Michelle Smith

Sean and Michelle review a sizable pile of new releases from a sizable percentage of manga publishers.

Assassination Classroom, Vol. 8 | By Yusei Matsui | Viz Media – Viz may never have licensed Supernatural Detective Neuro, Matsui’s prior series, but at least we can get an in-joke about it here. As for this volume itself, it’s very good at showing that our class is learning well, but still can make mistakes and grow from them. We see the specialty of various kids who hadn’t gotten the spotlight before, and Karma makes a nice comeback after being brought down during the exams. As always, though, it ends up being Nagisa who drives things forward—both on the humorous side, as he has to cross-dress apparently for nothing but the class’ amusement, to the serious side, as he faces off against a nasty and insane foe with murder in mind. Really fantastic. – Sean Gaffney

Behind the Scenes!!, Vol. 1 | By Bisco Hatori | VIZ Media – Oh, how I wanted to love this. As someone who once concluded a review of the first volume of Ouran High School Host Club with the words “could not possibly be more highly recommended,” it is with a heavy heart that I confess that I found Behind the Scenes!! profoundly underwhelming. Ranmaru Kurisu is a somewhat spazzy protagonist who spends a lot of time in freak-out mode, and though he does occasionally save the day for the special effects crew he joins, the plots are all pretty lame. It doesn’t help that the leader of the group is constantly urging Ranmaru to “evolve,” either. However, as disappointing and unfunny as this first volume was, I find I just can’t give up yet. Hatori loyalty compares me to stick with it ‘til all hope is gone. – Michelle Smith

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 10 | By Yuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki | Viz Media – A lot of battle manga, which Food Wars! definitely is, end up having some sort of ethical battle between someone who is fighting and winning for the right reasons (our hero), and one fighting for the wrong ones (this volume’s villain, Mimisaka). It’s a great plot for your typical “young boy” manga, as it shows off a lot of negative traits and then shows why they’re bad. Mimisaka enjoys enraging and then humiliating his opponents, as well as taking their most prized possessions. He also tends to imitate his opponents. I suspect he’ll have more trouble with Yukimura than any other. In the meantime, it’s Western-style cooking next time around, and I expect we’ll see a lesson being learned. – Sean Gaffney

A Girl on the Shore | By Inio Asano | Vertical Comics – The back cover blurb describes this short series as “challenging,” and boy, is that apt. Initially, I thought that adjective mostly referred to the way Koume Sato, cruelly used by the boy she likes, initiates a sexual arrangement with Keisuke Isobe, who has liked her for years, while repeatedly belittling him and rejecting his desire for a real relationship. What ensues between them is explicit and a bit twisted, and by the time Sato is ready to admit that she does genuinely like Isobe, it’s a case of too little, too late. But really, it’s the way things end—and the struggle to decide if it’s hopeful or terribly bleak—that I found most difficult to accept. I can’t go into more detail without spoilers, but I have many feels! I definitely recommend the series, especially for the stellar sense of place Asano evokes, but be warned… it really is challenging! – Michelle Smith

Kamisama Kiss, Vol. 20 | By Julietta Suzuki | Viz Media – So our main couple have admitted their feelings, and a time-travel trip to the past has resolved any other women who may have been troublesome. Now, of course, we need to add more complications to the mix, and it’s a rather obvious one—Nanami may be the local shrine god, but she’s still a human, and a life with Tomoe is going to feel like no time at all for him, and end in inevitable tragedy. He’s aware of this as well, of course, and seemingly far more concerned about it, which leads to him making a rare stupid mistake. Of course, this also ties into the main plot, which still chugs along—Akura-Oh is around in the modern world, and is not going to simply sit around and let Tomoe and Nanami happily ever after. Always fun. – Sean Gaffney

