manga the week of

SEAN: As you’d expect when I get Yen a week early, that makes this week look pretty damn tiny. What’s coming in? All final volumes this week!

Kodansha has the 11th and final volume of Bloody Monday. There are two sequels out in Japan, but I have a sneaking suspicion this may be it for the title on these shores. Let’s hope it ends better than your average season of 24!

MJ: I abandoned this series early on, though the fact that it wraps up in 11 volumes might be enough to draw me back to it eventually. I guess time will tell.

MICHELLE: I only ever bought the first two volumes of this one. I wonder if it’ll be the first series by this pseudonym-happy creator to actually finish in America, even if we don’t get the sequels. GetBackers, Drops of God, Kindaichi Case Files… all stopped short of the end. Oh, wait, there was Psycho Busters. Exactly my last choice of that group.

SEAN: Vertical has the 5th and I believe final volume of Heroman. Everyone on the cover looks happy, particularly the giant robot.

Lastly, Vertical also has the 6th and final volume of Limit, which has spend 5/6 of its time torturing its cast. Will it kill everyone off, or do we get to survive to see a sequel where they crash on a desert island or something?

MJ: This is definitely the most compelling item on the list for me this week. It has consistently kept me on the edge of my seat, so I’ll be anxious to find out what happens!

MICHELLE: I must confess that I haven’t read beyond volume one of Limit. One day I will!

ANNA: I need to catch up on this too! I enjoyed the first two volumes very much.

SEAN: Which series are you wrapping up?

SEAN: Standard ‘Diamond is sending me Yen Press a week early’ warning. I’m not quite sure why they do this, it seems to only be the the Northeast Corridor. Ironically, years ago, I used to get my manga a week later than others, again just the Northeast Corridor was affected. In any case, my list is hefty this week.

Dark Horse has the 4th volume of Gate 7, a title that has completely failed to keep me interested in any way. But there are some fans of it, particularly those of a historical bent.

MICHELLE: I feel bad that this one didn’t particularly grab me, but… it didn’t.

MJ: Gate 7 *did* grab me right away, but then the heavy concentration of unfamiliar historical references kinda bogged me down. Fortunately, I found a helpful guide to carry me through! So I’m looking forward to this new volume with only the slightest sense of bog.

SEAN: Kodansha has the 4th volume of Missions of Love. You know, when I was first promoting this title as an interesting little shoujo love triangle, I wasn’t aware that it was going to turn into the Gakuen Prince of 2013. Let’s see how saucy it will get this time.

MICHELLE: I read a couple of volumes of this, but I think I didn’t like any of the characters enough to continue.

ANNA: Knowing now that it turns into the Gakuen Prince of 2013, I’m glad I didn’t start reading this.

SEAN: Many are calling the 12th Sailor Moon volume the final one, and it’s true that the main story wraps up here. However, this re-release stripped out all the short stories that had originally been interspersed in the volumes, and has given them two separate books of their own. So fear not! Soon you will be able to learn if Rei farts.

MICHELLE: Yay?

SEAN: Viz has the 5th volume of 07-Ghost, a series I’ve fallen behind on. Anyone else?

MICHELLE: I’m behind, too. I’ll catch up one day.

MJ: Same here, and that’s really a shame.

ANNA: I’ve read through volume four, and I like this series! But I’m predisposed to enjoy any manga that involves fighting priests.

SEAN: They also have the 5th and final volume of I’ll Give It My All… Tomorrow, a SigIkki series. I found the protagonist too annoying to continue the series, but then, that was sort of the point, and I know a lot of people identified with his situations.

MJ: I can’t say that I identify with him, but I do feel like I know him, and that is enough to keep me interested in his plight.

SEAN: The rest is all Yen. We have the 14th volume of Black Butler, which I’m sure is sexy as hell, at least according to the Tumblrs I see. Or perhaps smexy.

MICHELLE: I am old, because I just had to look up what “smexy” means.

MJ: Smexy or not, I just… can’t get into it.

ANNA: I read the first volume, and that was enough for me.

SEAN: This isn’t a manga, but I don’t care. The Book Girl light novel series has hit its endgame, and Book Girl and the Scribe Who Faced God is a 2-parter it’s so big. Part 1 drops this week, and we will finally get to focus on Tohko.

The 2nd and final Doubt omnibus is out, which will no doubt kill off most of the rest of the cast. If you’re a fan, good news: its spiritual sequel Judge is coming soon.

Is This A Zombie? 5 proves that it’s not just Seven Seas’ moe titles that make me sigh and rub my forehead. Congrats to Yen, I guess?

MJ: Heh.

SEAN: K-On! had a sweet, definitive ending, but it was also wildly popular, and you know what companies think about wildly popular finished titles. So K-On! College is the first of two sequels that continue the story, this one following Yui, Mio, Ritsu and Mugi in higher education.

Nabari no Ou is the last title we have this week that is ending, showing us that you can succeed as a ninja manga and not be Naruto. Though I’m sure it would have appreciated Naruto’s sales…

MICHELLE: This title isn’t one of my favorites, but it’s been interesting enough to keep me reading, so I’m looking forward to reaching the conclusion.

MJ: This title is one of my favorites, so I’m looking forward to it!

SEAN: Madoka Magica prints money, let’s have more of it! Puella Magi Oriko Magica is another spinoff series, and I believe it’s the darker of the two that Yen is putting out.

Soul Eater 15 shows us barreling to a climax, though things have started to go badly for some of our heroes. Poor Kid!

Lastly, we have a 4th omnibus of Until Death Do Us Part, which doesn’t remind me of the way Glenn Miller played at all. (Seven Degrees of Pun Bacon there.)

MICHELLE: I would feel so proud of myself if I could get the reference.

MJ: That’s what Google is for, Michelle!

SEAN: Even Google might not help. Till Death Do Us Part -> Till Death Us Do Part -> All In The Family -> “Those Were The Days” -> “Boy, the way Glenn Miller played…” Welcome to Sean’s mind. Don’t stay long.

MJ: I guess we’ll have to wait until someone develops a search engine for Sean’s brain. It’s sure to happen. Someday.

SEAN: What manga are you beating the heat with?

SEAN: Not as big as week 1 of July, but there’s plenty of tasty treats to check out as the summer continues to be hot.

Dark Horse has the 2nd and final omnibus of Tokyo Babylon. I didn’t buy this one, so will forever imagine it ends with a big picnic, and possibly puppies and unicorns. :)

MICHELLE: I will allow you to have your dreams.

MJ: I’m sure everyone can guess how eagerly I’ve been anticipating this release. I was over the moon for Dark Horse’s first omnibus, and since I actually like to be beaten into a sobbing pulp by my fiction, I’m willing to move forward without those puppies and unicorns. Note: This volume will also contain Hokuto’s side story of epic awesomeness, so there’s that.

SEAN: Digital Manga Publishing is finally returning to print manga, and what better title to see returning to our shelves than the 7th volume of Vampire Hunter D?

MICHELLE: While this personally doesn’t excite me much, I was very pleased to see that the tenth volume of Itazura Na Kiss is now available for pre-order. Hurray for print manga!

SEAN: SubLime has two new debuts. False Memories has a cute cover, so I have less to say about it. It’s by the author of Devil’s Honey and Dash!

