Manga Bookshelf

Discussion, Resources, Roundtables, & Reviews

Sean Gaffney

After-School Dungeon Diver: Level Grinding in Another World, Vol. 1

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By Hitsuji Gamei and Karei. Released in Japan as “Hōkago no Dungeon Diver: Nihon to Isekai o Ikiki Dekiru Yō ni Natta Boku wa Level Up ni Isoshimimasu” by GCN Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Hiroya Watanabe.

So much about this book just made me angry. I probably could have saved myself a lot of grief if I’d just read the afterword first. The author states they just wrote this for shits and giggles, as opposed to the two titles that they clearly took seriously (The Magician Who Rose from Failure and The Magic in This Other World Is Too Far Behind!). And sure enough, everything about this has a feeling of “eh, this sucks, but lol” to it. The After-School premise is pointless since we never once see our protagonist interact with anyone from Japan this entire book. The level-grinding isn’t really true either, since he refuses to let the guild raise his rank (despite a high level) because it will force him to actually assume responsibilities. Even the art is sketchy and not that good (Sorry, Irina the Vampire Cosmonaut fans). And that’s not even getting into the cliches of this genre, which are dripping from this book’s every orifice.

Sometime before the events of this book, Akira and a friend of his tried to come up with a way to get isekai’d… and it worked! Now he can go back and forth as he pleases between Japan and this other world, which is made up of dungeons and guilds, you know the drill. As our book begins, he spots an elf… pardon me, long ears… girl who has been enslaved by a group of humans. Unfortunately, the group of humans has also been killed by a nasty floor boss, leaving Akira to kill the boss and rescue the girl. He can even get her slave collar off, which is supposed to be impossible. She promptly falls for him, in a “mild tsundere” style. Later, he meets a “tail girl” (beast girl) who is running from something that I can’t describe in this review without it becoming 18+, and he saves her too. She immediately also falls in love with him. Despite all this, he maintains an “I don’t care I just do what I want” attitude the entire book.

It would be quicker to list the things that didn’t make me groan and hold my head in my hands. Akira is that combination of “smug coolness” and “I will save everyone but pretend I’m not” that is super aggravating. Scrael the long-eared girl goes back and forth between “it’s not like I want to go adventuring with you or anything” to naked bathing with him and being surprised that this arouses him. Eldrid is basically a golden retriever in a human-ish body, and thus her immediate love for Akira is a bit ergh. He has a mage mentor who hides in his shadow all the time, who gives him dangerous assignments to help him grow and offers rewards like “I’ll let you feel me up”, which he takes. There is a serious side story about a young potion maker trying to survive in the cruel city, which just makes me angrier because it’s well written but is then followed by “lol, all Japanese okama are sexual predators!” as a gag. Oh, and the other world is gaga over soy sauce. Wait till he brings in mayonnaise.

Everything about this is meant to appeal to the lowest possible denominator. If that’s you, go nuts. As for me, I even feel less happy about the author’s other two series now.

Pick of the Week: A Smorgasbord of Manga

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MICHELLE: I’m pretty intrigued by The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish, but am gonna choose the fifth and final Marmalade Boy release because I still love this series so much and it’s a classic for good reason!

KATE: This is one of those weeks I’ve been saving up for, as there is SO MUCH good stuff arriving at your local comic shop. I second Michelle’s pick–Marmalade Boy is gloriously silly–but I also plan to buy Akane-banashi, The Fable, Tales of the Tendo Family, and Sketchy, as I NEED a manga about women finding a sense of purpose through skateboarding.

ANNA: There’s a ton of intriguing titles coming out this week, but I’m going to make Tales of the Tendo Family my pick because I’m always here to check out a Ken Saito manga.

SEAN: I’m with Kate this week: Sketchy has such a great sounding premise that even if it doesn’t quite measure up it’s still my pick of the week.

ASH: Lots of good stuff coming out this week, for sure! Everyone’s picks are solid, and I will readily admit to enjoying the first volume of Tales of the Tendo Family, but think I’m going to go with The Fable. (If for no other reason than needing to know more about the pet parrot.)

The Executioner and Her Way of Life: Lost

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By Mato Sato and nilitsu. Released in Japan as “Shokei Shoujo no Virgin Road” by GA Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Jenny McKeon.

I urge the author to do something for the next book. After writing the novel, throw the first half of it out, and replace it with a summary. Then publish the second half. This way we get all the good bits, and we avoid the crushing first half that this series always has, because the prose works best when it’s in fast action sequences and compelling character dramas, and not “moving people from place to place”. It doesn’t help that my three favorite characters in the series are Akari, Momo and Ashuna, and Akari is AWOL for plot reasons, Ashuna simply never appears, and Momo shows up on the final page. This leaves us with Menou, who I like well enough but who is essentially “the serious one”. And we also get someone who is so obviously a replacement for Akari that the text has to call it out. Fortunately, the book also has Sahara. I love Sahara. Even more so here, as she has character development, 100% against her will.

We pick up six months after the end of Book 6. Ashuna has gone back home to essentially announce that the ryals are joining the revolutionaries. Momo is in charge of watching over Akari’s body. And Menou is busy being the world’s most wanted terrorist. She’s assisted by Abbie, a conjured soldier who regards Menou (and most everyone else) as her “little sister”, and also Maya, once Pandaemonium, who has her memories of a thousand years ago back but that’s led to all sorts of issues. Chasing them is the Church, led by her old instructor priestess (unclear if Teach is her name or her job, but she’s only called that), and Michele, the new Priestess in Charge, who works for, and honestly worships a bit, Hakua. Things start to go south when Maya gets separated from Menou and Abbie. But it’s OK! Sahara will help her!… maybe?

