Michelle Smith

Presented with apologies for the delay.

Bloody Mary, Vol. 2 | By Akaza Samamiya | VIZ Media – For a moment there, I thought I could grow to really like Bloody Mary. Perhaps it was all the slashy situations that were happening, but the atmosphere briefly coalesced into something equal parts nifty and creepy. Unfortunately, this didn’t last long, and I was soon irritated by the nebulous nature of the narrative. Perhaps just a couple more explanatory panels would help, as I kept going, “Wait, why are they breaking into that mansion again?” Why is this happening? Why is that happening? A revelation that should be big lands with a squelchy plop. There’s potential here, for sure, and I’m not ready to give up, but I’m still underwhelmed for the time being. – Michelle Smith

Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends, Vol. 13 | By Yomi Hirasaka and Itachi | Seven Seas – The latter half of this book is merely OK, setting up what promises to be the next big arc by introducing a student council girl with a grudge against Sena, and teasing Sena and Kodaka’s engagement. But let’s face it, this volume’s big, big reason to read it is that first chapter with Rika, as we hear her run up against Kodaka’s hardcore determination to ignore any forward development in this series, and it nearly causes her to snap. The elephants in the room—that the group is already friends (and thus the club’s purpose is complete), and that he has at least 3 girls in love with him, is something Kodaka is desperately trying to forget, and it can’t last much longer. Very well done. – Sean Gaffney

He’s My Only Vampire, Vol. 6 | By Aya Shouoto | Yen Press – I have to admit, Aya Shouoto continues to have a slight pacing problem that I can’t quite put my finger on but bothers me. I think it’s typified in this volume by Kana’s escape and training, which happens completely offscreen through a character we had no idea was on her side. Sadly, we don’t see that; we see Aki angst instead. Which is fine, I mean, it’s quality angst, but I have to admit I wanted to read something different than the author was giving me. Kana does get more to do in the second half, but for the wrong reasons—amnesia has reared its ugly head, as it always does whenever a shoujo couple dares to resolve its feelings before the series can end. This is still good, but highly uneven. – Sean Gaffney

Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 15 | Original Concept by Hiro Arikawa, Story and Art by Kiiro Yumi | VIZ Media – Library Wars hasn’t been the most brilliant series ever, but its characters consistently put a smile on my face. That is especially true of this satisfying final volume, in which Iku completes a solo mission admirably well (while drawing on the attributes of her team for comfort and inspiration) and finally clearly communicates her feelings to Dojo. A three-year fast-forward shows us some glimpses of what’s become of the cast, and it’s all pretty great. (Avoiding most spoilers, I will only say the photograph at the end cracked me up.) There is a spinoff/sequel of sorts out there, and I really hope VIZ licenses it at some point, because these are characters I’d like to revisit someday. – Michelle Smith

My Little Monster, Vol. 13 | By Robico | Kodansha Comics – Let’s face it, this manga is a victory lap. But it’s well-deserved, and I greatly enjoyed most of it (the fanbook section, while nice to have, featured a lot of 4-komas and profiles that didn’t add much.) Loved the Natsume and Sasayan story, of course, but Iyo’s was also very good. I was less enamored with Oshima and Takaya, but you can’t say it wasn’t signposted. Best of all, though, we get a wedding, which I figured after the ending to twelve would get skipped over. It’s almost a sideplot to Takaya trying to get his love taken seriously, but Shizuka is amazing as always—the shot of her in her bridal gown chugging tea is marvelous. I will miss you, My Little Shoujo Series. Though at thirteen volumes, not too little. – Sean Gaffney

Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi, Vol. 2 | By nanao and HaccaWorks* | Yen Press – The pacing of this second volume is somewhat slow, and at times it becomes easy to tell that this is based off a visual novel, and is trying to keep a lot of the basics. I also admit that I have trouble telling two of the three leads apart, both being blonds with hair about the same length. That said, as with the first volume, the title works best when establishing a creepy and unsettling mood, as you gradually realize that this is not your typical Japanese town, and that a lot of people know what’s going on here more than our three heroes. I’m not sure how well this will end—certainly if the cute little sister gets ‘erased’ I think I’m out—but right now it’s intriguing enough to keep going. – Sean Gaffney

