Manga Bookshelf

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Sean Gaffney

Altina the Sword Princess, Vol. 11

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By Yukiya Murasaki and himesuz. Released in Japan as “Haken no Kouki Altina” by Famitsu Bunko. Released in North America digitally by J-Novel Club. Translated by Roy Nukia.

It’s actually surprising how little Altina the Sword Princess has leaned into the usual anime cliches. It’s very concerned with its sort-of-Europe worldbuilding, and therefore there’s no real room for a lot of bath scenes or accidental groping. I say it’s surprising because this is, after all, the author of How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord, a series begun after Altina had started and which eventually grew so popular it may have led to Altina’s extended hiatus. In any case, all that changes here, as Regis, in order to avoid getting caught by Latrielle’s troops, has to disguise himself as a woman. And he makes a very good woman indeed. Cue a lot of “I didn’t know you were into that” jokes, with furious denials. Fortunately, like most everything in this series, it serves the purpose of keeping the plot going, as Regis, now that he has made a mortal enemy, has to do everything possible to stop Latrielle becoming the next Emperor.

We pick up where we left off last time, with Regis and Fanrine being horribly murdered by Latrielle’s soldiers. Except of course they are not – their deaths are faked and they’re spirited away by Jessica and Franziska, who are trying hard to be big bad mercenaries but can’t quite be evil enough. That said, headless corpses, both of whom turn out to be men, is not going to fool the army for long, so Regis goes into disguise to try to get more evidence against Latrielle. The only thing that can really stop him becoming emperor now is for the news of his patricide to come out, but unfortunately all they have is secondhand rumors, mostly as the maids and staff who were there when it happened are all quietly murdered too. Fortunately they also have the Grand Chamberlain, who is under house arrest not avoid him talking. That said, if they had an ally who was ALSO a prince, house arrest might not be too hard to get around.

If you’re wondering how Altina is taking all this, well, she is actually in this book, fear not. She received news of Regis’ tragic “death in battle” and doesn’t believe it one bit but it’s annoying enough to make her take a large part of her army and head over to where Latrielle is, leaving us with a cliffhanger confrontation. (There’s also a side story which shows that being the Sword Princess is possibly the best thing that ever happened to her, as she’s useless at everything else. It also shows the whole “maids have to put up with sexual harassment” thing is bullshit if your superior officer can punch you unconscious. Other than that, as the author admits, this was a lot of talk and moving pieces around and not a lot of action, though that looks to change in the next book.

Altina is the definition of a ‘solid’ series – you’ll never rush to read it the day it comes out, but it’s always good.

Tearmoon Empire, Vol. 6

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By Nozomu Mochitsuki and Gilse. Released in Japan as “Tearmoon Teikoku Monogatari” by TO Books. Released in North America digitally by J-Novel Club. Translated by David Teng.

It can be hard to let go of a gimmick, especially when the gimmick in question is the main reason you got readers in the first place. One reason everyone loved Tearmoon Empire 1 was not only the dissonance between Mia’s own thoughts and actions and what everyone ELSE thought of these, but also the snarky narrator constantly pummeling her. I’d theorized before that the narrator was hired by future Mia to try to slow the publishing of hagiographies about her. That being said… Mia has grown and matured a little bit, and I feel now that the goofy “she only thinks about herself and food” shtick is holding her back. And the narrator, especially when he’s making fat jokes, is starting to grate. Most importantly, though, I’m starting to feel like all the other cast members Mia has misled: if you ignore Mia’s intentions and the narrator, this remains a fantastic read, filled with intrigue, action, character building, and plot twists. Mia being a dumbass and the narrator pointing it out all the time isn’t needed anymore.

Mia is in the background for this cover picture, which is a good thing, as it shows us that Bel is, finally, going to get some actual attention. Much of the book is about Mia trying to avoid her own assassination in various ways, though honestly she mostly just avoids thinking about it, as she doesn’t want to get anyone else in danger. So we get things like a massive mushroom hunting party in the nearby forest (where she accidentally discovers deadly poison mushrooms that were what killed off a large number of people in the prior timeline) and preparing for the Holy Eve Festival, which we do not get to see because, of course, Bel is kidnapped in order to force Mia to leave the island and then kill her. There’s only one thing Mia can do… exactly what they say, hoping that if she managed to rewind time once she’ll be able to do it once she’s killed again.

Not to spoil or anything, but Mia is not killed off again, this is not that kind of time loop book. And I’ve complained about the parts of the book I didn’t like above, so let me talk about what I did like. Sometimes Mia’s thought processes are wonderful, such as when she discovers Bel is kidnapped and tries to think of the many very good reasons that going after her is a mistake… all the while getting dressed up and preparing to leave, because unconsciously she knows she’ll never abandon her granddaughter. Bel is basically a shoujo protagonist here, winning over the villains by the power of being sweet and kind, and it’s adorable. The villain is obvious and hammy, but hey. There’s also some good worldbuilding here, showing us the underside of the Yellowmoons and also a few flashbacks to the previous world, where everything went terribly. And the chase and fight scenes were wonderful, and also introduce a new minor villain who I hope we’ll see again, along with his huge puppies… OK, wolves.

So yeah, I don’t expect Tearmoon Empire to drop Mia being thought of as smart when she’s really thinking about cookies, or the narrator pointing out how her altruism is bullshit, but I’d like more of the growth we saw in Book 4-5. Also, I have no idea why the narrator is insulting her “mushroom outfit”. She looks stylish! That’s clearly a raffish cap!