I grumped a lot on Twitter about this, so I will admit: I really enjoyed the second half. Specifically, I enjoyed everything involving Maya and Sahara. Maya’s subplot, as she tries to reconcile her Pandaemonium memories (she’s still very bitter about Manon’s death, even though, as Sahara points out, Manon was actively seeking her own death) with her memories as a Japanese girl who was being tortured over and over for her Concept. No wonder she tries to reach out to Hakua even though she knows it’s a trap. But Sahara, oh my God. She has all the best lines in the book, and as you’d expect is lazy, jaded, and quick to avoid work and shift responsibility onto others… until she isn’t. It’s a surprise to Maya, but it’s an even bigger surprise to Sahara, who is startled to find herself trying hard to protect Maya even at the cost of her own life. It made me smile.

That said, events towards the end promises the fun times are still not happening. Menou has lost a very important connection… and that connection seems to know it. Expect fireworks next time. Probably in the 2nd half of the book.

My Magical Career at Court: Living the Dream After My Nightmare Boss Fired Me from the Mages’ Guild!, Vol. 3

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By Shusui Hazuki and necomi. Released in Japan as “Black Madōgushi Guild o Tsuihō Sareta Watashi, Ōkyū Majutsushi to Shite Hirowareru: White na Kyūtei de, Shiawase na Shinseikatsu o Hajimemasu! ” by SQEX Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Mari Koch.

It’s always tricky for romance writers when they introduce other potential partners who might get in the way of the destined couple, because you always worry that the reader will actually like them better than your end pairing and just get annoyed. And while I haven’t really minded Luke in the previous two books, I must admit the longer he’s gone without saying anything, the further down he’s fallen (even his “confession” here is a classic “I’m talking in my sleep” variety). We get a cool new partner for Noelle and Luke, and he bonds immediately with her, also being someone who was hated by everyone but got where he was through hard work and gumption. He’s not the problem – I’m not even sure he was meant to be a rival. No, the problem is the incredibly powerful elf queen who has just discovered Noelle and has decided that they are going to be BEST FRIENDS! Yuri? (no. But I can dream.)

Noelle is now a gold ranked magician, and she’s not going to let any wacky clumsy girl anime fall ruin her moment. Well, she is a bit. Now she and Luke are off to the World Magic Championships, where their country has always struggled. She ends up being paired against powerhouses who will destroy her right from the start. And yet… she keeps winning. She wins by casting faster. She wins by coming up with new magic theory on the fly. And she also wins by punching and headbutting her opponent when all else fails. (We don’t actually see this in detail, which is my biggest complaint with the book.) But it’s when she’s attacked by a group of skilled assassins that she starts to realize: someone wants to stop her getting far in the tournament… even if they have to kill her.

After two books of Noelle having low self-esteem because of her old job from hell and having to get used to everyone thinking she’s the bee’s knees, here we see that there are still plenty of people who hate her. Or rather, they hate that she’s a filthy commoner. Yes, evil nobles are still evil nobles no matter what the light novel is, and these are the usual. How dare they not know their place, if things are decided by merit we’ll lose power and privilege, etc. Fortunately, there are some mages who do still love Noelle, including the most powerful mage in the world, who has spent the past twelve years studying time magic (which Noelle almost duplicates in about two DAYS), and also the aforementioned elf, who has spent a thousand years being raised to lead the elves and never have any fun, and is now rebelling. She thinks Noelle is AMAZING. She’s the best part of the book, and I’m very happy she’s on the cover of the next one.

That said, the love interest is still Luke. Will Noelle finally figure out that he loves her from his saying “I love you, Noelle” in his sleep? Signs point to no. Good stuff regardless.

Guardian: Zhen Hun, Vol. 2

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By Priest and Marmaladica. Released in China on the JJWXC website. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Yuka, Shry, amixy. Adapted by Ealasaid Weaver.

This is something of an epic, with gods, demons, tales from the age of Chaos, reincarnations, etc. There’s a few big battles, some risky maneuvers, etc. And, of course, there’s the simmering love between Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei, which, no surprises, boils over towards the end of this book. It’s well told. That said, if you were going to ask my favorite parts of this second volume, without a doubt it was the two scenes Zhao Yunlan has with his parents, where he deals with coming out and their reactions to it. It’s one of the few times in the book where everything is taking place entirely in the human realm with human emotions, and both parents, knowing their son and his past relationships, being doubtful that this is the one, and also worried about the trouble he’ll have as a gay (well, bi, but Zhao Yunlan pretty much says “gay now” a la Willow from Buffy in this book) man in this world. I loved these scenes to bits.

We start off in much the same vein as the last book, with mysterious ailments that turn out to have supernatural ghost causes. We’re once again introduced to cool as fuck cop Zhao Yunlan, ultra repressed teacher (and soul-executing emissary) Shen Wei, the adorable dork Guo ChangCheng, Corpse King and tsundere (?) Chu Shuzhi, and of course fat cat Daqing. As the book goes on, though, we begin to expand the plot, mostly as it becomes even more obvious that Zhao Yunlan is a reincarnation of the Mountain God Kunlun. He ends up in a situation that opens his heavenly eye (which I assume is the same as a third eye for all intents and purposes), and heads out to a confrontation for the Merit Brush. More importantly for him, though, he finally manages to flirt hard enough to get Shen Wei to agree to be with him… for however much longer that may be.

