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Bookshelf Briefs 5/4/22

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Minami Nanami Wants to Shine, Vol. 1 | By Bana Yoshida and Yuki Yaku | Yen Press – For most of the volume, this feels like a typical side-story spin-off from Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki, focusing on perpetual second-best Minami, and her frustration with being the perpetual second-best. The plot involves her mother, who works at a modeling agency, suggesting that her daughter model for them. Minami is a bit taken aback by this, partly as I don’t think she really sees herself as pretty, but also because it’s not anything she had thought about before. The surprise comes when she chooses NOT to run against Aoi for student council—as in the books—and goes for the modeling instead. Will she succeed? Will she start to like herself? Can’t wait to find out. – Sean Gaffney

My Love Mix-Up! Vol. 3 | By Wataru Hinekure and Aruko | Viz Media – This series has settled into a groove of being a heartwarming romantic farce and I am here for it. Aoki and Hashimoto deal with a survival-style ski instructor on a school trip and manage to get a little closer to their respective crushes. Aoki in particular manages to experience the heights of romantic hope and crushing despair as he pursues the perpetually stoic yet still sympathetic Ida. The illustrations easily capture Aoki’s ugly crying, joy, and the time when he feels so depressed he metaphorically turns into a slime. Highly recommended for anyone enjoying romance hijinks. – Anna N

New Game!, Vol. 12 | By Shotaro Tokuno | Seven Seas – This is the penultimate volume, and you know what that means: it means we’re going out with some drama. The team finds out that their game has lost its funding and they need to either find a new company to bankroll them or give up entirely. The obvious answer is Catherine’s company, even if that means groveling a bit. But the carrot comes with a stick, and this means that, once AGAIN, Aoba will not be the lead character designer. As this is about the third time this has happened, I suspect the final volume is probably going to have her questioning her ongoing life choices—she’s a perpetual “not good enough” designer. With all this drama, will we ever find out if Kou and Rin are a canon couple? – Sean Gaffney

Skip Beat!, Vol. 46 | By Yoshiki Nakamura | Viz Media – Skip Beat! is still nowhere near finished, and so the fact that Ren has confessed to Kyoko does not mean that things are wrapping up in a neat bow. Kyoko is stressed about anyone loving her—still—and also has not told him that she is Bo—still. Fortunately, the author knows the other reason that we’re reading this, which is the acting, and the next volume promises to focus more on that. Unfortunately, there are still many parts of Ren’s past that have yet to come to light, and they also promise to show up in the next volume. With all this going on, can Kyoko still find time to go on a date to an amusement park with her real true love, Moko? This was shorter than most volumes, but still worth the wait. – Sean Gaffney

Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 18 | By Sorata Akiduki | Viz Media – It’s really a rare shoujo series that makes me wonder “OK, maybe they *are* going for a threesome ending?”, but Snow White with the Red Hair comes close. The romance between Zen and Shirayuki gets some more focus here, as they get to reunite in a big romantic scene. That said, Obi is not only intertwined damn near permanently with Shirayuki, but also with Zen, and it doesn’t help that the end of this volume has the author teasing about the two of them sleeping in the same bed. This series has a whole lot of Teasing Creator to it when it comes to the romance, and while I doubt Obi will be an official partner with Shirayuki—or indeed Zen—he’s still one of the best reasons to read this. – Sean Gaffney

Spy x Family, Vol. 7 | By Tatsuya Endo | Viz Media – I feel like a bit of a bad fan for saying this, but I will admit that I love Spy x Family better when it’s focusing on the antics of Loid and Yor than when it’s Anya’s Adventures at the Academy, and that’s what the majority of this volume is. That said, it does give some much-needed depth to Damian (and also a cover shot), as we see how much his insecurities stem from a desperate need to please and be noticed by his uncaring father. Elsewhere, Bond helps Loid to survive a mission, and we see that Yuri, while dedicated to stamping out subversives, is not without a heart. Most importantly, we kick off the next arc, at last focusing on Yor, who must protect rather than kill. Keep reading this great and extremely popular series. – Sean Gaffney

The Walking Cat: A Cat’s Eye View of the Apocalypse | By Tomo Kitaoka | Seven Seas – Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a virus ravages humanity, turning millions of people into zombies and leaving small, scrappy bands of survivors to fend for themselves. That’s the basic premise of The Walking Cat: A Cat’s Eye View of the Apocalypse, a middling horror story by newcomer Tomo Hideoka. The idea of depicting a zombie plague from an animal’s perspective sounds promising, but in practice, Yuki feels more like a gimmick than a thoughtful vehicle for exploring how a human pandemic might effect other species. Yuki is barely a character; he functions mostly as a plot device, providing continuity between the series’ three main storylines and chasing the occasional butterfly. The humans aren’t very compelling either, as their stories are too rushed—and cliché—for the reader to feel much investment in their fate. Personally, I’m rooting for the zombies. – Katherine Dacey

Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear, Vol. 10

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By Kumanano and 029. Released in Japan by PASH! Books. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Jan Cash & Vincent Castaneda. Adapted by M.B. Hare.

This is a lighter volume of Kuma Bear, despite the threat of the destruction of an ancient sacred tree. You know Yuna’s got this, though the fight is difficult enough that she has to switch from black bear onesie to white bear onesie, and she ends up fairly exhausted. Speaking of that switch… Kuma Bear is, I think, mostly written for a male audience, but I also think we’re supposed to go “aww” at the antics more than “Cor!”. Yuna has to strip to change her costume, and there’s a shot of her in her underwear. But it’s not particularly sexy, and the narrative is far more concerned with Yuna’s childish bear panties and her reaction to anyone who finds out about them. Yuna has an image that she wants to keep up of her as a cool lone wolf (or rather lone bear) sort, but it’s constantly undone by the reality of her being the big sister to 11 million kids and also having older than she looks issues. Is embarrassment fanservice?

