Manga Bookshelf

Discussion, Resources, Roundtables, & Reviews

Sean Gaffney

Pick of the Week: White Roses

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SEAN: It’s an embarrassment of riches the first week of 2021. There’s the new Ascendance of a Bookworm novel, the new Sweat and Soap, and any number of Viz titles. But the book I’m most interested in is A White Rose in Bloom. When Classmates came out I loved its tone, and I’m hoping that we’ll see the same attention to tone and character in this new series.

MICHELLE: I am very interested indeed in A White Rose in Bloom. Not just because of its pedigree, but because I’m a sucker for boarding school stories. However, I must admit that what most fills me with manga squee this week is the prospect of a mini-marathon to get caught back up with Haikyu!!. This will probably be the last catchup I do before I hoard the volumes leading up to the 45th and final one.

ANNA: There’s a ton of great manga coming out this week, but I’m going to pick Daytime Shooting Star, because that always seems to be on the top of my to-read pile whenever it comes out.

KATE: I never miss an opportunity to plug Drifting Dragons, which is one of the best-looking fantasy/adventure series on the market right now, but I’m also going to sneak in a recommendation Blue Period, an engaging drama about a high school student whose foray into painting leads him on an unexpected journey of self-discovery. Paging Bob Ross!

ASH: I’ve really been enjoying Drifting Dragons, too, but this week my eyes are on A White Rose in Bloom. The manga is good-looking and distinctive in an entirely different way and Asumiko Nakamura’s work is always a must-read for me.

MJ: I’m typically late with my picks each week, so Sean always has to nudge me for them. Then sometimes I’m still slow, so he’s always having to come up with some kind of clever line to get me off my butt. But his week was easy. He said, it “has a manga by the author of Doukyusei.” A White Rose in Bloom had me right there. That’s all there is to say.

Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!, Vol. 11

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By FUNA and Itsuki Akata. Released in Japan as “Watashi, Nouryoku wa Heikinchi de tte Itta yo ne!” by Earth Star Novels. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Diana Taylor. Adapted by Maggie Cooper.

There was a point in the second story here, when they came across a scavenger that is trying to repair the machines keeping the world alive, that I realized that this was actually a plot that we had seen several volumes ago, and was meant to be quite important. MMAA does have an ongoing plot thread, but it can take many volumes to get back to it, as we’ve seen, and then it will happily wander away from it again. The book is here for fun overpowered little girls, and not much else. And you know, that’s fine too, because – sorry, nanomachines – I’m not really that invested in saving this world as a long-term plotline. And neither is Mile, who points out – possibly incorrectly – that she’ll be dead before it happens so doesn’t care. (I get the sense, honestly, that Mile may end up living forever.) I want to read fluff and cute character moments. We get both of those here.

Pauline is on the cover, and is also the focus of the first story, where our heroes meet a mother and daughter who are in trouble with money lenders. I appreciated Pauline’s vigorous defense of them, but of course, this book being the type of series it is, it turns out the money lenders ARE assholes, so she turns on a dime and gleefully destroys them. We then go to a mountain village which has a few golems on the mountain, who are mysteriously… not really doing much. This ties in most with the main plot I mentioned above, and is also an excuse to watch Mile and company accidentally go crazy without realizing it to help a group of orphans who live up there. We then cut back to Adele’s friends from the noble school, who have graduated and set off, at the princess’ request, to find Adele by any means necessary. Naturally, they walk right past each other without knowing it. The best story in the book has the Crimson Vow meeting up again with the Servants of the Goddess, who have managed to temporarily escape Leatoria’s protective father, and the two have a friendly competition.

I really liked this last story a lot. It had some great action scenes, and, given the groups weren’t trying to kill each other, relied a lot more on tactics than the group usually does. This also leads to Reina’s biggest concern with the Vow, which is that they’re not a TEAM – they’re four overpowered girls who basically blast through anything. They’re not coordinating the way most hunter teams do. (There’s also Reina’s crush on the leader of the SotG, but that’s mostly played for laughs – indeed, one senses the author found out about the slight yuri fandom this series has and took offense, as there’s another extra story at the end with Mile wishing she had a boyfriend… but her sights are set way too high.) Honestly, I think Reina’s concern is not really needed – the Crimson Vow may not fight as a tactical team, but they are still the best of friends.

Despite the occasional carp, this was a strong volume in the series, which I think is almost caught up with the Japanese release. We’ll see if the nanomachines get Mile to care a bit more about the world in the next book.

Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki, Vol. 5

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By Yuki Yaku and Fly. Released in Japan as “Jaku Chara Tomozaki-kun” by Gagaga Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Winifred Bird.

As I write this review, the Tomozaki anime is about to start, and I am very curious to see how it does, given how much of this series is just dialogue with very little action. It’s about two gamers, and at times reads a lot like you’re reading their gaming log, particularly when characters get together to try to decide how to fix things. On the bright side, Tomozaki has improved by leaps and bounds, and there is very little “normie” chatter here. He barely feels like Hachiman at all now. That said, he is somewhat humbled when he tries to apply the same lessons he, a shy cynical introvert, learned over months to Tama-chan, who is merely very serious and dedicated, and when she tries his helpful hints, she improves far faster than he ever did. That said, the true star here is probably Kikuchi, who starts high above everyone else and just soars ever higher. It’s a shame girls like her are never the lead.