MICHELLE: The cover is very cute indeed. I confess that was all it took to convince me to read it, and I didn’t connect the author with Devil’s Honey. The latter was pretty good, though, so I’m definitely intrigued.

MJ: Agreed!

SEAN: Oh Dear Lord. Look at the cover for Hide & Seek. Have you seen two people you want to punch in the face more than these two? :) This is by the author of Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love, which if I recall also had ridiculous covers. Recommended for those who enjoy large yaoi hands.

MICHELLE: *snerk* While I liked Yaya Sakuragi’s Stay Close to Me, Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love was so generic and the characters so unappealing that I now view anything else by the author with trepidation.

MJ: Heh. I deeply disliked Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love, but on the upside, at least these two characters both look like adults, so I’ll give it a try.

SEAN: Vertical has the 6th volume of Flowers of Evil, whose sales will hopefully be bumped by the recent conclusion to the anime version.

MJ: I hope so, too! I’m looking forward to this volume in any case.

SEAN: Viz has Case Closed Vol. 47. In Japan, Vol. 79 came out this April. Sadly, I suspect we will not be seeing the great Case Closed speedup anytime soon.

MICHELLE: I find this series to be fun occasionally, but it’s one of those cases where I’m very grateful my local library purchases it so I don’t have to. I can’t imagine housing dozens of volumes of goofy, episodic mysteries.

SEAN: The 5th Fullmetal Alchemist omnibus contains Vols. 13-15 of this shonen series that everyone should own. And I hope Viz can negotiate digital rights back now that Square Enix shuttered their digital site.

MICHELLE: It’s a classic.

MJ: Fullmetal Alchemist is absolutely a must-own, and I’m glad it’s being given a second run like this.

SEAN: The 4th Loveless omnibus, with Vol. 7 & 8, I think catches us up with Viz’s newer releases, right?

MICHELLE: It does, as volume 11 came out in June. It also catches us up with Japan.

MJ: I honestly can’t wait. The new volumes have been mocking me from the shelf for so long.

SEAN: Rin-Ne has hit a dozen volumes, and is doing well enough that it doesn’t have to worry about getting as behind as Case Closed is. Not that this means any legitimate plot is happening, mind you…

MICHELLE: I’m happy that RIN-NE exists for whenever I want a dose of Takahashi, but it’s true there’s not really anything to get excited about.

SEAN: Finally, we see the second volume of superhero manga Tiger & Bunny. He’s a superhero. He’s also a superhero. THEY FIGHT CRIME!

Anything here catch your fancy?

SEAN: I’m pretty sure there’s something for absolutely everyone in this week’s list. Let’s break it down.

Starting off with a publisher we don’t often talk about. But Last Gasp has not one, but two manga releases out this week. First off is The Strange Case of Panorama Island, which is an adaptation of a famous Edogawa Rampo novel by underground manga artist Suehiro Maruo. Now admittedly, most of the indie manga fans grabbed this at TCAF already. Let’s get it more widely read.

MJ: I’m definitely interested, and I wasn’t at TCAF, so count me in!

MICHELLE: Ooh, finally! This one has been on my Amazon wishlist for ages!

ANNA: How many years ago was this announced? I’m glad that Strange Case of Panorama Island is coming out finally, I am very curious about it.

SEAN: And there’s also the 2nd volume of the cute yet disturbing Little Fluffy Gigolo Pelu, the first volume of which came out back in 2009. It’s a Junko Mizuno title, so be prepared for strangeness.

MJ: At long last! I still have the first volume that I borrowed from Michelle ages ago, so I guess I’d best reread and send back to her so that she can do the same!

MICHELLE: !!!!! I genuinely had no idea the second volume of this was on the horizon! It might be time to bust out my seldom-seen happy dance!

ANNA: I had no idea either! This is exciting.

SEAN: Seven Seas has a quintet of releases. Alice in the Country of Clover: Cheshire Cat Waltz hits its fifth volume, and continues to feature Alice’s love relationship with Boris.

MICHELLE: I have a tendency to start each new “Alice in the Country of” series, but then never go back to them. That’s the case with this one, too.

SEAN: Gunslinger Girl finally comes to an end with this volume, and if I’ve guessed correctly it will probably not involve everyone living happily ever after and there being punch and pie. Still, it’s a beloved series, and will no doubt be heartwarmingly bleak and tragic.

There’s also the 3rd omnibus of I Don’t Like You At All, Big Brother!!. I think this actually catches us up with Japan, given it’s an omnibus. As such, it may be a while before I have to talk about it again.

The same cannot be said for Mayo Chiki, which resists all my voodoo doll poking at it. Vol. 3 is out next week.

MJ: I can’t tell you how little interest I have in these things.

MICHELLE: *snerk*

SEAN: Lastly, and if I’m honest most interesting, is the debut of a new series, World War Blue. It’s basically the Nintendo/Sega console wars, only with human personifications. I find the premise intriguing, and it does not seem, on first glance, to be filled with moe incest, so it’s my Seven Seas pick this week.

MJ: I agree, that does sound interesting. May be a rare Seven Seas winner for me.

MICHELLE: Huh.

SEAN: Vertical has a debut this week as well, though it’s a much darker series. Wolfsmund comes from the folks at Enterbrain, home to A Bride’s Story, and is a brutal examination of the Middle Ages. It’s supposed to be really excellent, but honestly may be too dark for me.

MJ: “Dark” has never scared me away, so bring it on!

ANNA: This sounds a bit odd and potentially interesting.

SEAN: And what would a first week of the month be without Viz? Bleach 57 gives you 57 varieties of plot, 3 speeds (slow, very slow, and stop), and 3,249 characters.

MICHELLE: And again I snerk.

SEAN: Blue Exorcist hits double digits, and I believe finally heads back to Academy life, though who knows how long that will last.

MICHELLE: I need to catch up on this one.

ANNA: Me too.

SEAN: A new 3-in-1 omnibus, for those who missed it the first time. Like me. D.Gray-Man 1-3 gives us an introduction to this series that started off in Jump before moving to Square (for the artist’s health reasons, I believe). It’s the series about exorcists that didn’t become a monstrous hit (see above for the other one).

Jiu Jiu finishes with its 5th volume, and I’m so relieved that I believe I will actually read it.

MJ: Heh.

MICHELLE: Jiu Jiu is over now? Hallelujah! I expected it to keep limping on indefinitely.

ANNA: I’m probably not going to read this, but I’m relieved that the series is wrapping up. Viz is also going to be releasing infinitely more interesting shoujo/josei very soon.

SEAN: Natsume’s Book of Friends is always welcome in my house, even if it likely won’t feature my OT3 again. But Vol. 14 will be filled with melancholy, gentle humor, and piles and piles of yokai.

MJ: I haven’t checked in with this series in a while, but it was always a favorite, so perhaps now’s the time to catch up!

MICHELLE: I heart it!

ANNA: I have a stash of volumes somewhere I need to catch up on!

SEAN: Oresama Teacher is one of my top 5 comedy mangas right now, and Vol. 14 will be read as soon as it is in my hot little hands. I love it to bits. (Yes, yes, but I loved The Magic Touch, I’ve heard that before…)

MICHELLE: Usually episodic comedies don’t do much for me, but I frequently enjoy Oresama Teacher.

