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Manga the Week of 2/5/25

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SEAN: The shortest month is here, but don’t expect less manga.

Yen still has a few stragglers from January. Yen On has a 6th volume of The Eminence in Shadow.

And Yen Press has Pink and Habanero 2.

Viz Media “debuts” Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, which is basically “Boruto after the timeskip”. It still runs in V Jump.

Also from Viz: Colette Decides to Die 2, Dandadan 11, The Elusive Samurai 14, In the Name of the Mermaid Princess 5, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Shining Diamond’s Demonic Heartbreak 2, Kagurabachi 2, Prince Freya 11, Queen’s Quality 21, Rainbow Days 14, World Trigger 27, and Yona of the Dawn 43.

MICHELLE: Man, I haven’t read any Yona in so long. Time to remedy that!

ASH: I have some catching up with Yona to do, too. I’ve also recently been told I should read Dandadan.

ANNA: I also need to catch up with Yona

SEAN: THREE debuts for Tokyopop. I Don’t Need a Script for Love (Ai no Serifu wa Irimasen) is a one-shot BL title that ran in from RED. Actor and model have a one-night stand… but then the model is brought in as an emergency replacement in the actor’s show! He doesn’t fraternize with cast members… BUT…

My Contract With the Apothecary Monster (Kusuri no Mamono no Kaiko Riyuu) is a shoujo manga based on an unlicensed light novel, which runs in Comic Corona. A girl forms a contract with a monster, which usually means giving up years of her life, but he doesn’t seem to want that. What does he want?

ASH: Indeed, what could it be?

SEAN: This Is But a Hell of a Dream (Kore wa Akumade Yumenanode) is a one-shot BL title that ran in from RED. A naive incubus is brought home by an alluring host… and the host has to teach him what being an incubus is all about. *cough*

ASH: One would think that would have been covered during orientation.

SEAN: Steamship gives us Outbride: Beauty and the Beasts 7.

Square Enix Books has a 4th print volume of The Apothecary Diaries, which will be the 2nd half of this anime season, for the curious.

ASH: I’ve been enjoying this series.

SEAN: And Square Enix Manga has the 6th and final volume of SINoALICE.

Debuting from Seven Seas is Now That We Draw (Kakunaru Ue wa), a seinen title from Young Animal. A high school manga wannabe is told by an editor his manga is too boring. But when a classmate of his sees it and reveals she’s an artist with similar problems, they get into a fake relationship to help each other with ideas. It’s Young Animal, so expect this to have a pile of fanservice.

ASH: That’s one way to solve writer’s block, I guess.

SEAN: Pet Shop of Horrors: Collector’s Edition (Maboroshi No Hana Yoi No Tsuki) is a re-release of the series Tokyopop put out 20 years ago. It ran in Horror M, as well as Apple Mystery. A pet shop sells strange animals that seem to be involved in strange situations… and the owner? Also strange. This is a new translation, and I believe the Bunkoban release, so 300 pages or so.

MICHELLE: I am excited for this! I own the TOKYOPOP editions, but never got around to reading it.

ASH: It’s a good-looking edition!

ANNA: I read several volumes of the old edition and liked it!

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: CANDY AND CIGARETTES 11 (the final volume), Daily Report About My Witch Senpai 4, Delinquent Daddy and Tender Teacher 6 (the final volume), Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord 4, Hatsukoi Note 2, Heroine? Saint? No, I’m an All-Works Maid (And Proud of It)! 2, I Married My Female Friend 4 (the final volume), I Ship My Rival x Me 2, Lazy Dungeon Master 10, My Dear Detective: Mitsuko’s Case Files 2, Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentōshō 6, A Tale of the Secret Saint 8, and Throw Away the Suit Together 3 (the final volume).

MICHELLE: I should read My Dear Detective!

ASH: Likewise.

SEAN: There’s also Case File Compendium: Bing An Ben 4 for danmei.

One Peace Books has the 10th and final volume of Usotoki Rhetoric.

MICHELLE: Oh, already over!

ASH: The perfect time for me to finally get around to reading more.

SEAN: No debuts for Kodansha Manga. In print we see A Condition Called Love 11, The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity 5, MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM THE ORIGIN MSD Cucuruz Doan’s Island 3, Ogami-san Can’t Keep It In 7 (the final volume), The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse 15, Snow & Ink 2, Vinland Saga Deluxe 6, WIND BREAKER 9, and Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun 12.

MICHELLE: All those other times I pledged to read Iruma-kun, I didn’t manage to do it. Will this time be different?

ASH: I believe in you!

SEAN: Digitally we have Chihayafuru 48, My Wife is a Little Intimidating 10, Shangri-La Frontier 19, and Those Snow White Notes 25.

