx BOYS Pixiv. A boy who always had to be protected by our hero as a kid is now all grown up… and huge! Can there still be any protecting? What about a confession?

Vertical has the 7th Arakawa Under the Bridge and a 2nd Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro.

Viz gives us Downfall, an Inio Asano title for those who think Dead Dead Demon is too light and cheery. It’s depressing, realistic, and no doubt excellent. It ran in Big Comic Superior.

MICHELLE: I’m sure it’s excellent, but I just can’t handle depressing these days.

ANNA: Me too, I’ll stick with the cheerfulness of Dead Dead Demon.

ASH: I’ll definitely be reading this, but will need to wait for the timing to be just right.

MJ: Wow.

SEAN: Also from Viz: The Drifting Classroom Perfect Edition 2, Golden Kamuy 14, Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt 13, Ran and the Gray World 6, Tokyo Ghoul: re 15, and, most importantly, Urusei Yatsura’s 5th omnibus.

ASH: Ooooh, I’ll be reading quite a few of those, too!

MJ: I still mourn what Ran and the Gray World was in its first volume.

SEAN: Yen On has a 10th volume of No Game No Life, the first to come out without any delays in ages. They’ve also got Log Horizon 1-11 out digitally, meaning every Yen On series is now available in both print and digital. Hooray!

As for Yen Press and the manga end, no debuts, but we do get Interspecies Reviewers 3, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Familia Chronicle Episode Lyu 6, Kakegurui Twin 5, Overlord a La Carte 3, Re: ZERO Arc 3 Volume 10, The Royal Tutor 13, Silver Spoon 13…

MJ: Silver Spoooooooooooooooon!

ASH: Silver Spoon is a terrific series.

SEAN: …Skull-Faced Bookseller Honda-san 3, and Tales of Wedding Rings 8.

ASH: Looking forward to spending some more time with my Skull-Faced friend.

MJ: I’m here for Skull-Face.

SEAN: That’s quite a bit. Anything tickle your fancy?

Jackaby, Books 1-4 by William Ritter

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jackaby1Jackaby
I’ve seen this series described as “Sherlock meets Doctor Who,” and that is pretty apt. It’s January 1892 and our plucky British narrator, Abigail Rook, has just arrived in New England and needs employment. No one is hiring except for the eccentric investigator, R. F. Jackaby, who is looking for a new assistant since his previous one is “currently waterfowl.” Jackaby’s physical description is evocative of Benedict Cumberbatch in character as Sherlock, and he’s occasionally tactless, but aside from one early demonstration, he doesn’t do much in the way of deduction. Instead, he’s more like The Doctor—a kooky, scarf-wearing fellow who dashes about warning townspeople of supernatural threats while they regard him as “a crackpot imbecile.” Abigail is, of course, the companion—a clever girl who has always longed for adventure but who has until now been denied it. Happily, there is no hint of romance between them.

In this first installment, Abigail and Jackaby work together to solve a series of murders afflicting a particular apartment building. Jackaby, of course, can tell the culprit is a creature of some sort while the policeman in charge scoffs at this assertion and, at one point, locks Abigail and Jackaby up for impeding his investigation. Although I liked the characters—especially Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly resident of Jackaby’s headquarters—the mystery portion of the book was sadly predictable. “Obvious culprit is obvious,” I wrote in my notes, and though I didn’t work out what sort of creature was to blame, another character’s bestial secret was no surprise.

Still, I did enjoy Jackaby and like the characters and tone well enough to continue. I do hope the next mystery is a little less transparent, though.

the-map“The Map”
This short story takes place on Abigail’s birthday. She’s been quite clear about not wanting a fuss, but Jackaby is determined that they will have an adventure. Their first stop is a magical market, which she doesn’t enjoy much, to Jackaby’s disappointment. While there, however, they pick up a treasure map and proceed to complete a series of challenges in search of the treasure buried by the notorious rogue, the Bold Deceiver.

“The Map” may not be an essential piece of reading, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I especially liked the challenge in which they must get past the enormous hare guarding a castle—that one was sad and funny simultaneously. I also like that they’re not 100% successful with all the tasks, since centuries have passed since they were set up. On the whole, it’s worth checking out.

jackaby2Beastly Bones
It’s now the spring of 1892 and Jackaby and Abigail have been sent to the nearby town of Gad’s Valley to investigate thefts from a paleontological dig site. Abigail is mad for fossils, so is very excited about this prospect, while Jackaby must be convinced it’s worth their time. Another benefit is that Abigail gets to spend more time with Charlie the handsome policeman, for whom she has feelings, though she’s unsure what to do about him. Jenny the ghost has advised her to go for it and make the first move while Nelly Fuller, intrepid lady reporter, chastises her for thinking about love. “Do you want to be safe and happy or do you want to be great?”

As I had hoped, the mystery in Beastly Bones is a definite improvement over the first book; despite being a fine example of Chekhov’s Gun, its multiple layers made for a more complex case. Mostly, however, I liked that one aspect of it remains unsolved. Even though this series has Sherlockian elements, it hadn’t occurred to me that there’d be a Moriarty equivalent, but it looks like there is!