My Little Monster, Vol. 12 | By Robico | Kodansha Comics – There is a 13th volume of My Little Monster, but my guess is it’s filled with side stories, as things wrap up here for our lead couple and their beta couple friends. Given that it’s a final volume, I don’t want to spoil too much, but suffice to say that there are a lot of heartwarming and satisfying scenes here, and there’s a nice flash forward to about 3-4 years later that gives us a Shizuku who looks amazing. I also freely admit that Natsume is my favorite character in the series, and she gets a lot to do as well, including a great sultry look that makes Sasayan’s eyes bug out. I started off not sure if I’d like this, mostly as Haru was simply out of control. Seeing him develop has been an experience, and one worth the read. – Sean Gaffney

orange: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1 | By Ichigo Takano | Seven Seas – I have read and truly enjoyed a LOT of manga, but that “I’m so glad this series is part of my life” feeling that I got with orange is rare indeed. Simply put, this is a story about a timid heroine who must change herself—following instructions somehow sent to her by her future self—to change the future and prevent a beloved classmate from committing suicide. Such a setup could easily play out as cheesy, but the execution is anything but, and neither does the “you need to show people that you care” message ever turn preachy. Instead, there’s just great characters and supportive friends (including another pair for the “heroine’s awesome protective friends” list) trying to do their best to pull someone through a difficult time. It’s only February, but I just might have found my top contender for the Best of 2016! – Michelle Smith

A Silent Voice, Vol. 5 | By Yoshitoki Oima | Kodansha Comics – Desperately trying to pretend that absolutely nothing is wrong while suffering inside is, unfortunately, something I think most of us have experience seeing. We get it throughout this volume, mostly from Shoya, who’s forced to return to the elementary school where this all began and admit to his new high school friends what he did then. And of course there’s Shoko, who my guess is has never stopped believing that everything that happened isn’t her fault in some way, and she finally breaks after we see all their newfound friends fighting and separated. Given there are two volumes to go after this, I assume the cliffhanger will be resolved in some way, but believe it or not, things should get worse before they get better. – Sean Gaffney

Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Vol. 6 | By Miki Yoshikawa| Kodansha Comics – There’s a lot of stuff happening here, but it’s variations on what we’ve seen before. We find out that the ‘manipulated’ minions are not as manipulated as we’d expect, and we find out that the witch behind it all is really not all that evil, just a high schooler with high school problems, which can be solved by Yamada-kun and his blunt but honest ways. It’s actually pretty sweet in a number of places, and there’s several funny scenes, including the bonus chapter where Yamada (in Urara’s body) has to stay over at Itou’s apartment. But in terms of plot or characterization of our regulars, it’s more of the same. I hope the next volume moves things forward a bit. – Sean Gaffney

Behold: briefs!

Akuma no Riddle, Vol. 2 | By Yun Kouga and Sunao Minakata | Seven Seas – Now that we’ve set up the And Then There Were None-style premise, it’s time to start firing off the assassins one by one to see how they will fail at taking out Haru. This volume comes in both evil and good flavors; the evil is a truly insane modern-day Jack the Ripper girl who simply loves killing; she’s actually taken out pretty easily by Haru, who is a lot better at avoiding death than Tokaku had expected. The other is more skilled, and has grown up being a scapegoat, but fails just the same. Given that next volume involves a production of Romeo and Juliet, I expect the Takarazuka assassins will get taken out then. Not as good as the first volume, but still readable. – Sean Gaffney

Golden Time, Vol. 2 | By Yuyuko Takemiya and Umechazuke | Seven Seas – Say what you will about Taiga in Toradora!, but she proved to be very likable and understandable right off the bat, despite her anger issues. Kouko is a much tougher nut to crack, and a lot of Golden Time‘s second volume might be spent with the reader wondering why we’re supposed to root for this couple in the first place. Luckily Banri is a far more fascinating protagonist, with his amnesia and honest attempts to show Kouko where she’s going wrong. I have a sneaking suspicion that he’s going to regain those memories before long, and it won’t be good for anyone involved. In the meantime, enjoy Kouko’s desperate flailing attempts to hold onto the past, and how it all crumbles around her. – Sean Gaffney

Horimiya, Vol. 2 | By Hero and Daisuke Hagiwara | Yen Press – I suspect the resemblance to Kare Kano is not going to be going away anytime soon, so accepting that, this is another cute and likable volume of romantic goodness. Hori deals with being ‘the capable one,’ meaning everything is foisted onto her, as well as a new somewhat immature rival. Miyamura is simply having difficulty understanding the concept of friendship at all. As a result, while the two have clearly fallen for each other hard, neither one is in a position to actually admit it, even to themselves. As for Yoshikawa and Ishikawa, they make the cover, and Ishikawa gets a lot to do, but I suspect their subplot hasn’t really started yet. I am really enjoying this series. – Sean Gaffney

