Michelle Smith

Pick of the Week: Serve or Receive?

July 4, 2016 by Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, Sean Gaffney and Anna N 2 Comments

MICHELLE: I dearly love My Love Story!! and Honey So Sweet, but this week it’s all about Haikyu!! for me. I’ve been anticipating this release (and Kuroko’s Basketball, which debuts next month) since the announcement. I’m so happy to have some new, long sports manga series to enjoy!

ASH: You know, I think I’m with Michelle this week! I also love My Love Story!!, and I’m always happy to see a new volume of The Ancient Magus’ Bride, but I’m very excited for Haikyu!! and the debut of a new sports manga.

SEAN: There’s lots of good stuff out this week – Nichijou is my bag, let me tell you – but who am I to deny the pull of a good old-fashioned sports manga? Especially given it’s not baseball or basketball for once. My pick is Haikyu!! all the way.

ANNA: Haikyu!!, is great, but I feel like My Love Story!! is so consistently excellent, it deserves a little love this week. So that is my pick!

Manga the Week of 7/6

June 30, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Anna N and Michelle Smith 2 Comments

SEAN: July, another big month for manga, because there are no small months for manga anymore. What’ve we got for the first week, aside from a pile of Viz (though we’ll be getting to that as well)?

Kodansha has the 6th volume of Devil Survivor. Is every manga title in Japan somehow based on Shin Megami Tensei?

And an 8th Your Lie in April, sure to be gut-punchingly heartwarming in a horrible way.

ASH: I finally just got caught up with this series! Pretty sure I already know how some things will turn out, but I’m still glad to see music manga being released.

SEAN: Seven Seas gives us a 5th volume of The Ancient Magus’ Bride, and I cannot wait, as it’s one of my favorite titles from them.

ASH: Same!

ANNA: I started the first volume and didn’t finish it for some reason. I should try again!

SEAN: Then there is the debut of Battle Rabbits. Judging by the title, you’d expect bad things, but no, this is a Zero-Sum series, so I doubt it’s boobies and fighting. It’s by the authors of 07-Ghost.

MICHELLE: Huh! This wasn’t on my radar.

ANNA: I’m interested, and also feeling guilty for not reading more 07-Ghost.

SEAN: A Centaur’s Life continues to be utterly strange and unpredictable, even as we reach Volume 9.

Vertical gives us a 3rd Nichijou, which is strange and unpredictable in a totally different way. I love it a lot.

MICHELLE: I enjoyed the first two more than I expected to, so am looking forward to this one.

SEAN: Now here’s the Viz. Behind the Scenes!! has a 2nd volume. I’m not used to series starting out caught up with Japan. This feels like it’s been a while since Book 1.

MICHELLE: It really has. I hope I like volume two more than the first.

ANNA: I liked the first one well enough!

SEAN: You’ll never guess who shows up at the end of the 67th volume of Bleach. No one could have predicted… no, wait, everyone did.

The Demon Prince of Momochi House continues Aya Shouoto’s demonic hold on all of North American manga publishing with its 5th volume. (Speaking of which, why hasn’t Kodansha picked up Super Darling?)

MICHELLE: At only two volumes, it definitely would seem to be an easy contender.

ANNA: I like Demon Prince, and thought the 4th volume was really strong.

SEAN: Dragon Ball Full Color Freeza Arc Volume 2. Yes, it’s still being re-released.

The big release this week is Haikyu!!, the new Jump sports manga – remember when that was box office poison? – about a volleyball team. It’s a monthly release, as this has already reached 22+ volumes in Japan. Friendship! Training! Victory!

MICHELLE: YAYYYYY!! Also… new volumes every month!

ASH: It’s an ambitious publishing schedule, but I think it might just pay off.

MICHELLE: Back in the day, this was more common. I want to say the entirely of Rurouni Kenshin came out this way, and there were periods of time in which Fruits Basket, GetBackers (someone rescue this), and InuYasha were all monthly releases, too.

ANNA: I am always stoked for more sports manga.

SEAN: Honey So Sweet has a 3rd volume. I’m hoping for more mild angst and mild romance. And more of that other girl.

And then there’s My Love Story!!, which has Vol. 9. It introduced a rival last time. Will he ruin everything? Will there be angst in my beloved shoujo sweetness?

MICHELLE: I will be snagging both of these.

ASH: I still adore My Love Story!!

ANNA: Looking forward to both titles very much!

SEAN: Naruto has a 15th 3-in-1. Perhaps you’ve heard of it.

And Jump’s most popular harem series continues with Nisekoi 16.

One-Punch Man 7! Has Saitama finally met someone who will take MORE than one punch? It’s looking likely!

ASH: I desperately need to catch up with this series. I really love Murata’s artwork, though.

ANNA: More punching!

SEAN: The other debut from Viz, 7th Garden, comes from Jump Square. From what I hear, it may appeal more to a Seven Seas demographic than a Viz one, as it seems a bit servicey? But hey, demons.

Twin Star Exorcists has a 5th volume, and I understand its anime is still chugging right along as well.

Lastly, there’s an 11th World Trigger.

What manga are you buying? What manga are you tragically breaking up with?

Bookshelf Briefs 6/28/16

June 28, 2016 by Sean Gaffney and Michelle Smith 2 Comments

Don’t Be Cruel, Vols. 1-2 | By Yonezou Nekota | SuBLime – I hated this at first. In the opening scene, one character handcuffs another to a fence and demands sexual gratification, saying, “Don’t get the wrong idea, now. That wasn’t a request. It was an order.” Nemugasa (the victim) is being blackmailed by Maya (the perpetrator), so continues to obey his commands, but their relationship evolves and by the end of the volume, they’re in love. (But not before Nemugasa is roofied by his tutor and given over to someone else for a plaything!) What’s frustrating is that there were glimmers here of something I might’ve liked, moments where the developing dynamic was interesting, but I just couldn’t get over those early scenes and often wanted to throttle the characters, Maya especially. As a result, I can’t really recommend this even though I kind of want to read the next volume. – Michelle Smith