Pick of the Week: Frieren vs. Ciguatera

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KATE: I’m intrigued by the cover of Cigureta, so that’s on my must-buy list, but I’ll also be adding the second volume of Mao. The first volume was uneven, but there were some weird and intriguing ideas that made me hopeful that this series is more like InuYasha than Rin-ne.

SEAN: Despite the presence of my beloved Tearmoon Empire, I am going to give the pick this week to Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. I’m always happy to see a new Shonen Sunday series, and this one has a lot of hype as being a sort of “after the world is saved, what next?” story.

MICHELLE: I am intimidated by the comparison to Inio Asano, but it’s definitely Ciguatera for me!

ANNA: I’m always curious about Shonen Sunday titles, so it is Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End for me.

ASH: While I am likewise intrigued by Ciguatera, I think I may be even more curious to see how Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End plays out. That being said, I finally got around to reading the first volume of I Belong to the Baddest Girl at School and I’m looking forward to reading more of that series’ ridiculousness, too.

High School DxD: Hellcat of the Underworld Training Camp

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By Ichiei Ishibumi and Miyama-Zero. Released in Japan by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Haydn Trowell.

(with apologies to Professor Peter Schickele)

Each time I read a new volume of High School DxD I am filled with this feeling of anticipation, a feeling of exultation, a feeling that… this new volume can’t possibly be as horny as the last one. But so far… Yeah, I know, shut up, Sean, you’re yelling at a series for 13-year-old teenage boys for talking about tits too much, and I get it. I try to recalibrate my standards for these books. Heck, the hot springs scene was even mildly amusing once those standards are recalibrated. But God Almighty, the way that Issei levels up or gets more powerful in this series makes your jaw drop. Leaving aside that the key to unlocking his new super move is to poke Rias’ nipples, there is everything about the climax of the book, where a dying Issei suddenly attains the zen-like ability to hear women’s breasts talking as separate personalities. I… what was the author on when he came up with this? I can’t even say “Oh, Japan” here. WHAT?!?!

Koneko’s on the cover, and actually gets some backstory here, though she gets less to do than I’d like. Our main cast travel to the underworld to train at Rias’ vast estate, meet her parents, and end up fighting a new Rating Game against Sona and Saji, the student council faction. Sona wants to make demon society less class-based, and is being ridiculed for the very idea, so naturally her team wants to win badly here. That said, our heroes are the protagonists. Can they be powerful enough to get past Sona’s cleverness? Maybe, but it’ll take Issei having to fight a dragon everyday, as well as Koneko having to confront her past… literally, in the form of her sister. And of course there’s Saji, who is to Sona what Issei is to Rias. He has a dream of being a teacher… and is very pissed that Issei has groped more boobs than he has.

If you leave out the tits, this is a very normal shonen battle manga. Issei is told that unlocking his Balance Breaker is the sort of thing that’s usually done in a crisis position with strong emotions behind it. We then get what is obviously meant to be just that, with Koneko’s sister attacking her and Koneko feeling tremendous self-hatred. If Issei were in Strike the Blood, this would be where he would talk about “:this is my fight!” and level up. But Issei is in High School DxD, so it’s not enough to be feeling righteous fury, he also has to be getting super horny. Hence the nipple poking. The fight between Issei and Saji is the best part of the book, pure shonen manliness and shouting about each other’s dreams… then Issei gains the ability to hear women’s breasts talking, and any drama and excitement drains out of the body.

As for why I’m still reading this, I’m not really sure. I want to actually see what happens next? Unfortunately, what happens next will likely involve more ridiculousness. But as long as it also has cool fights and some romance that isn’t pure sex, I’ll probably get the next one.

My Friend’s Little Sister Has It In for Me!, Vol. 4

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By mikawaghost and tomari. Released in Japan as “Tomodachi no Imouto ga Ore ni dake Uzai” by GA Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Alexandra Owen-Burns.

Despite the presence of some of the worst metaphors in the world, this is a better volume than the previous one, mostly because it doesn’t keep hammering on Sumire’s love of young boys. It essentially wraps up the plot from the previous book in the first half, leaving the 2nd half to delve deeper into one of the characters who we’ve been waiting to hear more about: our narrator, Akiteru. Well, sorry to break it to you, but we still don’t learn all that much about him. That said, it’s a good examination of his mindset and how he views himself compared to the others in the group, and a reminder that sometimes middle management really *is* the best skill to have. And of course there’s romance – Akiteru may be slowly (very, very slowly) catching on to what love actually feels like, and iroha reminds the other two heroines that she is still Best Girl round these parts.

Of course, given that Iroha has been on the cover of every volume to date, the idea that this is an ‘equal harem’ series is ridiculous. We start off where we left off, with Akiteru and Iroha in the shrine of love. Unfortunately, the shrine of love does not come with a toilet, so any deep sexual yearnings will have to wait. And, in any case, the real issue resolved here is Sumire’s desire to be an artist warring with her desire to be a teacher. It helps that, in the best Japanese tradition, her stern, unyielding grandfather turns out to be quite yielding after all. Then our heroes finally get a beach vacation, at Canary’s private beach house. Of course, there’s a catch. While brainstorming a new character, Canary essentially comes up with it herself. And also is better at forcing Sumire to work. And their “ghost” writer too. Is… is there anything for Akiteru left to do?

The main reason to read this series is still the two leads, who are the best thing about it. Akiteru may talk a good game about being logical and pragmatic, but he’s repressing an awful lot, and seeing how well Canary can seemingly do what he does every day gets him depressed and jealous. And, of course, it’s up to Iroha to do something about this. I like how her pep talk does help to cheer him up, but it’s not the actual solution – the solution is that Akiteru really *is* better at managing a bunch of eccentrics, as Canary finds out to her horror. (That said, she was doing this to test him anyway.) We’re also seeing secret identieis out in the open – Sumire now knows who Mashiro really is, and Ozuma has figured out who the “secret voice actress” is as well. This sort of series can’t resolve too quickly, but it’s nice to see it determined to move forward a plot point of two each volume.