I like Shen Wei, really I do. I get the sense that the last book in the series will be where he really comes to shine. But I joked on social media that he was sort of like Roger Daltrey in The Who, ostensibly the frontman but outshone by everyone else in the cast. It could simply be that “tightly repressed yearning to the point of agony” is just not my thing. It is more likely that Zhao Yunlan tends to swamp every single scene that he is in, which is almost every scene in the book, by his force of personality and coolness. I also was not expecting to be taken in by the subtextual homoerotic relationship in this book (our two leads are pretty much text). But yes, the wet and earnest Gao Changcheng and his puppyish increased devotion to sullen Chu Shuzhi, who is driven crazy by our Pure Young Lad basically just being good for no reason at all… it’s cute. I ship it. So… hoping for good things from you in Book 3, Shen Wei!

The third book is the final one of the series. and hopefully won’t kill everyone off. Till then, I can absolutely see why danmei fans love this.

Manga the Week of 4/10/24

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SEAN: Spring is here, tra-la, tra-la. It’s raining every day. Just like winter, actually.

ASH: Life is skittles!

SEAN: We start with Airship’s print releases, as they have the 2nd volume of I’m in Love with the Villainess: She’s so Cheeky for a Commoner.

And for early digital it’s Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear 18.

Dark Horse Comics has the 6th volume of their Hellsing re-release.

J-Novel Club has some print. We get the first volume of the third arc of Ascendance of a Bookworm: The Manga, where Myne is dead but Rozemyne lives on. As with all the manga adaptations, this runs in Comic Corona.

ASH: I should maybe give the adaptation a try at some point.

SEAN: There’s also An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride 16 and The Unwanted Undead Adventurer 11.

In digital, things are very quiet on the JN-C front, but we do get two debuts, both manga. Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade (Shinigami ni Sodaterareta Shoujo wa Shikkoku no Tsurugi wo Mune ni Idaku) is the manga adaptation of the light novels also released, and it runs in Dengeki Daioh.

The Banished Former Hero Lives as He Pleases (Dekisokonai to Yobareta Moto Eiyuu wa, Jikka kara Tsuihou sareta no de Suki Katte ni Ikiru koto ni shita) is also a manga adaptations of the light novels also released, and the anime debuted this week. The manga runs in Comic Corona.

There’s also Monster and Parent 4 (the final volume) and Sword Saint Adel’s Second Chance 2.

Kodansha Manga has some print titles. Debuting is The Fable Omnibus 1, a collection of the first two volumes of this yakuza series that will soon have an anime. It ran in Young Magazine.

ASH: Okay, I’m intrigued; the pet parrot seals the deal.

SEAN: Also debuting is Sketchy, the story of a woman who works in a movie rental store and is pretty burned out… till she sees girls skateboarding. It reignites the fire in her life! This ran in Young Magazine the 3rd. I am here for a womens’ skateboarding manga, even if it’s not the one that became a meme.

MICHELLE: Interesting!

ANNA: Indeed!

ASH: Oh!

SEAN: Also in print: Immortal Hounds 7 (the final volume), Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms 6, Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! 3, Quality Assurance in Another World 7, Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie 16, and WIND BREAKER 5.

The digital debut is You Must Be This Tall to Propose! (Ookiku Nattara Kekkon suru!), which ran in Young Magazine. A boy has a crush on his neighbor, who’s two years older than he is. She says propose to her once he gets taller than her. Unfortunately, he had no idea how tall she was going to get!

Also in digital: Because I, the True Saint, was Banished, that Country is Done For! 2, Gang King 16, Giant Killing 42, Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms 11, and WIND BREAKER 14.

A shoujo debut from One Peace Books is Tales of the Tendo Family (Tendou-ke Monogatari), which is by Ken Saito, the creator of The Name of the Flower and Oh My Brother! from the old CMX label. This is a long-running LaLa title about a woman who is supposed to marry into the Tendo family… which has a reputation for people dying! So she runs, and replaces herself with a fake, who is determined to do her best! This gets an Anna and Michelle alert.

MICHELLE: I never managed to finish either of those CMX series (well, they didn’t finish Oh! My Brother, either) but am still somewhat intrigued.

ANNA: I liked both these series, so I’m definitely interested.

ASH: I just wrote a little about the first volume! So far, I’m liking it.

SEAN: We’ll start Seven Seas with a new danmei debut. The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish: Canji Baojun De Zhangxin Yu Chong. This comedy series is about a man who falls asleep reading a webnovel about a ruthless tyrant who falls for his male concubine. Then our hero wakes up… as the tyrant’s pet carp. Now he has to somehow stop the tyrant becoming a tyrant in order to become human again.

MICHELLE: Could be fun, I suppose!

ASH: Sometimes these sorts of ridiculous premises actually work.

SEAN: The manga debut is The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time and Aims to Become the Ultimate Villain (Danzaisareta Akuyaku Reijou wa, Gyakkou shite Kanpeki na Akujo wo Mezasu @COMIC), the manga adaptation of the light novel also released by Seven Seas. It runs in Comic Corona.

Also from Seven Seas: Chronicles of an Aristocrat Reborn in Another World 9, Crossplay Love: Otaku x Punk 8, Dinosaur Sanctuary 4, The Dungeon of Black Company 10, I Married My Female Friend 2, Life with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated into a Total Fantasy Knockout 3, Magika Swordsman and Summoner 17, Marmalade Boy: Collector’s Edition 5 (the final volume), My Girlfriend’s Child 4, Time Stop Hero 9, and We Started a Threesome!! 2.

MICHELLE: Yay Marmalade Boy.

ANNA: Woo!

SEAN: From Square Enix we see Daemons of the Shadow Realm 4, The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl 4, and My Isekai Life: I Gained a Second Character Class and Became the Strongest Sage in the World! 12.

ANNA: I do enjoy some Ice Guy and Cool Girl.

ASH: Likewise!

