Features & Reviews

Falling Drowning, Vol. 1 | By Yuko Inari | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – On the surface, Falling Drowning looks like cookie-cutter shoujo. Our protagonist, a high school student named Honatsu, is part of a love triangle with her protective childhood friend Toma and the surly new transfer student, Shun. There’s even a scene where Honatsu and Shun get stuck in a storeroom! However, there’s an element of mystery to this title that’s quite appealing. Six years ago, Honatsu lost her father in an accident (or was it an accident?) along with eleven years of memories. Now, she’s trying to learn as much as possible and become independent. She feels at ease around Toma, and it’s clear he likes her, but what he offers is the promise of safety. Shun, on the other hand, instinctively understands her desire to challenge herself. I enjoyed this first volume quite a bit and look forward to seeing how it develops from here. – Michelle Smith

Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends, Vol. 19 | By Yomi Hirasaka and Itachi | Seven Seas – At last, we get the answer to the question that every Haganai fan who despised the light novel ending has been asking: will the manga be different? Well, I’m not sure the actual ending will differ (he’s still avoiding all romance), but it’s definitely different on the Yukimura end, as he shoots her down here. Indeed, she’s not the only one he shoots down, as he admits to Yozora, who finally confesses, that he sees her only as a friend. I can’t wait to see how this ends when it comes out in… erm, what? I forgot to read this volume? The final volume is already out? Whoopsie! Well, in any case, even if it ends with him picking no one, it avoided the biggest hate sink of the novels, so that’s a plus. – Sean Gaffney

Love at Fourteen, Vol. 11 | By Fuka Mizutani | Yen Press – Remember when I said I liked the sad lesbian helping out her sad high-school equivalent? Well, the author did, and they then pulled the rug right out from under us. That said, it feels a lot like “I am pretending to be a terrible person for your own good” than “I was secretly evil all along,” so it would fit right in with the rest of this somewhat cursed manga, which is all about not acting on relationships that might be considered taboo in one way or another. As for Kanata and Kazuki, well, the ending is a sort of “lady or the tiger” cliffhanger, where we’re given an indirect answer to the question of “did these two finally go all the way.” Likely will be another six months till we get it confirmed. Sketchy soap opera. – Sean Gaffney

My Hero Academia, Vol. 30 | By Kohei Horikoshi | Viz Media – Whoops, it’s not just Haganai. I forgot this came out a month ago as well. Still, at least we’ve finally reached the end of the Paranormal Liberation War arc…. what’s that? We haven’t? It’s still going on? Well then. We do get some setup for villain-saving for both Shigaraki and Toga, though both seem to be of the “but we won’t actually be saved” variety. And we finally get all of Dabi’s tragic backstory, which might be a bit more tragic if it did not also feature liberal applications of “I am laughing like a madman.” In the end, I agree with Uraraka: if you want a chance at redemption, perhaps do a bit less murder when asking for it. It should end next time? Right? – Sean Gaffney

We’re New at This, Vol. 10 | By Ren Kawahara | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – In this volume of sweetness and light, the closest we get to conflict is Sumika having to face up to the fact that Ikuma can be attracted to other women who aren’t her (he doesn’t remotely act on it; it’s a TV show host), Ikuma’s mom dealing with the melancholy of her family having finally all moved out… and the despair when all three daughters end up moving back, and a fake tropical vacation (in their living room) that leads to oily massages and oily sex. The author really has done a good job of making this a series where the leads have a very active love life, that we see, but also making them a wonderful couple whose lives other than sex we also want to see. Sweat and Soap fans might try this one. – Sean Gaffney

When Pink Rain Falls | By Youyi | Star Fruit Books – In the opening pages of When Pink Rain Falls, twenty-something Hanao flees the church where his best friend (and longtime crush) is getting married. As luck would have it, Hanao bumps into Touma, a sensitive but hunky florist who just so happens to need an apprentice. But do they share more than just a passion for flower arrangement, or is their budding relationship strictly professional? This delightful one-shot is only 37 pages, but Star Fruit Books has given it the deluxe treatment with oversize trim (7” x 10”), glossy covers, and high-quality paper—a smart decision, I think, since it allows the reader to appreciate how much of the story is told through glances, gestures, and artfully designed bouquets. Though the plot hits familiar beats, the sincerity and simplicity with which Touma and Hanao’s romance unfolds more than compensates for a few cliché moments. – Katherine Dacey

