manga the week of

SEAN: We’re near April Fools’ Day, and while I normally tend to shun it, I will make one overture to the holiday by doing next week’s manga list in reverse order.

So let’s start with Viz Media and Yu-Gi-Oh!. The seemingly endless franchise is starting a new series, this one called Arc V.

Yona of the Dawn gets a 5th volume, and is always near the top of my must-read list.

MICHELLE: And mine, as well.

ASH: I’ll be reading it soon, too!

ANNA: It is so consistently good.

SEAN: World Trigger has a 15th volume for Shonen Jump fans.

The big debut this week is The Water Dragon’s Bride, which is by Rei Toma, author of Dawn of the Arcana, and runs in Shogakukan’s shoujo/josei crossover magazine Cheese!. Expect fantasy and spunky female leads.

MICHELLE: Having enjoyed Dawn of the Arcana quite a lot, I’m really looking forward to this one!

ASH: I actually just started reading Dawn of the Arcana for the first time. I’m really enjoying the series, so I may need to make a point to pick up The Water Dragon’s Bride, too.

ANNA: It is great, but the first volume is actually much darker than most shoujo manga I’ve read recently, so it is an interesting change of pace.

MJ: I’m actually even more interested after Anna’s “much darker” comment. So count me in!

SEAN: There’s an 8th Twin Star Exorcists.

So Cute It Hurts!! has hit 12 volumes, which frankly surprises me. And there are more to come.

MICHELLE: Ugh.

ANNA: I need to get caught up on this.

SEAN: The Rurouni Kenshin series gets a 2nd 3-in-1 volume.

ASH: Glad to see Viz keeping this series in print. (The VizBig editions were nicer, though.)

ANNA: It is one of those series that should be in print!

SEAN: And Naruto gets its 18th 3-in-1, which means it can now legally vote.

Kuroko’s Basketball has another omnibus, covering Volumes 9 and 10. Spoiler: basketball is played.

Honey So Sweet has a sweet 6th volume.

ANNA: It is so super-cute and adorable.

MJ: I haven’t been reading this, and maybe I should be.

MICHELLE: I think you’d like it!

SEAN: And Haikyu!! has hit double-digits. (Technically, so has Kuroko.)

ASH: Haikyu!!!! I’m still loving the series, by the way.

ANNA: It is a favorite series in my house, my kids devour each volume.

SEAN: Food Wars! gives us a 17th volume, and promises to make life difficult for our favorite haughty blonde heroine.

ASH: I really need to catch up with Food Wars! one of these days.

SEAN: The Demon Prince of Momochi House has defeated the other Aya Shouoto manga titles to become the Last One Standing, and here is its 8th volume.

MICHELLE: All of the last five titles are on my list, though it’s Haikyu!! and Food Wars! that I love the most. Well, Honey So Sweet is right up there, too.

ASH: The Demon Prince of Momochi House is my favorite of Shouoto’s manga currently in English, so I’m glad we’ll be getting more.

ANNA: I like it too!

SEAN: Viz debuts its Naruto spinoff Boruto, which is about the next generation of ninja children, and perfect for the three or four people who weren’t upset with the ending pairings.

MJ: Heh.

SEAN: Black Clover has a 6th volume, and we will see how much it apes other series and how much it tries to do its own thing.

As for Assassination Classroom 15: if you wondered if Kaede Kayano would ever do anything other than make flan and have a crush on the hero, this is the volume for you.

Lastly (for Viz), we have a 4th volume of 7th Garden, shipping on the 5th, just to keep things confusing.

Vertical has a Ghost in the Shell story collection out next week, imaginatively called Ghost in the Shell: 5 New Short Stories.

ASH: I’m actually really looking forward to this collection if for no other reason than the volume has a story by Toh EnJoe in it.

SEAN: There’s also a 9th Ajin.

Kodansha gives us a 13th volume of Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, well into its second round of witch shenanigans.

For fans of old Del Rey titles being restarted digitally, there’s new volumes of Alive, Princess Resurrection and Pumpkin Scissors out next week.

Back to print, with the 3rd volume of Fire Force, combining firefighters and the supernatural deftly.

And there’s a second volume of All-Rounder Meguru for more digital fun.

MICHELLE: Woot. Not that I’ve managed to keep up sufficiently to have read the first one yet.

SEAN: J-Novel Club has a third volume of ridiculous but fun series My Big Sister Lives In A Fantasy World, which may be the beach episode readers have dreamed of.

Dark Horse is reminding us they do manga by having a pile at once. We get a 3rd I Am A Hero omnibus, for all your zombie apocalypse needs.

Hatsune Miku: Rin-chan Now! is another in the endless Vocaloid franchise.

Blade of the Immortal has a 2nd omnibus, for those who missed its previous re-releases.

Lastly, there’s a 7th Astro Boy omnibus, for those who missed ITS previous re-releases.

Perceptive readers might think I did this backwards just to get the images to fit properly. LIES. It was totally due to April Fools. So what are you getting?

SEAN: The 5th week of the month used to be a very quiet week, but this is manga boom time, so don’t expect quietness.

Dark Horse has the 2nd RG Veda omnibus, filled with early CLAMP pretty boys.

MJ: This never gets old for me.

Kodansha has a number of new titles. Cells at Work! has a 3rd volume.

ASH: The first volumes were a lot of fun, and surprisingly informative, too!

MICHELLE: Indeed!

ANNA: We got the first couple volumes in my library, but I have not yet read them due to them being perpetually checked out.

SEAN: And House of the Sun continues to be a very fast digital release with Vol. 3.

MICHELLE: Huzzah! Not that I have read the first two volumes or anything.

ANNA: Should I be happy about this? I haven’t read it either but I feel I should be excited if Michelle likes it!

MICHELLE: It’s shoujo from Dessert magazine, which also brought us Say I Love You. and My Little Monster. So, I’m basically just assuming it will be good because of that connection.

SEAN: There’s also a 9th volume of L♥DK, in case you’re reading the new digital Gakuen Prince volumes and want even more like that.

Otomo: A Global Tribute to the Mind Behind Akira is a new artbook from Kodansha dedicated to said mind, with lots of famous artists coming together to pay tribute.

ASH: I haven’t read much of Otomo’s work beyond Akira, but I’m really looking forward to this volume.

SEAN: Real Account gives us a 6th volume.

And there’s a 5th Sweetness and Lightning. Sorry for the lack of witty comments, I just don’t have much to say about these.

ASH: Awww, but Sweetness and Lightning is delightful!

MICHELLE: It is! As much as I love food manga, only Sweetness & Lightning regularly features things that I feel like I could conceivably make myself.

SEAN: Seven Seas also has a pile of titles, starting with the 4th volume of Monster Musume spinoff I Heart Monster Girls.

And the 4th and final volume of The Other Side of Secret, which is so very, very Comic Alive.

Servamp has a 9th volume, and rumor has it vampires still figure in it.

I know very little about the new debut, Species Domain, except that it runs in Bessatsu Shonen Champion and is another “Monster Girls” type series.

ASH: Personally, I’ve lost most of my interest in the various monster girl manga, but I know it’s a popular niche and so am glad for those who enjoy it.

SEAN: And the 5th Testament of Sister New Devil shows that Shonen Ace can be even worse than Comic Alive if it really wants to be.

MJ: Wow.

SEAN: Vertical debuts Flying Witch, which runs in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine and has both an anime and good word of mouth.

MJ: i’m probably interested in this.

ANNA: I’m maybe interested in this.

And there’s the now standard “Yen delayed these till one week later” releases. A 9th volume of Sekirei is out digitally.

