Michelle Smith

It’s a VIZ-and-Kodansha kind of week here on Bookshelf Briefs!

Kiss Him, Not Me!, Vol. 3 | By Junko | Kodansha Comics – I will attempt to be fair to Junko here and note that there is simply no way that a shoujo title like this, running in a mainstream magazine, is not going to keep the girl slim and cute at the end of all the fuss. That said, after a very interesting arc showing Kae gaining back all her weight, and the horror of most of her wannabe lovers at said sight, followed by realizing that it’s Kae herself, not her cuteness or slimness, that’s important… it feels a cheat to have her magically lose the weight AGAIN. But then this is a comedy first and foremost. That’s why Nishina is a Takarazaku lesbian—it just fits right in with the silliness. It’s fun, but I fear that depth is not really something we’ll get from this title. – Sean Gaffney

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Vol. 16 | By Shinobu Ohtaka | Viz Media – After a volume that focused on Alibaba, it’s appropriate that this volume is dedicated entirely to what Aladdin’s been up to at Magi’s equivalent of Hogwarts. (Theoretically we should get Morgiana after this, but I’m not holding my breath.) It has its own version of Dumbledore, as well as Draco Malfoy (though Magi’s Titus is won over to the good guys in barely 75 pages). And, as we’ve seen throughout Magi, we find an underclass of suffering people who are holding up those in power, something that Aladdin is not going to let stand. I’m not sure how this will play out, especially given the brainwashing class our heroes end up in at the end of this volume, but it’s always worth reading. – Sean Gaffney

My Hero Academia, Vol. 3 | By Kohei Horikoshi | Viz Media – There’s a nice combination of our heroes trying to save themselves and the mentors coming in to bail them out, which is just about right given they’re facing off against major-league villains, who seem to have mysterious backing. That said, I can’t help but worry that it’s only volume three and we’re already seeing a Tournament Arc. Of course, it’s quite fun so far, with Midoriya showing off how well he can strategize (and admit how lucky he got as well). I was also pleased to see one of the other heroines, Uraraka, admit that she wants to be a hero to earn lots of money. Now, it’s to help her family admittedly, but I always like seeing superheroes who aren’t entirely 100% justice warriors. Solid volume. – Sean Gaffney

My Little Monster, Vol. 12 | By Robico | Kodansha Comics – I thought I’d be a little sad when My Little Monster wrapped up, but the ending is such a great one (and, besides, there’s a thirteenth volume on the horizon) that ultimately I just ended up being grateful this series exists. What I liked best about the volume was how the passage of time is evoked with many pages of nonverbal storytelling—in some of them one can just about hear the dialogue, especially when Natsume teases Yamaken-kun about post-makeover Shizuku’s cuteness. I don’t want to spoil too much, but I’ll reiterate how satisfying and comprehensive the conclusion is. Even Nagoya isn’t left out! I have really, really enjoyed this series and will miss keeping up with the lives of these well-realized characters. – Michelle Smith

One Piece, Vol. 77 | By Eiichiro Oda | VIZ Media –Volume 77 begins and ends with tragic backstories—Trafalgar Law’s was expected, but who knew Señor Pink had hidden trauma?—and in between we move between the various battles to take out Doflamingo’s underlings, some of which are better than others. Even though Oda regularly depicts impossibly buxom women in skimpy outfits, I’ve never had a problem with the way he treats female characters until this volume, which features Baby 5 and her troubling acquiescence to the decrees of men and Rebecca’s dad telling her, “I will never let you swing a sword again!!!” after she has expressed the desire to fight. At least Bartolomeo has the sense to think, “Oh man, it was so presumptuous of me to think I needed to protect [Robin].” Also, I have completely forgotten what’s happening with Nami, Chopper, and the rest of the gang. I hope this arc wraps up soon! – Michelle Smith

QQ Sweeper, Vol. 2 | By Kyousuke Motomi | VIZ Media – I can’t deny that one major plot point of QQ Sweeper has been pretty obvious from the start, but seeing it confirmed here was still very satisfying, especially Kyutaro’s reaction. More, though, I really loved that this time Fumi has found people who are equipped to help her, not only with the curse she appears to be under, but by giving her a purpose—a way to save people instead of jeopardize them. Seeing her so happy that she was able to do a good job in ridding a student of the malevolent influence she believed she’d caused made me truly care about her as a character. I’m really, really enjoying this series so far. I’d be extra sad that there’s only one more volume if I hadn’t just learned there’s a sequel. Huzzah! – Michelle Smith

Toriko, Vol. 32 | By Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro | Viz Media – It’s getting very hard not to suggest that the manga’s title change to Komatsu. Yes, Toriko gets to show off his fighting skills—and losing skills, to the point where he apparently has to call in his emergency backup evil personality. But it’s Komatsu who gets the emotional win here, managing to get himself to “Air” and figure out the best way to prepare it, allow everyone a chance to help get it to that point (showing off some more truly silly foods), and carve it perfectly with his new knife, to the point that it allows a creature who hasn’t had a successful pregnancy in ages to give birth. Honestly, Komatsu has done so much lately in Toriko that I worry he has to be kidnapped or killed off just to balance it the other direction. – Sean Gaffney

It’s a seasonally appropriate bouquet of briefs!