Kiss of the Rose Princess, Vol. 8 | By Aya Shouoto | VIZ Media – Series-ending battles don’t get much more shoujo than this! Kaede gets not one but two “awakenings” due to his feelings for Anise, which she rather awesomely does not have time to deal with right now, then two villains are dealt with through the power of love and general shoujo empathy. Anise’s knights fight their hardest on her behalf, while she hurries on to the solo showdown with her villainous dad that we’ll have to wait until the final volume for. Anyone want to bet she wins him over with love and understanding? This is far from the best series I’ve ever read, and I doubt I’ll read it again, but I’m at least looking forward to seeing it through to its conclusion. – Michelle Smith

My Neighbor Seki, Vol. 6 | By Takuma Morishige | Vertical Comics – There’s never going to be much plot progression in a series like this—the closest this volume gets is a chapter where, due to various circumstances, Seki’s sister sits in with that day’s class. That said, the draw of this manga is as always Seki’s flights of fancy and Yokoi’s reactions to them, and there are some excellent ones here. Some might be funnier with knowledge of Japanese period art, I admit, but others are universal, like the foosball table, or the paper airplanes. Yokoi is less invested in studying than ever, and I fear for her future, but it can’t be denied that her reactions are what makes everyone want to come back to this series. – Sean Gaffney

Requiem of the Rose King, Vol. 3 | By Aya Kanno | Viz Media – If we’re still reasonably sticking to the basic plot of Shakespeare, then it makes sense that there’s so much of Henry and Richard in this volume; it may be the last of it that we ever see. It’s good, showing off both characters’ good and weak points, as well as the bond that they both feel (a bond that immensely frustrates Henry’s son, who is losing both in regal and romantic power). Meanwhile, the political part of this manga still excites, with Margaret’s rage knowing no bounds, and Elizabeth raising the stakes with several lovely insane grins. It may be turning into a bit of a bizarre harem manga, but make no mistake about it, tragedy is never going to be very far away from Richard. – Sean Gaffney

Requiem of the Rose King, Vol. 3 | By Aya Kanno | VIZ Media – I think this is my favorite volume of the series yet! Richard has been trying to convince himself that he needs neither love nor light in his life, seeking the clarity of the battlefield, but when he miraculously meets up with Henry once more, he begins to think “perhaps with him.” And, indeed, there are several tantalizing near-kisses here. Alas, their time together is short, and Richard tries to forget it when back at court, where Edward’s impromptu marriage has alienated his most ardent supporter and ticked off France, to boot. The blend of history and emotion is nicely balanced in this volume, and there’s a heck of a cliffhanger. Oh so ardently recommended! – Michelle Smith

Sword Art Online: Girls’ Ops, Vol. 2 | By Neko Nekobyou and Reki Kawahara | Yen Press – Having tried to balance action, fanservice, and some touching analysis of post-Sword Art Online syndrome, the second volume leans a bit harder towards the comedy and fanservice, with a beach setting providing lots of opportunities for bikinis, and the monster that needs to be vanquished being of the tentacle variety. Much of the interesting parts of this otherwise slight volume involve the new original character, Lux, and her self-esteem issues, something the other three girls mostly have no issue with. The last chapter brings Sinon into the group, which makes sense, as the main books still stick to Kirito, sometimes Asuna, and not much else. Forgotten heroines welcome here. – Sean Gaffney

Arpeggio of Blue steel, Vol. 6 | By Ark Performance | Seven Seas – Much of this volume involves seeing how our heroes will escape from the Japanese military, who have orders to execute everyone involved. Luckily, they’ve made friends in high places, so have the perfect solution, albeit one that delivers quite a bit of blood and gore. That turns out, however, to be the lead-in to a much bigger plot revelation, one that is fascinating and could spin out over the next several volumes. In the meantime, there’s lots of political wrangling and cool submarine battles to be had. If you’re avoiding this series because it’s cute girls are secretly big boats, you’re missing out—this is “What if cute anime boats were written by Tom Clancy?” – Sean Gaffney

