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Sean Gaffney

Silver Spoon, Vol. 14

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By Hiromu Arakawa. Released in Japan as “Gin no Saji” by Shogakukan, serialized in the magazine Weekly Shonen Sunday. Released in North America by Yen Press. Translated by Amanda Haley.

This isn’t the last volume of Silver Spoon – that’s the next one, and I’ll get into why that’s controversial when I review it – but let’s be honest, for most readers of this series who were not in it for just the extensive farming talk, this volume is the payoff. This is not to say there isn’t still extensive farming talk – in fact, there’s more of it than ever. Arakawa is determined to drill into readers’ heads what making a living as a farmer in 21st century Japan is like, and by now the readers are close to understanding it, though probably not enough to actually start a farm. As our heroes get closer to graduation, we see expanding businesses, more pizza sales (though they don’t break even – always talk to Tamako first), and how to see your career prospects threatened by an extremely sketchy company looking for indentured servants in all but name. That said, the big plot here is Mikage and her exams.

The cover might seem ominous, with Hachiken and Mikage once again separated from actual romantic contact. And the exams are not easy – indeed, Mikage’s exam partner, Aikawa, ends up not passing – with Mikage getting a particularly vicious interviewer who suggests that her love of animals is because she hates dealing with people. Of course, as we’ve seen in the past, he’s not far off, but the days of deflecting and stepford smiles are over for Mikage, who gives a nice, heartfelt answer that amounts to both “I fell in love with this guy” and also “I was inspired to better myself because of everything he did”. As for Hachiken, frankly, he’s so worried he ends up in bed with gastritis. However, not to spoil too much, but things work out. In both ways – the 121st chapter is, as I said above, the payoff, and after a LOT of events conspiring against them (even equestrian helmets!), Hachiken and Mikage are a couple.

Now, Silver Spoon was never just about whether these two would get together, so there’s more to come here. For one, the other students find out – which naturally leads to the two of them being separated for all romantic holidays from now until graduation, because the boys are lovable assholes. There’s even another couple getting together – to contrast with Hachiken and Mikage’s tortured courtship, Sakae and Maruyama’s pairing is as blase as they come, and the two of them still think like farmers, as they have to discuss how the family businesses would merge in the event of their getting married. (Sakae also has some great lines as the biggest Mikage/Hachiken shipper in the cast.) Mikage’s parents also find out, which goes exactly the way you would expect. Basically, as with previous volumes of this series, every super heartwarming moment is undercut by extreme silliness.

So we head towards graduation, and seeing what everyone does next. Will there be enough pages to fully flesh everything out? Aheh. We’ll talk about that next time. Till then, enjoy what everyone was waiting for.

The Extraordinary, the Ordinary, and SOAP!, Vol. 1

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By Nao Wakasa and ICA. Released in Japan as “Hibon, Heibon, Shabon!” by ArianRose. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by C. Steussy.

I have talked before, and no doubt will again, about the fact that one of my favorite types of light novel is the kind that has, as its plot and character archetypes, not one original bone in its body, yet somehow still manages to win you over with the sheer power of good writing. I enjoy it so much because a) let’s face it, the old and familiar is like that hoodie that you always wear around the house – it’s your comfort food, but b) it shows the author has the skill to make you want to read more. This especially applies to the latest in a long line of shoujo light novels from J-Novel Club’s Heart imprint. I love that we’re finally getting so many light novels for women rather than men, but let’s face it, introducing a dozen or so of them in the space of about five months has been a bit wearing. So we start with a story about a common girl with a dull magic power who can SAVE THE WORLD!

The title in Japanese – Hibon, Heibon, Shabon! – is snappy and rhymes and is, unfortunately, nearly impossible to translate so that it does the same thing in English. Shabon is soap, and that’s what our heroine Lucia can do – her powers make soap bubbles that can clean even the most stubborn stains. After the death of her mother leaves her with a pile of debt, she moves to the king’s castle to find work as a laundrywomen and enjoys a fun, ordinary life – including having lunches with Sir Celes, a cute and handsome knight. Sadly, he’s away when the castle is attacked by horrible monsters one day, but Lucia, desperate and terrified, casts her soap magic on one… to find it suddenly calm and placid. Turns out her magic is a lot more than removing stains from clothing, it can also apparently remove the horrible mental and emotional stains from people. So she’s sent off to join the Sacred Maiden, who has been transported from another world to… wait, what?

Yes, the best part of the series, easily, is that this is in fact an isekai, but the girl who is transported from Japan is only a supporting character. Maria is supposedly the deus ex machina that will save them all, but things aren’t going very well. And actually, I tell a lie, because the best part of the series is the subtlety in its writing. As an example, Maria is shown to be selfish and horrible whenever we hear about her, but after Lucia a) hits her with Soap a few times to clean her clothes, and b) talks to her like a normal person rather than a savior of the world, Maria gets better. (Somewhat.) Is it Lucia’s magic or is it Lucia’s talking her down? It’s left open. The scene at the castle when the monsters are attacking is also expertly handled – there’s a real sense of terror from both Lucia and the residents of the castle, and it adds to the sense of depth in the books. As for the relationship between Lucia and Sir Celes, it’s cutely handled so far, and I liked that we added a bunch of other hot young/middle aged guys to the cast and Lucia is interested in precisely none of them – in fact, she thinks “is this what it’s like to have a dad?” with one big bruiser.

Good writing, a clever take on isekai, only a little fanservice (Lucia is somewhat busty, which is mentioned once or twice), and a winning heroine. Best of all, it’s only three volumes long, so there’s not a huge investment. And you’ll absolutely have to get the next book, as this one ends on a nasty cliffhanger. Very pleased with this series.

Pick of the Week: BL Unanimity

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SEAN: Another week, another pick that’s blindingly obvious. I admit I am interested in Yen On’s new title, but clearly the choice is BL Metamorphosis, which seems to have both a great premise and wonderfully soft and nostalgic art.

KATE: What Sean said: BL Metamorphosis is my pick of the week, too!

