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If the Villainess and Villain Met and Fell in Love ~ She Was All But Disowned for Her Spirit Contract, But She’s Still Competing with Her Rival ~, Vol. 5

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By Harunadon and Yomi Sarachi. Released in Japan as “Akuyaku Reijō to Akuyaku Reisoku ga, Deatte Koi ni Ochitanara: Nanashi no Seirei to Keiyaku Shite Oidasareta Reijō wa, Kyō mo Reisoku to Kisoiatte Iru Yō Desu” by GA Novels. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Evie Lund.

Japanese series, and fantasy light novels in particular, really love a certain kind of villain. He’s usually portly, he’s definitely arrogant, and he tends to sneer a lot. There are few grey or sympathetic villains here, most of the ones we see are kicking puppies when no one is looking. And an awful lot of them seem to be with the church. We’ve had sympathetic clergy so far for this series, but there have been factional fights, and with the death of the head priest at the end of the last volume, it’s time for them to take over, jail and torture the ones on the moderate side, and put out an all-points bulletin: arrest Brigitte and get that phoenix. Which is why, of course, Brigitte has disappeared. Even worse, this isn’t the final volume, so you know that we won’t quite wrap everything up.

Yuri and Brigitte’s friends discover she’s gone, and very quickly work out why – it’s not hard to figure out when the clergy are going around the school searching. So they decide to search for Brigitte as well, plus try to throw the pursuers off the trail. Meanwhile, Brigitte and Tonari are trying their best to hide by going back and forth between the Crack and the real world, while also having conversations about whether Brigitte might actually be a changeling and not a real human being at all. Y’know, just chatting about stuff. Brigitte does not exactly need this right now, but she perseveres anyway, as she’s plucky like that. Unfortunately, running away is not going to actually solve the problem, so we’ll go with plan B, which is deliberately get captured.

There’s a lot of good stuff here. I like that, in the end, Yuri’s family are all various shades of abusive and neglectful not because they’re bad people but because they’re all awkward dorks who are poor at communication. “I would have helped you, but you never reached out and were also kinda whiny”. Horrible, but I get it. It was also, and I hate the fact that I’m saying this, interesting seeing Joseph again. He’s been under house arrest, and has mostly given up on having anything good in his lift, but that doesn’t stop him from trying to choke Brigitte out and still being the world’s shittiest ex. Yuri wants to kill him for what he did, and, well, there’s still one more book to go, so good luck, Yuri! Speaking of that one book, unfortunately, the bad guy got away, and bad family things are happening, so gotta postpone the wedding a little longer. At least the next book is the last, I think.

This feels like it’s gone on a bit too long (the online version ended with Book 4), but I’ll keep reading it till the end. It’s mid-tier Villainess.

Anime NYC 2026, Saturday

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Maybe it was because this was the biggest Thursday I’ve ever seen, and Friday was packed to the gills with stuff, but this Saturday did not seem as insane as Saturdays of the past. There were long lines, and the corridors were jammed, but you could actually find seating when you got lunch! And using the bathroom did not take over an hour! It was also an easier panel run for me, given that Friday was packed. That said, I still started first thing in the morning, with Yen Press. They talked about being the biggest publisher of light novels and Korean titles, and one of the biggest manga publishers. They talked about all the Summer 2026 anime that have Yen Press manga. They talked about Overgeared, which I guess is getting an anime? And then we got announcements, starting with the Korean titles.

Solo Levelling: Ragnarök is a sequel to the original series, focusing on the son of the main character, who I’m sure will be just as OP as dear old dad. They also said that the series (light novel, manwha, and audiobook) is coming out in Spanish! This got a pretty good reaction, and I guess is something that folks want to see, given someone asked about Spanish-language at the J-Novel Club panel. And also, hot on the heels of the Delicious in Dungeon game, we see Solo Levelling: The Board Game. It’s exactly what you think it is, and there’s also a deluxe edition with even more bells and whistles. And, if you want a title that’s Korean but NOT Solo Levelling, we get Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid, which is somehow based on The Little Mermaid but not Goodbye Lara. It’s a hugely popular webtoon, has won awards, and has a live-action series coming out.

The first light novel licensed was Cause I’m Freedom! (Datte, Watashi wa Freedom!), a new series from the creator of Last Round Arthurs. A girl grows up in a family of swordsmen, and longs to be just like them… then she finds ancient ruins with gun technology. Her strict, purist family kick her out, but she’s determined to strike out on her own, with cool future weapons! The other title was The Witch’s Conviction, the Beast’s Redemption (Majo no Danzai, Majū no Shokuzai), illustrated by the Our Last Crusade artist. A starving orphan resorts to cannibalism, is caught, arrested, and experimented on. Now he’s a beast. Then he meets a supposedly evil witch. I’ve seen a lot of this type of genre lately, with a hapless guy being carted around by a powerful yet eccentric woman.

