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Pick of the Year, 2015 Edition

December 28, 2015 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, Anna N and MJ 4 Comments

SEAN: It’s been a big year for manga in 2015, as the market continues to recover and companies are pumping out more titles than ever. Seven Seas, who were seemingly near death 4 years ago, are pushing all the monster girls you could possibly want. Yen On is putting out so many light novels that my own website is seemingly now only half manga, as I can’t really squeeze a novel into a Bookshelf Brief. Vertical continues to choose wisely and well. Viz is, well, Viz. That said, when I was pondering what my manga of the year would be I kept coming back to only one choice, a Kodansha release starting in April that has really taken off beyond the usual market: A Silent Voice, by Yoshitoki Oima. Though its realistic take on bullying, abuse and disabilities can be hard to take sometimes, that’s not due to lack of quality but sheer emotional rawness. It’s also not afraid to show the cruelty of children, and then turn around and explain exactly why they’re being cruel. It’s my 2015 must read.

Runners up: Viz’s release of the first JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series; My Neighbor Seki/Haven’t You Heard, I’m Sakamoto? and the return of gag manga; Shigeru Mizuki’s continued releases; Sword Art Online: Progressive.

Worst moment of 2015: Wandering Son going ‘on hiatus’ at Fantagraphics due to poor sales.

MICHELLE: I’ve been thinking hard about my pick of the year this week. My initial instinct was to say “the publishers,” because man have there been a lot of fabulous licensing announcements recently! Kodansha and Princess Jellyfish, Udon and The Rose of Versailles, Yen Press and Twinkle Stars, VIZ and Kuroko’s Basketball, Vertical and FukuFuku: Kitten Tales… Everyone has something I’m really looking forward to for 2016!

As for 2015, I think I am ultimately going to have to pick Yukarism by Chika Shiomi (VIZ). I wasn’t quite on board after its first volume (a 2014 release), but in 2015, the series fully won me over. Emotional, tense, woefully short but thankfully devoid of filler, with fascinating character revelations and a satisfactory conclusion… I’m going with Yukarism this year!

Runners up: Fumi Yoshinaga awesomeness in the form of What Did You Eat Yesterday? and Ooku: The Inner Chambers, the over-the-top ridiculous fun of Food Wars!, and Kodansha’s Dessert titles My Little Monster and Say I Love You.

Worst moment of 2015: Two too many shoujo manga about overweight girls who suddenly lose the weight and become thin, gorgeous, and newly desirable.

ASH: For the last two years I’ve cheated a little bit by picking a publisher rather than a specific manga, so I’ll keep with that tradition. This year it was Seven Seas that particularly caught my attention as it continued to increase and expand its catalog at a remarkable rate. I’m not especially interested in most of Seven Seas’ fanservicey titles, but I am grateful for their success as it has allowed the publisher to pursue some more unusual series. I count some of those atypical manga, like The Ancient Magus’ Bride and Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto, among my favorites of 2015. I’m curious to see what other hidden gems Seven Seas will present us with in the coming year.

Runners up: If I had to chose just one series, it would likely be A Silent Voice for all of the reasons that Sean has already described. The dark and dramatic historical fantasy Requiem of the Rose King is another personal favorite that just gets better with each volume and Chromatic Press/Sparkler Monthly continues to find amazing creators to work with.

Worst moment of 2015: Echoing Sean here again, but I will be absolutely heartbroken if the eighth volume of Wandering Son is the last to be published in English. Likewise, Vinland Saga, another incredible series, may be in trouble, too.

ANNA: I agree that a worst moment of 2015 is Vinland Saga going on hiatus. Highlights of 2015 for me include the print edition of One-Punch Man and the start of Requiem of the Rose King. When I think about the standout releases of 2015, my thoughts turn to lavish hardcover editions. Vertical deserves kudos for wrapping up the great release of Gundam: The Origin. But the manga that left the deepest impression on me in 2015 has plenty of random rock band references, punching, and almost too much manliness to fit within the confines of a book. It might seem a bit odd from such a staunch shoujo fan, but my pick of the year is JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Part 1 — Phantom Blood.