There’s a cliffhanger that suggests the next book might be a bit more uncomfortable for Akiteru. Till then, this is a decent high school romcom with likeable characters, except for Sumire sometimes, and great dialogue, except for Sumire all the time. Seriously, “the dick in my heart won’t get hard”? That’s the metaphor you go with?

Can Someone Please Explain What’s Going On?! ~The Contract Couple’s Happily Ever After~, Vol. 7

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By Tsuredurebana and Rin Hagiwara. Released in Japan as “Dareka Kono Joukyou wo Setsumei Shite Kudasai! ~Keiyaku Kara Hajimaru Wedding~” by ArianRose. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Tara Quinn.

It’s all change for this 7th volume of Can Someone Please Explain What’s Going On?!. As you can see, there’s a new subtitle (sorry that I can’t find the Japanese romanji equivalent) that basically is the equivalent of “After Story” – the main story has ended, our couple are living happily ever after, now what? There’s a new translator (the series’ third). And, most importantly there’s a new narrative focus, which means that sadly we don’t get much at all of Viola as the narrator here. Given that at the end of my last review, which kind of tore the series apart, I said that I would keep reading because I loved Viola’s narrative charm, that’s quite a blow. Thankfully, the series also seem s to have backed off on most of the other things that I disliked in the last volume. It’s a lot fluffier and sillier than previous volumes, but that’s not a bad thing in this case. These are “extra” stories, they don’t have to try hard.

Don’t let the cover fool you, our happy main couple and their child are definitely supporting players in this – indeed, the child only shows up in a side story, as most of this takes place only a short time after the previous volume. The actual protagonists are the couple behind them – this is the story of Corydalis, Cercis’ best friend and adjutant, and Stellaria, Viola’s replacement chief maid after her regular maid takes maternity leave. They fall in love. It’s really quite cute… mostly. (I’ll get to that.) Despite the occasional seeming obstacle, everyone approves of the two of them. Both are very mature. There is no need to worry about contract marriages or mistresses here. It would be somewhat dull were it not for the back half, which features a hostage situation and the World’s Dumbest Bandits.

There’s always a ‘but’ with this series. This time there’s no fat jokes, Viola is not kept in the dark, and we don’t have “yay, another victory for white rich people!’. But we do have the book’s running gag, which is that Cercis starts a rumor that Corydalis is avoiding getting married as he’s gay, and the rest of the book has, every 4-5 pages, Cory having to say “I’M NOT GAY!’ in anger as everyone around him laughs. It’s meant to be funny and teasing, but it just reads poorly in this day and age. Other than that, this was a good return to form. As I said, this couple can be defined by their down to earth feel, and we also get some nice observations from the two of them of the events in this book, particularly the first volume where Cercis is still very much all contract, no marriage.

So yes, I’ll read the next bunch of After Stories, which looks like they’ll do what I thought this one would – tell the story of how Lettie Cercis and Viola’s daughter, came to pass. Nice save, though I’m still watching you with a weathered eye.

Turning the Tables on the Seatmate Killer, Vol. 1

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By Aresanzui and Sabimizore. Released in Japan as “Tonari no Seki ni Natta Bishoujo ga Hore Saseyou to Karakatte Kuruga Itsunomanika Kaeriuchi ni Shite Ita” by Monster Bunko. Released in North America by Tentai Books. Translated by Noor Hamdan.

Everyone talks a lot about how much they detest clichés, but a lot of the time they don’t really seem to mean it. What they detest are boring clichés. You really do enjoy seeing the seemingly stoic and grumpy guy or the bubbly and somewhat clumsy girl provided they’re written well. They’re types we love. The trouble is that most authors don’t know how to make those clichés come alive, and so you get a series of light novel protagonists that have been dubbed “potatoes” by fans. Replace them with a potato, and the story would be the same. Fortunately, it doesn’t require much to clear this low bar. Just… add a dash of realism to your cliché. Make them seem like a person who could exist in the real world. Doing this solves many issues. Fortunately, Seatmate Killer manages to do this quite well. I was surprised to find myself increasingly gripped by the characters.

The Seatmate Killer is Yui, a cute and popular high school girl who has had a lot of guys sit next to her, fall in love with her, confess… and get rejected. Every changing of seats brings a new guy and a new rejection. That said, if this IS deliberate she has a tough nut to crack when Yuuki sits next to her. A seemingly stoic man who doesn’t react to any of her overtures of conversation, he has no interest in her at all, and is puzzled that she keeps trying to get under his skin and get closer to him. Of course, Yui is not particularly doing this because she’s a tease, she has a very good reason for it. What’s more, Yuuki’s attitude also comes from a realistic place, and also involves his little sister, who manages to be weirder than he is.

As you can see, the two leads are types. The supporting characters also fit that bill. Mina is the classic little sister with an older brother complex, but she’s also fragile and emotionally devastated, and she and Yui have a lot more in common than you’d think. Maki, Yui’s older sister, is the classic teasing oneesama type, but also clearly cares and worries about Yui, and doesn’t want to see her hurt. As the book goes on we get deeper into Yuuki and Mina’s past, and Yuuki’s tendency to smile and go along with things unemotionally is put under the microscope. That, more than any banter at their shared classroom desks, is what allows the two to get closer. That said, this book is still relatively lighthearted, and there’s a lot of humor to be found in Yui’s freaking out about things or Yuuki’s po-faced reactions to her jokes and attempts at conversation. I would also like to note that if THIS is the Seatmate Killer, the other guys in their classroom are all the easiest of chumps. Sheesh.