Rose Guns Days Season One, Vol. 3 | By Ryukishi07 and Soichiro | Yen Press – Well, I suppose I asked for this, as I said last time that I wish Rose’s shiny idealism would get some more depth. And so we get this volume, in which all is in ruins, our heroes are scattered to the four winds, and Rose is literally tortured for her beliefs, and emerges almost completely broken. The keyword being almost, of course—she still has Leo and a few others, and even Stella and Meryl admit that while they were planning on double-crossing Rose before, that’s not happening now. I expect the final volume of this ‘season’ will be wall-to-wall action, but how cynical will Rose get? We shall see. Also, see if you can spot the Higurashi in-jokes this time. Recommended only for fans of Ryukishi07’s work. – Sean Gaffney

Bloody Mary, Vol. 2 | By Akaza Samamiya | Viz Media – Bloody Mary continues to be a tad incoherent in its narrative, but it does it with an almost unending line of extremely pretty anguished male characters, while being so gothic I almost don’t care very much about the finer points of the plot. This volume starts filling in a tiny bit more backstory about Maria’s ancestors (one of whom is suspiciously immortal) and Mary’s past. A flashback gives a glimpse of Maria as a boy, and starts showing the reader just how messed up his family is. In the meantime, student council president Takumi continues to be up to no good. This manga might be mainly for vampire manga fans, but there are plenty of those out there! – Anna N

The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan, Vol. 9 | By Puyo and Nagaru Tanigawa | Yen Press – Kyon and Yuki got together in the last volume, and this one is sort of a victory lap, as Puyo begins to wrap things up and resolve some plot and character points. And so Haruhi accepts that she and Kyon are not going to happen, Tsuruya and Mikuru actually graduate and leave the school, and Kyon and Yuki go out on a very normal, fun and heartwarming date—despite an overenthusiastic Kimidori and trying to avoid Taniguchi and Kuyou. The most intriguing loose end as we head into what I suspect is the final volume is Ryouko, who is realizing that she needs to break away from Yuki for her own good, even if that means—in-joke incoming—moving to Canada. Sweet as always. – Sean Gaffney

Honey So Sweet, Vol. 2 | by Amu Meguro | Viz Media – This slice-of-life romance about a traumatized girl and her secretly sweet juvenile delinquent boyfriend strikes the right balance between sincerity and humor. As Nao and Taiga become closer, she has to learn to recognize her own feelings for the first time. They’re supported by friends at school, and Taiga begins to come out of his shell a little bit. However, I feel slightly suspicious of his new friend Futami, and I hope it doesn’t mean a convoluted plot that keeps Nao and Taiga apart is coming up in the next volume. Meguro’s delicate art is as cute as the sentiments in Honey So Sweet. This series is well worth picking up for shoujo fans. – Anna N

Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 15 | By Kiiro Yumi and Hiro Arakawa| Viz Media – This is an almost perfect final volume. We see Iku’s growth as a Library Force soldier, we see some truly ridiculous solutions to the problem of how to create a distraction, and of course we see the resolution of the main pairing. My favorite beta pairing is unresolved, but given the personalities of the two people involved, that’s not a surprise. Best of all, the whole cast is shown to have made a difference—the Library Forces in the future don’t need to use weapons, and censorship is gradually weakening its hold. Despite occasionally feeling a bit ludicrous in terms of its plotting, I have loved most of this shoujo manga to bits, and wish Iku and Dojo all the best. Also, license the side-story volumes, Viz? – Sean Gaffney