MJ: I’m on board with so many of my colleagues’ picks here, and even though I haven’t been on top of as many series’ as in previous years, the ones I’ve followed closely have been a real treat. I rather wish I could give this year’s nod to Sirial’s incredibly charming Milkyway Hitchhiking, one of my first picks this year, and still the owner of a major chunk of my soul. Alas, though I read the first volume in 2015, it was released near the end of the year before. On the other hand, that gives me room to shine some glory on Aya Kanno’s Requiem of the Rose King. It may not be the greatest masterpiece released in 2015, but it’s won my heart completely, with its heady mix of creative history, gender confusion, and beautiful artwork. My one regret over Kanno’s Otomen was that in all its gloriousness, it never really went anywhere, but that can’t be said at all about Requiem of the Rose King. It’s Richard III meets After School Nightmare, and has got me hooked only like such a strange marriage ever could. Aya Kanno and Viz have found the key to my heart.

Runners up: the totally charming My Neighbor Seki; Yukarism, for all the reasons Michelle has highlighted above; the re-release of the incomparable JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure; and hey, I’ll jump on the Fumi Yoshinaga bandwagon as well, as both What Did You Eat Yesterday? and Ooku have remained strong in my heart; also, Pandora Hearts, my love never dies, even with a year between releases.

Lastly, I’ll join the crowd in mourning the hiatus of Wandering Son, a favorite of mine and of the Battle Robot in general. That’s a difficult blow to take, both for readers and for Fantagraphics.

Pick of the Week: Gangsters, Vikings and Mahjong

December 28, 2015 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, MJ, Anna N and Ash Brown Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: There’s really only one manga on my mind for next week, and that’s Saki, a digital-only debut for a series about mahjong. And, okay, yes, it features impossibly buxom girls, too, but if I can see past the fanservice to enjoy Food Wars!, I’m hoping I can do it again with Saki.

SEAN: I am greatly looking forward to Saki as well, which apparently also has a large yuri fandom. My pick of the week is actually for 3 chapters, though, as Baccano! has a prequel manga running in Japan, and Yen Press is starting it digitally this week with the initial parts. This takes place in 1927, three years prior to the first novel due out in April, and will no doubt focus on Firo, the hero of that first novel. I am very excited for it.

MJ: I’m with Michelle, here, I have to go with Saki! My husband and I enjoyed the anime series when it debuted on Crunchyroll way back in 2009, and though the fanservice level was high, it could not eclipse the true awesomeness of near-magical mahjong tournaments. If you thought Hotta and Obata snazzed up Go, Saki takes the super-sportsification of table games to a whole new level. I’m totally psyched.

MICHELLE: That is super encouraging news!

ANNA: Saki sounds interesting, but my vote this week goes for the 7th volume of Vinland Saga. I hope we see more volumes of this series, it is wonderful.

ASH: Oh, lots of good stuff this week! If Saki was being released in print, it would be a strong contender for my pick. (That being said, it will probably be one of the few digital manga that I’ll actually buy.) And as a longtime Samura fan, I’m definitely looking forward to the debut of Die Wergelder, but my official pick of the week goes to the seventh omnibus of Vinland Saga. I join Anna in hoping this won’t be the last we see of the series; it’s an incredible manga.

My Week in Manga: December 21-December 27, 2015

December 28, 2015 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

I think I’m finally getting back to my regular posting schedule. I get the week between Christmas and New Year’s off of work which is letting me catch up on a few things. (Sort of. Life has still been rather hectic of late.) Last week I posted an in-depth review of one of Chromatic Press’ most recent paperbacks, Jessica Chavez’s debut novel Dead Endings, illustrated by Irene Flores. The novel has a fantastic combination of horror, mystery, and snark, making it both fun and frightening. I’m looking forward to reading its sequel a great deal. And because the end the 2015 is fast approaching, last week I also posted my annual list of notable manga, comics, and novels of the year.

Quick Takes

Apple and Honey / His Rose Colored Life by Hideyoshico. I wasn’t previously familiar with Hideyoshico’s work, but after reading the boys’ love collection Apple and Honey and its sequel/spinoff His Rose Colored Life, I sincerely hope that more is translated. In addition to the unrelated three-part story “Shades of Summer at the End of the World,” Apple and Honey introduces Natsuki and Komano who are the focus of His Rose Colored Life. Hideyoshico’s characterization is excellent—the characters have depth and the development of their relationships are entirely believable. Komano is this lovable outgoing goofball while Natsuki is much more reserved and unsure of himself. I was especially impressed by the sensitive portrayal of Natsuki’s anxieties and insecurities. While he desperately wants to be loved, he is also terrified of it, having been repeatedly hurt in the past; it’s hard for him to accept that it’s okay for him to be happy. (Natsuki also gets bonus points for majoring in information science which I hold a degree in but have never before seen in a manga.) Komano and Natsuki together make a wonderful couple, nicely balancing each other’s personalities.