Arriving at the elf village allows the author to bring out a whole mess of fantasy novel elf tropes to make fun of, from their supposed perfect hidden tracking skills (which Yuna spots immediately) to the fact that even “grandfather” looks, at most, about 40 years old. The barrier nis weakening, however, and it turns out the problem is that the elves’ sacred tree has been infested by a parasite, who is slowly killing it and weakening said barrier. So it’s up to the elves to fix things… along with Yuna, who can enter the protective ward that no one but elves can, because, you know, OP bear. There’s also other dangerous monsters to fight, some of which might actually kill off an elf or two… but probably not, as this is not one of the dark Kuma Bear books. The worst we’ll see is Yuna worrying about her secrets.

Yuna has, for the most part, remained quiet on her origins and the basis of her awesome powers, not even telling Fina, the one person she’s closest to. I had wondered briefly if she might open up a bit to the elves here, given that they sign a contract that tortures them with unstoppable laughter if they reveal her secret, but no, it turns out she’s just telling them about her bear gates so she can set one up here, and her bear phone so that the village can communicate with Sanya and Yuna when they want to. It doesn’t feel like she’s revealing much here, but I get it. Yuna hates making ties with other people, but does it anyway, and she also hates it when people praise her because she doesn’t think of any of it as HER. The Bear Suit is the OP heroine. She’s just the girl inside it. Which is an interesting psychological trauma to dig into, but I doubt we’re going there soon.

If you read Kuma Bear, you’ll enjoy this. If you don’t, we;ll, cute but OP bear girl slice-of-life again.

Saint? No! I’m Just a Passing Beast Tamer!: The Invincible Saint and the Quest for Fluff, Vol. 2

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By Inumajin and Falmaro. Released in Japan as “Seijo-sama? Iie, Toorisugari no Mamono Tsukai desu! – Zettai Muteki no Seijo wa Mofumofu to Tabi wo suru” by Kadokawa Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Meteora.

As with the last volume, the main thing you notice about this book is that it’s a comedy. That said,, things are actually pretty dark when Kanata’s not on the scene. The church is evil and is taking the money for themselves. The church is also brainwashing local ogres into having their minions attack small villages. Bitter blacksmiths are tricking their rival’s daughter into paying fake debt. And yet… when Kanata IS on the page, everyone turns into the broadest comedy. The hypercompetent adventurer Melissa turns into the ultimate whiny office lady. The evil Saint causing all this is far more annoyed that Kanata doesn’t even bother to see her as an enemy. And the massive wolf-spirit imprisoned by the Church finds that he can get far more laughs if he’s a cute puffball. The key to Kanata saving the world is not her ludicrous power to do anything, or her vague kindness that mostly revolves around fluff. It’s that she’s funny.

We pick up where we left off, with Kanata and her demon lord turned pussycat companion Zaggy trying to track down more fluff for Kanata to pet. They run into a small dog puffball, who Kanata nicknames Fen-Fen, who is of course the aforementioned Wolf Spirit. He’s spent decades waiting for the Saint that he’s supposed to dedicate himself to, only to be locked up by Marianne, the girl who actually does have the Saint title but has none of the Saint morality. She’s actually being led by the goddess we saw last time, who has one piece of advice for her: if you see Kanata, run away. Sadly, Marianne does not take this advice, and now has to deal with a girl who will get more fluff By Any Means Necessary, even if it means doing endless amounts of tiny, cheap good deeds.

The joke about Kanata, of course, is that she *is* the Saint, but accidentally. She’s not particularly saving lives, helping find lost pets, or taking down the evil church that’s controlling everything because it’s the right thing to do. Indeed, you could argue that she doesn’t notice what she’s doing at all. She does it because it will get her fluff. Hell, the evil Saint, Marianne, is seemingly killed by her patron goddess, only for Kanata to resurrect her… because her hair is a 10 points on the fluffy scale. No other reason. We do occasionally see flashes of her actually comprehending what’s going on… in the side story she clearly sees the cheating going on and decides to help by having Zaggy cheat on the other side… But for the most part, she’s not good or bad. She’s fluff. And since no one in this world knows what that means, it becomes an all-purpose thing to strive for, be it strength, good deeds, whatever. Fluff is what you want it to be.

Of course, Kanata wants it to be fluff she can snuggle. She may have to wait a bit, the third volume is not out in Japan yet. Till then, this is silly but… no, it’s just silly.

Can Someone Please Explain What’s Going On?! ~The Contract Couple’s Happily Ever After~, Vol. 9

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By Tsuredurebana and Rin Hagiwara. Released in Japan as “Dareka Kono Joukyou wo Setsumei Shite Kudasai! ~Keiyaku Kara Hajimaru Wedding~” by ArianRose. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Tara Quinn.

And so we finally get to the end of this series, with six main volumes and three After Story volumes. This is the last of the After Stories and has the least amount happening, as there’s not even a crisis to solve this time, like the mystery from the previous book. This volume has two main plotlines: 1) finish telling Lettie the story of how she was born, which this time does actually involve her birth, and 2) celebrate the kingdom’s founding day, which sounds remarkably like Christmas but is done at the height of cherry blossom season. Mostly what this volume shows off is how comfortable and happy everyone is now, and that all of the conflict and drama from earlier books has been dealt with. The only remaining issue is Viola’s constant self-image issues, which I know the author thinks of as a cute running gag but never fails to irritate me – and everyone else in the household too, judging by their reaction to her worry that Lettie will inherit her looks.

As noted, the first half of the book shows the days leading up to Viola giving birth and the weeks after it. This includes some false labor brought on by insisting on weeding while nearly due to give birth, and also a relatively quick and easy labor – much to Viola’s surprise, as from her perspective she thought it took forever. Lettie is surrounded by adoring family and servants, so the question is how is she not going to grow up spoiled, really. Viola will help there, I expect. The second chunk of the book has the mansion preparing for Flur Day, the aforementioned Christmas equivalent. A strong windstorm may put paid to some of the festivities, but otherwise there’s a relative lack of anything going on here – the main drama stems from everyone trying to get out of hearing the King’s speech again so that they can get to the truly important thing a week later – Lettie’s first birthday.