ANNA: BL Metamorphosis sounds amazing. Looking forward to reading it.

MICHELLE: BL Metamorphosis all the way!

ASH: It really can be nothing else – I’ve been wanting to read BL Metamorphosis even before it was licensed; I’m so glad the series is being translated.

MELINDA: Normally, I’d never pass up a chance to hype Silver Spoon, but the temptation to make this a unanimous pick is just too strong. BL Metamorphosis it is!

My Next Life As a Villainess! All Routes Lead to Doom!, Vol. 5

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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.

It’s been a while since we last saw the light novel version of this series. Since last July, the anime has started to air and seems to be quite popular despite the fact that casuals will now ask novel fans why they spell Katarina with a K; the manga has started its second story arc, adapting the third novel; and a second manga has started with a spinoff idea of “what if Katarina fell and hit her head… when she was already bullying Maria at the Academy?”. Looking at my last review, I had wondered if the series would finally allow everyone to graduate next time. Well, the answer is no; this is a short story collection, taking place all over the Bakarina timeline, and therefore we don’t see her entering the Ministry of Magic or anything here. Instead we get a wide variety of tales, some good, some dull, and a few manga interspersed (the artist of the light novel illustrations is also the artist for the main manga series).

To start with the duller stories, Keith is a nice guy but tends to lead to tedious story beats, and that holds true here. Alan is slightly more interesting but “have a picnic and climb a tree” is still very slight. Raphael’s story seems to be there to remind us that that section of the cast exists, and the manga sections are fun but also very slight. The end of the book has a lot of tiny little stories from various minor members of the cast, showing how Katarina has impacted their lives. That said, there are also some very strong stories here. Katarina runs into a self-proclaimed rival who reminds me a bit of Nanami from the Utena series, and fares about as well; Nicol starts an arranged marriage process because he feels it’s his duty, only to run into a bunch of women who strangely don’t find “I’m doing this because I have to” enticing; Katarina and her girl friends/girlfriends all talk about romance; and Katarina’s snake making may upset her fiancee, but is a potential moneymaker.

The series is still ongoing in Japan, and I imagine is continuing its balancing act with Katarina being too dense to realize that everyone in her orbit is in love with her. That said, I do wonder if it’s showing signs that it might actually resolve with her making a choice, mostly as there are minor signs of “pairing the spares”, so to speak. Nicol’s final fiancee interviewee actually seems to go together very well with him, despite neither one wanting to get married to each other. Mary, usually one of the most hardcore Katarina fanatics, shows a brief moment of doubt after Alan rescues her from a creeper. That sort of thing. That said, that balances with the other thing this book hammers home, which is that Katarina is the best at it, but is certainly not alone in misreading the obvious intentions of everyone else. Even her own mother gets into the act, seeing only the annoying perpetual 8-year-old part of Katarina and missing the fact that she’s managed to become the most influential person in the entire kingdom.

So worth picking up, but lacks some of the impact of the other volumes. It’s also quite short. Will the next book finally have Katarina in the working world? And will she ever show any romantic feelings towards anyone at all? I look forward to finding out. Till then, there’s still the anime to watch.

Bloom Into You: Regarding Saeki Sayaka, Vol. 2

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By Hitomi Iruma and Nakatani Nio. Released in Japan as “Yagate Kimi ni Naru: Saeki Sayaka ni Tsuite” by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Jan Cash and Vincent Castaneda. Adapted by Jenny McKeon.

A couple of quick notes before we get to the meet of this second of three novels concerning Sayaka before, during and after Bloom Into You. First of all, the book assumes you are familiar with events in the 7th manga volume, which just came out over here, and also assumes you know how the manga is going to end, at least vaguely. Secondly, this is written by the author of Adachi and Shimamura, and that’s a big surprise to me, as the two books could not have felt more different. Adachi and Shimamura deliberately meandered and stayed in one emotional beat for most of its first volume, despite the multiple narrators. Whereas this book, entirely narrated by Sayaka, absolutely knows where its endpoint is, and barrels along getting there, even as most of it involves an extended flashback showing Touko and Sayaka’s first year. If nothing else, this shows you that just because a book is a tie-in does not mean it’s just dashed off.

The book begins around the time of the manga, with Sayaka first meeting Yuu and noticing her relationship with Touko. The two have nice, frank discussions in ways that neither one of them could ever have with Touko (I’ll be honest I can’t remember which of these scenes, or maybe all, are from the manga as it’s been a while since those volumes), and then takes us up to Sayaka’s confession from the 7th manga volume. We then have an extended flashback, the bulk of he book, showing us Touko and Sayaka growing slowly closer over the course of the year, despite the walls both of them naturally keep up, and also showing Sayaka becoming aware of Touko’s circumstances… and not really doing much with that information. It’s a great look at why Yuu, rather than Sayaka, is the winner here. We then end with Sayaka in college, in what amounts to a trailer for the 3rd volume, meeting who I assume is her future partner.

Again, the best reason to read these novels is Sayaka’s POV. I may have criticized the author for her narratives in her own work, but handling someone else’s character she’s fantastic, and supported well here by the translators and adapters. Sayaka sounds exactly like we’d expect, both in dialogue and in her head, and I loved the constant use of Touko’s full name in her thoughts until they get to be friends – and note this is after Sayaka says that she’s in love with her! Sayaka’s experiences in the first book help her here, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t run into her problems, and her own decisions regarding the “safe” relationship with her best friend lead to it never getting past that. And there’s also Sayaka’s own natural reserve, which gets a little better here but is still there… while watching Touko crawl around her bedroom trying to chase one of Sayaka’s cats (thank god that got an illustration), Touko notes for the first time Sayaka’s face looks “relaxed”.

So yes, Sayaka matures here but is still very much a high school student when it comes to her emotional strength. I greatly look forward to the third book, which shows us Sayaka in college, and hopefully seeing how she builds on her love. I also look forward to rereading this one day after doing a reread of the manga, to better pick up the nuances at the start of it. All Bloom Into You fans, and yuri fans, should love this.