And out in print, we have a 5th How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend. (Spoiler: girlfriend still boring.)

Lastly, there’s a 6th Prison School omnibus.

ASH: Assuming someone isn’t simply outright offended by Prison School (which would certainly be more than understandable), the series can actually be legitimately funny.

SEAN: Something for everyone next week. What are you getting?

SEAN: …eurgh.

Dark Horse has the 4th and final volume of Dangan Ronpa. Will anyone survive? And will any more manga spinoffs be licensed?

J-Novel Club debuts another series with a ludicrous-seeming premise, In Another World With My Smartphone. Still, they’ve won me over with ridiculous books before…

ASH: Though I’ve fallen way behind in my light novel reading, I do continue to be amused by the absurdity of some of these titles.

ANNA: That is sort of hilarious, but I’m just not a light novel reader. If only someone would bring back the 12 Kingdoms books…..

ASH: YES! I would love that so much.

MICHELLE: I was thinking about those books just the other day! I also would read the Saiunkoku light novels.

SEAN: Kodansha has a pile of stuff, including three more digital debuts. Altair: A Record of Battles is a long-running manga from Shonen Sirius, and it’s supposed to look fantastic. Also, more historical manga, yay! Basically, this is the sort of title the Off the Shelf column was made for.

ASH: I was not aware of this series at all! Definitely sounds like something that I’d be interested in reading.

MICHELLE: I don’t know much about it, but many of the covers are gorgeous, so that’s encouraging.

ANNA: Huh, this does sound intriguing.

MJ: Well, huh. I think you’re right!

SEAN: BLAME! Academy And So On is a spinoff of the main BLAME! manga that I think is similar to Spoof on Titan. It’s also digital only.

MICHELLE: I don’t know… I really loved BLAME!, perhaps to the point where I wouldn’t find a spoof amusing.

ANNA: I still need to read BLAME!.

SEAN: It’s not all digital. Clockwork Planet makes its print debut. It’s also Shonen Sirius, but seems to be more SF steampunk and fanservice.

And some series are ending, as we get the 7th and final volume of Forget Me Not.

The next digital debut next week is also a “Hey, Michelle and MJ!” sort of series. Hozuki’s Coolheadedness is a long-running series from Weekly Morning, about a deputy of the King of Hell and his daily life. It’s won awards.

ASH: I’ve seen a little bit of the anime adaptation and it was great fun. I suspect the manga is as well!

MICHELLE: Totally on my list!

MJ: Oh yeah, this, so much this.

SEAN: Kodansha has a 3rd volume of In/Spectre and its wonderfully annoying female lead, who I love.

Lastly (at least digitally) is Museum, which runs in Young Magazine and looks dark and depressing as hell.

MICHELLE: I don’t typically go for dark and depressing, but this one seems to be a mystery complete in three volumes, and that does have some appeal.

SEAN: And a 4th volume of That Wolf-Boy Is Mine.

MICHELLE: I’m looking forward to this, which I believe is also the final volume.

SEAN: UQ Holder has transitioned from weekly to monthly in Japan, and that seems to mean volumes are coming out slower here as well. Here’s the 10th volume.

Seven Seas has some stuff as well. A Centaur’s Life never fails to puzzle and confuse me with what demographic it’s actually aiming for, even at its 11th volume.

Lord Marksman and Vanadis has a 3rd volume of fantasy action.

And there’s a 6th Merman in My Tub, which I think may have caught up with Japan.

More BLAME!, as Vertical is releasing the 3rd of its giant omnibus editions.

MJ: These really look so nice.

SEAN: Viz has a 5th volume of peppy slice-of-life comedy Goodnight Punpun.

ASH: Goodnight Punpun continues to devastate me, but I still find it compelling.

ANNA: I don’t think I have the emotional fortitude to read it yet.

ASH: It does take a fair amount; I have to time my reading carefully.

MICHELLE: I feel much the same, Anna.

SEAN: As well as another volume of Master Keaton, now in double digits.

ANNA: I love this series.

SEAN: And there always seems to be more Terra Formars, with its 17th volume.

Hooray! That’s it… oh wait, Yen. In fact, we’re not even halfway there. (sobs)

Yen On has 4 books this month, i.e. it’s a very light month for them. First off, Accel World 9 finally finishes off its huge 4-book arc.

Durarara!! also wraps up another arc with its 6th volume. All I can say is: pen. DRRR fans will know what I mean.

Log Horizon’s 7th volume shows us what Shiroe and his group were doing while the events of Book 6 happened.

And Re: Zero shows us Subaru trying desperately not to get killed by his maids.

Oh yes, and for digital lovers, volumes 7-10 of Spice & Wolf’s novels are also out next week.

Now for all the manga they’re releasing. Accel World also has a manga release with its 7th volume.

There’s a 5th volume of the Akame Ga KILL! ZERO spinoff.

The Asterisk War gets a 3rd manga volume.

Always enjoyable Barakamon has lucky Vol. 13, and I find I no longer keep comparing it to Yotsuba&!.

MICHELLE: I still plan to get caught up on Barakamon soon. I have a huge pile.

SEAN: Blood Lad has an 8th omnibus, and is nearing the finale but is not quite there yet.

MICHELLE: Yay! I haven’t read this series in ages.

SEAN: There’s a 3rd volume of the Boy and the Beast manga adaptation.

As well as a 2nd Bungo Stray Dogs.

ASH: As someone who is somewhat well-versed in Japanese literature, I got a huge kick out of the first volume and plan on reading more. I’m not sure the series works as well for people who don’t catch most of the references, though.

MJ: I plan on checking this out.

SEAN: More manga adaptations of light novels! Here’s the second Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody.

MORE manga adaptations of light novels! An 8th Devil Is a Part-Timer!.

Dragons Rioting has a 6th volume of what still appears to me to be mostly breasts.

Fruits Basket’s Collectors Edition has reached its penultimate volume, and features more angst than you can shake a stick at.

MICHELLE: Heh.

MJ: YES.

SEAN: There’s a 5th print volume of Handa-kun as well.

We have reached the last volume of He’s My Only Vampire, and while I enjoyed it, I am also very happy to see it’s ending.

MICHELLE: Same!

ANNA: One of the few vampire titles I haven’t read!!!

SEAN: The Honor Student at Magic High School continues to be irritatingly ahead of the light novel release with Vol. 6.

Kiniro Mosaic has a 2nd volume of cute girls being cute and maybe sort of yuri.

Then more yuri with the debut of Kiss and White Lily for My Dearest Girl, which may be from Comic Alive but is apparently on the ‘sweet and cute’ end of the yuri spectrum.

ASH: I plan on giving this one a look! The cover is adorable if nothing else.

MICHELLE: I’m looking forward to this one, too! My friend said, “It’s S. A with lesbians!”

MJ: Absolutely on my list!

SEAN: Love at Fourteen finally returns with a 6th volume, and let’s face it, these kids are fifteen now.

MICHELLE: Heh. Another series on the read-me-soon pile.

SEAN: EVEN MORE manga adaptations of light novels, with the 4th OreGairu manga, which it too long to type out.

Speaking of long titles, a 6th Of the Red, the Light and the Ayakashi.

ASH: I really need to catch up with this series! I enjoyed the early volumes, but have fallen behind.

SEAN: Return of the Son of manga adaptations of light novels, with the 6th Strike the Blood manga.

Manga Adaptations of Light Novels Must Be Destroyed with the 5th Sword Art Online: Progressive manga, which as always needs MORE ARGO.

A third print volume of Today’s Cerberus.

Twinkle Stars has a 2nd omnibus, and I suspect will continue to deal with not being Fruits Basket.