Lone Wolf and Cub, Omnibuses 3-5 (equivalent to Volumes 6-12) written by Kazuo Koike and illustrated by Goseki Kojima. The omnibuses are rather chunky, but I am so glad that Dark Horse is releasing Lone Wolf and Cub in a larger trim size; the previous edition was so small as to be nearly unreadable with my bad eyesight. Plus, it’s nice to be able to see Kojima’s excellent artwork more clearly. Lone Wolf and Cub is a fantastic series. Although there is an ongoing story to the manga, the individual chapters tend to be somewhat episodic. Ogami Itto was once the shogun’s official executioner but after being framed as a traitor he has become an assassin seeking revenge. Accompanying him on his journey is Diagoro, his now three-year-old son who has known nothing but a life filled with death. Lone Wolf and Cub is a violent series. Ogami is an incredibly skilled and resourceful warrior, surviving multiple attempts on his own life even as he is hired to end those of others. But he is also a father. Some of the most compelling chapters in the manga examine the depth of Daigoro and Ogami’s bond more closely.

Milkyway Hitchhiking, Omnibus 2 (equivalent to Volumes 2-3) by Sirial. I’m not entirely certain, but I believe that with the second omnibus Milkyway Hitchhiking is complete. (Because the manhwa is a series of largely unrelated stories, it can be difficult to tell.) Whether or not it is actually finished, Milkyway Hitchhiking continues to be a beautiful series. The full-color artwork is gorgeous, Sirial changing art styles and color palettes to better suit the mood of each of the stories. The manhwa ranges from brightly colored, upbeat tales to those that are more somber and melancholy. Some are based in reality while others incorporate elements of horror, science fiction, or fantasy. The only thing that really ties the individual stories in Milkyway Hitchhiking together is the presence of the Milkyway, a space-time cat. Although she’s the titular character, Milkyway Hitchhiking isn’t necessarily about Milkyway herself. She frequently has an important role to play, however the focus of the series is much more on the stories of the people she encounters.

Sword Art Online, Vol. 6: Phantom Bullet

December 27, 2015 by Sean Gaffney

By Reki Kawahara and abec. Released in Japan by ASCII Mediaworks. Released in North America by Yen Press.

In general, I am not a fan of the theory that the writer does not control their characters and that they do things that are unexpected. Yes, the plot and characters can go in a different direction than the writer intended, but it’s still the writer who thinks of that new direction. And thus I tend to be more forgiving of characters than I am of writers. This is especially useful when reading something like Sword Art Online, where we see Kirito still managing the get the cover focus, saving the day, and helping to stop yet another rape threat of yet another heroine in peril. This wasn’t fun in Fairy Dance and it’s not fun here, though Sinon does at least manage to fight back more than the typical heroine in this position, particularly impressive given this is the one friend she’s made in the past five years, and he’s deliberately triggered her PTSD.

Having gotten that out of the way, I still greatly enjoyed this volume, the longest in the main series to date. I don’t game, but the descriptions of Gun Gale Online were smooth enough that I didn’t really need to know much more than what was explained to me. More importantly, Sinon is a really strong character, even with the sexual assault threats. Her PTSD is triggered mid-game, which understandably causes a minor freakout, but after a talk with Kirito she manages to work past it and realize that her attempts to become strong have been headed in the wrong direction, and that growing and learning requires remembering tragedies in the past and moving beyond them. This applies as much to Kirito – it wouldn’t be an SAO novel without Kirito getting contrasted with his not-quite-love interest – who is reminded of his execution of the Laughing Coffin members, something he too had tried to bury rather than move past.

As you’d expect, Asuna and the rest do not have much to do in this book beyond staying behind and providing support – Asuna’s support literally saving the day when her holding Kirito’s hand reminds him of the other gun he has (the one that’s not a lightsaber). She deals with the government official far better than Kirito does, finding out what’s going on and immediately figuring out what she can and can’t do to help. What she and Lisbeth can do is provide Sinon with some closure, in a final scene that a bit deus ex machina but I’ll forgive it because it was touching. I also like the way that they’re keeping Yui involved in the plots, both as a sort of AI for hire and as Kirito and Asuna’s daughter – they can’t let her push herself.

There’s a lot of macho posturing in this book, make no mistake, both by the characters and by the author. He states he had to rewrite it from the ground up, as opposed to his other books which were light retouches of his original web novel. But I suspect those still reading are aware of the author’s flaws and managing to enjoy the series nevertheless. As a reward, they’ll get a 7th volume in April that focuses on Asuna as the heroine, with Kirito in a support role. Can’t wait.