I said on Twitter I think Tentai Books has a nice niche in sugary sweet romcoms, and this book certainly helps to add to that impression. I’ll be getting another volume. It’s clichéd… but in the right way.

Manga the Week of 11/10/21

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SEAN: It’s so hard to hold a manga in the cold November rain…

We start with Yen On, which has a new light novel debut: I Kept Pressing the 100-Million-Year Button and Came Out on Top (Ichiokunen Button o Rendashita Ore wa, Kidzuitara Saikyou ni Natteita ~Rakudai Kenshi no Gakuin Musou~). The story of a failure of a swordsman who gets one of the cheatiest cheats ever, though he comes to regret it.

There’s also new releases from many of Yen On’s biggest titles. We see Accel World 25, Re: ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- 17, Sword Art Online 23, Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online 10, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime 12.

Yen Press’s debut is a spinoff: So I’m a Spider, So What? The Daily Lives of the Kumoko Sisters, a gag manga spinoff that runs in Young Ace UP!, featuring the four parallel minds of our spider heroine.

Yen also has Cirque du Freak Omnibus 4, The Elder Sister-Like One 5, the 10th and final volume of Happy Sugar Life, Hazure Skill: The Guild Member with a Worthless Skill Is Actually a Legendary Assassin 2, I’m a Behemoth, an S-Ranked Monster, but Mistaken for a Cat, I Live as an Elf Girl’s Pet 3, Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 12, Sasaki and Miyano 4, and Sex Ed 120% 2.

MICHELLE: Out of all of this, only Sasaki and Miyano is my sort of thing.

ASH: I think I’m likely of a similar mind, though I do vaguely remember Cirque du Freak being something I meant to check out way back when it was first being released.

SEAN: Viz has two new debuts. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Sousou no Frieren) is a Shonen Sunday title. Our hero’s party has defeated the demon king. Now what? This is something the near immortal elf of the party, who is going to watch the other members age and die, wants to find out. This one is award winning and everyone seems to love it. Can’t wait.

MICHELLE: Interesting!

ANNA: This sounds intriguing. I’m always curious about Shonen Sunday titles.

ASH: I am likewise intrigued! And I do like a good story about (near) immortals.

SEAN: The other debut is Pokémon Journeys, which is, well, a Pokemon manga. For fans of the genre.

And if you missed Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba when it came out, we have the Demon Slayer Complete Box Set for you.

ASH: That’ll be nice to see!

SEAN: Also from Viz: Fly Me to the Moon 8, Mao 2, and Splatoon: Squid Kids Comedy Show 5.

MICHELLE: I still need to check out Mao.

ASH: I have the first volume! But haven’t actually read it yet…

SEAN: SuBLime has Birds of Shangri-La 2.

ASH: The artwork in this series is appealing, but I’m not completely sold on the story, yet.

SEAN: No debuts for Seven Seas proper (but see later on). We do get: Classmates 4, The Dangers in My Heart 3, Drugstore in Another World: The Slow Life of a Cheat Pharmacist 3, Gal Gohan 9, The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter 4, How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? 8, I Got Caught Up In a Hero Summons, but the Other World was at Peace! 2, The Invincible Shovel 2, and My Wife Has No Emotion 2.

MICHELLE: I really will get caught up on Classmates this time.

ASH: It’s good; I’m really glad we got to see this series in English.

SEAN: One Peace has I Belong to the Baddest Girl at School 2.

ASH: I finally got my hands on the first volume and am looking forward to giving it a read.

SEAN: Kodansha debuts Ciguatera, a manga by the legendary Minoru Furuya, author of Ping Pong Club. This ran in Young Magazine, and is about the pain and struggle (and tiny joys) of high school life. For fans of Inio Asano.

MICHELLE: Well, that last sentence is foreboding, but I’ll still probably check this out!

ANNA: I’m not sure how much I feel like being super depressed but I’m sure this is very good and critically acclaimed.

SEAN: And we get a spinoff debut, Rent-A-(Really Shy!)-Girlfriend (Kanojo, Hitomishirimasu), a Magazine Pocket title that focuses on Sumi.

There’s also the 2nd and final volume of Codename Sailor V: Eternal Edition, a rerelease of Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu in a Collector’s Edition, and the 5th Shaman King omnibus.

ASH: I greatly enjoyed (and enjoy) Cat Diary.

SEAN: Digitally, get ready for ANOTHER Cells at Work spinoff. Cells at Work! White Brigade (Hataraku Saibou White) is from Shonen Sirius, and, well, focuses on the White Blood Cells.

ASH: I’ve lost track of all of the spinoffs, but I do like franchise.

SEAN: There’s also Ace of the Diamond 35, Police in a Pod 6, Shangri-La Frontier 4, Tokyo Revengers 23, The Witch and the Beast 7, and Yamaguchi-kun Isn’t So Bad 4.

MICHELLE: I will never fail to be happy about sports manga!

ANNA: Wish there was more in print!

SEAN: J-Novel Club graces us with By the Grace of the Gods 9, Chillin’ in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers 2, The Ideal Sponger Life 5, Invaders of the Rokujouma!? 38, Jessica Bannister 3, and Tearmoon Empire 6, the most important of these.

Ghost Ship debuts Cat in a Hot Girls’ Dorm (Joshi Ryou Neko no Tama-san) from Manga Goraku. A women’s dorm adopts a cat, and the cat has a cat’s eye view of all their sexy goings-on!

