Manga Bookshelf

Discussion, Resources, Roundtables, & Reviews

Sean Gaffney

I Refuse to Be Your Enemy!, Vol. 6

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By Kanata Satsuki and Mitsuya Fuji. Released in Japan as “Watashi wa Teki ni Narimasen!” by PASH! Books. Released in North America digitally by J-Novel Club. Translated by Tara Quinn.

It’s the final volume of this series, and I am pleased that it’s ending pretty much the way that it began: with lots of strategy and battles. There is some romance here, as the cover art will no doubt clue you in on, but for the most part this is still a military fantasy first and a romance second. e get to see the remaining bad guys be really bad, but also (well, in one case) see how they got to be that way, and witness Kiara say that if Reggie had died she’d totally have done something very similar, which is… chilling, but very on brand. There’s a character reveal that’s well-handled and an actual surprise, which pleased me. And, of course, our heroes very nearly lose several times, as we are shown that just because you may know about the past in a game… or even via other means… does not mean that there is not still danger of death lurking everywhere. This ISN’T a game.

Having confessed to each other, all that’s left for Kiara and Reggie’s happy ending is… well, a lot, to be honest. Lord Patriciel is still around, as is Queen Marianne. And they both seem far more confident than they should, really. It would help to have a few more allies, which means getting the Thorn Princess completely on their side, but to do so they’ll have to discover who she really is. The enemy is brutal, enslaving people and using them as meat shields, then using the slaves and its own soldiers as defective spellcasters in order to kill the troops. And oh yes, they also have a monster, a huge flying beast that obeys the Queen’s command. Even when they’ve won and all that’s left is for the Queen to surrender, there’s still one nasty trick up her sleeve, which Kiara may have to pay for with her life.

As I mentioned earlier, I appreciated that it’s very hard to change fate, but not impossible. Every time Kiara or the Thorn Princess feel that they’ve managed to alter the past so that Reggie is not brutally killed, he ends up in a different kind of danger. It’s not easy trying to find the right butterfly to step on. Fortunately, they have the ability to plan and strategize on the fly, but it’s a touch-and-go thing, especially towards the end, where various characters compete to see who can sacrifice their life to save 3everyone else first. That said, it’s not a big spoiler to say that most everyone lives happily ever after, even some people that I was pretty sure were going to die. And, for those who DO like romance, there’s some nice stuff here – Reggie is very affectionate, and spends most of the book trying to get a very reserved Kiara to accept him touching her. A lot.

At six volumes, this turned out to be exactly the right length. If you like villainess stories done almost completely straight, with few cliches and a heaping helping of battle, this is a terrific series to read.

Pick of the Week: You Are Already Picked

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SEAN: Barring an unforeseen crossover between Fist of the North Star and Ooku, I suspect Manga Bookshelf is going to be leaning one way or the other this week. I’m going to go with FotNS, even though I’m not sure I can stay with it for too long, simply because of the sheer influence it had on so many later series.

MICHELLE: I’m in the same boat. That cover art for the first volume basically says, “Michelle, I am not for you,” but I’m just so grateful that VIZ is releasing this that I have to at least check it out. A little trepidatious about those exploding limbs, though. Not gonna lie.

ANNA: “….you’re already dead!!!”

KATE: My inner historian is thrilled to see Fist of the North Star back in print, but my inner reader is more excited about the latest volumes of Maison Ikkoku and Even Though We’re Adults, two series I’m actively enjoying and collecting at the moment. I’ll probably pick up FotNS to satisfy my curiosity, but I won’t lie: I share Michelle’s general reservations about exploding limbs.

ASH: Out of everyone here, I may be the person for whom Fist of the North Star most fully aligns both interest-wise and reading habits-wise. It’s admittedly been a while since I’ve read the incomplete older English edition/s, but I loved those volumes; I am so incredibly excited that this series is finally getting another chance in print in English.

MELINDA: Okay, I know I usually say that Fumi Yoshinaga always wins, but I can’t deny that I’m excited by the prospect of actually reading Fist of the North Star after all this time. It’s gotta be my pick this week.

The Emperor’s Lady-in-Waiting Is Wanted As a Bride, Vol. 1

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By Kanata Satsuki and Yoru Ichige. Released in Japan as “Koutei-tsuki Nyokan wa Hanayome Toshite Nozomarechuu” by Ichijinsha Bunko Iris. released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Emily Hemphill.

There are various ways to conceal things in books, and some of them are harder to pull off than others. Common in mystery stories is keeping the viewpoint character and the reader in equal ignorance, revealing things to both when the time is right. Rare is when everyone except the reader knows about something, and they all talk around the subject. Then there’s the reader knowing something that most of the cast do not – we get a bit of that here in this novel. Unfortunately, we also get “everyone else knows what the viewpoint character does not, including the reader”. This is the hardest to pull off, and the most frustrating. You start to wonder what in the world is wrong with the main character. Still, it’s not impossible. That said… and I don’t mean to spoil, but I must to a certain degree… when it turns out that a magical mind-controlling device is the reason that your cast has not noticed things that are obvious to the reader, you have a problem.

Qatora, a knight in charge of protecting the young prince and his friend, ends up sacrificing her life to save the latter, falling into the “Light of Origin”, a seemingly religious artifact. Reincarnated in a different country several years into the future, she is Lyse, the daughter of a baron, who tries her best to fit in in this country where being strong as an ox and good with a sword is NOT appreciated in its young ladies. She’d much rather be back in the Empire, but knows the secret of the Light of Origin after falling into it, so avoids the country. Then one day the Emperor and his retinue pay a visit to their land, and she’s chosen to not only be Lady-in-Waiting to the Emperor, but also fiancee to his knight, Sidis, who seems mysteriously fascinated with her. Oh, and did I mention that the Emperor is… slowly tuning into a dog? Lyse is going to need strength and smarts to get out of this dilemma.

