Manga Bookshelf

Discussion, Resources, Roundtables, & Reviews

Features & Reviews

I Could Never Be a Succubus!, Vol. 6

by

By Nora Kohigashi and Wasabi. Released in Japan as “Watashi wa Succubus Ja Arimasen” by Hero Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Roy Nukia.

When I finished this volume, I went to the Hero Bunko site to see its status, and discovered that this volume came out in 2023. I worried that it had been. y’know… (whispers) cancelled. Then I discovered that it was just Hero Bunko not bothering to update their site, the 7th volume came out in July of last year. Still, if the author had been told “can you write an ending that might pass if there aren’t any more of these?”, this would be close to what they might have come up with. We get to hear a lot about the war between Heaven and Hell years and years ago, and the hero’s sword (which, in case the last volume didn’t clue you in, is definitely Altina’s rather than Cain’s). We also get an explanation for Liz, and why she’s super powerful and super horny. We don’t get her memories back, but we get a WAY to get them back. This could be an “our fight has only just begun” Jump ending. Luckily, it isn’t.

Cain and Liz show up for a planned trip to the seaside… only to find that the entire rest of the cast bailed on them. On purpose. So they could date. Deciding to have fun anyway, Cain and Liz show off swimsuits, frolic in the surf, and then go back to their hotel… to find their friends got them a hotel room with a hot spring in the room, but only one bed. They’re not subtle. Unfortunately, it turns out that Liz has been having a massive attack of self-loathing that she’s been keeping from everyone, and when Cain tries to press his suit and say that he’s absolutely fine with loving her, she snaps and essentially becomes a weapon of mass destruction, throwing off holy powers and devil powers that no one knew she had before. can they stop her before the power burns her life away?

This was slightly less horny than previous books, but it makes up for the lack of pages with past Liz’s invention, Girl Time (in Darkness) Mk. I. and then, after Cain destroys it, Mk. II. Which is, not to put too fine a point on it, a robot covered in dildos and vibrators that is supposed to show guys how good anal is. I mention this mostly because I worry that my reviews may entice innocents into reading this series, and if they want to, please don’t. Other than that, this was very good, working Altina The Sword Catgirl into the regular cast and showing how good Cain and Liz’s chemistry is while also showing why Liz feels like she’s so weak compared to everyone else. We also get a new character here, who is Liz’s ancient ancestor, and she’s going to be mentoring Liz from now on, because though they know how to recover her memories it’s not going to be easy or fast.

So yes, Volume 7 is out in Japan! But not here yet, it hasn’t even started pre-pub. So we may have a bit of a wait. Fortunately, I’m sure Liz will send the Girl Time (in Darkness) Mk. IV to help everyone endure the wait. For fans of horny romantic comedy

The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time and Aims to Become the Ultimate Villain, Vol. 4

by

By Bakufu Narayama and Ebisushi. Released in Japan as “Danzaisareta Akuyaku Reijō wa, Gyakkō-shite Kanpekina Akujo o Mezasu” by TO Books. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Alyssa Niioka.

It’s been a while since the start of this series, and it’s become very hard to remember that Claudia had a life before this one. I mean, we hear about her life as a sex worker on a regular basis in the series, but that’s not what I mean. I mean the “Condemned Villainess” part of the title. And since we haven’t thought about that part as much, it can be hard to remember, not to put to fine a point on it, how gullible and naive Claudia was, and how easily she was led around by the nose. That’s not the Claudia we have here, who is the belle of everyone’s ball, the apple of everyone’s eye, and saving the world one yakuza organization at a time. Unfortunately, there are still shadowy people in the background who very much want things to go badly for the main cast. And as a result, since Claudia can’t be a condemned villainess, someone else is going to have to step to the plate.

We’re dealing with another country next door, and things are pretty bad there. At a masquerade ball, the delegation from Parte, a neighboring country whose citizens seems to hate Harland more and more by the day, have arrived, and they bring with them Niamilia, a noble woman who ends up being suggested as the prince’s fiancee in order to prevent a potential war. But what of Claudia? Well, another of the fiancee candidates, calls her out at the party (can’t have a villainess book without public call out), saying Claudia is an evil woman who uses her mob to traffic in slaves and also murdered a noble the other day. Claudia is, needless to say, above most of these accusations, but given that she IS the secret mob boss of a yakuza organization, she decides to investigate… and finds that someone has been impersonating her.

So yeah, my favorite scene in the book is right at the end – in fact, it’s one of the extra stories added for the book. Throughout the book, we get Wendy, who if she’s been in previous books I’ve never noticed, and she is horrible. She’s easily led, falls for an obvious loser who is luring her into a trap to do his bidding, ignores the advice of the maids who have her best interests at heart, and ends up literally orchestrating murder to prove that Claudia is SECRETLY EVIL. It’s a good look at how conspiracy theories can take hold in someone, and she is teeth-grindingly annoying throughout this book. But at the end, as Claudia leaves the prison where Wendy resides till her exile, she realizes, Oh, that was me. That was literally me in my last life. And thus it affects her more than it otherwise would, and therefore affects us more as well. Claudia gets a time travel get out of jail free card Wendy probably ain’t getting.

All this plus our horrible antagonist from last time, who isn’t in this book in person but who makes his presence felt throughout. These books are difficult but rewarding reads.

The Manga Review: Almost As Fun As Shark Week

by 2 Comments

As part of its annual Manga Week, ICv2 sat down with VIZ Media’s Sarah Anderson for an in-depth discussion about the current US market. Anderson acknowledged that overall manga sales are down while highlighting several major bright spots, including box sets and Studio Ghibli film comics. She also noted that anime is still a key driver of manga sales, with ongoing series like Jujutsu Kaisen and Frieren—Beyond Journey’s End getting a boost from Crunchyroll and Netflix viewers. Her most surprising observation: readers are clamoring for “series with older protagonists.” As fans enter their twenties and thirties, Anderson explains, “there’s a bit more interest in characters where their experiences are mirroring what’s happening to the readers.”

On a related note, Brigid Alverson has the skinny on the booming market for deluxe editions and reprints of older titles such as Berserk and Pet Shop of Horrors… Richardson Handjaja reports that digital sales now account for almost 75% of the Japanese manga market…  and Brigid Alverson chats with Mark De Vera, Sales and Marketing Director for Yen Press.