There is still the occasional reminder that there is ever present danger in this world – Viola is given a number of mazes to memorize and complete, and only after she’s done so does she realize that they’re a layout of the mansion and the royal palace, complete with secret passages and hidey-holes, if she ever needs to escape like she has in previous books. But for the most part this is a victory lap, and it even ends the way a lot of these books do – with Viola discovering she is pregnant with her second child. As I’ve noted before, this continues to be a surprise to me as Viola has not, through all nine volumes, ever really shown any sexual desire towards her husband. Even when given an obvious opportunity, such as coming in to “get warm” after a nighttime cherry blossom viewing, all they do is have cocoa. It’s very pure.

So yes, this book is also a bit boring, but I’ll take that over the classist nonsense some of the main series did. In the end, this was a flawed but fun series, and I really hope one day it hits Viola that she’s gorgeous.

In the Land of Leadale, Vol. 5

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By Ceez and Tenmaso. Released in Japan as “Leadale no Daichi nite” by Famitsu Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Jessica Lange.

We’ve introduced most of the main cast at this point, but there’s one other major player (and indeed Major Player) whose absence from this has felt like a plot point: Opus, Cayna’s rival and partner in crime. She knows he’s there, as the presence of L’il Fairy has demonstrated, but he has not really shown up in front of her and we haven’t gotten a good sense of his character. Well, despite the fact that he only appears in the last few pages of this volume, we have a much better idea now. He’s a troll. A massive troll. And while Cayna, who is also incredibly eccentric in her own right, proved to be OK with that when she was helping him do the trolling, being on the receiving end of it for once pushes her to a righteous fury we haven’t really seen from her that much. For all that Cayna tends to use fists to solve arguments, she’s a relatively mellow person. Well, OK, she’s not. But her own “persona” pretends she is.

Cayna is still going around being a force of nature, but she can’t be everywhere, particularly if something needs to be solved the hard way rather than the Cayna way. So Exis and Quolkeh team up with another ex-player to take on a massive Guardian Tower that is a mobile turtle… heading for the royal palace. (This is solved by a typical Japanese quiz game.) As for Cayna, she suddenly finds that L’il Fairy needs a name, So she goes with Kuu, because it sounds like Kee, because Cayna is still pretty childish most of the time. She then goes on to do what she does best: There Is No Kill Like Overkill, as she takes on a huge pile of monsters led by a goblin master who is somewhat stunned to see how easily she carves them up. She then takes Cloffe and Clofia (remember them? The anime cut them?) on a dungeon crawl to find Opus. A very annoying dungeon crawl.

Since our last review the anime ran, and it seems to be a case where fans of the light novels enjoyed it (despite the cuts) but those who had not read the books were deeply turned off by Cayna’s temper and the series’ lack of a plot. To be honest, they’re good points. The author really enjoys showing Cayna lose it and hit people with her fists or big-ass weapons, usually whether they deserve it or not. Fortunately, in this case, Opus definitely does deserve it. As for the lack of anything happening… that’s true as well. This is at heart a slow life series, it’s just Cayna doesn’t run a drugstore or a library, she goes around trying to discover the secrets of this post-game world. It’s a hard vibe to get into, and I don’t think the anime got far along enough to show it off.

Still, this volume is pleasant enough, and thankfully had less of the body horror of Book 4. Now that Opus is here, will he help shed some light on things? Or will he just be a dick? We’ll find out soon.

The Manga Review, 4/29/22

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Back in March, Titan Comics announced that it would launching its own manga imprint, Titan Manga, with the publication of a new “director’s cut” of Takashi Okazaki’s Afro-Samurai. This week, Titan announced two more acquisitions: Kamen Rider Kuuga and Atom: The Beginning, both of which will debut in October. This deal is part of a new partnership with StoneBot Comics. In other licensing news, Seven Seas just unveiled several new titles including Malevolent Spirits: Monogatari, Let’s Buy the Land and Cultivate It in a Different World, Anti-Romance, and Night of the Living Cat, a horror-comedy in which “a virus transforms humans into cats.” The mode of transmission? Snuggling with an infected kitty! (Seriously, did my cats write this?!!) All four series are scheduled for a late 2022/early 2023 release.

NEWS AND FEATURES

Young Jump just published the final chapter in Satoru Noda’s bloody revenge saga Golden Kamuy. Not to worry: Noda’s ice-hockey drama Supinamarada! will take its place. [Anime News Network]

CLAMP fans rejoice: the collective will resume work on xxxHolic-rei, though they haven’t announced a date for its official return. [Anime News Network]

Also in the news is Moto Hagio, who is one of this year’s Eisner Hall of Fame nominees. [Comic-Con International]

Kodansha just announced its May digital manga releases. The most promising? When a Cat Faces West, a new series from the creator of Mushishi. [Crunchyroll]

Are you a parent, teacher, or librarian looking for kid-friendly manga recommendations? Brigid Alverson has got you covered with a helpful list of titles that are suitable for pre-teen and young teen readers. [ICv2]

The librarians at No Flying No Tights compile a list of their favorite cute comics, from Umi Sakurai’s A Man and His Cat to Claire Belton’s I Am Pusheen the Cat. (Warning to dog lovers: this list heavily favors kitties.) [No Flying No Tights]

Bill Kartalopoulos files a lengthy report on the 49th Angoulême International Comics Festival. Among the highlights: a special exhibit honoring the legacy of Kitaro creator Shigeru Mizuki. [The Comics Journal]

Kelli Ewing offers a sneak peak at Hen Kai Pan, the latest series from Eldo Yoshimizu (Ryuko). [Panel Patter]

Wondering what to read next? Masha Zhdanova takes a look at this month’s new VIZ Media titles. [Women Write About Comics]

REVIEWS

Over at Anime News Network, Rebecca Silverman declares Sakamoto Days a “fun” series with a “well executed premise,” while Lynzee Loveridge argues that Sensei’s Pious Lie “does a lot of interesting, if uncomfortable, things that make it worth a read.” AiPT’s Eric Alex Cline gives high marks to Island in a Puddle, a new thriller from Kei Sanbe (Erased), while Megan D., host of The Manga Test Drive, takes Kaoru Mori’s Shirley for a spin.

Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll Do Anything to Become a Librarian!, Part 4: Founder of the Royal Academy’s So-Called Library Committee, Vol. 6

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

I must admit, she’s started to mesmerize me, that’s the only explanation. Towards the end of this book, I recall thinking that it was another quiet book with not much happening and with Rozemyne not really doing anything wrong. While the latter is… partly true, the hilarious epilogue reminded me how earth-shaking all of this was to the folks back home, and how Sylvester and Ferdinand desperately need the invention of Tylenol. Rozemyne is getting better at the social niceties, but she’s still a huge chasm away from everyone else, and things are not helped by having someone who is basically the same as her come along, and be royalty at that. The two of them join forces in this volume, and I am grateful that they have Hannelore there to try to keep things from exploding, but I also feel very bad for her. It’s tough to be a minder to a cataclysmic event like Rozemyne.

We’re back at school for Rozemyne’s 2nd year, and she’s a little bit calmer about things this time around, though of course that’s only by degree. Her main concern is starting her library committee and being a good big sister to Charlotte (which is not helped by Charlotte being both taller and more mature than her big sister). Then things… start to happen. Lessons are for the most part fine, though Rozemyne is starting to discover how much of the entire 7-year curriculum Ferdinand has already drilled into her. And she almost kills a teacher. Whoops. Things escalate a bit when she runs into Hildebrand, the 3rd prince, at the library. Hildebrand is supposed to be hiding from the rest of the students, but he quickly gets attached to Rozemyne (who he has finally figured out is not Charlotte) and ends up part of Rozemyne’s library committee. Which… complicates things.

I haven’t even mentioned the most interesting part of the book, which is when Roderick, the former Veronica Faction boy who wants to pledge his name to Rozemyne, goes out hunting feystones with others and runs into a magical beast that absolutely should not be there, forcing everyone – including Rozemyne – to rally round and try to stop it. This has moments of humor, as Rozemyne, who was chiding Wilfried for trying to look cool earlier in the book, is upset that everyone was able to be cool except her, but it’s also a scary moment, and a bit ominous, as it becomes clear that this monster was directed directly at the area their duchy occupies. Bookworm loves to drop little hints of things to come and then leave them alone for a few books, so I’m not sure when we’ll get back to this, but let’s just say the political war that is inevitably coming simmers in the background.

We leave off with Rozemyne heading back home for a series of lectures about how she is appalling, but again, only about 1/3 of this was her fault this time. Still an essential light novel series.

Manga the Week of 5/4/22

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SEAN: It’s May! A time to smell the fresh air, get outside, and continue to wear a mask.

ASH: Pretty helpful for seasonal allergies among other things.

SEAN: Airship has a pile of new light novel titles (that we have seen in early digital releases already). The debut is Survival in Another World with My Mistress!, a classic ‘arrogant girl and harried guy’ fantasy.

Airship also has print for Classroom of the Elite 11, Disciple of the Lich: Or How I Was Cursed by the Gods and Dropped Into the Abyss! 3, Drugstore in Another World: The Slow Life of a Cheat Pharmacist 5, The Haunted Bookstore – Gateway to a Parallel Universe 3, and Reincarnated as a Dragon Hatchling 3.

We also get early digital volumes for Accomplishments of the Duke’s Daughter 5 and Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs 6.

Dark Horse gives us the 8th volume of Mob Psycho 100.

ASH: Oh! I’ll need to catch up with that.

SEAN: Ghost Ship debuts Survival in Another World with My Mistress! (Goshujin-sama to Yuku Isekai Survival!), which may be familiar from a few lines up. This runs in Micro Magazine’s Comic Ride.

They’ve also got Fire in His Fingertips: A Flirty Fireman Ravishes Me with His Smoldering Gaze 3.

MICHELLE: Snerk.

ASH: It’s an amazing title.

ANNA: Incredible.

SEAN: In print, J-Novel Club has the 7th manga volume of I Shall Survive Using Potions!.

Digitally, we see An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride 13, Ascendance of a Bookworm’s 12th manga volume, Full Clearing Another World under a Goddess with Zero Believers 3, Jessica Bannister 5, My Quiet Blacksmith Life in Another World 2, My Stepmom’s Daughter Is My Ex 2, To Another World… with Land Mines! 2, and When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace 2.

Kodansha is releasing a new version of Sailor Moon. This will have larger page counts and yet another updated translation. it seems to be print only.

MICHELLE: Huh.

SEAN: Kodansha, in print, also has the 2nd volume of Blackguard (that was fast), The Hero Life of a (Self-Proclaimed) “Mediocre” Demon! 4, When Will Ayumu Make His Move? 5, and a reprint of the classic Tezuka manga Ode to Kirihito in one 825-page tome.

ASH: That was fast! So I don’t feel as bad about already being behind. Also, still glad to see these Tezuka reprints coming out!

ANNA: Also glad for Tezuka reprints.

SEAN: Kodansha’s first digital debut is Changes of Heart (Honnou Switch), a josei series that ran in Kodansha’s Comic Tint, and is from the creator of A Witch’s Love at the End of the World. A woman who just got dumped ends up sleeping with her childhood friend, who surprises her by telling her he loves her. But her ex wants her back! The words “smutty potboiler” were made for series like these…

MICHELLE: Hm. It might be fun!

ANNA: I’m intrigued for sure.

The other debut is Oh, Those Hanazono Twins (Hanazono-sanchi no Futago-chan), a shonen title from Magazine Pocket. I would give a synopsis, but it’s a harem comedy describing the male lead as “so average it hurts”, so will not bother.

Also digital: The Abandoned Reincarnation Sage 2, A Couple of Cuckoos 7, Kounodori: Dr. Stork 23, the 6th and final volume of My Darling, the Company President, My Master Has No Tail 5, Sakura’s Dedication 2, Shangri-La Frontier 6, and Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister 3.

One Peace has Farming Life in Another World 5.