Bookshelf Briefs 4/25/20

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Caste Heaven, Vol. 1 | By Chise Ogawa | SuBLime – I have to wonder why I read this. The warning signs are right there on the back cover—once the ruthless king of his class’s secret social hierarchy, Yuya Azusa is dethroned and given a choice to “become the new king’s plaything… or service the entire class!” I had hoped for more psychological suspense, perhaps, but instead there is sexual assault (that the protagonist later says he enjoyed), threat of more sexual assault, several scenes in which the sadistic new king (a rich kid named Karino) inserts foreign objects into Azusa’s orifices, and once-proud Azusa growing clingy and desperate. The last two chapters are about a different pair who seem to have a healthier relationship, but the main story so put me on edge I kept waiting for the double-cross to happen. I’m still not convinced it won’t, but that doesn’t really matter as I likely won’t be reading further. – Michelle Smith

Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku, Vol. 1 | By Yuji Kaku | Viz Media – Gabimaru is a notorious assassin whose ninjitsu skills are so great that he’s nearly immortal. Unfortunately for him, that means he spends most of the first chapter of Hell’s Paradise being subjected to (and surviving) a series of increasingly gruesome executions. His death sentence is temporarily stayed by a highly skilled swordswoman who offers him an opportunity to earn a full pardon for his crimes. If Gabimaru can find and retrieve the elixir of life for the shogun, he will be released. But he’ll also be in direct competition with other convicts and not everything is as it seems. There are many aspects of Hell’s Paradise that I found reminiscent of Hiroaki Samura’s Blade of the Immortal (a manga that holds a special place in my heart), so it’s probably not too surprising that Kaku’s series appeals to me. I’m very curious to see where it goes from here. – Ash Brown

Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku, Vol. 1 | By Yuji Kaku | VIZ Media – I’m not ordinarily drawn to grim-looking Edo period manga with ninjas in it, but something about Hell’s Paradise intrigued me (maybe it was simply that striking cover) and, ultimately, I’m extremely glad I gave it a chance! The infamous assassin Gabimaru the Hollow always thought he felt no emotions until his wife proved otherwise. Set up by his clan for daring to want to leave their lifestyle, Gabimaru is sentenced to death, though he keeps resisting the various execution methods that are attempted. When he’s offered the chance of a pardon—and the chance to reunite with his wife and pursue a simple life together—he accepts, even if it means journeying to a mysterious island with a bunch of other bloodthirsty criminals in search of an elixir of immortality for the shogun. This is a pretty fascinating, if grisly, premise, and I’m very keen to see how it develops! – Michelle Smith

Himouto! Umaru-chan, Vol. 9 | By Sankakuhead | Seven Seas – Again, the basic theme of this series, which otherwise tends to run on “cute girls doing cute things,” is that sometimes you need to grow up and mature, even though it can be hard… but it doesn’t have to be right away. This can also sometimes lead to odd continuity—there’s a brief moment where Umaru imagines her brother moving out one day, and he’s clearly meant to be seen with Ebina… only Umaru doesn’t seem to have realized Ebina’s crush on her brother in reality. Despite that, this is another fun, fluffy volume in the series, with gags about trying (and failing) to cook, buying furniture, and being a bit nicer to your brother even though you think he’s a creep (that last is for Kirie). Fans should enjoy it. – Sean Gaffney

The Ideal Sponger Life, Vol. 5 | By Tsunehiko Watanabe and Neko Hinotsuki | Seven Seas – As ever with this series, the so-called “romantic rival” introduced at the end of the last volume, isn’t one at all, mostly becaase Zenjiro is still completely besotted with his bride, polygamy or no. The politics remains the reason to read this, and while our hero is getting better at it, he still screws up on occasion. He’s also up against a master, as seen on the cover, a goofy and over-the-top prince sort who is in reality using that as a front… but it’s so much a part of him that it’s very hard to tell the difference even if you’re an expert. As for Bona, she genuinely does bond with Zenjiro right away, causing Aura to get a bit jealous. Something might eventually come of that, but for the moment the series is content to be about glass and politics and not about haremettes. – Sean Gaffney

I’ll Win You Over, Sempai!, Vol. 3 | By Shin Shimoto | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – This is the story of a relentlessly positive girl (Koharu, who refuses to be rejected by her crush and so confesses to him day after day) and the tsundere object of her affections (Kanzaki-sempai, who repeatedly shoots her down). When I embarked upon this series, I thought it might be annoying and was delighted to instead find that I love it to pieces! Kanzaki-sempai is quirky and prickly yet also compassionate and Koharu truly cares about his happiness more than her own. In volume three, Kanzaki-sempai advises Koharu when her childhood friend confesses his love for her. There are many sweet moments where the main couple shows they really get each other, and though I do not love how often he calls her a moron, I’m still enjoying this series very much overall. Only two volumes to go, alas! – Michelle Smith

Komi Can’t Communicate, Vol. 6 | By Tomohito Oda | Viz Media – It’s good to see that although Komi is starting to make friends and get her thoughts across to people… even if it’s only just Tadano… she still has an amazing amount of difficulty with communication—the title is not any less wrong in the sixth book than it was in the first. Given that just talking to others is tough, karaoke proves a shivering nightmare, and even clothes shopping with her equally-bad-at-extroversion father is tough. As for the rest of the cast, well, the three guys who discuss which girl would be best as a girlfriend would be a bit creepy if it weren’t also pretty wholesome, and we meet a new guy who has resting thug face, so also has trouble communicating to people. Fun comedy. – Sean Gaffney

Ran the Peerless Beauty, Vol. 7 | By Ammitsu | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – Since I last briefed Ran the Peerless Beauty, not only has she gotten together with Akira, but we’ve even had the first female rival come and go. This volume is mostly about the first male rival, and I will admit he can be hard to take—he’s very blunt in the fact that he likes Ran, and tries to force a kiss on her at one point (she deflects him), so the reader is really not loving him. He also has a past with Akira that we’re starting to find out about, and comes from a farm/greenhouse family environment, so his story will continue to tie into the flowers motif. I admit it’s probably a good thing we have him, as Ran and Akira are so soggily sweet that they’re best taken in short, adorable doses. – Sean Gaffney

Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, Vol. 11 | By Kagiji Kumanomata | Viz Media – I also seem to have missed briefing the tenth volume of this. I’m sure it was funny, because this one is quite funny. The jokes are no longer “how does Syalis sleep,” though the final page does still end most chapters on her settling down for the night. Sometimes we see stressed-out demons ashamed she’ll see their old cringey photos. Sometimes it’s about Syalis trying to give out Valentine’s chocolates and not understanding the meaning of the word embarrassment. And in the funniest chapters, it IS about her sleeping, as she accidentally ingests some demonic No-Doz and also tries to have a “typical” girls’ pajama party that isn’t typical at all. I love this series. – Sean Gaffney

Something’s Wrong with Us, Vol. 1 | By Natsumi Ando | Kodansha Comics – Remembering my disappointment with the finale of Arisa, I wasn’t sure how I would like Something’s Wrong with Us, Natsumi Ando’s foray into josei suspense. Happily, I enjoyed it quite a bit! Our protagonist is Nao Hanaoka, a 21-year-old confectioner whose mother was accused of murder fifteen years ago and died while on trial for the crime. After Nao receives a note proclaiming her mother’s innocence, she’s willing to do anything to gain access to the renowned confectionary where it all happened and find out the truth, including agreeing to marry Tsubaki Takatsuki, who as a boy was the one to accuse her mother in the first place. She thinks that neither Tsubaki nor his cold and calculating mother recognize her—they knew her under a different name—but is that really the case? I hope the rest of the series is as fun as the first volume. – Michelle Smith

Teasing Master Takagi-san, Vol. 8 | By Soichiro Yamamoto | Yen Press – This series has proven that it works at its best when there’s more structure or more at stake. This isn’t to say that the chapters that are just “there’s a thing, Nishikata challenges Takagi, he loses, she teases him” aren’t funny and cute, because they are. But sometimes things get better when there’s a bit more than that, such as the start of this volume, which has… no, not the festival that was implied at the end of last time—not sure where that went… but Valentine’s Day, showing off Takagi having fun torturing Nishikata all day before and confessing in such a way that he would get a real answer if he manned up but he doesn’t. And as usual, Nishikata wins when he doesn’t try, like rock skipping. My favorite “teasing girl” series. – Sean Gaffney

Altina the Sword Princess, Vol. 3

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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.

Having given us a military story for the first two volume, Altina now dives headfirst into the politics of medieval succession, as she and Regis return to her Empire’s home for a formal get together. Of course, there’s a lot more to it than that. She was set up to fail as the commander of her remote base, and succeeded; she was set up to fail by taking an untakeable fortress, and succeeded; now she’s back home so that her brothers can make use of her once and for all in their own power struggles. Of course, each has their own problem. The first prince was poisoned recently, and since recovering has looked rather weak… among other things. The second prince is in the strongest position, and has his own version of Regis, but still feels the need to reach out to Altina. And there’s a third group of nobles also jockeying for position, and their leader seems to really, really like Regis. Fortunately, this is the one area where he’s an idiot.

It has to be said, Altina is a much better military commander than she is a princess, and she likely realizes this; she’s too straightforward and honest to manipulate. Which at times is a problem, such as when Latrielle, the second prince, offers to have her join him and her hot-headed response is exactly what the situation doesn’t need. Fortunately, she is smart enough to realize Regis needs to be there, and he comes up with a very elegant solution to a difficult problem though admittedly it also involves immediately fleeing as quickly as possible to avoid being killed. He is helped out by Auguste, the first prince, who has a rather poorly kept secret that nevertheless has persisted. Speaking of secrets, Eric continues to be a good, if excitable bodyguard to the princess, but gosh, it’s so odd how he doesn’t want to change in front of Regis and keeps blushing all the time about it. And asks him about daughters who are trying to keep their family traditions no matter what. Wonder what that could be?

These are short books, and the writing is snappy, so the prose flies by. Unlike some other series by this author, there’s also minimal fanservice, so it’s safe to recommend to other folks. I will admit that we do lean very hard on Regis being so self-loathing and modest that he is unable to see why any woman would possibly be interested in him, despite Altina, Clarisse, Elenore, and Eric (oh what a giveaway) all making overtures of some kind or another. This doesn’t just apply to his non-romance either; he regards his tactics as fake because they come from books he’s read, and therefore has a low opinion of his own brilliance. It’s frustrating, but makes sense for his character, and I hope he slowly grows out of it. (Also, we get some details on the books he enjoys reading, and wow, this world has some bizarro fantasy novels.)

There’s setup for a war that looks like it will happen next volume. In the meantime, if you like political intrigue, fiery redheads, and something you can polish off in an hour or two, this is your book.

Manga the Week of 4/29/20

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SEAN: The last week of April, and the last week of normal manga releases. Also, I want to go in reverse order.

Yen On has a debut light novel, one that is long awaited and which has already had an anime. It’s a Haruhi Suzumiya-esque title scheme, so I’ll just note the first volume is called Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai. It’s about a guy who discovers that his upperclassman is walking around wearing a bunny girl outfit… and no one notices except him. (I suspect it’s about far more than that.) Despite a questionable premise, it’s gotten much praise.

MELINDA: Huh.

SEAN: We also get The Devil Is a Part-Timer! 16, KonoSuba 11, Our Last Crusade 3, and Torture Princess 4.

No manga debuts, but there is As Miss Beelzebub Likes 9, Goblin Slayer Side Story: Year One 4, High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even in Another World 7 (the manga, the LN got pushed back a bit), Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon: Sword Oratoria 11 (manga version), Kemono Friends a La Carte 3, Overlord the Undead King-Oh! 3, Silver Spoon 14, and Yowamushi Pedal 14.

MICHELLE: Yay Yowamushi!. At this point, I’m just gonna wait ’til Silver Spoon finishes and read it in one chunk.