MICHELLE: But it’s so good!

MJ: I am behind on this, and can’t even quite believe I let that happen!

SEAN: And there’s an 8th (really 9th) Ubel Blatt omnibus.

So that’s 48 titles, and that’s not even counting the 2 that Yen delayed to the week after next just because. I think this is a new record. What say you?

SEAN: A relatively light week next week, relatively being the operative term. But first, let’s double back and look at titles out THIS week that weren’t announced till the weekend.

Remember how we used to say you couldn’t sell sports manga over here? Or 40+-volume series? Clearly digital-only is a good way to test the waters on flouting that rule. Case in point: The debut of Ace of the Diamond, a baseball manga that ran in Shonen Magazine from 2016-2015, and then, like many baseball manga, started up again with Season 2. It will be interesting reading a non-Adachi baseball series.

MICHELLE: !!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay!

ANNA: Interesting. I don’t know if I’m up for 40+ volumes but I will check it out.

SEAN: All-Rounder Meguru is a mixed martial arts manga from the creator of Eden: It’s An Endless World, though hopefully a bit less bleak. It ran for 19 volumes in Evening magazine.

And Giant Killing is another 40+ volume manga, this time about soccer, that runs in Weekly Morning. Naturally, being long-running sports manga, the primary audience in the West for these titles will be female BL fans.

MICHELLE: !!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay! I might even try All-Rounder Meguru, while I’m at it.

ASH: Wow! Kodansha is really killing it (sorry, I couldn’t help myself) with the recent digital releases! I’m very excited to see Giant Killing and All-Rounder Meguru being added to the mix.

MJ: I doubt I have the patience for either of the epic sports manga on this list, but I like watching Michelle’s squee.

MICHELLE: I will likely always have an abundance of squee for sports manga.

SEAN: Also, Persona 3’s 3rd volume from Udon moved up a week without me noticing. Whoops.

ASH: Can’t really blame you for that; sometimes I wonder if Udon even knows when it will be releasing something…

SEAN: Now onto titles actually out next week. J-Novel Club has some more volume twos, as we get another I Saved Too Many Girls and Caused the Apocalypse, which presumably adds more girls.

We also get the 2nd Mixed Bathing in Another Dimension, which is probably the biggest surprise of all J-Novel’s titles for me as I really enjoyed it.

Kodansha has a 4th Complex Age, which mixes cosplay and drama quite well.

ASH: I’ve been fairly consistently surprised and impressed by Complex Age.

SEAN: They also have the 2nd digital volume of House of the Sun, which seems to be on a much faster publishing schedule than the other new digital volumes.

MICHELLE: Ooh! I’ll definitely be checking out these two.

SEAN: One Peace has a 9th volume of not-really-yuri series Maria Holic.

Seven Seas has the debut of Hana & Hina After School, which is really yuri. It’s by Milk Morinaga, probably the most prolific yuri manga artist in terms of North American licenses.

They also have a 2nd Seven Princes of the Thousand Year Labyrinth, which hopefully continues to be, as I called it, “the most Comic Zero-Sum series ever”.

ASH: That really does seem to be an apt description.

SEAN: SuBLime gives us a new side story for Don’t Be Cruel, subtitled Akira Takanashi’s Story, though it’s unclear who this volume will focus on. (How’s my deadpan?)

MICHELLE: Heh.

SEAN: And they have the 8th volume of the Finder Deluxe Edition.

ASH: While this is the eighth volume, it’s the first one to be released since SuBLime took over the series. (Previously, it was released by Digital Manga.) The actually first volume in this edition will be released later this year; it’s nice that SuBLime isn’t making readers wait for the most recent content.

SEAN: Vertical has a 5th volume of Mysterious Girlfriend X, which I think is approaching its climax.

Viz not only has the 3rd Legendary Edition of The Legend of Zelda, which has both Majora’s Mask and A Link to the Past, but also the first volume of the latest in the series, Twilight Princess.

ASH: Unlike some of the other games (I’m a bad Zelda fan), I’ve actually played Twilight Princess. I’m looking forward to its adaptation.

SEAN: At last, the final omnibus of Viz’s re-release of Ranma 1/2! It even ends with a wedding! Don’t let that fool you, though, this is still Takahashi at her most Takahashi. Still well worth reading.

ASH: I’m still very happy that Viz found a way to keep Ranma 1/2 in print.

SEAN: And there’s a 23rd volume of Rin-Ne, which apparently will have a surprise announcement in Japan soon. New anime season? Spinoff? They found Sakura’s repressed rage?

As I said, light week is relative. What’ll you be getting next week?

SEAN: There’s been a lot of digital-only releases lately – first from Yen, and now from Kodansha and J-Novel Club. Kodansha in particular is picking up a lot of old Del Rey series that I haven’t been mentioning here and finishing them in digital mode. For example, Gakuen Prince is getting a rush release of new volumes for fans of trash – um, I mean dramatic shoujo. I’ll try to keep up, but may forget – apologies if I miss your favorite.

Meanwhile, let’s talk new volumes rather than rescues.

Ichi-F: A Worker’s Graphic Memoir of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant is the important release of next week, being pretty much what its title says, though it’s a memoir of someone involved in the cleanup, not the initial disaster. It should be fascinating.

ASH: I got my hands on an early copy and it is indeed fascinating. Important, too, as you mentioned, and it strongly resonates with what I’ve heard about Fukushima and the recovery efforts from my friends who live in the area.

MJ: Wow, this sounds intense.

SEAN: Interviews with Monster Girls has become popular now that its anime is running, good timing for Vol. 3.

We also get a 4th volume of Ninja Slayer Kills!.

And a 2nd digital-only volume of fluffy Nakayoshi series A Springtime with Ninjas.

Kodansha finishes up with a 3rd volume of sports manga Welcome to the Ballroom. (Everything is sports manga if you squint enough.)

MICHELLE: I’m super happy that sports manga seems to be having its day, and I look forward to more Welcome to the Ballroom in particular.

ANNA: Me too!

MJ: When the sport is dancing, I’m always more interested.

SEAN: Seven Seas has a 5th volume of popular spinoff A Certain Scientific Accelerator, which features even more property damage.

And a 4th Masamune-kun’s Revenge, also the winner of the “it has an anime this season” sweepstakes.

More Nichijou from Vertical! A 7th volume that will make you want to draw sharks.

And now Viz. So much Viz. Starting with the debut of Anonymous Noise, a new manga from Hana to Yume by the author of Nosatsu Junkie and Monochrome Boys and Girls. I’ve heard it leans heavy on the drama.

MICHELLE: I haven’t read her other titles, but I’m looking forward to this one.

ANNA: The cover looks great. It is at the top of my to-read pile.

ASH: The cover is great and I can’t resist the music connection.

MJ: I’m very much on board with this.

SEAN: Bleach has a 69th volume, though any readers who might make a dirty joke have long since abandoned it, I suspect.

ASH: Heh.

SEAN: Bloody Mary recently announced it’s finishing in Japan. Here’s Vol. 6.

Everyone’s Getting Married has a 4th volume of no one getting married, or at least that’s my guess.

ANNA: I love this series, it is much more thoughtful than the title suggests.

MJ: Maybe I should check this out after all?

SEAN: Haikyu!! has a 9th volume. Expect grueling training montages.

MICHELLE: I’m always happy to get a new volume of Haikyu!!.

ANNA: Yay!

ASH: Woo!

SEAN: A mere three years after the last volume, we get a new volume of Hunter x Hunter. I try not to mock the mangaka as much, as I know he’s got tremendous back issues, but still. That’s a long time between volumes.