MICHELLE: …

ANNA: No thank you!

SEAN: Also from Ghost Ship: Booty Royale: Never Go Down Without a Fight! Vol. 3-4, Parallel Paradise 7, and Welcome to Succubus High! 3.

Dark Horse has the 9th deluxe hardcover for Berserk.

ASH: That one’s for me!

Airship has a bunch of print titles. We get Accomplishments of the Duke’s Daughter 3, Adachi and Shimamura 7, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation 13, and She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man 2.

And in early digital we get Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything With Low-Level Spells 3.

What manga are you sobbing over in the rain?

The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent, Vol. 4

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By Yuka Tachibana and Yasuyuki Syuri. Released in Japan as “Seijo no Maryoku wa Bannou desu” by Kadokawa Books. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Julie Goniwich.

It’s been a long time since the 3rd volume, likely due to the ongoing issues with printing books the world has been having. That also means that we’ve seen the anime series come and go since I last reviewed it. the anime got decent reviews, and everyone seemed to find it pleasant. It also adapted through this volume, meaning that I’ve actually seen the anime first in this particular case. I try not to do this too often, and after reading this book I reinforced why: I think that a lot of these scenes work a bit better animated. Sei is, with the exception of her embarrassing love for Albert, a fairly mild, low-key hero, which is good, but it does mean that when it comes to exciting battle scenes they can sometimes seem a bit lacking. I was waiting for the big final battle in this book, and realized as I got past it that I’d missed it in the lack of excitement.

We’re still in Klausner’s Domain, trying to get rid of the monsters that are destroying its valuable plants and herbs. There are fewer monsters at the edges since Sei is around and she’s the Saint, but they do have to deal with a great deal of slimes – not, as she explicitly notes, the cute Level-1 slimes from Japanese RPGs, but a far more dangerous kind of slime. They need more mages and fewer knights. Fortunately, Yuri and Aira show up, happening to be passing through by pure coincidence. (Note: it was not pure coincidence.) And even if they do manage to kill off the monster that’s causing all the blight upon the landf, the land is still dead, right? Sei is going to have to finally stop being the Saint in secret if she wants to solve this mess.

There’s some good stuff here, though I will admit that I find the 2nd Knight brigade more creepy than funny, as does Sei. I get that they’re worshiping her because she literally healed their missing arms and legs, but they come across like idol fans more than anything else. Yuri is slightly better, his shtick basically being research uber alles, but he too can also be a bit offputting, especially when he’s right in Sei’s face trying to see how her magic works. Fortunately, Sei’s relationship with Aira is great, and we see the two of them cooking and chatting together. What’s more, Sei’s way of thinking may be changing the mature of magic in this world – Yuri is now able to make ice cubes after seeing Sei’s power of imagination, and it’s implied other discoveries may also be possible. I wonder if we’ll get a lot more research in he next book. Oh yes, and Sei and Albert are the same as they’ve ever been – this relationship is not upgrading anytime soon.

So a decent volume, but it lacks a bit compared to its animated counterpart. Still worth a read.

Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll Do Anything to Become a Librarian!, Part 4: Founder of the Royal Academy’s So-Called Library Committee, Vol. 3

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By Miya Kazuki and You Shiina. Released in Japan as “Honzuki no Gekokujou: Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan wo Erandeiraremasen” by TO Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by quof.

Ominous-looking cover, isn’t it? I feel like being the grandfather in The Princess Bride, reassuring the son that no one is eaten by any aquatic creatures. That said, each arc of Ascendance of a Bookworm is practically its own separate series, and Rozemyne has been moving farther and farther away from the childhood she had long ago. She’s a noble now, and her main concerns have to be a noble’s concerns – even though she also has to be the champion of the commoners, because really if you leave that to the other nobles bad things will happen. She has a lot on her plate, basically. And so the instance in this book where she’s told point-blank that her old coping strategies are going to be unavailable going forward is somewhat devastating to her, and to the reader. Let’s face it, I think a lot of readers would be quite happy if Myne had stayed in the commoner town making books. But that’s not what this series is anymore.

Despite doing her absolute best to try to talk and think like a noble, it’s rapidly becoming clear that Rozemyne in social settings like like a ticking timebomb. As such, certain precautions have to be taken in this volume. Justus is made her main attendant (even if this will involve him cross-dressing), and gets a first-hand look at how Rozemyne is 90% correct and 10% HIDEOUSLY WRONG. More importantly, she is of an age where arranged marriages need to be set up, if only for political reasons. Even Angelica is now engaged, though she seems to regard romance as something that’s about 7th on her list after swords, swords, and more swords. And so it’s fine to engage Rozemyne to another noble… even if this means that some meetings that she had in the temple previously will now have to be ended.

The narrative is quick to point out that Rozemyne will keep seeing Benno, Lutz and Tulli on occasion. But going into the hidden room, hugging Lutz, and acting as a commoner girl like Myne did… that’s dead and gone. It’s brought home in a beautifully tragic nightmare she has about all her old family and friends getting farther and farther away while she can’t keep up. The rest of the book consists of fun Academy scenes, though it has a very serious ending as one of Rosemyne’s attendants is being abused and she has to figure out what to do about it without overstepping her bounds. She’s also engaged. The engagement partner makes sense and works politically and socially, and I (and most readers) have no doubt whatsoever it’s never gonna happen. But given she still looks about 8 years old, I’m fine with kicking this can down the road.

Life is only getting harder for Rozemyne from now on, and not even endless furniture metaphors can protect her. Fortunately, we can read about her tribulations, and this is another excellent volume.