Still, the characters remain the main draw. Jackaby can be brash and insulting, but he doesn’t talk down to Abigail or treat her like a kid. I enjoyed his aversion to hearing about her romantic problems, and his awkward attempts to be sweet. “Buck up; you’re dreadful company when you’re melancholy.” Abigail continues to be resourceful and likable. And though there wasn’t much of Jenny, the ending finds her enlisting Jackaby to delve into her own murder. I’m very much looking forward to it!

jackaby3Ghostly Echoes
I’d really been looking forward to Ghostly Echoes and the truth behind Jenny’s murder, but it wasn’t exactly what I’d been hoping for.

True, Jenny’s murder is solved, but there is practically zero exploration of the person she was when she was alive. The plot is more about the evil council responsible (turns out that Moriarty-seeming character from previous books was only stirring things up to keep Jackaby busy so this group of dark fae could keep an eye on him) and the looming threat to mankind. Jenny did grow tremendously in both confidence and ability, and had a few genuinely badass moments in which she got to save her friends. I also appreciated her realization that she is more than a mere echo of the girl who died, but has her own thoughts and feelings. “I’m my own somebody.” I liked all of that, but I still wish she’d been the focus throughout instead of only in places.

Too, there’s not really much Jackaby, either. Yes, we learn about his childhood friend who was the Seer before him and how the council was after her too, but he just seems so… deflated. I guess it’s reasonable for him to be subdued given the case and its implications—he was worried that closure for Jenny might mean she’d move on—but I missed the humor he used to bring to situations. I reckon there shan’t be much of that in the next volume, either, in which our heroes face off against the bad guys and attempt to save the world.

The Dire King
The final entry in the Jackaby series wasn’t bad but, like the previous installment, certain character moments that I really wanted to see play out were completely glossed over.

Jackaby and company are trying to prevent the Dire King from destroying the veil that separates the Annwn and our world. This involves locating a particular magical artifact, attempting to destroy a diabolical machine, clashing armies, and lots and lots of fairies and magical creatures. I cannot possibly express how little interest I have in lots and lots of fairies and magical creatures.

There was at least more Jackaby here, and a somewhat warmer one, which I appreciated. I just wish there was much more about him and Jenny. She’s finally able to overcome her inability to touch him when his life is on the line, and there’s the suggestion that they’re going to live happily ever after once the crisis has been averted, but man, I really wish we’d gotten a scene where he pours his heart out and she scolds him for taking so long while also crying happily. Similarly, while I like where Abigail ultimately ends up, the very end is briefly pretty great but then it’s just… over.

I know cheesy epilogues get maligned pretty often, but in this case I would’ve appreciated one!

Pick of the Week: Cat Feud

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MICHELLE: There is so much good stuff coming out this week! My Androgynous Boyfriend and The Carp on the Chopping Block Jumps Twice are exciting enough, and then there was the surprise (to me) of a What’s Michael? reissue. What I’ve been looking forward to the most, though, is A Man and His Cat. In these trying times, the heartwarming tale of a kitty and an old dude who find each other sounds like balm for the soul.

SEAN: I am down for A Man and His Cat to be sure, as well as My Androgynous Boyfriend, plus my usual faves like Kase-san and Hayate. But I’m going to go with the What’s Michael? reissue here, because the original is one of the most iconic cat manga out there, because Makoto Kobayashi’s art is so unique, because it’s just so dang WEIRD, and because if it does well maybe we’ll get Club 9.

KATE: I was going to suggest we title this week’s column “Cat Scratch Fever,” but I thought better of it… Emoji I will say, however, that I’m 100% on board with the MB gang’s feline-friendly picks. I’m stoked for both What’s Michael? and A Man and His Cat.

MICHELLE: The Week of the Cat?

ANNA: I’m all in favor of cat manga, but my pick this week goes to the SubLime debut Given, which features music, cute boys, and plenty of angsty emotions. What else could one want?

ASH: I am thrilled that What’s Michael? is back in print (and I’ll likely be double-dipping, despite somehow managing to pull together a complete collection of the original trade release), and I’m very excited about the debut of a new publisher and A Man and His Cat, but I’m with Anna this week in making Given my official pick. (With My Androgynous Boyfriend coming in as a close second!)

MJ: I’m also very interested in Given, which I’m really hoping to love, but for my official pick I gotta go cat. I missed What’s Michael? the first time around, so I’m excited about that, too, but I think my top choice has to be A Man and His Cat.

Manga the Week of 2/12/20

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SEAN: It’s Valentine’s Week! Instead of chocolate, why not get your crush manga?

Dark Horse is giving up a 500+-page omnibus of What’s Michael?, the first of two, I believe. I’m pretty sure this is just a straight re-release of the 6 volumes we’d seen way back in the day as an omnibus – still flipped, still censored, etc. But I don’t really care, as I love What’s Michael? to bits, and seeing it back in print in a giant omnibus delights me.

MICHELLE: !!! I’ll take what I can get!

ASH: Same! While I would love to see the rest of What’s Michael released in translation, I’m just happy that it’ll be back in print at all.

MJ: What they said!