The author of this series also writes I Refuse to Be Your Enemy!, which I highly recommend, but I found myself struggling to get into this new series of hers. It is very clear to the reader from the start who Sidis really is, and hearing “but that can’t be, he doesn’t have blond hair” over and over is frustrating. Likewise, the villain of the piece is about as subtle as a boot to the head, to the point where there is literally a mind-controlling device meant to convince people that ISN’T what it is. I also wish we got to see a bit more of Lyse’s past abilities – she’s known as the “boar-killer”, but we don’t SEE that, and mostly she just kicks a lot of guys. (Who, admittedly, deserve it.) On the plus side, the Emperor and his ongoing problems are amusing enough, and Sidis makes for a good love interest, though again, you get the sense that Lyse is not interested in him because the writer doesn’t want her to be yet more than anything else. She needs to pick up on things better.

The book also feels complete at one volume, which is unfortunate as the series is at least four books in Japan. If you really enjoy romantic fantasies, give this a try, but honestly you’d be better off with I Refuse to Be Your Enemy!.

Girls Kingdom, Vol. 3

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By Nayo and Shio Sakura. Released in Japan by GL Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Philip Reuben.

This series, in general, should not be taken seriously. I know that seems like a really obvious thing to say, but we are dealing with something written for a yuri audience, and yuri audiences have been conditioned to take things Very Seriously Indeed a lot of the time. This works on a 2005 yuri level, but it’s also clearly being written around 2020, and knows that too. So no one is going to be using the words lesbian or queer in this book anytime soon, but bathing together – complete with tickle fights – is still on the menu. Likewise, there are no canonical couples in the book, and yet the entire book consists of plotlines like “what is the perfect present I can give to my mistress” or “I am obsessed with my mistress to the point where I have become a living ghost story”. It’s a lot of fun to read. It also has Misaki, who still makes for a great protagonist, since she is, as I’ve said before, Yumi without all that self-doubt.

In the first part of the book, Misaki and Kirara, along with the other first-year maids, get that most important of things – their first paycheck. It’s tradition that part of that check should go to their mistress, but it’s up to them to figure out what the perfect present would be. After this, there’s rumors of a ghost on campus, and the student council president is trying to see what’s really going on, though it’s Misaki who has already worked things out. All of this is going on, of course, while Misaki and Kirara are still trying to learn how to be the best maids out there, and realizing they still have a LONG way to go. Especially if they want to compare themselves to Sara, whose mistress, who had been in England, is finally arriving to join the school. Will she upend the salon system? Or just create chaos? Probably, it’s that kind of series, but I expect all will work out in the end.

My favorite parts of the book are when you’re able to spot the tongue lodged firmly in the author’s cheek. Sometimes this is obvious because Misaki, our “common sense” character, points it out, such as student council president Angelica pulling a map of the campus out from between her breasts. And sometimes it’s obvious simply because it’s too ridiculous not to giggle. Sara’s past is tragic, but it’s tragic in a “Little Match Girl” sort of way that makes the denouement that much funnier. I’m amazed Sakura didn’t find her abandoned in a box with dog ears on her head. And sometimes the ridiculousness is actually a plot point, such as Sara’s “very English” mistress being named Sakura, which is noted by the characters but which we might have to wait till next time to actually figure out why.

Next time promises a 3-way Salon War – at least- and, I suspect, will have a lot more of Sakura and Sara, a relationship I can see going in several direction. Still, this was an excellent volume in the series, if only as I made it through the entire book without wanting to kill Kirara with my laser eye beams. Also, thanks must go to Angelica, for adding another common yuri trope the the overflowing stack already on the table.

Manga the Week of 6/16/21

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SEAN: We’re having a heat wave! A manga heat wave!

ASH: I certainly much prefer one of those things over the other.

SEAN: Airship has two debuts. The first we’ve talked about before: I Swear I Won’t Bother You Again! is now out in print. I really enjoyed this look at a villainess who suffers depression.

ASH: Oh, that could be interesting. (I’m paying more attention know that it’s available in print.)

SEAN: The other debut is digital first: Reincarnated As a Dragon Hatchling (Tensei Shitara Dragon no Tamago Datta ~ Saikyou Igai Mezasenee ~). He’s a baby dragon, but he’ll grow up to be… (deep breath) the strongest ever!

Also out next week: Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?! 13 (early digital), The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter 4 (print) and Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation 11 (print).

Dark Horse has a 3rd Deluxe Edition of Hellsing.

Ghost Ship gives us World’s End Harem 11.

J-Novel Club has two digital debuts. Guide to the Perfect Otaku Girlfriend: Roomies and Romance (Dousei kara Hajimaru Otaku Kanojo no Tsukurikata) has a description that makes it sound like Grooming: The Light Novel, but I suspect is probably pretty tame.

The other debut is Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke: This Time I’m Gonna Tell Her How I Feel! (Buta Koushaku ni Tensei Shitakara, Kondo wa Kimi ni Suki to Iitai). We all know light novel authors love to make their petty noble villains short, ugly, etc. What if he was an anime character, and now our hero was trapped reincarnated as him? Well, maybe he can actually shape up and stop being a villain. Again, this comes highly recommended.