Blue Exorcist, Vol. 14 | By Kazue Kato | Viz Media – Japan has always, in all genre types, been big on having the strength to save yourself rather than relying on others to save you. This has, of course, led to a giant bullying culture that doesn’t get fixed. But in manga the others are going to save you anyway, of course. Izumo has had it rough, and has spent most of her school life brutally pushing everyone away with her sharp tongue. Now, of course, as she realizes that she cannot actually deal with the nine-tailed fox on her own, she realizes what she had was true friends, and finally knows she actually loved them. It’s a standard epiphany, but done very well, and there’s lots of cool action as well. – Sean Gaffney

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 23 | By Karuho Shiina | Viz Media – I have been waiting for this plot point to come to fruition for what seems like years, possibly as it has actually been years. Kento and Ayane have always been the most uncomfortable of the three main couples, to the point where you realize she has more chemistry with her own teacher than she does with her boyfriend. But Ayane is also bottling a ton of self-hatred, and it finally comes out here and allows her to do what she probably should have done a while ago—break up with Kento, and try to get into the women’s college in Tokyo. Kento has always been one of my least favorite characters, but he takes it well here, even with his desperation showing on his face. The whole volume just sings. Highly recommended. – Sean Gaffney

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 23 | By Karuho Shiina | VIZ Media – Most of the time, I am able to imagine what it’s like to be this or that character in a shoujo manga series, but Ayane Yano is the exception. She’s unique and fascinating, coming across as more mature and aloof than her peers, but is crippled by self-hatred for her inability to truly be serious about anything, including her boyfriend. Volume 23 is all about her, as she must decide whether to pursue her dream of attending university in Tokyo while contending with how much she has hurt Kento by not factoring their relationship into her decision. I would’ve been really peeved if things hadn’t ultimately turned out the way they did, but man, it’s hard to watch Ayane hate herself this much. Still, I am already greatly looking forward to her eventual triumph, which makes me wonder how long this series will continue. – Michelle Smith

My Love Story!!, Vol. 7 | By Kazune Kawahara and Aruko | VIZ Media – Much like Kimi ni Todoke above, this volume of My Love Story!! revolves around the main character’s reserved friend trying to return the feelings of someone who loves them. In this case, Yukika Amami has loved Sunakawa since preschool, and he follows through with his pledge to get to know her before responding to her confession. I love that Sunakawa is kind without being condescending and that there are no misunderstandings between Takeo and Yamato as to why he’s been hanging out with this other girl, but most of all I love the emphasis on how his friendship with Takeo makes Sunakawa happier than anything else in his life, and that he basically affirms his love for his good-hearted friend. Amami may be a little hard to like, but if she highlights Sunakawa’s present contentment, then I’m glad she came around. – Michelle Smith

Natsume’s Book of Friends, Vol. 19 | By Yuki Midorikawa | VIZ Media – Normally, I am not very big on episodic stories, but I’m always charmed by those in Natsume’s Book of Friends. For the most part, this is a quiet, restful sort of volume, in which Natsume reconnects with an old school friend and deals with some cursed dolls, helps a rock-washer locate his missing apprentice, and learns about an incident in which his grandmother actually helped some yokai. Some angst does arise in the final chapter, however, when Natsume is invited back to the Hakozaki estate to deal with a yokai and runs into exorcists from the Matoba clan, with whom he simply cannot relate. Too, Natsume hopes to follow up on a clue about his grandfather, but nothing comes of it so far. Part of me looks forward to following this plot thread, but honestly, I’d be just as happy with more melancholy episodes like these. – Michelle Smith

Nisekoi, Vol. 13 | By Naoshi Komi | Viz Media – Incremental developments are part of what make good harem series work—knowing when to stick with the status quo and when things have to move forward. It doesn’t even need to involve the main characters—in this volume, Haru finally realizes the “false” relationship between Raku and Chitoge means that he’s not actually being a giant two-timer, and that it’s OK for Kosaki to like him—and Haru as well, of course, though she mostly sublimates this into “help my sister get together with him.” Meanwhile, Ruri gets the more dramatic plot, as she has to deal with her goofy grandfather and that fact that she’s dying—and wants to see her in a happy relationship. I still really enjoy this series. – Sean Gaffney