Fate/Zero, Vol. 2 | By Gen Urobuchi, Type-Moon, and Shinjiro | Dark Horse – After all the setup of the first volume, most of this second one is devoted to a battle between two servants—or at least, it starts off with just two servants. Saber is, of course, the Arturia we’re familiar with, but Lancer is Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, another Irish mythological hero. Their snark and battle is fun, but gradually everyone starts dropping in—literally, in the case of Iskander—and adding more chaos to the battle. As with the first volume, Iskander’s sheer force of personality, and everyone’s reaction to it, is the highlight—though Gilgamesh’s arrogance comes close. Fate fans should enjoy this, and it hasn’t gotten too dark yet, though I’m sure that will change. – Sean Gaffney

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 12 | By Yuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki | Viz Media – While there is the occasional ship tease (and I remain surprised at how little Erina has done to date, given she’s supposed to be the main heroine—Soma spends most of his off time with Megumi here), for the most part Food Wars! continues to keep its focus reassuringly on food. All three remaining contestants are brilliant, but Soma is particularly impressive because, while he’s confident, he’s not arrogant about it. Indeed, we see him reach out to almost everyone in the dorm trying to find a way to improve his fish dish. Of course, Akira and Ryo are not really villains either, so they’re both just as impressive if not more so. Will Soma win next volume? Probably not. But it’s always fun to see. – Sean Gaffney

Kiss Him, Not Me!, Vol. 5 | By Junko | Kodansha Comics – Mutsumi has been the least developed of the four male leads, so it was only a matter of time before we got a volume devoted to him. He seemed to always have Kae’s best interests at heart, and you wondered if he even loved her at all—or is he simply more mature than the others? No, as it turns out, he’s simply never quite examined the feelings of love yet, and we find why when his over-the-top brother shows up. They end up competing in a “famous” card game called Castle Cards, and it’s a game where Mutsumi has never won—but take a wild guess what happens when it’s Kae’s affection on the line. This is still amusing, but it’s a bit less parodic now and a bit more normal. I’ll still read it. – Sean Gaffney

Komomo Confiserie, Vol. 4 | By Maki Minami | Viz Media – I’d complained about Komomo in the last brief I did of this series, and it’s possible the author heard me, as we get to see a little more fire in her this time around. A rival appears, all the way from France, and given this is a short series, wastes no time behaving in an overtly evil way, even going to the point of having the confiserie vandalized just because she doesn’t get her way. This leads to the best part of the entire volume, in which Komomo channels her inner royalty and absolutely lets her have it, in a truly glorious scene. The second half is not as good, as we meet a friend of Natsu’s whose goal is apparently to push the two together quickly—possibly he knows the series is wrapping up. – Sean Gaffney

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Vol. 18 | By Shinobu Ohtaka | Viz Media – As expected, most of this volume is devoted to a giant battle, with first one side looking like they’re going to win, then the other side having a comeback, etc. Those who enjoy cool moves and epic battles will love it, but it does make things rather difficult in terms of writing a brief. The best part of the volume is probably the end, where Aladdin and Alibaba reunite, and it’s as heartwarming and amusing as you’d imagine, even though it them gets shoved aside to explain more of the plot. I hope Morgiana isn’t too far away either, to be honest. In the meantime, I’m now more concerned about Titus, whose sense of self has been a major part of this arc, and now we’re finding it may all be for naught. Still addictive. – Sean Gaffney

Say “I Love You,” Vol. 14 | By Kanae Hazuki | Kodansha Comics – After so much time devoted to Megumi in France, and her new (and to me suspicious) relationship with a photographer, it was highly jarring to suddenly find that plot mostly dropped and seeing her back in Japan, and looking quite different, makes me wonder if there was a missing volume somewhere down the line. In happier news, the relationship that wasn’t between Kai and Rin lasts about as long as I thought it should, as Kai finds that “go out with me even if you don’t love me” is just not going to work for him. Honestly, I’m still not quite sure where the author is going with Rin and Ren, but given that Mei and Yamato are mostly resolved, it’s onward with the secondary characters, I guess. – Sean Gaffney

Say I Love You, Vol. 14| By Kanae Hazuki | Kodansha Comics – There’s something of a bittersweet mood (plus a touch of foreboding) about this volume, in which the third-year characters look toward their futures (and the goals they strive for with varying degrees of intensity), the first-year Aoi siblings are caught up in the present (and the pain of unrequited love), and second-year Kai is unable to shed the baggage of the past. Of these, I was actually captivated most by Kai in this volume. Despite the fact that he’s tall and strong now, inside he’s “a big lump of insecurities,” and I loved the moment where carefree Rin, who has cajoled him into giving her a chance, comes face to face with the reality of the darkness within him, something she’s not prepared for. It’s rare that a series can continue to be this good even when the focus has drifted a bit from its main couple! – Michelle Smith

Pick of the Week: Princesses, Riceballs, and Lost Girls

June 27, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Anna N, Ash Brown and MJ Leave a Comment

SEAN: Going for Fruits Basket seems like cheating somehow, given it’s a re-release, though it’s obviously the title I’m most excited about this week. That said, I will give my pick instead of Attack on Titan: Lost Girls, the new novel from Vertical focusing on two of the most seemingly stoic of the cast.

MICHELLE: Maybe I will follow suit, registering my Furuba enthusiasm while choosing something new! In this case, that would be volume two of Princess Jellyfish!

ANNA: I am with Michelle, as I’m enthusiastic about both Fruits Basket and Princess Jellyfish. I find Princess Jellyfish delightful, so that gets my pick too!

ASH: Likewise! While I’m delighted that Fruits Basket will once again be available in English, my heart undoubtedly lies with Princess Jellyfish.

MJ: Okay, well then, I’ll be the one to go all in for Fruits Basket. FURUBA 4EVAH. Or something like that.

Manga the Week of 6/29

June 23, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, MJ and Anna N Leave a Comment

SEAN: The word for next week is “spinoff”, boys and girls. Can you say spinoff? I knew you could!

