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Michelle Smith

Shades of London, Books 1-3 by Maureen Johnson

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The actual title of this post should be “Books 1-3 plus that novella that came out in 2014,” but that was rather inelegant.

name-of-the-starThe Name of the Star
When Louisiana native Rory Deveaux’s professorial parents take a sabbatical in the UK, Rory jumps at the chance to attend boarding school in London. The early chapters of The Name of the Star depict her acclimation to life at Wexford, befriending her new roommate (Jazza) and developing a flirtation with one of the male prefects (Jerome). Because the phrase “boarding school in London” is totally my cup of tea (har har) and because Rory is amusingly snarky, I was already loving the book at this point, and that’s before I even got to the part with Jack the Ripper and ghosts!

A copycat of the notorious killer is on the loose, and since Wexford is located in Whitechapel, many of the crime scenes are nearby. After a near-death experience by choking grants Rory the ability to see ghosts, she actually witnesses the perpetrator (who has mysteriously failed to show up on any CCTV recordings of the murders) which brings her to the notice of a special secret police squad tasked with controlling any unruly members of the spectral population.

Several more fun characters are then introduced, and here I must compliment the narrator of the unabridged audiobook, Nicola Barber, whose facility in accents made me feel like I was listening to a BBC show. (I especially liked that Callum, a former football hopeful now dispatching meddlesome ghosts on the Underground, sounded rather like Lister from Red Dwarf!) In fact, I think this would make a pretty great BBC show, with its mildly diverse cast and the fact that the heroine is not merely brave (she eventually assists the squad in their ghosthunt), but funny, too. Admittedly, there were a couple of moments where Rory did some dumb things, but one could argue she didn’t really have better alternatives.

I haven’t loved a book this much in quite a long time, and I am both happy and bummed that there are two more (only two more!) in the series currently.

madness_underneathThe Madness Underneath
It is with true regret that I must report that The Madness Underneath suffers from an unfortunate case of Middle Book Syndrome. A crack created at the end of the first book seems to be providing a way for the buried dead of Bedlam to make it to the surface, and Rory’s newfound skills as a human “terminus” are effective in dispatching one murderous ghost, but this plotline fizzles out partway through. (Sidebar: it’s a crazy coincidence that this article comes out the very day I finish this book!) Then Rory falls in with a cult whose philosophy and goals don’t make a lot of sense, and shortly after her costly rescue, there’s suddenly a cliffhanger ending. If I had to wait for book three, I would probably be peeved that that’s all there was.

That is not to suggest that nothing of merit happens, however. I actually really liked how Rory’s return to Wexford was handled—how she was just simply incapable of caring about things she used to care about. So far behind in schoolwork that it’s overwhelming, she can’t muster the desire to try, and yet is blindsided when it is suggested that perhaps she ought to withdraw prior to exams. So caught up in the ghosthunting gig, boyfriend Jerome’s suspicions (and then guilt over same) become just another nagging problem, so she ends their relationship. I liked that Callum feels more antagonistically towards ghosts than the others do, and yet everyone seems to respect each other’s point of view. I liked the Marc Bolan reference. And, of course, before the more serious stuff starts to happen, there are at least a dozen lines of dialogue that made me laugh. (There’s also a dream featuring ham lunchmeat that I think might be an homage to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode “Restless.”)

Even though this particular installment was kind of disappointing, I continue to look forward to subsequent books just as much as before.

boy_in_smokeThe Boy in the Smoke
This short novella visits four defining moments in the life of Stephen Dene, leader of the ghost police, offering insight into the thoughts and background of a notably reticent character. Some of these incidents have been referred to in previous books, but not in this much detail.

“The Forgotten Boy” recounts a time when Stephen’s parents forget to fetch him from school at the end of term. (They’ve gone to Barbados instead.) His sister Regina comes to his rescue, determined to save him from a life doing what their parents expect, but she’s erratic and Stephen soon figures out that she’s using drugs. In “The Break in the Chain,” Stephen is attending Eton when he gets word of Regina’s death by overdose. (His parents “worked out their grief at a resort in Switzerland.”) He manages to carry on for several years, determined to fulfill his duty of succeeding at Eton and carrying on to Cambridge, until a visit from his unfeeling family leads him to commit suicide (in a scene that is absolutely riveting).

“The Specialist” find Stephen recovering at a psychiatric hospital and being recruited by Thorpe to lead the reformed team. And in “The Boy in the Smoke,” Stephen has finally achieved his dream of becoming a police officer. Practically the first thing he does is search for Regina’s ghost, only to find she did not return. Lastly, he fulfills his promise to come back to visit the ghost who saved his life and this slim little book comes to an end that left me rather verklempt.

Is this book essential to understanding the Shades of London series? No, but I’d say it’s essential to understanding Stephen, and very definitely worth the time.

shadcabThe Shadow Cabinet
What do you get when you take a series that first beguiled me with London, boarding school, Jack the Ripper, and ghosts, and then remove half of those things? A book that is reasonably good but which I just cannot love with anything approaching the ardor I originally felt.

The Shadow Cabinet offers a lot more information about the cult and their goals, introduces the concept of powerful stones that prevent London from being overrun by spirits as well as a secret society tasked with protecting them, and unleashes creepy, evil siblings Sid and Sadie upon the world. More attention, though, is devoted to Rory’s personal plight. Now in hiding from family and friends after running away from Wexford, she and the team are searching everywhere for one of their own who they believe has become a ghost.

The resolution to book two’s cliffhanger is pretty satisfying, I must admit, and I found that I did care a lot about whether certain characters made it out of Sid and Sadie’s proximity unscathed. I also really liked getting to know more about Thorpe, the group’s MI-5 overseer, and that Rory apparently receives permission to tell her two closest friends from Wexford what’s really been going on. And then there’s also the part where Stephen asks the bad guys, “Do you want to test that theory?” which surely must be another Buffy reference, right?

I’m still looking forward to the fourth book, which I believe is going to be the last in the series, but I must admit that my expectations are lower now than they once were.