Kimi ni Todoke’s 26th volume. Will we approach a climax soon?

Naruto: Sasuke’s Story: Sunrise is another in the series of Naruto novels we’ve been getting.

Speaking of delays, it’s been over a year since the last Natsume’s Book of Friends, so this 20th volume is very, very welcome.

MICHELLE: Man, so much good stuff this week! I need a Natsume fix.

ASH: I really need to get caught up with Natsume.

SEAN: Nisekoi’s 20th volume is starting the climax, so we need to start letting down the other heroines gently.

One Piece has a 19th 3-in-1, and I think is reaching the three year time skip.

I’m torn. I love One-Punch Man, but am always bored by tournament arcs. Which will prevail with Vol. 11?

ASH: If nothing else, at least the artwork will be great.

SEAN: Platinum End has a second volume to try to convince me to read more of it.

ANNA: I will approach reading this cautiously.

MJ: Same. Ugh. I wish Takeshi Obata would pair up with someone new so I didn’t have to feel so sketchy about it.

SEAN: Skip Beat! has a 38th volume, which features, be warned, the dreaded “let’s explain why the parent was abusive” flashback.

MICHELLE: I’m still so happy to see it, and finally deal with this aspect of the story.

ANNA: Me too. Always happy to see a new volume of Skip Beat!

SEAN: Tegami Bachi finally comes to an end with the 20th and final volume.

Lastly, a title I sometimes forget, we have a 7th Yo-Kai Watch!.

Want a whole lotta Viz? Next week is your week. What’re you getting?

SEAN: Next week is the biggest “5th week of the month” I’ve seen in quite some time. There’s another huge pile here, be warned.

Dark Horse gives us a 25th volume of Vampire Hunter D, the great-granddaddy of the vampire craze.

ASH: I’ve been meaning to read the Vampire Hunter D novels for a loooooong time now, but I don’t see me tackling all twenty-five any time soon.

SEAN: J-Novel Club has a 2nd volume of My Little Sister Can Read Kanji. Further, deponent sayeth not.

Kodansha has a lot of stuff. First, we get the 2nd and final volume of the Attack on Titan: Lost Girls manga adaptation.

ASH: I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the first volume! Lost Girls may very well be my favorite Attack on Titan spinoff right now.

SEAN: There’s also a 58th volume of Fairy Tail, which we’ve just heard is in its final arc.

There are three new “digital only” series debuting next week. The first is another josei title from Kiss, The Full-Time Wife Escapist, aka Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu. It’s technically another “fake marriage” title, but this looks like it has lots of depth, and inspired a live-action drama.

From Dessert, we have House of the Sun, aka Taiyou no Ie. This looks like a cute and fluffy romance series, and is 13 volumes. I think it’s also won awards.

MICHELLE: I’m really interested in both of these!

ANNA: As am I, surprising no one!

MJ: I might be? These are sometimes a wild card for me.

SEAN: Back briefly to print, we have the 9th volume of Kiss Him, Not Me!, which can be cute and fluffy romance, but honestly should be read for the laughs.

ASH: Definitely not a series to be taken too seriously, but it can be a lot of fun.

SEAN: Our final digital debut is Peach Heaven!, also a 13-volume romance from Dessert, but this one seems more in the “how much do I like jerks?” L♥DK mode. I hope I’m wrong.

MICHELLE: Here’s one Kodansha digital title I’m going to pass on.

MJ: Ugh.

SEAN: And back to print again, with the third volume of Ouran’s dark mirror, The Prince in His Dark Days.

And there’s a 4th Sweetness and Lightning as well.

ASH: Yay! Still loving the series’ combination of family and food.

SEAN: Seven Seas has another Freezing omnibus, collecting volumes 13 and 14.

And the second volume of Holy Corpse Rising.

MICHELLE: Is that what they do the morning after a Corpse Party?

ASH: Hahaha!

SEAN: Their first debut is the last of the “month of yuri” titles, this one from Hirari magazine. Kase-san and Morning Glory looks sweet and adorable, and I look forward to it.

MICHELLE: It does look cute!

ASH: It certainly does.

SEAN: The second debut is There’s a Demon Lord on the Floor, which is an ecchi comedy, and for once involves a demon being summoned to OUR world rather than an “average school student” being summoned there.

Vertical gives us the 2nd Bakemonogatari novel from Nisioisin, which introduces us to enthusiastic Suruga Kanbaru and shy and moe Nadeko Sengoku. (No spoilers, please.)

And also the 7th Cardfight Vanguard, which I think will now resume regular releases after a long hiatus over here.

Viz gives us a gorgeous-looking deluxe boxset of the entire Revolutionary Girl Utena manga, including the movie volume. I am conflicted, to say the least, about the content of said manga, but as a hardcore Utena anime fan, I will be getting it anyway, and seeing if the years have been kinder.

ASH: Surprisingly, I actually haven’t read the Utena manga series, but I did love The Adolescence of Utena (the movie volume) which is also included in this set. From the pictures Shojo Beat has been posting online, this should be a stunning release.

MJ: I’m probably putting this on my list.

SEAN: Yen Press says “Hey, we have digital-only releases too!”, and they do indeed, with the 8th Aoharu x Machinegun, 9th Corpse Princess, and 8th Saki.

ASH: Saki!

There are also two print stragglers. Anne Happy has a 4th volume of “how miserable can we make everyone for comedy?” antics.

And Monthly Girl’s Nozaki-kun never has to worry about that, it’s always funny. Here’s the 6th volume.

MICHELLE: Yay!

ASH: I love this series so much. Reading it makes me so happy.

ANNA: I’m behind already. One day I will catch up!

MJ: Woot!

SEAN: That’s a lot of stuff. Are you prepared? Can you handle so many manga volumes?

SEAN: Not only is next week a Yen Press week, but the other publishers have a bunch of stuff too. Get ready to be buried again.

J-Novel Club has three titles. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash has a 2nd volume, and continues to be the “trapped in another world” title that is SERIOUS BUSINESS.

The debut this week is How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom, which could be good but whose title makes me very wary. Realist Hero sounds only a few story steps from a Dark!Grey!Independent!Harry fanfic.

And we get the 2nd and (so far) final volume of Occultic;Nine, from the creators of other badly punctuated works.

Kodansha is doing a mass re-release of the Ghost in the Shell manga, featuring Ghost in the Shell 1, 1.5, and 2. No, it doesn’t have the hardcore lesbian sex scene, as I know someone will ask. The creator requested it be removed. It’s still good. Get it if you don’t have it.

ASH: It’s been a long time since I first read the original Ghost in the Shell manga! Along with Message to Adolf and Blade of the Immortal, it was actually one of the first manga that I ever read.

SEAN: And they have a 6th Inuyashiki as well.

Seven Seas has a quartet of titles, beginning with a second volume of Magia the Ninth.

ASH: The first volume of Magia the Ninth was absolutely ridiculous but I couldn’t help enjoy myself. I’ll definitely be picking up the second and final volume.

SEAN: There’s also a 6th volume of Magica Swordsman and Summoner, one of those titles that I sort of stick my fingers in my ears and go ‘lalala’ when I see it.

The debut is Magical Girl Site, another in a genre I am so sick of it’s beyond belief. If you like the 8th iteration of cute young girls dying in violent ways, here it is. Again.

And in the complete opposite direction, we have the 2nd volume of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, which remains yuri-ish despite the best efforts of the English dubbers of the anime.

ASH: I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the first volume.

SEAN: Vertical has a 5th volume of Devil’s Line.

Viz gives us a 2nd Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, one of the newer Gundam iterations.