Hinami is the lead, but… let’s save her for later, OK? A good 3/4 of this book is a lot of fun. Tomozaki tries to help Tama-chan by helping her change herself so that she’s more open and likeable to her classmates, which would defuse some of the tension caused by Konno’s bullying. Part of that is simply not fighting back constantly (It’s noted that Tama-chan is basically “attack, attack, attack” in terms of game metaphors), but also to try and have her fit in with banter, conversation, and self-deprecating jokes. There’s a great moment when everyone realizes that Tama-chan does not really care much about the rest of her class, and I enjoy that it’s seen as a flaw but she’s not shamed for it. He also bonds with Kikuchi, brought in as a conversation partner for Tama-chan, and I think he is beginning to realize he likes her as more than a friend.

That said, this is not helping with the basic issue, which is Konno. Except it isn’t, because in the back quarter of the book, we realize that Hinami has taken this far more to heart than Tomozaki or anyone else had expected, and she proceeds to wreak an absolutely epic r3evenge that almost destroys Konno. (It does not completely destroy her, and thank god for Tama-chan coming in at the end, or else this book would be even darker than it already is.) The book ends up being about Hinami, whose “mask”, as it turns out, is pretty obvious to most of the rest of the class, particularly Tama-chan, who feels responsible for Hinami having to go as far as she did. Notably, aside from one or two brief meetings, Hinami and Tomozaki barely interact here. I imagine readers ended up being pretty unnerved.

That said, I have to agree with Tomozaki: I desperately want to know more about the real Aoi Hinami, and she’s still my favorite reason to read this book, as I find her fascinating. (As for who Tomozaki should date, well, let’s leave that for now.) For a series that started off as “what if My Youth Romantic Comedy but milder”, it’s really started to come into its own. I can see why it got the anime.

Kokoro Connect: Precious Time

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By Sadanatsu Anda and Shiromizakana. Released in Japan by Famitsu Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Molly Lee.

This final volume of Kokoro Connect, as you might guess by the ‘Time’ subtitle, is a short story collection, with one shorter story and three longer ones. It’s a fitting finale for a serious that has really dragged its cast across razor blades at times, and fortunately is not nearly as stressful as previous books in the main series have been. The series has always been, to a degree, about growing up and moving forward, and this final volume really emphasizes that, with each story hammering the point home. The first three don’t have the main cast as the regulars, although they do get narrative voice at times. Fittingly, the final story is in Iori’s narration, the one member of the CRC not paired up (OK, there’s Uwa and Enjouji, but come on, we all agree it’s just a matter of time, right?) and someone who’s still excellent at putting on a mask to disguise her own pain. Fortunately, there are answers for her here.

The first story is the shortest and the slightest, as the CRC are coming over to Taichi’s house one afternoon, and his sister Rina decides she’s going to interrogate… erm, interview them all to make sure that there’s nothing wrong with them. This is, for the most part, amusing, and of course the real issue is that she feels he’s growing up and leaving her behind. The longest story in the book, Fujishima organizes a giant couples-only battle royale event, mostly to give the third years something “unique” to remember the year by. This is the most CRC-focused of the stories, though it includes the entire school cast, and does finally hook Maiko up with a guy (sorry, fans of her glomping Iori). The third story is the weakest, though its themes are good, as we get an introverted first-year determined to “fit in” at high school but unable to expend any effort to do so, finding a home in the CRC, which just did that the previous year with Uwa. Finally, Iori’s future is laid out for her… so why is she so depressed?

There’s no real drama or conflict in this story, which fits given it’s basically a final “present” from the author to the readers. I did like seeing Gossan as an actual slacker teacher (who still gives good advice when he needs to) rather than the usual “I have been possessed by Heartseed” version we’re used to. Heartseed are blissfully absent from the whole book, as is typical with SS books but also as it’s the final one. Our heroes are getting ready to graduate and move on, and hare making decisions about what to do with their lives. For the most part, they’re good ones (and I do wonder how long Inaba and Taichi are going to wait before getting married – the tsun and dere of Inaba’s personality are perfectly blended here, and it’s a definite highlight). Taichi is not leaving his little sister behind, but the cast is leaving us behond, as they go off to do whatever they want to. (Technically there are fanfics, but alas, very, very few.)

Despite the fact that it seems I spent most of these reviews talking about how angsty and depressing everything was, in the end Kokoro Connect, was a wonderfully solid series with a terrific cast. Kudos once more to the translation by Molly Lee, which really gives you the great sense of a bunch of teenagers having terrific conversations. I’ll miss this a lot.

86 –Eighty-Six–, Vol. 6: Darkest Before the Dawn

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By Asato Asato and Shirabii. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Roman Lempert.

