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Konosuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World!: Yunyun’s Turn

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

I have to admit that I was less thrilled with the second volume of Megumin’s spinoff series. This is pretty much because the middle half of the book is filled with Zesta and Cecily, the two Axis Church members that we’ve seen in KonoSuba books 4 and 8. I don’t mind Aqua, mostly as she’s not a creeper, but the same cannot be said for the acolytes of her church. The running gag here is that, because the Axis Church basically has as its creed “do whatever the hell you want”, it tends to attract the wrong sort of people, and we see that here, played, of course, for comic effect. Zesta is infamous for his behavior, to the point that when he’s arrested and falsely accused of being a traitor to the human race, no one wants to bother to defend him. Cecily is also pretty bad, taking opportunities to feel Megumin up in the bath, etc. Fortunately, the first and last parts of the book are much better.

Despite the subtitle of the book, we do not get Yunyun’s narrative POV here, alas. Which makes sense, as the fun of Yunyun is watching her flail, not getting inside her head. That said, she does come off pretty well in this book. Following Megumin to Arcanletia because, well, because life without Megumin terrifies her, Yunyun as always tends to alternate the ‘sensible’ role with Megumin when the situation calls for it. The last quarter of the book shows the two on a carriage to Axel Town with a number of other people, and various monsters keep attacking the carriage. This leads to the funniest part of the book, as Megumin can’t use Explosion without hurting the other travelers, so ends up being pitied and looked down on by everyone else as Yunyun, who can use various magics, takes out all the monsters. Of course, at the end Megumin does end up showing off and regaining people’s respect – it’s her series, after all.

The plot, aside from shifting Megumin to Axel Town (the book ends right as the first in the main series begins – Megumin sees Kazuma and Aqua arrive in this world, though she resolves not to have anything to do with them), involves Chomusuke being sought after by a demon who is convinced (and not without good reasons, as readers of the main series will know) that Chomusuke is Lady Wollbach. Megumin, despite verbally not caring about Chomusuke, ends up defending her against this demon, despite also taking the cash offered to hand her over. (This is how the broke Megumin can finally afford to leave the village.) This, of course, sets up events in Book 9, which had not been released at the time this came out in Japan (this came out between Books 5 and 6). Again, seeing the contrast between Megumin’s seemingly blase attitude towards everyone and everything and her actual feelings deep down is the main reason to get these books.

So yes, I wish there had been less Axis Church, but overall this was still pretty good. Next volume likely will see things end up how they were at the start of the series proper – with Megumin and Yunyun separated, and Megumin meeting Kazuma and Aqua properly.

Manga the Week of 3/4/20

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SEAN: March is coming in like a lion, unless you mean March Comes in Like a Lion the manga, that’s still unlicensed. But what else do we have?

MICHELLE: I really want that manga!

SEAN: Denpa Books debuts a new series, Pleasure and Corruption (Tsumi to Kai). This is a Square Enix title from Young Gangan, and seems to be more on the “Fakku” end of the Denpa scale rather than the “Vertical” end, if you know what I mean.

ASH: Wink, wink; nudge, nudge.

SEAN: J-Novel Club has some new print releases. Crest of the Stars Books 1-3 get a deluxe hardcover release, recommended for all space opera fans.

ASH: Oooh, I might have to check that out now that it’s (back) in print.

SEAN: There’s also An Archdemon’s Dilemma 4, Infinite Dendrogram 5, and Marginal Operation (manga) 2.

On the digital side, they debut the Demon Lord, Retry! manga, based on the light novels that they are also releasing. They’ve also got Campfire Cooking in Another World 5, The Combat Baker and Automaton Waitress 4, and the third A Very Fairy Apartment manga.

Kodansha has… no print releases. But there is a digital debut, A Condition Called Love (Hananoi-kun to Koi no Yamai). It’s a Dessert title, about a girl who ends up going out with a popular guy after his messy breakup with someone else. But is she just a rebound, or something more?

MICHELLE: This is by Megumi Morino, whose Wake Up, Sleeping Beauty I liked a lot, so I’m expecting good things.

ASH: I liked that one, too.

ANNA: Sounds interesting.

MJ: Oh, count me as interested.

SEAN: There’s also All-Rounder Meguru 13, Blissful Land 5, Smile Down the Runway 7, and To Be Next To You 3.