ANNA: I like this series a bunch. It might not always make sense, but the ridiculous situations are part of its charm.

SEAN: Psyren 11 will, I hope, go deeper into the question of Sakurako’s personality disorder, or at least not feature 200 pages of nothing but psychic battles again.

MICHELLE: I need to catch up on this one, too.

SEAN: Skip Beat! gets its 5th 3-in-one, and I seem to recall this would put it right in the middle of the Dark Moon arc. If you haven’t read it yet, why are you reading this? Read Skip Beat!

MICHELLE: Do!

ANNA: Skip Beat! is so good, and unlike most other long-running series it doesn’t seem to slow down or have less interesting storylines.

SEAN: And lastly, in Strobe Edge 5, everyone will be sad. This is not so much a prediction as a premonition.

MJ: I’m totally on board with this kind of sadness.

ANNA: So am I. This series has really gotten better as it develops.

MICHELLE: Me, too. I like Strobe Edge very much.

SEAN: So what appeals to you on this 4th of July week? (Or, if you aren’t American, this generic week?)

SEAN: Given that I got in Yen books this week but the rest of you get it next week, my own Next Week list is somewhat short. But not without interest.

First, I forgot this last week, but the 9th light novel of the Haruhi Suzumiya series, The Dissociation of Haruhi Suzumiya, is out this week. This one is part of a 3-book set (Books 10-11 are coming out here as one big book around Thanksgiving) that revitalized the franchise, giving the series a shot in the arm, as well as a new rival for Kyon’s affections… or is she? Good stuff.

MICHELLE: I think I read the first one of these a long time ago, but never managed to continue.

MJ: I’d like to read these light novels, because the manga adaptation has mostly not done a lot for me. Maybe I’ll like it better in its original form.

SEAN: Now on to 6/26 proper. Dark Horse has the third volume of OreImo. With Haganai, coming out via Seven Seas, it managed to be just interesting enough that I continued it despite its skeeziness. This title is just skeezy enough that I dropped it despite its interestingness.

MICHELLE: Ugh.

MJ: So much skeeze these days, it seems. What’s up with that?

SEAN: Kodansha is still speeding up Fairy Tail. Vol. 26 ended with out heroes in a bad spot. Will they continue to get the crap kicked out of them here as well? Oh, probably, this arc is 7 books long and this is only Book 4 of that.

MJ: This is one of those long series I keep thinking I’d like to try (Hiro Mashima is such a charming guy!) but I’m perpetually intimidated by its length. Should I start it anyway?

SEAN: There’s also a new Negima omnibus for those who missed it, this one taking us into the Magic World arc that proved to be much better than anyone was really expecting.

MICHELLE: An omnibus cannot tempt me to read Negima.

MJ: What she said.

SEAN: Lastly, and most important, we have the 2nd volume of Gundam the Origin. Vol. 1 blew me away with how cinematic it looked, how easy it was for a Gundam newbie to get into the story, and how much care went into its design – this is a gorgeous book intended to stay on shelves for long periods. Get it now, it’s also a limited item.

MICHELLE: Finally, something to look forward to, and I agree with you completely, Sean. My only complaint is the focus on plot over characters, but that’s not enough to dissuade me from picking up volume two.

MJ: Same here. I thought the artwork in the first volume was absolutely stunning. I’m looking forward to more!

ANNA: I agree, Gundam the Origin is the only thing I’m excited about this week. Given the limited print run for this special edition, I’d advise fans to pick up their copy sooner rather than later.

SEAN: What manga makes you go three times faster just to get it?

SEAN: Sometimes the images we feature with this post work out perfectly. And sometimes we have weeks like this. Where the images I want to use are all in a row next to one another. Sigh. By the way, my shop’s getting in Yen early, so WE ARE AS WELL!

Kodansha has the final volume of their Kitchen Princess omnibus. If you hadn’t picked this up earlier, it’s now available in 4 handy volumes! And there are recipes!

MICHELLE: I regret to say that I still haven’t managed to read Kitchen Princess, despite owning the original edition in its entirety. I wonder how it compares to Arisa… is it less ridiculous?

MJ: This is one of those series I planned to catch up with in omnibus form, but have yet to pick up. Someone want to tell me how foolish I’ve been?

ANNA: Kitchen Princess is cute and sweet and a little bit weird. I need to finish the series too.

SEAN: And there’s the 28th volume of Air Gear. Which is a whole lot of Air Gear.

Vertical has a done-in-one series coming out. Utsubora: the Story of a Novelist is a psychological drama that comes from the pages of Manga Erotics F, a magazine that has given us more polarizing titles than any other, I believe. Will this one also divide readers who love it and hate it? Find out by reading it!

MICHELLE: Looks interesting!

MJ: I will usually try anything Vertical thinks I should–their track record is pretty good. So I will definitely check it out.

SEAN: Viz has the final volume of Children of the Sea, which was one of its first Ikki titles but ran up against the dreaded “the final volume isn’t out in Japan yet”. It’s been two and a half years, and honestly I think I may have to re-read. But I do recall being very fond of this series about love, loss and the sea.

MICHELLE: I have actually been hoarding Children of the Sea, so now I’m glad of a chance to read the series all in one go.

MJ: I have missed this series! Though, like Sean, I may have to start from the beginning again at this point.

ANNA: I’ve read a couple volumes of this and it is lovely.

SEAN: And the rest is all Yen. I am very fond of GA Art Design Class, which has a very entertaining cast of moe stereotypes, but more importantly, due to this series I have learned SO MUCH MORE about art. Vol. 5 is out. (And yes, it is still not Shoulder-a-Coffin Kuro.)

At least, what we’ve been waiting for: the home stretch of the main Higurashi Storyline. Not to spoil or anything, but this is, finally, the one with the Good End. Festival Accompanying Arc starts with this omnibus, which gives us Miyo Takano’s backstory, and needs a giant TRIGGER WARNING: ABUSE applied to it. But still good stuff.

MICHELLE: I just can’t make myself read Higurashi. It’s like you said in your recent Umineko review, Sean. We’re not supposed to like these people or care what happens to them personally; we’re just supposed to care about the mystery. But I guess I can’t simply stick around for that if I don’t like the protagonists at least a little.

SEAN: I’d argue that the big difference between Higurashi and Umineko is, in fact, that the characters ARE more likeable in Higurashi. Sure, they can be horribly screwed up, particularly in the earlier arcs, but we get to see them learn from past iterations and grow as people. Umineko is more about trying to figure out what’s going on and solving the mystery, and the development of a bunch of gold-happy adults is quite secondary. (The kids fare a bit better.)

MICHELLE: That does sound more like something I’d enjoy.

SEAN: Kingdom Hearts has a new volume out, called Chain of Memories. I still don’t know much about this except it has Donald and Goofy in a fantasy game world setting.

Pandora Hearts 16! MJ? Tag!

MICHELLE: How have I gotten so far behind on this one?! I’ve only read through twelve!

MJ: I’m sure nobody will be surprised to hear that I CAN’T WAIT. Seriously, though, things have really gotten intense. Every volume at this point is a source of great anticipation. So. Y’know. GIMME.