Princess Jellyfish, Vol. 1 | By Akiko Higashimura | Kodansha Comics – As excited as I was to read this, I also avoided reading too much about it beforehand. I knew it would involve otaku women living together, but I didn’t anticipate the dilemma the jellyfish-loving protagonist, Tsukimi, would find herself in. With the help of style expert Kuranosuke, Tsukimi periodically transforms into a cute girl, and in that guise strikes up a sweet attraction to Kuranosuke’s virginal older brother, Shu. Opening herself up to the possibility of love brings excitement as well as pain, and I wonder whether Tsukimi will stick it out or retreat to the cozy familiarity of her fujoshi lifestyle. But how long will that even last, with the boarding house scheduled to be demolished? Though this version collects the first two volume of the Japanese release, I still wanted more. I’m relieved to report Princess Jellyfish is every bit as great as I hoped it would be! – Michelle Smith

Real, Vol. 14 | By Takehiko Inoue | VIZ Media – Reading Real as it is released has its drawbacks—since it only comes out once a year and the last volume was mostly about a wrestler, I haven’t seen some of the characters at the forefront of volume fourteen for over two years! Consequently, it was a little hard to get back into their lives, but as always, Inoue made me care very deeply indeed by the end of the volume. While Nomiya’s search for direction after his dream of turning pro doesn’t work out is certainly compelling, it’s the promise of a matchup between the Tigers and the Dreams (and our respective protagonists working hard on both teams) in a forthcoming tournament that makes me the most excited. Add in some encouragement by Yama, and I’m seriously verklempt (and waiting desperately for the next volume, naturally.) – Michelle Smith

Shuriken and Pleats, Vol. 1 | By Matsuri Hino | Viz Media – I was unaware that this was only a two-volume series ’til I finished it, but looking back, it should not come as a surprise. Things move much faster than I’d expect from a LaLa manga, particularly towards the second half. Hino describes Mikage as “quirky,” but those who read Vampire Knight won’t be surprised to see she’s mostly calm, action-driven, and tortured by her horrible past, some of which we actually get to see. I enjoyed this while I was reading it, but it feels even slighter than her last series, and that’s saying something. If you wish that there were more shoujo ninja manga, or are a huge Hino fan, I’d give it a shot. And even if you’re meh about it, hey, it’s only two volumes long. – Sean Gaffney

Sword Art Online: Progressive, Vol. 4 | By Kiseki Himura and Reki Kawahara | Yen Press – The last volume of the manga diverged from the novel it was adapting, showing a fight between our heroes that separated them right before the big battle. This allows Asuna to get a little more cool things to do, allowed Argo’s tiny subplot to be slightly expanded, and of course gave us a bit more ship tease and amusing faces. Of course, most of this is the same as the novel in the end, and I do believe that the original is better. But this is quite nice as well, and it will be interesting to see how it handles the second floor and the introduction of the elves. Also, it should keep Argo around, as it’s been doing. More Argo hijinks are always welcome. – Sean Gaffney

Idol Dreams, Vol. 2 | By Arina Tanemura | VIZ Media – There are still certain aspects of Idol Dreams that strike me as incredibly creepy, given that the main character is 31 on the inside even if she’s temporarily in the body of her 15-year-old self. In this volume, for example, Chikage finds out that 15-year-old idol Hibiki might have a girlfriend, so she stalks him and ends up following him home to find out what the deal is. Lame! On the other hand, I enjoyed getting a look of her and Tokita together as middle-school students, and am now a bit more curious to see how she ended up becoming such a restrained and clueless adult. So, I guess I care a little bit now and that’s gotta count as progress. – Michelle Smith

Kiss of the Rose Princess, Vol. 9 | By Aya Shouoto | VIZ Media – I wish I could say that Kiss of the Rose Princess has a strong ending that really rewards those who stuck with it, but, alas, I cannot do so. Great swaths of it made no sense to me whatsoever, and I can’t tell if that’s because the writing is genuinely incoherent or if I just never paid enough attention to details along the way. If one overlooks one’s puzzlement, it’s kind of a paint-by-numbers shoujo conclusion in which bad guys are revealed to be sympathetic, the power of shoujo heroine optimism keeps someone from doing something they’ll regret, and the big bad (another secret evil society—Shouoto’s got one of those in He’s My Only Vampire too, I believe) is defeated with ease. I mean, it’s not a horrible series, but it remains my least favorite of the three Shouoto series currently in print in English. – Michelle Smith