The debut for Seven Seas is Witches: The Complete Collection (Majo), a manga from the creator of Children of the Sea. It ran in Shogakukan’s Ikki back in the day, and is a collection of award-winning and unsettling stories.

ASH: I am very excited for this one!

ANNA: Me too, although I don’t know if I want to be unsettled.

SEAN: Seven Seas also gives us Accomplishments of the Duke’s Daughter 8, Dance in the Vampire Bund: Age of Scarlet Order 6, Happy Kanako’s Killer Life 4, Made in Abyss 10, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: Elma’s Office Lady Diary 5, and Reincarnated as a Dragon Hatchling 3.

MICHELLE: I should really read Happy Kanako.

ASH: I suspect it’s one that I’d enjoy, too, once I get around to it.

SEAN: Tokyopop has a 3rd volume of Double.

Udon Entertainment has the 3rd and final volume of Persona 5: Mementos Mission.

Viz has a relatively quiet May, with a lot of its main series on an off month. The debut is Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible (Kubo-san wa Boku (Mobu) wo Yurusanai), another in the genre of ‘teasing girl and nondescript boy’ manga. It runs in Weekly Young Jump.

Viz also has Blue Exorcist 27, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations 14, Dr. STONE 21, The King’s Beast 6, One Piece 99, and Prince Freya 6.

MICHELLE: I should really read The King’s Beast, too, having enjoyed the creator’s other work.

ASH: Same! I’ve a few volumes of the series on hand already; I just need to read them.

ANNA: I’ve read some of them and find it a bit too sad, but as expected very well done.

SEAN: There’s a pile of Yen On. The debut is Ishura, a light novel about the war to determine the next demon king. It sounds very shonen.

Also from Yen On: The Executioner and Her Way of Life 4, The Hero Laughs While Walking the Path of Vengeance a Second Time 2, Magical Explorer 2, Rascal Does Not Dream 7, Reign of the Seven Spellblades 5, Sabikui Bisco 2, Sword Art Online 24, and Torture Princess 8.

Lastly, Yen Press has Can’t Stop Cursing You 3, Kingdom Hearts III 2, Tales of Wedding Rings 10, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: The Ways of the Monster Nation 7.

Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!: Runaway Goddess, Come Home!

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

Last time I suggested the entire book had been written around one 40-50 page scene. This one’s even worse, as the entire book is entirely setup for one 3-4 page scene. The author even admits in the afterword that they had the ending to this book in mind right from the start of the series. It’s pretty spectacular, frankly, and fans of Megumin will be over the moon. That said, there is also the rest of this book to deal with. Good news, it’s also good, though it does not quite hit the highs that the end gives us. It’s the second to last in the series, so we’re setting up for the final battle here, but we’re also showing off how well everyone has integrated into Axel, and how much Kazuma, Megumin and Darkness have mellowed out and become boon companions. And in some cases more than that, as Kazuma and Megumin try once more to try to lose their virginity. (Take a wild guess how well that goes.)

As we saw at the end of the last volume, Aqua has run away to go defeat the Demon Lord, though it’s pretty clear she wants the rest of her friends to catch up ASAP. Instead she gets Handsome Sword Guy (whose name she forgets, and so do I), Cecily, and Yunyun… which is actually a far more balanced party than her normal one, so she mostly ends up very bored on the journey when she’s not accidentally tempting monsters to eat her. Kazuma is, alas, very reluctant to come after her as he’s back to Level 1 after recent events. That said, his level is back to baseline but he still has his skills… which gives him an idea. An idea involving Vanir, Wiz, and a very difficult dungeon…

If there’s a runner-up in terms of best bit in the book after the Rise and Rise of Megumin, it’s the adventures of Vanir and Wiz in the dungeon, keeping the useless Kazuma safe while also letting him get in the last hit to raise his level again (and then lower it, as he’s cheating as per usual). Vanir is just the same as always, but it’s an absolute delight to see Wiz getting obsessed with clearing the dungeon and just as over the top. They make a very good team. As for others in the book, the award for “worst person in the world” has to go to Zesta, who not only pervs hard on Kazuma, Megumin and Darkness, but is such a lustful pervert that even high-level monsters run away as they are worried he’ll try to screw them. (He will, indeed, try that.) He’s also the one who gets a horrible idea regarding Serena’s powers to return the pain she receives back on the giver, which relies on her being a virgin. KonoSuba is not about to forget its roots of being terrible in the best ways.

So all the main players have finally arrived at the final battle. Will our heroes triumph? Will the demon lord prevail? Will Kazuma die again? And what’s up with the link between this world and Japan? That will wait till the final volume next time. Till then, this was a lot of fun. Also, I find it hilarious that it took till Book 16 for Megumin and Darkness to learn Kazuma is from another world.

The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System, Vol. 2

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By Mo Xiang Tong Xiu and Xiao Tong Kong (Velinxi). Released in China as “Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong” on the JJWXC website. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Faelicy & Lily.

I will give credit to Shen Qingqiu, he proves to be slightly better than Katarina when it comes to figuring out affection. That said, the love interests in My Next Life as a Villainess are also perhaps not quite as Luo Binghe, who spends much of the 2nd book on a roaring rampage of revenge, because it turns out that Shen Yuan can try to change the plot and characterization all he wants, but this book is still mostly running on the rails it was supposed to. This is not good news for Shen Qingqiu, who now has to deal with his character’s supposedly evil backstory (though signs point to some of this being a load of hogwash) and being suspected of causing a plague. Possibly worst of all, Shang Qinghua has prepared the secret restoring magical doodad far, far ahead of schedule, meaning that in order for it to do anything there will need to be a prison break.

I will admit, this book is not quite as wall-to-wall funny as the first volume, mostly as the plot is a lot more serious and Luo Binghe is a lot less sweet. That said, when the humor hits it hits hard. Shen Qingqiu’s reaction on seeing Luo Binghe once more was my first lough out loud moment, but there are many throughout, especially as he learns how the rest of the world views his relationship with Luo Binghe – i.e. much the same way fans do here, writing epic sagas and touching songs about their gay love. Shen Yuan is still somewhat horrified by this, and screams about the fact that the hero of a stallion novel has still not bedded a single woman. I will admit that seeing the extent of Luo Binghe’s… devotion to his master goes from disturbing to hilarious to disturbing again. I suspect romance will have to wait for Book 3.