In my review of the last volume, I mentioned that my favorite scene was the argument between Shin and Lerche about the nature of being a soldier and why someone should fight. It turns out that that scene is the linchpin on which half of this volume turns, as Shin is having a bit of a nervous breakdown trying to reconcile this argument and his own hatred of the world with his deep-seated desire to show Lena the sea, which of course means actually trying NOT TO DIE. It’s easy to see why he’s having trouble, given his entire life to this point, the conditioning he’s been through due to the war itself, the way others treated him in the Federation, and his own teenage emotions, particularly his growing love for Lena and his terror and self-loathing of the same. Not that Lena is handling things much better herself, but at least she’s moving forward. Fortunately for Shin, the second half of the series gets to be an awesome James Bond battle, complete with active volcano. He’s better at those.

Things are still looking bad for our heroes at the start of the book, despite the cheerful-looking cover. The Legion are still very much in the driver’s seat, and the plans that they think up do not go well at all… until Lena comes up with an idea straight out of the A-Team School of Plans, though there’s also a bit of The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress thrown in. After this, what remains is a harsh battle with the Eighty-Six, the Sirins, and the UK troops trying to stop the aerial machine cover killing their lands, take out as much of the Legion as they can, including a Shepherd who seems very familiar to Shin, and achieve what their goal was in the 5th book; capture the Merciless Queen. That’s not going to be easy, especially since the Phonix is back, and it really, really wants to kill Shin.

This book has more than one POV scene from the Merciless Queen, and it’s quiet fascinating, and shows off that they are not merely inhuman robots that just keep coming. The last quarter of the book is dedicated to a balls-to-the-wall battle between Shin and the Phonix inside the volcano, and it reminds you how fantastic the author is at writing action scenes – which bodes well for the upcoming anime, I hope. As for Shin, I think he’s finally turned a corner here, which is good, as he really was starting to get on everyone’s nerves – both the readers and the other characters. How this plays out in the future I’m not sure, but it is nice to see him actually make the effort to meet his grandfather at the end of the volume. On the down side, after seeing Kurena and Anju in the skin-tight plugsuits Lena wore last time, I fear this is definitely the work of the author rather than an editor.

The author promises – again – that the next volume will be a breather and more lighthearted, and the cover seems to bear this out. But war is never too far away from the Eighty-Six, and war is the reason this remains an absolutely riveting series – it’s still horrible, there’s still lots of deaths, and we need to do everything we can to work for peace.

My Next Life As a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, Vol. 8

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By Satoru Yamaguchi and Nami Hidaka. Released in Japan as “Otome Game no Hametsu Flag Shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei Shite Shimatta…” by Ichijinsha Bunko Iris. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Marco Godano.

As always with Bakarina, it’s one step forward, two steps back. This volume is perfectly enjoyable, and I had a lot of fun reading it. But as for actual forward plot development, it’s pretty much “the pick of the best of some recently repeated Katarina hits again, Vol. II”, as most of the book has Katarina being incredibly kind and empathetic almost on reflex, followed by a different POV showing the affected person realizing how wonderful she is and far behind her they are in comparison. This is particularly true of Maria and Jeord, who get the bulk of the serious things happening to them… or because of them. Not everyone is as well characterized as I’d like (Mary and Sophia in particular suffer here, with Mary literally getting a nosebleed that forces her to be put to bed because she is thinking of Katarina naked), but if your goal is “pleasant silliness”, this will do nicely.

The subject of this volume is an International Assembly, an event that happens every two years, and this year Sorcie is hosting it. It’s a huge gathering of the higher nobles from many countries. Katarina cannot get out of it. What’s more, everyone is panicked that she will embarrass herself and everyone around her. So it’s time for history lessons, dance lessons, etiquette lessons, most of which she knows but it can’t hurt to be sure, right? That said, as readers know well, the issue is rarely Katarina when she has a prearranged agenda, it’s when she wanders off the agenda. That happens here when she’s caught lying on the grass one day by a dark-skinned young man. They bond very quickly, though Katarina has to pretend she’s a servant. Is *he* a servant? What’s more, why are Maria and Sora at the Assembly and what are they investigating?

There are many interesting things happening here beyond the surface of “Katarina charms everyone, they all love her”. She does gain a new love interest here, but he’s not making any moves while she’s engaged to Jeord, and he’s also from another country. He makes a cool new addition. There’s also a darker plot of slavery and kidnappings going on behind the scenes, leading to Maria almost getting assaulted at one point (Katarina climbs a tree – ruining her ballgown – to stop this) and a cliffhanger which implies a lot more action-packed thriller stuff next time. Perhaps most interesting is Jeord, a character who has not had a fun time of it with Western fandom, despite – indeed, because – being the primary love interest. His reaction to seeing Katarina besmirched, and near homicide he commits, horrifies him, and the fact that Katarina is not really all that appalled by it doesn’t really help matters. Please remember that you can burn people, Prince.

So it’s mostly fluff, but lovable fluff, much like our heroine. Next time might be more serious. Till then, hope you like Katarina making everyone’s life better by being an amazingly dense ball of sunshine.

Manga the Week of 1/6/21

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SEAN: It’s almost 2021! A year that is not 2020! Let’s start it off well, with manga.

ASH: Yes, let’s!