SEAN: J-Novel Club has two debuts. The digital manga debut is Cooking with Wild Game, whose novel J-NC has already put out. A boy and his elf village who have no idea how to cook meat.

The digital novel debut is Teogonia, which seems like a somewhat grim fantasy with reincarnated memories.

J-Novel also has Seirei Gensouki manga volume 3 and Sorcerous Stabber Orphen LN 6.

Kodansha’s debut (in print or once!) is Beyond the Clouds, which has been called Ghibli-esque, so has a lot to live up to. It originally comes form a French publisher, and its premise reminds me a lot of… well, Laputa, so Ghlibi comparisons fit.

The digital debut is The Dorm of Love and Secrets (Koi to Himitsu no Gakuseiryou), another Dessert title, from an author whose Heart Break Club has been released digitally here by MediaDo. This one’s a quarter of the size of that, and is about… sigh… a school divided into average and elite kids, and… sigh… an average girl who ends up in the elite group. Sigh.

MICHELLE: That does not bode exceptionally well.

ANNA: Oh wow, that has never been done before.

MJ: I guess we can just… hope that there will be something fresh about it? I. Yeah.

SEAN: Also out next week digitally: 1122 For a Happy Marriage 5, All-Out!! 12, Ex Enthusiasts – Motokare Mania 3, Farewell My Dear Cramer 7, That Blue Summer 2, and The Prince’s Romance Gambit 6.

Seven Seas makes up for its absence last week. There are SIX debuts (two have come out digital first). Bloom Into You gets a light novel spinoff, Regarding Saeki Sayaka, which I found VERY enjoyable when it came out digitally last year.

The Carp on the Chopping Block Jumps Twice (Sojou no Koi wa Nido Haneru) is the sequel to The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese, and thus has several interested Manga Bookshelf parties.

MICHELLE: Forsooth.

ANNA: Yes!

ASH: It is true.

MJ: This!

SEAN: Citrus+, the sequel to Citrus, had a digital early release, but this is the print version. I’m guessing there’s angst.

Kase-san and Yamada finally gives up on the “and ________” title format and gives us what we really want – the two leads, together, in college.

My Androgynous Boyfriend (Genderless Danshi ni Ai sarete imasu) is a josei title from Shodensha’s Feel Young, and the mere fact we’re GETTING another Feel Young title makes me happy. It is about a woman who works in publishing and her boyfriend, who makes himself beautiful for her. It sounds terrific. The author also had the BL title A Lotus in the Mud released digitally recently.

MICHELLE: Definitely looking forward to this one!

ANNA: I am intrigued.

ASH: I’m really looking forward to this one, too.

MJ: I’m so here for this!

SEAN: Lastly, there’s Scarlet, a Comic Yuri Hime title about a vampire who got that way by ingesting a drug, a werewolf who’s also Red Riding Hood, and their tortured yuri relationship. Also: they fight crime!

The non-debut from Seven Seas is the 2nd volume of Our Wonderful Days. (So that’s seven new titles from Seven Seas next week, all queer. Dang.)

ASH: That makes me happy.

MJ: Well, that’s lovely.

SEAN: We have a new publisher debuting! Square Enix Manga finally has its first release, and it’s one the Manga Bookshelf team are most excited about. A Man and His Cat (Ojisama to Neko) is listed as ‘shoujo’ but also runs in Shonen Gangan, and, well, that’s Square Enix for ya. The title is the story, but this one looks super good.

MICHELLE: A good week for cats!

ANNA: This looks cute.

ASH: Very curious about this one.

MJ: And that demographic confusion is my love affair with Square Enix in a nutshell, isn’t it?

SEAN: SuBLime has a debut as well, Given. It runs in Shinshokan’s Cheri +, and seems to be the gay version of Anonymous Noise.

MICHELLE: I’ve seen the first chunk of anime episodes and liked it a lot.

ANNA: It is absolutely adorable. Love the cover.

ASH: I’m excited for the chance to read this!

MJ: I didn’t love the straight version, so maybe this is the one I’ve been waiting for!

SEAN: They also have a 2nd volume of Yarichin Bitch Club.

Vertical given us the 5th Kino’s Journey manga.

Viz gives us the 8th Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Hayate the Combat Butler 35, Komi Can’t Communicate 5, and A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow 2.

ASH: I just picked up the first volume of A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow; maybe I should go ahead and pick up the second, too.

MJ: There are a few things I’m interested in, there.

SEAN: Lastly, Yen On has a straggler light novel with the 2nd volume of The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn As a Typical Nobody.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Which of these titles will you accidentally eat thinking they’re chocolate?

Pick of the Week: Yona and Others

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SEAN: It’s Jump/Beat week, folks, and once again my pick is Yona of the Dawn, because it remains one of the best manga Shojo Beat is putting out.

MICHELLE: It is super hard to choose between all the Jump/Beat offerings! Since Sean’s got Yona covered, I’ll pick My Hero Academia. I really like this arc, pitting class 1A and 1B against each other, and even though I know how it ends (courtesy of my Shonen Vault subscription) I’m still eager to revisit it.