NEWS AND VIEWS

Once more, with feeling: Kodansha announced it will be releasing a new edition of Clover, CLAMP’s unfinished steampunk saga. [The Fandom Post]

For readers with a strong constitution, Fantagraphics has licensed Shintaro Kago’s Brain Damage, a collection of four short, surreal horror stories that are guaranteed to mess with your head. Look for Brain Damage in stores this July. [ICv2]

And speaking of scary titles, Kara Dennison previews three new spooky manga from Tuttle. [Otaku USA]

Danica Davidson interviews editor Kristiina Korpus about Kana, Abrams’ new manga imprint. [Otaku USA]

Tony Yao files a report from last week’s BLEACH Animation 20th Anniversary Art Collection Exhibit. [Drop In to Manga]

Husband-and-wife duo Asher and Ashley discuss Sorata Akizuki’s Snow White with the Red Hair. [Shojo & Tell]

Should you read Wind Breaker? Xan shares his two cents about this action-packed shonen series. [Spiraken Manga Review]

ICYMI: Antoine Frazier pens an in-depth essay exploring gender, sexuality, and humor in Rumiko Takahashi’s Urusei Yatsura and Ranma 1/2. [SOLRAD]

REVIEWS

The crack team at Beneath the Tangles weigh in on Mr. Big Bad Wolf, Jujutsu Kaisen, and more… Sakura Eries reviews Hereditary Triangle… Joceylne Allen describes Omae, Tanuki ni Narane ka? as It’s a Wonderful Life with tanukis… and Erica Friedman recommends Akiyama Haru’s Watashi no Blue Garnet.

New and Noteworthy

Continuing and Complete Series

Manga the Week of 3/19/25

by , , and Leave a Comment

SEAN: March was just warming up, now it’s really getting down to business.

ASH: As it should.

SEAN: Yen On has one debut, a one-shot. Did You Think My Yuri Was Just for Show? (Watashi no Yuri mo, Eigyou da to Omotta?) stars an up-and-coming voice actress who finds that her favorite idol, who had retired, is now joining the same agency! I’ve heard this is better than it sounds.

ASH: We shall see!

SEAN: OK, there’s another debut, but it’s a spinoff. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Minor Myths and Legends (Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatte Iru Darou ka: Shouhenshuu) is the first in a series of short story collections based around the popular fantasy series.

Also from Yen On: Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody 23, The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter 3 (not a final volume, but the last since 2021), and The World Bows Down Before My Flames 2.

Viz Media (yes, that’s right, nothing from Yen Press, it all got shoved back a week) debuts Dogsred, a remake of a 6-volume (unlicensed) series the author wrote in 2011. A young figure skater ruins his career by throwing a violent tantrum and gets banned for life. He moves to Hokkaido, and tries to find a new love: ice hockey. This runs in Weekly Young Jump.

MICHELLE: I will probably check this out!

ANNA: This sounds like a reverse Cutting Edge. I’m curious.

ASH: I had no idea that this was a remake, but I’m looking forward to giving this one a try!

SEAN: Also from Viz: After God 3, Battle Royale: Enforcers 3, Fool Night 4, Haikyu!! 3-in-1 4, Insomniacs After School 9, One-Punch Man 30, Seraph of the End 32, Show-ha Shoten! 7, Trillion Game 4, and The Way of the Househusband 13.

ANNA: Need to catch up on Way of the Househusband!

ASH: Same!

SEAN: Tokyopop has a debut. Trapped By His Love: The Duke’s Unexpected Bride (Nariyuki de Konyaku wo Moushikonda Yowaki Binbou Reijou desuga, Nazeka Jiki Koushaku-sama ni Dekiai sarete Torawarete imasu) is a Comic Corona title based on an as-yet unlicensed light novel. A woman is about to be engaged… to her childhood bully. Desperate, she proposes to the first man she meets. Who is a Duke. And he immediately accepts. For those who like “obsessed” male love interests.

They also have the 2nd and final volume of Comic Party Wonder Love.

Steamship debuts At Your Service in Another World (Isekai Ohoushi Kiroku), a josei title based on an as yet unlicensed light novel. It ran in Pomme Comics. An OL was isekai’d to another world… and finds work as an OL, only in a fantasy world. Sadly, she’s now ordered to “service” a knight she hates. Except… he’s weak to her seduction!

ASH: Hmmm.

SEAN: Square Enix Manga gives is Always a Catch!: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 2 and Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You 4.

Seven Seas has three debuts. I’ll start with the danmei novel, Legend of Exorcism: Tianbao Fuyao Lu. This is in the same universe as Dinghai Fusheng Records, and stars a young man who comes to the big city to become an exorcist.

I’m in Love with the Older Girl Next Door (Tonari no Onee-san ga Suki) is a shonen series from Manga Cross. This is from the author of The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses, and stars a middle-school boy who’s in love with his next door neighbor, a high school girl.

The Last Elf (Saigo no Elf) is a seinen title from Comic Gardo. The world is gradually becoming less fantastic and more industrial. Can our elf help the forgotten spirits escape the country before they’re killed by the military?

ASH: I am intrigued.

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: Dinosaur Sanctuary 6, Last Game 8, Made in Abyss 13, Magic Artisan Dahlia Wilts No More 7, and Who Made Me a Princess 9 (the final volume)

And for ongoing danmei we have The Husky and His White Cat Shizun: Erha He Ta De Bai Mao Shizun 8.

One Peace Books has the 6th light novel of The Death Mage.

KUMA suddenly has a pile of titles on the preorder schedule for March. The usual buyer beware regarding release dates, but they say next week we get Betrayers Love Song (Uragirimono no Love Song), a BL mafia title taking place in early 20th century Italy.

Kodansha Manga has no debuts. But in print, we see Am I Actually the Strongest? 9, Dra-Q 2, Kei X Yaku: Bound By Law 5, Ninja Vs. Gokudo 6, ORIGIN 9, Sheltering Eaves 3, and What Did You Eat Yesterday? 22.