SEAN: We start off with J-Novel Club, who have a giant pile of stuff, including several debuts.

No debuts for print, but we do see An Archdemon’s Dilemma 9, Ascendance of a Bookworm’s 3rd manga volume, Full Metal Panic 4-6 in a hardcover omnibus, I Shall Survive Using Potions! 2 (manga version), Infinite Dendrogram 10, and My Next Life As a Villainess! 5.

ASH: I’ve been enjoying the Ascendance of a Bookworm novels, but haven’t actually gotten around to reading the manga yet.

SEAN: Digitally we start with the manga adaptation of already licensed light novel Black Summoner, which runs in Overlap’s Comic Gardo.

Speaking of Overlap, they’re the publisher of the light novel Dungeon Busters, which debuts next week. Our hero finds a dungeon in his backyard… and suddenly there’s 666 of them all over the world, which need to be cleared in ten years or the world will end! What to do? Start a company dedicated to clearing dungeons.

If you’re tired of fantasy dungeon crawls, there is also Our Crappy Social Game Club Is Gonna Make the Most Epic Game (Jakushou Soshage-bu no Bokura ga Kamige wo Tsukuru made). A former amateur social game maker has transferred schools due to past trauma, but cannot help but be drawn into the Social Game Club there too. The whole club is weird. The club is also about to be disbanded. Can he help them?

Also out digitally: Ascendance of a Bookworm 9, Discommunication 6, Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash 16, Infinite Dendrogram 6 (manga version), and the 5th and final version of My Little Sister Can Read Kanji, whose other volumes came out when J-Novel Club had just begun.

Kaiten Books has a manga debuting digitally. Gacha Girls Corps (Gacha o Mawashite Nakama o Fuyasu Saikyou no Bishoujo Gundan o Tsukuriagero), from Micro Magazine’s Comic Ride, is based on a light novel (not licensed here), and its premise seems to be “In Another World with My Gacha Rolls”.

In print, Kodansha has a 2nd Blue Period, Saiyuki 4, and Sweat and Soap 5.

ASH: I’m just now getting around to giving Sweat and Soap a try; I’ve been hearing good things.

SEAN: Digitally the debut is Harem Marriage (Hare Kon), a manga that ran in Young Magazine. A woman who has had bad luck at love moves back to the country, only to find the bad luck follows her – her family are deeply in debt! A stranger offers to take care of the debt if she marries him. The thing is, their town has legalized polygamy, and he already has TWO other wives. If you find the idea of harem manga interesting but want one far more realistic and seeped in drama and sex, this might interest you.

MICHELLE: I might check this out.

SEAN: There’s also All-Rounder Meguru 18, the 7th and final Cells at Work: Bacteria!, Drifting Dragons 9, The Hero Life of a (Self-Proclaimed) “Mediocre” Demon! 5, The Invincible Reincarnated Ponkotsu 2, and Smile Down the Runway 17.

Seven Seas has several debuts, though we’ve seen two of them in digital form already. Berserk of Gluttony and Muscles Are Better Than Magic get their light novels debuts in print.

The manga debut is A White Rose in Bloom (Mejirobana no Saku), a yuri title from the creator of Classmates that comes from Rakuen le Paradis. A girl at an elite boarding school is forced to stay over the holidays, and the only other student there is the aloof ice queen. The author and magazine this is from make me very, very interested.

MICHELLE: Indeed! I also love the cover.

ASH: I love Asumiko Nakamura’s work, so I am very much looking forward to this series.

SEAN: There’s also Gal Gohan 6, the 12th and final Himouto! Uramu-chan, I’m in Love with the Villainess 2 (digital), Machimaho 7, Non Non Biyori 14, and the print version of Reincarnated As a Sword’s 7th light novel.

Vertical has the 10th volume of CITY.

Viz has no debuts, content to merely be releasing new volumes for most of the best-selling manga in the world.

On the shonen side, there’s Black Clover 24, Haikyu!! 42, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (the “pilot” for the ongoing manga), Moriarty the Patriot 2, My Hero Academia 26, Platinum End 12, and The Promised Neverland 18.

MICHELLE: I’ll be reading a bunch of these!

ANNA: I need to check out Moriarty the Patriot.

ASH: I picked up the first volume but still need to read it.

SEAN: On the shoujo side, we get Daytime Shooting Star 10, An Incurable Case of Love 6, Love Me Love Me Not 6, Prince Freya 4, Snow White with the Red Hair 11, and Takane and Hana 16.

MICHELLE: And also a bunch of these!

ANNA: It is a good week for me!

SEAN: Lastly a trio of titles from Yen Press: Breasts Are My Favorite Thing in the World 3, Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts 12, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: The Ways of the Monster Nation 3.

Anything strike you as particularly 2021 in this list?

The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent, Vol. 2

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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.