SEAN: For those who enjoyed the mindscrew that was Madoka Magica and want more, here’s the first of two spinoff manga licensed by Yen. Kazumi Magica features a different lead, but no doubt will still have the same old Kyuubey lurking around.

MJ: I found the manga to be a little disappointing, but I’ll probably give this spinoff a shot.

SEAN: Soul Eater has a big artbook coming out. Considering that one of the top three reasons I read Soul Eater is the amazing art, this is a pretty big deal. Even casual fans should give this one a look.

Spice & Wolf! Did you know it had a manga as well, to go along with the light novels? It does! It’s also caught up to Japan, so be prepared to wait a bit.

And lastly, there’s volume 3 of Triage X. If you like BTOOOM! but wanted more motorcycles, try this series.

MICHELLE: Ugh. I am very tempted to christen BTOOOM! “the-manga-that-must-not-be-named,” that’s how little I’d like to think about it in the future.

MJ: Heh.

SEAN: What manga are you getting for your father? (Please don’t say Triage X.)

SEAN: Between Amazon and Diamond, I’ll sort out this release date schedule yet! (cries) So confusing…

Dark Horse has a 3rd Trigun Maximum omnibus. This was, I seem to recall, right around the point where the art during the fight scenes made me jump ship, but maybe it reads better in a 600-page shot.

ANNA: I couldn’t get into more than three volumes or so of Trigun as a manga, but I did enjoy the anime.

SEAN: Digital Manga Publishing has the 2nd of their Tezuka 3-fer with the done in one Atomcat! It combines Astro Boy and cats. What more is there to say?

Kodansha Comics has two debuts this week. The first, No. 6, looks fairly serious and science-fiction oriented, and invokes the popular plot of “nice, popular guy discovers the secret facade behind everything he’s ever known”. I suspect his popularity will not last long.

MICHELLE: Possibly interesting!

MJ: Count me in! I haven’t loved many of Kodansha Comics’ debuts, but this one sounds genuinely interesting.

ANNA: That does sounds interesting. If Michelle and MJlike it, I might check it out!

SEAN: There’s also Vol. 1 of Sankarea: Undying Love. I reviewed this title already here, but suffice it to say this should please fans of both romantic comedies AND zombie films, and shows some promise that it won’t be just another harem series.

MICHELLE: I have to say, I am really weary of zombies.

MJ: And I am weary of harem series, but I’ll give it a chance to follow through on that promise.

ANNA: I am also weary of harem series. Not reverse harem though, that will always entertain me.

SEAN: His Favorite 4… I can’t with you. Seriously, that cover. That face. Those eyes. This is the best BL series ever. Based just on how the covers make me laugh. Also because it’s Luffy and Rule 63 Robin getting it on. >_>

MICHELLE: *snerk* I haven’t actually read any of this one yet.

MJ: I have read *all* of this series so far, and it is exactly as charming as it looks. It is one of my favorite SuBLime releases so far.

ANNA: That does look hilarious.

SEAN: There’s also a new BL series, Sleeping Moon. The cover is far more serious and broody, which likely suits its time-traveling angst shenanigans. The author had 3 one-shots come out from Deux back in 2008, so this is a grand return!

MICHELLE: I liked the oneshots, as I recall, so I’m looking forward to this one!

MJ: I am optimistic as well!

ANNA: Huh, this was not on my radar at all, but it looks intriguing.

SEAN: Arata: The Legend hits Vol. 14, which means it only has a few to go before it passes the original Fushigi Yuugi. I understand there are god swords.

MICHELLE: I enjoy Arata in a very Shonen Sunday kind of way.

ANNA: It is very well executed, I just really like Watase’s other series more.

SEAN: And oh look, I bet this gets some Pick of the Week. Loveless has Vol. 11 coming out, in which Seimei reveals that this has all been a wacky scheme to buy Ritsuka the perfect birthday present. Or something.

MICHELLE: Hooray! Except… I can’t read this (or volumes nine and ten) until the omnibus of seven and eight comes out next month. But I’m still happy about it. But perhaps not as happy as *somebody* in this post…

MJ: Aaaaaand that would be me. Like Michelle, I won’t be able to catch up to this volume until the fourth omnibus edition comes out next month, but I am pretty much DYING over that.

ANNA: This is another series I need to try – I have the first omnibus somewhere in my house.

SEAN: What’s your June Manga Bride?

SEAN: Can’t talk, too much manga!

The 2nd Blood-C from Dark Horse. CLAMP’s character designs surrounding another storyline. I was bored to tears by Vol. 1. Does it improve?

MICHELLE: No clue.

ANNA: I cannot bring myself to care about this, and as someone who read a bunch of CLAMP back in the day, that makes me a little sad.

MJ: I think that doesn’t actually compromise you as a CLAMP fan, Anna, because it’s not really CLAMP… just someone else’s storytelling with CLAMP-looking characters in it. And. Yeah. I can’t get into it either.

SEAN: Lone Wolf and Cub has been a quiet perennial for Dark Horse over the years, and it’s getting an omnibus release to introduce it to those who missed it the first time round. Which would include me.

MICHELLE: Oh, interesting! I was unaware of this.

ANNA: Yay! I read the first 6 or so volumes of this, and I’m happy it is getting a rerelease.

MJ: I’m definitely excited about this. It’s one of those series that has intimidated me with its length, so I’m thrilled to have a second shot at it!

SEAN: Kodansha has Vol. 5 of Attack on Titan, which is now officially Huge In Japan, and with the appearance of the anime I suspect will get even bigger in America. Get in on the ground floor now, kids, this is a keeper.

MJ: I’ve seen this series getting incredible buzz on Twitter, Tumblr, and other fannish spaces, that’s for sure.

SEAN: Seven Seas has another (another!) Alice in the Country of _____ spinoff. Well, given they’ve all hit the bestseller lists, you can’t fault their logic. This one stars Ace (the “of Hearts” in the title), who is possibly the most unhinged character in the series. Mmmm, can’t wait.

MICHELLE: The Ace pairing is the hardest for me to imagine, but we shall see!

ANNA: Ace is my favorite Alice character just because of the ever growing body count that piles up wherever he goes (I’m sure that says something about me but I’m not going to speculate what that means). I’m sure I’ll be buying this.

MJ: I’m really lukewarm on this series, yet even I am intrigued by the thought of an Ace-centric spinoff.

SEAN: I’ve been surprisingly entertained by Haganai, the best of Seven Seas’ ‘Moe Fall of 2012’ series, which digs deeper for both its comedy and sympathy, and is not afraid to make its horrible people deeply lonely and somewhat broken. That said, it still is a bit creepy. Fair warning.

If you want to talk about the touchstones of Yuri Fandom in North America, among the Maria-sama Ga Miterus and Utenas of the world, Kisses, Sighs and Cherry Blossom Pink was the first big hit from Ichijinsha’s “Yuri Hime” magazine. It’s actually an anthology of stories based around a high school, and the various girls’ love passions within. This was the precursor to Girl Friends, which came out over here first. Everyone I know read the scans. Now buy the manga, dammit. :)

MICHELLE: Ooh, somehow I missed this one, too!

MJ: I did too! Count me in!