ANNA: I still need to read all the volumes of Gundam: The Origin that I hoarded.

ASH: I’m ashamed to say that there are a few volume of The Origin that I have left to read, too.

SEAN: And an 11th Tokyo Ghoul, which should outsell everything else on this list combined.

And there’s also a 7th Ultraman.

And then there’s Yen Press. As with previous months, we get most of their titles except one or two which are delayed a week (so don’t panic, Nozaki fans). Yen On has the 10th A Certain Magical Index. Will the entire world be forced to be Roman Catholic? Naruto never had cliffhangers like that.

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? has the 2nd volume of its side story based on Aiz Wallenstein, Sword Oratoria.

Yen On’s debut is KonoSuba: God’s Blessings on This Wonderful World!, an abbreviation of Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o! (which I am happy to never type again). It’s a “trapped in another world” novel, but as you can see by its first volume subtitle, Oh My Useless Goddess!, it’s a broad parody of such titles.

And a 3rd volume of Psycome, in which the protagonist’s somewhat obsessed little sister joins the cast.

Oh yes, and three more Spice & Wolf volumes digitally, as the catchup really takes off.

Yen’s manga releases begin with the third Aoharu x Machinegun. Will we finally get the gender reveal that is probably long overdue?

ASH: Another series that surprised me with how much I enjoyed the first volume; I should probably catch up and see if I continue to like it.

SEAN: Onward and Onward and Onward goes BTOOOM!, now up to Vol. 16.

Corpse Party: Blood Covered has a 4th omnibus, and must be running out of corpses for the party. Someone will have to run down to the store.

MICHELLE: Hee! And that is the most amused I’ve ever been by Corpse Party!

SEAN: And we get a 5th Volume of Dimension W.

ASH: I’m still not sure if Iwahara can tell a coherent, cohesive story, but I did enjoy the first couple of volumes of Dimension W.

SEAN: Erased makes its debut, and it’s a hardcover omnibus. Dark time-travel thriller, from what I understand.

ASH: Now this I am very interested in reading.

SEAN: Fruits Basket has a 10th omnibus. We are rocketing towards the climax!

MICHELLE: After ten months, you’d think I’d be accustomed to the speed of this release, but you’d be wrong.

ANNA: Nice!

SEAN: KonoSuba, mentioned above, also has its 2nd manga volume.

Believe it or not, there are still Madoka Magica spinoffs, though they’re slowing down. Puella Magi Oriko Magica: Sadness Prayer’s 2nd volume sounds like the rest of the genre the main series inspired: bleak.

Rose Guns Days Season 2 Volume 2 is still not as good as Higurashi or Umineko.

I know very little about Smokin’ Parade except it runs in Kadokawa’s Young Ace and looks grim.

Spirit & Cat Ears is from my old nemesis, Comic Alive, so expect fanservice and cuteness, in that order.

Lastly, we get an eighth volume of Trinity Seven.

With the Manga Bookshelf team breathing a sigh of relief that at least there’s a Fruits Basket they can use for Pick of the Week, what will you be getting?

ANNA: Apparently, all of Kodansha’s josei and shoujo digital releases from last week!

SEAN: OK, I know why we’re all here, but god forbid I not do this in alphabetical order by publisher, so…

MICHELLE: *sits on hands*

ANNA: *taps fingers impatiently*

SEAN: Dark Horse gives us a 4th volume of Fate/Zero, which has been getting darker and darker by the volume.

J-Novel Club has gotten to the point where we’re getting 2nd volumes. My Big Sister Lives in a Fantasy World may be very light novelish, but I found it a lot more fun than expected. Look forward to Vol. 2.

Their debut is Paying to Win in a VRMMO, which for once seems to feature a total immersion VR world that DOESN’T trap the players inside it.

OK, what you’ve been waiting for. Kodansha announced a few digital-only titles, and one was a long-coveted “this will never be licensed because it’s too Japanese” series, Chihayafuru. The story of a girl and her Hyakunin Isshu Karuta growth… what’s too Japanese about that? A josei series from Be Love magazine, everyone will buy this or I will personally come to your house and stare balefully at you.

MICHELLE: I’ll bring the cricket bat.

ANNA: I am SO excited, this is one of those titles I thought would never come out here.

MJ: This, this-y, this this. This this.

SEAN: We’re also getting the digital debut of Springtime with Ninjas, a shoujo title from Nakayoshi that I feel bad for, first because it pales next to Chihayafuru and Tokyo Tarareba Girls, but mostly because I won’t be able to read it without adding “And Germany!”.

MICHELLE: And now I won’t, either! :)

ANNA: I enjoy shoujo ninjas!

SEAN: As hinted, we also see Tokyo Tarareba Girls debut. Also a josei title, this one from Kiss magazine, it’s by the creator of Princess Jellyfish, and is award-nominated and fantastic.

MICHELLE: This is one I didn’t know I needed, and now I’m so eager. I will give Springtime with Ninjas a chance, too. Mostly to show my appreciation to Kodansha for the josei, though, I admit.

ANNA: I did not know about this either but josei titles are a must buy for me.

MJ: Well, huh. yes.

SEAN: Those are all digital-only, though if they sell well I hope that will change. In print we have the third volume of vampire manga Happiness.

ASH: I’m definitely someone who prefers reading in print, but I’m thrilled that these manga are being translated at all! Also, even though I’m a little weary of vampire manga, I am liking Happiness so far.

SEAN: There’s also a 6th Heroic Legend of Arslan, which I need to catch up with one of these days. I feel bad that I clamor for Silver Spoon while ignoring this.

ASH: It’s a pretty solid historical fantasy series, though I do join you in clamoring for Silver Spoon.

SEAN: And a 2nd volume of the odd yet compelling Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai.

Speaking of odd (but not always that compelling), One Peace has a 3rd Kuma Miko.

Seven Seas has four volumes out next week, including a 4th Hour of the Zombie.

Re: Monster is one of the weirder male power fantasies I’ve ever read, so I may give Vol. 2 a try, though I’m wary.

Seven Seas has been doing a LOT of yuri the last few weeks. The one-shot volume next week is Secret of the Princess, from popular author Morinaga Milk. It ran in Shinshokan’s Hirari.

MICHELLE: Hmm… Maybe on this one.

ASH: I have enjoyed many of the creator’s other manga, so I should probably give this one a look, too.

SEAN: And a 4th Shomin Sample, which no doubt will have a girl showing us her panties on the cover.

SuBLime’s 3rd volume of Ten Count is still not about boxing.

MICHELLE: Definitely not.

ASH: Nope.

ANNA: Indeed, no.

MJ: I am skeptical. Though not regarding its lack of boxing.

SEAN: Vertical’s To The Abandoned Sacred Beasts’s 4th volume does feature beasts, though, I believe.

Viz time. Hayate the Combat Butler makes me happy to see it even though it comes out so infrequently. Bring on Vol. 29!

Magi does not have the ‘only twice a year’ issue Hayate does, which is why we’re seeing Vol. 22.

Lastly, there is a 6th Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter.

Well, this was more exciting than I’d expected a few days ago! What are you getting next week?

MICHELLE: A plethora, apparently!

SEAN: Sooooo much Viz. So much. Almost every single Viz title I follow has a volume out this week. Oddly, though, absolutely no new title debuts.

Before Viz, though, Kodansha gives us a 2nd volume of Fire Force, which seems to be Soul Eater’s attempt to do Fairy Tail.

Say “I Love You” is ending soon, but I’m not sure if 17 is the final volume or not. We shall see.

MICHELLE: Yeah, I don’t know either.