One of the minor plot points I’m really enjoying is seeing the development of some of the women in the cast. In the original novel, they are there as basically notches on Luo Binghe’s bedpost, but the changing timeline… as well as Luo Binghe being in love with his master… means that they’re allowed to go different places. Sometimes this is not always for their betterment – Sha Hualing goes from the popular and arrogant harem boss to a harried office lady pretty quick. Ning Yingying, though, has really blossomed from the somewhat vapid childhood friend she was supposed to be, and her defense of Shen Qingqiu no matter what is really heartwarming. If there’s one downside, it’s that the character of the “system”, which provided so much of the laughs in Book 1, is far more sporadic and muted here. That said, it’s hard to character develop what is essentially Clippy.

The main reason to get this book, even above the humor and the character development, is the readability – it absolutely flies by. Perhaps in Book 3 we’ll even get a mutual kiss.

The Devil Is a Part-Timer!. Vol. 21

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By Satoshi Wagahara and 029. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen Press. Translated by Kevin Gifford.

I suppose, if you know that what you’re writing is going to be an anticlimax, it’s best to just admit it straight up front. The massive battle against heaven, even from the start of the volume, is very underplayed, and when it comes, while there is some combat, it ends fairly easily for the good guys. In fact, the final battle is so anticlimactic that the book jumps back and forth between the “present” and three years into the future, showing us where Maou is now and what the rest of the cast are up to, while also teasing his romantic relationship. That said, here it’s made explicit WHY Maou has been hemming and hawing and putting off giving a clear yes or no to anyone’s confession: his demon side is literally allergic to love and causes him to feel extremely ill. Not exactly an original idea, but hey. All in all, it’s an OK ending to a series that should have ended a dozen books ago.

Fortunately for the reader who has been feeling a bit Chiho’ed out by the last couple of books, she’s not present for the War Against Heaven, though we do get Maou and company explaining everything to her parents. A lot of the book features scenes of the cast waiting for heaven to respond to their obvious aggression, and being somewhat disturbed that they are not doing so. And then there is the newest Sepirah child, there to signify the direction that all of heaven will take going forward… so it’s a bit of a shame that he looks like an exact copy of Urushihara, to the point where Maou dubs him Copyhara. There is also quite a lot of backstory and explanations are given for most of the supernatural end of things, but I’m going to be honest, I’ve never really paid attention to that part.

If that summary sounds vague, so does the whole book. The epilogue bits are a bit more interesting. There is a romantic pairing that caused me great pain to read about (no, not Maou’s), but I suppose as long as they’re happy. Speaking of Maou, and spoiling a bit here, yes, he’s together with Chiho, but she’s also trying to consider their future as a group. The problem is that a) thanks to Alas Ramus, he’s never going to be able to be far from Emi for the rest of his life (which, by the way, is a normal human lifespan now, because plot), and b) Emi clearly has some feelings for Maou, and is clearly never going to end up with another guy. Chiho proposing a poly relationship is… I’m gonna be honest, it feels like a fanfic solution. Even Maou is baffled by it, though given how Chiho and Emi run roughshod over his life in general, I guess he’ll accept it. Still, I can’t see the fanbase enjoying this.

Again, aside perhaps for that last part, this book isn’t too bad. But it’s a classic example of an author dragging out a story that should have ended around Book 7 or 8. In the end, it risked drowning under all of its own lore, and didn’t really give the fans the romance their wanted either.

The Holy Grail of Eris, Vol. 1

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By Kujira Tokiwa and Yu-nagi. Released in Japan as “Eris no Seihai” by GA Novels. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Winifred Bird.

If you think the cover art suggests a villainess story, you’re right, though this is once again a variation rather than a straight up “reincarnated as the otome game villainess” sort. That said, almost all those books, as well as many of the variations, have the same kind of scene in it. Usually near the start. Our villainess finds herself at a party or ball, surrounded by men who are sneering at her with hatred and contempt, accusing her of terrible bullying towards the “heroine” of the game itself. This public shaming usually kickstarts the plot in some way or another. But wait, I hear you say. I love those kinds of scenes, the ones that show the dark and seedy undercurrent of nobility. What if I could have an entire book filled with them? And also make it a detective thriller? If you are this sort of reader, the Holy Grail of Eris is hear for you. There’s escapades, and murder attempts, but mostly there’s so much vitriol you could probably start a glassmaker’s shop.

Constance, aka Connie, is our heroine, and frankly, she’s a bit of a drip. Her father, a viscount, is known for being sincere and honest at all times, aka an easy mark. The family is deep in debt. But it’s OK, as she’s engaged to the son of a wealthy businessman… who, unfortunately, is currently having an affair with another noblewoman. All this comes to a head at a party where Connie is shamed and accused in the proper Villainess Novel way. Sadly, she has no one to come to her aid… or so she thinks. Enter Scarlett Castiel, a duke’s daughter who was executed ten years ago for attempted assassination of the (current) Queen. Scarlett possesses Connie and solves the problem by means of a photographic memory and a heaping tablespoon of “being a magnificent bitch”. However, now Scarlett demands Connie’s help in return… to find out what REALLY happened ten years ago!

Not gonna lie, this is a heaping helping of fun, despite the almost obligatory child slavery ring subplot. (In the book’s favor, none of the main cast buy a slave.) Connie and Scarlett are both very flawed heroines, and while together they can just about solve some mysteries, Connie tends to be easily caught and also terrible at lying. But this makes them endearing and easy to root for – we’re not getting any powerhouse OP villainesses here. The other characters are also most arrogant nobles, but they come in various shades, including our love interest, who is a standard Japanese romance novel type, but I don’t dislike that. I also loved the character of Abigail O’Brien, who is several times compared and contrasted with Connie herself and also seems to be an underworld boss and super Madam (in the capitalized sense of the word).