WITCH WATCH, Vol. 1 | By Kenta Shinohara| Viz Media (digital only) – The author of this new Shonen Jump series is best known in North America for Astra: Lost in Space, but reading the first volume of WITCH WATCH tells you this is more like a return to his breakout hit (never licensed here), Sket Dance. Morihito is a sullen young man with fighting skills far too powerful for his own good. He’s somewhat horrified by the return of his ditzy childhood friend Nico, a witch-in-training who needs a bodyguard. Fortunately, Morihito (aka Moi) is an ogre, which is why he’s so strong. That said… this is a wonderful manga, but the plot is pointless. It’s an excuse for comedy, and the author does some very good comedy. Read this if you love laughs in your Weekly Jump. – Sean Gaffney

Young, Alive, In Love, Vol. 1 | By Daisuke Nishijima | Star Fruit Books – This minimalist comic focuses on two teenagers: Makoto, a teen who owns a Geiger counter, and Mana, a teen who sees spirits. After a meet-cute that’s anything but cute—Mana pukes on Makoto—the two become inseparable as they try to solve the mystery of the enormous power plant that looms over their town. My summary sounds relatively straightforward, but the story unfolds in a circular, sometimes cryptic manner that raises more questions than it answers. Contributing to the aura of mystery is the artwork, which borders on the abstract; the characters and their environment have a kind of studied naïveté that makes them look more like stick figures than people, an impression compounded by the elliptical dialogue. I can’t say that that this was My Thing, but I have a feeling that someone will find the unique rhythms of this story right up their alley. – Katherine Dacey

Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You, Vol. 2 | By Haruka Mitsui | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – For the most part Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You is your standard shoujo romance manga. Somewhat derpy protagonist is surrounded by several male childhood friends who have all grown into bishounen, and two of them have feelings for her. She, of course, is clueless in the way of love. What makes this series slightly different, though, is that it’s set in 2020 and the characters are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the cancelation of school events they’d really been looking forward to. (I note, though, that nobody wears a mask or socially distances at any point.) Another unusual aspect is that we’ve now glimpsed a couple of the characters ten years in the future, which is pretty neat. I will likely continue with this one, though I hope it’s a short series as that would probably work best. – Michelle Smith

The Case Files of Jeweler Richard, Vol. 1 | By Mika Akatsuki, Nanako Tsujimura, and Utako Yukihiro | Seven Seas – I didn’t know much about The Case Files of Jeweler Richard going in, but I’d seen it described as a mystery, so that plus the title plus what looked to be a somewhat eccentric protagonist with an earnest helper lead me to expect something Sherlockian. I thought somehow that Richard and Seigi would be solving murders. That is not the case, however. In the first half of this volume, Richard helps Seigi track down the woman from whom his grandmother stole a pink sapphire ring 50 years ago. In the second half, a client’s request for a valuation of a ruby leads only to some resolution in her romantic life. Is… is that it? Is that all this series is? I did learn some stuff about gemstones, but I must admit I’m disappointed. I’ll give it another volume in case this one’s just a warmup. – Michelle Smith

Hello, Melancholic!, Vol. 1 | By Yayoi Ohsawa | Seven Seas There have been quite a few band club manga out there, and I dare say one or two yuri band club manga. But the trombone taking a starring role is a new one to me. Minato is huge, plays a huge instrument, and is a bundle of introverted, cringing nerves, having had a traumatic experience in her past that has left her trying to fit in in high school… and failing, just like everyone else who has to try to fit in rather than just doing it. Fortunately, she meets Hibiki, who is a positive, excitable bundle of energy, and wants Minato in her band no matter what. But that will mean getting past Minato’s walls… something that might be helped a bit by Minato clearly crushing on her sempai! This was cute and fun, and Minato’s introversion is well-handled. – Sean Gaffney