ASH: This series has been consistently great. I’m glad that Kodansha brought it over.

ANNA: I’m so far behind on this series, I’ve almost given up on getting caught up, but I’m also glad Kodansha brought it over.

SEAN: Seven Seas gives us a 2nd volume of My Pathetic Vampire Life, which I did not enjoy as much as I expected.

And a 2nd Please Tell Me, Galko-chan!, which I enjoyed more than I expected.

ASH: I really enjoyed the first volume, too! It was surprisingly bright and cheery.

SEAN: Titan Comics has been releasing the manga version of Sherlock in pamphlet form over the last year, and now we finally get the first volume collected as A Study in Pink. Assuming there are Sherlock fans left after that last season.

MICHELLE: I liked the middle one!

ANNA: Ah, maybe it will be pleasantly nostalgic?

SEAN: Kitty! A 2nd volume of Fuku Fuku: Kitten Tales from Vertical Comics.

MJ: More kitties are always welcome!

MICHELLE: Yay!

SEAN: And now. Viz. So much Viz. A 14th volume of Assassination Classroom, which is not quite at THAT spoiler yet. Next time.

Black Clover has improved slightly with each volume, to the point that I am prepared to call the 5th volume “pretty good”.

Bleach has an 18th 3-in-1, which I assume is in the middle of some long arc.

Hungry? Good. Food Wars! 16 will make you want to eat (or go to a school festival).

Don’t eat volleyballs, though. But the 8th volume of Haikyu!! should be excellent.

MICHELLE: Very excited about more Food Wars! and Haikyu!!.

ASH: I’m also looking forward to more of both series.

ANNA: Haikyu!! is consistently good.

SEAN: The 3rd arc of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure did not grip me as immediately as the first two. I’m hoping that changes with the 2nd Stardust Crusaders hardcover.

ASH: It’s such a weird series. It almost becomes a travelogue at some points. Granted, a very bloody one with lots of punching and mind games.

SEAN: Kamisama Kiss continues its final arc with its 23rd volume.

ANNA: I’ve got 4 volumes to read to get caught up, but in a way that’s fine because the series is so enjoyable.

SEAN: How will Kuroko’s Basketball’s 4th omnibus deal with the CRUSHING DEFEAT from last time? My guess? Friendship and Training.

MICHELLE: A solid bet.

SEAN: Maid-sama! has Vol. 13-14, which means it’s actually nearly over. I assume Misaki will protest quite a bit throughout.

MICHELLE: It’s kind of hard to believe that we’re actually going to see the conclusion of this one.

SEAN: And a 7th volume of superhero school manga My Hero Academia.

ASH: I’ve really been meaning to read this series; I’ve heard great things about it.

SEAN: Yay! My Love Story!! 11 is here! Please always be adorable.

MICHELLE: Here’s one that’s almost over, too. (Volume thirteen is the end.)

ASH: I continue to love My Love Story!!(!)

ANNA: How could it not be adorable?

SEAN: One Piece’s 81st volume makes me very happy, if only as I don’t have to say Dressrosa anymore. What’s up with Sanji, though?

MICHELLE: Man, you weren’t kidding about nearly everything getting a new volume!

SEAN: So Cute It Hurts!! gets an 11th volume, though the exclamation mark joke’s time has passed.

Toriko is in its final arc with the 37th volume, but I think it’s still got a ways to go.

MICHELLE: Finally, I’m about to embark on reading Toriko!

SEAN: Yona of the Dawn has a 4th volume, and cannot come out fast enough for me.

MICHELLE: I am excite.

ASH: I’m more than ready for my next dose of shoujo epic fantasy!

ANNA: Me too!

SEAN: Lastly, there’s a 9th Yu-Gi-Oh! 3-in-1, because Yu-Gi-Oh will never die.

MJ: Wow, when I see a list like this, it makes me feel like I’m not reading anything at all. I swear I am!

SEAN: What’s keeping you happy in this cold and gloomy February?

SEAN: For a ‘5th week’, this is a pretty huge one. Longtime readers know that when the 1st falls on a Wednesday, it’s not really the first week, but there’s still tons of stuff.

J-Novel Club has made its name mostly with typical “light novel” fare for standard anime fans. That said, the release of The Faraway Paladin is really being touted by them as a good novel in general. It’s a dark fantasy, and they’re REALLY pushing it as not your typical light novel fare.

They are also releasing Mixed Bathing in Another Dimension, which is absolutely your typical light novel fare.

If you enjoyed the first volumes of Deathtopia and Wave, Listen to Me! when they came out digitally Tuesday, well, Kodansha is releasing the 2nd volumes next week.

MICHELLE: Hooray!

ASH: I’m hoping we’ll eventually see a print edition, but I might not be able to wait for it.

ANNA: Nice! Preparing for a good digital only edition of manga binge.

SEAN: Many may remember the Alice in the Country of Hearts series coming out primarily from Seven Seas. It’s not anymore, for reasons that remain murky, but Seven Seas has tried to retain the spirit by doing Captive Hearts of Oz, which is an original manga series based on the Oz books with art by Mamenosuke Fujimaru, the most popular Alice in the Country of artist.

ASH: I’m actually really curious about this collaboration!

ANNA: I’m a little curious, but also wary because I’m burnt out on both Oz and Country of Hearts stuff. The art should at least be very pretty!

SEAN: I really enjoyed the visual novel Kindred Spirits on the Roof when it came out here last year, being a “yuri” title that actually cared about character depth and not just bodies squishing. There was a short manga spinoff as well, and Seven Seas is putting it out as one omnibus. The good news is it’s NOT an adaptation of the game – these are new stories, and stars some new cast members (it takes place after the game proper, I believe). If you like “non-skeezy” yuri, you must pick this up.

MICHELLE: This one was definitely on my list.

MJ: I’ll put it on mine as well.

ASH: Oh, interesting! I had assumed that it was an adaptation. I guess I’ll need to move it up on my list.

SEAN: And there is also a 2nd and final volume of the Love in Hell spinoff Death Life.

Udon’s Persona schedule has been slipping a bit, but here’s the 2nd volume of Persona 3.

ASH: Since I’ve actually played some of Persona 3, I’ve been meaning to check this series out. Apparently I’ve already fallen behind, though.

Vertical has a 1-volume Junji Ito title, Dissolving Classroom, which comes from a series of stories that ran in Motto!, Akita Shoten’s josei horror title. It’s Junji Ito, so it should be great (and also gross) (and also terrifying).

MJ: I like the sound of that!

ASH: I’m very excited for this release! I like josei, I like horror, I like Ito, so I expect that I’ll like Dissolving Classroom, too.

ANNA: Also curious to check this out.

SEAN: Yen has some new digital only releases. Aphorism 8, Corpse Princess 8, and Sekirei 8.

They also have their light novel titles for the month, beginning with the debut. Death March in the Parallel World Rhapsody had its manga adaptation come out this week, meaning I already discussed it in last week’s Manga the Week of. But hey, prose!

There is a 6th volume of cult favorite Kagerou Daze, which if nothing else promises to be short, and also hopefully clear up a few more mysteries.

The 3rd Overlord novel is unlikely to be short, and will continue to feature our evil protagonists having evil adventures.

Spice & Wolf has its 2nd and 3rd books released digitally for those (like me) who never read it in print years ago.

And Strike the Blood’s 5th volume hopes to resolve the cliffhanger from the last volume and also astound me with its originality. I suspect it will achieve one of those. But the fights will be cool.

Yen also held over two titles to next week. Alice in Murderland gives you more Kaori Yuki goodness (is the entire cast dead yet?).