Non Non Biyori, Vol. 3 | By Atto | Seven Seas – Slice-of-life series can be hard to balance, and I feel that the third volume of this particular one is running into difficulties. Part of it is that the charm of life in a town that’s in the middle of nowhere runs out fast when you realize how few people are actually in this town, or how little there is to do. Another part is that Natsumi, the high-spirited but annoying girl who drives much of the plot, is more annoying than sympathetic, and this leads to things like the world’s worst culture festival, whose humor relies on how painfully awful it is. Obviously asking for better plotting and characterization runs counter to the spirit of slice-of-life, but asking for slightly better writing does not. I hope the next volume works better.-Sean Gaffney

Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn, Vol. 3 | By Shirow Masamune and Rikudou Koushi | Seven Seas – There’s still an arguably interesting story here under all the lolicon crap. Nene is reluctant to use the amazing superpower device, as she wants to get by on her own without relying on it like a crutch. But given that she CAN use the device to save the day, when the day needs saving, why not use it? The trouble is that this moral is still wrapped around fingering vaginal ‘ports’ to gain that power, hence the lolicon crap tag. Ah well, at least Excel Saga fans will get to see an amusing cameo of Kabapu… or rather, of a Kabapu-head costume, which is as horrifying as it sounds. For hardcore Shirow/Koshi fans only. – Sean Gaffney

Sean and Michelle are back with a bevy of briefs!

Attack on Titan Junior High, Vol. 4 | By Saki Nakagawa | Kodansha Comics – It continues to be difficult to tell the players without a scorecard in this spinoff that parodies every other spinoff as well. So we see Kuklo and Sharle having their own very silly adventures, and the canonically dead parents of Eren, as well as the “long-lost” sister of Krista/Historia, both show up and are as silly as the rest. That said, the series is not content to coast on running gags and repetition, and we see several types of humor I would not otherwise have expected—the most startling being a sequence where Sasha has to play the straight man to three people even more idiotic than she is. Attack on Titan is a giant goof, and the translation is as loose as ever, but it’s still fun. – Sean Gaffney

A Certain Scientific Accelerator, Vol. 2 | By Kazuma Kamachi and Arata Yamachi| Seven Seas – We’re still in the ‘let’s set up a bunch of chaos’ point in this manga’s story, so there’s lots of things introduced to hang a plot on. Estelle manages to revive the corpse of one victim to serve as a familiar and bodyguard, which is probably just as well as Accelerator is learning that after getting shot by Amai Ao there’s a limit to his own endurance. And one of the Misaka clones gets involved as well, though sadly it looks as though she is there purely to be in peril (you can tell as she’s not 10032, whose peril is limited to the Index series). Oh yes, and there’s a secret organization of thugs whose secrets are now coming out… far too easily. It’s chaotic, but Kamachi fans will find much to enjoy. – Sean Gaffney

The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Vol. 3 | By Aya Shouoto | VIZ Media – Even though I generally like bittersweet, episodic supernatural tales, something about this volume seems unfocussed. First, we get the conclusion to the story about a ghostly classmate visiting Momochi House, which leads into a couple of chapters about an entity named Kasha. No one will really tell Himari much about him, so I don’t know if we’re being set up with a series antagonist or what. And then there’s a banquet in which Aoi/Nue is required to seal away a powerful demon. I liked this last story the best, even though Himari was eyerollingly impetuous, probably because it evoked a Natsume’s Book of Friends sort of tone. In the end, though this series isn’t great and the characters are still too shallow for my liking, I still enjoy reading it and plan to continue. – Michelle Smith