SEAN: From SuBLime, we see the debut of Engage, the latest title from Yuu Minaduki, and the latest in the connected series that includes Sayonara Game, Change World, and Love Nest. A chef who only sees a customer once a year is determined to confess.

ASH: Ooooh, BL that seems to be at least tangentially related to food? That’s a subgenre I usually enjoy.

SEAN: And there is also Black or White 8.

The debut for Viz is Splatoon 3: Splatlands (Splatoon Bankara!), for fans of the game franchise. It runs in Monthly Corocoro Comic.

Also from Viz: Akane-banashi 5, Case Closed 90, Dandadan 7, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu Academy 2, Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits 9, Komi Can’t Communicate 29, and Pokémon: Sword & Shield 9.

MICHELLE: I should probably read Akane-banashi.

ASH: Ack! I need to catch up, too!

SEAN: And nothing from Yen Press, but wait till the week after next. What entices you?

Heavenly Swords of the Twin Stars, Vol. 1

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By Riku Nanano and cura. Released in Japan as “Sōsei no Tenken Tsukai” by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Stephanie Liu.

This was one of two titles that recently came out that I’m reading because I like the other series that the author has released over here. Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter is from the same writer and artist as this series (and indeed is from the same publisher), and it’s always a big highlight when I read it, despite mostly being a collection of harem tropes with a subplot of cool battle scenes. This new series is the inverse, it’s a cool battle series with a subplot of romance. (I assume it will eventually be a harem, but right now there’s only two love interests, the one on the cover and the one who will lose.) The two series don’t really have all that much in common, besides a lead guy who downplays every single accomplishment he’s ever had. Unfortunately, may I’m just not a fan of these Chinese-inspired fantasy combat books, but I found this series a lot duller than his first.

One thousands years ago, Kou Eihou and his comrade Ou Eifuu helped the Emperor to conquer nearly the entire land. Unfortunately, the emperor died seven years ago, and now Kou Eihou has been branded a traitor and has a “wanted dead or dead” warrant out for him, so, after a farewell to his friend, he leaps off a tall cliff into icy waters. In the present day, Sekiei is the “freeloader” (his terms) or adopted-in-all-but-name son (everyone else’s terms) of the great general Chou Tairan. He was found as a child, having murdered the bandits who killed his parents, and was taken in when Tairan’s daughter Hakurei insisted that he be taken with them. Now she’s a gorgeous young woman with incredible sword skills, and he’s a guy who just wants to be a civil official. despite the fact that he’s Kou Eihou’s reincarnation, and his sword and strategy skills are still there with him.

The downside to this book, honestly, is that there is not a single beat that cannot be predicted by the reader before it happens. Hakurei is skilled, but no match for her “brother”, who she has a massive tsundere crush on. Before the book begins, Sekiei was sent to the big city to learn, and ended up saving the live of a merchant girl, who is both brilliant and madly in love with him. If I asked you to describe her for me, you’d have a few ideas, and “girl who looks really young except for her big breasts” is indeed the correct answer. It’s stuff the author wanted to play around with, rather than a really strong idea. On the bright side, the fight scenes are at least well handled, and given they’re the bulk of the book, that’s a good thing. Sekiei rates about a 6 or 7 on the Kirito scale, but that’s tolerable enough for me, and he and Hakurei make a good team when she’s not doing the equivalent of “it’s not like I did it for you, OK?” all the time.

If you like military fantasy, or silver-haired tsunderes, this is a decent read. I might just stick with Duke’s Daughter, though.

I Could Never Be a Succubus!, Vol. 2

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By Nora Kohigashi and Wasabi. Released in Japan as “Watashi wa Succubus Ja Arimasen” by Hero Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Roy Nukia.

In the first volume of this surprisingly fun series, we meet Lisalinde, the beloved, perfect and pure student at the academy, and over the course of the book we discover that she has amnesia, and is actually Liz, a succubus who was part of the hero’s party to defeat the demon lord but also a raging pervert who slept with half the party and can turn anything into sexual innuendo… or indeed just sex, period. The contrast is what makes it funny, and that’s still true here. Here, though, we also get an added dimension, and it’s the reason why this series works beyond one volume. Liz is a perverted succubus, yes, but she’s also a hero, and is basically kind, good, and wants peace in the world. We see that kindness a lot more here too, and yes, it’s tied in with a lot of the sex stuff, but that’s the point of her character, and it’s why the hero’s party are frustrated by all this. They want their Liz back.

We pick up where we left off, with Lisalinde trying to live her normal, peaceful school life but having to deal with these occasional weird urges. She’s attending a fancy dress party (and sniffing Cain’s shirt after he’s forced to change due to a drinks spill); she’s helping to finish the combat uniforms that have been ordered at her friend’s shop (and also dress in erotic outfits provided by said shop); she’s going out shopping with friends and dealing with the hero party’s massive tsundere Rachel (and, in the past, helping her get stop denying her feelings and get together with another member of their party); and she’s dealing with Aina, who is certain that she’s making moves on Cain but is mostly just jealous… and honestly, Aina’s evilness is rather pathetic. Unfortunately, near the end of the book, the hero’s party goes off to take care of a crisis… but it’s a trap, and now the school is being attacked, and only Lisalinde… or rather, Liz… can save them.

I don’t want to make this sound TOO heartwarming. It’s absolutely not for anyone who is not ready for unrepentant horniness. I quoted a passage on Twitter where Liz (past Liz) is doing a perverse sentai performance, and demanding children love underpants, but was advised to remove the tweet as, well, it’s deeply, deeply, wrong. Honestly, I was rather surprised that it’s not the ENTIRE hero’s party who are part of Liz’s sexual polycule, and that Rachel and Mitter appear to be a separate couple (albeit sexual, thanks again to Liz). Even the final battle, which is mostly a dramatic fight showing how, when she actually HAS her memories back, Liz is stupid powerful, is triggered by her huffing Cain’s gym shorts for an extended period. Unfortunately, while she’s recovered enough to regain her memories for emergencies, she’s not recovered enough to keep them beyond that, so it’s back to horrified pure Lisalinde at the end.