J-Novel Club has one debut, The Hero-Killing Bride (Yūsha-goroshi no Hanayome). The plot will sound a bit familiar to fans of The Executioner and Her Way of Life. Our heroine is a nun who’s actually an inquisitor, and is assigned to seduce and kill the hero who is getting to be more popular than the church. Except the hero is also a girl. This is dark yuri, along the lines of… well, The Executioner and Her Way of Life.

ASH: Huh.

SEAN: Also from J-Novel Club: Dimension Wave 2, Doll-Kara 9, Finding Avalon 5, Gushing over Magical Girls 11, The Hero and the Sage, Reincarnated and Engaged 3, the 2nd The Oblivious Saint Can’t Contain Her Power manga, the 5th Peddler in Another World manga, Reincarnated Mage with Inferior Eyes 7, The Reincarnated Princess Spends Another Day Skipping Story Routes 9, The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World 3, Seventh 10, and VTuber Legend 8.

Ghost Ship has a 13th volume of 2.5 Dimensional Seduction.

And Airship has, in print, the debut of The Too-Perfect Saint: Tossed Aside By My Fiancé and Sold to Another Kingdom (Kanpeki Sugite Kawaige ga Nai to Konyaku Haki Sareta Seijo wa Ringoku ni Urareru). The title is the plot, but having read the digital version, I’m far more excited for the upcoming anime. This does interesting things.

ASH: That’s good to know!

SEAN: Also in print: The Mimosa Confessions 3, Reborn as a Space Mercenary 11, Reincarnated as a Dragon Hatchling 9, and Though I Am an Inept Villainess 8.

And there’s early digital for Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord 4 and Witch and Mercenary 2.

I’ve decided to streamline these lists by removing the parts of the light novel titles that come after the colon (except for debuts). Did it help?

MICHELLE: Yes!

ASH: That’s a good trick; don’t let the secret out.

If the Villainess and Villain Met and Fell in Love ~ She Was All But Disowned for Her Spirit Contract, But She’s Still Competing with Her Rival ~, Vol. 3

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By Harunadon and Yomi Sarachi. Released in Japan as “Akuyaku Reijō to Akuyaku Reisoku ga, Deatte Koi ni Ochitanara: Nanashi no Seirei to Keiyaku Shite Oidasareta Reijō wa, Kyō mo Reisoku to Kisoiatte Iru Yō Desu” by GA Novels. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Evie Lund.

So-called Villainess books have glutted the market over the last three to four years, and I have seen a few folks saying that it’s just the female-narrated version of the isekai. But of course the two genres have very different goals. Isekai is, at heart, wish fulfillment. I have the coolest powers, I get a harem of girls, I battle the demon lord, etc. Villainess books, on the other hand, start out in much the same place as a lot of isekai – my life is wretched and everyone hates me – but the best examples of the genre dig deeper into the terrible life. I’ve come to terms with the fact that this series is never one I’m going to read for the cute romance, and I don’t think the author cares much about it either. This book is about seeing a survivor of abuse take control of her own destiny and confront her demons.

We left off last volume with her father’s ultimatum, telling her to come back to the main house or… well, we’re not sure, but Brigitte assumes it means “or I will disown you”. In the meantime, there’s a dance coming up, which she and Yuri agree to go to together after a lot of awkward faffing about. We also meet her brother Roze, who was adopted into the family after Brigitte’s disastrous spirit reading, and who seems to really like Brigitte a lot… possibly in a Keith Claes way, if you know what I mean. Yuri certainly does, and he’s unhappy. Unfortunately, Roze also tells Brigitte that their mother has disappeared, and Brigitte, still wrestling with what to do about that ultimatum, decides to help try to find her. What follows is basically all the dark secrets of the past revealed.

The author has also written Even a Replica Can Fall in Love, which I just reviewed the other day, and I have to say, they’re really good at writing trauma. It’s not much of a surprise to find that dad’s ultimatum is not “come back or be disowned”, it’s “come back and give me your phoenix, you ungrateful child”. Worse revelations are to come, too. But it’s a testament to Brigitte’s determination and resolve that she’s able to stand up and fight back… though the help of Yuri and her friends to make this a lot more final than anyone really intended also helps. The romance is pretty cute, too.

Honestly, this works perfectly well as an ending to the series, and I wondered if it was. But there is a suggestion that we still have further to go, as Brigitte worries that once the knowledge of her phoenix gets out, everyone will be coming after her. Likely that’s where this is going in future books. Till then, come for the cuteness, stay for the angst and schadenfreude.

Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll Do Anything to Become a Librarian!: Short Story Collection, Vol. 2

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

The main series may have ended, but there are still stories to be told. Especially given this is one of TO Books’ best-selling juggernauts. As with the first collection, this contains extra short stories that were online exclusives, bookstore exclusives, or otherwise not collected with the short stories that follow Rozemyne’s narration in the main series. The stories run the gamut, timeline-wise, from the start of Part 2 to midway through Part 5… yes, that’s medium-sized Rozemyne on the cover, we’ll have to wait till the third volume (just out in Japan last month) for the post-growth glow-up stories. Unlike last time, this does give us a brief story from Rozemyne’s POV, as she discusses Ferdinand with his old attendant. For the most part, though, this is from the POV of others, and it helps to establish one of the things we’ve learned most from the side stories: thanks to rumors, hearsay, and general eccentricity, Ehrenfest is seen by others as deeply untrustworthy.

Among the many stories in this volume, we get two from the POV of Brunhilde, which take place very early in her career at Rozemyne’s attendant, and show us how difficult she found it to understand her at first, and how ignorant of noble customs Rozemyne is. We get Raimund’s backstory, which reads exactly like it is, as a bullied nerd finally finding a place for himself among other nerds. Florencia watches and makes occasional observations as Elvira and company accidentally invent genderbend fanfics. Tuuli realizes, thanks to Karin and Lutz, that’s she’s fallen for Benno, and the realization crushes her as she knows it will never happen. Justus reminisces about a time in the past when Ferdinand going to Ahrensbach was what everyone dreamed of. Barthold is very, very angry that people are trying to stop his treason. And Lutz and Tuuli have one of the least romantic engagements ever.

That last one should not surprise anyone who’s read the main series, where its main romance is remarkable for its lack of sexual charge. Rozemyne and Ferdinand both tend towards the asexual, though not aromantic, and Eckhart and Angelica’s on-again off-again engagement is mostly of interest to them because it means they can keep beating people up when needed. Sylvester and Florencia are very much NOT the norm. And so we see here. Tuuli is harboring a crush on Benno, but there are 87 reasons why that’s not realistic. She’s also busy with work all the time, and thus unlikely to meet any better options. Lutz is exactly the same. The two of them agree to get engaged quickly, but that’s less “we realized our feelings for each other” and more “we want to prevent Tuuli, who still lives on the wrong side of the tracks, from getting abducted by creeps”. It’s not remotely romantic, but it makes sense. And that’s good enough in this world.

As I said above, there’s a third short story book that just came out. But before we get that, we’ll get the first in the spinoff series, featuring Hannelore, who will be a very different narrator from Rozemyne, I expect. Till then, this is a good selection of stories.

Even a Replica Can Fall in Love, Vol. 2

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By Harunadon and raemz. Released in Japan as “Replica Datte, Koi o Suru” by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Andrew Cunningham.

I was very curious to see what the author would do with this book. So was the author, to be fair. They’d written a story that wrapped up very neatly in one volume, and they weren’t that enthusiastic about writing another one. That said, fear not, this book is just as dynamite as the first one. And just as gut-wrenching, of course. Normally I don’t really worry about spoiling books in my reviews, as my readers ruefully know. But I need to discuss one of the bigger plot twists in this book a bit below. That said, I will keep the end of the book a surprise. Much of this book is cute and heartwarming, with an odd tinge of dread and melancholy. Which is exactly what I expected given the first. Then we get to the last few pages, which give us a punch to the heart and then a punch to the throat. Which, again, is exactly what I expected given the first.

Sunao has been spending all of her time in her room lately, seemingly doing nothing but study, and is content to leave Nao to get on with everything. Which includes the upcoming school festival. Unfortunately, the literature club gets hit with one of the standard high school romcom plotlines: they don’t have enough members, and will be shut down by the student council unless they show their worth by selling 100 copies of their book at the festival. Which is about 90-something more than the previous festival. Fortunately, one of the student council folks is the sole member of the drama club, which is also in danger of being shut down. So they team up. The literature club (well, OK, Ricchan) writes an adaptation of Princess Kaguya, and will also help perform it… if they can convince Mori, the other student council member, to go along. Oh yes, and someone is dumping paper all over the school that reads “there’s a doppelganger in our school’.

The first volume had me spend most of it wondering what replicas actually were. The second one seems to be digging into the question of WHY there are replicas. In Sunao’s case, it’s because she saw Nao as a convenience to get her out of things she didn’t want to do, and softens considerably at the end of the first book… well, so we thought. But one of the things I am going to spoil, mostly as you likely could have guessed it, is that there’s another replica introduced here, though the word “doppelganger” is used here as well. Replicas are very personal for each person who creates them, and that’s what we have here. But their existence, as we’ve seen, is fragile. The first book shows us Nao literally come back from the dead. The second book runs along a similar track, but that track pulls into a very different station.