ASH: This one has slipped under my radar up until now.

SEAN: We also see Are You Okay With a Slightly Older Girlfriend? 3, Fushi no Kami: Rebuilding Civilization Starts With a Village 4, The Ideal Sponger Life 3, Mapping: The Trash-Tier Skill That Got Me Into a Top-Tier Party 5, and the 18th and final volume of Outbreak Company.

Kaiten Books has a 3rd print volume of Loner Life in Another World.

In print, Kodansha has Chobits 20th Anniversary Edition 4, Knight of the Ice 6, Perfect World 6, A School Frozen in Time 2, Star⇄Crossed!! 2, and Those Not-So-Sweet Boys 3.

MICHELLE: Lots of good stuff, there!

ANNA: I’m very excited for Knight of the Ice, I’m thoroughly enjoying that series.

ASH: This is a good week for Kodansha in print!

Digitally our debut is Undead Girl Murder Farce, involving a supernatural detective with a very creepy cage. It’s from Shonen Sirius.

Also: Blue Lock 4, A Girl and Her Guard Dog 5, The Honey-Blood Beauty & Her Vampire 3, Medalist 2, We’re New at This 7, and Will It Be the World or Her? 6.

One Piece has the manga edition of The Reprise of the Spear Hero – Vol. 4, to be precise.

Seven Seas has Even Though We’re Adults 2 and Made in Abyss Official Anthology – Layer 2: A Dangerous Hole.

ASH: Somehow, I actually haven’t read the first volume of Even Though We’re Adults yet, but that’s not going to stop me from picking up the second.

SEAN: I don’t even know where to begin with Viz. They’re finally doing a nice, non-Gutsoon version (if you don’t know what Gutsoon was, ask your father) of Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no Ken). If Shonen Jump in the early 1980s was defined by Dragon Ball, this was its other half – an ultra-serious, ultra-violent apocalypse adventure with more exploding limbs than anyone can really handle. It’s in 2-volume omnibuses. It’ll be a treat.

MICHELLE: I’m grateful I finally get the opportunity to check this out!

ANNA: I’m so old, I have a few of the early Viz translated American comic sized issues from way back in the day.

ASH: I cannot adequately express how incredibly excited I am that this series is finally getting a proper English-language print release.

SEAN: There’s also a ton of final volumes. We get 20th Century Boys Perfect Edition 1… erm, 12 (not sure what’s going on there), Blue Flag 8, and RWBY The Official Manga 3.

MICHELLE: I believe this is the final volume of Blue Flag, also.

SEAN: Yes, that’s why I said “ton of final volumes”. :)

MICHELLE: I am inobservant!

ANNA: I need to get caught up on Blue Flag, it is very good.

ASH: That it is.

SEAN: Also coming out: Golden Kamuy 22, Maison Ikkoku Collector’s Edition 4, and Ooku the Inner Chambers 18.

MICHELLE: Ooku!

ANNA: Ooku too!

ASH: Yes, Ooku!

SEAN: Lastly, a trio of titles from Yen Press: The Case Study of Vanitas 8, Dead Mount Death Play 5, and Triage X 21.

Feeling hot hot hot? What manga are you reading?

The Devil Is a Part-Timer!, Vol. 19

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By Satoshi Wagahara and 029. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen Press. Translated by Kevin Gifford.

(I discuss the climax of the book more than usual here, so spoiler warning.)

A lot of the last volume in this series focused on Chiho and her concerns for the future, and that doesn’t change here. Chiho is in many ways the glue that holds everyone’s relationships together, which is sort of nice, but not when it leads to her being everyone’s social secretary. She’s starting to get the feeling that all teens get at that age – that everyone around her is more grown up than she is. Maou is still calling her “Chi” like a kid, and of course is still ignoring her confession(s). Suzuno and Emi are adults with real world concerns, and they’re all out to save the world. And worst of all, she’s the only one in the group not tied to Enta Isla. When all this is over and that world is saved, will everyone just return there and leave her behind? It’s got her in a quandary… until a conversation with Suzuno (who, like Maou, has decided to run away from her problems) convinces her that it’s time to simply blow everything to tiny little bits.

There are, of course, other issues. Suzuno is stunned to find that she’s been promoted to Archbishop, which is actually pretty terrible news for their little conspiracy. It doesn’t help that the rituals that she has to do in preparation for her investiture all seem rather shallow and self-serving. Can you really have a crisis of faith when you’re becoming one of the leaders of that same faith? That and she’s also decided to confess her love to Maou… who reacts the same way he’s done with Chiho – avoid, avoid, avoid. Emi and Alas Ramus spent most of the novel away in Enta Isla helping with demon castle prep, meaning this is yet another Emi-lite book. Her fans, already grumpy from last volume’s ship sinking from Rika, might be even grumpier. Oh yes, and in Alas Ramus’ absence Acieth suddenly starts needing to eat a LOT more than usual… or else she starts firing lasers from her mouth.

This leads to the climax, as Chiho gathers everyone at McRonald’s. Maou, who’s been completely out of the loop on this, guesses it’s to feed Acieth… but how will they keep her nature secret from the McRonald’s crew? Or Kisaki, who’s also been invited? Or Chiho’s mom, who’s *also* there? I was wondering this myself, and the author does a great job of keeping everyone on tenterhooks. Then we find that Chiho’s plan is simply to rip the bandage off – Acieth’s growing hunger causes her to fire a laser AT Kisaki, which Emi and Maou must stop using their powers. Now the cat’s very, very out of the bag. On the bright side, they can feed her properly now. But there’s also the reaction from all the other normal humans to the Enta Isla story (which involves a visit TO Enta Isla as well) and also the reaction of everyone to Maou being such a wuss. Given that the demon castle/invasion timeline has been sped up vastly thanks to Suzuno’s promotion, this is probably not the ideal time, but it’s as if Chiho looked at the author and yelled “OK, endgame now!!”.