Seven Seas… also has nothing. What an odd week.

ASH: That does feel strange!

SEAN: Tokyopop is giving us Aria: The Masterpiece 5. This should be the first of the re-releases with new to English material.

Vertical has the 3rd Bakemonogatari manga, still in the midst of Mayoi’s first arc.

Fortunately, Viz still has a ton of stuff to pad out this list. The debut is Love Me, Love Me Not (Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare), a Betsuma title that is the latest from Io Sakisaka, the creator of Ao Haru Ride and Strobe Edge. It’s an award-winner. Plot? High school kids in love, of course.

MICHELLE: Of course. Still, I am here for it.

ANNA: Me too, not surprisingly.

MJ: Same!

SEAN: Also out on the shoujo side, we have Daytime Shooting Star 5, The Demon Prince of Momochi House 15, Snow White with the Red Hair 6, and Vampire Knight: Memories 4.

MICHELLE: I’ll be reading 75% of those!

ASH: Haha, same!

ANNA: YES!

MJ: I’m behind on the ones I’m reading, but I need to catch up!

SEAN: The shonen end is more loaded up. The debut is Samurai 8, the new manga from the creator of Naruto (though someone else is doing the art this time). First ninjas, now samurai.

We see… wait, is that D.Gray-Man 26? I think it’s been years since the last volume of this!

ASH: It has been awhile, hasn’t it?

SEAN: And we have Black Clover 20, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba 11, Dr. STONE 10, Dragon Ball Super 8, Haikyu!! 37, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War 13, My Hero Academia: School Briefs 4, One-Punch Man 19, and The Promised Neverland 14.

MICHELLE: A buncha good stuff here! Last I looked, there was only a nine-chapter gap remaining in Haikyu!! chapters in VIZ’s Shonen Jump vault between collected volumes and magazine issues. Perhaps volume 37 will eradicate the gap entirely!

ASH: It very well may!

SEAN: Lastly, Yen Press has one lone straggler due out next week… and it’s a debut! A debut with a title that is… well, eye-catching, if nothing else. After School Bitchcraft (Houkago Bitch Craft) comes from my nemesis, Comic Alive, and is about a teacher who secretly practices witchcraft at school, and the student who can walk through all his defenses. It seems like one of those “for people who like boobs” titles.

MICHELLE: :\

MJ: What Michelle said.

SEAN: For those who can take or leave boobs, what are you getting this week?

Hi Score Girl, Vol. 1

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By Rensuke Oshikiri. Released in Japan by Square Enix, serialized in the magazine Big Gangan. Released in North America by Square Enix Manga. Translated by Alexander Keller-Nelson.

I admit that at first I did not get the double meaning in the title – before reading the manga, the reader might think that ‘Hi’ is a simple affectation, sort of like saying ‘U’ instead of you. But as you get to know the two leads, with each chapter beginning with Haruo running into Akira in one arcade store or another, you get the impression that it’s also meant to be “Hi, Score Girl!”. Because these two can’t get away from each other – at first by accident, and gradually as the book goes on by choice. They come from completely different backgrounds, but are united in their need to escape their daily lives, and also their skill in any number of games. What’s more, the series clearly takes place in 1991, and so this is also a massive nostalgia-fest for the games of that era – especially Street Fighter II. Those who read other manga (Hayate the Combat Butler) may be surprised that the titles and characters are uncensored. Well… there’s a lawsuit behind that. But it all worked out in the end.

Both kids are twelve years old, though the end of the volume implies there may be a small timeskip coming. Haruo is your standard loser kid with bad grades – in fact, ludicrously bad grades… given his skill at games and his excellent analysis of other people, I have to assume these zero tests are exaggerated for comic effect. Disliked by most of the class, his sole respite is the local arcade (yes, remember, it’s 1991… though he does have a small game system at home). There he plays games… mostly Street Fighter but you will see others as the volume goes on. And meets Akira, a rich girl in his class beloved by everyone. Why is she playing Street Fighter II? Why is she so GOOD at Street Fighter II? She’s not about to tell him, as she doesn’t speak. The manga is not clear about this, but I think it’s meant to be inferred that she CAN speak, but does not because that’s the way this manga rolls. That’s fine, for although she’s supposed to be a stoic little princess, Haruo brings out the worst in her… and also, eventually, the best.