Honey So Sweet, Vol. 1 | By Amu Meguro | VIZ Media – I can’t really put into words what quality in a shoujo series makes me suspect it ran in Margaret or one of its offshoots, but Honey So Sweet definitely has it. Nao Kogure only agrees to go out with seeming delinquent Taiga Onise to avoid making him angry, but soon discovers the many sweet and thoughtful sides to him. That rumor about him starting a fight with upperclassmen, for instance? It was because they were tormenting a turtle, whom Onise has now made his adorable pet. It’s not overly cutesy, though, and though Onise seems like a real catch, Nao first has to get over her belief that she’s actually in love with her uncle. (Yeah, long story.) In the end, I enjoyed this very much and look forward to volume two! – Michelle Smith

My Love Story!!, Vol. 7 | By Kazune Kawahara and Aruko | Viz Media – I’ve often speculated during this series that Sunakawa might be asexual. Not that I expect a shoujo romantic comedy to actually make that choice, but his complete lack of romantic interest is featured here in this seventh volume, where we meet a girl who’s spent almost her entire life admiring him from afar. Notably this is extremely well handled—she’s not really called out for it, just shown how there are better ways, such as actually interacting with Sunakawa. In the end, though, he likes her but is not interested. Is it that he really likes Takeo? Or doesn’t like anyone right now? All this is interspersed with the usual adorableness of our lead couple, the main reason that folks read this series. – Sean Gaffney

Natsume’s Book of Friends, Vol. 19 | By Yuki Midorikawa | Viz Media – Natsume and his grandmother usually get contrasted in this series, and we see more of that here, as the interactions he has include not just close friendships like Tanuma and casual school friends he used to have like Shibata, but also reluctant working relationships with creepy yet effective Matoba. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Reiko is his polar opposite, but we do see in a flashback story how difficult she finds basic interaction, be it human or yokai. Even as she does good deeds, she insists that it’s for her own selfishness. You’d never catch our Natsume doing that. And of course, there are lots more wonderful and terrifying yokai sprinkled throughout. – Sean Gaffney

One-Punch Man, Vol. 4 | By ONE and Yusuke Murata | Viz Media – We continue to expand our superhero-filled world in this volume, and see it’s just as political and selfish as you’d expect—a lot of glory hounds. Saitama, of course, doesn’t care about any of that, which is a good thing, as even when he’s saving the city from being devastated by a meteor he still causes a huge ton of damage. Still, he’s getting noticed. Meanwhile, we see a few other minor heroes, and I realize that this is likely going to be one of those shonen series with a huge cast that I can’t possibly tell apart. The fact that it’s still only the fourth volume worries me. Still, as long as they keep the action scenes cool and Saitama funny enough, I’ll keep following along while scratching my head. – Sean Gaffney

Rose Guns Days Season One, Vol. 2 | By Ryukishi07 and Soichiro | Yen Press – I am again reminded that this is not at all a series that would have been picked up were it not for the name of Ryukishi07 attached to it. He’s not having to worry about mysteries here, or even all that much horror. Instead we get to see a bunch of scenes devoted to showing off the difference between an idealist and a cynic. The narrative, as well as the majority of the characters, is as cynical as they come in this Japan gone wrong. But the meta-narrative expects us to side with Rose and her desperate shiny hopefulness that everyone would be really swell if we all just helped each other. I am hoping that future volumes will give Rose depth to help us respect her position. – Sean Gaffney

Happy new briefs!

D-Frag!, Vol. 7 | By Tomoya Haruno | Seven Seas – The setting may have changed to an island beach, but that doesn’t mean that the cast are taking it easy in this new D-Frag! And no, I don’t mean they’re amping up their harem qualities or having thrilling adventures. I mean they’re all being the best bokes ever, to the point where Kenji and his sister spend half the volume collapsed in exhaustion from the constant tsukkomis that are needed. Plot and characterization are mostly irrelevant here. We do get another girl added to the pile, this one from a different school. She seems to be able to eat people’s unhappiness. If you can put up with near-constant gags and comebacks, D-Frag! remains terrific. It can be a bit exhausting, though, and I recommend taking a break after each chapter. – Sean Gaffney