OK, let’s try to plow through. Dark Horse first, as always. Astro Boy Omnibus 4. Everyone loves Astro Boy.

Kodansha gives us the 2nd and final volume of Fairy Tail’s Gray-related spinoff (can you say that, boys and girls?) Ice Trail.

And a 4th Inuyashiki, with far less skintight leather than Gantz had but just as disturbing.

Livingstone has a 3rd volume. I’ve heard it called “quirky”.

And there’s a 3rd Maga-Tsuki as well, for more romantic comedy shenanigans.

Lastly, and most importantly to the Manga Bookshelf team, Kodansha has a 2nd omnibus of Princess Jellyfish. Remember when getting this license was an impossible dream?

MICHELLE: Yay! I’m looking forward to this a lot.

ASH: Dream the impossible dream! Reach the unreachable star! (And then go buy Princess Jellyfish because it is wonderful.)

MJ: Good news!

ANNA: Still thrilled this is coming out here.

SEAN: One Peace picked up, almost without anyone realizing it, the license to Maria Holic and are re-releasing it in omnibuses. Fans of fake yuri and traps are sure to want to get it.

MICHELLE: If only it had been Maria-sama ga Miteru instead!

SEAN: Seven Seas gives us an 11th volume of A Certain Scientific Railgun, the spinoff (can you say that, boys and girls?) to Index. It’s just finished a serious arc, so I suspect that things will be a lot wackier this time around.

And there’s also a 4th volume of Magika Swordsman and Summoner, which some people clearly enjoy.

Udon has a 3rd volume of Persona 4, the manga spinoff (can you say that, boys and girls?) of the game.

ASH: I liked the first volume, but I’ve already fallen behind. I should correct that.

SEAN: Vertical has a spinoff (can you say that, boys and girls?) novel that I know some people have been waiting for. Attack on Titan: Lost Girls gives focus to two of the most seemingly stoic of the cast, Mikasa and Annie.

They also have a 5th volume of the “totally created by Americans, honest” series Ninja Slayer.

Yen Press has a number of digital releases. New volumes for Aoharu x Machinegun, Black Detective, and Corpse Princess. The final volume of Grim Reaper and Four Girlfriends and Little Witches’ Collier. And a 4th volume of Saki, for the Manga Bookshelf folks.

MICHELLE: Hm. The fanservice was starting to get to me, but I do still have some interest in Saki.

ASH: Saki! Speaking of impossible dreams, I’d still love to see a print release.

MJ: Same here!

SEAN: Yen On releases the 7th volume of A Certain Magical Index. Did you want more Roman Catholics in your Index? More nuns? What about a murderous military nun corps? Have I got good news for you!

Yen proper starts off with the 2nd volume of Akame Ga KILL! ZERO, another spinoff (can you say that, boys and girls?).

And Kaori Yuki shows us beautiful, beautiful death once more with a 4th Alice in Murderland.

Ani-Imo’s bizarre shoujo incestuous mind game antics come to an end with its 7th volume.

Barakamon has an 11th volume. Is Handa really going to have an arranged marriage? Signs point to no.

Black Bullet has a 4th manga volume of child killers and glorious depression.

It seemed like Bloody Cross announced it was ending several years ago, but it continues onward with its 11th volume.

We have a 4th Devil Is A Part Timer! High School!!, with 3 exclamation marks worth of fun. It’s a spinoff (can you say that, boys and girls?).

The big release this week is a re-release, as Yen is putting out Fruits Basket in omnibus editions. The first two, covering Vol. 1-4, are due out next week. I absolutely cannot wait to read this all over again. Who’s your favorite Souma? I’m partial to Shigure and his black, black heart.

MICHELLE: I am excite, despite already owning most of the series in Japanese and all of it from TOKYOPOP. I love the entire “Mabudachi Trio” very much, but have the warmest, proudest love for Yuki.

ASH: Glad to see this coming back, and in such a nice edition, too. I’m also rather partial to Shigure myself, but there are so many fascinating characters in the series.

MJ: These are absolutely beautiful, and I’m so excited to see them! I checked back into an old 3 Things Thursday to see what I said back then, and apparently I chose Momiji! I’ll stand by that! Looking forward to an epic re-read.

ANNA: Yay! I’m pretty resistant to buying series all over again, but I am so glad that Fruits Basket is back, this series deserves a wide audience, and I’m sure there are people who missed it the first time around.

SEAN: There’s a 3rd Handa-kun, which is the spinoff (can you say that, boys and girls?) to Barakamon.

He’s My Only Vampire is starting to lose me a bit, but I know it ends in a few volumes or so. Here’s Vol. 7.

MICHELLE: Yeah. I’m going to soldier on to the end, though. Hopefully it’ll make more sense than Kiss of the Rose Princess.

SEAN: And a 3rd volume of Irregular at Magic High School spinoff (can you say that, boys and girls?) The Honor Student at Magic High School.

Third volumes galore! Here’s a 3rd for Of the Red, the Light and the Ayakashi.

MICHELLE: I’m looking forward to this one!

SEAN: If you enjoyed the Overlord light novel, why not try the manga (does this count as a spinoff)? The first volume is out next week.

And Rose Guns Days ends its Season One with its 4th volume, although future seasons are coming.

Servant x Service has a 2nd omnibus which wraps up that series. It proved to be a lot more character-focused than I expected for a fluffy workplace 4-koma.

The other debut this week is Space Dandy, which was originally an anime but now has this manga spinoff (can you say that, boys and girls?). If you enjoyed Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, this is in the same vein.

Lastly, a 2nd volume of Sword Art Online, Mother’s Rosary, which adapts the 7th light novel.

And with that, my running gag has come to an end. What are you getting this week?

Everyone’s Getting Married, Vol. 1

June 23, 2016 by Michelle Smith

By Izumi Miyazono | Published by VIZ Media

egm1 I’ve grown a bit wary of josei romances. I’d prefer them not to be smutty, or to derive much of their drama from misunderstandings, or to feature a controlling male lead. Happily, Everyone’s Getting Married avoids all of those things!