Bookshelf Briefs 4/20/15

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This week, Sean, Anna, & Michelle look at recent releases from Seven Seas & Viz Media.

gakuenpolizi2Gakuen Polizi, Vol. 2 | By Milk Morinaga | Seven Seas – I had wanted Gakuen Polizi to get a bit less insubstantial, but I’m not sure this is what I meant. After fairly swiftly dealing with the evil rival who showed up for last volume’s cliffhanger, and who’s not all that evil after all, the final arc delves into the world of racy photos for money and spirals into teen prostitution. This includes a teacher whose talk about artistry of innocent half-nude schoolgirls trumping petty legality does not sound far off from some yuri fans. Oh yes, and there is a bit of yuri in here after all, though due to Aoba’s denseness we get a confession and kiss AND it doesn’t go anywhere. Fans of yuri will likely still enjoy this, but the last volume was far too moodswingey for me. – Sean Gaffney

foodwars5Food Wars, Vol 5 | By Yuto Tsukuda, Shun Saeki, and Yuki Morisaki | Viz Media – Volume five of this series is a bit of a transitional one, as the big storyline centered around the competition at the Totsuki Resort gets wrapped up and Soma finds himself with a chance to go home for a little break. Unfortunately, there’s a culinary crisis at the street market near Soma’s family restaurant, with a new corporate fried chicken chain threatening all the businesses. Soma digs in and comes up with a solution with his childhood friend Mayumi and he even imports meat expert Nikumi from school for extra help. This made for an entertaining interlude right before the next competition at cooking school starts. Food Wars has grown on me a bit with each volume and now I’m finding it consistently entertaining. – Anna N

meteorprince2Meteor Prince, Vol. 2 | By Meca Tanaka | Viz Media – Meteor Prince comes to a close in this volume, though not before a couple more aliens (Tania, Io’s rather obnoxious and clingy “true mate,” and Yuro, his ruthless younger brother) show up to erect obstacles to our lead couple’s happiness. I was a little disappointed that the origin of Hako’s spectacularly bad luck was never revealed, but there were other good things, like her awesome parents and protective little brother, and an ending that had just the right smidge of a drama for a two-volume series but rectified it all pretty swiftly and sweetly while still showing us Hako determined to take more control of her own destiny. If you miss the breed of shoujo that CMX used to release, you really ought to check out Meteor Prince; I have a feeling it’ll be on your wavelength. – Michelle Smith

Meteor Prince, Vol. 2 | By Meca Tanaka | Viz Media – Despite taking place after the main couple gets together, I thought this was the stronger of the two volumes of Meteor Prince, as we see all the various fallout that comes from this decision, and Io’s insistence that in the end he doesn’t care. Given this is a manga that began with predestined soulmates connected by wavelengths, the decision to show how in the end it’s people’s own choices that are important is an excellent one. Of course it’s not very original – there’s a comedic fiancee, a jealous little brother, and the choice between duty as a prince and romance. But for a series that is only two volumes long, Meteor Prince wraps everything up nicely, and the size feels just right. – Sean Gaffney

mylovestory4My Love Story!!, Vol. 4 | By Kazune Kawahara and Aruko | Viz Media – I have to admit, we finally hit something in this manga that I was less than satisfied with. I did not like Hayato, and felt his behavior, which involved getting his crush to resolve her feelings for Takeo so she can move on to him, was creepy and far too sympathetically told. That said, it’s hard for even that to penetrate the fuzzy adorable feeling anyone gets reading this. We get more here of Takeo thinking over and over again that people just don’t like him in ‘that way’, and seeing time and time again that it isn’t true. Which is cliched, yes, but also helps to point out how negative reinforcement as a child or teen can have major self-worth consequences down the road. Thank goodness he has Suna and Rinko. – Sean Gaffney

roseking1Requiem of the Rose King, Vol. 1 | By Aya Kanno | Viz Media – I have now sampled three series by Aya Kanno, and they’re so different from one another that I am quite impressed! Based on Shakespeare’s Henry VI and Richard III, Kanno’s latest retells the story of The War of the Roses—with plenty of bishounen in significant roles—but instead of perpetuating the “hunchback” version of Richard, gives him a different body image problem (and quite a nifty character design!) that should affect the familiar tale in fascinating ways. My main complaint is that I don’t remember my history well enough to know if some actions attributed to Richard here, like the almost seductive way he cajoles his father into not giving up the fight for the crown, actually happened, or if Kanno is writing him somewhat inconsistently. In either case, I am definitely on board for volume two! – Michelle Smith

toriko27Toriko, Vol. 27 | By Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro | Viz Media – The power of positive thinking is what drives the first half of this volume, which is still devoted to a serious of battles at the shattered remains of the Cooking Festival. It takes Toriko a long way, to the point where we think that he’s going to be able to take out Starjun, but… in the end, all of our current heroes may not be enough, and not even Setsuno and company can turn the tide. Luckily, there’s a few more old-timers who’ve yet to arrive that may help out. There’s been a lot of fighting and very little food lately, and I am looking forward to seeing the outcome of this battle, even if things aren’t looking all that good for Toriko or Komatsu right now. – Sean Gaffney

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

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uninvitedbook description:
When Davy tests positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome, aka “the kill gene,” she loses everything. Once the perfect high school senior, she is uninvited from her prep school and abandoned by her friends and boyfriend. Even her parents are now afraid of her—although she’s never hurt a fly. Davy doesn’t feel any differently, but genes don’t lie. One day she will kill someone.

Without any say in the matter, Davy is thrown into a special class for HTS carriers. She has no doubt the predictions are right about them, especially Sean, who already bears the “H” tattoo as proof of his violence. Yet when the world turns on the carriers, Sean is the only one she can trust. Maybe he’s not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

Review:
We meet Davina (Davy) Hamilton in March 2021, when she is about to graduate from her prestigious prep school and proceed on to Juilliard. Davy is a special snowflake musical prodigy who is also gorgeous, with a studly boyfriend many other girls covet. She’s also not shy about congratulating herself for these things.

Her privileged existence comes to an end when routine screening reveals that she carries the gene for HTS—Homicidal Tendency Syndrome. She is promptly uninvited from her swanky school and sent to a class for “carriers” at the local public school, where some of the kids are obviously creeps but others seem as normal and harmless as Davy insists she is. Carriers are treated poorly by society, and when an angry group of them perpetrates a mass shooting, all carriers are rounded up and sent to detention camps. Davy and a couple of classmates, however, are diverted into a program where they train to kill on government command.

While there were a few things I liked about Uninvited, I must admit that it was not especially good. Original-flavor Davy is not a sympathetic character, but she does eventually realize that she used to be a pretty crappy person and that her friends and boyfriend never truly cared about her. I also found the repeated references to music in her head puzzling—as a musician myself, it’s true that I usually have a song (or at least unformed noodling) in my head, but I thought this was normal for everyone, and not a sign of genius as we are evidently supposed to believe here.