The artstyle is a little odd, which lends itself well to amusing faces, especially from Haruo, who gets punched in the face, kicked in the balls, hit by a car multiple times… he’s basically there to get beat up. But he’s an understanding kid at heart, despite his jealousy about gaming scores, and rapidly understands that Akira’s intense drive to do arcade gaming masks a very lonely girl whose home life is pretty much rigid and arranged for her. The two slowly bond, as she brings him things from school when he’s home sick (and then plays on his home system) and the two are dragged with their classmates to an amusement park (and get so absorbed in games they lose everyone else… which, trust me, is a good thing). They even explore what turns out to be a haunted arcade. Sadly, by the end of the volume, just as we’re seeing burgeoning tween love, she’s moving to America, and flies away. But not before a tearful airport farewell. The end!

…OK, not the end, there are nine more volumes. The preview implies Haruo will move on to middle school (somehow… I assume you can’t get held back in elementary school) and meet a new girl who seems to really like him. That said, I assume Akira will be back. In the meantime, enjoy this sweet and funny ode to the arcade games of yore.

Tearmoon Empire, Vol. 1

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

It’s been a while since I’ve been so entertained by a light novel debut. The premise of the story already had me half-won over, to be honest. Mia Luna Tearmoon is this world’s Marie Antoinette, a spoiled young princess who only cares about herself and thus, when the revolution comes (a revolution she unwittingly instigated), she is sent to the guillotine. But then… she wakes up ten years earlier, right as rain! Now she has a firm goal: change history! So far so normal, right? It’s a familiar plot to fanfic writers, so familiar it has a name – “Peggy Sue”, after the 1986 movie Peggy Sue Got Married. However, Mia hasn’t really changed all that much. She’s still a selfish princess who thinks only for herself… mostly. The intense desire to not get her head cut off, combined with the miserable three years in prison she spent before that, have led to several alterations in how she interacts with people. In fact… she slowly becomes terrific. Despite what she or the narrator might think.

In addition to the Peggy Sue aspect, there are other ‘genres’ of books I was reminded of. Mia is an “Otome Game Villainess” in all but name, and a lot of the interactions she has with others will make the reader think of Bakarina. I was also reminded of the old J-Novel series Me, a Genius?, in that some of the humor of the book comes from Mia misinterpreting everyone’s actions, and absolutely everyone misinterpreting hers. Her maid, Anne, becomes absolutely loyal and devoted. Her advisor, Ludwig, is convinced she’s brilliant (because she remembers all the issues that made the Empire fall in her past go-round and parrots it back to him). The exception to this is the narrator, who is very much a Lemony Snicket-style narrator, constantly reminding the reader that Mia’s motivations are focused only on herself, and that frequently she does not MEAN to do the immense good she does.

That said, one of the few drawbacks in this book is that sometimes the narration overdoes it a bit, because over the course of the book, we *do* see Mia doing a lot of good, even if her intent may be different. Though her, people’s lives get better, things are happier. What’s more, Mia is gradually getting less selfish. Part of this may be simple premonition – when she tries to ignore some noble girls bullying Tiona, who is the girl who eventually leads the revolution against Mia, she gets a chill down her spine. Is it realizing that ignoring it would be a disaster for her future? Or is it a growing conscience? I suspect the latter. She chooses to go to the rescue, and it’s great. Mia has a sharp tongue, something that does not change in either timeline, but using it for good rather than evil is a definite plus. She also flirts with a young prince, at first in order to gain his country’s help should the revolution still occur, but gradually finds him genuinely attractive and charming, and so reacts like a normal teenage girl. It’s sweet. (There’s also an amazing scene where a bitter young noble swaps out some food at a party for stale crackers she brought as a prank, and when Mia eats them she not only is nostalgically reminded of the food she was given in prison, but is clever enough to realize that the preservatives used in these THREE-YEAR-OLD crackers can help her kingdom’s food issues.)