So yes, better than it sounds, again, but only read it if you’re interested in what it sounds like.

Bookshelf Briefs 4/2/24

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Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Vol. 10 | By Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe | Viz Media – Ah, Macht. He may be trying to be a demon who understands human emotions, but that does not mean that he’s not going to massacre humanity whenever it’s convenient for him. We also meet another demon who seems to be Serie’s evil twin, and she absolutely LOVES Fern and Stark, hoping to pick their brains about humanity before she mercilessly slaughters them. Unfortunately, Frieren is down for the count this entire book, as she has to analyze Macht’s memories to figure out how to counteract the “turn everything into gold” spell. So in the end it may be up to Denken to save everyone—though he’s also troubled, as Macht is his beloved mentor too. Frieren, in the last six months, went from being a hit to a phenomenon. This volume helps to explain why. – Sean Gaffney

In/Spectre, Vol. 19 | By Kyo Shirodaira and Chashiba Katase | Kodansha Manga – There’s some interesting stories here, but it’s hard to get past the robot Kotoko, one of the funniest things this series has ever done. The fact that it’s just a tank with a Kotoko head. The fact that it’s got just as perverse a mind and filthy a mouth as the real Kotoko. The fact that the series uses it to take potshots at AI. Or the fact that Rikka is devastated at the loss of her robot, far more so than she would be for Kotoko herself. Indeed, far more so than Kotoko is when Kuro manages to accidentally kill himself making pizza. This is the other great gag of the volume, showing us that just because you can come back from the dead all the time doesn’t mean it’s harder for you to die—in fact it’s super easy. Wonderful fun. – Sean Gaffney

Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible, Vol. 12 | By Nene Yukimori | Viz Media – This really did drag things out as much as possible. Everything suggested that the big confession was going to happen on the school trip, and we even got to see them interact with an elderly couple who are clearly meant to be similar to them, but a lost child, a lost timetable, and Shiraishi putting things off one more time means it waits till they’re back at school. The outcome of this is obvious to everyone except the two of them, and the manga is very good at showing the deep insecurities that come with first love. Eventually it all works out and they’re a couple… and then the manga ends, though the author thankfully adds an epilogue for the volume release showing a future proposal. This ran on adorable, and remains so to the end. – Sean Gaffney

Natsume’s Book of Friends, Vol. 29 | By Yuki Midorikawa | Viz Media – The first story wraps up the arc from last time, and again, reminds us that perhaps working with yokai all the time is not what Natsume should be doing for the rest of his life. He can’t help but sympathize too much with them, which is why he’s so popular, but it’s gonna get him in trouble some day. It doesn’t help that the last story in this book has him literally cosplaying as Reiko, the generations coming together far more than he probably would like. In between we get a locked room murder mystery type thing involving a box that supposedly has a yokai trapped inside. Guess what happens to the box. Generally speaking I like the series more when it has a bit more hardcore main plot to it, and his is more ‘yokai short stories,’ but it’s still very good. – Sean Gaffney

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You, Vol. 9 | By Rikito Nakamura and Yukiko Nozawa | Ghost Ship This is another one of those volumes that separates the casual 100 Girlfriends fan from the hardcore fan, as we add to the list Kusuri’s grandmother, who is in her 80s but is permanently locked as a child due to excessive use of drug-taking. If this makes your jaw drop in horror, please read some more normal series. If you said “Of course she is,” welcome to the club. The other new girlfriend, Momiji, is not as interesting, and her gimmick is using her love of massage techniques as an excuse to grope anyone and everyone. Still, the girls don’t matter as much as the gags, and 100 Girlfriends remains very, very funny, provided you do not mind it scampering over every fetish ever. – Sean Gaffney

Pass the Monster Meat, Milady!, Vol. 2 | By Kanata Hoshi and Chika Mizube| Kodansha Manga – Last time I noted that these two goofy monster kids were made for each other, and in this volume we see that they truly need each other. Duke Galbraith is forced to fight monsters constantly because they overrun his territory, and he is not at all fond of his bloodthirsty reputation. As for Melfiera, her own family has been helping sell her terrifying image, and her stepmother is an absolute bitch (and, it’s implied, may have been a losing rival to Melfiera’s late mother back in the past). The idea that she can come to their territory and help them with things like “make the evil monster fish taste like fish and not magic garbage” is a huge plus, and I hope that she flourishes in her new land. Definitely reading more. – Sean Gaffney

Tales of the Tendo Family, Vol. 1 | By Ken Saito | One Peace Books – A nameless young woman has one remaining wish in her life—to die while saving the life of another. And so she finds herself taking the place of Hojo Ran, a noblewoman betrothed to Masato Tendo, a man embroiled in a deadly battle of succession. “Ran” is a surprising and unusual heroine. Her seemingly carefree and slightly oblivious nature is at odds with her astonishing ability to survive—whether by accident or ingrained reflex. Masato isn’t quite sure what to make of her either, but recognizes that she may be useful in his own familial struggles. Admittedly, he can be cruel and manipulative, but there seems to be more to his story than has currently been revealed. So far, I am intrigued by Tales of the Tendo Family and its lead characters; I look forward to reading more of the series and seeing how their uneasy relationship develops. – Ash Brown