Komomo Confiserie, Vol. 3 | By Maki Minami | Viz Media – In general, I tend to like Maki Minami titles more than most bloggers—Special A is still a favorite of mine—but I’m just not feeling the love for this new series, possibly as the heroine, Komomo herself, is just too different from her previous titles. There’s still the core of denseness and not understand what this thing called love is, but there doesn’t seem to be much else. And Natsu, the obvious love interest, is not nearly as well characterized as either Kei or Senri. The food still looks delicious, though, and I like the best friend who has very little idea how to behave properly. But, especially as this is a relatively short series, I sort of want a little more from it than I’m getting. – Sean Gaffney

Komomo Confiserie, Vol. 3 | By Maki Minami | VIZ Media – Komomo’s been blushing up a storm and having heart palpitations whenever she’s around handsome cobbler Seto, but she can’t figure out what’s up. Her utter obliviousness is pretty dumb, and though the entire premise of this manga is unrealistic, it’s this that bothers me most of all. Still, I did like how Komomo instantly sets her own feelings aside when it comes to ensuring Seto’s happiness with his girlfriend, realizing that she’s not the one who can bring out the best in him. Plus, Rise trying to cheer her up by singing (terribly) was kind of amusing, too. In the end, my heart has warmed to this series a little, but I still don’t love it like I did Voice Over!. Maybe it needs some cats. – Michelle Smith

My Neighbor Seki, Vol. 7 | By Takuma Morishige | Vertical Comics – For all that this manga is still at its best when it’s showing us Yokoi’s reactions to whatever Seki happens to be doing, it can’t be denied that Seki’s faces are getting just as good, especially now that Yokoi is able to stand up to him more often. We also have enough continuity now that we can see the return of old favorites, such as the robot family, now cursed with an Aibo that’s far too big compared to them, and the phantom art thief, who’s moved on to Western works as well. And Yokoi also joins in, of course, which works for good and ill—she just doesn’t have Seki’s sense of imagination. Luckily, Seki makes up for it on his own, which is good, as I think Vol. 8 is a few months away. – Sean Gaffney

Nisekoi, Vol. 14 | By Naoshi Komi | Viz Media – I can only imagine that Nisekoi‘s Western fans were not delighted with this new volume. Late additions to a harem manga always tend to get a hard time, even more so given that Yui is not only ANOTHER childhood friend, but also a prodigy, which means she’s completed enough schooling to be teaching Raku and company’s class. Oh yes, and she’s also the head of a Chinese Mafia family, complete with her own loyal bodyguard. One could be forgiven for assuming she’s there by editorial fiat to keep the story running as it’s still popular. That said, she’s amusing and intelligent, and enjoys teasing Raku without going too far with it, so we’ll see how long she sticks around. – Sean Gaffney

Persona 4, Vols. 1 & 2 | By Shuji Sogabe and ATLUS | Udon Entertainment – This is a manga based on a game I haven’t played, and there’s apparently an anime as well. The hero in the game has the player’s name, so here one is invented. The story itself is half horror, half psychological action series, as our nameless hero and his three friends get sucked into another world where they must battle the negative sides they try to hide from others—battles which have killed other people. I found the second volume more interesting than the first, possibly due to the heavy yuri tease that I suspect will go nowhere. Oh, and which annoying bear pun creature came first, this or Dangan Ronpa? Recommended for Persona 4 fans, others won’t miss much. – Sean Gaffney

Beware the Ides of Briefs!