ASH: Silver Spoon is so good, Michelle! You’ll be in for a treat. Also, a second hooray for Yowamushi Pedal!

MELINDA: SILVER SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON. Hi.

SEAN: Vertical has To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts 10.

Square Enix debuts The Misfit of Demon King Academy (Maougakuin no Futekigousha), a manga based on a light novel (no, it’s not licensed) with an anime coming this summer (unless it’s delayed). It runs in Manga UP!, and the plot… um… is about a young demon going to a magic school… and is not, amazingly, The Hero Life of a (Self-Proclaimed) “Mediocre” Demon, The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn As a Typical Nobody *or* The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy, all of which seem to have very similar premises. (Haven’t I discussed this before? Possibly two weeks ago?)

ASH: Ha!

MELINDA: I guess when it works, it works? Or something?

SEAN: Square Enix also has the 2nd Hi Score Girl.

Seven Seas sees the print edition of At Night, I Become a Monster (Yoru no Bakemono). It’s from the author of I Want to Eat Your Pancreas, so expect good writing and melancholy. A boy turns into a monster during the evenings, and runs into a classmate.

ASH: I’m looking forward to giving this one a read.

SEAN: Also debuting, and I absolutely cannot wait for this, is BL Metamorphosis (Metamorphose no Engawa), from Kadokawa’s Comic Newtype. It’s about a 75-year-old and a 15-year-old who find their love of BL manga gives them something in common. It is HIGHLY recommended.

MICHELLE: I have been looking forward to this for ages!

ASH: Yes, yes, yes! One of my most anticipated debuts this year!

ANNA: Also looking forward to this.

MELINDA: What everyone else said.

SEAN: Also out, and not quite as highbrow, we get A Certain Scientific Accelerator 10, Dragon Goes House-Hunting 4, High-Rise Invasion 11-12, the 7th How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord manga, The King of Fighters: A New Beginning 2, and Nameless Asterism 5, the final volume.

Kodansha has, in print, Drifting Dragons 4, Grand Blue Dreaming 10, Sweat & Soap 2, and Tales of Berseria 3.

ANNA: I keep meaning to read Drifting Dragons.

ASH: I’ve been enjoying Drifting Dragons so far (glad it’s being released in print!), and probably should get around to trying Sweat & Soap before too long.

SEAN: There’s no digital debut for once. But we do get Altair: A Record of Battles 17, Hotaru’s Way 13, I Fell in Love After School 3, Kounodori: Dr. Stork 14, Let’s Kiss in Secret Tomorrow 3, Star⇄Crossed!! 2, That Blue Summer 4, and Watari-kun’s ****** Is about to Collapse 5.

MICHELLE: I Fell in Love After School is quite good. Hotaru’s Way is close to ending (volume 15 is its last) so that’s another one where I’ve decided to just wait. But hooray for josei anyway!

SEAN: We end with J-Novel Club, which debuts a new J-Novel Heart series, The Extraordinary, the Ordinary, and SOAP! (Hibon, Heibon, Shabon!). This sounds like a typical fantasy LN plot: the commoner with a dull, useless magical power suddenly finds it’s super useful after all – but the fact that it’s a heroine still interests me.

ASH: I like seeing more heroines these days, too.

SEAN: Also out next week: BEATLESS 2, the 2nd Cooking with Wild Game manga, How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom 11, My Next Life as a Villainess! 5, the 4th Seirei Gensouki manga, Teogonia 2, and The Underdog of the Eight Greater Tribes 2.

Manga! Get it while it lasts!

My Dress-Up Darling, Vol. 1

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y Shinichi Fukuda. Released in Japan by Square Enix, serialization ongoing in the magazine Young Gangan. Released in North America by Square Enix Manga. Translated by Taylor Engel.

Despite the tendency of modern-day folks to say that it’s OK to be introverted and that not everyone needs to be brought out of their shell, there’s no denying that the number of works dedicated to that continue to proliferate. In manga, who the introvert is depends very much on who the series is meant for: in shoujo works, it’s a shy young girl who runs into a brash and outgoing young man, and in shonen or seinen works, it’s the opposite. Since this runs in Young Gangan, you can guess what we have here. That said, as I have always said, just because a story is familiar does not make it bad. Both leads are quite likeable and the whole thing put a smile on my face – despite the M rating (mostly due to frank discussion of a game), so far it’s pretty wholesome, and its premise of “don’t be ashamed of your hobbies even if they are seen as girly” is a good one. Plus that cover is fab.

Our hero is Gojo, a young man who has a deep and abiding love of Hina dolls – those little dolls with the fancy head and hairpeieces – but alas, a childhood friend said that this was a girly hobby and she hates him now, and this led him to lose all confidence and become a shy loner who is constantly doubting himself. Into his life one day comes Kitagawa, a popular “gal’ in his class who has no trouble both saying what’s on her mind and also admitting to hobbies that might be seen as uncool. When she finds Gojo working on a sewing machine one day, and realizes he can make clothes, she asks him to help her cosplay, something she’s been trying but failing to do as she can’t sew at all. There is, perhaps, one catch – she wants to cosplay a character from an ero-game – again, something she’s not shy in saying.

As I said, this title is rated M. Though there are fanservicey shots of Kitagawa in her underwear – indeed, it’s on the first color page – the relationship between her and Gojo is pretty PG so far – she tries to tease him a few times, but is also starting to like him in a way that makes her shy off of that. The M rating comes from the game she loves, “Saint♥Slippery Academy for Girls–The Young Ladies of the Humiliation Club: Debauched Miracle Life 2”. It’s a title that you know a company like MangaGamer would snap up in real life, and, like a lot of these sorts of games, balances out the sex scenes with emotional moments of “love” – dubious though it may sound. Kitagawa talks about this a LOT, and as Gojo plays it and they discuss it, sometimes there are misunderstandings.

That said, the main reason to get this title is the main couple – they’re really cute, bond immediately, and I want to see them open up to each other more. (I do also wonder if the series will earn its rating more in future volumes.) I definitely recommend it for those who like comedic romance with a touch of spice – well, OK, given the game Kitagawa is a fan of, a touch of sleaze.

Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll Do Anything to Become a Librarian!, Part 2: Apprentice Shrine Maiden, 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 digitally by J-Novel Club. Translated by quof.

A very telling quote comes about a quarter of a way into this volume of Bookworm, with the High Priest and Benno meeting to talk about Myne. “We must think of a plan at once. Benno, what means are there to control this thing?” The “thing” is Myne, and it seems very rude, but to the regular citizens of this world, it’s absolutely true, especially in this volume, as Myne is about to invent movable type and the printing press. In previous volumes we’d seen Myne come up with ridiculous ideas, but they were ideas – even the paper – which could still reasonably fit into a very class-based world and not create too much of a fuss. This is a very different story – nothing will ever be the same again. If you add that to the ridiculous amount of mana she has, it means that Myne is not so much a young girl as a nuclear weapon. Sadly, this means she may lose her family.

This is the third of a four-volume arc. The first arc was “Daughter of a Soldier”, and this one is “Apprentice Shrine Maiden”. Glancing at the subtitle of the next arc shows that Myne will be moving up in the world once again. It’s a horrible decision for her, as she loves her family, and they love her. Notably, the High Priest is not compromising one bit at this point – there’s no “oh, but you can still see your old family” here, mostly as if Myne is a noble, she’ll be nowhere near her old life. The book also hammers home why this is important. We see suspicious guild leaders trying to kidnap her, suspicious nobles trying to kidnap her, and the cliffhanger shows another evil noble on the way – one who likes small children, which is very disturbing given that this world shows off how young girls can “move up in the world” mostly by becoming concubines. Myne can’t simply walk around town coming up with cool new ideas anymore.

The book is well-written as always, and very long, also as always. The main new character we meet is Sylvester, another noble who, as Myne describes him, is an adult with the mind of a 6-year-old boy. There’s clearly more to him than that, but she’s also not wrong, and I admit that I found him to be more obnoxious than anything else. Fortunately, the noble who’s supposed to adopt her looks a lot more reasonable. Myne also gets a permanent bodyguard, one of the two knights who were “protecting” her in the past book. He’s a bit of a schmuck, to be honest, though he’s nice at heart. And, as noted above, Myne has her movable type thanks to a craftsman who loves working with small, detailed pieces. Now Myne is sponsoring him, something he’s rapidly coming to regret, as it’s hard to deal with Hurricane Myne. Oh yes, and new baby! Myne gets to be a big sister… if only briefly.

Supposedly Mine has until she’s ten years old until she’s to be adopted. That said, the cliffhanger implies not only bad things for Delia (who I worry about even though she’s a spy), and I suspect that that timeline may be moved up. Till then, this remains one of the most addicting light novels around. Watch the anime as well!

Pick of the Week: Wave That Flag

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KATE: While I can’t speak for everyone, I think it’s a safe bet that every member of the MB Battle Robot will be buying the first volume of Blue Flag, as it’s the kind of manga all of us like: a juicy, character-driven drama with crisp artwork. So my pick is Blue Flag. I dare the rest of the crew to prove me wrong!

MICHELLE: I’ve tried not to learn too much about Blue Flag to avoid spoilers but everything I have heard sounds fantastic, so I am enthusiastically waving its banner this week.

SEAN: Blue Flag, smilin’ at me, nothing but Blue Flag do I see…

ANNA: What is this I hear about Blue Flag???

ASH: I think a few of us (myself included) are excited for its release! Blue Flag is my pick, most certainly!

MELINDA: There’s a title coming to me… what is it? Something like Blue Flag, whatever that means. Yes, Blue Flag.

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 23

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By Mizuho Kusanagi. Released in Japan as “Akatsuki no Yona” by Hakusensha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Hana to Yume. Released in North America by Viz Media. Translated by JN Productions, Adapted by Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane.

After escaping from the burning building, complete with another round of “Jesus Christ, Zeno, MUST YOU?” self-sacrifice, our heroes are ready to deal with the plot. Unfortunately, the plot is forcing them to do something that’s been a long time coming. For most of the beginning and middle of this series, the goal has been to hide Yona’s identity and have her and the others function as a rogue band of do-gooders while also learning more about the country where her father was (a pretty crappy) king. But sometimes things can’t be solved by anonymous bandits, and here Yona is forced to not only reveal who she actually is, but goes off to negotiate with Su-Won as herself, something that I’m sure will go well and not be a disaster at all. Unfortunately, we have to wait till Vol. 24 for the fallout. Again, though, Yona’s “beacon of hope shining in the darkness” personality trumps all subterfuge. Well, that and the fact that 3/4 of the cast are hostages.

We also meet Princess Kouren, Tao’s older sister, in the best possible way – Yona shoots down a bird that lands directly on her face. I expect we will get more from her in the next volume, but it’s worth noting that Tao here is allowed to have the longer view of trying to save more lives of her kingdom’s people (and it’s shown here that they’re really trying to conscript EVERYONE into the army here) because she has not been traumatized by the violence of the kingdom’s enemies. If you see all of your friends brutally murdered in front of your eyes, it is absolutely valid that you are not going to want to simply barter a peace treaty with those who did it. That said, I worry that she may end up needing to be killed by the plot in order to posthumously learn to let go. Let’s hope not.

Elsewhere, as I mentioned, most of Yona’s group are either seriously injured, captured, or both, allowing us to get a good dose of their captor, who has a truly disturbing slasher smile. I hope something bad happens to him, he is not a nice man. As for Yona, she’s pushing herself so hard she almost collapses, which is a shame, as it means she misses Hak murmuring some very important words to her. (There’s also a side story showing how few real friends she had as a child – two is the correct answer – and again you marvel how how much she’s been forced to change, and how she’s blossomed as a result. and just in case you worried there was no humor in this volume, there’s a hilarious side story where Gija, Sinha, and Yona all eat a mystery candy and turn violent. Yona, of course, bei8ng the reason this is so funny.

The best volumes make you want to read the next one right away, and that’s definitely the case here. Read it now.