ANNA: It is a tough week for me, because needing to pick between Yona of the Dawn and other Shojo Beat offerings is very difficult. But I’m going to go with Shortcake Cake because in it, a romance moves forward after some incredibly cinematic love confessions. This volume is shoujo turned up to 11!

ASH: Like seemingly everyone else this week, Yona of the Dawn is one of my top picks, but I’m also really looking forward to the latest volume of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.

MJ: I’m not feeling as excited about the ongoing Jump/Beat series this week, so I’m going to stray into digital and take a look at Kodansha’s debut, Let’s Kiss in Secret Tomorrow. I’m not sure what to expect, but I’m always a fan of childhood friends-to-lovers, so I’ll give it my pick for the week!

Bookshelf Briefs 2/1/20

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Anonymous Noise, Vol. 18 | By Ryoko Fukuyama | VIZ Media – It took a while for me to get into Anonymous Noise, and I still wouldn’t call it a favorite exactly, but it must be said that this final volume made me verklempt on a few occasions. I particularly liked that Nino and Momo getting back together is not the main focus, because that was so not what I was most invested in with this series. Instead, we get Nino telling Yuzu she wants to sing his songs forever, and him realizing that means even more than winning her heart. There are some awesome concert scenes—that full-page image of Yuzu singing!—and a sense of joyous confidence as they contemplate their musical future together. Too, I appreciated that the final appearance of Yuzu and Nino wordlessly confirmed that, yes, he did eventually grow taller than her. I think I might miss this series now that it’s over. – Michelle Smith

Giant Killing, Vol. 18 | By Masaya Tsunamoto and Tsujitomo | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – The second half of the season has begun! Tatsumi’s strategy going forward is to foster bettter communication and flexibility, so he’s been having the players swap positions, giving chances to non-regulars, etc. The best thing about this series is how Tatsumi has truly earned the players’ trust, and now the team feels more cohesive, each player secure in the knowledge that Tatsumi is looking out for them on an individual level and will help them to improve. Well, mostly everyone. Tsubaki is getting frustrated with his “terrible” playing and is pretty much useless after making a poor decision (while playing an unfamiliar defensive role) that leads to an ETU player’s injury. I really like that, even if they lose, they’re not a high school team trying to reach Nationals, so there’s still hope for the season. Have I mentioned lately how much I love Giant Killing? Verily, I do. – Michelle Smith

Haikyu!!, Vol. 36 | By Haruichi Furudate | Viz Media – I think I forgot to review the 35th volume of Haikyu!!. No doubt it was very good and also filled with volleyball. As is this 36th volume. It is a credit to the author that he has kept the games interesting, and I can easily distinguish between the major adversaries, which is more than I can say for some manga. There’s a few more flashbacks, some really killer moves… a lot of people jump high in the air… I may have to wait till the game finishes to review another volume, though, as I just can’t keep typing up “this was really cool volleyball” over and over again without stretching things out like I’m a contestant on Just a Minute. At least the series is ending in Japan in a week or two, so we’ll soon catch up. -Sean Gaffney

Jujutsu Kaisen, Vol. 1 | By Gege Akutami | Viz Media – I forget where I first heard of Jujutsu Kaisen, but the general impression I’ve garnered from others has largely been positive. Now having read the first volume myself, I can honestly say that I enjoyed the manga. However, it’s clear that the series still has some room to grow before it truly distinguishes itself. Jujutsu Kaisen is Akutami’s first long-form work which may partly explain why the series comes across as being so heavily influenced by other manga. But even while its ideas aren’t particularly new and the tropes that are used are well-worn, the specific and sometimes seemingly disparate combination of them in Jujutsu Kaisen has a sort of quirky charm—which is admittedly kind of a strange description for what is essentially a horror manga about demon hunting. There is darkness, seriousness, and drama in Jujutsu Kaisen, but many of the characters tend to be likeable goofballs. – Ash Brown

MabuSasa, Vol. 1 | By Nanase | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – With its cute cover and male lead who looks like a scary delinquent but who is actually kind, I thought MabuSasa was going to be a sweet love story akin to Honey So Sweet. I was very wrong. It’s not advertised as such anywhere that I could find, but this is actually a 4-koma manga. True, there aren’t titles for the strips, but the page layout fits, as does the sensibility. Mabuchi is indeed a sympathetic character, but he’s surrounded by one-note caricatures. Most infuriating is Akira Sasagawa (the Sasa of the title), our fujoshi heroine who absolutely refuses to listen when Mabuchi swears that he’s not in a relationship with his best friend, Sota Ando. She concocts BL scenarios at every opportunity, even when Mabuchi meets and plays with her little brother. All of this is meant to be funny, I’m assuming, but I didn’t smile once. – Michelle Smith

Yowamushi Pedal, Vol. 13 | By Wataru Watanabe | Yen Press – Sheesh, the Inter-High still isn’t over in this volume. It literally takes 300 pages to go 3.5 kilometers! In that time, there are a couple of big matchups. The first is Imaizumi versus Midousuji, where the former is bolstered by the power of friendship while the latter pulls off new and even more nightmarish contortions while scoffing at the notion that friends are anything more than useless. Imaizumi emerges victorious but a crack in his bike’s frame means that Sohoku’s hopes now rest with Onoda, who goes head to head with Manami. Probably my favorite parts were the reactions of the Sohoku third years to the announcement that Onoda is still in the running to take the whole thing. 500 meters remain at the end of the volume. Next time for sure, right? – Michelle Smith

Manga the Week of 2/5/20

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SEAN: It’s February! The worst month! And it’s a day longer this year! Why not read some really good manga, then?