And indeed we only have two volumes to go. Thankfully for Emilia fans, the next volume’s blurb promises she’ll get more focus. That said, Chiho’s clearly in charge here, as not only Japan but also Enta Isla sees her as the only trustworthy person. Can she save the day? And even harder, can she get Maou to man up?

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 2

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By Natsu Hyuuga and Touko Shino. Released in Japan as “Kusuriya no Hitorigoto” by Hero Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Kevin Steinbach.

The second volume in the series serves to give readers who loved the first book more of what they loved. Maomao solves some mysteries, glares at her not-love interest, kvells over any poison she can possibly ingest, and manages to upend the entirety of the Emperor’s palace. And this doesn’t even count her new job she gains in this volume, which is teaching very specific subjects to the four high consorts. Or scoping out a soldier’s chances at winning over a woman he likes as if he was a stud horse. Or helping to resolve the issue of an inheritance… an inheritance that also finds itself coming up over and over again throughout the book. Folks have compared this to Ascendance of a Bookworm, and they share one big thing in common, which is that they reward a reader who pays close attention to things and remembers prior events. You get the feeling that Maomao will be going places over the course of this series, though I suspect she may go to these places kicking and screaming.

After the events at the end of the last book, Maomao is now back at the palace, working for Jinshi officially by cleaning his rooms and such, and unofficially by solving crimes, though she always has to be bribed or goaded into doing so. Sometimes she doesn’t even need to be dragged – when a fire with a supposed unknown cause is mentioned, she’s quick to bolt over to the site looking for clues. And sometimes she absolutely refuses, such as when it’s anything to do with Lakan, the eccentric military man who’s been hanging around Jinshi lately and who seems to want to meet Maomao come rain or come shine. Who he is is easily guessed, but the relationship between them proves surprisingly nuanced, and even Maomao, whose glare can kill tigers at 400 yards, can occasionally display a soft side.

This series is not meant to be a comedy… except it’s frequently absolutely hilarious. We don’t get the specifics of Maomao’s “education” class for the consorts, but their reactions show what it must have been like, and the fact that she occasionally provides them the equivalent of Amanda Quick novels as bribes later on is even better. Then there’s the goofy soldier Lihaku, who Maomao tends to think of as a dog, and who has a crush on one of the three princesses at the establishment Maomao grew up around, and asks what it might take to buy her out of there (presumably so he can marry her). Maomao, knowing that princess and her proclivities, evaluates him solely on strength and stamina, with a wonderful punchline. That said, there’s also good drama here, such as when Maomao tries to stop a murder meant to look like an “accident”, as well as Lakan’s backstory.

As with the first volume, I can’t recommend this enough. For everyone who say yet another isekai licensed and wondered when we’d get a light novel series for adults – this! This is it!

Pick of the Week: Swooning in June

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MICHELLE: Though I have thus far failed to read Barakamon, I pounced on the debut volume of Yoshi no Zuikara and ended up really liking it. Now, the final volume of the short series is coming out and you can bet that I’ll be pouncing on that too.

SEAN: I’ve heard very good things about Uncle in Another World, but picking isekai right now seems sort of eh. There’s also new Komi and Spy x Family. But it’s been almost a year, so I’m gonna pick the next volume of A Certain Scientific Railgun, because overpowered middle school girls kicking ass.

ASH: I was surprised and delighted by how good the first volume of How Do We Relationship was. And so, I’m looking forward to catching up with the second and now the third volumes of that series!

ANNA: Out of everything coming out this week, I’m probably most excited by Spy x Family, one day I will catch up!

KATE: I’m on Team Kodansha this week, since they’re releasing new installments of two great series: Blood on the Tracks and Blue Period. I’ll also put in a pitch for Those Snow White Notes, both for its educational value and its sudsy drama. Hot guys playing the shamisen? Sign me up!!!!

High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even in Another World!, Vol. 4

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By Riku Misora and Sacraneco. Released in Japan as “Choujin Koukousei-tachi wa Isekai demo Yoyuu de Ikinuku you desu!” by GA Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Nathaniel Hiroshi Thrasher.

While there are no long-term disasters here, it’s safe to say that this might be the first volume to actually belie its title, as the High School Prodigies don’t really have that good a time here. Trying to get their kingdom to stand on its own so that they can make preparations to go home turns out to be easier said than done. The actual way to go home seems to be offered up to them on a plate… but what’s the catch? Aoi finds that it’s not enough having a really strong sword, she needs a really strong CURSED sword or she’s screwed. And worst of all, economics happens. All of this barely leaves time for the love triangle that still inhabits the heart of this book, but rest assured there’s still time to deal with that. And, thankfully, there’s a minimum of Keine here, so we don’t need to worry about any questionable medical practices.

The book is divided into three, with two medium chunks and one long one. In the first, the prodigies go to negotiate with the Empire, currently being ruled by a proxy, and finds things go… suspiciously well. What’s more, said proxy is also from a different world. In the second story, Lyrule and Winona try to teach Jeanne how to cook, which is interesting more for Lyrule’s own tortured love life than anything else. The final story features the new nation of Elm, with Elch as its new Finance Minister, trying to introduce a new currency to the other nations. Masato is there as well, but he’s trying to be hands off so that the natives can attempt to handle things themselves. m Unfortunately, he underestimates Roo, and thus everything turns out both better and much worse than it could have gone.