MICHELLE: Wow, I’ve already managed to fall behind on Sheltering Eaves. I’m looking forward to that and What Did You Eat Yesterday?.

SEAN: And for digital we have Drops of God: Mariage 11, Hozuki’s Coolheadedness 25, Issak 12, MF Ghost 21, Pumpkin Scissors 24 (the first new volume in 5 years), and Quality Assurance in Another World 13.

ASH: I am still glad that Drops of God is still being made available somehow.

SEAN: A quiet week for J-Novel Club. For light novels, we get The Countess Is a Coward No More! 2 and I Parry Everything 8. For manga, we see Butareba -The Story of a Man Turned into a Pig- 5, Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade 4, and The Frontier Lord Begins with Zero Subjects 8.

Ghost Ship features Parallel Paradise 21, Peter Grill and the Philosopher’s Time 13, and Rise of the Outlaw Tamer and His S-Rank Cat Girl 5.

Dark Horse has the 42nd volume of Berserk, the first since the creator’s death. It’s being handled by his assistants.

ASH: I’ll be reading this, for sure, albeit with some amount of nervousness.

SEAN: In print, Airship has I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire! 8 and Mushoku Tensei: Redundant Reincarnation 2.

And digitally we see The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash 9.

For a week where Yen Press punted, this is pretty long. What are you getting?

Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter: The Ice Wyrm That Slew Champions

by

By Riku Nanano and cura. Released in Japan as “Koujo Denka no Kateikyoushi” by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by William Varteresian.

After spending a long time promising us that Tina would be playing a larger role in the narrative any day now, we finally get a book (well, arc, as I think she’ll be heavily featured in the next volume as well) where Tina plays a major role and gets to do things and be cool. And it sadly underlines the biggest fault of this series, which is that the title and premise promise that the series is about Tina, the Duke’s Daughter, but she’s the least interesting one in the cast. Now, this is not exactly a cast filled with depth – it’s a very McDonald’s sort of series that runs on harems and shonen battles. Despite that, the author continues to struggle to give Tina things to do beyond be jealous and childish and whip out her super ice powers. Heck, she can’t even have a “turn evil” arc, as both Lydia AND Stella have already covered that. (Still, better than Ellie, who was supposed to feature till Stella booted her out of the arc.) Weak heroine energy.

After the events of the last two books, you’d think that our heroes could catch a break. But the villains have been doing the “losing the battle but winning the war” thing for a number of volumes now, and it’s all coming to a head in the next country over, Lallanoy. This is where Felecia’s father was taken, and it’s where the villainous beastmen went, and basically it’s become the go-to place for anyone evil. And now Gondor is calling for aid, and Allen gets to go over there (because of course he’s the key to everything going on everywhere right now), along with Lily (as the diplomat), Tina and Stella (as the magical muscle), and… a random girl they met on the train, who seems to be young but is clearly hundreds of years old. Well, I guess we hadn’t broken out THAT cliche yet.

That summary covers only the first third of the book or so, but… look, much as I enjoy reading this series, and I do, I can usually sum it up by saying “a lot of fights happen, and things look bad for our heroes” as well as “all the girls fight over Allen while he ignores them”. Fans of The Apothecary Diaries anime adaptation who are frustrated at Maomao’s seeming obtuseness will find that she, like Allen, knows but chooses not to. That’s the trouble with being both the chosen one and someone that half the leaders of the country despise (the other half, of course, adore him) – he really can’t afford to notice any of this. That said, he’s in a bit of a pickle this time, though not a bad enough one that his living alarm clocks sets off in front of Girl #1. Yet. We see him having to use Tina as a living battery, and it still drains the hell out of him. Who can possibly come to the rescue?

The cover of the next book might hint. In the meantime, sorry, Tina. Your fights were pretty cool. Your heart is in the right place. But you’re still too damn young and childish to make me prefer you over the older girls.

Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!, Vol. 19

by

By FUNA and Itsuki Akata. Released in Japan as “Watashi, Nouryoku wa Heikinchi de tte Itta yo ne!” by SQEX Novels. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Tara Quinn. Adapted by Maggie Cooper.

Let’s address the elephant in the room first: I am reading the digital version of this title, and it has one very large (20+ pages) and one very small section of text that repeats itself verbatim. Fortunately, nothing seems to be missing as far as I can tell, and I assume it will be fixed soon. Leaving that aside, this is another FUNA book, and in particular a volume of Make My abilities Average, which has as its one goal showing a lot of teen and tween girls kicking ass, making their own careers, and deliberately not getting married or even thinking of getting married anytime soon. I’m not sure I can comfortably call it feminist, but at least you don’t have to worry too much about anything too uncomfortable getting in the way of the goofy overpowered antics. Even on another continent, the Crimson Vow and the Wonder Three are going to be ridiculous, and now they’re infecting the royalty.

We pick up right where we left off, in the fishing village, as they try to figure out, now that they have all this rare and expensive fish, how they can preserve it when they don’t have ice magic and they’re miles from anyone. (It involves to a degree, eating and then throwing up, because they’re somewhat devout about not wasting fish.) After departing (and leaving behind the selfish merchant, who ended up being far less important than I expected), they slowly make their way to the capital, where they finally meet up with the Wonder Trio. The two groups, now that they both have Mile to themselves to a degree, agree to team up, after the Wonder Trio manage to game the system and get promoted the same way the Crimson Vow did, and they all move into a big house together. It’s very cozy.

Once a volume, the series tries to remind you that the author does have this ongoing sci-fi plot involved, where we see Mile discussing the fate of the world with various robot dogs, birds, and assorted intelligences. But honestly, this volume seems to half-ass that, and happily gets back to cute girls doing cute things. That even affects the side stories, where we see the two princesses (who also have Mile’s OP cheats) saving their countries from famine/surplus, making a profit doing it, and getting revered as saints. By accident. In the other side story, the baron’s daughter in the Servants of the Goddess – the one who hits things very hard – is inundated with marriage proposals, up to and including the princes of the kingdom, and like every other girl in this series decides the answer is to run away and be a monster hunter. FUNA has a leitmotif, and dammit, we’re going to play it over and over again.

That said, this is fine, aside from the usual “oh no my breasts are small” shtick. As always, for fans of the series only, but they should be happy.