The first manga announcement was Seal My Lips with a Kiss ((Kiss de Funaide, Barenaide.) is from the magazine Suki Shite? Momoiro Nikki. An office worker doesn’t like her cold boss, but she has a crush on her friendly co-worker. Then one day she gets lcoked out of her office, it’s raining, hey, why not stay over at co-worker’s place? Only… his roommate is that boss! There’s only one solution: hide in the closet. This is classic josei smut fodder, and looks fun. They then talked about the already announced short story collections from the Delicious in Dungeon creator, out this fall, as well as the Yen Press titles that were honored by the American Manga Awards.

Übel Blatt II: Knights of the Fallen King (Übel Blatt II: Shiseru Ou no Kishidan) is exactly what you think it is: a sequel to Übel Blatt. It runs in Big Gangan. This has been simulpubbing digitally, but there is now print coming. The Gray Exorcist (Haiiro Onmyōji) is a fantasy title from Weekly Shonen Champion. An exorcist hides a monster rather than destroying it… only the laws now say that’s treason. Can I Call You Unnie? (Unnie tte Yonde Mo Ii desu ka?) is a yuri series that runs on Comic Walker. A K-pop fan decides to finally give in and try a dating app… and finds she’s now dating her favorite idol! Showbiz drama ensues. Unnie seems to be one of those words we’re supposed to just know now.

After plugging Then Shall I Kill in Your Stead, a BL title that asks “what if your lover was a yandere who would literally kill for you?”, they talked about Interdimensional Memoir (Ikoku Memoir), a KADOCOMI series about a boy who finds life boring… till he meets a metaphorical white rabbit, a boy who whisks him away to another world! The art apparently has that cute/creepy balance so beloved by fans. Make it an Eternity (Eikyū Shimei Onegaishimasu!) is a lengthy (15+ volumes) shoujo series from Koisuru Soiree. A girl who lost her parents has become a shut-in, and her brother supports them both… in a host club. And now his fellow club members are invading her home! And they’re hot! OH NO! And for BL fans, there’s lots of BL tease, and her brother is canonically bi.

Speaking of BL, their final license was “old man yaoi”, Hot Nights at the Hot Springs, Secret Trip No. 241 (Onsen de Himitsu no Otomari, 241 Kaime), which runs in Comic Fleur. Two older men have been hiding their relationship… but every month they go to a hot spring, and they feel younger. In more ways than one. This was called “wholesome” and “adorable”.

After that, we had the debut panel for a “brand new” publisher, Kaze! Yes, that’s actually the French and German publisher, now making inroads into the United States after getting bought by Crunchyroll, then Crunchyroll’s manga arm in Europe was bought by HarperCollins. It’s also a rebranding of the HarperAlley imprint, which mostly did children’s graphic novels but also dabbled in manga, mostly the series Plus-Sized Adventures in Love, which they were giving away copies of, and is now a Kaze title according to Amazon. They plan to launch with manga in 2027 – 3-5 titles that year, then revving up for 28 and 29 with more stuff. No specific genres, they’re here for everything.

They also plugged an OEL manga, Sol Sistah, by Saxton Moore and Phillip Johnson. “Ultraman meets Power Rangers, Pan-African, kaiju-smashing, teen slice of life”, and yes, that also means they’re open to pitches for other OEL titles. Sol Sistah should be out next year. They’re going to do more conventions, promotions, the whole shebang. And, most importantly, they reassured people that they would pay actual translators and not use AI. So while there were no new Japanese manga titles announced, the people at the panel seemed very excited about what was to come.

After lunch, it was time for the J-Novel Club panel. Sam always knows what we’re there for, and did not even have the “for those who don’t know, what is J-Novel Club?” slide, we went straight to the announcements. Starting with Middle-Aged and Mid No More: Rising in Ranks over Drinks with an Elite Priest (Mannen Silver Rank no Ossan, Shijо̄saikо̄ no Bо̄kensha to Naru ~Party of Tsuihо̄sareta Yakezake Shitetara Otonari no Shinkansan to Ikitо̄dо̄-shite Ichiya wo Sugoshita Ken, Tte Omae Saikо̄ Rank no Bо̄kensha ka yo~), a series with art by the artist behind I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level. A 30-ish guy with a reputation for always being good but not good enough it ready to call it quits, when he meets a legendary (and beautiful) priest who could really use his help.