Twenty-four-year-old Asuka Takanashi enjoys a successful career as a real estate broker, but what she really wants to do is get married, quit her job, and become a full-time homemaker. I struggled to identify with her at first because of this, but Miyazono does a great job showing how serious a person Asuka is. This isn’t some idealistic fantasy she’s concocted. Asuka works hard at her job, and we soon see that she absolutely will work just as hard to provide a warm environment for her family. Too, the more negative reactions Asuka gets, the more it’s clear for the reader that it’s nobody’s business criticizing her choice.

Unfortunately for her connubial dream, right after Asuka catches the bouquet at a friend’s wedding, her long-time boyfriend breaks up with her, saying, “You’d be happy with anyone who puts a ring on your finger.” Asuka tells herself this isn’t true, but immediately begins attending mixers and matchmaking events, looking for a potential husband. Meanwhile, she keeps running into handsome newscaster Ryu Nanami, who flatly declares, “I’d rather die than get married.” She tries to squash the feelings that are developing, but by the end of the volume they’re going out, even though neither has changed their mind about matrimony.

How refreshing it is to read a story about two adults who are plain-spoken about what they want from life! Nobody does anything spazzy and they are both consummate professionals. I don’t know how they’re going to reconcile their differences—probably we’ll get a happy ending, though I admit I’d be happy if Miyazono took the unconventional route and had them break up. My one complaint is that it’s initially hard to tell whether the conflicting opinions Ryu expresses regarding housewifery (at one point calling it an escape and later a respectable career) represent evolution because of Asuka or just inconsistency. (When he reiterates his respect again towards the end of the volume, it seems much more obviously because of her.) Also, there’s a scene where Asuka berates him, calling him a lowlife and a womanizer, and then just a few pages later he’s praising her for not judging others’ choices. Um…

All in all, this was a nice surprise and I look forward to volume two!

Everyone’s Getting Married is ongoing in Japan, where it is up to five volumes. VIZ will publish the second volume in English in September.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Two New Sherlock Holmes Mysteries from Anthony Horowitz

June 21, 2016 by Michelle Smith

Officially sanctioned by the Conan Doyle estate!

The House of Silk
I have read two other books featuring Holmes and/or Watson that were written by someone other than Arthur Conan Doyle, but I must say that The House of Silk surpasses them both.

Elderly Watson’s health is failing, and he is in a facility where the nurses think writing about his time with Holmes (who died the year before) will be therapeutic for him. As it happens, there is a “monstrous” and “shocking” affair which he had never previously recorded, so he makes plans to send the completed manuscript to a solicitor with the instruction that the package not be opened for 100 years. He then sets about recounting events which began in November 1890, when a man named Edmund Carstairs paid Holmes a visit.

Carstairs is a fine-art dealer who is apparently being menaced by the surviving member of a gang responsible for stealing some valuable paintings on their way to an American client. In the beginning, the book moves rather slowly and it doesn’t seem like there is enough about this case to fill a whole novel. But then one of the Baker Street irregulars that Holmes employs to keep watch over the culprit is brutally murdered, and the resulting investigation ultimately leads to a discovery that is, indeed, suitably shocking.

Horowitz has a good grasp on the characters, and though Holmes is somewhat more human here than elsewhere—castigating himself for the boy’s death, for example—it doesn’t seem out of character. Too, the various pieces of the puzzle fit together in ways that make absolute sense in retrospect but which I never could have guessed. I’m very much looking forward to the follow-up, Moriarty, though Holmes and Watson are apparently absent from that novel.

“The Three Monarchs”
One month before the release of Moriarty, the short story “The Three Monarchs” became available for the Kindle. (It also includes a preview chapter from Moriarty, but I never read those.)

It’s largely inconsequential—Holmes is consulted on a puzzling burglary in which the suspect (shot by an elderly homeowner) was attempting to abscond with three very common ceramic figurines celebrating Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee—and seemingly exists only to remind readers of the existence of Inspector Athelney Jones, first encountered in The Sign of Four, who will be playing a large role in Horowitz’s Moriarty. He vows to learn Holmes’ methods, but Watson notes that he soon grows ill and takes leave from the police.

Moriarty
Set just after Holmes and Moriarty’s meeting at Reichenbach Falls, after which both are presumed dead, Moriarty is the story of American criminal ringleader Clarence Devereux, who has come to England with the goal of taking over Moriarty’s organization, and Pinkerton detective Frederick Chase, who teams up with Scotland Yard’s Athelney Jones (back at work after a year-long convalescence) to stop him.

What I liked best was the dynamic established between Chase and Jones. As it turns out, “The Three Monarchs” was not so inconsequential after all, as the shame of having been wrong yet again spurred Jones into fanatical study of Holmes’ methods and treatises, to the point where he’s become quite good at deductions himself, while narration from Chase chronicles his exploits. Though Holmes and Watson technically are absent, their influence, therefore, is palpable.

Unfortunately, the book is rather lacking in the suspense department. That’s not to say I require suspense, but that several scenes that ought to have been suspenseful simply weren’t. For example, Chase and Jones unlawfully infiltrate the American legation and once they are caught, Jones’ career at Scotland Yard is in jeopardy, but it’s all very ho-hum, to the reader and to Jones. Moreover, a plot twist that Horowitz presumably hoped would elicit gasps of surprise instead only compelled me to triumphantly cry, “I knew it!”

I would still recommend these books to a rabid Holmes fan who has devoured everything else, and I’d still read another one if it is published, but I do hope it’s more fun than this one.

Pick of the Week: Complexities

June 20, 2016 by Michelle Smith, Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Anna N and MJ Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: Well, I don’t know about you guys, but my pick of the week is pretty darn clear. Complex Age all the way!

SEAN: Tempting as it is to be the LN fanboy I am and pick Psycome, I expect I’d regret that. So I too will pick Complex Age, which is a good deal of fun and more nuanced than I’d anticipated.

ASH: Complex Age is indeed an excellent choice, but my pick is the second omnibus of Goodnight Punpun. The first omnibus was incredibly surreal, emotionally wrenching, and one of the manga that’s left the greatest impression on me so far this year.