Barakamon, Vol. 9 | By Satsuki Yoshino | Yen Press – As this volume of Barakamon was going on, Yoshino was also beginning the Handa-kun spinoff series (also available from Yen), so it’s not surprising that we start to see the two blend together, as a former high school classmate with a grudge shows up for the annual intervillage athletic event. Handa being Handa, he doesn’t actually remember any of this, and is more concerned with prosaic matters, such as sleeping off the all-nighter he put in. That said, we see his true nature at the very end: he doesn’t actually care about personal victories if the overall victory is lost. That’s why people like him, and why folks like Hiroshi and Tama use him as an example even as they go through their own failures. – Sean Gaffney

Evergreen, Vol. 4 | By Yuyuko Takemiya and Akira Gaskabe | Seven Seas – Since this is the final volume of Evergreen, we need to pack all the plot revelations and angst into one volume, and it can get kind of exhausting after a while. To give the manga credit, though, unlike many other “you’re brother and sister, oh wait no you aren’t after all” manga I could name (Marmalade Boy), this one does not pull back that punch, and as a result, the heartwarming romance we’ve seen developed this whole time falls apart appropriately. Which is good, but does leave you a bit dissatisfied—On-chan and Sora’s epiphany on a bus just isn’t quite the same. So in thie end, this was filled with many good ideas, but I don’t think worked as well as the author’s novels. – Sean Gaffney

Idol Dreams, Vol. 2 | By Arina Tanemura | Viz Media – The problem with Idol Dreams is that the things that I think make the series more interesting—the disturbing romance between a 31-year-old in a 15-year-old’s body and her fellow idols, the adult male lead clearly showing he’s still desperately in love with her despite having a girlfriend, the unfortunate return of the guy who set this all up in the first place—are all things that I have no confidence that the author is actually going to handle properly, particularly given the interview at the back. That said, I always enjoy reading it in the moment, and I think, like Love at Fourteen, I’ll continue to enjoy it and call it problematic at the same time every review. – Sean Gaffney

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, Vol. 2 | By Izumi Tsubaki | Yen Press –A rather strange thing happens while I read Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun. Although I never laugh at any of the 4-panel punchlines—and, indeed, sometimes find them deeply unfunny—positive feelings gradually build up as I read to the point where I end up enjoying the volume overall anyway. I do wonder if I like the wrong things, though. For example, my favorite aspect of this volume is the firm guidance Nozaki’s new editor gives him, spurring Nozaki to try to put himself into the shoes of his characters. Could this series actually incorporate his growth as a mangaka without changing his oddball personality? I rather doubt it. Even if that never happens, though, I will probably keep reading. – Michelle Smith

One-Punch Man, Vol. 5 | By ONE and Yusuke Marata | Viz Media – One of the many good things about One-Punch Man is showing off the variety of character types we get in the super-powered folks. We see the overdramatic drama queens, the shirkers who use it to further their other career, and the painfully earnest ones who want to help and save people but really don’t have enough power to fight the ridiculous monsters this series can throw at you. Saitama notices, though, and he continues to take the bullet for the greater good, pretending that he’s selfish and evil to make the other heroes stand out as that much more noble. I think this is eventually going to come back and haunt him, but for now all is well, and things continue to be wiped out in one punch. – Sean Gaffney

Say I Love You., Vol. 12 | By Kanae Hazuki | Kodansha Comics –After an eventful day volunteering at a kindergarten, Mei reflects that what she most wants is to be needed. Whether she knows it or not, she fulfills this role twice in this volume, first by arranging a meeting with a photographer who helps Yamato figure out why his recent photos haven’t been making him happy, and secondly by giving some good advice to Len, whose preference for online friends (who don’t know about his famous sister) backfires due to his own enigmatic fame in the world of online gaming. I wasn’t entirely sold on the Aoi siblings last volume, but for some reason, Len’s plight in particular really earned my sympathy this time. Mopey otaku or not, he’s a captivating character and I appreciate the chance to see how much Mei has grown in the way she deals with him. As always, I’m looking forward to the next volume! – Michelle Smith