Akuma no Riddle: Riddle Story of Devil, Vol. 2 | By Yun Kouga and Sunao Minakata | Seven Seas – Twelve female high-school assassins have gathered in a special class with the aim of killing their classmate and target, Ichinose Haru. In this volume, Azuma Tokaku decides to go against her assignment and publicly declares herself Haru’s guardian. Two classmates make their attempt on Haru’s life, and in the process we learn more about their backstories and the rules of the game itself. While volume two isn’t as tensely suspenseful as the first, it’s got enough mystery and yuri flair to appeal to me. What it reminds me of most is Bokurano, with the rotating spotlight between players in a game who might not know all the rules. The fact that Azuma’s change of allegiance was anticipated, for example, and lingering secrets about Haru’s true nature guarantee that I’ll be coming back for more. – Michelle Smith

Crown of Thorns, Vol. 2 | By Yoko Kamio | VIZ Media (digital only) – Alas, I didn’t enjoy the second (and final) volume of Crown of Thorns as much as the first. It wasn’t bad—indeed, it’s a thoroughly pleasant read—but a few pages into the volume, I could see the path the plot would take to the finale and it played out almost exactly as expected, the only real deviation being some unexplained out-of-character behavior from the big bad. I figure all of this is due to the series’ brevity. I wanted more of prickly Nobara and Lucio, her “slightly virtuous demon,” before anyone developed romantic feelings or vowed to become a more caring person. I just can’t care as much if it happens suddenly. Still, I’m glad to have had the chance to read something else by Kamio. More would certainly be welcome. – Michelle Smith

Horimiya, Vol. 2 | By Hero and Daisuke Hagiwara | Yen Press – While Horimiya may not have the most original storyline ever, it’s still proof that manga about nice people being nice doesn’t have to be boring! The plot isn’t fueled by misunderstandings—Hori could’ve frustratingly allowed the pretty student council member to make a move on Miyamura, but she clearly voiced her opposition—or love triangles. Instead, there are two kids with a strong bond of friendship inching slowly towards being something more, and it is honestly quite wonderful. We get to know Miyamura a bit better in this volume, too, including a glimpse at his lonely past that makes it difficult for him to accept the idea that Hori might have feelings for him. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next and relieved that there are at least half a dozen volumes still to come. I am far from ready for this series to be anywhere near over. – Michelle Smith

Maid-sama!, Vols. 5-6 | By Hiro Fujiwara | Viz Media – It really is astounding how much difference 5-6 years makes in your opinion of a manga. I reviewed Maid-sama! 6 back in the Tokyopop days for my blog, and mostly discussed Misaki and Usui, as well as the intro of the past childhood friend. “Boys spend a chapter trying to rape the girls” never really crossed my radar, but now it’s a blinding light. I continue to find Maid-sama! emotionally satisfying but intellectually jarring—Misaki’s admission of feeling useless, and Usui’s comforting of her, is sweet but my brain keeps saying “but.” And let’s not even get into the series’ undecided feelings about effeminate males. Maid-sama! demonstrates how fast something can become inappropriate in this modern world. – Sean Gaffney

QQ Sweeper, Vol. 2 | By Kyousuke Motomi | Viz Media – Dengeki Daisy always had a good balance between its comedy and drama, but in Motomi’s new series, the drama clearly takes precedence. I’d said before how I was fairly certain that Fumi would turn out to be the Fuyu that Kyutaro keeps remembering, and sure enough, he’s now certain of it as well. What’s more surprising is how connected she seems to be to the background of all this mental bug cleaning—it’s suggested that her presence is what attracts the bugs to others. Our heroes are quick to assure her this isn’t her fault, but I suspect the lessons will take a bit longer to stick. In the meantime, as with Dengeki Daisy, I desperately want to read more to see what happens next. One of the most addictive new series. – Sean Gaffney

School Judgment, Vol. 1 | By Nobuaki Enoki and Takeshi Obata | VIZ Media – Like Library Wars, School Judgment asks its readers to believe that the Japanese government has passed some unlikely legislation. In this case, establishing a judicial system run by children. However, here it’s so over-the-top—especially the four-year-old judges who are so burdened by their task that they look middle-aged—that it’s easier to just go with it. The mystery cases themselves are not especially great, but I like the glimpses at defense genius Abaku Inugami’s past as well as the suggestion of a secret organization at large. And while some of the humor is not for me—I sigh heavily every time a shounen manga features a dog peeing on someone—there is a line at the end that made me laugh out loud, which was completely unexpected. At only three volumes, it won’t be too much of a time investment to see this one through to the end. – Michelle Smith

So Cute It Hurts!!, Vol. 5 | By Go Ikeyamada | Viz Media – This manga continues to be the lightest and fluffiest of shoujo stories as the twins temporarily shift places yet again and Mitsuru decides to be unselfish in love, only to ensure that his own heart gets broken. These little plot twists that include some soulfulness ensure that the series isn’t totally insubstantial. There’s a time shift in the middle of the volume, as everyone starts a new year of school. Megumu is steadfast in her devotion to Aoi, and he’s determined to work on his female phobia so he can date his girlfriend without having to maintain 12 inches of distance between them at all times. This manga is still cute and funny five volumes in. – Anna N

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