Too, the writing is sometimes weirdly choppy, and I’m not sure what the point of that was. Is it simply bad writing or is it an attempt to convey how grim the situation is? If that’s the case, why use it during a scene where Davy’s boyfriend seems to accept her, kill gene and all?

I need this. So much. His arms. His love.

That’s just one example. I confess that I eventually started internally reading these in a flat robot voice to amuse myself. Jordan sometimes seems to mix up musical terms, too, like when Davy refers to the “pitch” of an aria, or that her body sways to the “harmony.” Plus, there were two instances of “y’all” being spelled “ya’ll.” Can you become an editor without understanding how contractions are formed? Apparently, at Harper Teen you can!

So, irritating main character, bizarre writing style… what is there to like? Well, the concept itself is kind of interesting, and because I didn’t particularly care about anyone, their misfortunes didn’t cause me any anxiety. The portion of the novel set in the training program is the strongest, with Davy becoming determined not only to become strong in her own right, but buying into the claim that if she does well enough, the government will have the neck tattoo proclaiming her as a violent carrier removed.

In the end, I find myself interested enough to read the sequel, Unleashed, though I am very grateful that this series is not a trilogy.

Manga the Week of 4/22

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SEAN: I feel that the “Yen Press” week of every month is just going to be like this now, and we will simply have to accept it.

Before Yen, though, there’s also enough from other publishers to make it a big week anyway. Gantz is still not over, as the 35th volume from Dark Horse will attest.

Kodansha debuts two new series. The first, Let’s Dance a Waltz, is from shoujo master Natsumi Ando, and I reviewed it here.

MICHELLE: This was not on my radar, but I think from your review that I might give it a pass. Thanks for the warning about the “overweight girl transforms to find love” trope.

MJ: Yeah, that’s a deal-breaker for me, too.

ANNA: And me as well.

claylord

SEAN: There’s also Your Lie in April, whose anime recently finished. Will folks pick up the manga even though they know how it ends? Come on, how can you resist those adorable faces on the cover?

ASH: I’m a fan of music manga, so I’ll be following it. In fact, I’ve already reviewed the first volume!

MJ: Now, this I’ll give a try!

SEAN: Seven Seas’ A Certain Scientific Railgun has reached double digits, but can it last much longer with Misaka in this much trouble? Or will a certain guy come to her rescue again? I think we know the answer to that, but read it anyway, it’s good.

Clay Lord: Master of Golems is probably the debut with the least buzz this month, but it’s a Zero-Sum title, so I know MJwill be interested if no one else. It’s about, unsurprisingly, a young man who can create golems.

MJ: Yes. Yes, yes. “Zero-Sum” is pretty much all it takes. And it’s interesting to see this coming from Seven Seas, whom I generally count on to publish manga I would not like at all. So I’m anxious to be proven wrong about that.

SEAN: Udon is putting out another “Manga Classics”, this time of Dickens’ Great Expectations. Pip pip, cheerio!

MJ: I could get interested in this.

ANNA: I need to check out a Manga Classics one day!

SEAN: Vertical gives us the 4th volume of Witchcraft Works, which I’ve fallen 3 volumes behind on, alas.

It has been almost 5 years since the last Black Lagoon volume, and the author insists that it was not “put on hiatus” or anything like that. (The author is notorious for not finishing his series, and may be worried he can’t do the same here.) In any case, for those who forget, the last volume ended with Rock being reminded how far his moral sense has fallen. Can he recover? I talk about that here.

MICHELLE: Wow. I kind of forgot about Black Lagoon.

ASH: It’s been a long time!

SEAN: Viz is re-releasing the manga Gyo in a 2-in-1 omnibus, and I recommend it for all seafood lovers.

MICHELLE: But will it still include the amazing short story, “The Enigma of Amigara Fault”?!

SEAN: And there’s also the 4th Perfect Edition of Monster, which is not quite as body horror as Gyo but is disturbing enough anyway.

There are two flavors of Vagabond next week. We have Volume 37 for regular readers, and the 12th VizBIG edition for newbies.

ASH: I’m a VizBIG reader myself, but either way this is a great series.

ANNA: I also like the VizBig editions of this series very much.

loghorizon1

SEAN: Yen On has been trickling out new titles for some time now, but this is the biggest month yet, with 6 different novels all out next week. We start with The Devil Is a Part-Timer!, a comedic fantasy which seems to lean heavier on the comedy, at least so far.

ASH: The anime adaptation was surprisingly entertaining, so I’ll definitely be giving the original series a try.

SEAN: Just in time for the anime debut, we have the 2nd volume of Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? The first volume wasn’t terrible, but also didn’t knock me out. We’ll see how the 2nd fares.

MJ: I’ve been considering giving this one a try.

SEAN: Log Horizon is another light novel whose manga made its debut last month, but I understand the plots aren’t too similar. I’m interested in seeing how different this experience is from Sword Art Online.

No Game No Life seems like one of those titles that I will do much better with as a novel – the manga intrigued me, but man that fanservice was rampant. It’s easier to ignore in textual format if nothing else. I want to read this for the codependent heroes, really.

Spice & Wolf has no truck with these newbie Vol. 1 novels. It’s already at Vol. 14, a mature, fully developed title.

Lastly, Sword Art Online wraps up its Fairy Dance arc, which I’m sure will relieve many of its readers. Will Kirito defeat the world’s smuggest villain? What do you think?

MJ: I suspect he will, and I’ll be there to find out.

SEAN: Now on to Yen proper. Akame Ga KILL! has its second volume out, and I suspect will get even darker than it already began.

And on a slightly milder note there’s also the 4th Barakamon.

MICHELLE: I plan to get caught up on this soon.

ASH: Barakamon grows on me a little more with each volume.

MJ: Same here.

SEAN: I’ve been enjoying Inu x Boku SS quite a bit, so am sad to see that its author passed away recently. We have a few volumes to go still, though. Here’s the 7th.

soicantplayh1

Kagerou Daze is another ‘release the manga a month before the novel’ title, and I believe may be tangentially tied into the Vocaloid franchise, being based off a series of songs that tie together. Its plot is far more serious than you’d expect from that description, though.

If you ever wondered whether Joan of Arc was a magical girl, why not try new Puella Magi spinoff, Tart Magica? (Spoiler: it won’t end well. Is that even a spoiler for this franchise? Or this historical figure?)