I tend to ‘quote tweet’ parts of a book as I read them. I didn’t do that with Tearmoon Empire, but that’s simply as the quotable bits were entire paragraphs and scenes that would have been too long to tweet. This book is funny from start to finish, from the snarky narration to the hilarious misinterpretations and even to normal “just write it funny” scenes like the young noble girls trying (badly) to make a lunch for Mia’s beau, which was AMAZING. There’s also a diary extract at the end that reminds you that no one misinterprets Mia’s own actions quite like Mia herself. It’s the sort of book you want to go back and re-read the moment you finish it. (You may have to – the 2nd volume hasn’t started up on J-Novel Club’s schedule yet, though I understand it’s coming soon.) If you avoided this book because of its shoujo-style cover, you need to give it a read. I loved it.

Bookshelf Briefs 2/25/20

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DAYS, Vol. 16 | By Tsuyoshi Yasuda | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – Usually with sports manga I can find some emotional beat to highlight, but this volume really is just a bunch of soccer. Not that that’s a bad thing. Seiseki has progressed to the second round of the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament and their opponent is Ichiboshi Academy, whose unpredictable playing style proves challenging. Tsukamoto takes a bit of a backseat this time as Yasuda-sensei focuses on some older players like Oshiba, whose experience gets him past Ichiboshi’s impressive defence and allows him to score the first goal of the game, and Usui, who is shockingly bested by Ichiboshi as they score a goal of their own. It may not be deep, but it is fun, and I always appreciate how clear Yasuda’s panels are, particularly in depicting pass and shot trajectory. I’ll keep reading! – Michelle Smith

Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro, Vol. 2 | By Nanashi | Vertical Comics – When it comes to teasing titles, I like this better than Uzaki Wants to Hang Out (which I’ve dropped), but it’s still well below Teasing Master Takagi-san. Where it does succeed is in the art—Nanashi is really, really good at drawing embarrassment, and knows it, so the entire title revolves around both leads getting red-faced and twitchy. The problem continues to be that Nagatoro does not get enough scenes where she’s shown to be teasing rather than just torturing him, and the “senpai” remains a thoroughly wet protagonist. That said, the addition of her two friends did make a nice addition, as it brings out her jealousy. No one toys with my senpai but me! – Sean Gaffney

How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?, Vol. 2 | By Yabako Sandrovich and MAAM | Seven Seas – The blatant fanservice is still there, but there may be slightly less of it, or perhaps I’ve just gotten used to it, as I was not as distracted by it this time around. Instead I remain fascinated by the workout advice, as well as the wacky adventures of the girls getting the advice, primarily Hibiki, who remains the best thing about this book. We’re also introduced to a new character, Zina, a Russian girl who really wants to be true to the stereotypes that Japan has about Russians. She’s fun, losing to Hibiki in a competition and then transferring to challenge her… and ending up in a different class. Again, I’m surprised that, despite some really blatant service, this remains refreshingly non-sleazy. – Sean Gaffney

An Incurable Case of Love, Vol. 2 | By Maki Enjoji | Viz Media – Maki Enjoji’s titles always seem to have heroines that I really enjoy, even when they’re screwing up. Case in point: Sakura at a party gets drunk and basically talks FAR too much, both to the group and later on to Tendo. Despite this, it’s really rather adorable and not pathetic, which is sort of what you’d expect. The manga also gets good later in the volume, as she deals with something that nurses also have to handle: a stalker who became obsessed with her as a patient. As for Dr. Tendo, he’s dealing with a rival for Nanase’s affections… and also a rival in teaching her how to be a good nurse, as he valiantly donates his poor arm until she shows she can put in an IV properly. This is just fun. – Sean Gaffney

Kase-san and Yamada, Vol. 1 | By Hiromi Takashima | Seven Seas – This is not the first Kase-san book, but the title change signals a sea change: the girls are in college, and Kase-san and Yamada are now definitely the focus rather than flowers, pastries, etc. That said, their couple status is both the plus and the minus of this book: as Erica Friedman and others have noted, both of them are dating but decidedly in the closet. And this is a problem on both sides: Kase becomes jealous when Yamada is invited to a group date, and takes steps to intervene; likewise, Yamada realizes that Kase has a roommate, and that, when her love is sick, she cannot simply rush to her side to take care of her. Real life tends to put crimps in a relationship. Maybe next volume they can tell the roommate about it. – Sean Gaffney