So yeah, I’m still bad about not spoiling things. Suffice it to say, if you loved the first, you will love the second. Also, unlike the first, there’s a VERY nasty cliffhanger here. And we’ve got to wait till spring for the next book. (paces around)

Pick of the Week: Assassins and Bike Shops

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ASH: There are quite a few debuts that intrigue me this week but which also give me slight pause because something doesn’t seem to sit quite right with me about their premises. All but Takahashi from the Bike Shop, that is. I’ve actually been looking forward this one for some time. (And actually recently started biking again, myself.)

MICHELLE: I am in the same boat! I might check out Killing Line and Home Sweet Home, but Takahashi from the Bike Shop wins by virtue of not involving assassins or teenage co-ed cohabitation.

SEAN: I think I’m not that into much this week, but Killing Line definitely has my attention, so let’s go with that.

KATE: I’m with Sean: Killing Line looks like a potential bright spot in an otherwise dreary week of new releases.

ANNA: I agree, Killing Line has my attention this week.

The Trials and Tribulations of My Next Life As a Noblewoman: Married and Off to the Frontier!

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By Kamihara and Shiro46. Released in Japan as “Tensei Reijo to Sūki na Jinsei o” by Hayakawa Shobo. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Hengtee Lim.

This was a title I’d been waiting for with great anticipation. I’d heard about it before it was licensed, as people on Twitter were discussing this series as “Oh my God… oh my God!” and noting not to get too attached to anyone in the cast. It’s also by Hayasaka Publishing, and one thing I’ve learned about them is that when they go into a common genre, like isekai/reincarnation books, there’s a very good reason and the book is going to be something else. Fortunately, all my anticipations were met with a remarkable book. Now, that’s not to say that it’s FUN… though there are a few moments of humor sprinkled throughout (notably our heroine trying to “invent” things from modern Japan and failing time and again). But it’s a fascinating read, with a great heroine. Just… be aware it’s a bit dark. There’s rape, there’s death, there’s torture (offscreen). The trials and tribulations in the deliberately bland title are no joke.

Trying to summarize this 554-page book is a bit ridiculous, but… Karen, our heroine, has been reincarnated from Japan as a noble girl, and spends the first 14 years of her life living happily. Then it comes out she’s the product of an affair, and she’s disowned. So, she goes to school to try to get a job… only to find, near graduation, no one will hire her as they know her past. Then she’s taken back into the family!… as her sister is now the King’s concubine, and had Karen being reinstated as one of her demands before she agreed to it. Now Karen’s a noble again… and is offered a choice. Either marry a gorgeous, handsome knight. Or marry a 63-year-old dude who lives out in the middle of nowhere. Karen, naturally, picks… the old man?

The whole book is like this. Another reason that people might be wary of it is that if you dislike plot twists, this book is poison to you. They come about every ten pages. Every time Karen was forced to return to the capital from her new home in the country, I cringed, because bad stuff always met her there. Her new husband, as it turns out, already has a common-law wife, but that suits Karen fine, she did not marry him to have kids or anything. As for the other choice, unsurprisingly given the cover art, he keeps turning up, and it rapidly becomes clear from their conversations that they’re perfect for each other (Karen describes them both as “odd”, which is a massive understatement. Everyone thinks Karen is a weirdo.) Unfortunately, it turns out (surprise!) that Reinald has his own secrets, and they’re big secrets.

There’s other characters I liked, such as the classic “young perky loyal maid”, and the Margrave’s common-law wife Emma, who has the patience of a saint but also does not want to get involved. This is one of those books that I recommend reading in chunks rather than all at once, but it’s rewarding. Also, feel relieved: J-Novel Club made a deal with the publisher to cut the next book in half, so the 2nd book, Part 1, will be a more sensible length. Which is good, as it means it’s coming faster, and I really want to read more about Karen, who is an odd combination of seemingly sensible but actually quite daring.

Bookshelf Briefs 1/26/25

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Blue Box, Vol. 13 | By Kouji Miura | Viz Media – OK, no, we’re still not back to sports. I know it’s coming, but we’ve got to bask in the honeymoon phase a bit longer. Including the “my parents aren’t home” meme, except they actually do live together. Don’t worry; nothing happens; this is not that kind of Jump manga. And we also have to have Taiki tell Hina that he and Chinatsu are a couple, which means she finally has to let go for real. Thankfully, we do get some badminton action in the back half—but not the badminton action that we the reader or Taiki want, as Yusa’s been sent on a trip abroad, meaning Taiki can’t be playing him this time around. Of course, that also means that it’s time for Taiki to realize that he really is that good, and to start to be more confident in himself. In sports, at least. – Sean Gaffney