If you enjoy busty shinigami, lecherous leads who are prevented by plot circumstances from actually doing anything, and more harem comedy than you can shake a stick at, then you’re the right audience for So I Can’t Play H!. Unlike many other recent titles from Yen, only the manga is licensed at this time.

The second Sword Art Online: Progressive manga should wrap up the first ‘arc’ of the novel, and give Kirito and Asuna fans a lot to be happy about.

Lastly, we get the 7th Tena on S-String, much quicker than we got the 6th volume.

What in this giant mound of manga and novels makes you most excited?

Pick of the Week: Seki & more!

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potwASH: As usual, there are a few things that I’m looking forward to among this week’s manga releases, but choosing just one as my pick is surprisingly easy this time. The first volume of My Neighbor Seki was an absolute delight, and the second volume should be as well. Sometimes I just need to read a manga that makes me happy, and My Neighbor Seki is one of those series.

MICHELLE: I’m sure that I will love My Neighbor Seki when I read it, but the fact remains that I don’t love it quite yet. What I do love, however, is Shinobu Ohtaka’s Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, so I’m happy to see volume eleven out already!

SEAN: Just a moment, have to get my Tatewaki Kuno mask on… (does so) SEKI?! MAGI?! I CANNOT CHOOSE! I MUST HAVE YOU BOTH!!!!!

ANNA: There’s a bunch coming out this week that’s on my to-read list, like My Neighbor Seki, but I haven’t even read the first volumes yet! Is there a newish volume of One-Punch Man out? I’m going to pick that because tax season makes me want to read about punching.

MJ: Okay, yeah, yeah, I’m into Seki, and I’ll admit I never really got into Junjo Romantica, but despite that (and despite the “scared uke“-style cover, I’m still irresistibly drawn to Shungiku Nakamura’s The World’s Greatest First Love. There’s just something about BL manga set in publishing that lure me in like no other. Definitely my pick this week.

What looks good to you this week?

Bookshelf Briefs 4/14/15

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This week, Sean, Michelle, & Anna look at recent releases from Seven Seas, Yen Press, and Viz Media.

arpeggio4Arpeggio of Blue Steel, Vol. 4 | By Ark Performance | Seven Seas – A step down from the previous volumes, mostly as we take a brief break from the thrilling action scenes to focus on a) a naval captain having erotic dreams about a 17-year-old girl, and b) the fetishization of Takao, who’s even using phrases like “I’ll let you see my engine’. Thankfully, the majority of the volume remains excellent. In particular, the odd friendship between Haruna and Makie, as the former realizes that they have far more in common than you’d expect. Meanwhile, we see something happen to Gunzou that we hadn’t expected – he’s defeated, and it doesn’t sit well with him at all. Oh, yes, and is his childhood friend not quite dead? Despite the fanservice, still very recommended. – Sean Gaffney

foodwars5Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 5 | By Yuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki | Viz Media – Tempted as I am to have this review simply say ‘Note: Food Wars! is a cooking manga’, I will add that this is quite a strong volume. We see Soma learn the value of TPO (Time, Place, Occasion) in his cooking and survive the hotel contest. We see him return to his old restaurant and get help from his childhood friend (remember her? from Chapter 1?) and Ikumi to take down a fast-food chain. And perhaps most importantly, we see Megumi Tadoroko: Ping Pong Goddess. It does sound as if we’re going to head into a longer arc starting with the next volume, though, complete with a new arrogant jerk for Soma to take down. All this, and Erina was in it as well. Remember her? The supposed heroine? – Sean Gaffney

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 5 | By Yuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki | Viz Media – It’s perhaps the highest compliment I can give a series to say, “I could happily marathon fifty volumes of this series,” and that is precisely how I am feeling about Food Wars!. While I liked the chapters in which Soma helped his hometown neighborhood market compete with a fried-chicken chain, what I liked best was the conclusion to the intense cooking camp, which saw timid Megumi achieving greater confidence, and actually performing better than Soma in a grueling challenge. Yes, we saw him rise to the occasion and pull out an impressive win, but I liked that he easily admitted that he’d made a mistake and was determined to learn from it. And then he reflected that he was glad he’d come to culinary school after all. You guys, the cock protagonist is evolving! This is hitting my sports manga buttons, big time, and I love it. – Michelle Smith

vampire2He’s My Only Vampire, Vol. 2 | By Aya Shouoto | Yen Press- As this series is coming out concurrently with Shouoto’s Kiss of the Rose Princess, I am unable to resist comparing them. I’d have to say that, despite my vampire fatigue, this one is far superior. It’s a later effort from Shouoto—a bit darker (though the tone veers a bit lighter in this second volume), more mature (earning an OT rating), and better plotted, with several story threads in play from the start. It does still seem to be shaping up to be a male harem sort of series, but the introductions of new guys are better paced. Too, Shouoto seems to have developed a better sense for comedy, and I encountered no jarring goofy gags disrupting dramatic moments. Okay, yes, there are some standard shoujo tropes, and Aki’s possessiveness of Kana is plenty creepy, but there’s enough about this series to recommend it. Consider me pleasantly surprised. – Michelle Smith

mylovestory4My Love Story!!Vol. 4 | By Kazune Kawahara and Aruko – Every time I pick up this manga, I’m reminded that intense soap opera plots and meanness aren’t necessary ingredients for a captivating shoujo manga. Ai comes back home with Hayato, a friend from school who is determined to learn the identity of the Takeo Goda that she has a crush on. Hayato then encourages her to confess her feelings to Takeo, so she will get some closure. Takeo and Yamato’s relationship is too strong for any attempts at breaking them up, and they are both too naive to pick up on the undercurrents of emotion surrounding them. Later, there are more problems when Takeo’s assumption that he’s unpopular turn out not to be true. There’s something that is just so sweet about the unlikely love story portrayed in this manga, and the humor contrasted with the bits of drama that only serve to make Takeo and Yamato more and more in love with each other ensures that My Love Story!! makes me smile whenever I read a volume. – Anna N

skipbeat34Skip Beat!, Vol. 34 | By Yoshiki Nakamura | Viz Media – Lory’s Love Me group isn’t there to help his wannabe actresses find true love, it’s there to help them realize that they can’t simply shut off that part of themselves and expect their acting to reach the next level. As a result, his confrontation with Kyoko about her love for Ren feels more like a catharsis than anything else, and it’s beautifully done. Of course, his plotting and scheming is about to be taken down by one thing he is unaware of, which is the past that Kyoko has with “Corn”. While I have some issues with Ren taking advantage of her naivete about fairies to keep his identity a secret, this can’t help but be utterly adorable – or should I say corny? Still top-tier shoujo. – Sean Gaffney

Manga the Week of 4/15

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SEAN: Welcome to a wonderful week of manga here on Manga the Week of. For those of you who don’t like variety, there’s variety!

kuroneko

Dark Horse has the first volume of Oreimo spinoff Kuroneko, for those remaining fans who weren’t completely put off by the ending of the main series.