Changing a world is not particularly an easy task, and the Prodigies have limited themselves to merely one part of it. When visiting the empire, they get a glimpse of the slave trade there, and we see a maid of the main villain of this book who is horribly abused. But she’s not there to be rescued later on, and indeed isn’t; she’s there to show us that you have to fix what you can for now. Which here mostly means the currency, as there’s a lot of back and forth, deals, secret deals, and endless piles of backstabbing. We get to learn firsthand the difference between politics and economics, and also see what I feel may be the first of many attempts to lure one of the prodigies to the enemy side. (It doesn’t work.. yet.) We also get to see how Roo has been soaking up information and tactics like a sponge from Masato, and though she still ends up getting tricked and almost killed, her resolve is impressive. (I do sort of wish we’d seen more of her after this scene.)

Overall I was pretty happy with this book, and the cliffhanger clearly introduces what’s likely to be the Big Bad of the series. It’s never going to be what one might call a good light novel, but it’s perfectly serviceable popcorn.

Strike the Blood, Vol. 18

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By Gakuto Mikumo and Manyako. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Jeremiah Bourque.

I think the author is finally, as we near the end of Strike the Blood, getting the hang of things. As such, I will stop implying that the entire book is written by an AI bot, as I have in previous books, and give credit where credit is due. This is the second of two books expanding on an OAV that came out years earlier, and manages to pull off something we haven’t really seen done before due to the nature of Kojou’s vampiric abilities – mind controlling him to become evil. (You’ll pardon the spoiler, but anyone who is reading a review of the 18th volume of a series and also hasn’t seen the earlier OAV is probably limited to one or two people.) The book manages to divide itself fairly well into halves, with the first part being a political romance of sorts, and the second half being our usual action movie. La Folia gets a large role, which is great, and Sayaka does as well, which… is not so great.

Kojou is in a good mood, as he’s headed up to the long holiday break, where he can finally relax and not have to worry about saving the world… or so he thinks. Instead, La Folia invites Kanon to a ceremony in her home country of Aldegia so that she can try to mend tensions between Kanon and the rest of the family, and Kojou and Yukina to essentially be her bodyguards. (Asagi, Yabe, and Nagisa also tag along.) Of course, this is merely part of a larger plan, which is to get out of various arranged marriages set up for her by saying Kojou is her fiancee. Part one of her plan goes far smoother than anyone intended, possibly as Kanon is a giant sweetie pie. The second part goes OK, despite the fact that La Folia’s father is one of those huge, killer dads who will never let anyone date his daughter and has a giant sword to back him up. And this is all BEFORE the terrorist plot, when La Folia and Yukina are kidnapped… and Kojou is brainwashed.

The last book made it pretty clear that Kojou, in the future, has more than one partner, and this book hammers home that this is perfectly valid for vampire Primogenitors. As such, anyone who was rooting for someone other than Yukina will be pleased to know they’ll still get a place at the table. (Well,l no, they likely won’t, as I sense Strike the Blood fanatics don’t like Yukina much.) In any case, La Folia is perfectly happy to share, especially as Kojou cannot help but be the best guy she’s ever met. He’s like that. As for Sayaka… her absence from the series for so long had made me forget how much of a comedy jealous dumbass she is 90% of the time, honestly. Sorry, Sayaka. I have also told the author multiple times that his humorous scenes aren’t funny, so props to him: the scene with brainwashed Kojou acting like a Byronic hero and spouting lines so cringeworthy that Asagi and Yabe took actual damage? That was really, really good.

As with a lot of recent books in this series, the epilogue serves to set up the next book in the series, with will be back on Itogami Island and no doubt will continue to make it completely uninsurable. In the meantime, Strike the Blood fans, especially fans of La Folia, will be quite happy.

I’m in Love with the Villainess, Vol. 3

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By Inori and Hanagata. Released in Japan as “Watashi no Oshi wa Akuyaku Reijou” by GL Bunko. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Kevin Ishizaka. Adapted by Nibedita Sen.

If a lot of this third volume feels a bit like Chekhov restocking his armory, that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. The second volume of this series ended at a very satisfactory place, to the point where I was very surprised to see a third volume. This is not uncommon in the light novel or manga genre, with a lot of “short” series becoming very popular and the author trying to extend things a bit. That said, this book is clearly written knowing that there will be a fourth volume coming later (it’s already out in Japan). As such, we get a lot of events here that… don’t really go much of anywhere at all. We know they will eventually, but for the moment they’re just sitting there, on the mantelpiece. Of course, that’s not to say there’s nothing going on in this book. We go to an “enemy” country, fight off demons, and try to prevent assassinating the Pope. There’s something for everyone.

As you can see by the cover art, which feels like a culmination of 100 years of yuri, Rae and Claire are happily together now with their adopted children, May and Aleah. It’s about a year after events in the second book, and they’re both teaching at the academy and being very lovey-dovey. Even setbacks like one of their daughters turning out to have zero magic power is dealt with sensibly and with love. Then… they’re asked to join a political “exchange” with the Nur Empire. Rae is familiar with this plot from the side story sequel to the Revolution game, which, much like its predecessor, has somewhat unimpressive romantic routes and a fantastic non-romance route. The empress, Dorothea, is not here for decorum or political gamesmanship. Its imperial princess is currently too meek to really start any sort of revolution. Oh yes, and the Pope has just shown up, and she looks… exactly like Rae.