ASH: Sounds like a good plan.

ANNA: Indeed.

MJ: I’m in.

SEAN: We’ll start with J-Novel Club, who have a plethora of releases, both print and digital. Full Metal Panic! gets a print omnibus of its first three volumes in a fancy hardcover edition that looks cool. Fans won’t want to miss it.

Isekai Rebuilding Project (Isekai Saiken Keikaku) is another one from Kodansha’s Legend Novels, and is about what happens after the hero arrives from another world, bringing with him smartphones, modern economics, and weaponry… and then leaves them to their own devices. Yes, it’s an isekai cleanup squad for when things don’t go according to keikaku. The cover art looks fantastic.

ASH: That really is a great cover.

SEAN: Outer Ragna (Game Jikkyou ni yoru Kouryaku to Gyakushuu no Outer Ragna) is also from Legend Novels, and doesn’t quite have an isekai, but the gamer now finds he can ‘possess’ the heroine to help save the world.

They’ve also got the 2nd Faraway Paladin manga, How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord 8 in print, If It’s For My Daughter I’d Even Defeat a Demon Lord 7 in print, In Another World with My Smartphone 8 in print, the 3rd Infinite Dendrogram manga, and The Magic in This Other World Is Too Far Behind! 7 in print.

Kodansha, in print, has Boarding school Juliet 10 and Granblue Fantasy 3.

The digital debut is Let’s Kiss in Secret Tomorrow (Ashita, Naisho no Kiss Shiyou), a Dessert manga with an unusual premise: the couple start the manga together, as childhood friends turned lovers. But they’re in high school, and now have to hide their relationship. And the guy is suddenly really hot! Can they stay together?

MICHELLE: I will at least give it a try, since I generally like things from Dessert.

MJ: It had me at “childhood friends turned lovers.”

SEAN: Also digitally: Drifting Dragons 6, Our Precious Conversations 6, Smile Down the Runway 6, The Tale of Genji: Dreams at Dawn 10, To Be Next to You 2, and To Write Your Words 3.

MICHELLE: To Be Next to You was pretty interesting, too, in that the heroine seems like the outsider (and out of her depth) in the love story the object of her affections is experiencing with another girl.

SEAN: Seven Seas has but one title: a digital release of Classroom of the Elite light novel 4.5 (yes, it’s one of those .5 novels).

TOKYOPOP has RePlay, a done in one BL manga from Comic Magazine LYNX. It’s about BL and baseball. (Insert Michelle comment here.)

MICHELLE: Crud. I may have to patronize TOKYOPOP.

ASH: I try to avoid TOKYOPOP, too, but some of the licenses are very tempting.

ANNA: I’m going to be strong and just read BL from SuBLime. You can’t trick me TOKYOPOP!

MJ: I’ll wait for Michelle to read it first.

SEAN: It’s the first week of the month, and you know what that means. No debuts for Viz this month, though!

Shonen: Blue Exorcist 23, Food Wars! 34, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure 4-4, Jujutsu Kaisen 2, My Hero Academia 23, My Hero Academia SMASH! 3, Seraph of the End 18, Twin Star Exorcists 17, and We Never Learn 8.

Shoujo: Ao Haru Ride 9, Shortcake Cake 7, Takane & Hana 13, and Yona of the Dawn 22. Getting all of these.

MICHELLE: Yep, every single one of the shoujo, and several of the shounen, as well.

ASH: JoJo and Yona are where my priorities are but, yeah, there’s a lot of good stuff in those lists.

ANNA: My favorite week for shoujo releases.

MJ: I’ve fallen behind on most of this, but I will catch up!

SEAN: Lastly, some Yen Press stragglers, including a couple of debuts. The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautious has its manga debut, and should be highly amusing.

IM: Great Priest Imhotep is getting its print debut. It runs in Shonen Gangan and is to Magi what Black Clover is to Fairy Tail.

ASH: I’ll admit I’m curious.

MJ: Well, huh.

SEAN: And there is also Hinowa Ga CRUSH! 3 and Though You May Burn to Ash 6, which has a surprising number of volumes given that you’ve already burned to ash.

ASH: I do a double-take every time I see this series mentioned. XD

SEAN: What manga is spicing up your February doldrums?

Pick of the Week: Rose’s Turn

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ASH: Back in 1983, Frederik L. Schodt introduced Riyoko Ikeda’s highly-influential manga The Rose of Versailles to English-reading audiences when he provided and except of it in his work Manga! Manga!: The World of Japanese Comics. Since then the license was a seemingly unobtainable prize. Even after Udon Entertainment announced the rights to release a English translation of The Rose of Versailles, the series languished for years. I wasn’t going to believe it until I saw it, but my faith has been restored – in 2020, I am finally holding the first glorious hardcover volume in my hands. Everyone else should be, too.