Pick of the Week: Scary Classmates and King’s Beasts

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SEAN: A lot of Viz, as usual for the first week of the month, and my eye is drawn to the My Hero Academia: Ultra Analysis book, because I am a nerd. But I think I will go with No Matter What You Say, Furi-san Is Scary!, which is a genre (misunderstood girl everyone thinks is scary but isn’t) I really like.

MICHELLE: There’s not really one particular title screaming out to me this week. Moreso, it’s the prospect of catching up on some Shojo Beat series I’ve fallen woefully behind on. For the sake of choosing something, I’ll go with volume four of The King’s Beast. I really enjoyed Dawn of the Arcana and The Water Dragon’s Bride by this mangaka, and I have no doubt that trend will continue.

KATE: Not much caught my eye this week, so I’m going off-list to remind everyone that there’s a new installment of Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson’s awesome Beasts of Burden series arriving in stores this week. If you ever thought that Stranger Things would be more entertaining if its protagonists were house pets, this is the series for you! It’s funny, unnerving, and proof that talking animals aren’t just for kids.

ASH: This week I’m going to join Sean in picking No Matter What You Say, Furi-san Is Scary! since it’s the debut that I’m most interested in. But as for ongoing manga, the new edition of Blade of the Immortal is probably the best way to experience the series.

ANNA: I’m with Michelle this week, I think The King’s Beast is the most intriguing thing coming out this week.

MJ: I’m not enormously drawn to anything this week, but if I must make a choice, I’ll go along with Sean and Ash. I think No Matter What You Say, Furi-san Is Scary! sounds potentially fun, and sometimes that’s enough!

Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke: This Time I’m Gonna Tell Her How I Feel!, Vol. 3

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By Rhythm Aida and nauribon. Released in Japan as “Buta Koushaku ni Tensei shita kara, Kondo wa Kimi ni Suki to Iitai” by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Zihan Gao.

One argument that I’ve gotten into a few times is whether it’s a good thing to always tell the truth 100% of the time or not. I’d say no, myself, as I’ve seen the truth used as a very cruel weapon at times. That said, I can see the opposing view, and the idea comes up a lot in this book. Charlotte has been hiding her identity as the lost Princess for years now, and the impact on her has been great. Not only is she getting somewhat crushed with worry and doubt about lying to Slowe, as well as worrying that if she does reveal herself it will start a war, but there’s also the fact that the spirits who inhabit this world are angry with her for lying and won’t help her with magic. Combine this with the PTSD she still has around monsters, and this really is not a great book for Charlotte’s psyche. Fortunately, we have a dragon.

There’s a new dungeon right near the academy, and the students are all preparing to go into it and get some loot… erm, kill some monsters. Meanwhile, Princess Carina has arrived at the academy as well, supposedly to see if the dungeon can produce a legendary dragon to protect her, much the same way Charlotte’s old country USED to have. Slowe is charged with being her guide around the campus… and comes to find that the polite and affable princess presented to the public is a front for a girl who would rather lie around in her underwear and eat snacks. Frankly, it’s exhausting. Unfortunately, that also means that he’s quite far from campus when the worst case scenario happens – a monster clears the dungeon before the humans do, gains the core, and becomes super powerful. And is the dragon of Huzak really gone?

The book balances itself almost precisely between a funny first half and a far more serious second half. Princess Carina is a lot of fun, essentially being an introvert forced by circumstance to present herself as an extrovert, and getting so much attention all the time (especially towards her chest) is exhausting. Slowe, of course, is perfect at dealing with her because, while he is not immune to her physical charms, for the most part he’s not going to be swayed by her trying to whine her way out of things. The second half, on the other hand, is far more harrowing, as the entire school essentially experiences a siege. The terror of the students is portrayed very well, including those who manage to fight anyway. Charlotte also seems to find her resolve, and she and Slowe at last are honest with each other. (I think. There’s some vagueness at the climax that makes me suspicious.)

The books have been improving with each one, and I’m definitely looking forward to the fourth one. A good read for those who like fantasy with an engaging protagonist.

Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!: Cult Syndrome

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By Natsume Akatsuki and Kurone Mishima. Released in Japan as “Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o!” by Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Kevin Steinbach.

Sometimes, as a writer, you get a great idea. It’s terrific, it works well as a character piece, and it’s also hilarious. There’s just one slight problem – it’s only about 45-50 pages long, and you’re writing a novel. So you put the idea in the middle of the book and hope for the best. That’s basically what we get with this 15th volume of KonoSuba. The scenes with Kazuma under Serena’s control are possibly some of the most hilarious in the entire series, Especially if you enjoy watching Kazuma behave like an utter asshole. Which I assume you do, as you’re reading a review of Vol. 15 of this series. The rest of the book is okay, but it feels just not quite as spectacular. It doesn’t help that it’s trying to set up a serious arc for the series’ least serious character, which means that we’re supposed to care about how she’s feeling at the same time as we admire her total uselessness. But then, that’s what KonoSuba does.

The Demon King’s army is not what it once was, and so Serena, one of its last demon generals, is trying to make a deal with Kazuma to just relax and take it easy and not attack the Demon King, something Kazuma is pretty much fine with. Unfortunately, Serena can’t resist not only turning the adventurers into the town into her loyal puppets, but also smugly lording it over Kazuma, gloating about the fact that he’s not as uncaring as he’s said. So he decides to take back his deal, and starts working to do what he does best – humiliate her till she gives in. Unfortunately, the reason this is happening is because the Demon Lord’s army really is making its move and attacking the capital – they’ve even asked the Crimson Magic Clan to help! (No, not you, Megumin.) That said, what may be the most important takeaway we see here is that with Aqua being down here, there’s no one who can be sly enough to trick dead Japanese boys to reincarnating here… which is bad news for the heroes’ strength.