The Economics of Prophecy: Dealing with Guild Politics in Another World

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By Norafukurou and Rei Shichiwa. Released in Japan by Legend Novels (Kodansha). Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Hikoki.

I have to admit, if you asked me what the next volume of The Economics of Prophecy, a work whose core audience is made up of older men already in the Japanese workforce, would be about, “school festival arc” is not what would have sprung to mind. And yet our heroes are at a school for sons and daughters of guild nobility, and therefore it stands to reason that a festival would be just as cutthroat as anything else. Naturally, it’s once again the strong vs. the slightly less strong, with Ricardo (who presents himself as the weakest but is anything but) trying to walk a fine line so that he can get what he wants in the end. The fine line is the most interesting part of this book, as it becomes clear to the reader that denseness about women might not be Ricardo’s only fault; he doesn’t really seem to realize how deep into the political world he has to get till it’s spelled out for hi8m at the end.

As you might expect, the school festival is an excuse for the kids to show off their future inheritance, with the best rooms taken by the stronger family simply by dint of rewriting the rules. Ricardo and Mei do not have a booth (they are, after all, a mere copper family) but they do need to help Alfina the Prophecy Princess, who has been exiled to a courtyard because she has her own politics to deal with. Also, one of the lesser families’ heirs is Mei’s friend (though you get the sense that Mei is less and less thrilled with this as the weeks go on), and, most importantly, he happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets drawn in. That said, he has a plan. A plan that involves modernizing this kingdom’s concept of dining to take in the outdoor cafe and the single-plate lunch.

I noted the first volume was a bit dry, and that’s also a fault with the second volume: the start in particular is a massive economics lecture that will make you yearn for the plot to begin. Once it does, however, the book picks up considerably: the interfamily politics and Ricardo’s navigating through it all with ease is immensely fun (he’s just as OP as any other isekai hero, just in terms of economic theory and political savvy). He continues to be unaware that both Alfina and Mei are in love with him, and in fact explicitly notes that Alfina, due to his live lived in Japan added to his years here, is more of a niece to him. He’s also, however, of the impression that he can magically manipulate events behind the scenes to perfection, explain exactly how he did so, and then quietly go back to his honey company and keep plugging away. That is just not going to happen, as the families explain to him at the end. It’s amusing.

There’s setup for a third book towards the end, a book that, as of this review, has not come out in Japan. So it may be a while before we see more of this. Still, if you want less dungeon crawling and magical swords and more explanations of sunk cost fallacies, this is the series for you.

Bookshelf Briefs 4/18/20

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Bloom Into You, Vol. 7 | By Nakatani Nio | Seven Seas – The majority of this volume is devoted to Sayaka, who finally works up the resolve to confess to Touko, despite knowing that she’s in love with Yuu. It goes exactly as you’d expect, but that does not diminish how well told this is. (The second novel might go into more detail.) We also get some backstory for the teacher and her partner, explaining how they got together and reminding both Sayaka and the reader that being in love with another woman is something that does not have to be confined to high school. As for Yuu and Touko, well, they’re almost there (and I will admit the scene where Seiji bluntly tells Yuu that they’re not the same (meaning Yuu isn’t asexual) was very well done). This remains fantastic. – Sean Gaffney

Hatsu*Haru, Vol. 11 | By Shizuki Fujisawa | Yen Press – I’ve pretty much resigned myself to reading this for the side couple, so I was delighted with their half of the manga, as Ayumi, after attempting to analyze love to death in an effort to run away from her own feelings gets a Big Damn Kiss and turns into a sop. It’s sweet, and god knows Takaya deserves it. Unfortunately, I’m still uninterested in Kagura and Tarou—she’s much better when she’s not being a weak drip, which she is here, and he’s so passive and understanding that it’s what’s actually preventing anything from happening. I suspect this story, despite a double convention, is not quite over, particularly given Tarou’s “huh? what’s love? can you eat it?” expression, but maybe twelve will give me more Ayumi. – Sean Gaffney

I Fell in Love After School, Vol. 2 | By Haruka Mitsui | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – While initially reluctant to become the manager of the boys’ volleyball team at her high school, Kao Hayama is now really putting her all into the role. That’s what makes I Fell in Love After School unique, when it otherwise would be a fairly straightforward shoujo romance. Often, when such a series involves a boy passionate about sports (like Waiting for Spring, for example) readers only see an occasional glimpse of games, which is never really enough to suit a sport manga enthusiast like me. Because Kao is the manager, however, much of the plot is sport-related, which I appreciate. On top of this, Kao’s burgeoning relationship with Nagisa Kuze is compelling. I appreciate that she is never a spaz, and that he’s not some cool prince type, but has flaws and vulnerabilities that Kao is adept at perceiving. I look forward to reading the rest of this series! – Michelle Smith

An Incurable Case of Love, Vol. 3 | By Maki Enjoji | Viz Media – I seem to be surprised lately with shoujo or josei romances hooking up faster than I expected. I guess Moonlighting Syndrome is not what it once was. In any case, yes, our lead couple are now a couple, though they haven’t gotten very far and he still tends to be a bit of a jerk if prodded. I am also rather impressed with the book continuing to emphasize the aspects of being a nurse, and what Sakura does well and does badly at, showing how she can’t simply use her natural empathy to win the day all the time. This comes in handy when she deals with a new nurse who is VERY interested in Tendo, and is also a better nurse on the non-empathic side of things. As always with this author, a very well-written heroine carries the day. – Sean Gaffney

My Hero Academia: School Briefs, Vol. 4 | By Kohei Horikoshi and Anri Yoshi | VIZ Media – This fourth installment of the My Hero Academia light novel series centers around the school festival. In “Prep,” Shinso takes out some trash and witnesses the other classes hard at work. (And thinks regarding Mineta, “He’s gotta get expelled for sexual harassment one of these days, right?” I SURE AS HELL HOPE SO, SHINSO!) The longest story depicts class 1-B’s play, and is pretty fun, but mostly just made me wish these characters got their own spinoff a la Vigilantes. My actual favorite was “Festival for All,” which takes a collage of panels from the manga and extrapolates scenes from them, like Shinsho hanging upside down in a haunted house, Midoriya making candy apples for Eri, et cetera. I will try very hard to forget the absolutely VILE thing Mineta says at the end of this otherwise very nice story. I think it was his grossest comment yet. – Michelle Smith