SEAN: Vertical has the third volume of Knights of Sidonia, which surely has run out of ways to make everything bleak. Of course, I look forward to it proving me wrong.

MICHELLE: I don’t normally go for bleak, but Tsutomu Nihei has got my number.

ANNA: Another “yay!” from me for bleak mecha manga!

MJ: Yes, yes, YES. I’m all about this series.

SEAN: And then there’s Viz. Dawn of the Arcana has hit the big 1-0. And leaves me even further behind.

MICHELLE: I continue to enjoy this one.

ANNA: This is one of those series that gets better as it goes along, for sure.

MJ: Indeed.

SEAN: Demon Love Spell continues to be the Mayu Shinjo book of choice for those not fond of her Sensual Phrase/Ai Ore types of heroes and heroines. I want more fun, more cute romance, and perhaps more hot semi-consensual dream sex, because Shinjo has to have SOME kinks in there.

ANNA: I really enjoy Demon Love Spell! This volume was fun.

MJ: I’m definitely looking forward to more of this! It’s pretty adorable.

SEAN: A Devil And Her Love Song 9 is spinning out its new subplot, and rapidly running out of ways to break up its hero and heroine. Will we get more love triangles? Will Maria be snarky? Will that irritating teacher finally get his comeuppance? My guess is yes, yes, and no.

MICHELLE: I recently got caught up with this one, so I’m looking forward to staying current. Surely that teacher must get his due eventually!

MJ: We can only hope.

SEAN: For those who missed Dragon Ball, and the Dragon Ball VizBIG editions, there is now a Dragon Ball 3-in-1. There are ALWAYS new fans of Dragon Ball.

Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan 15 is STILL. IN. KYOTO.

One Piece 67 means we are 2/3 of the way to 100 volumes. And we’re also starting the Punk Hazard arc in earnest. There is some comedy gold in this volume I don’t want to spoil.

MICHELLE: Yay, One Piece!

SEAN: There’s also an omnibus of One Piece, featuring Chopper’s introduction.

There’s two Pokemon books, which I usually ignore here despite them selling very well indeed. So: Black and White 10 and Diamond and Pearl 8.

And there’s Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration’s debut, which I am… not optimistic about (my favorite Kenshin character is Kaoru, so I’m used to disappointment) but will give a shot.

MICHELLE: I read the first few chapters for a Going Digital column a while back. It’s not horrible, but I am rather afraid of what will become of the glorious Kyoto Arc.

ANNA: This is OK, but reading it made me want to reread the original series more than it made me interested in this revised parallel series. I need to unearth it from my storage closet.

SEAN: Sakura Hime is edging towards a conclusion, but Vol. 10 is not it. Tanemura fans are sure to love it.

ANNA: I need to fill in the gaps in my collection and just mainline this series sometime. Tanemura is fun when you are in the mood for super-girly shoujo.

SEAN: Skip Beat! 31 continues to edge closer to Ren and Kyoko’s inner demons. This volume is still mostly Ren’s, as Cain Heel’s persona, as well as BJ’s, continue to distance him from his current ‘role’ as Ren Tsuruga.

ANNA: The Heel siblings storyline in this series fills me with glee.

SEAN: Slam Dunk is basketball! 28 volumes of it! (Must catch up one of these days…)

MICHELLE: Slam Dunk and Skip Beat! are two of my absolute favorites. I will definitely be procuring them both.

ANNA: A new volume of Slam Dunk is always an excuse to celebrate.

SEAN: The last Toriko split Komatsu off from Toriko and Zebra, and rescue seems a very long way away. Since Komatsu has become the main reason I read the series, I’m intrigued to see how he manages to survive this.

And lastly, there is Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal 3, whose title is so representational of its content that to summarize would only seem vulgar.

Does anything in this huge pile interest you?

SEAN: As I try to wean this list away from just what Midtown Comics says and try to take in more alternate sources (mostly Amazon), I find myself sometimes missing books I should have mentioned. Last week was Dance in the Vampire Bund, this week it’s X, which apparently showed up today and I didn’t have on the MtWo list. So, X 3-in-1 5, which presumably has Vols. 13-15. And a picnic? Came out this week.

MJ: I’ve been really enjoying the X 3-in-1 releases. I didn’t enjoy this series much the first time I read it through, but the larger trim size is giving me a fresh appreciation for the artwork, which has really transformed my experience with the series. I’d recommend this new version to anyone who enjoys dramatic shoujo in all its glory.

SEAN: Meanwhile, in stuff coming out NEXT week, Kodansha has a trio of releases. I continue to buy and be entertained by Cage of Eden, even as it hits double digits. Honestly, its faults are the faults of almost have the titles that run in Shonen Magazine – the plot rambles on like a season of Lost without giving much info, and its female characters are all large-breasted nymphs for the males (and reader) to ogle. But – it’s fun snack food manga.

There’s also Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 4, which, I would imagine, stands alone. Robert Cormier’s Ghost in the Shell, coming soon.

And Sailor Moon is in the home stretch, as Vol. 11 brings us the start of the final arc, Stars. Chibi Chibi is on the cover, and if you’re wondering who the hell she is, well, read on and find out!

MICHELLE: I continue to be sad that the Starlights never got a cover of their own.

SEAN: Seven Seas has a new debut in The Sacred Blacksmith, another title I vaguely recall was adapted into an anime a while back, and is no doubt based on a light novel, as that’s how Seven Seas rolls these days. It seems to feature a female swordswoman, which is a good start, and is fantasy-ish? And I hear this is another one where the anime takes great liberties with the heroine – not for the better. Let’s see if it impresses me like Zero’s Familiar did.

ANNA: This seems potentially interesting to me, but I think I’m going to wait until a few people I know read it.

MJ: I’ve become so skittish about Seven Seas. I’m with Anna on this one.

SEAN: Alice in the Country of Joker: Circus and Liar’s Game was one of the most psychological yet, and also took us closer to Alice finding out about her sister than ever before, so I really want to read Vol. 2.

ANNA: I did enjoy the first volume of this series and I plan on reading volume 2 as well. The first volume was not quite as good as Hearts, but not as bad as Clover, so I’m interested to see where this goes.

SEAN: Vertical has Vol. 5 of Limit, which features – shock and horror – a male on the cover. No doubt this is the volume where everything starts to turn around and go great. Aheh.

ANNA: I am feeling guilty that I am three volumes behind with this series! I plan to catch up though. It is always such a nice change of pace, if a Lord of the Flies type scenario featuring stranded schoolgirls could be described as “nice.”

MJ: I’ve been looking forward to this volume quite a bit!

SEAN: Viz has a debut from the author of Tekkonkinkreet, Taiyo Matsumoto. It’s called Sunny, and is the manga to give your indie comics friends who hate manga to say “No, see? See?”

ANNA: I also feel guilt that I haven’t read anything by Taiyo Matsumoto. But this is on my to-read list, so hopefully my feelings of guilt will abate when I read it.

MJ: I’ve drooled over artwork I’ve seen from Blue Spring, and I’ve longed to read it ever since I read Kate’s article on the subject, so I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to experience some new Matsumoto along with everyone else.

SEAN: They also have the final volume of Saturn Apartments, one of the quieter Ikki series, but one that had a lot of fans who appreciated just those qualities. Every Ikki series that comes out here is worth it, IMO. Yes, even Bokurano, though I won’t read that.