Does anyone remember Aquarion? Anyone? Anime, around 2005? Well, for those who yearned for a sequel in manga form, One Peace is giving us Aquarion Evol. It’s a Comic Gene title, so expect weirdness.

ASH: I like weirdness!

ANNA: I think I watched the first episode of the show and thought that there were too many orgasms when the robots combined.

SEAN: 12 Beast is a new Seven Seas series. It runs in Dragon Age. It’s from the creator of Monster Musume. It sounds radioactive to me, but I know others love this.

Gakuen Polizi is more up my alley, though I wish it was a bit less inconsequential. The 2nd and final volume is next week.

And if you don’t like ecchi fantasy or fluffy lesbians, well, there’s a third Magical Girl Apocalypse, which should at least give you gore.

The title The World’s Greatest First Love may not mean much to BL fans, but if I said it was Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi, I’m sure you’d know exactly the series I mean. SubLime has the long-awaited first volume.

MICHELLE: Ah, now this is one I’ve actually heard of!

ASH: As have I!

MJ: Count me in!

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SEAN: I loved My Neighbor Seki even more than I thought I would, and am delighted to see a 2nd volume next week from Vertical.

MICHELLE: I regret to say I haven’t gotten around to reading the first volume, but I definitely will one of these days!

ASH: You definitely should, My Neighbor Seki is absolutely delightful.

ANNA: This is on my list of things I need to read!

MJ: Mine, too!

SEAN: Case Closed still has more mysteries, and Shinich… sorry, Jimmy is still a little kid, even as we hit the 54th volume.

We’ve passed the halfway point in Deadman Wonderland, and Vol. 8 comes out from Viz next week.

And Itsuwaribito, a series that has a much longer run than I really expected, has Vol. 14.

Lastly, a new volume of Magi is always welcome. Next week we have Vol. 11.

MICHELLE: <3

ANNA: I have been stockpiling stray volumes of this here and there. One day I shall read them!

SEAN: And for those of you who don’t like manga… well, why are you reading this?

Pick of the Week: Shoujorama

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potwSEAN: There’s a lot I like this week, but Dengeki Daisy‘s final volume is absolutely my pick of the week.

MICHELLE: I am finding it insanely difficult to pick from amongst quite a few favorites with new volumes out this week. Skip Beat!, Food Wars! and Voice Over! are all must-buys, but I continue to be absolutely charmed by My Love Story!!, so I’ll award its fourth volume my pick of the week. Clearly, exclamation points are the way to my heart. Unless you are BTOOOM!.

ANNA: There are so many good manga coming out this week, but like Sean I’m going to have to go with Dengeki Daisy. It is a heartwarming story about a high school girl and her protective school janitor/hacker. There were plenty of high-stakes thrills along the way, but at the core this is a series about a found family. If you haven’t checked out this series yet, what are you waiting for?

ASH: Well, since Shojo Beat already has a strong showing (I’ll definitely be picking up Dengeki Daisy and My Love Story!), I’ll mix it up a bit with something completely different, the most recent volume of the dark, suspenseful, and and action-packed Ajin: Demi-Human.

MJ: Since I think I liked it better than a lot of other manga bloggers, I will take this opportunity to give a shout for the second volume of Chika Shiomi’s Yukarism. I’m a big fan of the author, and I found the first volume intriguing enough to keep me looking for more. That’s my pick out of this shoujo-heavy week!

What looks good to you this week?

Bookshelf Briefs 4/7/15

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This week, Sean, Michelle, & Anna look at recent releases from Viz Media & Kodansha Comics.

arata21Arata: The Legend, Vol. 21 | By Yuu Watase | Viz Media – Arata and company have entered the territory of Ikisu, a gender-indeterminate member of the Six Sho who wields scent-based powers. Ikisu uses these to amplify the inferiority complex Kanate feels towards Arata. They fight, but right after Arata resolves their confrontation with an accepting hug, Kanate submits to Kadowaki. I’m still a little unclear as to why. Is it because, in order to succeed in his mission, Arate’s going to have to harden his heart to Kadowaki and force him to submit? And, therefore, Kanate is sacrificing himself to give Arata a reason to give up on Kadowaki being redeemed? In any case, seeing Arata in prolonged, heightened demon mode—only dispelled when he accidentally injures Kotoha—is pretty cool, and his newfound conviction regarding Kadowaki makes me hopeful that we’re heading towards an ending. I like this series well enough, but would welcome it wrapping up sometime soon. – Michelle Smith

assassination3Assassination Classroom, Vol. 3 | By Yusei Matsui | Viz Media – Much of this volume is meant refining its core plot and building its world. We resolve the kidnapping from the class trip, where we see that Koro-sensei is indeed prepared for ANY eventuality. We get another new transfer student sent to kill the teacher, and see Koro-sensei not criticize her for killing him, but criticizing her for doing it in a way that disrupts the others. And we see that Class 3-E is still the scapegoat for anyone else at the school, and if they try to change that they are brutally put down, so they take their little revenges where they can. It’s all very well-written, funny and enjoyable, and I continue to be amused at the avoidance of “Bitch-sensei”, even when the art itself uses it. Highly recommended. – Sean Gaffney

dengeki16Dengeki Daisy, Vol. 16 | By Kyousuke Motomi| Viz Media – This final volume of Dengeki Daisy is a very good example of what you do when you wrap up your series but still have to fill 150 more pages for the last tankobon. So we get the resolution of last volume’s cliffhanger, followed by several side-stories and epilogues, which are equally great, followed by the author’s debut work, which isn’t as great but that’s not unexpected. We do not get a flash-forward to marriage or children, but oddly do get to see them taking care of a baby due to one last ridiculous plot contrivance in a series full of them. Motomi will be back in the fall with her new series, already licensed, but I’ll miss Daisy, which if nothing else presented a “teacher”/ student romance that no one objected to, really. Funny, heartwarming, and charming. – Sean Gaffney