So yes, the chapter with Kazuma under Serena’s control is marvelous, and you’re just unsure enough about whether he’s faking it or not that it keeps you guessing. It’s a very tiny difference between Kazuma being scum and being total scum, and Serena has been just enough of a jerkass herself that we are amused at everything that happens to her. As for Aqua, it’s not a secret that she’s not my favorite, though I do like the fact that she’s not a romantic interest for Kazuma. I do think the idea that the world is failing precisely because Aqua is here rather than up in heaven being a shyster is an excellent one, and I wonder if that might be part of her gloom. The book has a scene near the end where she asks if Kazuma regrets reincarnating here, and it’s almost heartwarming. It almost makes me wonder if the next book will be more serious.

I doubt it, because this is KonoSuba. Still, we’ve only two more to go after this one. If it’s going to trick its readers with drama, now’s the time. Till then, enjoy Kazuma being the worst puppet slave ever.

Reincarnated As the Last of My Kind, Vol. 3

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By Kiri Komori and Yamigo. Released in Japan as “Tensei Shitara Zetsumetsu Sunzen no Kishou Shuzokudeshita” on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website. Released in North America by Cross Infinite World. Translated by Roman Lempert.

(Some spoilers in here for important events in the book, so be warned, in case anyone doesn’t know how much I normally spoil everything anyway.)

This is a fairly straightforward volume in the series, which unfortunately makes it a bit hard to write about. It’s the third of a supposed five, which means it’s the very definition of a transitional volume. Tina wants to be able to live the slow life with her family and friends, but now that we know that she is the chosen one (and indeed is called the Saint many times in this book, much to her annoyance) we know that the scope of things is only going to get larger. And of course she’s far too nice to blow off saving the world because she doesn’t want to, especially when she thinks about everyone she’s grown so close to. Fortunately, her ability to cleanse the zombie monsters is proving to be a big help. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to deal with one of Western fandom’s least favorite things before we go: the book is setting up romance between Tina and Renge, the nigh-immortal who rescued her.

Tina is thirteen, as the chapter titles don’t hesitate to remind us. Of course, she isn’t really – the word ‘reincarnated’ is in the title, and we are occasionally reminded of the Japanese woman who ended up becoming Tina in this world. But she’s still about, say, her mid-40s in terms of actual age. And Renge, of course, is well-nigh immortal. He’s also well-nigh all-powerful as well, as we see towards the end of the book when he gets mildly annoyed and proceeds to destroy an entire army by himself in about ten seconds. And so the fact that the book appears to be shipping them discomfits me in a “Tale of Genji is not my jam” sort of way. To be fair, the book went out of its way to NOT have Renge be the parental figure in Tina’s life, but there’s still a power imbalance here that is going to have to be dealt with in the next two books. Hopefully Tina will continue to be awesome.

This book was good, and I’m not dropping the series or anything, but there were one or two things in it that just rubbed me the wrong way. In addition to Tina’s mild crush on Renge, we also get her meeting her predecessor, the previous savior of the world Akari – also implied to be a reincarnation – and I was hoping they’d have a cute and sweet scene. It’s sweet enough on Akari’s end, but Tina’s jealousy just made me grump. Also, given how much attention was paid to Marcus’ loss of his arm and how he’s managed to life his best life still without it, Tina’s healing of it here also sat wrong with me. It also sat wrong with Marcus, who spends most of the book, like me, wishing he could still be running an inn with his cute, non-savior daughter and, like me, finding that he can’t really stop the progress. Ah well.

There is still the occasional cute scene of recipe/potion making, and a very funny “this is why I hate elves” gag, but for the most part this is the book you read between the second and fourth books. It’s necessary, but it won’t be your favorite.

Bookshelf Briefs 10/28/21

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BL Metamorphosis, Vol. 5 | By Kaori Tsurutani | Seven Seas – The bonds that Urara made with Ichinoi don’t have to end here, but they are going to be a bit stretched, as Ichinoi comes to the realization that living alone at her age in a house like hers is just not a smart thing to do. It helps that she and her daughter are more on the same page now. So she’s off to America, leaving Urara behind. That said, they can still text or email each other, Urara is still able to go to her old house and send things (manga) to her, and they still enjoy the series that first introduced them to each other. I also like that we saw the doujinshi that they sold at the Comiket at the end of this volume. It felt very real. As for Urara herself, she got into the college she wanted, and that’s a big plus. This was great. – Sean Gaffney

Bloom into You Anthology, Vol. 1 | By Various Artists | Seven Seas – An anthology series is always going to be hard to review, as it’s basically just a bunch of vignettes. There were a few here I quite liked. My favorite for the sheer mood of it was probably “Fleeting Cherry Blossoms,” which is by the Cocoon Entwined author and seemed to show off their ongoing obsession with hair. Some of the stories here take place after the end of the series, but for the most part they’re during its run. “Bitter Coffee Time” was also a very good story, showing the relationship between Riko and Miyako, showing the balance between cute teasing and pointed jabs. I think this is a good buy for anyone who enjoyed the original series, but there’s nothing here that’s truly essential. – Sean Gaffney