Guilty Smile, Vol. 1 | By Kou Unazuki and Cilone | Steamship – Based on an unlicensed light novel, this is basically a dark shoujo romance with added non-consensual sex. Lailah, our heroine, is pretending to be her sister Malaika and confronting the man who destroyed their kingdom, Khalifa. Since Malaika absued him horribly, he now wants to do the same, and proceeds to rape Lailah and put a curse on her that will force her to obey him. Unfortunately for him, a) this is the wrong girl, b) he actually loved Lailah, and c) that particular curse will eventually kill the one it’s put on. It sounds unpleasant, but the writing and art are pretty good, and Malaika makes for a “laughing mad” antagonist you love to hate. As for how they’ll get out of this, I’m not sure, but I at least expect more consensual sex next volume. For fans of the genre. – Sean Gaffney

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate, Vol. 3 | By Karuho Shiina | VIZ Media – In this volume, we get the happy ending that we were always going to get. I’m sure to some, getting to that point felt like a frustrating slog, what with Kurumi’s raging insecurity, self-criticism, and constant need for reassurance, but honestly, I find her so relatable that it was refreshing to read a shoujo romance with a heroine like her. “My mind is full of junk,” she says at one point. Yes! I get you, Kurumi! Finally, once she has been able to accept that Eiji has seen all of her flaws and still likes her, she can relax and stop worrying. It’s genuinely nice to see her happy and at peace by the end, not to mention finally able to tell Sawako that she loves her. Maybe this sequel isn’t essential, but I’m still glad it exists. – Michelle Smith

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You, Vol. 12 | By Rikito Nakamura and Yukiko Nozawa | Ghost Ship I’m not Rentarou, so I don’t have to say that every girl is the best girl. (Though the manga certainly does. Forget popularity polls, this one is rigged from the start.) As such, I will admit I was not overly enamored of Mai, who is our third tsundere variant, to go with the tsundere parody and the hungry tsundere. Mai is the jealous tsundere, but I can deal with it, I guess. Better is the start of the volume, when the polycule competes with a neighboring town in various races, only the town has stacked the odds by hiring professionals. The site of the girls all bonding with each other and finding cool and hilarious ways to win (Hakari can add fanservice to ANYTHING) is still great. – Sean Gaffney

Rainbows After Storms, Vol. 1 | By Luka Kobachi | Viz Media – This isn’t technically a shoujo manga (it’s on the online platform, and if it had a genre it would be yuri), but it reminds me of those series you’d see in LaLa, where the first few chapters all reintroduced the core plot for the reader, as the series was a series of one-shots until the publisher gave the OK for it to be ongoing. That’s not the case here, but the vibe is the same. See, Chidori and Nanoha are dating. But they’re keeping it a secret from everyone else. We know this because they tell us, every single chapter. Other than that, this is cute. Nanoha is bubbly, Chidori is sullen, but they really love each other and it shows… most of the time, unless Nanoha needs validation, as one of these girls is much harder to read than the other. Not sure I can read this for thirteen volumes, but it’s cute. – Sean Gaffney

RuriDragon, Vol. 1 | By Masaoki Shindo | Viz Media – I’ve been following this series since the first chapter came out, and I have adored it almost from the first page. The story of a high school girl who wakes up one day with horns, and then hears that her dad is actually a dragon, the series works so well because it’s not about to turn into a Shonen Jump series, despite appearing in it. This is concerned with characterization and nuance, not dragon attacks, and Ruri’s biggest issues are worrying about what her class will think about it, the fact that she has new dragon powers but doesn’t know what they are, and her natural sullen introvertedness being essentially forced out of her by dealing with everything. Please read this. – Sean Gaffney

We’re New at This, Vol. 18 | By Ren Kawahara | Kodansha Comics – The final volume of this series is certainly odd compared to the rest of it. It takes place about seventeen years after the rest of the series, and mostly stars Sumika and Ikuma’s twins, a girl with Ikuma’s personality and extrovertedness, and a boy with Sumika’s emotional repression and “cool” features. Unfortunately, most of their subplot is about his immaturity and desire to never be apart from his twin sister. It never gets incesty, which is good, but it wasn’t really the story I wanted to read. The best parts of the book focused on our main couple, and how they’re still basically perfect for each other, even if they’re not having quite as much sex as they used to (though we do get the obligatory scene). I’ll miss these dorks. – Sean Gaffney

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 13

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By Natsu Hyuuga and Touko Shino. Released in Japan as “Kusuriya no Hitorigoto” by Hero Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Kevin Steinbach.