This is supposedly over at three volumes, though a fourth one appeared in Japan last month as a digital-only book. That means we are unlikely to linger too long on the central mystery or what the Holy Grail of Eris is (the fact that Connie’s last name is literally Grail does not come up in the text, and may just be there for flavor). Still, if you like mysteries where the heroine spends most of her time getting caught, and everyone being absolutely terrible to everyone else, this is a winner.

Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki, Vol. 8

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By Yuki Yaku and Fly. Released in Japan as “Jaku Chara Tomozaki-kun” by Gagaga Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Winifred Bird.

If you ever wanted to see someone trip on page 1 and spend the next 276 pages falling to the ground, then have I got a book for you. In all fairness, I should have seen this coming. Everything was going far too smoothly for our boy Tomozaki lately. He’s got friends, he’s got a girlfriend, and he’s even teaching his mentor how to not be some sort of Japanese high school girl cyborg, though signs point to that not really working. But one of those things is a very different beast from the others, and as the book goes on the reader starts to notice how Kikuchi just… isn’t in it. She shows up here and there, she and Tomozaki are cute with each other, but she’s not part of the life he’s trying to live right now, she’s a separate entity. And that leads to everything crashing down for the cliffhanger. So it’s a good thing we’re not gonna have another short-story volume next… hrm? What’s that? Volume 8.5? Ah well We must all suffer.

Things start off well, as our new couple go for a New Year’s shrine visit and run into Izumi and Nakamura, and Tomozaki gets to see what an actual long-time couple who are not worried about doing the wrong thing at all times act like. After that, though, it’s back to assignments – for both our protagonists. Tomozaki has to start working towards his next major goal, which is to be the “head” of a clique of friends. As for Hinami, he takes her to an in-person Atafami meet-up, hoping to show her the fun that can be had in gaming and that it does not have to be as analytical as possible. This meet-up is impactful for him as well; first because he ends up meeting a pro gamer who makes Tomozaki wonder if that’s a future he can do himself; and second, because a college-aged girl named Rena starts hitting on him aggressively… something he does not really handle well at all.

I’m going to be honest here: if your mentor is so emotionally broken that you’re trying to get her to have fun as a goal, why are you trusting her with your romantic thermometer at all? Every time he asked Hinami “is this OK” in regards to Kikuchi’s increasing fragility, I wanted to smack him in the face. She is the LAST person he should be asking. Sigh. But that’s Book 9’s problem, I guess, though if this new romance turns out to be only about 2 weeks long, I fear readers may get annoyed. Other than that, though, Tomozaki does pretty well here. He’s gotten better at asking leading questions without suspicion, and is forcing himself to think about his future in ways that aren’t just “college, I guess” like most of his classmates. I really enjoyed the gaming battle with the pro, not because of the endless pages of Atafami description (again, not a gamer), but because it showed off that there’s a different way of thinking you can access when everything you have is on the line.

Let’s hope Tomozaki accesses that when he tries to rescue his relationship next time. Well, next time after the short stories. Till then, this was painful but excellent.

The Manga Review, 4/22/22

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Cover of Cat and GamerBack in the roaring aughts–when earnest manga fans posted reviews on LiveJournal and Blogger–link posts were a simple, effective way to connect with like-minded readers. The widespread adoption of social media in the 2010s was supposed to make it easier to find interesting content, but the proliferation of apps and platforms has had the opposite effect, turning the search for manga news and reviews into a part-time job. Our solution: an old-fashioned column that highlights some of the most interesting manga content on the web, from creator interviews to breaking news stories and reviews. If you write about manga, we encourage you to let us know so we can keep tabs on your site, podcast, or channel; feel free to leave a comment below or get in touch with us through Twitter. Now on to the links!

NEWS AND FEATURES

The latest Mangasplaining episode landed on Wednesday, and this time Deb Aoki and Christopher Butcher take a closer look at Birds of Shangri-La, a steamy boys’ love series, using it as a jumping off point for exploring censorship in Japanese comics. Word to the wise: this week’s show is definitely NSFW. [Mangasplaining]

For an insightful and entertaining look at how girl gangs have been portrayed in anime and manga, look no further than Erica Friedman’s latest Yuri Studio! video. [Okazu]

Erica Friedman interviews Japanese author inori, creator of the popular series I’m in Love with the Villainess. [Okazu]

Do you have a young reader at home? The crack team of librarians at No Flying No Tights have compiled a helpful list of great manga for the under-twelve set, from literary adaptations of children’s classics to perennial favorites Cardcaptor Sakura and Yotsuba&! [No Flying No Tights]

And file this under Better Late Than Never: NPR celebrates the thirty-year history of Sailor Moon with an in-depth look at why the show’s messages of friendship, love, and empowerment still resonate with viewers (and readers) today. [National Public Radio]

REVIEWS

Over at Anime UK News, Sarah reviews Marimo Nagawa’s influential BL drama New York, New York. While acknowledging that some aspects of the story haven’t aged well, Sarah praises Nagawa’s “striking” art and “thoughtful,” “sensitive” exploration of “the problems faced by its gay protagonists in a society that still had a long way to go to be accepting of LGBT rights.” Yuri Stargirl posts a mixed review of Nagata Kabi’s My Wandering Warrior Existence, noting that it suffers in comparison with My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness. “I’ve felt that each volume since that first one has been one of diminishing returns,” she notes. “That doesn’t mean they haven’t been good, or powerful, but with each one maybe a little bit less so.” And Good Comics for Kids contributor Johanna Draper Carlson posts an early review of the much-anticipated Cat + Gamer, in which a video game enthusiast adopts a stray kitten.

Manga the Week of 4/27/22

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SEAN: The end of April means the end of innocence, getting ready for the boys of summer, and other things that are not Don Henley songs.

We start with Yen On, who have Cross-Dressing Villainess Cecilia Sylvie 2, In the Land of Leadale 5, and Orc Eroica 2.