Haikyu!!, Vol. 45 | By Haruichi Furudate | VIZ Media – This is the final volume of Haikyu!! and I cried, like, four times. Furudate-sensei is so good at showing the significance of things, and in this volume that takes the form of acknowledging the importance of high school volleyball and trusted teammates in all of the characters’ lives, even those who didn’t pursue volleyball after graduation. And what a smart decision it was not to end the series with a spring tournament victory, because in addition to getting to see how Hinata has become undeniably great, the best possible happy ending for Kageyama and Hinata is to keep playing lots of volleyball together, whether that be as opponents or occasional teammates. Even as we look away, these guys will never quit striving. I’ll miss this series so much. – Michelle Smith

Red Flowers | By Yoshiharu Tsuge | Drawn & Quarterly – Red Flowers is the second volume in Drawn & Quarterly’s series collecting the complete mature work of Yoshiharu Tsuge. The volume compiles twelve short manga originally released between 1967 and 1968, all but one previously published in the prominent avant-garde anthology magazine Garo. Accompanying these stories is an essay co-authored by Mitsuhiro Asakawa and the series’ translator Ryan Holmberg which examines the historical context of Tsuge’s work as well as the influences of both literature and life experiences on his manga, including his connections to Shigeru Mizuki. (As a fan of Mizuki’s work, this essay and volume were therefore doubly interesting to me.) Many of the manga collected in Red Flowers are travelogues, although the people are just as important as the places in the stories as Tsuge explores humanity’s compassion as well as its darkness. Only two volumes in and it’s easy to declare that this series, and Tsuge’s work, is fantastic. – Ash Brown

Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 15 | By Sorata Akiduki | Viz Media – Last time I mentioned that I appreciated the attention this series pays to medical research. This volume ends up being almost entirely medical research, and a lot of trial and error. It remains a great series to give a young kid who wants to get into the sciences. That said, there is SOME romance here, and I was amused at the rest of the cast pondering the possibility that Zen and Shirayuki might actually have done something in the bedroom together. (They slept—this series is very pure.) But really, it’s about trying to come up with a way to make better things, which mostly involves making bad things and things that are broken until you figure it out. It’s a very refreshing shoujo series, a change of pace from the typical. – Sean Gaffney

Spy x Family, Vol. 6 | By Tatsuya Endo | Viz Media – I did appreciate the fact that we saw that Loid and Fiona work very well together and are totally sympatico—as spies. That does not necessarily apply to being a fake wife, especially given Fiona has a massive crush on Loid to begin with. Best to leave it to someone like Yor, who worries a lot about whether she’s doing a good job as a spouse and parent and also has the strength to literally cut a tennis ball to shreds with her racket. That’s a bit terrifying, and I can see why Fiona ran off to undergo more training. I’m sure she’ll be back. As for the main mission, it may actually be coming together faster than planned, as we see Loid meeting his target. That said, this is too insanely popular to end just yet—and with good reason. – Sean Gaffney

Sunshine Sketch, Vol. 10 | By Ume Aoki | Yen Press – It’s been three years since the last volume, and you get the sense the author is trying to avoid bringing the manga to a close. I’m not sure why—it can’t be the money; they did character designs for Madoka Magica; they must have gotten something for that. In any case, this is more of Yuno and Miyako’s senior year. There’s some art advice, as the girls are still learning—yes, even Miyako gets some advice, despite being a ‘natural.’ There’s a school festival, which involves Sae and Hiro coming back, possibly as no one would really want to read this series without its iconic “are they gay or not?” couple. Still, while it’s still cute and fun, I do think it’s about time to let these two graduate and put a lid on it. – Sean Gaffney

Sweat and Soap, Vol. 9 | By Kintetsu Yamada | Kodansha Comics – I knew we would not be able to get to the end of the series without SOME conflict. For the most part, any arguments these two had have been brief, and we’ve focused more on the sweet end of things. But we now get a reminder of where the series began—even as Asako is pondering motherhood (and thus marriage), an old schoolmate of hers comes along and presses all her “you sweat too much and stink” buttons. The scene is very hard to read, but also quite realistic—her other friend doesn’t really do anything to stop this torrent of nastiness, nor does Asako; it’s just a beatdown, even if it’s “unintentional.” Hopefully Kotaro will be able to get through to her again soon. – Sean Gaffney

Yakuza Lover, Vol. 2 | By Nozomi Mino | Viz Media – This volume opens with an intense debate between Yuri and Oya about sexual stamina and it gets a little weirder from there. I do find this type of series intrinsically entertaining because of how over-the-top it is. The main focus of this volume is Yuri’s kidnapping by a rival mob boss named Semilio, who seems more than a little deranged as well as obsessed with Oya. Yuri manages to endure her captivity, and her rescue by Oya isn’t a surprise, although his method of exacting his vengeance is a bit prolonged. Post-kidnapping, the couple has to deal with the aftermath of all their emotions. Fortunately they always have sex as the tool to make everything better, although I wonder if most psychologists would agree with this method of therapy. Will the next volume involve drug addiction or amnesia? Is Yuri actually going to attend any of her college classes or is she a full-time mob girlfriend now? These are the questions that kept me diverted for at least five minutes after finishing this volume. – Anna N

Yotsuba&!, Vol. 15 | By Kiyohiko Azuma | Yen Press – For all that this series now comes out about three times a decade, it is slowly moving forward, and the last part of this volume suggests that it’s moving forward faster than Yotsuba’s dad would really like. Buying a school backpack, even though school is not for several months yet, shows that Yotsuba is going to grow up, and causes her father to reflect on how much he really DOES feel like a father now, as opposed to “hey, here’s this abandoned kid I found” feelings he had to start with. It was also nice to see Fuuka again, and be reminded that she’s easily the smartest and most together of the cast while at the same time mocking her mercilessly. This series will always be a joy. – Sean Gaffney