Komi Can’t Communicate, Vol. 5 | By Tomohito Oda | Viz Media – The majority of this volume is devoted to a culture festival, where our class has decided to do a maid cafe, mostly as Komi wants to do one. She may have trouble communicating, but she’s still the princess of the school, and a lot rides on her opinions. Of course, there are challenges. Tadano ends up being forced into a maid costume as well, Najimi’s attempts at making money break school rules and come close to violating actual laws, and Yamai exists. We also meet one or two new characters, including a sempai type and an “easygoing” type who tends to wander off, get lost, etc. Komi-san runs on cliches—deliberately so—but it remains at its heart sweet and heartwarming, especially when the two leads are interacting. – Sean Gaffney

Let’s Kiss in Secret Tomorrow, Vol. 1 | By Uri Sugata | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – Saya Kanra and Yuto Kozaki have been friends since elementary school and chastely dating since junior high. Yuto gets a makeover prior to starting high school, wanting to look cool and gain some confidence. The makeover proves too successful, alas, and now he has so many fangirls that Saya, fearing ostracism, has pretended not to know him and adopted the guise of someone disinterested in love. Now they’re trying to keep their relationship secret, occasionally aided by nerdy junior high classmate Amabiki, and talking mostly over voice chat, where things have started to get steamy in the tamest possible sense of the word. This may not be the most robust premise for a series, but I did like that the situation causes Saya to question both her own identity and her past assumptions about Amabiki’s quality of life. This series is complete in three volumes, which feels about right. – Michelle Smith

Living-Room Matsunaga-san, Vol. 1 | By Keiko Iwashita | Kodansha Comics – Originally a digital-only title, Living-Room Matsunaga-san has now achieved a print release! Due to family circumstances that aren’t fully explained, second-year high school student Miko Sonoda is shunted off to live not with her uncle but at her uncle’s boarding house with a bunch of strangers. Miko’s mother seems utterly unconcerned about this, and expects Miko to handle things herself. Thankfully, Miko is pretty capable for a teenager, with occasional lapses, and though she’s initially intimidated by her new housemate Jun Matsunaga, who comes across as belligerent and domineering, she soon realizes that he’s kind, caring, and passionate about his work as a graphic designer. Various situations ensue and Miko finds herself falling for him. While I’m not enthusiastic about a teen/adult romance, I do like these characters, the art style, and the kitty, so I’ll be proceeding on to volume two! – Michelle Smith

The Man Without Talent | By Yoshiharu Tsuge | New York Review Comics – While several of Tsuge’s shorter manga have previously made their way into translation, The Man Without Talent is his first long-form work to be released in English. In the accompanying essay, translator and historian Ryan Holmberg describes it as “Tsuge’s most popular and accessible work.” Originally serialized between 1985 and 1986, The Man Without Talent incorporates semi-autobiographical elements into its narrative. The story follows a cartoonist who seems to have largely given up on cartooning despite the pleas of his wife. Instead, he tries, struggles, and ultimately fails to make ends meet by selling stones he finds along the river near his home. The manga is an occasionally surreal but compellingly honest work, in part an examination of poverty, creativity, society, and self-determination. Readers rightfully intrigued by The Man Without Talent will soon have more of Tsuge’s manga to look forward to—Drawn & Quarterly has a seven-volume series of collected works planned. – Ash Brown

My Androgynous Boyfriend, Vol. 1 | By Tamekou | Seven Seas – Hooray for more josei! Souma Meguru is a beautiful guy who gets profiled in magazines and has many followers on Instagram. He’s been dating Machida Wako, busy editor, for seven years (ever since high school). This slice-of-life series depicts their domestic bliss as well as some of the challenges they face, like rumors that Meguru is actually dating a fellow male model or Wako’s coworker’s assumption that Meguru is female. I particularly enjoyed the chapter in which they go to “Ikeya” and Wako invents backstories for Meguru as he sits in various display rooms. It’s nice to read about a couple that has been together for so long; their relationship exudes trust and devotion. That said, it’s a bit weird that Meguru looks about twelve throughout, when he’s supposed to be so hot. Overall, this was pleasant and I’ll most likely check out volume two. – Michelle Smith