I’m a Wolf, But My Boss Is a Sheep, Vol. 1 | By Shino Shimizu | Seven Seas – For the most part, this reads like a pretty standard office romance between two very awkward people, but it’s the animal characteristics and instincts that make it unique. Oogami is new to the department, which consists almost entirely of sheep… and he’s a wolf, which means they already think he’s going to go after them. He certainly does have the instincts to, but does an admirable job of holding back. As for Mitsuji, she has similar issues—in a board room filled with carnivores, she struggles not to be held back by her fear instinct. The two of them are clearly perfect for each other, but this is not the sort of series that wants to get them together right away, especially as we meet two possible “past romances” for both of them. Cute—Beastars but fluffier. – Sean Gaffney

Kageki Shojo!!, Vol. 4 | By Kumiko Saiki | Seven Seas – In this volume Sarasa runs into a problem that many actors have a tremendous problem with, which is what to do when you’re told to act it “as yourself.” She’s running in the relay race for the sports festival, unheard of for a first-year student, and the pressure gets to her till she realizes that the audience is not there to watch athletes race, it is there for a performance. After that, everything comes together. Meanwhile, Ai is forced to face up to the fact that not only does she now have friends, but she’s actually happy with that fact, something that blows her mind. We’re a long way away from the Ai of the first volume. There’s also a long side story showing what happens when a student longing to be a musumeyaku suddenly grows too tall… dreams are dashed. Very very good. – Sean Gaffney

Kase-san and Yamada, Vol. 2 | By Hiromi Takashima | Seven Seas – It’s been two years since the last volume, but I was able to pick up right where these two left off—still trying to be in a long-distance relationship and finding out it works best if you still see each other a lot of the time. So we have Kase taking a day off from practice to go to the festival and see fireworks with Yamada, and Yamada going to the beach lodge where Kase and her team are working to stay there as well. This actually leads to a scene where they are intimate with each other, which surprised me as I’d thought that when the series rebooted itself it was going to walk that back—nice to see the continuity is the same. As for Kase and Yamada, they’re an adorably sweet couple, as you’d expect—the readers would not want anything less. – Sean Gaffney

Rosen Blood, Vol. 2 | Kachiru Ishizue | Viz Media – In the second volume of this series I remain confused about the methods of vampirific human consumption, which involves a mysterious crystallization process, but this volume does deliver on providing even more gothic vibes as Stella needs to enter Levi’s brain for various reasons and is able to discover more about his past in a surreal dream sequence. Levi’s companions are revealed to be even more evil, and there’s plenty of dark seduction to go around. This series is best for readers who aren’t picky about plot details but enjoy pretty brooding vampires. – Anna N

Sex Ed 120%, Vol. 3 | By Kikiki Tataki and Hotomura | Yen Press – Last time I described the two teachers in this series as lesbians, but it turns out they’re both bi, and we do get discussion of the difficulties that bi folks face from others. As for Tsuji and Nakazawa, well, Nakazawa is only just coming to terms with her feelings, and Tsuji doesn’t want to ruin the friendship they have, so things are slow going. As for the Sex Ed part of the book, it’s still top notch, with excellent discussions of abortion and pregnancy, transgender people, and a deeper look into how LGBT culture works, particularly in Japan. I think they’d be great books to assign to high schoolers, though you might run into a few issues. The characters remain fun if slight, and I was rooting for the teachers in the end. This is the final volume, and the series in recommended. – Sean Gaffney

Skip and Loafer, Vol. 3 | By Misaki Takamatsu |Seven Seas – Mitsumi is starting to actually do things right, and her core circle of friends no longer has to be amazed at her newbie-ness. Honestly, her character journey may be done, which is good, as Shima still has a long way to go. He has A PAST, capital letters, and it’s getting in the way of his present, and also probably impacting the fact that he’s clearly falling for Mitsumi. That said, I’m not too sure that the plot matters too much to me, as this is a series that I enjoy reading for the vibe more than anything else. I also love Nao, Mitsumi’s aunt, who has clearly read other “wacky” manga before and makes sure that Mitsumi reminds her friends that Nao is biologically male in case of unfortunate assumptions. She’s also there to give good advice. – Sean Gaffney