MICHELLE: I’m looking forward to catching up on/concluding this one.

SEAN: And there is a GIANT PILE OF YEN, which I am getting in a week early, as my shop sometimes does. They will arrive just in time for me to go to Anime North. But it’s OK, as I can bring all my new manga up to Canada! And take it through customs! Hey, wait, found the flaw in my plan.

MICHELLE: Once again, you have made me snerk.

ANNA: I don’t know why, but there isn’t much that Yen puts out that’s on my radar. I need to catch up with A Bride’s Story and want to read Thermae Romae, but that’s about it. Perhaps my problem is that I’ve already read most of their graphic novel adaptations in prose form.

MJ: I’m deeply in love with several current Yen series, so a GIANT PILE OF YEN is always good news for me!

MICHELLE: Lately they’ve released several new action-ish series that I’ve found to be enjoyable, too. I look forward to volume three of Blood Lad, for example.

SEAN: Because the two bestsellers of last year were High School of the Dead and Alice in the Country of Hearts, the most obvious license ever would combine elements of the two in some way. This we have Are You Alice?, which seems to be about characters playing Wonderland ‘roles’ (like the other Alice), and murderous violence. I’m hoping this is more ‘psychological thriller’ and not ‘Saw’ with moe kids.

The 19th volume of Black God is out, and I believe that it is the final volume. It’s a manwha, so I will tag the others here.

MJ: I’ve been collecting this series all along, and I have a marathon planned now that the final volume is out. Look for more on this coming up!

SEAN: Blood Lad has proven to be my big surprise hit of 2013, so I’m really looking forward to the 3rd omnibus, whose cover is also very purple.

MJ: Oh, Blood Lad, how I adore you. I kinda can’t believe I’m saying that, but it’s obviously true.

SEAN: And speaking of survival horror, we have the 2nd volume of BTOOOM!. The first didn’t grab me hard, but I didn’t dislike it, so I will give it a second volume.

MJ: I had moderate fun with the first volume, so I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes.

I’ve spent 3 volumes watching The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan sort of play around with being cute and moe, knowing that Vol. 4 would hit and be FAR more interesting. This is Vol. 4. It’s FAR more interesting.

And the second volume of Durarara!! Saika arc should be interesting as well, and feature a lot of slashing.

One of Yen’s stealth announcements was the rescue/relicensing of the Kingdom Hearts books, with two volumes titled Final Mix coming out this month. I never read the Tokyopop ones the first time around, but I really should check them out, if only for Donald and Goofy.

MJ: This will be my first experience with the series, too, but I’m ready to check it out.

SEAN: Omamori Himari has hit ten whole volumes, which makes it a shame I know next to nothing about it except it has ‘cat demon samurai girls’. (What, no vampires?)

Soul Eater 14 has one of the most minimal manga covers I’ve seen in a while. Love it. As for the plot, hope you’re enjoying Baba Yaga’s Castle, we’re still there.

Thermae Romae has its 2nd omnibus come out, which will no doubt continue to look gorgeous. I’m hoping the storyline can keep it up as well – things were getting dangerous when we left off for our bathing hero.

MJ: I’m certainly interested in seeing where the story goes. It’s difficult for me to imagine how it’s going to hold up over the long term, but it’s lovely to look at, and that’ll take me quite a ways.

SEAN: Lastly, Umineko: When They Cry (the ‘they’ in this case being Seagulls, not Cicadas) starts its second arc, which is where things really begin to get very, very meta, if I recall correctly. Plus you have to love that insane grin on the cover.

Anything that you’d risk exposing to Canadian Customs?

SEAN: This will be a shorter post than last week, partly as there’s less manga coming out, and partly as I’m out of my brain on the 5/15.

MICHELLE: (smack)

SEAN: Ow.

First of all, last week I forgot all about Dance in the Vampire Bund, which had Vol. 14 come out. I can only put that down to the fact that I just don’t read it. Does it have a Young Miss Holmes crossover yet?

A new series from SubLime, Viz’s BL imprint, Blue Morning features viscounts and butlers, and the summary sounds oddly like Black Butler with the fantasy removed and the BL actually consummated. Certainly the cover indicates this won’t be a laff riot.

MJ: I’m usually open to trying new BL. I guess we’ll see? Hm.

SEAN: As for the cover for Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love 4, I regret to say it’s not quite as laughable as Vol. 3’s cover, though we do see a return of the ever popular GIANT SEME HANDS. Now there’s a post that needs to be done for BL Bookrack: Yaoi Misproportions I Have Known.

MJ: IT SHALL BE DONE.

MICHELLE: I think there’s a tumblr dedicated to yaoi misproportions, actually.

SEAN: Reminding me they don’t just do artbooks these days, Udon has the first volume of Disgaea 3: School of Devils. I believe it’s based on a game of some sort.

The rest of our week is Viz. 07-GHOST reaches Vol. 4, and is looking angstier and bishier than ever.

MICHELLE: I’m looking forward to catching up with this series!

ANNA: I think most people should have one angsty bishie series in rotation. 07-Ghost is more than sufficient to fill out that category, and I’m happy to overlook the occasional lapses of coherence for the pretty art.

MJ: Ditto on all counts!

SEAN: We’re still not done re-releasing Takahashi’s Inu Yasha into big omnibuses, though the fact that this is Vol. 15 means we’re well over halfway there.

MICHELLE: Yep! Entering the home stretch.

SEAN: Another seinen series bites the dust, as we have come to the 11th and final volume of Jormungand. Action-filled gun-running has never been so exhilarating, well, if you haven’t already read Black Lagoon. Now that the series is over, I should go back and catch up on it.

Lastly, Neon Genesis Evangelion releases its third omnibus, containing Vols. 7-9. Asuka’s on the cover, but if I recall correctly, it’s the arrival of someone else a little earlier than in the anime that causes the most fuss.

What manga makes you care more than you should?

SEAN: This week gives us a variety of titles to choose from. Let’s delve right into them.

Midtown’s list said that they’re getting in Fantagraphics’ Wandering Son Vol. 4 right as Fantagraphics solicited 5 (for August) noting that 4 was running a bit late. I’ve no idea who is correct, but I’ll lean towards Midtown, as Fantagraphics tends to ship to comic shops long before Amazon and other related stores. It’s a must buy whenever it comes out.

MICHELLE: Yeah, it’s too bad releases of this one aren’t more reliable. I’ve fallen somewhat behind because of that.

MJ: I’ve had this volume on preorder for a very long time, so I’ll be very happy when it finally turns up. I’ll believe it when I actually see it, though.

SEAN: For those who enjoyed Negima from Kodansha Comics but felt that it would be even better if all the girls were 5 years old and Negi was their preschool teacher, well, Negiho! is the title for you! For the rest of us, I’m hoping it comes across as amusing and cute rather than, as I fear, creepy and vaguely illegal.

MICHELLE: Ugh.

MJ: What she said.

SEAN: Seven Seas has another huge omnibus, this one containing the first three volumes of Zero’s Familiar. All I know about this series is that the lead girl is worse than Shana, Taiga and Nagi combined, and there’s a lot of ‘comedic violence’. If you write ‘xxxxx gets a spine’ fics, then, this may be your kryptonite.