Our Dining Table | By Mita Ori | Seven Seas – I have read thousands of volumes of manga at this point but seldom have I encountered one as intensely charming as Our Dining Table. Yutaka Hozumi is a lonely salaryman who lost his parents at a young age and was never accepted by his adoptive siblings. When a pair of brothers comes into his life, exuberant four-year-old Tane Ueda and harried college student Minoru, Yutaka finds a family that will not only accept him but actively desires he be present as much as possible. I loved the slow progression of Yutaka and Minoru’s relationship; it’s one of those where it’s absolutely clear how they are healing each other of their trauma and what each finds appealing in the other. Also, Tane is incredibly adorable and it’s obvious how much fun Ori-sensei had when drawing him. I loved this without reservation. – Michelle Smith

Daytime Shooting Star, Vol 5

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Daytime Shooting Star, Volume 5 by Mika Yamamori

As the student/teacher romance in Daytime Shooting Star progresses I find myself thinking, “Oh, that’s cute” and “Stop being so inappropriate Shishio!” very often and simultaneously. Most of this volume is taken up with the old shoujo staple of a school festival. It is the perfect opportunity to shake things up as teens run cafes, put on plays, and engage in high stakes emotions. Mamura in particular is popular as a mostly silent butler at the cafe. Suzume does her best to serve coffee but she’s flustered when Mr. Shishio shows up and sits in her section, accompanied by her uncle. Mamura is in full protective mode, making a comment to Shishio that “A teacher has no business seducing his students” before being distracted by his own family showing up at school. Mr. Shishio confronts Mamura later on, and when Mamura acts cold to Suzume afterwards, she gets annoyed. While all the drama is happening in the cafe, Nekota has to pull herself together to be Juliet after being rejected by Mamura. Her Romeo is the popular and seemingly superficial Togyu, but he’s actually surprisingly insightful.

Suzume is somewhat oblivious to all the drama surrounding her, but she’s feeling awkward about going to see Nekota’s play solo. Shishio shows up in a mascot costume so he can take her to watch the play which is somewhat endearing but also a little creepy. After putting on the brakes for so long, Shishio admits that he has feelings for Suzume, and she’s absolutely stunned. The rest of the volume deals with the aftermath of the emotional revelations from the school festival, as Nekota tries to move on and Suzume decides to work part time in her uncle’s cafe in order to save up to buy Shishio a birthday present. Showing characters navigating through daily life while dealing with plenty of emotions is one of the things that Daytime Shooting Star is good at, along with the consistently stylish art. We aren’t quite halfway through the series yet, but I’m firmly on team Mamura now. Go Mamura! I’m still enjoying this series, mainly because Suzume and Nekota are so oddly sympathetic, but reading it is also balanced out with the tension that comes with reading a romance manga that is going all in on an inappropriate relationship, making me wonder when all the quasi-romance is going to cause some severe negative consequences for all the characters.

Pick of the Week: Quality Assortment

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KATE: I think the best way to describe this week’s new arrivals is A Whole Lot of Stuff I’m Unlikely to Read. I will cop to being interested in Shuzo Oshimi’s Blood on the Tracks, though the part of me that read Flowers of Evil, Drifting Net Cafe, and Happiness wonders how many volumes I’ll read before it just gets too squicky for me.

ANNA: There’s a bunch of stuff coming out this week but I have to say what most interests me is the reissue of Saiyuki. You’ve got Jeeps! Monkey gods! Cigarettes! Guns! Pointy ears! Cranky Priests! Yokai! Is there a more 90s series than this? I don’t know, but I’m glad it is being released again.

SEAN: It’s definitely a Kodansha week for me – leaving aside Saiyuki, there’s also the debut of Sweat and Soap, and new volumes of In/Spectre and Magus of the Library. Kodansha is my pick!

MICHELLE: I’m intrigued by Blood on the Tracks, though I could not make it through Flowers of Evil, so perhaps that will happen again. And I’ll definitely be checking out Saiyuki and Kodansha’s latest digital shoujo debut, I Fell in Love After School. But what I am most excited about is a new volume of The Ancient Magus’ Bride. I love that series very, very much.

ASH: I love The Ancient Magus’ Bride, too! But this week my pick goes Magus of the Library – I’m really enjoying Mitsu Izumi’s fantasy take on librarianship and how surprisingly accurate it can be at times.

MJ: Even though I’ve still got my old copies of Saiyuki, I doubt I can turn down a chance to buy them again, especially in shiny, new hardcover editions. Though nothing will quell my longing for more of Minekura’s Wild Adapter, I’ll take what I can get. Bring me Saiyuki!