ANNA: Complex Age is by far the series I’m most interested in this week. Looking forward to reading it!

MJ: I’m with the Complex Age crowd this week. It’s definitely the title that intrigues me most!

Manga the Week of 6/22

June 16, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, MJ and Anna N Leave a Comment

SEAN: Third weeks of the month: almost like second weeks, but they seem different, mostly as Viz tends to put out its blogger-friendly titles here. What’s happening next week?

Kodansha debuts a new seinen series that ran in Morning magazine, which means I am already well-disposed to it. Complex Age features a cosplay fanatic who is being forced to acknowledge reality, which is that she’s now an adult with adult concerns, and can’t pull off the 14-year-old magical girl look anymore. This should be good.

MICHELLE: Definitely looking forward to this one!

ASH: I actually just reviewed this! It is indeed good.

MJ: That actually does sound good.

ANNA: I’m intrigued.

SEAN: And Fairy Tail has reached 54 volumes, meaning I think it has achieved its goal of being the Kodansha version of One Piece quite well.

And speaking of juggernaut franchises trying to catch up with Japan, here’s the 15th volume of Noragami. (I think it catches up by next month.)

ASH: I’ve got some catching up to do, but I have been enjoying Noragami.

SEAN: Seven Seas gives us two more volumes of fighting and fanservice manga Freezing, with Vol. 9 and 10 in one omnibus.

And there’s also a second volume of Survival Game virtual reality manga Not Lives.

Vertical gives us a 2nd omnibus of quirky romantic comedy Mysterious Girlfriend X.

MICHELLE: It’s a salivaganza!

SEAN: Viz has a second omnibus of Goodnight Punpun, which reminds me to start feel guilty about being not even halfway through the first, even though its quality is obvious.

ASH: The first omnibus was extraordinary, heartbreaking and surreal.

ANNA: I feel guilty I haven’t read the first volume yet too.
SEAN: Insurance madness continues with the 7th Master Keaton collection.

MICHELLE: I am woefully behind on this one.

ANNA: Me too!

SEAN: And there’s a 7th volume of amazingly popular Tokyo Ghoul.

Lastly, Yen On debuts a new series, Psycome. This is short for ‘Psycho Love Comedy’, and it comes from Enterbrain. Our hero is sent to prison for killing a dozen people (he’s actually innocent), and ends up in a prison filled with girls, all of whom are killers and all of whom proceed to obsess on him. This could be funny or dire, honestly. To be fair, it is a Yen On title that doesn’t involve fantasy worlds or gaming, though the prison itself seems like a fantasy. To be fairer, it’s only 6 volumes long, making it the rare Yen On license that isn’t ongoing in Japan.

Buy these manga or I’LL KILL YOU… nah, yandere doesn’t work when it’s me. What are you getting?

Bookshelf Briefs 6/13/16

June 13, 2016 by Sean Gaffney and Michelle Smith Leave a Comment

It’s a Vizstravaganza!

Assassination Classroom, Vol. 10 | By Yusei Matsui | Viz Media – First of all, yay, Kayano got to do something! The giant pudding detail was very well done, and there was a minimum of the usual tiny chest jokes that normally surround her. The other important detail to note in this volume is how much other forces from outside the classroom are also trying to kill Koro-sensei, and how their methods are very much “by any means necessary.” Indeed, Shiro may end up being this manga’s Big Bad. What he does to Itona is appalling, and I was pleased that, after suitable recovery and the appropriate tragic backstory, he was able to join the class. This continues to be a top-drawer Jump series, and is now so popular that the author will be at NYCC this fall. – Sean Gaffney

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 12 | By Yuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki | VIZ Media – I always enjoy Food Wars!, but this was an especially good volume. The three-way battle in the final round of the Fall Classic gets underway, but Soma is at a disadvantage when it comes to selecting the best pike (the theme ingredient) for his dish. Of course, he comes through with an innovative workaround after having been dismissed as a threat by his two competitors, though we’ll have to wait until the next volume to see how the judges react to his final flourish. I especially liked that the art has evolved some, and Soma appears to have aged a bit since the start of the series, and that the over-the-top reaction shots leaned more towards musclebound dudes than scantily clad ladies this time around. Eagerly looking forward to volume thirteen! – Michelle Smith

Kamisama Kiss, Vol. 21 | By Julietta Suzuki | Viz Media – I was rather surprised to see that Tomoe’s plight is not so easily resolved, and indeed not resolved at all this volume. But that allows us to focus more on Nanami, who is struggling hard to get her happy human-sized lifetime with her love, but the question remains how long her life is going to be, especially with Yatori, who’s always been sort of creepy and villainous but ups his game a great deal here. Things are so bad that Nanami is even offered an out, when she arrives at Mount Kurama and reunites with her (slightly older) friends, who tell her she can stay there for the rest of her life, and see Tomoe on occasion. But that’s not good enough: Nanami loves Tomoe, and has to fix this. Still recommended. – Sean Gaffney

Paradise Residence, Vol. 2 | By Kosuke Fujishima | Kodansha Comics – This is just the one volume, and because Fujishima’s volumes are slim, it looks like a lot less compared to its predecessor. I’d say that the content also felt a bit light compared to its predecessor, but that implies that the previous volume had a heavy amount of content, which it doesn’t. This series is fluffy even for Fujishima, who takes the time when he’s relaxing from wrapping up Oh My Goddess (most of this ran concurrently with it) to give us amusing school situations, amusing beach situations, a lot of pretty girls, and of course a brief race with a souped-up car, because we know what the author REALLY cares about. If you love Fujishima, this is definitely worth a read. If not, totally skippable. – Sean Gaffney