The intrigue is quite good throughout, as are the few tragic moments. What I enjoyed most about this book, though, is seeing that the relationship between Rae and Claire is just as fun to read now as it was when Claire was a “villainess”. Rae, honestly, feels like the more immature of the two most of the time. They also both manage to wear the “oblivious to love” hat at different times, as Rae can’t seem to figure out (or at least is deliberately ignoring) a student’s crush on her, while the third princess ends up falling for Claire after Claire essentially enacts a classic otome game “route start” scene in front of her. That said, these two are crazy about each other. I especially loved Claire attempting to act like a bully again, to try to excite Rae, only for Rae to completely fail to pick up on it. The book also has several short stories after the main action, which involves weddings, holidays, and nightmares that involve Claire realizing how lucky she is that Rae is… well, the sort of person she is.

This definitely feels like “Part One of Two”, and I expect most of the dangling plotlines will come up there. But there’s still so much here to love. This is a very hard book to put down, even when you want to, and fans of Rae and Claire will be very happy with it.

Manga the Week of 6/9/21

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SEAN: 2nd June 2nd Furious.

MICHELLE: Snerk.

SEAN: Airship has an early digital debut. Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! (Mezametara Saikyou Soubi to Uchuusen Mochidattanode, Ikkodate Mezashite Youhei to Shite Jiyu ni Ikitai) and seems to be a standard isekai harem title, only in space rather than in fantasyland.

ASH: That’s a newer variation, I think!

SEAN: Also, in print, we get the 2nd volume of Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything With Low-Level Spells and, in early digital, we get Berserk of Gluttony 3.

Dark Horse has the 2nd volume of Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!.

ASH: I still need to check out the first.

SEAN: J-Novel Club has two digital debuts, neither one in their main imprint. On the J-Novel Heart end, we get The Emperor’s Lady-in-Waiting Is Wanted as a Bride (Kouteitsuki Nyokan wa Hanayome Toshite Nozomare Naka), a story of a knight who lost her life protecting the crown prince. She then somehow finds herself in the future with all her memories… and now she’s ENGAGED to a prince? This seems fun.

ASH: It does!

SEAN: Also out next week is the first volume of Perry Rhodan NEO, from the J-Novel Pulp imprint. The adventures of Perry Rhodan have been around forever, and this is the 2011 reboot of the storyline. Space adventures, only probably without the isekai and harem like Reborn as a Space Mercenary.

They’ve also got Black Summoner 2 (manga version), Campfire Cooking in Another World 3 (manga version), the 6th and final volume of I Refuse to Be Your Enemy!, and Sorcerous Stabber Orphen 12.

In print, Kodansha Manga has Blood on the Tracks 6, Blue Period 4, Real Account 12-14 (I assume… I had it on my Manga the Week of July 1, 2020 list as well…), Shaman King’s 2nd omnibus (Vol. 4-6), and Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie 4.

MICHELLE: Blood on the Tracks is riveting, but I need to be in the right mindset for it.

ASH: It’s true. A fair number of Oshimi’s works tend that direction, actually.

SEAN: The digital debut is Police in a Pod (Hakozume: Koban Joshi no Gyakushuu), a seinen title from Weekly Morning. A disheartened officer who is about to turn in her resignation is stunned at the new woman director who arrives at the station. This has been made into a live-action drama.

And we have The Hero Life of a (Self-Proclaimed) “Mediocre” Demon! 6, Nina the Starry Bride 3, Peach Boy Riverside 8, The Springtime of My Life Began with You 2, and Those Snow White Notes 6.

MICHELLE: Six volumes behind on Those Snow White Notes now.

ANNA: Me too.

SEAN: Seven Seas debuts the manga version of I Swear I Won’t Bother You Again!, whose light novel I have discussed. I found the light novel fantastic, but I’ve heard the manga tells the story quite differently. It runs in Gentosha’s Denshi Birz.

We also get Arpeggio of Blue Steel 18, A Certain Scientific Accelerator 12, and A Certain Scientific Railgun 16.

Square Enix has a 4th volume of My Dress-Up Darling.

ASH: I’m a volume or so behind, but I really liked the first couple.

SEAN: SuBLime has a 6th Caste Heaven.

Viz has two debuts. The first is Kirby Manga Mania, a collection of manga starring the game character. The other is World Piece, a Viz Original graphic novel about a boy who accidentally shrinks Earth to the size of a basketball.

ASH: Oh! I had forgotten about the Viz Original line!

SEAN: Other titles include Call of the Night 2, How Do We Relationship? 3, Komi Can’t Communicate 13, One Piece Omnibus 31, Pokemon Adventures Collector’s Edition 8, and Spy x Family 5.

MICHELLE: I need to check back in with How Do We Relationship?. I enjoyed the first volume.

ANNA: I need to check back in on Spy x Family.

ASH: I’ve been enjoying what I’ve read of both of those series!

SEAN: Yen On has the 19th The Devil Is a Part-Timer!.

Yen Press debuts Uncle from Another World (Isekai Ojisan), the story of a man who’s been in a coma for 17 years… then wakes to tell his nephew he’s been in another world! Despite the isekai, I’ve heard this is better than it sounds.