MICHELLE: See above re: ugh.

MJ: Indeed.

SEAN: Viz, naturally, has a giant pile of stuff. Bakuman is almost done, which means that he must be close to hooking up with that girl, right? At least that was the plot back when I was still reading Bakuman… In any case, Vol. 19 is filled with Jump goodness.

MICHELLE: At this point, I’m just stockpiling Bakuman until the final volume comes out, then I’m gonna marathon it. I think that might be fun.

MJ: I’ve been keeping up so my anticipation is high!

SEAN: I fear that I’m sounding cranky all of a sudden in these descriptions, and unfortunately Black Bird 16 will not change that. Man, it sells great, though. I like to think its sales help pay for all the poor-selling stuff I like.

MICHELLE: That’s a good way of looking at it.

MJ: If one must look at it.

SEAN: Bleach has its 5th omnibus, which is right in the middle of its strongest arc. Anyone who wonders why everyone is still paying attention to (and complaining about) such a slow-paced behemoth needs to check out these pacey, funny and heartwarming volumes.

MJ: You’re really making me want to go back and re-read Bleach!

SEAN: Claymore has gotten much praise from friends I trust, and I keep meaning to go back and grab it. Till then, here’s Vol. 22 for said friends.

MJ: I’m looking forward to this, too! I have a couple of volumes to catch up on, so I plan to read them all together.

SEAN: Dengeki Daisy has gotten much praise from me, and I can’t wait to see Vol. 12. This is the anti-Black Bird, being a shoujo thriller that respects its female characters and kicks eight kinds of ass. May I note that it and Black Bird run in the SAME DAMN MAGAZINE? Now that’s variety.

MICHELLE: I’m behind on this one, too, but intend to catch up in the coming weeks.

SEAN: How did Hunter x Hunter get to 30 volumes? Does that mean it’s also had 30 hiatuses? Still, its ability to return from long breaks over and over again must mean it’s a damn fine series, and so here we are, Vol. 30.

Ah, the final volume of La Corda D’oro! Sadly, it fell victim to “the sales suck, but we’re not allowed to cancel it, so let’s put it out as slow as possible instead.” A quiet, sometimes overly frustrating reverse harem about a girl and her violin, this LaLa series already has a sequel in Japan. Don’t expect that. Enjoy this, though.

MICHELLE: Someday I will read this. I own practically the whole thing.

MJ: I’ve enjoyed this series consistently, despite its flaws, so you can count me in here.

SEAN: Naruto also has Vol. 5 of its omnibuses releases, and I think it’s towards the end – at last – of the exam stories. This is also Naruto towards the height of its powers, I believe, so definitely recommended.

And we also get Naruto 61, which has Sasuke and Itachi’s tearful, loving reunion. D’aww…

Otomen 15 looks to focus on Tomomine, at least to start, and his being torn between what his parents want and his love of makeup. I am still basking in my love of Vol. 13, so as long as Ryo still appears once or twice, I’m fine with it.

Psyren has made it to 10 volumes, and I believe is at the point where he finally get some mysteries solved in addition to all the angst and action.

MICHELLE: Otomen and Psyren are two more I’m aiming to catch up with soon.

SEAN: Strobe Edge continues to try to work with its love polygon and make it realistic, keeping everyone sympathetic. Will that keep lasting with Vol. 4? Let’s find out…

MICHELLE: I hearts it.

SEAN: Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee delivers its 13th series of letters. Sorry, I got nothing on this series. Anyone want to chime in who reads it?

MICHELLE: I’m pretty behind on it. I like the world and the art, but sometimes the humor is very… shounen.

SEAN: Speaking of final volumes, We Were There has run out of manga, therefore I assume Vol. 16 must run out of ways to make everyone as sad as possible and comes up with a happy ending. Yay!

MICHELLE: It’s a great ending!

MJ: Agreed! I plan to talk about this shortly on the site.

SEAN: Lastly, not technically manga, but Yen Press has the first New Moon Graphic Novel, which will sell well enough to let them pick up some more series similar to Thermae Romae. I hope.

MICHELLE: Me, I’m hoping for manhwa.

MJ: I’m with Michelle. I’m also steeling myself to read New Moon. I’ve never been able to get up the gumption to read the novels, but these at least move quickly.

SEAN: So what titles give you feels this week? (Is this Tumblr?)

SEAN: Given that most companies regard 5/1 as 4/31, it’s no surprise that there’s not a lot of stuff this week. Trust me, that giant pile of Viz will be waiting for you on 5/8. In the meantime, let’s turn our attention to other offerings.

It has to be said, the most anticipated book for this week is definitely not for the kids. That said, the buzz for The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame: The Master of ‘Bara’ Manga is really high. This is not cute BL with pretty androgynous boys manga. This is MANLY gay manga, with lots of MANLY bondage and discipline. In fact, it’s quite violent and filled with sadism, I hear. But if you want a taste of something different, and don’t mind explicit stories, Picturebox has the collection for you.

MICHELLE: Sometimes one can be glad something exists without really wanting to check it out for themselves. This is one of those times.

MJ: I might check this out, though my threshold for sadism is relatively low.

SEAN: Vertical’s lone print offering this week is Vol. 4 of the Stan Lee penned Heroman, which is a must for manga fans who also love Stan Lee.

MICHELLE: I do have to wonder how many such fans exist.

MJ: I wish I could like this, just for Vertical’s sake. I really do. Does that count for anything?

SEAN: The big news from Vertical is digital, though, as three of their series are available on Kindle and Nook as of April 30th. 7 Billion Needles is gripping sci-fi horror, Drops of God is a wine lover’s dream, but the big news for me is the now out-of-print series Twin Spica getting its first two volumes out. Twin Spica is the brilliant and heartwarming epic about a girl who yearns to be in space, and it never did as well here as I’d hoped. Here’s hoping that a digital release will give it new fans!

MICHELLE: That’s a hope I can share!

MJ: Now, this is something to cheer about. It makes the whole week, really!

SEAN: So what’s your kink this week?

SEAN: It’s a healthy fourth week of the month here at Manga the Week of Central, with something for everyone. Let’s delve deeper.

Dark Horse gives us lucky Vol. 13 of Bride of the Water God, which is manwha, so I defer to those who know it better than I do.

MJ: This series is incredibly beautiful to look at. I’m behind a few volumes at this point, but it’s one of those I absolutely try to keep up with in print, just because it’s so pretty. It’s a keeper.

SEAN: There’s also Vol. 27 of Gantz, where bad things continue to happen to everyone, but at least they’re all in rubber lycra outfits.

MICHELLE: *snerk*

SEAN: Unico has shipped to most of its Kickstarter backers by now, but it finally hits retail next week. I have a review out that gives a deeper opinion, but suffice to say it’s cute, sad, and a little bit weird, like the best of Tezuka. Also, although there are lots of Pink Lady refs, be assured there is no Jeff Altman.

MJ: Children’s manga is rarely my thing, but your description is pretty compelling.

MICHELLE: Yeah, “cute, sad, and a little bit weird” sounds like a winning combination to me.

SEAN: Kodansha seems to have indicated that sales for Bloody Monday are meh, so I suspect this may be the penultimate volume over here. It’s still filled with action, intrigue, and lots of dead folks.