There was a lot more BL than folks were expecting, starting with Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Who Ate the Poisoned Apple, Core and All? (Kagami yo Kagami, Doku Ringo o Tabeta no wa Dare?). A struggling idol finds himself the “muse” of a famous photographer… and yes, the muse part includes sex. But it’s good for his career… unless another muse turns up. Elegance in Exile: From Alchemy to Luxury with My Ardent Knight (Tsuihо̄sareta Akuyaku Reijо̄ wa [Renkin Skill] de Kareinaru Cheat Seikatsu wo Mankitsu-suru) is the first J-Novel Heart title of the night. The artist, kyozip, also does Sister Mafioso and Canon Fodder’s Ascension. It’s a broken engagement story, with a side order of exile. Little does everyone know that the trauma of this awakens past memories of her life in Japa… wait, no, of her life as a powerful magic user! Now she’s ready to start a new life, and possibly find a way to trust other again.

Fleet-Footed Dungeon Delver: Tune in for Magical Girls and Motion Blur! (Shinsaku no Dungeon Tansaku-sha) is from the creator of Sexiled and Dragon Daddy Diaries. The artist also does Fruit of Evolution and Buying My Classmate Once a Week. In this world, dungeons are everywhere… and so streaming your dungeon adventures is big business! Our heroine can’t figure out why her stream keeps crashing… will she meets another adventurer, who explains it. Together, they will move on up to the top! This is less yuri than “buddies”, but it looks fun. Keep Me Close: Finding My Home in You (Watashi ga Kaeritai Basho wa ~Ibasho o Nakushita Reijо̄ ga “Tokenai Hyо̄zо̄” to Uwasa Sareru Ryо̄shu-sama no Moto de Shiawase ni Naru made~) is a Heart title that, again, has a familiar premise. Our heroine has her father die, meaning she’s at the mercy of stepmom and sister. Now a servant, she’s bullied… then framed and thrown out of the house. And forced to be with a man who has a reputation as a cruel, horrible person. If you’ve read any of these, you know what happens next.

Fraudulent Fiancés (Tamanokoshi Goyо̄i Shimashita) is a Knight title. A man who has to resort to scamming people to live is caught by a handsome CEO and given two choices: go to prison, or be the CEO’s fake boyfriend. He chooses the latter, but may regret it. Being Famous Is NEET! Going Sister-Rank on Livestream (Imо̄to no Meikyū Haishin wo Tetsudatteita Ore ga, Ukkari S Rank Monster Aite ni Musо̄ shita Kekka ga Kochira desu) stars a guy who is trying his hardest to support his sister’s dungeon livestreaming (I guess this is a genre now?). But when he has to punch out a monster going after his beloved sister, suddenly his strength is drawing attention! This is for those who love guy surrounded by girls in love with him.

An Otaku Prince Finds Love in Akiba (Otakuouji to Akiba de Koi wo) is another Knight series, this one about a foreign prince who travels to Japan to find the creator of the game he’s obsessed with… and finds it’s this introverted guy with no confidence. Can the power of being a really hot foreign prince and also gay help bring the guy around? Déjà Vute: Betrayal Begets New Beginnings (Imо̄to ni Subete o Ubawareta Reijо̄ wa Konyakusha no Uragiri wo Shiri Kaiki-suru) is a Heart title that may, again, have a familiar premise. Betrayed by her fiancé and her sister, our heroines ends up… in the past, two years earlier! She’s determined to change her fate… but her fiancé, all of a sudden, is devoted to her? The artist for this also does The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen.

The most light novel-pilled title of the day was Grinding My Way to a Happy Ending: If Only My OP Big Bro Didn’t Make Things So (Sister) Complex! (Bad End Mokuzen no Heroine ni Tensei Shita Watashi, Konse de wa Renai-suru Tsumori ga Cheat na Ani ga Hanashite Kuremasen!?). This is a long-runner (10+ volumes), and also has an anime coming. An OL finds she’s now in her favorite game… as the heroine! (Yes, not a villainess story.) Unfortunately, she doesn’t have the memories of her fictional self, and the game she’s in is really hard and will try to kill her off. Fortunately (?), she has an obsessed brother to help her. Lastly, the sole manga they licensed was Crybaby Love Song (Amaenbo to Love Song), a Chara series about a musician who had a panic attack on stage and cost his band the competition. He now avoids music altogether… and his mom is remarrying, so he has a new stepbrother! Who’s cute! Yes, this is BL.