Sunshine Sketch, Vol. 8

December 26, 2015 by Sean Gaffney

By Ume Aoki. Released in Japan as “Hidamari Sketch” by Houbunsha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Manga Time Kirara Carat. Released in North America by Yen Press.

It becomes clear a little ways into this eighth volume of Sunshine Sketch that we really aren’t going to be able to drag out Sae and Hiro’s graduation any longer than half the volume, and therefore the series is not going to be wrapping up after all, but continue with Yuno and Miyako as third-years. As it turns out this is fine. We get a new first-year who is sufficiently different from the rest of the cast to add some fresh new gags to this somewhat mild gag comedy, and we also get to see Yuno deal with being a sempai at her height, and Miyako being forced to think about her future beyond what’s for lunch that day. Before we get that, though, we *do* have half a volume of Sae and Hiro graduation comics.

I’ve said before that Sunshine Sketch is not really a title you read if you enjoy surprises in your plotting and characterization. It’s a ‘comfort’ manga, where you want to see people react as they always have. So we see one last round of Sae stressing out, and Hiro worrying about her weight, and of course the inevitable suggestions of yuri without any actual yuri. Yuno and Miyako describe their apartment hunting as sounding like they’re planning a wedding, and indeed they’re sharing an apartment for college that’s close to both their respective schools. Oh yes, and Sae continues to panic about Hiro having a life revolving outside of her, which is somewhat immature but cute. She even returns at the end of the book just to fret about that, showing that the couple won’t be permanently disappearing.

As for the new character, Matsuri is upbeat and outgoing, similar to Miyako but without the inherent strangeness, although she does seem to think that the art department is a lot less normal than she anticipated. (Perhaps she’s been reading a lot of art school 4-komas, I hear they’re all the rage.) Like Nori and Nazuna, she’s eased in gradually, and the departure of Sae and Hiro also allows for more of Nori and Nazuna as they have to pick up the slack, showing off Nazuna’s somewhat airheaded ‘normal’ side and Nori occasionally breaking out of her ‘straight man’ tendencies. They still don’t feel quite as strong as Yuno and Miyako, but they’ve had less time.

I really liked the subplot with Miyako bringing up a relevant point for those who’ve followed her story from the start – she’s always incredibly poor, how is she going to be able to afford to go to college? Luckily her parents and brother seem to have anticipated this, and though they say she may need a scholarship (given she’s a natural genius, I can’t imagine this will be hard to get), it shouldn’t be too hard to imagine her and Yuno also moving into an apartment to go to art college once the series comes to a close. However, that day is not today. Today, we welcome a new character, some old gags given fresh paint, say goodbye to some friends, and await the next volume, which hopefully will not take another two years to come out.

Random Musings: Notable in 2015

December 25, 2015 by Ash Brown

For the last couple of years, I have made a point to compile an end-of-year list of works that, for me, were particularly notable. In general I tend to like making lists, but I particularly enjoy working on this one because it specifically provides me the opportunity to reflect back on the year. The notable list isn’t exactly a “best of” list or even a list of favorites. To be included, a work must simply have been released in 2015, read in 2015, and stood out to me in one way or another. (That being said, I didn’t get to read as much this past year as I have in previous years. I’m sure that, had I had the chance to read them, there would be other works represented here, too.)

2015 was a year in which many series came to an end. Final Curtain, the last volume in the English-language edition of Hiroaki Samura’s Blade of the Immortal, was especially meaningful to me since the series was one of the first manga that I ever read and continues to be a personal favorite. Dark Horse began releasing the series in individual issues back in 1996; nearly two decades later it is now available in its entirety. All in all, it was a great ending to a great series.

Another series that concluded in English in 2015 was The Summit of the Gods, written by Baku Yumemakura and illustrated by Jiro Taniguchi. Fanfare/Ponent Mon is one of the smaller, more niche manga and comics publishers and has infrequent releases. Multiple years passed between the publication of some of the volumes in the series, so I was honestly afraid I’d never have the opportunity to read the conclusion of such an impressively drawn and written manga.

2015 also saw what may be the premature end to a few manga in English. Tragically, for a variety of reasons, Fantagraphic’s release of Takako Shimura’s Wandering Son hasn’t been doing well and the publisher might have to cancel the series if sales don’t improve. Only a single volume, with one heck of a cliffhanger, was able to be released in 2015. The series is incredibly important to me on a very personal level—it was literally life-changing—so I’ll heartbroken if this is truly the end.