A lot of being a fan of Japanese light novels is enjoying reading the exact same thing over and over and over again, and trying to find joy in how the author makes it very slightly different from everything that has come before it. The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent is no different, and so I found myself intrigued by the fact, hammered home several times here, that the “summoners” of the girls from another world really have no clue what it does or what it will do. They’re going by a legend. Other books have kids being trained by others, or at least have their situation explained a bit better, but when Sei asks about how her powers work here, no one knows, and when both Sei and Aira ask if there is any way for them to return to Japan, the answer is no, with a bit of a shrug. This helps explain why so much of what Sei does is just testing her magic and healing powers to see what they do.

In the first book, Sei succeeded in staying on the down low and enjoying her job as a researcher, but such halcyon days must come to an end here. The Grand Mage who summoned her has woken up, and he wants to experiment on her… I mean, get to know her. He is one of those cheerful sadists that we get so much of in shoujo titles, and it’s not a surprise that Sei is very reluctant to reveal to him that her holy magic level is “infinite”. That said, that isn’t her “Saint Power”, and can’t really help her level up her potions. What is her Saint Power? Well, when the army goes out to fight monsters, and brings her along, it becomes apparent to the reader what triggers it. But not to Sei or the others. Yet. It is, needless to say, strong emotions. Meanwhile, Sei also has to deal with the OTHER Saint candidate, who is having a very bad time at the academy.

The afterword says that the author had planned for Aira to be exiled with the prince, in a sort of “villainess” plotline, but decided not to because the readers asked for her to be saved. I’m glad she listened to the advice, as it makes Aira, who is set up to be a spoiled brat, a more interesting character – she isn’t spoiled at all, she is just relying on the only people around her that she can in a strange new world. She’s not the Saint – Sei is – but she clearly does have stronger powers than most everyone else there, and I hope we see her again. I also liked the reveal that Liz, the girl who Sei had been talking to in the library, is the prince’s fiancee – we’d guessed this, but Sei had not. Given Sei spends 90% of the book surrounded by hot guys, strong female friendships are important. The romance is a slow burn – Albert is clearly still in the lead, but it’s content to not worry about that right now.

It’s implied the next book will take place away from the main city, so we may not see as much of the regulars next time. Still, I’m content to walk along with Sei as she tests her theories, makes plants magical, and is generally super nice and lovable.

Holmes of Kyoto, Vol. 2

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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.

I think the thing I find most amusing about Holmes of Kyoto is how it can’t seem to settle down in one particular genre. It’s supposed to be in the ‘light mystery’ genre, mostly involving forged antiques, and it definitely is that for a good deal of the book. The SOLUTION to said mysteries, though, is rarely the point and often an afterthought – at one point the book sets up an elaborate locked room mystery, complete with witnesses giving testimony that the reader is supposed to use to deduce the truth… and then solves the mystery immediately. There’s also the “let’s tour Kyoto and talk about how awesome it is” parts of the book, which are just as important as the mystery, and at times this seems like one of those travelogue style books where each chapter has the heroes at a new landmark. And of course it’s also a simmering slow-burn romance, one that actually seems to be on both sides this time, if still not going anywhere. The fact that the book balances all these sides perfectly is what makes it so fun.

These books are less novels and more collections of short stories, as we see Aoi and Holmes attend his grandfather’s birthday party (and deal with a smashed priceless antique); help a former art forger trying to make things right with his former victim; go to a temple where someone has theoretically stolen something precious… but they’re not sure what; tour a seemingly haunted house; and finally attend another party where they judge a series of paintings and antiques to show off their appraisal skills, only to find that the best among them may be our talented young heroine. The latter half of the book also introduces a new character who appears to be an ongoing antagonist to our hero… and while he’s not named Moriarty he’s certainly aware of the connection, and just as crafty as Holmes is.

I spoke last time that Aoi’s crush on Holmes was fairly one-sided, and that’s starting to change, and not just because everything they do together reminds people of a married couple. Aoi’s innocent and strong conviction is something that the usually too cynical Holmes needs in his life, and you get the sense that he might have told her so at the end of this book were it not for the presence of Akihito. I suspect Akihito’s appearances in this book might frustrate some readers. He is there to be comic relief, to be another person to have things explained to by Holmes, and to make sure that Holmes and Aoi don’t actually get closer than they already are – the author is well aware of the fact that Aoi is still in high school, and even has Holmes warn her when she’s forced to attend a mixer with university students. Still… man, they do make a REALLY good couple. It’s also nice to see Aoi’s instinctual brilliance at spotting “real” from “fake” coming to the fore so quickly.

So the main cast is expanding, and now we have a recurring villain. The series remains episodic, though, and I’m sure will continue to mostly concentrate on its light mysteries and the bond between Aoi and Holmes. And that’s a fine enough reason to read it.

The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautious, Vol. 5

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By Light Tuchihi and Saori Toyota. Released in Japan as “Kono Yuusha Ga Ore TUEEE Kuse Ni Shinchou Sugiru” by Kadokawa Books. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Matt Rutsohn.