QQ Sweeper, Vol. 3 | By Kyousuke Motomi | Viz Media – I wasn’t aware that this was the final volume of QQ Sweeper until right before I read it, and it came as a surprise. That said, what it’s actually doing is changing its title and rebooting itself, something that usually happens when a title changes publishers, but no, it’s still going to be in Betsucomi. This is probably why very little is actually wrapped up here, though at least we now have confirmation that Fumi is indeed a very special girl, and she and Kyutaro become closer. This is just as dramatic as the previous volume, with some bullying at the start and major suicidal focus in the second half, so it may not be for everyone. For me though, it was fantastic, and I really hope Viz licenses Queen’s Quality soon. – Sean Gaffney

QQ Sweeper, Vol. 3 | By Kyousuke Motomi | VIZ Media – This is the final volume of QQ Sweeper under this name, but the story doesn’t actually end here. Rather, it just sort of pauses, continuing in Queen’s Quality, which I am hopeful VIZ will license soon. Because, in the end, I really came to like Fumi a great deal. When a manipulative bug-handler coopts a karaoke outing to create hysteria over Fumi’s supposed curse, which in turn leads to bullying followed by insincere friendliness, she comports herself throughout with dignity yet doesn’t shy away from expressing her anger. Furthermore, she’s able to graciously accept Kyutaro’s help when one of the mean girls is further compelled to attempt suicide. It’s nice to have a lead who isn’t spazzy! In fact, I’ve grown to care about both lead characters very much and hope we see more of them soon! – Michelle Smith

School Judgment: Gakkyu Hotei, Vol. 3 | By Nobuaki Enoki and Takeshi Obata | Viz Media – Sometimes you read a series and you know the only reason it was licensed at all is the name recognition, and that’s certainly the case with School Judgment, which would never have even sniffed these shores were it not drawn by Takeshi Obata. We meet our third colleague of Abaku, and if you enjoyed Franziska Von Karma but wished she wore a leather bustier and was twelve years old, you’re in luck! For the rest of us, the fanservice falls flat, and the volume reads like a classic ‘cancelled’ Jump series, i.e. the ending is quite rushed and unsatisfying. If you absolutely must have anything Obata writes, you can get this, but otherwise Ace Attorney is still miles better (and indeed Miles better). – Sean Gaffney

School Judgment: Gakkyu Hotei, Vol. 3 | By Nobuaki Enoki and Takeshi Obata | VIZ Media – In this volume, one last classroom session for class 6-3 leads to the discovery of the identity of the fourth student to survive the massacre five years before. I’ve always felt rather “meh” about School Judgment, but with the introduction of Yui Kijima (the third survivor), my feelings shifted to outright dislike. Not only does she have a sadistic personality, the hyper-sexualized depiction of her as a leather-clad, twelve-year-old dominatrix is really gross. Still, the promise of resolution to the aforementioned massacre kept me reading. Too bad that turned out to be pretty lame, as well. Enoki’s original one-shot, with its craptastic art, rounds out the volume. I’m left with profound gratitude that this series is over. – Michelle Smith

Toriko, Vol. 34 | By Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro | Viz Media – I will hand it to Viz, there was absolutely no way they could censor out the fact that Toriko and company have to get the testicles of the Monkey King to save Komatsu, or all the many, many ball-jokes that follow, and they don’t even try. For the most part, though, this is setup to a big upcoming battle, complete with ignominious defeat to begin with (complete with fake horrific death scenes), and difficult but amusing training sequences. As for the Monkey King himself, he honestly seems like a lot of fun, and I’m hoping that things might be able to be resolved without his death. Until then, though, it’s a giant tag-team wrestling match with our heroes. Toriko is still not about food, but as a Jump title, it’s good. – Sean Gaffney

Pick of the Week: Potpourri

June 13, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith and Anna N Leave a Comment

SEAN: Tempted as I am to go with Magi, which is a wonderful default, I will throw my Pick of the Week over to the last omnibus of Neon Genesis Evangelion. A series that seemed for years like it would never end finally has, and as readers of the individual volumes know, this is an excellent conclusion. Go buy it, there’s color pages!

ASH: Though there are plenty of manga being released this week that I’m interested in, I’m actually going to go off list for my pick. Breakdown Press, a small comics publisher in the UK, recently published Red Red Rock and Other Stories, a collection of over a dozen short manga spanning the career of alternative manga creator Seiichi Hayashi. I just got my hands on a copy of the volume and am looking forward to reading it a great deal.

MICHELLE: I, too, am giving Magi a break this time and going with something else. I really enjoyed the first few volumes of Tokyo ESP, and now we’re starting up a new phase of the story. I’m interested to see what happens!

ANNA: If everyone else is giving Magi a break, I feel compelled to pick it, even though I am a gazillion volume behind in this series.

Manga the Week of 6/15

June 9, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, MJ and Anna N Leave a Comment

SEAN: Ah, the 2nd week of the month, the most common week for the Manga Bookshelf team to look over the releases and think “Wow, am I picking Magi as Pick of the Week again?”

MICHELLE: Heh.

SEAN: Dark Horse has a 2nd volume of Fate/Zero, sure to give us many more heartwarming moments so that it can crush them to bits in later volumes.

Kodansha Comics is likely counting down the days till Air Gear finishes, and they’re close with Vol. 35, but not yet.

And there’s a 5th volume of L♥DK, and I’m sure all is sweetness and light.

ASH: I know people who like the series, but personally I find it infuriating.

MICHELLE: I never went back after volume one.

SEAN: Paradise Residence has a 2nd volume, which is NOT an omnibus, so don’t be surprised at its slim size. There’s also a souped-up car, because Fujishima.

ASH: I’m enjoying Paradise Residence much more than I thought I would!

SEAN: And Kodansha also has a 2nd volume of their Persona Q spinoff, this one on the P4 side.

Seven Seas has a new debut, which seems to be a romantic comedy of sorts? Masamune-kun’s Revenge runs in Comic Ryu, and the premise sounds like it could be a disaster (guy becomes handsome to get revenge on ice queen who rejected him). I guess we will see how much it subverts its premise.

ASH: Hmmm.

SEAN: There’s also a 6th volume of Servamp, which has vamp… yeah, OK, the running gag is old. I will stop.