Lady Rose Just Wants to Be a Commoner!, Vol. 2

by

By Kooriame and Nami Hidaka. Released in Japan as “Lady Rose wa Heimin ni Naritai” by Kadokawa Beans Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Caroline W.

We have had numerous books where I have observed that the protagonist and/or the antagonist tends to be a bit too quick to see the world they’ve been reincarnated in as the actual otome game they remember, rather than as a world with living, breathing humans with real feelings. That said, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a series lean quite so hard into the concept as Lady Rose, in which Lady Rose has to be handed a lot of the answers to the mystery she’s trying to solve as she is SO ingrained into the mindset that everyone is like the characters she remembers that she not only can’t see the forest for the trees, but can’t even see the tree. And when you add in the fact that, like so many other shoujo light novels, she is utterly unable to see her own value, calling everything she does “acting”, and you end up with a book that is less of a mystery and more of a psychological horror story.

We pick up immediately after the cliffhanger from Book One, as Felicia and Seth confront her adopted younger brother and try to figure out why he’s kidnapped Liliana… though this ends up being more an exercise in making Felicia face reality, something that proves to be… very difficult, frankly. Things are not helped by the fact that Liliana is now actively trying to kill herself, and Felicia has to figure out why that’s happening. And oh yes, Evan was also in on the kidnapping. This means that both Shade and Evan are going to be executed, unless… Rose goes back to the castle, and pleads with the King for clemency. Something which is unlikely to have any impact, unless of course she goes ahead and marries Nika, who she at least finally admits she loves. Will she be forced to give up on everything she’s fought for?

I’m gonna be spoiling a bit of the climax of the book here, but I just have to talk about how delighted I was by the ending, which until the last page I thought was going to be reversed. Hell, so did everyone else in the cast, and they’re very surprised at the final outcome. Because this is not “Lady Rose Learns How Important She Is”, or “Lady Rose Makes Sacrifices But Finds True Love”, it’s “Lady Rose Wants to Be a Commoner”, and it’s absolutely committing to that bit. Now, she and Nika are still being cute and blushy at the end, but notably: she’s a commoner, he’s a prince, and they aren’t married. She not only defies fate but defies the narrative, and I love that. (I also love the fakeout opening of Chapter 6, which gave me a brief heart attack till I laughed).

The series ends here… except it doesn’t, as there is a third and final volume, from the perspective of Liliana, the “saint”. Honestly, any perspective that isn’t Felicia’s will be welcome at this point – she’s too unreliable a narrator. Very much enjoying this.

The Dorky NPC Mercenary Knows His Place, Vol. 3

by

By Toryuu and hamm. Released in Japan as “Kimo Ota Mob Yōhei wa, Mi no Hodo o Wakimaeru” by Overlap Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Josh DM.

We’re starting to get a bit of an overarching plot for this series, though for the most part it is still fairly episodic, showing us John taking a job, John doing the job, the complications that set in, and the aftermath. There’s far fewer girls crushing on John in this volume – the romance, emphasized in Book One, is almost completely removed now. That said, don’t worry, all the love interests have been replaced by people who are trying to shoot John instead. We are tripling down on people trying to kill him, and while some of it is just garden-variety bad guys, we’re getting the sense that there’s a conspiracy going on here, mostly in scenes with the worst of the nobles, a cartoonishly evil girl who looks like she stepped off the pages of a villainess book. Needless to say, she’s not a threat, but her eventual fate does show us that this series is not afraid to get dark if it has to.

John has been doing pretty well lately, but this book sees him having an awful run of bad luck. On the plus side, he does make enough money to finally pay off his parents’ debt, though he gently rejects their offer to get another job, as he feels that mercenary is the one that best suits him. He tries catching some pirates, only to run into a noble’s territory, which means he can’t go further. He acts as security for a noble party, only for a murder to happen there, and one of the accomplices decides to make their escape with John’s help. At the guild itself, an arrogant ex-noble who can’t get over the fact that she’s not allowed to simply murder anyone who she dislikes really hates John. And when he does pilot duty for an archaeologist, he’s left for dead and his ship is destroyed. Just… not a great book for him.

This book definitely is “guild fantasy in space”, but it’s not afraid to be other things “in space” as well. Sometimes this is for the sake of broad comedy, such as the murder “mystery”, which talks about an amateur detective showing up to solve everything, only to treat it the way amateur detectives are usually treated in real life. That said, that was the weakest section of the book, so I hope we don’t get “pastiche of the volume” going forward. The best segment was the last one, which did not have a strong villain (almost every villain in this book is dealt with ludicrously easily), but does manage to have John in actual peril briefly, though it is a bit deus ex machina to have him rescued by… well, spoiler. Sadly, even deadly peril doesn’t really cause John to move from his default “well, whatever” emotional state. Which might be due to his traumatic backstory, but doesn’t really help us in the present.

We’ve caught up with Japan – Vol. 4 comes out in two weeks there – and that’s probably for the best, as I need a break. I’ll get the next one, and I hope we get more of the evil plotters behind the scenes, but this is almost the dictionary definition of “okay”.

Imperial Reincarnation: I Came, I Saw, I Survived, Vol. 1

by

By Masekinokatasa and Kaito Shinobu. Released in Japan as “Tenseishitara Koutei deshita: Umarenagara no Koutei wa Konosaki Ikinokoreru ka?” by TO Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Jason Li.

I pay more attention to publishers than most, as readers of my reviews know very well. I’ve talked before about how, if I see something is GC Novels, my rate tends to be 9 failures for every 1 success. If I were to name the opposite, it would probably be TO Books, which is not quite the reverse ratio, but I do find that books I would not normally have tried (Otome Heroine’s Fight for Survival, for example) tend to be better than I’d expect. This was the main reason why I took a flyer on this title, which is in a genre I have mostly forsaken at this point. And, sure enough, I found it quite interesting. Well, let me clarify that. I found the actual plot and characters interesting. There is, however, a MASSIVE PILE of backstory in this book, which our emperor is not only expected to learn, but expects US to learn. It feels like homework.