It had to come sometime. The Apothecary Diaries has finally given us a short story volume. Well, sort of. This is not exactly the “we collected all the bookstore-exclusive stories and bunched them in a book” volume we see from other light novel series. The stories detail the main cast’s return to the rear palace after a year away in the West, what has happened in their absence, and what’s going to happen going forward. With one exception right at the very end, Maomao is not the POV character for any of these stories, which makes them unique. That said, Maomao certainly inhabits a lot of the narrative, and the ending of the 12th volume, which saw her finally coming to terms with what she and Jinshi have going on between them and showing it physically, turns out to be something that absolutely everyone can see written all over their faces. Which means… well, it means a lot more go stones have to be set in motion, as a Jinshi/Maomao pairing could be deadly if not handled properly.

The stories, which can sometimes stretch over multiple chapters: 1) Lahan has to deal with a hanging corpse found in Lakan’s chambers, which is made to look like a suicide but it’s soon clear isn’t; 2) Jinshi meets up with the Emperor and Empress, and is told that the rumbles over Gyokuyou’s son being the WRONG kind of future emperor have only been getting louder (it’s that red hair, you see); 3) Maamei has to deal with her sister-in-law returning from the west permanently injured, and her brother being far too attached to a duck, which is not a metaphor for former consort Lishu at all; 4) Yao and En’en still have not left Lahan’s residence, much to the irritation of everyone except Yao, who clearly has a crush on him. This ends up possibly getting solved by 5) the return of Lahan’s brother, and the demise of the best running gag in the series. 6) Maomao catches up on things at Verdigris House, including a shocking change; 7) Maomao is called to meet Ah-Duo, who has heard the rumors about her relationship with Jinshi and has a few things to say; 8) Jinshi invites Maomao to his residence so their love can finally be consummated… or at least that’s what everyone except Jinshi assumes.

The stories build up to the big climax (or rather, lack of climax) of the ending, in which Maomao is nervous but ready but Jinshi has not yet emotionally or politically prepared himself for the consequences of this relationship. It’s probably for the best they wait a bit more. Elsewhere, I was as startled as Maomao to hear that Meimei is no longer in the brothel, having been bought out by the Go champion we saw in previous books. We don’t even see her in this volume, which is bad in that she was the one Princess we got the most development for, but also good as it means Joka, the one we knew the least about, gets a spotlight, where we see she’s worrying about her future and wants to forget about her past, something which might be harder than it appears. I was relieved to see Chue has stuff to do here, and will not be written out anytime soon, mostly as she’s become my second favorite after Maomao herself. Best of all, though, is the way that the “Yao has a crush on Lahan” plotline, which every character hated and so did I, is resolved. It’s resolved so simply I’m amazed I never thought about it. And what’s more, despite the demise of the running gag I mentioned before (we now know his real name), it lives on! (he still can’t use it, because spoilers).

I assume with Vol. 14 we’ll be back to Maomao POV, and probably a lot more political backstabbing and murder. Till then, this is a great way to handle a short story collection.

From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman: My Hotshot Disciples Are All Grown Up Now, and They Won’t Leave Me Alone, Vol. 5

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By Shigeru Sagazaki and Tetsuhiro Nabeshima. Released in Japan as “Katainaka no Ossan, Kensei ni Naru: Tada no Inaka no Kenjutsu Shihan Datta noni, Taisei Shita Deshitachi ga Ore o Hōttekurenai Ken” by SQEX Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Hikoki.

It’s always difficult to figure out how far you can take your self-effacing hero, and how long you can drag things out before readers start to get annoyed. J-Novel Club seems to specialize in these sorts of guys, actually, and Beryl is the newest of them. Veight from Der Werwolf may claim that he’s just a simple vice-commander, but by the end of the series he’s so OP that he can’t even pass the torch to his daughter properly, the narrative weight is too big. Allen from Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter certainly has the most actual reasons for his attitude, but he also has the most number of people aggressively trying to change it. Our hero here is not nearly as advanced as those two, content with taking out the occasional ludicrously dangerous monster and stopping the odd conspiracy to overthrow the government. But he’s still just a drab, boring old man. Anyone could do what he does… right?

Beryl gets a letter from home. His parents are asking him to come home for a few weeks, as it’s time for the annual “let’s go into the mountains and cull the dangerous fantasy boars that inhabit it so they don’t overrun the village”. They also want him to take Mewi, so they can meet their new daughter. Beryl isn’t sure Mewi would want to go to a backwater village with a boring old man like him, but she seems to accept immediately. Funny, that. Also coming along are second-in-command of the knights Henblitz, who states that he wants to see the sort of place that can easily cull dangerous beasts every year without asking for help. And somehow Beryl’s old student Yotsuba invites herself along, as when she was at the dojo she never did this, having run off to join the knights before she had the opportunity. That said, the lingering question is… will his parents harass him again about getting married?