Makoto Yukimura’s Vinland Saga is another series that might come to a close before its time in English. After a temporary hiatus, the sixth and seventh omnibuses, the last that are guaranteed to be published, were released in 2015. Even if the rest of the series isn’t translated (and I hope that it is), the first two major story arcs are complete and the manga is well-worth seeking out. The character development in the series is fantastic, the artwork is excellent, and the story is marvelous.

One of the manga to debut in 2015 that stood out to me the most was A Silent Voice by Yoshitoki Oima. A realistic portrayal of bullying and the consequences of such cruelty, the series can be a difficult but ultimately worthwhile read. The subject matter is heartwrenching but handled extremely well, skillfully showing the nuanced complexity of human nature and relationships while exploring themes of forgiveness, empathy, and redemption.

Aya Kanno’s Requiem of the Rose King was one of my most anticipated manga series to be released in 2015. A combination of historical fact and historical fantasy inspired by the plays of William Shakespeare, Kanno’s research into the Wars of the Roses, and her own imagination, the manga hasn’t yet disappointed me and gets better with each volume. The storytelling can be somewhat cryptic and chaotic at times, but its dark, dreamlike nature can also be wonderfully effective.

Ken Niimura is an award-winning Spanish comics creator of Japanese heritage who has worked in the European, North American, and Asian markets. Henshin is a delightfully quirky collection of thirteen short manga originally released online by Ikki, making it Niimura’s first major Japanese publication. While the stories range from semi-autobiographical to the absolute fantastic, they all tend to have surprising twists to them with great emotional impact.

Seven Seas has recently shown a remarkable increase in the number and variety of titles it has licensed. Kore Yamazaki’s The Ancient Magus’ Bride is perhaps one of Seven Sea’s more atypical series, but it seems to be doing well for itself. I’m glad, because I enjoy the manga and its strangeness immensely. A peculiar romance incorporating horror and fantasy, magic and science, the series is heavily influenced by European legends, fairy tales, and folklore.

Junji Ito had a pretty good showing in English in 2015 with several new releases and re-releases. Of those, it was Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu that made the strongest impression on me. (I admittedly find it difficult to resist cat comics.) The manga is drawn in Ito’s signature style but is undoubtedly a comedy, granted one about the horrors and anxieties of pet ownership. The disconnect between the artwork and the story makes it even funnier.

I never expected to see the beginning of Hirohiko Araki’s exceptionally weird yet iconic manga series JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure released in English. The third story arc was published years ago but only garnered a relatively small following. Thankfully, the manga’s recent anime adaptation revitalized interest in the series, leading Viz Media to release the first two arcs of the epic—Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency—and in a beautiful hardcover edition no less.

Probably one of the most divisive debuts of 2015 was Prison School by Akira Hiramoto, but Yen Press had the guts to license it. With its highly sexualized content, over-the-top fanservice verging on the grotesque, and preponderance despicable characters, it’s definitely not a series for everyone. The manga revels in its salaciousness to the point of parody, making it a strangely engrossing and humorous work for readers who aren’t immediately offended by it.

Nimona had its beginnings as an award-winning webcomic, ultimately becoming Noelle Stevenson’s debut graphic novel; the print edition also includes additional material not found online. I absolutely loved this comic. It starts out rather lighthearted, but as the graphic novel progresses it becomes more serious. However, it never loses its sense of humor. Stevenson combines colorful characters, settings, and artwork to create a comic that is both entertaining and meaningful.

Sometimes all I want from a comic is something fun, and Fantasy Sports by Sam Bosma is certainly that and then some. The comic started as a short, self-published, black-and-white work but it has been expanded into an ongoing, full-color series being released by Nobrow Press. The marvelous first volume, featuring a life-and-death game of basketball between an ancient mummy and a young magic user interning at the United Order of Mages, is filled with silliness and adventure.

Also originally self-published, Towerkind by Kat Verhoeven was a comic that I came across by chance more than anything else; I picked up the book on an impulse after seeing it at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival and finding myself oddly drawn towards it. The comic is surreal, about a group of children with supernatural abilities who may or may not be facing the end of the world. It’s both a strangely compelling and darkly ominous work.

Out of all of the novels released in 2015 that I read, Red Girls: The Legend of the Akakuchibas by Kazuki Sakuraba was perhaps the most curious, peculiar, and enthralling. A multi-generational family epic, the story follows the lives and legends of three women, each powerful in their own way. (One of them even becomes a successful mangaka after retiring from being the leader of a girl gang.) Part history, part mystery, and part fantasy, I enjoyed the novel a great deal.