Dengeki Daisy, Vol. 16 | By Kyousuke Motomi | Viz Media – I was getting pretty seriously weary of the cyberespionage plotline that has dominated recent volumes of Dengeki Daisy, so it’s a relief that it wraps up quickly in this final volume, leaving more time for happy-ever-after character goodness. The official ending is satisfying on its own, but I was actually pleasantly surprised by the bonus chapters. True, there’s a shoujo-tastic episode in which a group trip to a resort is delayed by one of Kurosaki’s neighbors abandoning a baby on his doorstep, but this actually allows us to imagine him and Teru as a married couple. Plus, we get to see more of Soichiro’s past, Akira’s hopeful present, and top student Teru looking toward an ambitious future career with Kurosaki’s full support. I may not always have loved this series, but I’m glad I kept reading until the end. It was definitely a worthwhile endeavor. – Michelle Smith

library13Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 13 | By Kiiro Yumi and Hiro Arakawa| Viz Media – This was actually a lot more plot-heavy than I expected, continuing to develop the story of Toma’s struggles against censorship and the Library Forces’ attempts to keep him safe. The story here may sometimes require some suspension of disbelief, but I always love that a shoujo manga in LaLa is willing to spend so much time devoting itself to a study of the politics of censorship, the media, and what’s best for Japan. Also, they’re right – Iku’s idea was fantastic, even if it was inadvertent. For those who want romance, it’s mostly low-key here, though Komaki and Marie fans will be happy, as the cover gives away. One of Shojo Beat’s low-key gems, I always look forward to a new volume. – Sean Gaffney

skipbeat34Skip Beat!, Vol 34 | By Yoshiki Nakamura | Viz Media – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Heel Siblings arc, but this volume shows signs that Kyoko and Ren may be moving on. Lory decides to pull Kyoko out of her masquerade due to her fragile emotional state, and as Kyoko attempts to talk to the boss of LME without revealing the depth of her feelings to Ren, Nakamura offers up some great examples of lettering, as the tiny speech balloons and short phrases Kyoko uses make it clear just how painful it is to talk about her emotions. Later, Kyoko encounters Ren in as his real self, and her recognition of her childhood friend Kuon/Corn provokes even more emotional catharsis. My only compalaint about this series is that the volumes don’t come out often enough! – Anna N

uq4UQ Holder!, Vol. 4 | By Ken Akamatsu | Kodansha Comics – This is not Akamatsu’s first arc involving time travel and paradoxes, as readers of Negima well know. That said, it seems a lot more intense and dangerous here Possibly it’s because there’s none of the cliched Akamatsu ‘let’s have some fanservice here to satisfy the readers’ pages. But I think it may be due more to the return of one of Negima’s most memorable villains, who makes life next to impossible for our heroes. (There’s also a minor villain who seems to have returned as a cyborg, but I’m not sure – she seems far too sane.) You can read this without having read Negima, but it’s building on that world, and showing that Negi and Asuna’s actions at the end of that series have far-reaching consequences. – Sean Gaffney

Manga the Week of 4/8

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SEAN: ‘Tis Spring, and a young man or woman’s thoughts naturally turn to manga. What pleasures await us next week?

Unlike Strike Witches (look, panties!), Arpeggio of Blue Steel is an honest to goodness spy thriller that just happens to feature girls who are battleships. This is likely why I’m looking forward to the fourth volume from Seven Seas.

And for those who prefer their manga with a bit more yuri, there’s the 2nd volume of school drama Citrus.

Vertical gives us a new volume of Ajin: Demi-Human.

ASH: If you don’t mind dark and violent, Ajin is shaping up to be a great series.

SEAN: The rest is Viz. We get a 3rd Assassination Classroom, one of my favorite new Jump licenses.

ANNA: I haven’t read the second volume yet, but I’m looking forward to catching up. This series is fun and quirky.

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SEAN: And one of my absolute favorite Shojo Beat series comes to an end with the final volume of Dengeki Daisy. Will Kurosaki finally go bald? The most important question yet to be answered!

MICHELLE: There’s so much VIZ I am gonna be reading from this week, man. Definitely all the shoujo!

ASH: Wow, Viz really is releasing a bunch of great stuff next week! I’m due for a Dengeki Daisy marathon read.

ANNA: The main story wraps up pretty quickly, but there are a ton of side stories in this volume which I always like.

SEAN: Meanwhile, in Food Wars! 5, all our hero has to worry about is having his life ruined forever by not serving enough breakfasts.

MICHELLE: I fell a couple volumes behind on this one, and am looking forward to a Food Wars! binge.

SEAN: And there’s not only war among chefs, there’s also Library Wars, though I think its 13th volume may be a bit less serious than previous ones.

Meteor Prince also comes to an end, though with only two volumes it’s had less of a chance to addict us than Dengeki Daisy has.

ANNA: The first volume was adorable!

SEAN: If you aren’t picking up the 4th volume of My Love Story!! next week, there’s something terribly wrong with you. (Apologies to TMBG.)

MICHELLE: There certainly is.

ASH: Such an incredibly delightful series!

MJ: Agreed!

ANNA: Double Agreed!

SEAN: One Piece 74 promises to give us more action, intrigue, silliness, drama, and possibly fresh fruit as well.

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Skip Beat! 34 once again asks the question “will this be the volume where the plot progresses?”.

MICHELLE: I don’t even mind if it isn’t.

ANNA: I don’t care either!

SEAN: Toriko hits Vol. 27, will it kill off its hero in a pitched battle? Unlikely.

Voice Over! is almost, but not quite, over as it hits double digits.

MICHELLE: I continue to be surprised I enjoy Voice Over! as much as I do, but I’m really fond of it. Maybe I like best the series with exclamation points.

SEAN: World Trigger 5 is a new volume of World Trigger.

Finally, there’s a 2nd Yukarism, a series that interested me more than I expected last time. Will Volume 2 keep it up?

MJ: I’m actually really interested in this. I think I liked this more than most critics, and I’m pretty happy to see more of it.

ANNA: The second volume delves more into the past live of the main character, and deals with some of the ramifications of reincarnation in the present. I’m enjoying it too.

SEAN: Manga over flowers? What’s your choice?