Yen also has For the Kid I Saw in My Dreams 6, Hinowa Ga CRUSH! 5, Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler 13, Phantom Tales of the Night 7, The Saga of Tanya the Evil 14, Sword Art Online: Girls’ Ops 7, Tales of Wedding Rings 9, and the 3rd and final volume of Yoshi no Zuikara.

MICHELLE: I really liked the first volume of Yoshi no Zuikara. I’m excited for the conclusion.

SEAN: What manga gets you racing?

Slayers: King of the Phantom City

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By Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Araizumi. Released in Japan by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Elizabeth Ellis.

So the title of the last book was Gaav’s Challenge, and as it turns out the challenge for Gaav was living past the first six pages of this book. Instead we get a new big bad, Hellmaster Fibrizio, last seen as the dead little boy Lina and Xellos came across. (You remember, the one where I praised Slayers for showing off how humans are irrelevant in a demon war? My bad.) Because this series has a main heroine rather than a hero, Fibrizio proceeds to kidnap *Gourry* and hold him hostage, forcing Lina and company to journey all the way back to Sairaag to rescue him. But wait, wasn’t Sairaag completely blown up, with everyone in it, in the third book? Yup. But it’s back, and so are all its dead residents. That said, the tree in its center has been replaced with a rather ominous temple. Can Lina save Gourry and defeat Fibrizio without using yet another universe-breaking spell? Eh, probably not.

This novel was adapted into the last chunk of Slayers Next, though readers will note quite a few changes. There is *some* romance here – Sylphiel is in love with Gourry, which is why she returns in this book to try to save him, and she spends much of her time trying to force Lina to admit she loves Gourry so that Sylphiel can move on with her life. Lina does not really do this, occasionally unconsciously realizing she wants Gourry around her, and making up an excuse at the end to keep adventuring with him (even as the rest of the cast break off and goes home), but there is nothing remotely resembling the kiss we got in the anime. Indeed, Gourry, much like the rest of the cast, is irrelevant for the final battle – this has always been Lina’s series, with the others as minor supporting characters, and that’s true here as well – she takes on Fibrizio on her own, though she gets a little possessive help at the end.

Other interesting things: Sairaag being populated by its dead residents, including Sylphiel’s father, is eerie, especially as Lina and Sylphiel can tell they’re fakes, and even THEY know deep down they’re fakes. I’d have liked to have seen a more emotional reaction to this from Sylphiel, but, like Lina, the author shies away from that sort of thing. The Sword of Light takes its leave here, as it turns out to be demonic in origin, so Gourry’s gonna need a new sword (expect this to be the start of the next book). And, as mentioned, Amelia, Zelgadis, and Sylphiel all split at the end, with Amelia returning to Saillune to report to her father (Lina watches the justice-happy Amelia and wishes her older sister is more sensible, a great in joke for those who know the alternate Slayers continuity with Naga the Serpent). Fans of the anime know they’ll all be back for Slayers Try. Fans of Slayers also know that Try was widely despised by the author of the books. Let’s just say, don’t expect them back for a while. (Indeed, I don’t think we ever see Sylphiel again.)

And so we’re now all caught up with the Tokyopop paperbacks from eons ago, the first arc of the series is complete, and we can move on to brand new (in English) content! As for this book, it was a good, solid ending, with a few good gags but mostly relying on battles and suspenseful writing to keep a reader engaged.

Bookshelf Briefs 6/2/21

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Beauty and the Feast, Vol. 1 | By Satomi U | Square Enix Manga – I was worried this would turn romantic, and it still may, but for the moment my fears are unfounded, as this is mostly sweet and devoted to food. A young widow who loved to cook for her late husband rediscovers its joys by cooking for her neighbor, a baseball-playing teen with a bottomless stomach. He’s earnest and doesn’t talk much, she’s earnest and a bit older-sister type… the manga would risk being dull except we also have his childhood friend, who’s clearly in love with him and upset that he has not realized this at all. (His lack of drive is a plot point; the coach sees it too.) The food also looks very tasty, and makes me curious about those really huge rice cookers. Sweet. – Sean Gaffney

I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 1 | By Okura | Square Enix Manga – Having enjoyed That Blue Sky Feeling, I was happy to have the chance to read another work by Okura. The first volume of I Think Our Son Is Gay is an absolute delight. The story unfolds in a series of short, largely humorous vignettes told from the perspective of a loving mother who has some very good reasons to believe her oldest son is gay. Hiroki hasn’t explicitly said as much, but he’s very easy to read and becomes adorably flustered, so the fact that he likes boys becomes obvious to both his mother and younger brother. However his father, who isn’t home much, unfortunately hasn’t come to realize it yet—his unthinking expression of casual homophobia is unintentionally hurtful. I Think Our Son Is Gay doesn’t ignore this sort of tension and pain, but as a whole the work comes across as overwhelmingly supportive and accepting of the endearing Hiroki. – Ash Brown

In/Spectre, Vol. 13 | By Kyo Shirodaira and Chashiba Katase | Kodansha Comics – In/Spectre tends to work best when it invests the reader in the solution to the mystery, so I can see why some people might be annoyed with the resolution of the plot from the previous volume, which is very much “I asked my ghost friends, and they said the character you’ve totally forgotten about did it.” That said, this is more of a “whodinnadunnit” and how to avoid getting framed. After that we get a one-shot whose point is “other yokai find Kuro terrifying” (the previous story touched on that as well), and then the start of a new arc, which looks fascinating as Kotoko is forced to have Rikka as her Watson rather than Kuro. So, good volume, but I want to read fourteen more. – Sean Gaffney