This is the end of an arc, and given the way the LAST arc ended, I think that fans of the series were going to be a little suspicious. The element of surprise is gone. Likewise, it’s hard to top “I was responsible for the end of the world and also my wife and unborn child were eaten in front of me before I died” for tragedy. That said, this is a relatively serious volume by Cautious Hero standards. There’s still a lot of the usual silly comedy we’ve come to expect, of course. Rista overreacts to things, helped along here by Jonde as tsukkomi #2. Seiya’s actions always seem, at first, to be completely ludicrous (at least until later in the book, when you see he was absolutely right to be crazy prepared). But the book actually has two depressing and tragic parts, one midway and one near the end, and both are handled pretty well. The author is learning to balance.

The cover shows off the first half of the book. Seiya, Rista, Jonde and Kiriko arrive at a desert wasteland that is the home of End Boss #4… only to find there’s a thriving village there, everyone knows who Seiya is, and he defeated the Demon Lord a year before. Its clearly a trap, and even Rista knows it’s a trap, but it’s hard not to find a happy, monster-free village likeable, especially when the OTHER Seiya shows up. You know, the reckless one. This version had ONE moment of caution when, after his wife begged him, they go see an oracle who pointed out the Demon Lord’s ability to resurrect himself. After this trap is sprung, Seiya and company go back to the God’s world to train. And train. And train. Why does Seiya seem to be avoiding the final battle? And why is he telling Rista to play with literal toys?

I will try not to get too into spoil territory here, but both tragedies that I mentioned before are pulled off very well, especially the second, which leaves Rista once again devastated and also explains how Seiya’s seemingly annoying and callous actions were once again him trying to be thoughtful and nice without actually being so. It’s notable that this volume has the least amount of abuse towards Rista of the five, though I’m not sure if Seiya is laying off or if it’s just due to the book’s more serious tone. There’s also a suggestion of where things are going to go from here, and it’s not a pretty one, as we’re led to question everything about the current world that the deities have for themselves. Are we headed for Cautious Hero: Civil War? And is the relationship between Seiya and Rista going to go anywhere?

I suspect the answer to the last is “no”, at least not till the final book. But as for next time, we’re starting a new plot, so I expect a lot more wacky gags. Till then, enjoy a series that manages to pull off “why am I crying about a slapstick comedy character – AGAIN?”.

Pick of the Year: Our Favorite 2020 Manga

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KATE: Since this is the final week of 2020, we decided to pick our favorite new manga of 2020 instead of highlighting something from the new arrivals pile. I’m torn between two books: BL Metamorphosis, which is a feel-good series that’s never pat, obvious, or cliche in its portrayal of BL fandom, and Blood on the Tracks, a creepy, atmospheric series from Shuzo Oshimi about the perils of helicopter parenting. Though Oshimi’s manga always explores uncomfortable territory–seriously, this guy must be a joy at cocktail parties–he is one of the most distinctive and expressive artists currently being licensed for the US market. Oh, and he has a killer sense of pacing.

SEAN: There are all sorts of new manga I could talk about, from surprise romantic sweetness Sweat & Soap to the hilarious and sweet thriller Spy x Family to, as Kate said, the fantastic generational series BL Metamorphosis. But for me, the series of 2020 is actually from 1972. The Rose of Versailles was a Holy Grail of manga licensing for so long, and for a while it looked like it was in development forever, but the finished product shows off how it was worth the wait. One of the most iconic manga ever.

ANNA: No question for me, to have The Rose of Versailles released in such a wonderful edition after waiting so long for it to come out is something to be celebrated. To have such an iconic manga available in English is such a treat, and it deserves to be manga of the year.

MICHELLE: Looking back, there were a lot of debuts I loved (Knight of the Ice, Blue Flag, With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day Is Fun, Yoshi no Zuikara…) and some that I’m sure I will love when I actually manage to read them (BL Metamorphosis, The Rose of Versailles, Ping Pong…) but the series that only took a few pages to completely secure my eternal love and devotion was Spy x Family. It’s stylish and clever but doesn’t lack substance, the characters are endearing and interesting, and it also manages to be both funny and heartwarming. I hope to be reading this series for years to come!

ASH: Many of my top manga of the year have already been mentioned – the coveted The Rose of Versailles, the undeniably wonderful BL Metamorphosis, the distinctive Ping Pong. It was also a great year for alternative and indie manga with the release of The Swamp, Magician A, and not one but two volumes of the Glaeolia anthology. But, if I’m to be completely honest, the single volume of manga that left the greatest impact on me this year was the conclusion of Blank Canvas. Akiko Higashimura’s ability to combine humor with brutal honesty is unmatched, making this series both heartwarming and heartwrenching.

MJ: It feels too obvious to say, “I’ve had a life-changing year” in 2020, but with so much new going on for me, career-wise, there hasn’t been much time for reading manga. That said, there are a number of series I know I should be reading, and I know I’ll love them when I do. Top of the list is BL Metamorphosis, which has been getting rave reviews from my colleagues, and wow, Michelle’s endorsement of Spy x Family is not something I can ignore. But I’m going to go “obvious” yet again and give my pick of the year to the long-awaited The Rose of Versailles. I can’ count the number of times we’ve chanted the name of that title—first, waiting for it to be licensed, then waiting for it to actually appear. And from what I’ve seen, the wait was more than worthwhile. What a gorgeous release! It has to be my pick.