Skip Beat!, Vol. 36 | By Yoshiki Nakamura | Viz Media – We were always going to end up here, right from the very first chapter. There was simply no way that Kyoko’s mother was not going to end up in the middle of her life, no matter how much either of them deny it. And so while I’m relieved to see that it’s time for that particular gun to be fired, I worry intensely that it is going to excuse her mother’s abuse—as so many other Japanese series have done in the name of showing off how good parents are really. Meanwhile, Box R has debuted, and unfortunately it’s not the success that Dark Moon was. Can Kyoko’s career take a failure this early? Ironically, though, the best scene in the volume is between her and Sho, two people who simply can’t accept how well they know each other. – Sean Gaffney

Skip Beat!, Vol. 36 | By Yoshiki Nakamura | VIZ Media – After a heartfelt thank-you from Ren, the Heel siblings arc comes to a close. Kyoko returns to work in Tokyo, where Box R has debuted to lackluster ratings. While she helps mentor a costar with rage issues of her own, a far more interesting plot is brewing: Kyoko’s mother now knows where she is and is making inroads into her world. She’s serving as a consultant on Moko’s new show, and has been in contact with Sho’s parents, too. This leads to the volume’s best scene, in which Sho is not only legitimately worried about Kyoko, but also encourages her not to let her mother sway her from her goals. I hadn’t realized how much I had missed their scenes, and seeing Sho recognizing her talent and respecting her ambition shows some real growth. I never thought I’d clamor for more Sho, but now I kind of am! – Michelle Smith

So Cute It Hurts!!, Vol. 5 | By Go Ikeyamada | VIZ Media –While I still think this series is painfully unfunny and unashamedly generic, the fact remains that I don’t hate it as much as I used to. In fact, I even kind of like that Mitsuru had his heart broken, and instead of ending up with the girl he feels compelled to protect, it’s looking like romance is in the air with a fearless girl he sees as his equal. That was unexpected. I’m also a sucker for retrospective narration, so when some turned up at the end of volume four, hinting ominously about Aoi’s past, I was doomed. Oh, I have very little faith that the big reveal will be worth the investment of time or resolved in any way that doesn’t rely heavily on Shoujo Heroine Optimism, but I’ll still read at least far enough to find out what the big secret is. Grumble grumble. – Michelle Smith

Briefs: they’re what’s for columns.

FukuFuku: Kitten Tales, Vol. 1 | By Konami Kanata | Vertical, Inc. – Did you love Chi’s Sweet Home? Then you’re the target audience for Vertical’s latest Konami Kanata release, FukuFuku: Kitten Tales. The basic premise is very similar—FukuFuku’s owner reminisces about the days when her pet was a kitten and reacted to new discoveries in adorable ways—and will feel very familiar to Chi fans. There are some differences, though, the most significant being that FukuFuku’s thoughts are not translated for the reader, instead relying on some very eloquent expressions to get her feelings across. Also, there’s no attempt at drama here. No potential jobs out of the country or former owners who might be searching for FukuFuku. Instead, it’s just short 6-8 page vignettes in which a kitty does cute things, and sometimes, that’s all I’m looking for. Thanks for licensing this, Vertical! – Michelle Smith

FukuFuku: Kitten Tales, Vol. 1 | By Konami Kanata | Vertical Comics – Some titles are simply hard to review, and I think this new manga from the author of Chi’s Sweet Home qualifies. It’s the story of a cute cat and her owner doing cute things. The cat gets messy, the cat gets cold, the cat meets a puppy. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s really adorable. If you love adorable kitten manga, this is a total win. But I’d argue that you should really only read this after first having read Chi, and possibly What’s Michael? as well. But Kanata is a master at drawing cute cats doing not a hell of a lot. That’s what this is. It may also make an excellent gift for someone who is not a manga fan but enjoys kitties. – Sean Gaffney

Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 10 | By Cocoa Fujiwara | Yen Press – A lot of this is setup for the climax that’s happening in the final volume this spring. So we see our heroes split apart, as their families take them back to “protect them” from the Night Parade. Of course, in most cases this protection ranges from imprisonment to emotional abuse to “you must get pregnant and carry on the family line.” So it’s no surprise that by the end, most everyone is back at the apartment and ready to make a final stand. We also get some romantic ship tease, as you’d expect—Ririchiyo and Miketsukami seem to have finally gotten over their inner demons (and it’s great to see Ririchiyo be colossally rude again after so long. Time for the finale; I look forward to it. – Sean Gaffney