The answer to that is no, mostly. They don’t confront Beryl directly, but instead buttonhole Henblitz, asking him if there are any women in Beryl’s orbit. Possibly missing the really obvious reaction Yotsuba had when asked if she’s Beryl’s new wife. And also missing that Henblitz is also a clueless guy married to his job. The fight against the saberboars is pretty much what you’d expect – there’s a really big one that Beryl has to defeat, and he does so. We’re not here for that (though we do get to see more of Yotsuba’s ludicrous strength again, which is really, really ludicrous – she also provides the only fanservice in the book when she dives in a river and her clothes get sheer for the illustration). But we’re here for what happens at the very end of the book – Beryl fights his dad, and wins, and his dad forces him to admit that he’s now stronger than him. I could have some words with dad about his bringing up Beryl leading to this, but I am hoping that Beryl can now move forward and perhaps accept the fact that he’s hot stuff. And perhaps notice the hot girls throwing themselves at him.

So this was a pretty good volume in a decent series… hrm? Oh, I’m being told that Yotsuba’s name is actually Curuni? And not Yotsuba. Not sure why I keep making that mistake. Anyway, next time we’re back in the city, and judging by the cover, back to Girl #1 getting the focus.

Manga the Week of 1/29/25

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SEAN: January is coming to a close, let’s see what we’ve got.

ASH: I bet it’s manga. And maybe some light novels?

SEAN: Airship has one print volume, the 5th and final I Swear I Won’t Bother You Again!.

And for early digital titles we see The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior 8, Too Many Losing Heroines! 3, and Trapped in a Dating Sim: Otome Games Are Tough For Us, Too! 3.

Cross Infinite World gives us the debut of Dinners with My Darling: How the Former Monster King Ate Her Way to Happiness (Aisanai to Iwaremashite mo – Moto Maou no Hakushaku Reijou wa Kimajime Gunjin ni Ezuke wo Sarete Shiawase ni naru). A young woman enters a political marriage with her military husband, who says he’ll never love her. Little does he know that merely by feeding her he’s better than her old family!

ASH: I will admit, there are elements of this premise that appeal to me. (And others that don’t.)

SEAN: Also from CIW is How I Swapped Places with the Villainess, Beat Up Her Fiancé, and Found True Love 2 and Let’s Get to Villainessin’: Stratagems of a Former Commoner 2.

Ghost Ship debuts The Elf Sisters Can’t Wait for the Night (Yonshimai (Elf) wa Yoru wo Omachikane), a Dragon Age manga about a guy who can rouse the “Queen’s Blood” in four elf sisters, so gets permission to prank them every night. And by prank I mean sleep with.

ASH: Four!

SEAN: Hanashi Media has the 5th volume of Tsukimichi Moonlit Fantasy.

J-Novel Club has three debuts next week. Meals Made to Order: How to Domesticate Your Dragon with Delicacies! (Misuterareta Ikenie Reijou wa Senyou Skill “Otoriyose” de Jaryuu wo Ezukesuru) stars a young woman who … sigh… can’t activate her magic skill, so everyone hates her, she’s disowned, and she’s being fed to a dragon. She then awakens her isekai memories, and realizes her skill is “Doordash gourmet meals from Earth straight to her”. Now she can feed the dragon tasty food rather than herself!

ASH: Okay, dinners with dragons might actually get me to read this.

SEAN: Mercedes and the Waning Moon: The Dungeoneering Feats of a Discarded Vampire Aristocrat (Kaketa Tsuki no Mercedes: Kyuuketsuki no Kizoku ni Tenseishita kedo Suteraresou nano de Dungeon wo Seihasuru) is the manga version of a light novel JNC will soon be releasing, and it runs in Comic Corona. A young woman knows that once her father picks a successor she’ll be abandoned, so knows what to do: dungeon crawl.

Shannon Wants to Die! (Shinitagari no Shannon: Dragon ni Taberarete Mita) is about an immortal mage who has gotten sick of immortality. Unfortunately, nothing seems to kill her!

ASH: I do like stories about immortality…

SEAN: Also from J-Novel Club: the 2nd Accidentally in Love: The Witch, the Knight, and the Love Potion Slipup manga, Dagashi-ya Yahagi: Setting Up a Sweets Shop in Another World 3, Der Werwolf: The Annals of Veight 16 (the final volume), The Emperor’s Lady-in-Waiting Is Wanted as a Bride 5, the 6th I’ll Never Set Foot in That House Again! manga, I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic 5, Invaders of the Rokujouma!? 46, Rebuild World 6 Part 1, The Reincarnator and the Goblin Maiden’s Happily Ever After: Using a Past Life to Keep a Joyful Wife 2, and Tearmoon Empire 14.