Our dead Japanese man, who can’t recall much about his past life than that it was rather boring and unfulfilling, gets his memories back RIGHT from birth, and finds that he is now Carmine, the new Emperor of the Bundarte Empire. Unfortunately, he is an actual baby, and has not gained his isekai memories (such as they are) when he’s 7 or 8. Or perhaps that is fortunate, as our newborn emperor knows very well what fates historically await child emperors, and decides that the best thing he can try to do is pretend to be a good little puppet, and perhaps a bit stupid, while trying to secretly find out what’s really going on. Unfortunately, what he finds out is that his Empire is on the verge of collapse, and that everyone has taken one of two sides in the political maneuvering, neither of which are his side. On the bright side, he discovers magic exists, and that he’s good at it.

As mentioned above, the thing I least liked about this book was the history lessons, which will likely be important later but which I promise you I have already forgotten. The best part was probably the alternate narrative that I was slowly sussing out as the book went on. Carmine narrates most of the book, and shows us that he’s trying to put on an “I am an incompetent child” persona to avoid getting assassinated, and that, for the most part, folks buy it. Whenever we focus away from Carmine on other characters, we see that he’s actually very bad at the facade to anyone with half a brain. His eyes simply look too clever. I also very much liked his betrothed, Princess Rosaria, who pretty much immediately spots that he’s faking but also falls for him relatively quickly because of this dissonance. She then turns around and shows that she is even smarter than him, which impresses him in turn. This is still a relationship too young to go anywhere (and some concubines are promised as well – I think we meet both of them here, if I’m right), but it’s cute nevertheless.

The first book is about the first eight years of his life. It’s still ongoing in Japan, and later books promise we’ll see him reach adulthood. I’ll keep reading to discover how. Good stuff if you like reincarnation and college textbooks about Prussia.

The Manga Review: Lions and Lambs

by Leave a Comment

Circana Bookscan just published sales data for February 2025, and once again VIZ, Yen, and Dark Horse dominate the Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels List. As Brigid Alverson observes, this is the “second month in a row” that the list “consists entirely of manga and manhwa.” Many of the titles on the list are perennial best-sellers—Berserk, Jujutsu Kaisen, My Hero Academia, Solo Leveling—but there are a handful of new series muscling their way into the Top 20 including Kagurabachi and The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy At All. “Neither of these manga has an anime attached to them (yet),” Alverson notes, “so these strong second-volume sales indicate that readers liked what they saw and came back for more.”

NEWS AND VIEWS

Wondering what you’ll find at the comics shop this month? Katy Castillo has you covered with a complete list of all the new March releases. [Yatta-Tachi]

Ho, ho, ho… Titan just licensed Sanda, a futuristic adventure story in which a middle school student discovers he’s a direct descendant of Old Saint Nick. Look for volume one in September 2025. [Behind the Manga]

The crack team at No Flying No Tights recommends short manga series for readers of all ages, from tween-friendly titles like Little Witch Academia to more adult series like Pluto and BL Metamorphosis. [No Flying No Tights]

David and Jordan discuss Cyber Blue, a new Shonen Jump title with “robots, F-bombs, and no plot.” [Shonen Flop]

Bust out the garlic and the wolfsbane: the Manga Machinations gang review the latest volume of #DRCL: Midnight Children. [Manga Machinations]

Gee and Rae tackle Everyone’s Getting Married, a dramedy about a career woman who wants to trade her high-powered job for domestic bliss. [Read Left to Right]

Kory, Apryll, and Helen convene a roundtable on two recent titles: Sketchy and Last Quarter. [Manga in Your Ears]

Looking for something to read? Kara Dennison recommends Parashoppers, a new addition to VIZ’s Shonen Jump line-up. [Otaku USA]

This week’s must-read essay was penned by A.J. Mack, and focuses on In the Name of the Mermaid Princess, a series that “presents disability as a beautiful and powerful thing in and of itself, that shows that it is society that causes these problems and not the disabled person in question.” [Anime Herald]

REVIEWS

Remember Air Gear? Megan D. does, and has some thoughts about this extreme sports fantasy from the early aughts. Elsewhere, Johanna Draper Carlson reviews Friday at the Atelier, “an odd but strangely charming manga by Sakura Hamada”… Danica Davidson checks out the new Scholastic edition of Hikaru in the Light… King Baby Duck weighs in on Hiro Mashima’s latest effort, Dead Rock… the MB Battle Robot assembles for a new Bookshelf Briefs column… and Jocelyne Allen takes Jitenshaya-san no Takahashi-kun for a spin. (You might know this series by its English name: Takahashi from the Bike Shop, a new edition to the Yen Press catalog.)

New and Noteworthy

Continuing, Complete, and OOP Titles

Manga the Week of 3/12/25

by , , and Leave a Comment

SEAN: March blows ever onward, and so does the pile of manga.

Airship has print releases for Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord 4 and Loner Life in Another World 11.

And we see early digital for The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time and Aims to Become the Ultimate Villain 4.

Dark Horse debuts an omnibus release for Drifters, from the creator of Hellsing. Famous warriors from Earth are transported to another world to have a battle royale.

ASH: I actually really enjoyed what I read of Drifters; glad to see it coming back in print!

SEAN: Ghost Ship has Ayakashi Triangle 14, Imaizumi Brings All the Gals to His House 2, and Please Go Home, Miss Akutsu! 8.

J-Novel Club has two print volumes: Ascendance of a Bookworm 29 and the 9th Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles manga.

The digital debut for JNC is They Don’t Know I’m Too Young for the Adventurer’s Guild (Boukensha Guild ga Juunisai kara shika Irenakatta no de, Saba Yomimashita). A nine-year-old boy, after a series of harrowing events, ends up in the care of an adventurer’s guild.

ASH: Oh, goodness. Based on the nine-year-olds I know, that sounds like a potentially dangerous combination.

SEAN: They also have Butareba 6, Cooking with Wild Game 27, D-Genesis 8, The Eternal Fool’s Words of Wisdom: A Pawsitively Fantastic Adventure 4, From Villainess to Healer 2, Heavenly Swords of the Twin Stars 5, I Could Never Be a Succubus! 6, I Shall Survive Using Potions! 10, Lady Rose Just Wants to Be a Commoner 2, A Livid Lady’s Guide to Getting Even 5, The Mythical Hero’s Otherworld Chronicles 10, and Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter 15.