Bookshelf Briefs 3/30/15

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This week, Sean and Michelle look at recent releases from Viz Media, Yen Press, and Kodansha Comics.

blackrosealice3Black Rose Alice, Vol. 3 | By Setona Mizushiro | Viz Media – Perhaps the most fitting adjective to describe this third volume of Black Rose Alice would be “immersive.” One of Alice’s four potential propagation partners doesn’t have long to live, and so urges Alice to choose him without actually telling her the truth, lest she pick him out of mere sympathy. In the end, this leads to her seeing a side of closed-off Dimitri that she hasn’t seen before. The experience of reading this series is a special one, and I must conclude this is actually partly due to Mizushiro’s art—it seems to me she uses more establishing “shots” and detailed interior backgrounds than other shojo manga, which gives one a palpable sense of being in this house with these people. She gets an A+ in Atmosphere, for sure. Even if you think you’re weary of vampires, you really owe it to yourself to check this one out. – Michelle Smith

yukichan7The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan, Vol. 7 | By Puyo and Nagaru Tanigawa | Yen Press – It’s hard sometimes to review these slice-of-life series, even if they are spinoffs, as there really isn’t much to say beyond ‘it’s adorable’. Much of the volume is devoted to Yuki going over to Kyon’s house and playing games with him and his sister, and it’s adorable. The two of them are getting closer and closer to admitting their feelings for each other, leading up to an absolutely adorable cliffhanger. Even stressed-out Ryouko beating Haruhi up is adorable in its own way. I’m not sure how much longer this series is going to go on – I had thought 8 was the finale, but apparently not – but no matter how long it goes on, I’m fairly certain ‘adorable’ will be the watchword. – Sean Gaffney

vampire2He’s My Only Vampire, Vol. 2 | By Aya Shouoto | Yen Press – Both of Shouoto’s current NA series balance out supernatural action with some very amusing comedy, and nothing quite defines that like the start of this volume, which defuses the cliffhanger from the first in the most amusing way possible. Then we’re back to school, showing off where the plot is going from here: our three leads form a club devoted to ‘curious events’, i.e. events the mysterious Student Council President does not want to get directly involved in. There’s also, fair warning, an attempted rape in here as well, something I wish manga in general would drop but it never does. Despite that, this is another very good volume, and I do prefer this series to Kiss of the Rose Princess. – Sean Gaffney

loveatfourteen2Love At Fourteen Vol. 2 | By Fuka Mizutani | Yen Press – See my Nagato Yuki review for discussing adorable slice-of-life series, and almost everything from it applies here as well. The two leads are just too cute. As for the rest of the cast, we meet a shy girl here with a massive crush on one of our heroes, but the surprise is which one. She also is a budding writer, who narrates her own life in the third person, which is both cute and also a clever way of doing a narrative voice. Meanwhile, Hinohara-sensei is still enjoying teasing Nagai as well as trying to acclimate him, but I will warn you, it does look like we might be edging towards a teacher/student romance here, something which I know bothers folks. Despite that, this volume is still highly recommended to anyone who loves relaxed, cute love stories. – Sean Gaffney

Sankarea11Sankarea, Vol. 11 | By Mitsuru Hattori | Kodansha Comics – This series has tried its best to balance its comedy, romance, and horror aspects and I wondered how it would wrap everything up. It’s… OK, but it’s only a single rather than a home run. The return of Rea’s sociopath father bothered me, particularly since it appeared to be ignoring his past actions. Chihiro’s return was also a massive deus ex machina, though I suppose it’s better than simply ending it in a horribly depressing way. The best part of the volume is Rea and Chihiro’s date, with trips to the zoo, long walks to park benches, and confessions… leading to an amazingly horrible reveal. In the end, I think Sankarea did horror better than it did romantic comedy, leading to an imperfect end to a very good series. – Sean Gaffney

tigerbunny6Tiger & Bunny, Vol. 6 | Mizuki Sakakibara, Sunrise, Masafumi Nishida, and Masakazu Katsura | Viz Media – In a move reminiscent of the villains on CW’s Arrow, NEXT supremacist leader Jake Martinez has barged in on the mayor and declared his intention to take over. Naturally, our heroes rally to prevent this, infiltrating the ranks of Martinez’s faithful, a move culminating with Barnaby in a televised standoff against the man who killed his parents. Ordinarily, a three-month wait for the resolution to a cliffhanger would provoke at least a little whining, but luckily, Tiger & Bunny is not a manga that I think about in between volumes. Still, I do have fun while I’m reading it. I guess sometimes I just want something fast-paced and not too deep, and this story certainly fits the bill! I’ll keep following it, though alas not fervently. – Michelle Smith

Pick of the Week: Yoshinaga & More

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potwANNA: This week has the ending of a long-running series with Blade of the Immortal and a couple debut volumes. What looks good to you this first week of April? While there is plenty of manga coming out this week, the main volume that has my attention is What Did You Eat Yesterday? Volume 7.

MICHELLE: Yep, same here. As much as I admire Blade of the Immortal, my heart just belongs to Yoshinaga. I canna help it!

MJ: Same. Yoshinaga + food + relationships = the key to MJ’s heart. Forever. What Did You Eat Yesterday? can be my only choice this week.

ASH: I guess it’s up to me to make Blade of the Immortal an official pick! I’m always up for another course of What Did You Eat Yesterday?, but Blade of the Immortal holds a very special place in my heart as one of the first manga that I ever read. I’m looking forward to its conclusion.

SEAN: And as I hinted in Manga the Week of, my pick is the new Kodansha series Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches. If nothing else, I’m a sucker for delinquent stories.

What looks good to you this week?

Manga the Week of 4/1

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SEAN: No, this isn’t an April Fool, there’s actually quite a lot of manga out this week (not technically a ‘first week of the month’ as it’s the 1st – if that makes sense).

Another era passes, as Dark Horse puts out the final volume of Blade of the Immortal, about which I’m sure Ash can enthuse about much more than I can.

MICHELLE: Wow, how many long-running things have they finished recently? At least two, in my memory.

ASH: It’s finally here!! Nearly two decades after the first volume was released in English. I am indeed enthused.

SEAN: Dark Horse also has the 8th omnibus of Lone Wolf & Cub.

Kodansha has the 4th volume of Attack on Titan prequel Before The Fall, whose blurb makes it sound as if we’re in for more horrible things happening to good people, in the best prequel tradition.

And Fairy Tail 47 means I am now 10 volumes behind. Ah well.

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The debut of the week is one I’m quite looking forward to: Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches. I had, years ago, done a license request for the author’s prior Shonen Magazine title, Yankee-kun to Megane-chan. I never got that, but this has much of the same characteristics that made it a fan favorite. Delinquents, body swaps, humor… what’s not to like? Crunchyroll also has a digital version, if you want to binge-read.