Ken Liu is probably best known for his short fiction, but in 2015 he made his debut as a novelist with The Grace of Kings, the first book in The Dandelion Dynasty which is a sort of retelling or reimagining of China’s historical legends and mythologies. The novel is a massive and expansive work with incredible worldbuilding. Though contemporary fantasy fiction, stylistically Liu also pays tribute to the narrative structure of the Chinese classics and not just their stories.

Manga the Week of 12/30

December 24, 2015 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown and MJ 3 Comments

SEAN: Bargains bargains bargains! It’s the end of the year, and publishers are clearing out! All these titles must go!

MICHELLE: *snerk*

SEAN: Dark Horse has a the 2nd Astro Boy omnibus out next week.

And also the 4th volume of CLAMP-ish supernatural mystery Blood-C.

Lastly, they have another omnibus of Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, which is an absolute must-read if you haven’t already.

ASH: So glad Dark Horse found a way to keep this in print!

SEAN: Kodansha has a huge pile of things. Starting with the ever popular Attack on Titan, we get the 6th volume of serious-minded Before the Fall.

And if you like your Titans sillier, there’s a 4th omnibus of Attack on Titan Junior High.

ASH: Junior High is ridiculous.

MJ: To be fair, actual junior high is pretty ridiculous, too.

SEAN: A new debut from the creator of Blade of the Immortal, Die Wergelder runs in the magazine Nemesis and is rather violent and adult, I hear.

ASH: Violent and adult, that sounds about right for Samura!

SEAN: Fairy Tail has a new spinoff, Ice Trail, which focuses on Gray. Asd with most spinoffs, it’s by a different artist with plotting from Mashima.

There’s a 4th volume of The Heroic Tale of Arslan, drawn by the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist.

MICHELLE: I bought volume one but haven’t gotten around to actually reading it.

ASH: It’s been pretty solid, so far!

MJ: As a huge fan of Arakawa, I’m ashamed to say I haven’t read this at all, though I admit what I *really* want is a new story actually written by her. The art is only half the draw for me.

SEAN: A seventh and possibly last omnibus of Vinland Saga is also out. Don’t let this series hit the dreaded hiatus wall.

ASH: This series is incredible; I really hope we’ll get to see more.

SEAN: And a 5th volume of shonen romance Your Lie in April.

ASH: I’ll admit, I’ve fallen a bit behind on this one.

SEAN: Seven Seas also has a couple of new titles. There’s a 4th volume of smutty yuri soap opera Citrus.

And also a 7th volume of genuinely funny school comedy D-Frag!.

Yen Digital also has a large number of releases, including several debuts. Aoharu x Machinegun is a GFantasy series, but I’m afraid that doesn’t make up for it being in the survival game genre. Still, could be good.

Baccano! may not have its light novels coming out till April, but Yen is able to serialize its new prequel manga that began in Young Gangan this fall. The first three chapters are out next week. I adore Baccano!.

Black Detective is a Shonen Gangan series that looks to be a mystery, as you might gather from the title.

MICHELLE: With a sadistic lead and masochistic assistant, apparently.

SEAN: Corpse Princess has a 2nd volume.

Of all of Yen’s ‘digital only’ announcements, Saki was probably the one that generated the most excitement and annoyance – excitement over the release, annoyance over the lack of print. Given that it’s a seinen mahjong series with a bunch of busty female leads, though, I think we’re pretty lucky to see it at all. I can’t wait for it myself, I’ve heard a lot of good things about this series.

MICHELLE: Ooh! I’m in!

ASH: Mahjong manga!!!

MICHELLE: I’ll even forgive boinging bosoms for that!

MJ: Same.

SEAN: And there’s 2 more volumes of workplace 4-koma Servant x Service.

Lastly, a 2nd volume of Unknown.

Are you getting any of this with your Christmas gift cards?

Kizumonogatari: Wound Tale

December 24, 2015 by Sean Gaffney

By NISIOISIN. Released in Japan by Kodansha. Released in North America by Vertical.

I have somewhat optimistically tagged this as ‘Monogatari Series’, but at the moment this is the only volume licensed, with potential other titles depending on how this one sells. It’s also not the first book in the series in Japanese publishing order – it’s actually third, after the 2-part Bakemonogatari books. That said, the author and agent both recommended that North America release this book first, as it’s the first in the series chronologically, introducing us to our hero, Koyomi, his vampire ‘master’ Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade, his practical yet somewhat strange classmate Tsubasa, and the standard unreliable mentor figure Oshino. Also, it has vampires. Come on, vampires sell, and this series needs readers who haven’t seen or heard about the anime in order to do well.