SubLime gives us a 2nd 2-in-1 omnibus of Don’t Be Cruel. But are their hearts true?

ASH: I haven’t heard much about Don’t Be Cruel, but enough to be curious about the manga.

MJ: I’m a bit curious as well.

MICHELLE: The blackmail plot doesn’t thrill me, but I can’t help but be amused by the fact that the volume numbers appear on tighty whities.

SEAN: And His Favorite has reached Volume 9, and the cover art is still amazing.

ASH: Uh oh! I’m apparently a couple volumes behind.

SEAN: Vertical gives us a 5th omnibus of Tokyo ESP.

MICHELLE: Yay! I believe this is launching a new arc.

SEAN: And yay, it’s a new volume of Magi! 18 volumes from Viz, and we’re still not tired of it.

MICHELLE: Nope!

ANNA: YAY MORE MAGI!!!!!!

SEAN: Viz also has a 2nd volume of Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter. Would a Flash hunter be against every one of us? (Wow, that was obscure.)

MICHELLE: I admit I didn’t get it, but my brain did think the sequel could perhaps be ‘QuickTime Hunter.’

SEAN: Lastly, the re-release of the Evangelion manga comes to an end with the 5th omnibus, containing the last two volumes. I actually quite liked this ending. It’s worth picking up.

Does something this week cry out to you?

Bookshelf Briefs 6/7/16

June 7, 2016 by Sean Gaffney and Michelle Smith Leave a Comment

Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 11 | By Cocoa Fujiwara | Yen Press – The finale of this series gets a few more extra pages to be able to show the final battle and all of the villainous tragic backstory that precipitates it. It ends up tying in with the time-traveling tree we’ve seen in prior volumes, but honestly, I wasn’t as interested in the villains as I was in seeing our heroes be cool. All the appropriate couples end up together (though surprise, the supposed lesbian isn’t so much in the end), and we even get some closure from the future-that-wasn’t cast as well. I enjoyed this series a great deal, with several of the plot twists taking me totally by surprise (though sometimes, as with the fate of Kagerou, there is utter non-surprise). I’ll miss it. – Sean Gaffney

Kamisama Kiss, Vol. 21 | By Julietta Suzuki | VIZ Media – I have consistently enjoyed Kamisama Kiss, but now that we’re moving into the endgame, it’s gotten even better. Tomoe has decided to become human, but his first attempt has left him in fox form instead. Nanami is supposed to stay behind while Mikage seeks treatment, but of course she doesn’t, and her shortcut leads to a run-in with one of Kirihito’s minions who reveals that her life force has been so diminished by what happened between her and his master in Okinawa that she’s got at most six months to live. I am absolutely sure a shoujo manga won’t allow its heroin to die—though I can think of one notable exception—so the parts that I actually found most interesting involved Kirihito’s schemes coming nearer to fruition along with inter-minion power plays. I love the darker atmosphere Suzuki evokes in their scenes; I hope there are many more of them to come! – Michelle Smith

Non Non Biyori, Vol. 4 | By Atto | Seven Seas – I was a bit irritated with the last volume of this slice-of-country-life series, but luckily things are a bit better this time around. Natsumi’s irritating qualities are kept to a minimum, and we get more of Renge, possibly due to reader demand as she is the young, cute (and very strange) one. Of course, you could argue the entire cast is strange in its own way, and the series is at its best when it’s at its silliest, such as the Koshigaya Sisters playing around with persimmons, or a flashback to the day baby Renge was brought to school and caused total havoc. There are some sweet moments as well, of course, such as the trek to see the New Year’s sunrise, but for the most part you read this for good, if mild, laughter. – Sean Gaffney

orange: The Complete Collection, Vol. 2 | By Ichigo Takano | Seven Seas – Given how deeply I loved the first volume of orange, it would’ve been hard for the second to surpass it, so the fact that I liked it a little less shouldn’t be construed as disappointment. I merely thought the ending was a bit rushed, with Suwa giving up on his feelings for Naho seemingly without much angst and an argument between Naho and Kakeru that felt somewhat forced. (Surely Naho is intelligent enough to see where her future self went wrong before essentially repeating the mistake!) There are many intensely lovely scenes between the group of friends, however, including a memorable sports festival, and I’m very fond of all the characters. To top it all off, I actually really liked the bonus story, too. This is a manga I will be rereading and foisting on friends for sure. – Michelle Smith

A Silent Voice, Vol. 7 | By Yoshitoki Oima | Kodansha Comics – Those who were wondering if the two tormented leads would ever get together at the end of this may be a bit disappointed by the ending to A Silent Voice, where the closest we get to romantic resolution is Naoka showing off a ring a tall, hot model gave her—which turns out to be from Miyoko. (OK, that’s not romantic resolution, it’s yuri tease.) What is resolved is the film everyone was making, which doesn’t get any awards but ends up being personally satisfying, and Shoko and Shoya, who are both able to come to terms with their past and move on. After a series that dealt repeatedly with abuse and suicidal thoughts, this comes as something of a relief, and I am delighted with the finish. – Sean Gaffney

Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Vol. 8 | By Miki Yoshikawa | Kodansha Comics – The first half of this is pure setup, as they learn what the power of the seventh witch is (the cliffhanger from last volume being totally wrong), realize what will happen if they figure out who said witch is, and have contingency plans to deal with said fallout. And then, naturally, everything goes horribly wrong. The second half of this volume can be very painful to read, especially for anyone who’s always secretly wondered if maybe their friends all have more fun whenever they aren’t there. Yamada-kun puts a brave face on things, which leads to hilarious scenes of him trying to clean his way to happiness, but an emotional breakdown isn’t far off, and I suspect things will get worse in the next volume. – Sean Gaffney

Yotsuba&!, Vol. 13 | By Kiyohiko Azuma | Yen Press – It’s been a long time since the last volume of Yotsuba&! came out, but after reading a few pages it feels like we’ve never really been away. We get Asagi being bemused at Yotsuba’s childlike logic, Fuuka suffering from the same, and Yanda getting just plain abuse. But the majority of this book is about Yotsuba’s grandmother, who comes to stay with her son for a few days. She’s new to the reader but not to Yotsuba or Koiwai, which leads to many familiar yet unfamiliar situations. She’s also naturally got a dour face, even if her mood is not matching, so we get amusing contrasts between dialogue and expression. But, most importantly, we discuss Yotsuba sleeping on her own for the first time! Will time actually move forward? – Sean Gaffney

Pick of the Week: Sweepers, Corpses, and Josei Debuts

June 6, 2016 by Michelle Smith, Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, MJ and Anna N Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: There are quite a few titles that I will be picking up this week, but I shall award my pick to the third and final volume of QQ Sweeper. I’ve enjoyed this series a lot so far and I hope VIZ licenses the sequel!