Kodansha Manga debut 23:45, a one-shot BL manga from Gateau. An otaku suddenly finds himself haunted by a ghost that keeps reliving his own death every day.

MICHELLE: Hm. Potentially interesting!

ASH: I am intrigued.

SEAN: They also have How to Deal When Your Intimidating Neighbor is Actually an Omega (Kowamote no Rinjin ga Ω datta Toki no Taishohou) is also from Gateau, and its genre should be self-evident. An alpha is scared by his neighbor till one day he finds out (wait for it…) he’s secretly an omega! This series sounds like it has the least alpha Alpha ever.

ASH: Ha!

SEAN: Also in print: Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card 16 (the final volume), Go! Go! Loser Ranger! 12, Nina the Starry Bride 8, Quality Assurance in Another World 11, Sketchy 5, Tank Chair 3, and Turns Out My Online Friend is My Real-Life Boss! 3.

ANNA: I do enjoy Nina the Starry Bride.

ASH: I keep meaning to pick it up!

SEAN: Digitally we see The Beast Player 5, Because I, the True Saint, was Banished, that Country is Done For! 7, Gang King 27, Manchuria Opium Squad 5, Our Fake Marriage 15, SHAMAN KING: THE SUPER STAR 9, and Tokyo Tarareba Girls Returns 2 6 (the final volume).

MICHELLE: Sheesh, and I didn’t even start it yet!

SEAN: One Peace Books has a third volume of Nukozuke!.

Seven Seas debuts Fake Fact Lips, a one-shot BL manga (though it has a sequel) from Qpa. Two men who have been competitive rivals all their lives compete to see who’s the better lover.

MICHELLE: The coded-as-uke guy on the cover looks surly, so maybe I would like this one. :)

ASH: I could be pretty easily convinced to give it a read.

SEAN: We also see At 25:00 in Akasaka 3, The Big Apple 2, CALL TO ADVENTURE! Defeating Dungeons with a Skill Board 9, The Eccentric Doctor of the Moon Flower Kingdom 9, Hitomi-chan is Shy With Strangers 10, Kemono Jihen 15, No Longer Allowed In Another World 8, Otonari Complex 3, Succubus and Hitman 8, This Is Screwed Up, but I Was Reincarnated as a GIRL in Another World! 15, and Todai Revengers 3-4.

MICHELLE: Yay for more Otonari Complex!

SEAN: Square Enix debut Assassin & Cinderella, a josei title from Gangan Online. A spy is assigned to get secrets out of an assassin. But then… he proposes to her?? If you wondered what Spy x Family would be like with a lot less Anya and a lot more sex, this is for you.

ANNA: There’s been a lot of assassin manga coming out recently.

ASH: Somewhat more josei, too, which I’m not going to complain about.

SEAN: There’s also The Strongest Sage with the Weakest Crest 23.

Steamship has a 7th volume of Fire in His Fingertips: A Flirty Fireman Ravishes Me with His Smoldering Gaze.

SuBLime has Megumi & Tsugumi 5.

Tokyopop debuts the alliterative Feigning Fox with a Face Full of Flowers (Usobuku Kitsune wa Hana o Kamu), a one-shot BL title that ran in from RED. A human and a fox spirit live and love together.

ASH: That’s a title that leaves an impression.

SEAN: They also have I Was Reincarnated as the Heroine on the Verge of a Bad Ending, and I’m Determined to Fall in Love! 3, A Tail’s Tale 2, and Wails of the Bound: Beta 3 (the final volume).

Viz Media debut Minecraft: The Manga (Minecraft – Sekai no Hate no Tabi), a Corocoro title. It’s… well, it’s Minecraft. In manga form.

ASH: I know somebody in my household who is very excited about this.

SEAN: We also see Animal Crossing: New Horizons 8, Call of the Night 19, Jujutsu Kaisen 25, Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits 10, Komi Can’t Communicate 33, Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle 27, and X-Men: The Manga: Remastered 2.

ASH: I need to read more of Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle; it’s a lot of fun.

Yen On has Love Is Dark 2 and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime 20.

And Yen Press debuts meth-e-meth, a Manga Time Kirara Forward series complete in one omnibus that has both volumes. You too can learn to control golems, even in high school.

They also have an 11th volume of Combatants Will Be Dispatched!.

Isekai? Cat-eared maids? Teen romcom hijinks? Not many of those this week. So try something new!

The Tanaka Family Reincarnates, Vol. 2

by

By Choko and kaworu. Released in Japan as “Tanaka-ke, Tensei Suru” by Dragon Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Sasha Schiller.

I was a bit reminded of the Dirty Pair while reading this, mostly as Emma tends to think that it’s not her fault a lot of the time she gets into these situations. It kind of is, though? When you create misunderstandings by being an airhead, even if they are good misunderstandings, you have to accept the consequences of your ditzy actions. Here we see Emma take control of the low-level villainess trying to ruin her debut and end up befriending her (and not in a Nanoha way either), we see Emma destroy a noble trying to traumatize her through simply seeing the trauma as a sweet treat, accidentally solve a crime by watching a guy paint, and finally, fail to realize that all these fantasy worlds always have a Japan equivalent, and accidentally just start speaking perfect Japanese to the agog crowd. Sorry, Emma, just as with your brothers, who are also doofuses of their own making, it pretty much IS your fault.

The Tanaka family have arrived in the royal capital, though MUCH later than planned, mostly as Emma can’t stop looking for rare bugs. They barely have time to move into their gigantic mansion they all feel uncomfortable in before Emma and her brothers have to attend a royal ball, where… she’ promptly has wine spilled on her by a petty noble girl… who, admittedly, has been ordered to do it by higher-up petty noble girls. Fortunately, Emma salvages the situation and ends up making a friend of her tormentor, as well as twin sisters from a wealthy port city, a handsome girl who likes to wear the boy’s uniforms, and of course the various boys in love with her, which now includes the handsome girl’s brother. Are there any bad nobles in this series? No fear, we’ve got a nasty one.