Though I am spoiled a little bit, I freely admit I am one of those readers – this is my introduction to Monogatari proper, as I never got around to watching the anime. This despite it being by Nisioisin, an author I’m very fond of. I read the two Zaregoto books released years ago by Del Rey, which feature a narrator who is far more opaque than Koyomi ever gets to be. And I have spoken before about my obsession with unlicensed Shonen Jump manga Medaka Box, featuring a cast of superpowered yet broken teenagers and their quest to find empathy. Monogatari is more like the latter than the former, as Koyomi has a certain obsession with describing his sexual impulses that reminds you that he’s a standard high school teenager. That is the most otaku-ish element of the book, actually – Koyomi is a bit of a perv, and his narration tells you this up front with a long, detailed panty shot description that, ironically, kickstarts the entire plot.

Once things actually settle down and we get to the vampire battles, the prose kicks up, though there’s always a large amount of the quirks that have made Nisio famous – long scenes of people philosophizing about the nature of humanity, fourth-wall breaking discussion of how this will never become an anime with all this violence (for the longest time, it wasn’t – the book is only getting adapted starting next year), and the occasional tortured wordplay – Nisio loves his puns and odd jokes based around kanji readings, and you can tell, even translated, that they’re all here. Actually, the translation by Vertical is excellent – I can tell there are substitutions at times, but they’re well done, and you get the sense of what the character is trying to say or point out.

As I said before, there are several fight scenes here, and they’re exciting while they last, but have a tendency to be over very soon or get undercut, as usually the exciting fight is not the point of the scene. The main reason to read the book, though, is Koyomi’s interaction with the two lead women – Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade (and if you think that make is bizarre, you don’t know Nisio), a vampire in all senses of the word, but one who has lived a little too long and finds what may be a soulmate in Koyomi, and Tsubasa Hanekawa, a ‘prim and proper class president type’ who nevertheless has a disturbing compulsion to interact with and help Koyomi, to the point of not only being willing to sacrifice her own life for him, but also let him grope her sizeable chest in order to fire him up. (To be fair, she finds the second one far more difficult to actually go through with, and he backs off at the last minute.) You want to know more about the both of them, as they both seem to have horrible things as yet unstated driving their actions.

As for Koyomi, aside from his occasional perverse narration, he seems to be a fairly standard, somewhat emo teen, going on about not wanting to make friends or get close to anyone, then throwing that all away. By the end of the book he’s not quite a vampire, but I suspect that his inability to not meddle will be what drives any future books. In any case, Kizumonogatari is excellent, and if you like stories with vampires, stories with lots of clever dialogue, or even stories with extended monologues on the nature of panties, it will serve you nicely. Let’s hope we can see more of the series someday.

Dead Endings

December 23, 2015 by Ash Brown

Author: Jessica Chavez
Illustrator: Irene Flores
Publisher: Chromatic Press
ISBN: 9780993861154
Released: November 2015
Original run: 2013-2014

Jessica Chavez, a former localizer and editor for XSEED Games, has more recently turned to writing novels. Dead Endings, illustrated by Irene Flores, became her first published work. The novel was also among the first to be serialized in Sparkler Monthly, the online multimedia magazine from Chromatic Press. Sparkler Monthly‘s line of prose is influenced by the Japanese light novel format, aiming to provide engaging and easily accessible works of fiction with interesting characters and stories. I wasn’t previously aware of Chavez’s work before reading Dead Endings and I only vaguely recognized Flores’ name as an illustrator, but I was still very interested in reading the novel if for no other reason than it was released by Chromatic Press. Dead Endings was originally serialized between December 2013 and August 2014. The novel was collected and released in print in 2015 along with two additional side stories, “The Art… of LOVE” and “Rare Parrot Watching and Other Recommended Activities,” a bonus art gallery, and the short comic “Pancakes and Sex” illustrated by Crystal Jayme.

After nearly drowning off the coast of Miami, New Yorker and graduate student Cailen Delaney gained an especially unwelcome ability—she can now see ghosts. Not only that, they seem to be particularly drawn to her. So, when she’s not commuting to or from school or taking advantage of the fact that her roommate Gabriella is a part-time exorcist, Cailen doesn’t necessarily get out very often; she much prefers the company of a strong drink, whether it be coffee or booze, in the comfort of her ghost-free home. Enter Everett Jung, a young journalist-in-training who has his own peculiar way of sensing ghosts. He arrives at Cailen’s apartment looking for some assistance from Gabrielle as he investigates a series of murders that seem to be supernaturally linked. Gabrielle, however, is currently out of the country and so he settles on the reluctant Cailen instead. With enough persistence, Everett eventually convinces Cailen to help, but the case turns out to be much more dangerous than any of them expected.