I Refuse to Be Your Enemy!, Vol. 1

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

Despite the fact that, if you look at forums and message boards, you’d think “otome game villainess” novels were the new vampire or Alice trend, we haven’t actually had too many legally licensed over here yet. My Next Life As a Villainess, aka Bakarina, it a very broad comedy, almost a parody, of the genre. Accomplishments of the Duke’s Daughter just has the manga so far, and seems more interested in the politics and worldbuilding than it does in anything else. This new series, though, may be the purest form of the genre I’ve heard of. It’s not subverting anything – in fact, the opposite, it’s almost painfully earnest throughout. Our heroine knows she’s going to be a villainess (actually, not even that – a mid-boss) and get killed by the hero, and does her damndest to avoid that in every possible way. All this while falling in love. Light novel fans might be a little disappointed. Romance fans should be quite happy – it’s right up their street.

Kiara has had a rough life. The daughter of a Baronet (the lowest rung of nobility), her mother died early, and her father sold her off to the family of a count. There she was fed odd potions, trained in poisons and knifework (for some odd reason) and shipped off to boarding school. What’s more, she’s been having these odd dreams where she lives in a different world as a schoolgirl playing an RPG… whose plot sounds a lot like the world she lives in! What’s more, she remembers from the dream that she (with a different, married name) is not only a spellcaster, but is brutally murdered by the heroes. So when a letter comes from the count telling her to come home and marry the guy whose last name she now recognizes, she very quickly runs away. Fortunately, she ends up hiding in the wagons of a group of young men who are sympathetic to her story… and one of them is more than he seems. Now she has to find a way to stop the fate she’s familiar with from the game from happening.

As you might guess, this is an isekai of sorts, but it’s handled in an interesting way. Kiara never loses her sense of “self” to whoever the Japanese girl whose memories she has, which the memories remaining “dreamlike”. As such, it feels a lot more realistic, even when she brings up RPG terms. On the down side, her character can be highly variable depending on the nature of the plot – she was bad at school, so has to have a few things explained to her (and the reader), but by the end of the book she’s putting her RPG memories to use as a real-time strategist, and seems to get far too good at spellcasting far too quickly. The better parts of the book are her interactions with Reggie, her love interest (yes, besides the presence of two other obvious candidates, there seems to only be one love interest here), and her “I must be mistaken no one could be interested in me” thought process is both frustrating and adorable.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, which is a bit annoying as it felt like if it had gone 10 pages more, we could have ended the series with the first volume. But there are five more. In the meantime, this is pretty solid, if a bit humorless. It’s serious romantic fantasy, with everyone acting the roles as straight as they can.

Hayate the Combat Butler, Vol. 35

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By Kenjiro Hata. Released in Japan as “Hayate no Gotoku!” by Shogakukan, serialized in the magazine Shonen Sunday. Released in North America by Viz. Translated by John Werry.

The revelation that Viz Media has licensed the newest manga by Kenjiro Hata, Tonikaku Kawaii (aka Fly Me to the Moon) for release this fall came as a big surprise to the huge number of Hayate the Combat Butler fans… OK, really, there’s just two of us now, but we were surprised! After all, Hata’s Hayate the Combat Butler still has about fifteen volumes left to release, but continues to come out at the “we won’t cancel it, but we hate you” two-volumes-per-year schedule. Fly Me to the Moon may begin and end while Hayate still coming out. Still, for those who do enjoy a new Hayate volume every spring and fall, this should give you something to sink your teeth into. It has a minimal amount of Nagi, which, let’s face it, is always a plus, and one we’ll get less and less of as Hayate barrels towards its conclusion. (I don’t hate Nagi, but she suffers from being less appealing than half the cast). Instead, Ruka is still ascendant.

I don’t think this is deliberate on Hata’s part, but as Hayate the Combat Butler rolled along, it ended up showing off a new “favorite girl” who everyone loved and was much better than Nagi… and then gradually forgetting about them till they became irrelevant. Hinagiku is the most obvious example – she may be on the cover here, but her days as lead girl are long gone, and Athena came along, stomped all over everyone else… and then became Alice, who is also barely in the plot. And now there’s Ruka, who was not as warmly welcomed by fans (who have long memories and probably guessed what would happen), but she gets the back half of this book as pure, almost serious romantic tension with Hayate, and does a very good job of it. Hinagiku does get a chapter or two here, but it’s in support of her sister Yukiji, who used to not only be cool, but play the guitar! Hinagiku is upset Yukiji abandoned her dream, Yukiji is there to remind readers dreams are not abandoned, just deferred. She promises to shape up. It likely won’t last, but is sweet to see.