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi-chan, Vol. 10 | By Puyo and Nagaru Tanigawa | Yen Press – This gag manga has always tried to handle the actual canon with care, particularly when it comes to the later books. As an example, we have Yasumi present and correct in the club, as in books 9-11, but she doesn’t speak or do much of anything that might reveal what she really is. Mostly as that would detract from what this series is, a bunch of comedic riffs using the Haruhi cast and its own built-up silliness as a springboard for anything. In fact, its world is getting increasingly flexible—Asakura is big-size again for the sake of one storyline, because Kuyou is playing the ‘SD mode’ foil. Anything goes when it comes to this series, and if you enjoy Haruhi and don’t care much about canon, it’s still great fun. – Sean Gaffney

My Love Story!! Vol 7 | By Kazune Kawahara and Aruko | Viz Media – I was looking forward to a Sunakawa-focused volume, and this fulfilled my expectations, with a bit of a plot twist. Takeo discovers that a girl named Yukika Amani has been in love with Sunakawa for years, sending him chocolate every year for Valentine’s day and observing him from afar. Determined to help the course of true love, Takeo and Yamato join forces to help Amani. While things don’t turn out in a typical shoujo manga fashion, Sunakawa’s quiet kindness is highlighted throughout this volume. My Love Story!! continues to be one of the best currently running shoujo series. – Anna N

Pandora Hearts, Vol. 23 | By Jun Mochizuki | Yen Press – It had been a while since I’d read a volume of Pandora Hearts, and after enjoying a small binge to get caught up, I can say that the series certainly reads better in chunks. Unfortunately, after the significant losses sustained at the end of recent volumes, I just can’t feel as deeply about the character who breathes their last in this volume, no matter how much it affects Oz. Otherwise, most of this volume seems to be devoted to convincing Vincent to stick around while neither Glen nor Oz makes much progress. At least we have a few scenes of Reim being great, though. I’m pleasantly surprised by the important role he’s playing here at the end. In any case, given how not devastating this particular volume was, I have a feeling I should keep tissues handy for the big finale. Gilbert had better make it out alive! – Michelle Smith

The Secret Sakura Shares | By Akira Hagio | Yen Press – I will say one thing about this one-and-done omnibus shoujo series—for once we have a ‘you will become my pet’ relationship that doesn’t end up being physically abusive, as Kei really does spoil Aoi as you would a pet. That said, I’d still call it abusive, as it causes her a lot of emotional turmoil due to feeling ‘useless’ and unable to do anything productive. Rich-kids-school shoujo generally features either an imported poor heroine or a former rich girl down on her luck, and this is the latter. Sadly, there simply isn’t all that much to say about it—I normally like short LaLa DX series, but I was ready for this to end before it was even halfway done. There’s better manga about imbalanced power relationships out there. – Sean Gaffney

Saki, Vol. 1 | By Ritz Kobayashi | Yen Press (digital only) – Bookworm Saki Miyanaga has perfected the art of neither winning nor losing mahjong with no idea of how difficult that is. Once she gets dragged to a club meeting and encouraged to win, she becomes eager to improve and progress to nationals, where she might be able to (I am not making this up) get her feelings across to her estranged sister (also a talented player) through mahjong. The volume starts a bit slow, but eventually terms like “prefectural qualifier” and “training camp” ignited my sports manga squee and I was eager for more. Unfortunately, Yen doesn’t have release dates for any more volumes listed yet! Also, I was a bit worried about fanservice in this title, but there’s hardly any. There’s a keen attention to boob size, which is a bit creepy, but I’ve seen much worse. Heartily recommended! – Michelle Smith

Say I Love You., Vol. 11 | By Kanae Hazuki | Kodansha Comics – Hazuki-sensei has a special knack for taking shoujo scenarios we’ve all seen before and turning them into something that feels fresh. Heck, she even repeats the “use new school year to introduce romantic rival” trick she employed to introduce Kai to bring in siblings Len and Rin Aoi. And with Mei and friends starting their third year of high school, they’re soon absorbed in career decision angst. It’s certainly very far from a bad volume, but it is mainly occupied with introducing new characters and worries, so doesn’t delve very much into Mei and Yamato’s relationship. I do love that Hazuki resisted ending the series right after her leads had sex for the first time, as if that were the culmination of Mei’s growth and development, and also appreciate that she seems to be drawing Mei’s kitty more often. I always look forward to new volumes most eagerly. – Michelle Smith