They then had several print announcements, some of which they already announced at AX. there’s the contest winner Beautiful Daydream, the Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter manga, Now I’m a Demon Lord! 2-in-1s, Pens Down Swords Up, and the big news, Chivalry of a Failed Knight in deluxe, fancy 3-in-1 omnibuses. Sadly, it’s still not as good a series as The Asterisk War. Another contest winner, ATLAS, is getting an audiobook… as well as a manga adaptation in Japan! And speaking of Apothecary Diaries, the audiobook debuts next month. Lastly, they plugged the 3rd Original Light Novel contest, and submissions open September 1st. The Grand Prize gets a substantial cash reward, for those writers who are really good but also possibly broke.

And that was my final panel of the day, as I went off for a deserved cider at a bar. Tomorrow’s the final day! And, as always, the quietest.

Manga the Week of 8/26/26

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SEAN: It’s time for the end of Aug-AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! (is buried in manga)

ASH: Can you still breathe in there?

SEAN: Yen Press start with The Blood-Crawling Princess of a Ruined Country (Chi wo Hau Boukoku no Oujo), a dark fantasy manga from Gangan Online. A princess finds her country invaded, her family killed, and herself sold into sex work. Now, years later, she’s after revenge.

ANNA: Those sound like good reasons for revenge.

ASH: That they do.

SEAN: Clevatess: The King of Dark Beasts, the Baby, and the Undead Hero (Clevatess: Majuu no Ou to Akago to Kabane no Yuusha) is a webtoon that also runs in Comic Alive +. A dark beast finds his life complicated by, well, a baby and an undead hero. The anime of this is currently running.

Deep-Sea Aquarium Magmell (MagMell Shinkai Suizokukan) is a seinen title from Kurage Bunch. A shy kid who loves the sea gets his dream job working part-time at an aquarium.

ASH: I’ve been curious about this one. And that cover is so pretty.

SEAN: The Demon Consort: “I Love You” Are Frightening Words (Kihi: “Aishiteru” wa, Kowai Koto) is also from Kurage Bunch. A young woman returns home for the first time in years for her friend’s funeral only to find everyone accusing her of killing her friend by revealing a curse.

ASH: That sounds like it could be a problem.

SEAN: Don’t Confuse Me, Yamori-kun (Madowasenaide Yamori-kun) runs in Young Champion. A guy decides to have an image change, and his friend agrees and says he’ll do that too. Um… why is his friend now in a girl’s uniform? And being a tease? Huh? Also, is this BL or LGBTQ?

ANNA: I guess it does sound confusing!

ASH: Guess someone will have to read it to find out.

SEAN: Elden Ring: Distant Tales Between is a spinoff of the main Elden Ring manga Yen Press has, and seems to be a “what if this happened instead” AU sort of book.

Girls’ Last Tour Collector’s Edition: 1st Ration Pack is the Girls’ Last Tour manga in a big hardcover deluxe omnibus.

ASH: Fancy!

Golden Man is a superhero manga from Weekly Young Magazine. One day Golden Man, the protector of New York, disappears! In his place is a young man with amnesia! This is from the writer of Interviews with Monster Girls and the artist behind Bloody Monday.

Hand in Hand with Mu-chan: Lessons from My Autistic Daughter (Muu-chan to Te wo Tsunaide: Jiheishou no Musume ga Oshietekureta koto) is based on a real-life story of the author’s experience discovering their child is autistic. It runs in Elegance Eve.

ANNA: This sounds interesting.

ASH: Agreed!

SEAN: Mobile Suit Gundam the Witch from Mercury―Vanadis Heart (Kidou Senshi Gundam: Suisei no Majo – Vanadis Heart) is a spinoff of the popular Gundam anime, and runs in Gundam Ace. Taking place 5 years after the anime, it stars two women dealing with forbidden cargo. This came out digitally in July, here’s the print.

ASH: Someone was just telling me about this iteration of Gundam the other day.

SEAN: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table (Shibou Yuugi de Meshi wo Kuu) is, well, a death game manga, running in Comp Ace. It’s based on the light novel, also published by Yen.

Then Shall I Kill in Your Stead? (Jaa, Kimi no Kawari ni Korosou ka?) is a mystery manga from Bessatsu Young Champion. A bullied high schooler finds a welcome ally. But this ally may be a bit too scary.

MICHELLE: This one’s kinda intriguing.