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, Vol. 3 | By Satoru Yamaguchi and Nami Hidaka | Seven Seas – The gag here, and it really is a great one, is that despite winning the hearts of literally everyone around her, Katarina STILL ends up in the exact same cutscene from Fortune Lover that her evil version did. Of course, the cast IS all in love with her, so the scene goes south rather quickly—with everyone noting the bullying plot is far too well thought out to be planned by our Bakarina. The rest of the volume is more serious, as Maria goes missing, and dark magic is suspected. The suspect is obvious, but that doesn’t make the danger to Katarina any less great, and she ends the book in a coma. Can she manage to charm her way out of things while asleep? Fantastic. – Sean Gaffney

The Swamp | By Yoshiharu Tsuge | Drawn and Quarterly – As the first volume in Drawn & Quarterly’s series of Tsuge’s complete mature works, The Swamp brings together eleven of Tsuge’s short manga along with an essay by Mitsuhiro Asakawa which provides them with additional historical context. The stories collected in The Swamp were originally published between 1965 and 1966, most of them appearing as contributions to the influential alternative manga magazine Garo. Tsuge’s narratives are compelling, at times unsettling and at times humorous, but always offering insightful commentary on humanity. Even those that are more surreal have an underlying sense of truth. Most of the short manga featured in The Swamp have at least one twist to them to give the reader pause, whether in delight or in disquiet, or some combination of the two. Overall, it’s an immensely satisfying volume. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for Drawn & Quarterly’s second Tsuge collection, Red Flowers; this is not a series to miss. – Ash Brown

Takane & Hana, Vol. 14 | By Yuki Shiwasu | Viz Media – I will admit, Hana falling off their cruise ship into the water took me by surprise—I had to read it three times to get what was happening. Naturally, Takane goes after her, and so we end up with, of all things, a “castaways on an island” plotline, though it goes in a very Love Hina direction when it turns out that civilization is across the island. On the brighter note, we get the main couple telling the immediate romantic rivals about their coupledom, which is honestly better handled on Hana’s end. And because the only thing better than one problematic age-difference couple is TWO, there’s more with Nicola and Mizuki, as she still has a crush on him, and he is… at least getting to know her better. Unbalanced, but good. – Sean Gaffney

What’s Michael? Fatcat Collection, Vol. 1 | By Makoto Kobayashi | Dark Horse – What’s Michael? is a series I’d wanted to read for years, but quickly discovered is best enjoyed in small doses. The manga consists of six-page chapters that do not tell a cohesive narrative. Michael might live with a yakuza in one chapter and with a single lady in the next. Sometimes he has a mate and children. I liked best the chapters that employ nonverbal storytelling, like when Michael keeps laying on objects people need or when getting a ribbon stuck on his claw leads Michael to perform several pages of rhythmic gymnastics. As usual, I took some things too seriously, getting pissed off at an idiot who punches Michael for being disinterested in playing fetch and utterly failing to find anything funny in the plight of a poor, neglected dog. That said, the majority of this chunky omnibus was enjoyable, and I look forward to the second half. – Michelle Smith

Adachi and Shimamura, Vol. 1

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By Hitoma Iruma and Non. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Molly Lee.

It is, to be honest, rare that a light novel catches me completely by surprise. For one thing, I tend to spoil myself as to what the content of a series is going to be. I thought I knew about this one. I knew it was an extremely popular yuri light novel series. I also knew it was supposed to be a bit boring. Both are true. The story begins with Adachi and Shimamura already knowing each other (though we get a later flashback to how they meet). They’re both delinquents who tend to cut class. Adachi, the black-haired girl, is seemingly stoic and unapproachable. Shimamura, who has dyed light brown hair, is more open and has more friends than the aloof Adachi, but also seems to have a disconnect when it comes to emotions. Seeing them flapping around in their interior monologue trying to connect is what’s meant to be the point of the book. That said, it doesn’t quite keep the reader’s attention. Then the girl in the spacesuit shows up…

So yes, this is my own fault. I knew that the author of this series has written a large number of other series for both Dengeki Bunko and other publishers (including the Bloom Into You light novel spinoffs). I had also heard of the much older series Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl (Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko), but didn’t realize that it was also by this author. And that series has, as one of its supporting cast… a girl who dresses in a spacesuit and has seemingly supernatural powers. In the context of that other series, which stars another girl who says she is an alien, Yashiro as a mysterious maybe alien with supernatural abilities works fine. But when she shows up here and starts hanging out in what is, let’s face it, the cast of K-On! without the band, it’s quite jarring. Especially when she takes over the scenes she’s in… and proves to be more interesting than the two leads.

Let’s get back to the title characters. Three fifths of the book is narrated by Shimamura, and is the poorer for it. I’m not sure what the author is really trying to convey with her headspace. She seems to be pretending to be a normal, outgoing high school girl to hide her own inner lack of empathy and interest, but she’s too good at it externally and too bad at it internally, so it doesn’t quite come off. She’s the reason the book is seen as dull. When the narrative shifts to Adachi, things pick up a great deal, as she has the actual character conflict – she’s in love with Shimamura, something she starts the book off denying (in the classic “not in a gay way or anything!” sense) but accepts, at least to herself, by the end of the book. I think she’d have confessed to Shimamura on their “date” if Yashiro hadn’t ruined her chances. Hopefully future books will give Shimamura the chance to develop beyond “how do I connect to other humans” as well.

So I am very fifty-fifty about this book. The most interesting character in it is from another series. The narrator for most of the book struggles to connect with not only everyone around her but also the reader. On the other hand, Adachi’s inner monologue of panicked love epiphany was genuinely involving. I’ll be reading another volume, but so far it’s more Adachi than Shimamura for me.