Part of the problem of taking this seriously, of course, is that Hayate the Combat Butler is always first and foremost a fourth-wall breaking gag manga. Before it’s a romantic harem comedy. Before it’s a serious examination of childhood abuse and abandonment. Before it’s a supernatural action series. And the cast know it. One chapter in this volume has Risa being annoyed by the fact that she’s not “spoiled” by Hayate, and this leads into a discussion of Izumi, and the fact that her character type is inherently more popular (with both Hayate and, it’s inferred, readers). Despite what they say, it’s not just the panty flashes – it’s that Izumi blushing and helpless is funny Izumi. Also, frankly, Risa is a boke, and thus, like many of Hayate’s love interests, she’s been eclipsed by a new and better boke – Fumi, who gets her own completely ridiculous chapter. (Miki works best around Hinagiku, but since her sapphic side was revealed, has been around her less – not sure how deliberate that is).

In the end, Hata is happy to point out all the flaws in Hayate the Combat Butler directly in the text. This can be funny… and also intensely frustrating. Welcome to the experience of being a Hayate fan.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Anima, Vol. 2

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By Ikuto Yamashita. Released in Japan as “Shin Seiki Evangelion Anima” by Kadokawa Shoten, serialized in the magazine Dengeki Hobby. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Nathan Collins. Adapted by Peter Adrian Behravesh.

It occurred to me as I was reading this second volume, and glancing at most of the color pages, that this was written to be serialized in Dengeki Hobby, a (now defunct) magazine devoted to fans of the plastic model kit. It therefore should come as no surprise to me that the book is a lot more concerned with the Evas and how they function than the inner workings of the actual cast. There are some moments where that’s not the case – Misato’s grief at Kaji’s fate here is well handled, as is her quick recovery, and Shinji’s raging grief in his attack near the end also rings true. But as I watched everything get worse and worse and worse, it occurred to me that the problem with this continuing on from the end of the original TV series is that there’s no way to back up and get much of what the start of the TV series had – fun. It’s a very interesting continuation, but it lacks joy.

Of course, there are very good reasons why fun is in short supply. This is an apocalypse narrative, continuing straight on from the first book, and there’s simply no time to settle down and have a penguin raiding your fridge. Shinji and Super Eva (I will never get used to that name) are trying to fight against a mind-controlled Hikari and her German Evangelion; Misato and Toji are trying to hold down the fort back at base, despite her getting kidnapped midway and his worrying about Hikari; the Reis are all dealing with the death of Cinq in various healthy and unhealthy ways, and Quatre is still a very troubled soul; Kaji stops Kensuke from putting on a possessed mask and losing his identity by… doing it first (yeah, I dunno either); we get the fabulous and somewhat bonkers adventures of Asuka… ON THE MOOOOOON!; and there are far, far more people turned into pillars of salt, to the point where you will get sick of the phrase.

Of these subplots, Asuka had my favorite, showing off a lot of smarts, gumption, and pure survival tactics. Despite this, she loses most of her hair and almost her existence; it takes Hikari and Shinji calling out to her to give her an identity again, and even then she’s… well, let’s leave that as a spoiler. Shinji, aside from his RAGE near the end, does not really get time to do much soul-searching as he’s constantly on the run and fighting; at one point he has Maya in his cockpit, and later on Rei Trois, but this Shinji is made of sterner stuff. Of course, he may have a few issues continuing on after the events in this book as well. And there is a LOT of apocalypse imagery – in addition to the pillars of salt, there’s ancient animals coming back to life and killing people, natural disasters killing people, the Lance of Longinus killing people… if you’re a resident of Earth in this book and aren’t part of the main cast, it doesn’t look good for you.

As I said, this book is quite interesting, and I do want to see what happens next – especially as they’re running out of disasters and we have three more books to go. But, as someone who never really cared about the giant robot battles in Evangelion, it can be a bit of a slog.