ANNA: I am so excited for The Rose of Versailles. I’m waiting for my copy, but will have a mini-celebration when I have it in my hands. There could be no other pick of the week!

SEAN: It feels like the last thirty-odd years of mainstream manga in North American has led up to this moment. The Rose of Versailles is not only long-awaited, but its presentation shows it was worth the wait. It’s magical.

MICHELLE: I find I still can’t believe it, despite credible reports of its existence. When my copy comes, I just might cry.

KATE: My copy of Rose of Versailles just arrived, and it’s gorgeous! So many epaulets! So many galaxy eyes! So many tears! I’m already swooning and I haven’t finished chapter one. (I guess it’s my pick of the week, too.)

MJ: It’s hard to believe this time has finally come! I don’t have my copy of The Rose of Versailles yet, but when it arrives, like Michelle, I think there’s a good chance I’ll cry!

Bookshelf Briefs 1/25/20

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Again!!, Vol. 12 | By Mitsurou Kubo | Kodansha Comics – For better or worse, Again!! has always been unpredictable. I appreciate that it didn’t always follow the expected story beats, but at the same time, the inconsistency has been frustrating. For example, Imamura’s fluctuating dedication to the Ouendan had him proclaim at one point how much he wanted his grandma to see him cheering, and had that occurred it would’ve been a heart-tugging moment. But it didn’t happen. Instead, Imamura returns from another do-over (this time, flashing to a future in which his death inspired the other characters) with an apathetic attitude that eventually prompts him to return to 2014—a future where his grandmother is dead—without apparently a single pang about it. The ending is also kind of abrupt and ambiguous. In the end, I find myself wishing this had been more predictable, ‘cos at least it would’ve been more satisfying. – Michelle Smith

Chihayafuru, Vol. 18 | By Yuki Suetsugu | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – This volume is full of choices for Chihaya. It’s time to complete another career survey, and this time she fills in a more realistic goal than becoming Queen. It’s also less ambitious, however, and thus her karuta advisor comes to see her play at the Yoshino Club Tournament to ask someone with more experience whether Chihaya really has the potential to become Queen. Happily, she’s playing with more precision and focus than ever, but her next opponent is Haruka Inokuma, a 4-time former Queen, so her chances really hinge on how she fares in that match. (I suspect Taichi vs. Arata is in the offing, as well.) Too, the school trip conflicts with the Master/Queen qualifiers, and Chihaya must choose which side of herself she wants to cultivate more. I seriously love this series and am eagerly anticipating the next volume! – Michelle Smith

Dr. STONE, Vol. 9 | By Riichiro Inagaki and Boichi | Viz Media – Perhaps being interesting was too much to ask, but Taiju and Yuzuriha are at least contributing now that they’ve been added to Senku’s team—Taiju by being a literal tank soaking up damage, and Yuzuriha by apparently taking all the statues that Tsukasa smashed and sewing them together, presumably so they can be revived. If this seems farfetched, it’s no more so than finding the hospital where Tsukasa’s terminally ill little sister was located and unstoning her, which apparently also cures her illness. That said, Tsukasa may not be the end boss, as there’s another who’s been waiting for the moment to make his debut as a Big Bad. This continues to be ridiculous but also cool. – Sean Gaffney

Hatsu*Haru, Vol. 10 | By Shizuki Fujisawa | Yen Press – Best Couple get the cover, and I continue to be more interested in them than I am Riko and Kai, who are cute and all but also somewhat predictable. The four of them go to the hot springs, mostly as Riko is too nervous to be alone with Kai, and Takaya learns that Ayumi leaves herself wide open. After a cute but slight Valentine’s chocolate chapter, the best part comes when Ayumi gets a bad cold and Takaya visits, meeting her parents and finding out she’s actually pretty rich and her family are famous film creators. Ayumi is not yet ready to reciprocate Takaya’s feelings, but she does open up to him about wanting to seek her own path. It’s great to see, and we have three volumes left after this, so I’m sure it will work out. – Sean Gaffney

ROADQUEEN: Eternal Roadtrip to Love | By Mira Ong Chua | Seven Seas – While not technically manga, ROADQUEEN will likely still appeal both stylistically and thematically to readers who enjoy Japanese comics. In particular, the volume makes an excellent addition to Seven Seas’ catalog of yuri titles. ROADQUEEN originated as a short online comic, followed up by a much longer multi-chapter sequel. Both of these stories and an additional bonus comic are collected in this volume. Leo, the prince of Princess Andromeda Academy, only has eyes for Bethany—her motorcycle. At least until Vega arrives on the scene and steals Bethany away. Vega promises she’ll give the bike back, but only after Leo proves that she can be a decent lesbian (not to mention human being). ROADQUEEN is deliberately over-the-top, Chua obviously having a lot of fun playing with tropes, but it can actually be very touching, too. With an abundance of humor and a ton of heart, ROADQUEEN is an absolute delight. – Ash Brown