MJ: I dropped this early on, not because it wasn’t interesting, but because it wasn’t interesting *enough* to earn my money, volume after volume. I guess it’s not just me.

MICHELLE: I bought a couple of volumes but then never read them. I like the creative team, but just never found the time.

SEAN: Fairy Tail is a quarter of the way to 100 now, as Vol. 25 continues the S-class battles, with Fairy Tail fighting itself to see who is strongest. I suspect a third-party will get involved and ruin everything, myself…

The last of Del Rey Manga’s four debut series reaches its end, albeit at Kodansha Comics. Negima hits Vol. 38, with an ending that, um, well, it’s certainly something people talk about! Aheh. I’ll have more to say in my review, but let’s just say: Fandom *hates* Where Are They Now? endings.

MICHELLE: Even though I’m not a Negima! fan, it’s still something of an achievement that it’s finally complete in English.

SEAN: And then there’s Yen. The latest Alice spinoff, My Fanatic Rabbit, ends with its second volume. I really liked the balance between romance and psychosis, and hope it stays even in Vol. 2, though I admit I’m not optimistic.

Another lucky 13, with Black Butler. Though given the sheer power of its cast, I don’t think they really need to worry about black cats. I understand this volume has some nice Sebastian revelations.

MJ: I wish I could like this series. I would really like to like it. But every time I try, it’s a complete failure.

MICHELLE: I’m planning to talk about this volume soon on Off the Shelf, so I look forward to hearing about your attempts. For me, this is a series I kind of like, or at least find easy to read, but have no intentions of rereading.

SEAN: Ah, Bunny Drop has hit Vol. 8. I think this means that the matter of “that spoiler” may now be discussed. And may I say I’m almost relieved? In any case, I’m sure it will be SAFE AND FUN.

MJ: I’m really looking forward to seeing how this plays out! I have a lot of faith in the mangaka.

MICHELLE: I’m a bit more dubious, but will certainly be finishing out the series.

SEAN: A new series, in handy omnibus form! Yen has the first 2 volumes of Doubt, whose cover has everyone wearing bunny heads, but trust me, Bunny Drop this ain’t. It’s another survival game title, where you learn not to get too attached to anyone at all.

MJ: I suspect this may not be for me, but I fully intent to give it a try! These omnibus releases are great for that, because you get a really substantial go at it.

MICHELLE: Maybe it’ll turn out to be kinda fun, like BTOOOM!.

SEAN: Is This A Zombie? 4… yeah. Moving on.

Kieli has its 8th novel published. The story of a girl who can see ghosts, and her relationship with a man named Harvey. Who is not a 6-foot-tall pink rabbit, though it would fit with this week’s accidental theme.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 15 continues to adapt the 7th novel, and has steadily improved, though not to the point where I can say “you don’t have to read the book”. Because you do.

Pandora Hearts is also at 15, and I think I will yield to MJfor this one.

MJ: Oh, Sean… as you know, this series basically owns my soul. I’m expecting an enormous amount of drama in this volume, given where we left off. I’m expecting at least one heartbreaking loss. And I just can’t wait. Expect a flustered review of some kind to show up over the next week. I think this one’s gonna be a doozy.

MICHELLE: I’m a few volumes behind with Pandora Hearts. Clearly, I must rectify this.

SEAN: Lastly, there’s the 8th novel of Spice & Wolf, a title that always reminds me of Playboy Magazine, in that people always say they read it for the economics.

Getting anything interesting this week?

SEAN: After a relative deluge the last two weeks, it’s much quieter this week. So what have we got here?

I admit that I’ve never been able to get into Animal Land, the shonen series that Makoto Raiku started up when he left Shogakukan loudly and angrily and moved over to Kodansha. But then I was never into Zatch Bell either. That said, I know some people who really enjoy this series about humans, animals, and families. And it’s still going in Japan, so don’t expect Vol. 7 to be the last.

MICHELLE: I read volume one and wasn’t sure what to make of it. I liked some things, but the art was ugly and there was lots of pooping and in the end I could never convince myself to read a second volume.

SEAN: I had actually thought that Arisa ended with Volume 10, but it turns out that it has two more volumes after this. Presumably the manga has not finished its advanced course on psychological drama and twin switches. Not that I’m complaining, it’s good stuff, even if I’ve fallen way behind.

MICHELLE: I’m several volumes behind, too, but I’ve been really looking forward to catching up when volume ten comes out.

SEAN: Drawn and Quarterly have said that despite Amazon saying their Kitaro collection is out next week, this is not the case – May is the date being given. But if you want yokai, only about 20 times more moe, why not try Seven Seas’ Kanokon omnibus? It features a busty fox girl yokai, and is also a classic harem with meek male lead. I suspect the crossover audience between D&Q’s yokai title and Seven Seas’ is zero, myself. But these series do pretty well for the publisher, as we found out in this interview.

Vertical gives us two of the hotter new series out there. Flowers of Evil hits Vol. 5, and people are certainly talking about it now that it has an anime adaptation! Hey, all publicity is good publicity. Plus it’s still a riveting psychodrama, no matter what the characters look like.

MJ: I’m not a big anime person, but I’ve been quite a fan of this manga series, so I’ll always look forward to more.

SEAN: There’s also Vol. 2 of Knights of Sidonia, which MJjust praised earlier today. I expect to see lots of space battles, lots of angst, and probably not a lot of humor. But hey, these sorts of series have surprised me before. Perhaps more bears?

MJ: Probably this goes without saying, given my post earlier, but YAY! I really can’t wait.

MICHELLE: I enjoyed volume one very much, and can’t wait for the second installment!

ANNA: I am looking forward to this as well!

SEAN: Speaking of series getting closer to their end, Bokurano: Ours must be running out of characters to kill off, as it only has 3 volumes to go after this. I admire the plot of the story and what the author is trying to say, but oh, so not for me.

MICHELLE: It *is* very depressing, but I still like Bokurano: Ours a lot. I think it’s the grim horribleness of the truth behind what’s happening that really hooks me.

SEAN: Dorohedoro, on the other hand, is not ending anytime soon, possibly to Viz’s chagrin. Still, I am pleased they’re still churning it out, as it remains my absolute favorite Ikki series, and it has the RIGHT kind of nihilism for me to get into (even if, yes, it also kills off a lot of its cast).

And it’s not manga, but it’s probably the most anticipated release of the week. Pepita: Takehiko Inoue Meets Gaudi is, in Viz’s own words, “Half travel memoir, half art book, all beauty.” Given the love folks have for Vagabond/Slam Dunk/Real, and the love many manga and non-manga fans have for Antoni Gaudi, this has all the hallmarks of a seriously impressive book. I hope to be amazed.

MJ: This is definitely my most-anticipated release for this week. I’m thrilled about the existence of a book like this in English, and I can’t wait to read it!

MICHELLE: I love architecture and I love Takehiko Inoue, so I don’t know how I could fail to love this book.

ANNA: This and Knights of Sidonia are honestly the only things I’m excited about this week. I plan to check it out!

SEAN: What are you buying this week? Also, doesn’t “God’s Architect” sound like the title of a Stephen Chow movie?