Supernatural talents aside, I found the characters in Dead Endings to be very relatable, especially Cailen. She’s vaguely cranky and cynical, snark and sarcasm being some of her favored modes of communication. As the main protagonist of the novel, her personality carries over into Chavez’s style of writing in Dead Endings, resulting in a casual-feeling narrative which doesn’t shy away from frankness or the use of strong language. Although underneath it all is a vein of horror, Dead Endings also has plenty of humor. Chavez strikes an excellent balance between the two—the novel manages to be both fun and frightening, either in turn or simultaneously. Dead Endings, in addition to being a darkly humorous supernatural thriller, is also a satisfying mystery. While Cailen, Everett, and Gabrielle are particularly interested in the stranger spiritual aspects of the case, essentially they are involved in solving a murder investigation.

Ultimately, Dead Endings is a near-perfect mix of horror, mystery, and humor with well-realized characters and an engaging story. While the additional stories included in the volume add more depth to the cast, generally in a more lighthearted fashion, Cailen is the most fully-developed individual in the novel proper. I loved seeing her character arc unfold. She starts out as someone who miserably puts up with the consequences of her abilities, but by the end she has wrested control of her own life back. However, getting to that point takes effort on Cailen’s part, instinctual self-preservation, and a deliberate decision to not fall victim to the frequently perilous circumstances she finds herself in. Dead Endings can be honestly chilling—supernatural encounters and ghostly possessions are threatening and the living can be just as menacing as the dead—but the novel never becomes overwhelming dark or grim. I enjoyed Dead Endings immensely and am looking forward to its sequel a great deal.

Attack on Titan, Vol. 17

December 22, 2015 by Sean Gaffney

By Hajime Isayama. Released in Japan by Kodansha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Bessatsu Shonen Magazine. Released in North America by Kodansha Comics.

It’s no secret that the development of Historia’s character has been one of my favorite parts of Attack on Titan, and this volume continues to feature that, as she refuses to be treated like precious china merely because she has the Reiss lineage, saddles up to help defeat a titan who is actually her father, takes credit for it to further Erwin’s plan to stabilize the city, and finally is crowned Queen, though arguably her best moment comes shortly afterwards, where she somewhat falteringly punches Levi as a callback to where he abused her in order to get what he wanted. Of course, he has, and his genuine smile of thanks is rather touching here.

Moreover, we see what the effect of being ruled by someone who did not get controlled by the Firt King is that actual progress is allowed to be made. Underground inventions are allowed to come to light, leftovers from the giant titan battle are used in new and exciting ways, and Historia herself spends most of her time seemingly running an orphanage on a farm outside the city. (See: front cover, which looks like it should be called Little Titan on the Prairie.) This comes after the rest of Kenny Ackerman’s flashback, where he meets a young, starving orphan Levi and teaches him how to fight and get by in the streets. Again, Kenny’s search for something to strive for is relatable, and I like the description of everyone being “drunk on something”, but in the end he’s still a villain.

And then there’s Eren, who spends a lot of time being his usual emo self, then sees what Historia has been doing and literally punches the whine out of himself. This might come back to haunt him, of course, as following this we see him overextending himself to the point of physical exhaustion, as he realizes that right now he is the only one who can do these things. I suspect he sees Historia more as an inspiration than as someone to be romantically interested in, though naturally Mikasa takes offense at anyone female getting remotely close to Eren. I’ve sort of given up on the idea that Mikasa’s feelings for Eren are going to remain familial, as the author has far too much fun with her repressed jealousy, but I don’t enjoy it. There was some genuine amusement late in the volume involving Marlowe, who has transferred to the Survey Corps despite Hitch’s tsundere exhortations, which everyone but he and Eren can see through (Eren being similarly clueless about any romance).

There’s still quite a bit of mystery here, which I suspect will get solved a bit more in 18, when we go back to training to visit our old instructor. In the meantime, this is a nice solid Titan volume, with a good fight, the usual somewhat questionable politics (yay, isn’t military rule great?), the usual questionable art (Isayama is good at terror, not so good at non-terror), but excellent plotting and characterization, and makes you want to keep reading.