There continue to be a few things that I’m not fond of. William as an 11-year-old lolicon is less funny than it sounds, and Emma being a 13-year-old who loves older men is not much better. Mostly it just assures us that this series is not going to be about romance, despite all the men in love with Emma, it’s going to be about the Tanakas upending society. Which has already started, but seems to be getting a few pushes in this book. Emma’s complete lack of trauma after her near-death experience is read my all and sundry as repressed trauma, which works out well for her. Finding that red paint/dye sounds like it will lead to more innovations for their business. And I suspect Emma’s “wait, women just stop education after they get married?” question will be relevant later. Nothing, though, will be as relevant as that cliffhanger, because “I know a foreign language” is going to be hard to explain away.

All this and twins who speak the same thing twice, which I found cute rather than annoying. This remains completely loopy fun.

Bookshelf Briefs 3/5/25

by , and Leave a Comment

Diary of a Female Lead: Shujinkou Nikki, Vol. 2 | By Yuu Yoshinaga | Seven Seas – Teenagers are gonna be teenagers. Sometimes that means that you don’t really realize how hard the guy is crushing on you because you’re sure that a relationship can’t happen. And sometimes you decide to date a girl because she’s pretty nice, only to then have the girl you REALLY like accept your confession, meaning you have to show up to the date to dump her. This volume is less of a deconstruction of shoujo manga than the first one was, and more straight-up melodrama, complete with such cliches as “wow, she looks gorgeous without her glasses.” But the melodrama is well-written, and for those who love the shoujo genre, you’ll want to check this out, it’s good. Though… slow-paced. We’re not getting the main couple together soon. – Sean Gaffney

The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All, Vol. 2 | By Sumiko Arai | Yen Press – The characterization and yuri vibe in this is excellent, don’t get me wrong, and I love our two leads. But I have to admit, I’m almost 100% here for the art style, which is amazing—I want every panel in an artbook. Every pose looks calculated to make a reader go either “so cool!” or “so cute!” This series blew up before it even came out here at all, and since volume one it’s gotten bigger—the anime announcement being key, though expect a lot less Aerosmith, RHCP and Foo Fighters in the soundtrack, I imagine. Oh yes, and we also get the arrival of Joe’s ex, Kanna, who admirably fills the “strong adult woman role model” Mitsuki needs right now. A lot of this is getting Mitsuki out of her introvert closet… but will that work out for Aya? Fantastic. – Sean Gaffney

The Legend of Kamui, Vol. 1 | By Shirato Sanpei | Drawn & Quarterly – Ever since reading and enjoying Shirato’s spin-off manga Kamui Gaiden (previously released in English as The Legend of Kamui), I have wanted to read the original—an influential, monumental epic serialized in the alternative manga magazine Garo between 1964 and 1971. I was absolutely thrilled when Drawn & Quarterly announced that The Legend of Kamui would finally be released in English translation. The first massive tome of ten is now available, and it is phenomenal. A major theme is Shirato’s deft exploration of nature though the lives of wolves. But while woven together with the lives of the series’ human characters, Shirato cautions readers against drawing literary parallels between the two, however tempting. In large part, the series is also a social commentary, examining the highly feudalistic society of 17th century Japan as a way of critiquing human society in general. The critiques are potent and still pertinent, resonating strongly even today. – Ash Brown

Pet Shop of Horrors: Collector’s Edition, Vol. 1 | By Matsuri Akino | Seven Seas – I learned an important lesson this week: sometimes it’s better not to revisit old favorites. Pet Shop of Horrors was one of the first manga I read, sweeping me up in its fervid embrace with achingly pretty characters and exhilaratingly weird plot twists. Rereading the new deluxe edition, however, brought the series’ paper-thin characterizations and jarring tonal shifts into sharper relief. The running comic bits—in which Count D toys with Detective Orcot—are strenuously unfunny, bookending stories that run the gamut from icky to illogical. As monkey paw theater, Pet Shop of Horrors is OK, serving up a few genuinely unnerving stories that will stay with you after reading them, though you may wonder if the character really deserved their fate. – Katherine Dacey

A Smart and Courageous Child | By Miki Yamamoto | Tokyopop – Sara and Kouta are preparing to become parents, excited to welcome their first child into the world while understandably being a bit nervous, too. But as Sara’s due date approaches, her hopefulness fades in the face of worry and concern, realizing that the world can be a cruel and dangerous place for children, even for those who are smart, brave, supported, and loved. The artwork of A Smart and Courageous Child, utilizes colored pencils, mostly subdued tones with the exception of the carefully considered use of brilliant red. The result is striking—Yamamoto’s delicate illustrations are eye-catching while still maintaining a sense of softness. Yamamoto’s artwork also helps to skillfully convey the character’s shifting moods and feelings with both sensitivity and honesty. Overall, A Smart and Courageous Child is an affecting work that acknowledges the complexities of being a parent in today’s society as well as the associated mental and emotional turmoil. – Ash Brown

Spy x Family, Vol. 13 | By Tatsuya Endo | Viz Media – There is a LOT going on in this volume. We get the end of the Wheeler arc, where Fiona pays for her Loid obsession with a very broken body, but does not die, thanks (ironically) to training to be as strong as Yor. Yuri almost catches Twilight but does not, then almost catches Loid but does not. At least he gets a sempai at work who probably makes a better potential love interest than Fiona. And then there’s the old couple moving in next door, who seem like nice grandpa and grandma types, there for comedy (the grandpa can’t remember anything), but we know nothing is as it seems. The ending of the book has a cute story with Anya putting her name on the door, but she misspells it… and seems puzzled by that. Is there significance to ANIA? We shall see. A very solid volume, with lots of anti-war sentiment. – Sean Gaffney

This Monster Wants to Eat Me, Vol. 3 | By Sai Naekawa | Yen Press – Theoretically this volume is about the conflict between mermaid Shiori and fox spirit Miko, and how they’re both in love with Hinako and want to save her while also really wanting to BE the one to save her. Both agree, Miko more than Shiori, that regardless of their own feelings Hinako’s safety comes first, which is good. And certainly Hinako definitely seems to be in more danger… especially, for some reason, more recently. Their biggest obstacle may be Hinako herself, who simply cannot shake the constant feeling that she’s about to die, will be very happy when that happens, and hopes for a good life for those she leaves behind. Getting Hinako to value herself is a huge hurdle, and I hope they take it on going forward. Great stuff. – Sean Gaffney