Rascal Does Not Dream of Logical Witch

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By Hajime Kamoshida and Keji Mizoguchi. Released in Japan as “Seishun Buta Yarou wa Logical Witch no Yume wo Minai” by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Andrew Cunningham.

The first two books in this series were not exactly loud and obnoxious, but they were fairly action-packed and things happened in them. By contrast, the third book, focusing on Sakuta’s friend Rio, is a quiet, muted affair, which fits well with the nature of her Adolescence Syndrome. Indeed, hers is the most relatable one that we’ve seen to date, dealing with issues that would affect a number of other girls her age. It also makes a lot of sense that, despite literally being split into two, both Rios are not all that far apart – this is not an example of an evil twin here, and even the things that the non-glasses wearing Rio do are something Rio started before the split. As such, Sakuta’s role here is mostly to listen, and occasionally yell, because Rio has possibly read too much science fiction and thinks the only way that this can end is if one of her two selves dies.

There are, of course, other things going on in Sakuta’s life besides Rio’s cloning blues. Mai is back to work with a vengeance, meaning that she is not really available to date him all that much – and when the two of them are spotted, she’s reminded by her agency that the fans would go ballistic if they heard she was dating a guy, which… well, yes, is true. What’s more, the girl he fell in love with from the past is still in the present, only she’s 12, and we’re STILL not sure what’s going on there. We do find out that she has a heart condition, which I expect will be fairly important and/or tragic later on. His sister is still a shut-in and acting much younger than her age. His best friend’s girlfriend still despises him, though she also proves to be a major help here as well. And what’s this idol group that we hear about?

But yes, for the most part curing Rio merely involves being there for Rio, learning about her past as an early bloomer, and her somewhat alarming present posting salacious selfies to an Instagram-ish site. There’s a somewhat awkward explanation for this from Sakuta’s annoying reporter friend, but the cycle of elation and loathing is one that feels a bit TOO real for a series that tends to rely on supernatural phenomenon that are secretly psychological damage. And of course there’s also her crush on Yuuma, which is awkward, as I suspect nearly everyone reading this or watching the anime would rather that Yuuma be dating Rio. But… Yuuma is not in love with Rio, even though they’re best friends. We don’t hear it (i.e. Sakuta doesn’t), but it’s implied she confessed to him at the end and was rejected. And, fortunately, no Rios were killed in the making of this book. It is a nice, bittersweet and calm ending.

Well, aside from the cliffhanger, which seems to imply that a bodyswap is the next crisis we’ll face. Till then, this is one of the better written light novels I’ve seen for some time, assuming you can put up with Sakuta’s personality. Well, he is a rascal, after all.

Reincarnated As the Last of My Kind, Vol. 1

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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.

As I was reading this book, I kept getting an odd feeling, and I wondered what it was. The premise was simple enough – indeed, we’ve seen it before, as it’s very Mushoku Tensei if that were a slow life title. The heroine is sweet, remembering some details of her past in Japan when she needs to, but also allowed to at times be the cute little girl we see on the cover. The overpowered nature of the title is actually pretty tolerable, and this was startling given how many times the main character gets called a genius (don’t make it a drinking game). Then I realized about 3/4 of the way through what the issue was: this book gets to the end of Vol. 1, and we have a LOT of questions unresolved, including the main one about Tina’s origins. It’s the first of a long-running series. And that’s weird given it’s put out by Cross Infinite World, whose idea of “a huge long-runner” is about three books.

The cover is a bit of a fakeout, as I was absolutely expecting this young girl to be raised by the multi-tailed wolf on the cover, and that does not happen. After getting something of a 1978 Superman movie sendoff from her parents (who are about to die tragically), she ends up, after a series of terrifying moments, adopted by Marcus, an ex-soldier who lost his arm in the war and is headed back to his parents’ inn in the country. Naming her Tinaris, or Tina for short, they proceed to have a relatively sedate life, despite the passing of first Marcus’ mother and this his father, and the occasional eccentric guests at their inn, who usually get drawn into what Tina is doing. Because, well, Tina is odd. The fact that she’s very smart for her age we’d normally put down to the reincarnation memories, but it isn’t just that. She has an ability for alchemy and potions that’s off the scale–at five years old! And then there’s her pointy ears. She’s not an elf… but she’s clearly not human either.

The book’s world building is more complex than I expected, and can get very dark. Tina starts the book as a baby, and is immediately found by Bandits, who suggest assaulting her. Marcus has lost an arm, and his prosthetic isn’t great. A colleague of his lost half her face in a potion accident. And there’s an ongoing annoying running gag of everyone asking Tina about romance, despite the fact that at the end of the book she’s still only six years old. (That said, I’m pretty sure this last part is meant to be irritating, judging by Tina’s reaction to it all). That said… the book is still pleasant overall. Marcus is a good dad, occasionally hapless but not bumbling. Tina’s POV is well-balanced, as I said above, between the “woman from Japan” part of her and Tina herself, and she really does have a talent for alchemy and magic, and FAR more mana than humans. There’s an undercurrent of racism towards non-human races from another country, and slavery pops up (though thankfully no one ends up buying a slave). It’s… well, look at that, I started describing it and it got dark again.