Kaiten Books has a 9th print volume of the Loner Life in Another World manga.

Kodansha Books has a 7th volume of My Unique Skill Makes Me OP Even at Level 1.

One print debut for Kodansha Manga: Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards (Akabane Honeko no Bodyguard), a Weekly Shonen Magazine title about a guy who has to protect his classmate against numerous assassins… without her knowing it!

Also in print: Gazing at the Star Next Door 4, Hitorijime My Hero 15, Suzume 3 (the final volume), and Toppu GP 13.

SEAN: Digitally the debut is Killing Line, a josei series from Be Love that’s from the creator of Searching for My Perfect Brother. A young woman is invited to a group date, only for the date to be interrupted by an assassin who has a hit out on one of the other participants, and wants to leave no witnesses! Can she manage to survive? This is a dark comedy, apparently.

MICHELLE: Huh. Could be good!

ANNA: Dark comedy and assassins are things that I like.

ASH: Same!

SEAN: Also digitally we see Am I Actually the Strongest? 13, As the Gods Will 3, Chihiro-kun Only Has Eyes for Me 11, A Couple of Cuckoos 21, Elegant Yokai Apartment Life 29, Gamaran: Shura 28, and WIND BREAKER 18.

MICHELLE: Someday, I really will read Elegant Yokai Apartment Life.

ASH: I really ought to, as well.

SEAN: One Peace Books has a 13th volume of The New Gate.

The debut for Seven Seas is Home Sweet Home (Hiiragi-senpai to Ofutari-sama), a shoujo manga from Betsuma. A girl tired of changing schools when her dad changes jobs wants to stay home by herself, but is OK with living with the daughter of her dad’s boss. Only… it’s the SON of her dad’s boss. This is from the creator of Rainbow Days.

MICHELLE: I didn’t like Rainbow Days at all, but the lure of Margaret (or an offshoot) cannot be denied. Shallowly, the cover to volume one is cute!

ANNA: Margaret and related things are intriguing.

ASH: Hmmm.

SEAN: There’s also a mature webtoon title, The Missing “O”, about a woman who had a one-night stand that gave her the perfect orgasm, and she’s spent years trying to find her lover again. Unfortunately, she doesn’t remember his name.

ASH: Whoops.

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: Checkmate 2, The Dragon Knight’s Beloved 8, Karate Survivor in Another World 7, Magical Buffs: The Support Caster is Stronger Than He Realized! 2, Otaku Elf 8, Precarious Woman Executive Miss Black General 11, The Summer You Were There 6 (the final volume), and Yokai Cats 9.

Steamship has a 2nd volume of I’ll Never Be Your Crown Princess! – Betrothed.

Also from Tokyopop: A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation 10, I Was Reincarnated as the Heroine on the Verge of a Bad Ending, and I’m Determined to Fall in Love! 2, I Was Reincarnated as the Villainess in an Otome Game but the Boys Love Me Anyway! 6, Let’s Eat Together, Aki and Haru 3 (the final volume), and Watch Dogs Tokyo 3 (the final volume).

Udon Entertainment debuts Mr. Mega Man (Rockman-san), a slice-of-life title from Young Ace Up based on the classic game. (It got bumped.)

And there’s also Little Mega Man, a gag manga based on the game that also runs in Young Ace Up.

Viz Media gives us Boy’s Abyss 8, How Do We Relationship? 12, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Part 6–Stone Ocean 8.

ASH: I am so far behind but still excited for JJBA.

SEAN: And Yen Press has three debuts that didn’t come out in last week’s deluge. The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse (Usuzumi no Hate) is a seinen title from Harta. If you like “wandering a post-apocalyptic hellscape” manga (and let’s face it, that’s a genre now), this is for you.

ASH: It is… and I do.

SEAN: I Picked Up This World’s Strategy Guide (Kono Sekai no Kouryakuhon wo Hirotte Shimaimashita) is from the magazine Isekai Comic (it has its own magazine now?). A young girl going out to pick herbs finds a mysterious book… which tells her all about the fate of her village and country! But she’s an NPC-type! What should she do?

Takahashi from the Bike Shop (Jitenshaya-san no Takahashi-kun) is an award-winning josei title from Torch, and it’s also been mad into a live-action drama. A woman who is dealing with her terrible job finds the one person she can confide in is, well, see title.

MICHELLE: Sounds potentially cute!

ANNA: It does sound cute!

ASH: I’m looking forward to this one!

SEAN: Yen also has Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree 5 and the 2nd and final volume of When the Villainess Seduces the Main Heroine.

Much better than last week. Well, a little better. What are you getting?