And they debut Big Order in omnibus format. I had hoped this was a baseball manga, but alas. It’s from the creator of Future Diary.

MICHELLE: I wish it had been a baseball manga, too!

SEAN: Do you have a favorite title you’re picking up?

SEAN: For a Yen week, this is actually pretty reasonable. Mostly as Yen moved a bunch of titles to the week after next, but hey.

Kodansha first, though. They’ve recently announced several new titles as digital releases. Deathtopia debuts next week, from the creator of Cage of Eden. This is a seinen title from Evening Magazine, and we’ll see if it’s as fanservice-laden as its shonen predecessor. It’s a thriller.

Wave, Listen to Me! gets the award for best title of the week. It’s an Afternoon manga from the creator of Blade of the Immortal. Fans of that series will be happy to hear this new one takes place… at a radio station?

ASH: I just found out about this series and I am incredibly curious about it.

MICHELLE: Oooooh! I especially like that the Kodansha site mentions “the beginning of an aggressive ramp-up in new digital manga series!”

KATE: Count me in for Wave, Listen to Me!, too. I’m a little biased — I teach a class on radio and television history — but I’m delighted to see a few grown-up options in the mix.

MJ: Oh, interesting.

ANNA: I am officially intrigued.

SEAN: And this isn’t out in volume form yet, but a new series from the creator of A Silent Voice debuts next week with 10 individual chapters, which catches us up with Weekly Shonen Magazine. Called To Your Eternity (Fumetsu no Anata e), it’s more supernaturally tinged than A Silent Voice but apparently just as depressing.

Kodansha also has an 8th print volume of Forget Me Not.

Seven Seas surprisingly only has one title out this week, given how much they’ve been piling on the books lately. It’s the 5th volume of Nurse Hitomi’s Monster Infirmary.

Vertical Inc. has the first volume of Nisioisin’s popular Zaregoto series, Decapitation: Kubikiri Cycle, though they emphasize they’ve only licensed this one volume, to tie in with the current Japanese OAV adaptation. It was actually released by Del Rey years ago; this is a re-edited version, and hopefully now that Bakemonogatari is popular it should see more readers.

Vertical Comics also gives us a third Immortal Hounds.

And the rest is Yen Press. First off, a 9th volume of capital letter and punctuation loving Akame Ga KILL!.

The 8th manga volume of A Certain Magical Index wraps up the adaptation of the 6th novel.

Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody is the runner-up for best title of the week. As for the content, it’s a story where a guy finds himself transported to another world, gaining impressive powers, and surrounded by beautiful… wait, why are you running away? “Transported to another world” is this year’s vampires! This is the manga, the novel is out one week later.

First Love Monster has a 6th volume.

Fruits’ Basket Collector’s Edition reached Vol. 9, and get ready, because this is the one with THAT spoiler which shattered Furuba fandom forever.

MICHELLE: I continue to boggle that we’re up to this point already. But I also love that we’re still maintaining the secrecy of that spoiler.

SEAN: Horimiya has a 6th volume, and we’ll see if things advance on the romance front.

ASH: I’ve been enjoying Horimiya a great deal.

MICHELLE: Woot!

SEAN: I’ve enjoyed the light novel The Isolator, dark as it’s been, and so am pleased to see the manga adaptation is now coming out over here.

And there’s a 3rd volume of fantasy Liselotte & Witch’s Forest.

MICHELLE: I’ll be picking up this one, too.

SEAN: Murciélago also debuts this month from Yen Press. It’s a Young Gangan title that is apparently SUPER violent, and has humor so black it causes you to redefine “funny”. And it also has a lesbian lead, though this isn’t your cute high school girls sort of lesbian. I’ve heard good things about it (it has the Erica Friedman seal of approval), but with lots of “it’s pretty sick” warnings.

ASH: I’ve heard good things, too, but it definitely won’t be a series for everybody.

MJ: I would describe myself as interested, but skeptical.

SEAN: Rokka: Brave of the Six Flowers also has its manga adaptation debut (the novel arrives in April). It’s a fantasy series with strong word of mouth – real fantasy, rather than light novel fantasy. This adaptation ran in Shueisha’s now defunct Super Dash & Go!.

ANNA: Huh, I am always up for more fantasy manga.

SEAN: I was pleasantly surprised at how good I found the first volume of Scum’s Wish, though ‘pleasant’ is perhaps the wrong word for what’s going on with these kids. I look forward to the second volume.

MICHELLE: Same. Dark and complex, but not ecchi like the cover of volume one might suggest.

SEAN: Taboo Tattoo has a 5th volume, and is very Monthly Comic Alive.

Today’s Cerberus sees a 2nd print volume, and is still cute and silly.

You can’t have a long list of manga without at least one survival game title, and there is is: the 2nd volume of Tohyo Game.

Lastly, we wrap up the 6th Umineko arc with the 3rd and final omnibus of Dawn of the Golden Witch. I’m not sure when the 7th arc will begin – Yen hasn’t scheduled it – but this volume at least resolves Erika Furudo’s role in the series… at least for the time being.

A lot of new stuff this week. What appeals to you most?

SEAN: Mid-month, and it’s a mostly quiet time in manga land. Some series end, but others carry on regardless. What’ve we got this time around?

ASH: Wow! It’s been a while since we’ve had a week this quiet.

SEAN: Kodansha has a 2nd volume of Interviews with Monster Girls, whose first volume I found pretty good. It’s more on the ‘cute’ than ‘sexy’ end of the spectrum.

ASH: Hopefully the recent anime adaptation will encourage people to try the manga, too.

SEAN: And there’s an 18th volume of The Seven Deadly Sins.

One Peace gives us an 8th volume of yuri trap manga Maria Holic.

.

Seven Seas has one of my favorite horrible guilty pleasure series come to an end with the 4th and final omnibus of Franken Fran. I understand it wasn’t a big seller, which is a shame, but its over-the-top horrible horror and humor always tickled my funny bone. Or made my jaw drop.

ASH: I’ve been thoroughly enjoying Franken Fran. It’s sad to hear it hasn’t done especially well, but I’m glad to have it on my shelves.

SEAN: How to Build a Dungeon also made my jaw drop, but not in a good way. Vol. 2 is out. Buyer beware.

My Girlfriend Is a T-Rex also has a 2nd volume, and I found the first, like Interviews with Monster Girls, cute and ‘pretty good’. This is a mild recommendation.

And Non Non Biyori’s 6th volume, a series that takes slice of life to such extremes you may fall asleep just reading the synopsis.

Vertical gives us a 7th volume of Ninja Slayer, which has ninjas, who possibly slay.

Viz has the 20th volume of Dorohedoro, and I could not be more delighted. I look forward to this series every time a new volume comes out.

ASH: Yes! I love Dorohedoro.

SEAN: And there is a 16th Terra Formars as well.

Lastly, Tokyo Ghoul has a 2nd novel based on the popular series, this one called Void.

MANGA? It’s what’s happening. What are you getting?

MICHELLE: Uhhh… nothing, apparently.

KATE: That makes two of us, Michelle! There’s a whole lotta “Whoa!” and “No!” in this week’s shipments as far as I’m concerned.

MJ: Same! Is it sad that I’m somewhat relieved to finally have disembarked the Seven Seas train? Sorry, Seven Seas.

ANNA: There is nothing that appeals to me this week, which is good because I can hopefully get caught up reading other things!

SEAN: The holidays are over and it’s back to the grind, but we have some manga here to help you along.

Dark Horse is not only putting out Shinji Ikari Raising Project omnibuses, but also the actual series. Vol. 17 is the 2nd to last. Love those Evangelion AUs.