Saki the Succubus Hungers Tonight, Vol. 1 | By Mikokuno Homare and studio HIP-CATs | Ghost Ship – I will admit that for a title that’s coming out via the Ghost Ship label, which means “borderline porn,” this is pretty cute. Saki is a fairly new, still virginal succubus who has been thrown out of her family home as she’s old enough to be finding men to “feed” on, but she’s honestly a bit too shy for all that. She is thus near starvation when found by Renta, an adult salaryman who is also a virgin. They clearly fall for each other pretty fast, but are also both innocent and clueless, so nothing happens… well, OK, something happens, she manages to “feed,” but the plot is still “will they ever actually do anything” and the answer is likely “no.” Still, for tease, this is relatively cute and sweet. – Sean Gaffney

Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 5 | By Sorata Akiduki | Viz Media – Welp, despite what I thought, the series does not end just because the main couple confessed. Indeed, most of the volume involves separating the two—not by design, but simply as Shirayuki has been invited to another country for a get together… her old country, where Prince Raj is. Indeed, after having it out with her a couple of volumes ago, Raj is seemingly turning over a new leaf, but that doesn’t mean he’s comfortable around her at all—he never expected she’d accept the invitation. Her bodyguard for this journey is Obi, and I note that this series is very good at having a bunch of guys in it who are not immediately in love with the heroine. Whether that’s true of the new villain introduced here, who knows? – Sean Gaffney

Teasing Master Takagi-san, Vol. 7 | By Soichiro Yamamoto | Yen Press – Having established that our leads will end up married with a child in the future, the series can now slowly move forward in increments, culminating in the final chapter here, where Nishikata, of his own volition, asks Takagi to the summer festival. But we’re also looking back, as we get to see how the two of them first met, and how Nishikata’s two basic qualities—a nice guy with great faces when he’s embarrassed or upset—inspire Takagi almost immediately. I’m not sure this is exactly when she falls for him, but she certainly has by the end of this book, which gives us another nice blushing reaction from her. Oh yes, and there’s still plenty of teasing. You expected something else? – Sean Gaffney

The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 2 | By Kousuke Oono | VIZ Media – This was another fun volume of The Way of the Househusband, in which Tatsu tries aerobics and yoga, intimidates a yakuza by offering him kitchen gadgets, eradicates stubborn stains in Masa’s laundry, plays volleyball with housewives, and more. I really appreciate that we saw more of Miku, his wife, this time around, and probably my favorite chapter is the final one, in which her parents drop by for a visit. Even though the fish-out-of-water setup in this series reminds me of the premise of Saint Young Men, The Way of the Househusband is not only visually superior (better art, great pacing to jokes), but has more heart, especially the bonus chapter in which we see Miku’s dad practicing for the moment when he asks Tatsu if he wants to go outside and play catch. I stop short of calling the manga sweet, but it’s wholly endearing. Highly recommended. – Michelle Smith

Yowamushi Pedal, Vol. 13 | By Wataru Watanabe | Yen Press – Yowamushi Pedal, Vol. 13 | By Wataru Watanabe | Yen Press – OK, I was probably foolish to think the race would end in this volume. We’re gonna have to wait for fourteen. But in return, we get so much shonen sports at its best. Midousuji does his best, but then crashes and burns. Instead, it’s Manami who gets the bulk of this book, where we discover that he enjoys shifting gears higher when he should be doing the opposite, just to make things even more fun. That said, he shouldn’t dismiss our hero, Onoda, who has his pedaling and his Pretty Princess song to keep him going forever. (Oh yes, and his mother shows up—apparently at rando, as he never told her about the race? This was the funniest part of the book.) Things should end next volume… well, at least this race. – Sean Gaffney

Manga the Week of 1/29/20

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SEAN: The end of the month, and it’s time for lots and lots of stuff. What have we got?

First of all, jumping to the front of the queue because of what it is, we have Udon’s debut of The Rose of Versailles. You should know this one. One of the most influential manga ever. It’s hardcover. It’s almost 500 pages. You will all read it. It’s definitely Pick of the Week, so you’ll have to pardon the double pictures.

MICHELLE: *Kermit flailing*

ANNA: Back before there was an actual industry for translated manga in the United States, I read the excerptr of The Rose of Versailles that was translated in Frederik R. Schodt’s Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics. I am so excited to read this.

ASH: I’ve read that excerpt, too! (It’s a great book.) I am absolutely thrilled The Rose of Versailles is finally becoming a reality in English.

MJ: I’m so excited, I can barely type. This release has taken a while, and I have no doubt it will be worth the wait!

SEAN: Cross Infinite World has another shoujo light novel, this one called The Misfortune Devouring Witch is Actually a Vampire?! (Ijippari na Majo Dono e). You can tell the title has been Westernized as it’s a ?!, not a !?.

ASH: Ha!

SEAN: Dark Horse has the 3rd Elfen Lied omnibus.

Ghost Ship has three titles, one a debut. Saki the Succubus Hungers Tonight (Saki-chan wa Konya mo Peko Peko) runs in Houbunsha’s Weekly Manga Times, and features a young and innocent succubus who is trying to get… male bodily fluids from a guy without doing anything really dirty. It’s sort of cute in a “not quite porn” way.