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 13 | By Kamome Shirahama | Kodansha Comics – Why are there laws, and when is it best to break them? That’s the theme of this book, as Coco tries desperately to resolve this without executions, and also tries to explain why “witches aren’t allowed to do that” is not meant to be a hardcore, for-the-rest-of-eternity rule. Elsewhere, Tetia is finding that it’s very hard to run away from royalty who are attached to you, Richeh is reunited with her introverted and somewhat self-hating older brother, and Agott… will no doubt have more to do in the next arc. The best part of this is the climax, which results in the creation of a magical emergency room for magical triage, which can manage to use magic to heal people without having it intrude on what doctors do. Unfortunately, the arc isn’t over yet. Ominous cliffhanger. – Sean Gaffney

Observation Records of My Fiancée: The Misadventures of a Self-Proclaimed Villainess, Vol. 2

by

By Shiki and Wan Hachipisu. Released in Japan as “Jishō Akuyaku Reijō na Konyakusha no Kansatsu Kiroku” by Regina Books. Released in North America by Hanashi Media. Translated by Ethan Holms.

I realize that, given that most of the Bakarina fans I follow are mostly interested in the lesbian side of the polycule, this may not sound like that much of a recommendation, but it is: if you read My Next Life As a Villainess and wondered what the series would have been like if it were ENTIRELY narrated by Jeord, then this is the series for you. Bertia is the villainess, and her actions are sort of what drives the first book, but by the second book she’s become a supporting character in her own series. Cecil, on the other hand, remains fascinating, continuing to try to grope his way towards figuring out why it bothers him so much that Bertia keeps shoving him towards the heroine and insisting on her own doom, and also what in the world this “otome game” is in the first place. His growth, and emotional opening up, is the main selling point of these novels.

Cecil is in his final year of school, and Bertia in her first year. Unfortunately, Heronia is there as well, and is still being the worst heroine ever, trying her hardest to prove that Bertia is evil despite Bertia… well, ALSO trying to prove that she is evil, except she remains sweet as pie, so that’s not working. Bertia’s biggest danger is gaining weight, as everyone likes her so much they keep giving her sweets. Meanwhile, Cecil is still trying to figure out what his feelings for Bertia are, even as he really, REALLY knows what his feelings for Heronia are: he wants nothing to do with her. Things come to a head at the graduation party for Cecil, where Heronia presents her “proof” of Bertia’s evils, and when this fails, decides to simply go for death from above.

The second half of the book really digs into the otome game aspect of this world, and I appreciated that, while Cecil was initially baffled as to why Bertia would be doing any of this, when it’s all laid out for him he totally understands. In a world in which Bertia was normal and not, y’know, the girl who wants to be knocked down and go “gah!”, Cecil would never find anything that would fill the dull void in his life. The routes are laid out so that, when the heroine tries for anyone OTHER than Cecil, it’s a happy ending of sorts, but there’s war and death. When the heroine ends up with Cecil, there’s peace. THIS, more than anything else, is why Bertia has been doing all this: she wants a safe and happy world. And this Cecil, who readily admits the only thing keeping him from being a possible nightmare is her, agrees with her.

The series ends with this volume, though there is a three volume sequel that we may see someday showing Bertia as a wife and mother. That said, Bertia is not the reason to read this. I really liked Cecil as a tin man trying to locate his heart, and am happy I read this.

Lady Bumpkin and Her Lord Villain, Vol. 2

by

By Ageha Sakura and Kurodeko. Released in Japan as “Imokusa Reijou desu ga Akuyaku Reisoku wo Tasuketara Kiniiraremashita” by Overlap Novels f. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Vasileios Mousikidis.

I try not to take these books too seriously. Most of the authors don’t want me to get too deeply into the politics, and I try to say “it’s just a book, I should really just relax”. At the same time, well, I have to say more in these reviews than “looks good apart from the homophobia at the end, I’ll read more”. And so… man, these villainess books really want to have their noble cake and eat it too, don’t they? Lady Bumpkin’s first volume showed that she was abused by her family, not uncommon in series like these. Now, in the second book, we discover that apparently young women being whipped by their families to ensure they grow up properly is a THING that happens in this country. The nobility in this book are 80% terrible. But the 20% who aren’t are going to save the day. As for the commoners? Well, there’s Robin, the villain. And, erm, Agnes’ maid. Nobles may be evil, but god save the king, I guess.

While Agnes and her husband are making the best of things in their remote territory, all is not well back at the capital. Mia is jealous of everyone who comes near her lover Robin, and that’s because Robin has been seducing ladies left, right and center, and then the ladies get disowned when it’s discovered. One of these ladies is Liliane, the fiancee of Torre, a knight who ends up becoming Agnes’ bodyguard. It seems the princess and her lover don’t actually like each other that much. Back in Sutrena, Agnes is discovering that her magic may be far more powerful than had previously been expected, and Nazel is discovering that there’s a lot of corruption out here as well, which is perhaps helping the increased monster attacks along. All this culminates in Nazel having a young lady try to kill him… the aforementioned Liliane.

So yes, as with many series of this sort, being of noble blood is inherently a good thing, and nobles are of course the best to rule. (Sarcasm implied.) But when you turn selfish, arrogant, or downright evil, you become the BAD sort of noble. And I have to admit that the contrast between the two sat awkwardly with me. The King has a plan to oust his wife and daughter, but he’s in a weak position, so has to do it over the course of years, mostly by letting it happen. There’s slavery in this world, though offscreen, and illegal. The women who aren’t sold into slavery all end up as maids in Agnes’ mansion, because they are “sullied’ in the eyes of their family, I assume. This is contrasted, bizarrely, with Princess Mia, who after the fallout is exiled to a remote island, where after a year or so of whining proceeds to buckle down, admit she loves reading and studying when Nazel is not around her, and ends up revolutionizing the prison island. It *does* make sense for her character to an extent, but the tonal whiplash made my neck ache.

I also genuinely wanted Robin executed, and his punishment and threat of prison rape did not sit well with me either. Agnes is the best part of this, and I’ll read more, I just the the world she lives in.