SEAN: I have a love/hate relationship with Viz’s josei titles, as I love the fact that they deal with adults having adult issues, but frequently find that they tend towards the same “bastard boyfriend” tropes that also plague some of Viz’s shoujo titles. But I keep coming back for more, and that’s why the title I most want to see this week is Everyone’s Getting Married, another Petit Comic extravaganza.

ASH: With so many manga releases this week I’m having a little trouble narrowing it down to just one title, but in the end I would like to draw attention to the latest omnibus of Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service. It’s such a great series, mixing humor and horror in surprisingly effective ways. I’m glad that Dark Horse is giving the manga a new life in English!

MJ: I’m with Michelle, this week. Though there are a number of titles I’m interested in this week, the one dearest to my heart is the third volume of QQ Sweeper. This series is so perfectly my cup of tea. I was terribly sad to learn that this is the end, and echo Michelle’s hopes that Viz will be offering us its sequel!

ANNA: I love QQ Sweeper! But I’m very easily distracted by new series. So for that reason, I’m going to have to go with the new josei series Everyone’s Getting Married. Yay for more josei!

Manga the Week of 6/8

June 2, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith, Anna N and MJ 1 Comment

SEAN: June is busting out all over, especially in terms of sheer manga volume – this month will be punishing, starting with 25 books out next week.

Dark Horse gives us the 4th – and presumably last for now – omnibus of The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service. Go get it if you haven’t already.

ASH: I’m really glad this series is getting a second chance. Apparently the omnibuses are doing better than the single volumes did.

SEAN: And the Evangelion spinoff Shinji Ikari Raising Project may be over in Japan, but we still have a couple volumes to go. Here’s Vol. 16.

And a 9th New Lone Wolf and Cub.

This isn’t on Amazon yet, but Diamond has a couple of DMP books out, so let’s list them as well. (Yes, DMP still does print books. On occasion.) Does the Flower Blossom? gets a 2nd volume.

MICHELLE: I’m still holding out hope for volume eleven of Itazura na Kiss!

SEAN: And we also get the 9th volume of The Tyrant Falls in Love.

ASH: The eighth volume made for a pretty solid conclusion to the series, so I’m curious to see where this one goes.

SEAN: Kodansha has a 5th volume of shoujo reverse harem series Kiss Him, Not Me!.

ASH: I find that I am rather enjoying this series.

SEAN: And Say “I Love You” has gotten to Volume 14, and I still insist on using those quotes, because I’m stubborn like that.

MICHELLE: Yay!

ANNA: So far behind on this series, maybe I can do a reading binge over the summer.

SEAN: Seven Seas has the third Mayo Chiki omnibus. Does this finish that up? (Or off?)

And Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation’s third volume continues to prove that sometimes to get sales you have to license the title people already call it.

Seven Seas’ debut is The Other Side of Secret, which is from Media Factory’s Comic Alive, and I suspect will involve harem romance and possibly large breasts.

And now we have Viz, starting with Assassination Classroom getting to double digits.

Viz debuts a new Jump series, Black Clover. The premise looks to me like One Piece only with magic instead of pirates, but we’ll see how fun it is.

And there’s a 3rd Bloody Mary volume. Vampires!

ANNA: Yay! This series is goofy, but I enjoy all the angst.

SEAN: Dragon Ball’s 3-in-1 has hit lucky Vol. 13.

Yay, another Josei Beat series debuts! Everyone’s Getting Married comes from the pages of Petit Comic, and I’ve generally been very fond of these types of series. Romance between non-high schoolers!

MICHELLE: I am looking forward to this debut!

ASH: As am I!

ANNA: I’m EXTRA looking forward to it!

MJ: I’m… skeptical, but hopeful? Viz’s josei series tend to be full of landmines for me.

SEAN: Food Wars! has a dozen volumes now, and it still makes me hungry.

Kamisama Kiss is up to Vol. 21, and the romance seems to finally be heating up, maybe? As much as Hana to Yume romance ever does?

Komomo Confiserie’s 4th volume continues to try to charm me despite its lack of loud, dense heroines.

MICHELLE: I continue to follow all of these.

ANNA: They are all good series, but Kamisama Kiss is a standout.

SEAN: One Piece has its 16th 3-in-1, which I think begins Thriller Bark?

QQ Sweeper doesn’t come out often enough for my tastes, but I am very happy Volume 3 is here.

MICHELLE: Me, too, though this is the end. Unless VIZ has also licensed the sequel!

ANNA: Aieee, I didn’t realize it was so short. I will cherish the three volumes even more.

MJ: This, this, this!! But is it really the end? Nooooo.

SEAN: And School Judgment ends with its third volume.

MJ: I with I’d liked this more.

MICHELLE: Me, too.

SEAN: Seraph of the End reaches Volume 9. Vampires!

So Cute It Hurts!! has Volume 7, and I will assume has kept its cuteness promises to the reader.

MICHELLE: I have never found it cute, to be honest.

ANNA: I have found it somewhat cute, but I enjoy eye patches and cross dressing in manga.

SEAN: It’s been nine months since a Tegami Bachi volume, so Vol. 19 is heavily anticipated by the fandom.

Lastly, we have a 34th volume of Toriko, which doesn’t make me as hungry as Food Wars!, but has more punching.

ASH: True!

SEAN: Are you picking up any of this deluge?