MJ: This is… not what I’m looking for in manga. Or really anything at all. I kind of regret reading this description.

SEAN: They’ve also got Yokai Girls 9 and Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs 8.

J-Novel Club has two new light novel series debuting. By the Grace of the Gods (Kami-tachi ni Hirowareta Otoko) is another reincarnation isekai series from Hobby Japan, but this one seems to involve very nice people. The hero is nice, the gods are nice, the slimes are nice… it seems nice. Expect “slice of life”.

The other title comes from the PASH! Books imprint, and is The World’s Least Interesting Master Swordsman (Jimi na Kensei wa Soredemo Saikyou desu). The plot really, really sounds like One-Punch Man to me… a reincarnated guy who swings his sword to get stronger… for 500 years… suddenly finds he’s super strong. But his swordsmanship is boring. I suspect this one will live and die by the supporting cast.

Also from J-Novel Club is How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord 12, Kokoro Connect 8, and Record of Wortenia War 4.

On the manga side, J-Novel Club has a 2nd Discommunication and the 3rd How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom.

Kodansha’s print debut has already come out digitally: Living-Room Matsunaga-san, a shoujo series from Dessert. A young woman moves into a boarding house filled with oddballs, and finds herself looked after by an older man.

MICHELLE: I’d been meaning to read this one!

ASH: I’m curious, too.

MJ: This sounds interesting! Or possibly creepy? It seems like it could go either way!

SEAN: Also out in print is The Quintessential Quintuplets 7.

No digital debuts for Kodansha, but we do get Altair: A Record of Battles 14, Boarding School Juliet 14, DAYS 16, Drowning Love 16, Guilty 4, and Watari-kun’s ****** Is about to Collapse 2.

MICHELLE: Huzzah for more DAYS!

SEAN: Seven Seas has two debut light novels, one print and one digital. The print we saw before digitally: SCP Foundation: Iris Through the Looking Glass. It tied into the SCP Foundation universe.

The digital-first debut is At Night, I Become a Monster (Yoru no Bakemono). It’s from the author of I Want to Eat Your Pancreas, so expect good writing and melancholy. A boy turns into a monster during the evenings, and runs into a classmate.

MICHELLE: Hm, interesting!

ASH: I’m waiting for the print, but I am intrigued.

MJ: Interested.

SEAN: Also out from Seven Seas: The Dungeon of Black Company 4, Magika Swordsman and Summoner 12, My Monster Secret 19, and Toradora! light novel 9.

For Udon, see The Rose of Versailles above. Just thought I’d mention it again. The Rose of Versailles. Officially out in English. And looking amazing.

MICHELLE: I still can’t really believe it, honestly. I’ll believe it when I’m holding it in my hands.

ANNA: I’m trying to mentally prepare.

ASH: One of my most anticipated releases of the current and past several years.

MJ: What everyone else said. I mean. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

SEAN: Vertical has a 4th APOSIMZ.

The rest of Yen Press, but we’re not close to done. Yen On’s debut is Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina (Majo no Tabitabi). A Softbank Creative series about, well, a wandering witch. The premise makes it sound like a happier, more positive version of Kino’s Journey.

Yen On also has A Sister’s All You Need 6, Goblin Slayer 9, and Torture Princess 3.

Also, in an effort to make all their books available digitally, Yen On now has digital debuts of two older series that were print-only. Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers Vols. 1-6, and the standalone The Hero and His Elf Bride Open a Pizza Parlor in Another World.

Three debuts… sort of… in the manga department. Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun is a digital-only series now making its print debut. It also has an anime running now. It runs in GFantasy, so expect it to be a shonen series for girls.

ASH: I’m here for it! Looking forward to giving the series a try.

MJ: Did you say GFantasy? You know I’m here for that.

SEAN: The other debuts are adaptations of light novels. I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years (and Maxed Out My Level) runs in Gangan Online, and The World’s Strongest Rearguard runs in Kadokawa’s Comic Walker. The former is cute fluff, the latter is bad but fun.

We also get Aoharu x Machinegun 16, Final Fantasy: Lost Stranger 4, High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even in Another World 6, Horimiya 13, Murcielago 13, No Matter How I Look at It It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular! 15, and The Saga of Tanya the Evil 9.

Again, and I cannot emphasize it enough, Rose of Versailles. Anything apart from that?

Pick of the Week: Househusbands

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SEAN: This week I’m torn between small children and yakuza husbands, so my pick is split between the 5th Ascendance of a Bookworm light novel and the second volume of The Way of the Househusband.

MICHELLE: I’m all in for The Way of the Househusband, personally, though I’m also intrigued by MabuSasa, the latest digital shoujo from Kodansha.

KATE: My pick is also The Way of the Househusband, a classic fish-out-of-water comedy that finds fresh ways to mine the gangster-goes-straight concept for laughs. Read it… or else!

ANNA: Way of the Househusband for me as well. The first volume was hilarious, looking forward to more of the same.

ASH: Who am I to argue with everyone else? The Way of the Househusband is unquestionably my pick this week, too.

MJ: Well, I’m certainly not going to be the one to destroy the consensus this week. The Way of the Househusband it is!