Komomo Confiserie, Vol 3 | By Maki Minami | Viz Media – The third volume of this series wasn’t gelling with me as much as I was hoping it would. Perhaps because there wasn’t as much dessert preparation in this volume, it fell a little flat. Komomo is continuing her journey to tender-hearted personhood, as she comes up with a plan to ensure the happiness of her first love, Seto. In the meantime, Natsu continues to repress his feelings for her under his harsh facade. I still like the idea of this series very much, even though I wasn’t as drawn in to this volume. I hope that there’s some more personality and character development with Natsu coming up soon, or at least much more food! – Anna N

Love at Fourteen, Vol. 5 | By Fuka Mizutani | Yen Press – I remain charmed by this title, mostly as the teenagers going through their first romantic stirrings feel very real to me, complete with real screw-ups. We discover that just because you’re thought of as “the mature one” doesn’t mean you magically get good grades, and Kazuki finds it easier to choose being “cool” in front of his girl to asking for help. There’s also Shiki, who tries to sabotage his relationship with Kanata even as she realizes that he’s a decent person, so she feels horrible doing it. And of course there’s everyone’s favorite delinquent Nagai, who’s possibly the best character in the series, even if he continues to have a crush on his teacher. This coming of age title is worth the occasional discomfort. – Sean Gaffney

Saki, Vol. 2 | By Ritz Kobayashi | Yen Press (digital only) – I worry that the pace of Saki is going to be too swift to really satisfy me as a sports manga fan, since it’s only volume two and we’re already at the prefectural qualifier stage. Plus, not only does round one go by quickly, round two happens completely off-camera! I don’t begrudge the time spent introducing Kiyosumi’s chief rivals in the competition; I just wish there were more time for the mahjong itself. Too, the fanservice is bothering me now, as it has started to encroach upon the characters’ accomplishments. Like, no one can seemingly talk about talented Kiyosumi player Nodoka Haramura without commenting on her large boobs and Yuuki can’t strike a triumphant pose without simultaneously flashing a bit of butt cheek. That sort of thing is more insidious than just showing someone taking a bath! The tournament compels me to continue on, but I’m somewhat less enthusiastic than before. – Michelle Smith

Say “I Love You,” Vol. 12 | By Kanae Hazuki | Kodansha Comics – Now that its main romance is resolved, Say “I Love You” continues to delve into more adult concerns, such as a career. Mei finds that being a teacher of young kids is far more difficult than she expected, and Yamato discovers that he can’t quite recapture the feeling he had photographing Mei and the others taking pictures of trees and landscapes. My favorite scene in the volume had a professional photographer discuss why Yamato was having issues, and the difference between an introvert and the extrovert that Yamato is. As for our new love triangle, I admit I’m still not loving the brother and sister, who I feel are stealing the main cast’s thunder. But that’s possibly as I just ship Megumi and Kai. – Sean Gaffney

Tokyo ESP, Vol. 3 | By Hajime Segawa | Vertical, Inc. – Every now and then, a property gets likened to Buffy simply because its teenage female protagonist interacts with supernatural beings. Tokyo ESP is more like Buffy than any of them, because of how Rinka’s heroic journey takes shape. Like Buffy, she didn’t ask for her powers, but once she had them, she felt compelled to use them to help people. And even now that she’s lost them, she has only become more focused on defeating the superhuman terrorists. This two-volume omnibus sees the end of the first part of the series, and it’s a very satisfying ride, packed with exciting action sequences. There are some great character moments, too, like Rinka’s friends regretting their past treatment of her and the verklempt-making crowd cheering our heroine as she helps bring about a daring rescue. This series has been a surprise delight and I look forward to part two! – Michelle Smith