365 Days to the Wedding, Vol. 2 | By Tamiki Wakaki | Seven Seas As you can imagine, it’s not enough to just say you’re getting married and have it magically solve everything. Or so Rika and Takuya are finding out. Someone is leaking that they’re engaged, and they’re not sure who. But now Takuya’s father is storming down to see him, trying to impress on him what a serious, involved thing a wedding will be (and, no doubt, trying to see his fiancee). Meanwhile, work continues, and a foreign princess with a reputation as a maneater is assigned Takuya as a guide, as he’s, well, a bit wet. And also engaged. As all this goes on, Rika (who, we find out in a flashback, was a latchkey kid who lived in maps more than she ever did in her own apartment) is trying to figure out why seeing him with other women bothers her so much. Oh yes, and the princess is gay. Greatly enjoying this. – Sean Gaffney

Young Lady Albert Is Courting Disaster, Vol. 5

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By Saki and Haduki Futaba. Released in Japan as “Albert-ke no Reijō wa Botsuraku o Goshomō Desu” by Kadokawa Beans Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Ray Krycki.

I am pleased to say that the antagonist of this new volume is not a new heroine or villainess fro yet another spinoff of the original game this world is based around. No, we’re going back to first principles here. Remember how this series began in the first place? With Mary Albert trying to cause her own doom because she knew that her family becoming too powerful would lead to bad things within the kingdom? Well, um, she failed, if you recall. And thus, well, her family, as well as Patrick’s, have gotten so insanely powerful, at least in the minds of some of the lesser nobles, that the worry is that soon there be be no need for those lesser nobles. And since attacking Mary Albert has, well, worked very badly for the last four books, it’s time to try to do the next best thing: go after Alicia, who even Mary says lacks any behavior at all that makes her a royal.

I appreciate that this series knows how to have the broadest possible caricatures of characters and yet also use them seriously for plot purposes. One of the best things about Alicia has been that she’s basically a bullheaded puppy who only cares about Mary (and Patrick, if she’s forced to admit it), but now it’s come back to bite her, and seeing her cowed and doing her best to learn manners (even if she’s quickly distracted) is something new. Likewise, Mary’s desires to exile herself and start her own fried migratory bird stand are all very well and good, but there’s a reason that her brothers have been absent from the last four books. We finally meet them… and they’re exactly what you’d expect from a couple of opposite personality twins who are also siscons. If I told you just that sentence, you could write all their dialogue. Marty may not want to be, but this book makes clear she NEEDS to be the next family head.

And she manages to win the day without ever really changing at all. Sure, she does end up giving in and throwing her hat into the succession ring, mostly to save Alicia, but the rousing speech that she gives at the climax amounts to one giant tsundere hair flip, thrown at the (increasingly pathetic) oppositional lords. And there’s even room for the sensible straight men of the series as well. OK, Adi is not always sensible, but he does the detective work here, which involves Mary’s old drill hair, believe it or not. And Patrick and Gainas help to remind everyone WHY Mary is so powerful and influential – every family and house that tries to go up against her becomes an ally, and they all (remotely) rally to her here.

So yes, no worries, Alicia is the princess, and she’s allowed to tackle hug Mary again. And Mary might be the next head of the family, but she’s still far more interested in croquettes and etiquette. Still a very fun series.

Pick of the Week: Turn the Skip Beat Around

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SEAN: Once again, tempted to just say “Viz”. We get so much good shoujo this week, with a new sequel for Kimi ni Todoke, the next Neighborhood Story, and the first Skip Beat! in 11 months. But my pick is the final volume of Kaguya:sama: Love Is War, a series that was one of the funniest romantic comedies to come along in years, and even had its fair share of drama as well.

MICHELLE: There’s so much good stuff this week that I almost don’t know what to pick! I’ve chosen perennial favorites Skip Beat! and Chihayafuru so many times, though, so instead I’ll opt for Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate. I loved the original series a great deal.

ANNA: There’s a lot of great stuff coming out this week but Skip Beat! has my heart!

ASH: It’s a great week for Shojo Beat, but the debut that has caught my eye is actually Nagahama to Be, or Not to Be. I’ve enjoyed the creator’s other works, so I suspect I’ll like this one, too.

KATE: The correct answer is Neighborhood Story!

Re: ZERO ~Starting Life in Another World~, Vol. 24

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By Tappei Nagatsuki and Shinichirou Otsuka. Released in Japan as “Re: Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu” by MF Bunko J. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Dale DeLucia.

I had assumed, since the end of the last volume was one of those “I have been a dumbass for a while but now I have turned the corner and am fighting back” endings, that there might be a bit less Return by Death in this book. Hardly. All that means is that the deaths are not “Subaru dies by being an idiot” but are instead “Subaru dies as he tries to figure out how to escape a damn near impossible situation”. Which means going through everything bit by bit and breaking it down into manageable chunks. but it does mean that this book is pretty exhausting, and features a lot of the cast getting their asses handed to them, as well as a lot of supposed allies turning out to be secret antagonists – though honestly, the latter should not be too surprising to a reader who is paying attention. This book is all the detective work, and the payoff will presumably be next time.

Subaru, now determined to fight back, goes back to square one and confesses to all that he’s lost his memories. He’s already worked out how he died the first time, by being pushed off the staircase, and solves that fairly quickly. The next step is to try to find Reid Astrea’s book in the Library, so that they can read his memories in hopes of finding a weakness – what killed him, for a start. Unfortunately, that ends up going badly, as when Subaru goes into Reid’s book he instead finds… another Gluttony. This one is named Louis (pronounced the French way), and she almost manages to break Subaru entirely before he’s saved by the least likely savior out there… and also the most likely, let’s face it. Unfortunately, they now have multiple Gluttonies running around, Reid running amuck, and that pesky killer scorpion. What’s up with that, anyway?