There is sweet and fun stuff here, most of which I didn’t mention. The series, though, is clearly not remotely done, so don’t expect the classic done-in-one CIW story. This is in it for a longer haul. I’ll read the next one.

So I’m a Spider, So What?, Vol. 10

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By Okina Baba and Tsukasa Kiryu. Released in Japan as “Kumo Desu ga, Nani ka?” by Kadokawa Books. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Jenny McKeon.

(There are spoilers in this review for the previous volume, so make sure you’ve read 9 first. Or are spoiled.)

I seem to be eating crow a lot in my recent reviews, usually as I read what I said at the end of the last one and realize that no, it went counter to all my expectations. And last time I said that I felt that White’s encounter with D would not likely change her all that much, and boy howdy was I wrong. It’s not perfect, and only with alone with the Demon Lord is she starting to be “herself”, but the days of “White Can’t Communicate” are coming to an end, as she now… talks in sentences! Expresses emotions! Thanks people! I’ve gotten used to her main character trait being the dissonance between her chatty inner monologue and her deadpan outside self that I was not expecting that she would finally bridge the gap. A lot of this is likely due to D, and the big revelation from last time of who her real self is.

The Demon Lord gets a lot accomplished in this book, firstly by taking out a major rebellion against her (which White actually gave her all the details on), then by meeting with the pontiff and making a deal with save Miss Oka and a group of elves that were part of the rebellion (at White’s request) in return for promising to kill off all the Elves at a later date (we do see some of this in earlier books). The Demon Lord also finally hears about what’s really happening with this world,. again thanks to White, but does not hear how much sacrifice and deaths it will take to fix things, again because White does not tell her. The Power Behind The Throne has never felt more appropriate, even as everyone continues to attribute this to the Demon Lord being just that brilliant. Oh, yes, and White can now actually cause physical pain to Ariel as well, though this is passed off as a gag.

I will admit that I do appreciate the gags, because let’s face it, this series has gotten about as dark as Overlord, which I dropped for being too dark. So White being all embarrassed is funny, as is most everything about Sophia being a massive spoiled brat. And then there’s D, a totally awful God, who is still finding the idea that the new God of this world is really a tiny spider that she swapped roles with so as to get away from being found after being reincarnated. The other reason the series is still good to read is the occasional heartwarming moment. I liked White trying to save Ms. Oka, and the flashback back to the classroom where we see why: Ms. Oka stopped the class killing the spider, and hence White herself, before they all got exploded. I also liked the ending with White taking Ariel to meet the legendary Sariel, and we see how she’s suffering for the entire world. It gives “saving the world” a face.

Still, there’s no denying this series is pretty damn dark – lots of slaughter in this book as well. That said, the best thing about this volume is White really starting to come into her own and take over as THE protagonist once more.

Girls Kingdom, Vol. 1

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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.

Despite the fact that this is a review of Vol. 1 of a fairly new light novel series, the one thing I took away from it most was nostalgia. This book is drenched in Maria-sama Ga Miteru and Strawberry Panic, two series from the 00s that defined a generation of yuri, for better and worse. (In that order – Maria-sama for Better, Strawberry Panic for worse.) I think the author is well aware of what the audience wants here, and is quite happy to give it to them with the maximum amount of ridiculousness. There may be heartwarming moments and genuine yuri in future volumes, though I’m skeptical. What we get here, though, is one girl’s entry into a magical kingdom, one where she ends up having the Golden Ticket – almost literally – that puts her among the elite. And we get another girl, at the pinnacle of that elite, and her desire to try to have as little to do with it as possible. They need each other. They make a great pair.

Misaki is a young girl starting her first day at a new school. She runs out of her house screaming she’s going to be late (no toast, sadly), but ends up being VERY late, as the school is ridiculously huge. So late she jumps the gate – an expellable offense – but it’s OK, as Himeko is standing there, and is highly amused at the fact that a) Misaki jumped the gate at ALL, and b) Misaki seems to know NOTHING about the school that she’s starting in today. So she gets Misaki to agree to be her maid, in exchange for getting her out of being expelled. Misaki is rather baffled by this, then finds out why this school that she signed up for but knew nothing about is free: the half of the class she’s in are all training to be maids, so they may serve the OTHER half of the class. Which has Himeko, who is daughter of the Chairman of the Board.

As you can see, this premise is bananas, for many, many reasons. Misaki’s ignorance of EVERYTHING about her new school is hilarious. A school for maids-in-training and their rich young mistresses is so egregiously classist that your jaw will drop. Misaki’s roommate Kirara, who in any other series like this would be the protagonist, does things that made me physically recoil from my phone as I was reading the book. There are identical twins – with the same first name – who appear to be on the maid side for shits and giggles, which is fine as that’s how they live everything else in their life. Himeko is the perfect rich young girl, right down to living like an absolute slob and not giving a rat’s ass what anyone thinks of her. The book is basically a series of train wrecks set to prose.

That said, I had a grin on my face reading it. If you can put up with its silliness, it’s fun. If you ever saw or read Strawberry Panic, it’s required reading.