Kodansha has a few books. I was very pleased with the first volume of In/Spectre, whose female lead basically ticks many marks I look for in female leads. I am very excited for Vol. 2.

ASH: I’m very curious to see how this series unfolds!

SEAN: And we also get a 3rd volume of That Wolf-Boy Is Mine!, though the wolf boy himself may say otherwise.

MICHELLE: I really enjoyed the first two volumes and am looking forward to the third!

SEAN: Meanwhile, the 12th Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches starts to show us how it intends to move on after for all intents and purposes ending last volume.

ASH: The series seems to have done this a few times now.

SEAN: The big publisher this week is Seven Seas, with five titles. First we have a 9th volume of techno thriller Arpeggio of Blue Steel.

And a 3rd volume of Zero Sum-tastic action series Battle Rabbits.

The debut this week is The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, which is a mouthful but I have high hopes. Also known as Totsukuni no Shoujo, it’s a Mag Garden title from Comic Blade. We haven’t seen much of them since the old Tokyopop days. It seems to be along the lines of Ancient Magus’ Bride and similar titles.

ASH: I am looking forward to this one immensely; possibly one of my most anticipated debuts of the year.

ANNA: This sounds interesting to me.

MJ: Oh, this. I’m definitely interested in this!

SEAN: Golden Time’s 6th volume continues to show us that law school students can have just as many angsty romantic triangles as high school students.

And the always gloriously silly My Monster Secret has a 5th volume.

Speaking of silly, or at least just plain weird, there’s a 6th volume of Nichijou from Vertical Comics.

Viz closes things out. First we have a 61st volume of Case Closed, which continues to feature lots of mysteries and lots of pointing.

The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition’s first volume was a huge bestseller, and I suspect the second, which will have Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, should do equally well.

Lastly, Ranma 1/2 has its second to last omnibus, which means that at least one of its many hanging subplots will get wrapped up. No, really, it will. But not any of the romantic ones, fear not.

ASH: Still glad Ranma is getting a re-release!

SEAN: There’s some really good titles here. What interests you?

MICHELLE: Apparently only wolf boys!

SEAN: No respite for anyone this January, as unlike past years the manga keeps on piling in. What’ve we got next week?

Dark Horse has the 2nd Shinji Ikari Raising Project omnibus. So much lighter, fluffier Evangelion lately…

J-Novel Club debuts a new digital-only light novel series, and boy does this have a light novel title. I Saved Too Many Girls And Caused The Apocalypse has a tremendous number of volumes out in Japan, but it’s a harem series so that may explain it. At least our hero isn’t in a fantasy game-type world… I think.

Your Lie in April finishes from Kodansha with its 11th volume, and you’d better get ready for some Bridge to Terabithia level tears, let me tell you.

Seven Seas has a 6th volume of The Ancient Magus’ Bride, one of my favorites of their lineup. First printings will have extra material!

ASH: I’m really looking forward to this!

SEAN: They also debut Bloom Into You, a yuri title that for once is not ‘yuri for fanservice’s sake because girl-on-girl is hot’. This well-written series from Dengeki Daioh also boasts great art. If you enjoy manga like this but have avoided it because of Seven Seas’ recent yuri titles, give it a shot.

MICHELLE: I’ve been looking forward to this one!

ASH: Me, too! I’ve heard very good things about the series.

MJ: I will check this out!

SEAN: And there’s also a 10th volume of Magical Girl Apocalypse, for those who enjoy seeing cute girls dying.

Lastly, in case Seven Seas’s normal demographic was feeling left out, there is a 3rd volume of the Monster Musume side-story series I Heart Monster Girls.

And now it’s time for Viz. First off we have a 3rd volume of 7th Garden.

And a 3rd volume of “we’re still not Ouran” series Behind the Scenes!!.

ANNA: I still like it!

SEAN: The Demon Prince of Momochi House gets a 7th volume.

ASH: I just recently caught up with this series and plan on reading more.

ANNA: It is one of those series that just keeps getting better with each volume.

SEAN: And if you still can’t get enough of buying Dragon Ball over and over and over again, here’s the 5th Full Color Freeza Arc.

We’re on an odd month, so Haikyu!! is the sole sports series out from Viz this time.

MICHELLE: At least there’s never a month when we’re without!

ASH: Plus, Haikyu!! is great!!

ANNA: Yay for volleyball!

SEAN: Honey So Sweet has a 5th volume of cute cuteness.

MICHELLE: Yay. I could use some adorable about now.

ANNA: It is SO cute.

SEAN: And Naruto is still churning out 3-in-1s – this is the 17th.

Nisekoi 19 begins the march to slowly resolving all the harem pairings – and by resolve I mean let down gently.

One-Punch Man 10! PUNCHING!

MICHELLE: I am embarking on this series in the very near future!

ASH: I hope you enjoy! It can be a highly entertaining series.

SEAN: A new 3-in-1 debuts, as we now get Rurouni Kenshin for those who didn’t read it ages ago. If you didn’t, do so, it’s very good.

MICHELLE: Forsooth.

ANNA: It is so good! But I find it odd how many printings some series go through!

SEAN: An 11th volume of Seraph of the End stares quietly, waiting stoicly for me to make a vampire joke. I back down.

Skip Beat! has its 3-in-1s catch up with its main release again with this 12th omnibus.

Twin Star Exorcists trundles along as well with a 7th volume.

And we also get a 14th World Trigger, and wish the author a ‘get well soon’.

See what I mean? Not your usual slow January. Whadya got?

SEAN: I remember only 4-5 years ago when the Christmas week releases numbered zero, or at most one. Those days are gone forever, though this is a light week compared to the previous ones.

Dark Horse has a 6th omnibus of the Astro Boy manga.

Kodansha has the 20th volume of Attack on Titan, and if you like there’s also the Special Edition which comes with an actual Titan that will eat you… OK, it’s just a DVD. But I bet they’d do it if they could.

Cells at Work! gives is a 2nd volume of anthropomorphic medical action.

MICHELLE: I’m reading the first volume now and it’s pretty entertaining. I’m interested to see how (and if) the story develops.

ASH: The first volume was a great deal of fun! I’m interested in reading more.

SEAN: And a second (and final?) volume of The Black Museum: The Ghost and the Lady. No word if the other series in this collection has been picked up.

ASH: I really liked the first half of this story. If the rest of the series is anywhere near as good, I hope it’s licensed, too.

SEAN: Potboilers continue to do well, as we get an 8th L♥DK.

Lastly, rejoice! An 8th Vinland Saga omnibus is here in all its glorious carnage.

ASH: I am beyond thrilled for Vinland Saga’s return.

ANNA: I did not realize that this was coming out, but I’m very excited!

SEAN: Seven Seas has D-Frag! hit double digits. My guess: there will be boke and tsukkomi humor within… like the nine previous volumes.

And a 4th survival game-ish Not Lives.

My #1 guilty pleasure, and believe me the guilt outweighs the pleasure by a metric ton, Seven Seas also has a 6th Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn, where two amazing talents prove they can reinforce each other’s worst habits.

The debut next week is the first volume of Seven Princes of the Thousand Year Labyrinth. It’s one of the most Ichijinsha things you’ve ever met, despite also being a survival game. I reviewed it here.

ASH: I plan on giving the first volume a look at least.

SEAN: Lastly, Vertical gives us a 4th omnibus of Mysterious Girlfriend X. Get yourself some drool for the holidays.

MICHELLE: Ew.

MJ: Nothing really calls out to me from this week’s list, but I did want to say “Happy Holidays!” to all our readers, and to you all, too!

SEAN: So what are you getting with those Christmas gift cards?