Yen Press has a whooole lot. We see A Certain Magical Index 25, Days on Fes 5 (the final volume), Dead Mount Death Play 7, Goblin Slayer 11, Golden Japanesque: A Splendid Yokohama Romance 5, Hinowa ga CRUSH! 6, I Was a Bottom-Tier Bureaucrat for 1,500 Years, and the Demon King Made Me a Minister 3 (also a final volume), In Another World with My Smartphone 5, I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level 8, Laid-Back Camp 11, Love of Kill 7, Please Put Them On, Takamine-san 3, Plunderer 9, The Royal Tutor 16, Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts 15 (also also a final volume), Sasaki and Miyano 5, Shibuya Goldfish 10, and Toilet-bound Hanako-kun 13. I am getting… well, two of those.

MICHELLE: I’m at least getting Sasaki and Miyano!

ANNA: Not much there for me, since I’m not super into bureaucrats for the Demon King killing slimes after their levels are maxed-out.

ASH: I really ought to catch up with Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts; I’ve enjoyed the volumes that I’ve read. Also Toilet-bound Hanako-kun!

SEAN: Tokyopop debuts Yagi the Bookshop Goat (Honya no Yagi-kun), a BL title from Chara about a goat boy who loves to read books… and eat books! No one trusts him in a bookstore, can he convince the wolf manager to give him a shot? Honestly, this looks damn cute.

ANNA: I don’t care how cute it is!

ASH: Tokyopop keeps trying to tempt me.

MJ: Must… not… look… no. no.

SEAN: Tentai Books has a print light novel debut. You Like Me, Don’t You? So, Wanna Go Out With Me? (Kimitte Watashi no Koto Suki Nandeshou?), another high school romance between a mopey guy and the perfect girl. This genre has gotten popular lately, though usually with more irony than this has. The author also writes Are You OK with a Slightly Older Girlfriend? and When Supernatural Battles Become Commonplace.

Square Enix has a 4th volume of Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!.

MICHELLE: I need to resume this series; the first volume was very good!

ASH: It’s true!

SEAN: Seven Seas debuts The Most Notorious “Talker” Runs the World’s Greatest Clan (Saikyou no Shien-shoku “Wajutsushi” Dearu ore wa Sekai Saikyou Kuran o Shitagaeru), based on the light novel also released by Seven Seas. It’s one of those “everyone says I’m weak but I’m secretly strong” series, and runs in Comic Gardo.

Seven Seas also has Cat Massage Therapy 2, The Dangers in My Heart 4, The Dungeon of Black Company 7, Headhunted to Another World: From Salaryman to Big Four! 3, Kingdom of Z 5, Our Teachers are Dating! 4 (the final volume), Skeleton Knight in Another World 8, and Time Stop Hero 4.

KUMA has two new titles. sick is a BL oneshot about a young college student. He’s handsome, popular, has all the girls he wants. So why can’t he stop teasing the shy boy in his class? This ran in Takeshobo’s Opa.

Also one volume is Boys of the Dead, which KUMA describes as ZOM-BL!, and I can’t top that. It ran in Canna.

MICHELLE: I am potentially here for ZOM-BL.

ANNA: Me too!

ASH: Honestly, I’ve enjoyed most of KUMA’s releases, so far.

MJ: Okay, also count me in as possibly here for ZOM-BL.

SEAN: Kodansha has some print debuts. First we see Blackguard, a horror series from the creator of Devils’ Line. A mysterious virus called shojo is attacking people and… no, it’s not turning them into shojo manga, it turns each person into an identical carrier. Presumably our hero fights back. Also, given the title, presumably he’s not very nice.

ASH: Count me as curious.

SEAN: We also get A Galaxy Next Door (Otonari ni Ginga), a new series from the creator of Sweetness and Lightning. A young manga artist struggling to feed his family finds himself a new assistant, who’s almost otherworldly… and also says they’re engaged. This runs in good! Afternoon.

MICHELLE: I can’t say I’m wild about the premise but there’s enough residual goodwill left over from Sweetness & Lightning that I’ll check it out.

ASH: Sweetness & Lightning was such a delight.

MJ: Hm, yes maybe.

SEAN: And then there is Sensei’s Pious Lie (Sensei no Shiroi Uso), an 18+ series that ran in Morning Two. A young teacher is raped by her friend’s fiance, and struggles to keep it from her friend and also connect with her students. This has won awards, but as you might guess, is pretty intense and not for everyone.

MICHELLE: Sounds heavy but good.

ANNA: Way too heavy for me.

ASH: I’ve heard very good things about this series.

MJ: Cautiously interested.

SEAN: Also out in print: EDENS ZERO 16, Hitorijime My Hero 12, and Something’s Wrong With Us 8.

The digital debut is WIND BREAKER, a new manga from Magazine Pocket. I can’t believe, 20-odd years after WORST bombed in English, we are finally getting another delinquent manga about beating the shit out of other students. Awesome.

ASH: Ha! I’ll admit, I do like delinquent manga.

MJ: I mean.

SEAN: Also digital: Back When You Called Us Devils 12 (the final volume), Bootsleg 2, Even Given the Worthless “Appraiser” Class, I’m Actually the Strongest 4, Getting Closer to You 2, and Harem Marriage 16.

Kaiten Books has a digital release, the 3rd and final volume of My Dad’s the Queen of All VTubers?!.

J-Novel Club has the 9th and final volume of Can Someone Please Explain What’s Going On?!, Fantasy Inbound 2, Maddrax 3, and Saint? No! I’m Just a Passing Beast Tamer! 2. On the manga side, we see Der Werwolf: The Annals of Veight -Origins- 6, Villainess: Reloaded! Blowing Away Bad Ends with Modern Weapons 4, and Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! 5.

Ghost Ship has a 3rd and final volume of Shiori’s Diary, as well as Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs 19.

Cross Infinite World gives us a 2nd volume of I Reincarnated As Evil Alice, So the Only Thing I’m Courting Is Death!.

Finally, Airship has the print debut of The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior, as well as Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear 9, Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! 4, and Reincarnated as a Dragon Hatchling 3.

And we see early digital volumes for Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear 10 and The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior 2.

Want to buy manga? Or all you want to do is dance?