MICHELLE: Hmm.

ASH: I’ve heard really good things about this series. (Also, are witches the new vampire?)

ANNA: I think mermaids and fairies are the new vampire!

SEAN: Udon is putting out another manga version of classic literature, with The Scarlet Letter.

Vertical’s Prophecy wraps up with its 3rd volume. Have the guys with paper bag masks considered crossing over with the animal mask folks from Doubt/Judge/etc?

What Did You Eat Yesterday? has a 7th volume, with more food and cooking, and perhaps also some plot as a side dish.

MICHELLE: Yay!

ASH: Double yay!

MJ: Triple YAY!!!

ANNA: Quadruple YAY!!!

SEAN: Lastly, we have a 6th volume of Wolfsmund, which never fails to put a smile on the face and a song in the heart. I believe Vertical is seeing if they can sell the rights as a musical.

ASH: That would certainly be something.

SEAN: Are you buying manga on the 1st of April, or just avoiding the Internet as sensible people do?

Pick of the Week: Abundance

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potwSEAN: There is far, far too much here that I’m interested in, including many debuts. That said, my pick this week is a final volume, as I won’t be able to choose it again later. Soul Eater started slow for me, with the bizarre and surreal art keeping me going through the early volumes till I got to appreciate the bizarre, surreal characters more. Now it’s ending at Vol. 25, and I will miss it greatly.

ASH: Despite it being a big week for manga release, my pick is an easy choice for me. Like Sean’s, it’s also a final volume (although of a much shorter series). With it’s phenomenal artwork, fascinating, well-developed characters, and death-defying story, I am absolutely thrilled to be able to get my hands on the fifth volume of The Summit of the Gods.

MICHELLE: I’ll cast my lot with Love at Fourteen this week!

MJ: Okay, wow, I almost skipped out on this column today (moving week chaos), but holy cow are there a lot of promising manga for me to choose from! Yes, I’m interested in continuing/finishing series like the The Summit of the Gods, Love at Fourteen, and Sword Art Online: Progressive (how’s that for variety?), but there are also a few debuts that have really got my attention. Though I had mixed feelings about Olympos, I can’t deny that I’m looking forward to Angel of Elhamburg, the latest from that artist. And there’s no way I’m missing out on Kaori Yuki’s Demon From Afar, because c’mon. But I think I’ll throw my vote this week to the latest import from Zero-Sum, Karneval. Despite mixed reports from readers so far, I’m afraid that I just can’t resist the call. It’s beckoning, and I must answer.

ANNA: There’s so much coming out this week it is hard to pick! But out of all the manga coming out this week I’m probably most interested in Karneval, so that gets my pick as well.

What looks good to you this week?

Bookshelf Briefs 3/24/15

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This week, Sean and Michelle look at recent releases from Seven Seas, Vertical Comics, Kodansha Comics, and Viz Media.

nightmare3Alice in the Country of Joker: Nightmare Trilogy, Vol. 3 | By QuinRose and Job | Seven Seas – I’ve criticized this particular spinoff before, for what I consider subpar art and for its tendency to meander. But this volume steps up the danger for Alice, and utilizes the Joker setting almost as well as Circus & Liar’s Game. The fact that Joker’s many lethal weapons all deal with perception and memory fits very well into the Alice universe at large, and Julius fans will be pleased (maybe) to see he’s joined Ace as two of the Joker’s henchmen. As for Alice and Nightmare, the waffling is the point – both of them are dealing with scary feelings, and overcoming those brings this trilogy to a close. Overall, not as strong as many of the other spinoffs, but it stuck the landing. – Sean Gaffney

littlearmy2Girls & Panzer: Little Army, Vol. 2 | By Girls Und Panzer Projekt and Tsuchii | Seven Seas – The action-filled climax to this volume happens about halfway through, as Miho and Maho’s teams take to their tanks for a one-on-one battle. If you know this series and how old these girls currently are, the outcome won’t surprise you. What this volume does do is flesh out Maho a bit and make it more clear that she’s obeying her mother in all things partly to shield Miho from such a harsh upbringing. Unfortunately, this does not really help Miho as much as she’s like, since her mother is still a horrible parent. Luckily, things resolve as well as they can with a few well-placed cheer up speeches. A cute prequel to the main series, but I prefer that one. – Sean Gaffney

sidonia13Knights of Sidonia, Vol. 13 | By Tsutomu Nihei | Vertical Comics – Well, the harem wraps itself up here, and in a way that I really did not expect, though it was signposted very heavily in retrospect. This leaves us with most of the volume once again devoted to the war against the Gauna, and more opportunities for Tanikaze to show off how amazing he is in combat. Indeed, it’s actually leading to negatives as well, as the new recruits are so frustrated by their inability to do much in battle that they’re getting reckless. There’s also another chilling cliffhanger, made even worse by the fact that we’ve caught up with Japan, and will have to wait till the fall to find out what happens. Still one of my most surprising manga hits. – Sean Gaffney

littlemonster7My Little Monster, Vol. 7 | By Robico | Kodansha Comics – Two of the three main romantic plotlines are seemingly wrapped up in this volume. Mitchan realizes he actually has be be meaner than he’d like to get Natsume to give up, and it’s realistically told and uncomfortable to read. Meanwhile, Oshima finally gives a direct confession to Haru, and (eventually) gets an equally direct rejection. That just leaves Yamaken and Shizuku, which is the only one that survives the volume and also the most annoying. It survives as Shizuku doesn’t get he likes her, and he’s too frazzled and scared to actually admit it to her. Add to this the arrival of a servant of Haru’s father who is HIGHLY irritating, and you have another up and down volume of this up and down series. – Sean Gaffney

spell3Spell of Desire, Vol. 3 | By Tomu Ohmi | Viz Media – It’s not that Spell of Desire is awful, exactly, because it isn’t. It’s just that the characterization is lacking to the point that events don’t really impact me one way or another. In this volume, Kaoruko learns that in order to access her abilities as a witch, she must first lose her virginity. (In other words—can’t become a powerful female character without relying on a man!) So, she and Kaname finally admit and consummate their love, and then Kaname becomes an outcast for breaking his vow to the witch queen, and there is punishment and angst and resolve to become powerful enough to protect him. About the only slightly interesting thing going on is the conflict between Kaoruko’s black witch lessons and her white witch upbringing, and that might just be enough to get me to finish out the final two volumes of this blessedly short series. – Michelle Smith