Our Teachers Are Dating!, Vol. 3 | By Pikachi Ohi | Seven Seas – If you think that good stories rely on conflict and discord, you probably didn’t even bother to try reading this in the first place, but it’s definitely time to get off the train now. This series is built on “aaawwwwwww,” and it’s not letting up. Hayama and Terano are still hideously in love, to the point where they can barely stand to be apart from each other—so why not move in together? There’s a skiing holiday (oh no, we are trapped in the lodge and must make love!), bathing together (as the cover demonstrates)… heck, the series even manages to make a quickie in the back of a car seem adorable. It will never be deep, but it does what its readers want very well. – Sean Gaffney

Sex Ed 120%, Vol. 1 | By Kikiki Tataki and Hotomura | Yen Press – The title and concept don’t really inspire confidence, but this turned out to be really good. Part of it is a sex ed manual of sorts—if you don’t know what a dental dam is, you will by the end of this book—but it’s also the story of a very curious teacher who wants her students to be informed and the students themselves who take in her lessons. One is into BL, one is seemingly asexual but very much loves animals (non-sexually), and the third is a lesbian trying to hide her relationship, though everyone knows by the end of the volume. It’s also an all-girls’ school, so a lot of plots I was worried about don’t apply here. I also like the other teacher, aka the Voice of Reason, a lot. Give this a try, you’ll be surprised. – Sean Gaffney

Species Domain, Vol. 9 | By Shunsuke Noro | Seven Seas – In this volume, we see the growth of Kazamori’s character in many ways, showing off her maturity and the fact that she’s now a major part of the school—it’s no surprise she joins the new Big Four. Ohki is more of a surprise, especially as he has to be added as a secret “fifth” member. He’s always been difficult to get a handle on, and Kazamori almost seems to have stopped bothering, but her disinterest in his latest inventions seems to be hitting him a lot harder than we’d expect. Meanwhile, Tanaka is still trying to get himself to appreciate Dowa’s full beard, trying to start small and work his way up. It’s dorkily awkward. I’m far behind on this series, so expect my review of volume ten a little sooner. – Sean Gaffney

We’re New at This, Vol. 6 | By Ren Kawahara | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – This is not quite the cishet version of Our Teachers Are Dating!, but it comes close, as this newlywed couple continue to run on sweet schmoopy moments and bouts of really good sex. Even discussing a friend who’s getting a divorce, Sumika ends up turning it into a romantic moment for the two of them. Here we see more of their childhood, where it’s clear the two have loved each other since elementary school, and also get more insight into Sumika’s father, who thankfully is less abusive than I feared, and more “communicates badly with his communication-challenged daughter.” There is SOME conflict here, but it’s easily resolved, and there’s less of the dumb humor we saw in Ao-chan Can’t Study. Fun. – Sean Gaffney

Holmes of Kyoto, Vol. 5

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By Mai Mochizuki and Shizu Yamauchi. Released in Japan by Futabasha. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Minna Lin.

If nothing else, Holmes of Kyoto has let me know that I would be an absolutely terrible detective. Each of my last two reviews has had some equivalent of “well, I was wrong about _____, but I’m pretty sure I don’t have to worry about ________” for a while. And each time I’ve been wring. And I’m wrong again. Fortunately, that’s not the only mystery in this series, which holds an awful lot of genre balls in the air. It’s a travelogue, as we see Holmes and Aoi (and others) traveling to Amanohashidate and getting long scenes explaining why it’s so amazing. We get mysteries, as a Sherlock Holmes society is startled to find they have their own mystery to solve at one meeting. We have the ongoing not-quite-there-yet romance between Holmes and Aoi, and the book sometimes feels like a ticking clock counting down till her 18th birthday. And we get another appearance by Holmes’s Moriarty, Ensho, and their ongoing cat and mouse battle, which is far more deadly serious than previous books. The series gives you bang for your buck.

We get four stories here. In the first, Aoi and Kaori go on a hot springs trip they were invited to before, with Holmes and Akihito tagging along (and Holmes’ dad, so it doesn’t look skeezy) and meet up with Kaori’s sister, who’s now working at the same hot springs… and has a secret. In the second story, Holmes takes Aoi to a meeting of the Sherlock Holmes Society in the area, and there’s also a potentially valuable manuscript… which is promptly stolen. In the third story Holmes and Aoi go to a soccer exhibition match and try to resolve a burgeoning love affair between a player and his ex-teacher. And finally Holmes has to deal with Ensho, who is reduced to burgling the antique shop… as well as dealing with things he’s been putting off for some time.

I want to dance around actual spoilers, so let’s discuss some other stuff. I’ve said this before, but the series is very frank about knowing about what is and isn’t acceptable in terms of an age-gap relationship, and Aoi being seventeen still is mentioned quite a few times. The Sherlock Holmes Society was the funniest part, with lots and lots of Doyle and Holmes trivia (I am amused Holmes saw the manuscript was a fake because of the handwriting, rather than, judging by the summary, because it was mawkish crap). I was also highly amused at Holmes’ soccer fandom, as he talks about the excitement of the local team constantly being promoted and relegated… as if that’s a good thing. That said, the highlight of the book is absolutely the final story, which is 100% thriller. I also have to empathize with Ensho a bit here… Holmes’ “you can achieve anything in life, no matter how poor you are, if you work hard enough” is kind of ergh.

There’s still many, many volumes of this series to go in Japan, and I am curious to see where the series goes from here. If you enjoy mysteries, antiques, or deftly handled college boy/high school girl romance, this is a good read.