There are many amazing fight scenes in this, which the author has started to specialize in. This arc in particular continues to be a gift for Emilia fans, and that’s despite the fact that she (in one loop) gets her identity eaten by Gluttony. A fight that ends with her sneaking up behind Lye (Gluttony #2) and hitting him with a giant ice hammer while yelling “Sneak Up And WHAM” is possibly in my top five moments in the entire series. There’s also Subaru doing what he does best, which is rallying the troops and getting them to do what they do best… though sometimes even that isn’t enough. It all comes to a head in the final scene of the book, when he confronts Shaula and gets her to admit what she’s been hiding and why. It’s a very sympathetic reason – tearjerking, even – but honestly, I suspect that she’s absolutely correct and knows it. And that’s why she’s breaking down.

The next book is the final book in this arc, and I suspect it will need to be a much longer volume in order to fix everything up. Till then, this was a solid volume, and had a minimal amount of Subaru being a dumbass, which is always my measuring stick for how enjoyable it is.

Sasaki and Peeps: An Unidentified Flying Object from Outer Space Arrives and Earth Is Under Attack! ~The Extraterrestrial Lifeform That Came to Announce Mankind’s End Appears to Be Dangerously Sensitive~

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By Buncololi and Kantoku. Released in Japan as “Sasaki to Pi-chan” by Media Factory. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Alice Prowse.

One of the tropes of this series, which is not exactly welcome but I’ve been able to deal with it, is that Sasaki is a main character, in his late 20s/early 30s, who accumulates either underage girls or girls who look like underage girls, some of whom are either in love or dangerously obsessed with him. This is brought home once more in this volume, when he shows up at Hoshizaki’s apartment and her younger sister notes that he now has ANOTHER underage girl with him, and, very sensibly, feels she cannot trust him around her sister. As such, I appreciate Sasaki’s narration spelling out that, even if he’s not explicitly asexual, that he is at least totally uninterested in sex with anyone right now. This is not going to reassure the younger sister, nor is it stopping Elsa from being engaged to him (which happens here), but it at least assures the READER. The author is here to jam pack this story with as many genres as possible, but harem is not near the top.

Picking up where the last book left off, there’s a UFO that the entire world are dealing with, and Sasaki, Hoshizaki and Futarishizuka are assigned to do something about it. As it turns out, a lot of groups have made their way to the alien, and are being quizzed – and then rejected. Unfortunately, thanks to Hoshizaki trying to define the word “lonely”, the alien realizes that she’s suddenly overcome with that feeling, and decides to try to destroy the Earth because she can’t handle it. Fortunately, this does not happen, mostly as the alien (who is basically “robot girl” for the sake of the tropes, and is called Type Twelve) gloms on to both Hoshizaki and Kurosu, the neighbor girl, who are trying to help her make friends and find happiness when she has no concept of such things. Boy, sure hope one of them doesn’t get kidnapped by bad guys, that would ruin everything…

Since my last review, we’ve had the anime of Sasaki and Peeps, and it was… OK, I guess. It’s getting a second series, though that’s mostly out of necessity given the nature of the plot. One complaint I saw was that the neighbor girl was pointless, and, well, yeah, none of her stuff becomes relevant till Book 3, so of course she is. Because Sasaki and Peeps is a genre mashup, in general the more genres it mashes the better. And this volume has almost everything, with the fantasy isekai aspect being the only one getting short shrift here. Alien robot girl searching for emotions and super powerful is not the most original of ideas, but originality is the opposite of what this series needs. Everyone gets to do cool things. Futarishizuka gets to be an adorable asshole. Hoshizaki is tsundere. Neighbor Girl (look, he doesn’t call her Kurosu so why should I?) is still terrible at social interaction. Sasaki is a bit of a narrative blank (Futarishizuka calls him “flaccid”, which, ouch), but I can deal with it. We want to see what crazy thing will happen next. That’s that point of the series.

Next time we might see the “island cut off from communication” trope, which should be fun. Till then, enjoy all the cute girls and be reassured Sasaki has no interest in any of them.

A Misanthrope Teaches a Class for Demi-Humans, Vol. 2

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By Kurusu Natsume and Sai Izumi. Released in Japan as “Jingai Kyōshitsu no Ningen-girai Kyōshi: Hitoma-sensei, Watashi-tachi no Kibo o Mitsukete Kuremasu ka……?” by Media Factory. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Linda Liu.

This is the sort of series where you can call the second volume “more of the same” and have it be a good thing. We’re here for very specific things. We want to see new students trying their best to become human, and we also want to see Hitoma, despite everything, be a really great teacher who is slowly regaining his faith in humanity. We’ve still got the three students from before, and now we add three, which gives us a lovely opportunity to dig into why these girls want to become human. Sometimes it’s pretty easy, like Minazuki and her desire to be a dancer (she’s still graduated, by the way, and doesn’t show up in this second book). Sometimes it’s harder, like Usami, whose goals have gotten so large that they’re almost impossible to achieve. And sometimes they’re… well, done to please someone else. And that forms the crux of the most interesting part of this book.

As noted, there are three new students in the classroom this year. Karin Ryuzaki is a dragon girl who has fallen in love with her teacher at first sight, and is determined to confess – despite the obvious issues with a student teacher romance. Machi Nezu is a mouse girl with an obsession with food and also an obsession with her little sister, who is in the lower grade of the school. And Neneko Kurosawa is a cat girl who seems to sleep most of the time and be relatively uninterested in class when she’s forced awake. When asked why she wants to be human, she replies at first that it’s a secret, then later that it’s someone else’s desire. But Neneko has a bigger secret, one that will severely impact her time at this school: she doesn’t actually want to become human at all.

The other girls do also get attention paid to them. We now know Haneda’s secret, of course, so she has a larger role than usual. Usami is trying harder than ever, but at least is allowed a bit of closure from her previous life. And Ohgami is… well, I hesitate to say that she’s the weak link. Her story is touching and feels earned. But I get the sense she graduated mostly as the author had run out of things to do with her. We don’t even see the “split” that is supposed to allow both aspects of her to pursue separate human lives, it’s all implied. Bit of a bummer. By contrast, Neneko’s story is the most interesting, being a companion of a witch who is at risk of becoming a yokai rather than a human. But she’d rather deal with that than deal with being separated from the one she cares for, and I like that she’s able to get that across and that they’re searching for a solution.

The book ends with a cliffhanger that makes me wonder if it will end in the next volume, as it certainly promises to wrap up Hitoma’s past trauma. But the 3rd book in the series only came out a few days ago in Japan, so it will be a while. Till then, this is good fun and heartwarming.

Manga the Week of 4/3/24

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SEAN: It’s time for April manga! The best month!

MICHELLE: All the cool people were born in it!

SEAN: We start off with Viz Media, who have a spinoff to debut. Sequel? One of those. Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate (Kimi ni Todoke Bangai-hen – Unmei no hito) takes place after the main series, and focuses on Kurumi. It apparently also ties into Crazy for You by the same author. It ran in Betsuma.

ANNA: I should actually finish Kimi ni Todoke before I read a sequel.

MICHELLE: Ooooh.

SEAN: Also from Viz: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations 19, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War 28 (the final volume), Marriage Toxin 2, Moriarty the Patriot 15, Neighborhood Story 2, Rainbow Days 9, Sakamoto Days 11, Skip Beat! 49, and Tamon’s B-Side 3.

ANNA: Skip Beat!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!

MICHELLE: And more Neighborhood Story! This is a good week!

ASH: It really is!

SEAN: Tokyopop has Acid Town 5, Is This the Kind of Love I Want? 2 (the final volume), and Since I Could Die Tomorrow 2.

Square Enix debuts Victoria’s Electric Coffin, a Shonen-ish title from GFantasy (hence the -ish). A prisoner on Death Row meets Victoria Frankenstein, a 13-year-old genius, who wants him to become her new experiment.

ANNA: OK, the concept for this sounds amusing to me.

SEAN: They also have By the Grace of the Gods 10.

Debuting from Seven Seas is Nagahama to Be, or Not to Be, a BL title from Cheri + (and yes, it uses the English in the Japanese title). Complete in one volume, it’s from the creator of Jackass!, Two boys bond over fish and possibly being gay.

ANNA: It sounds like that’s a strong possibility.

MICHELLE: The cover is cute!

ASH: I really enjoyed Jackass!, if I recall correctly, so I have hopes for this one, too.

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: Cinderella Closet 5, How Heavy are the Dumbbells You Lift? 14, The Kingdoms of Ruin 8, Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari 6, MoMo -the blood taker- 8, Tokyo Revengers 19-20, and Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii 2.

One Peace Books gives us It Takes Two Tomorrow, Too 3.

ASH: Did we skip over, It Takes Two Tomorrow, Too Two? I feel like I would have remembered that. Regardless, the first volume was enjoyable.

SEAN: Kodansha Manga has a print debut. Bless is a fairly new series from Shonen Magazine Edge, and features a hot model who really wants to be a makeup artist, and the girl he discovers, who tends to hunch and has freckles, but with his help can be a fantastic model. This sounds great, to be honest.

ANNA: Hmmmmm.

MICHELLE: I like the synopsis!

ASH: It does sound like it could be intriguing.

SEAN: And more series getting omnibuses, this time it’s That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Omnibus. The first 3 books are out in one volume.

Also in print: Fairy Tail Omnibus 3, How I Met My Soulmate 2, Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister 4, and Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun 7.

SEAN: Digitally, we see Chihayafuru 43, Those Snow White Notes 16, and The World is Dancing 5.

MICHELLE: So, let me get this straight. April 2nd has a Kimi ni Todoke sequel, Neighborhood Story, Skip Beat!, Iruma, *and* Chihayfuru?!?! It’s like a birthday present to meeeeee.

ASH: A happy birthday, indeed!

SEAN: Two debuts for J-Novel Club. I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic (Botsuraku Yotei no Kizoku dakedo, Hima datta kara Mahō wo Kiwamete Mita) is the light novel, and has a middle-aged commoner suddenly waking up in the body of a child noble. Sadly, his family is filled with pathetic people, and his house is about to fall.

The manga debut is The Otome Heroine’s Fight for Survival (Otome Game no Heroine de Saikyou Survival @COMIC), an adaptation of the light novel JNC already put out. It runs in Comic Corona.

They’ve also got Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill: Sui’s Great Adventure 6, the 2nd D-Genesis: Three Years after the Dungeons Appeared manga, Lady Rose Just Wants to Be a Commoner! 6 (the final volume), Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire 10, When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace 10, and You Like Me, Not My Daughter?! 5.

Ghost Ship has Please Go Home, Miss Akutsu! 5, Sundome!! Milky Way 9, and World’s End Harem: Fantasia 11.

And Airship, in print, has the debut of Trapped in a Dating Sim: Otome Games Are Tough For Us, Too! (Ano Otome Game wa Ore-tachi ni Kibishii Sekai Desu) is an “alternate route” story featuring Marie.

And they also have Raven of the Inner Palace 5.

ASH: Still need to get around to reading that!

SEAN: In early digital Airship has Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord: Production Magic Turns a Nameless Village into the Strongest Fortified City 2 and There’s No Freaking Way I’ll be Your Lover! Unless… 4.

Some tasty manga there!