SEAN: What Does the Fox Say? is a yuri manhwa, it ran as a webtoon. A woman with a bad love history starts at a game company. She falls for her new boss… but the company president falls for her!

ASH: That song will be stuck in my head forever.

SEAN: Also from Yen: Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra 6, Bad Girl 2, Battle Royale Deluxe Edition 2, The Beginning After the End 11, Bungo Stray Dogs: The Official Comic Anthology 6, A Certain Magical Index 32, The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse 4, Common-Sense Monster 3 (the final volume), Demi-Human Sharehouse 2 (the final volume), Dungeons That Surely Slaughter Adventurers 2, Final Fantasy Lost Stranger 13, I Don’t Know Which Is Love 5, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side: Sword Oratoria 28, Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 21, Mechanical Marie 3, Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun 17, My Dear, Curse-Casting Vampiress 8, No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular! 27, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Chapter 4: The Sanctuary and the Witch of Greed 11, Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty 3, Shy 13, Sister and Giant 6, Stray Cat & Wolf 5, Sword Art Online Unital Ring 3, and The War of Greedy Witches 5.

MICHELLE: I spy some Nozaki-kun in there.

ASH: I did, too! (Also, dang, that really is a ton coming out from Yen next week!)

SEAN: Viz Media time (no, we’re nowhere near done). The JoJo author has a sequel to his how to manga book. Manga in Theory and Practice: How to Create Villains tells you how to create characters as memetic as DIO!

ANNA: Is that even possible????

ASH: Maybe not, but people can try!

SEAN: And there’s a 6th volume of Cosmos.

Tokyopop debuts The Arrival of Spring and Love (Kimi ga Tomoshite Kureta nara), a BL oneshot from LiQulle. A shy young man meets an outgoing young man at university, and romance blossoms.

Tokyopop also has a 2nd volume of Honkai Impact 3rd: Second Eruption and The Tale of Luvelia Kingdom 3.

Titan Manga debuts Colori Colore Creare, the latest from Kozue Amano, the creator of Aria. It runs in MAGCOMI, and is basically “what if the bits of Aria that were Akari running into that cat and ending up in a fantasy world were the main plot?”.

ASH: I enjoyedAria and appreciate cats.

SEAN: Titan also gives us Kamen Rider Kuuga 12 and Toxic Super Beasts 4 (the final volume).

Seven Seas has a danmei debut. The Lucky Egg Game: Cai Dan You Xi has two college students trapped in a death game… wait, is this really danmei? Where’s the cultivation? Where’s the demons?

ANNA: Are they handsome at least? I’m assuming that they are handsome.

MICHELLE: Presumably, it’ll have supernatural elements (a la Guardian) that qualify for it being danmei.

ASH: Ha!

SEAN: Also in danmei: Case File Compendium: Bing An Ben 9.

Seven Seas also has a manga debut. Raul and His Vampire Prince (Raul to Kyuuketsuki) is a BL title from Sunday Web Every. Rescued by a rare male vampire who’s 800 years old but looks 8, a guy has grown up buff and strong to protect his savior… but his savior still sees him as a kid.

ASH: Understandably so.

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: The Dangers in My Heart 13, The Last Elf 3, The Long Summer of August 31 6, Nakamura-san, the Uninvited Gyaru 6, and Painter of the Night 4.

Manga Mavericks debut The Pipe Machine, the story of a boy who ends up in weird adventures due to a time-traveling pipe.

ASH: I’m at least curious. Manga Mavericks has been releasing some great stuff.

SEAN: Retailers say Mahjong Pros has Crybaby Mermaid : Illustrated Memoir of Yuumi Uotani, Getter Robo High, and Vermilion Stella: Illustrated Memoir of Arisa Date. I’ve mentioned them here before, but they got bumped.

ASH: Still excited for mahjong manga!

SEAN: Kodansha Manga’s debut is Comeback After Fate (Comeback After Fate), an omegaverse one-shot from Honey Milk. A guy’s boy band has just made its big debut. And he’s an alpha, gotta be good. Then he meets a famous all-alpha band… and one of their members has a secret you’ll never guess unless you’ve read anything in this genre ever.

ANNA: He’s really into crochet?

ASH: How did you guess?!

SEAN: Also in print: Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You 11, Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow 6, The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride 7, Because I, the True Saint, was Banished, that Country is Done For! 4, Blue Lock Omnibus 4, GALAXIAS 3, Go! Go! Loser Ranger! 18, I Have a Crush at Work 6, Senpai Is an Otokonoko: My Crossdressing Classmate 7, Tokyo Tarareba Girls Returns 2 6 (the final volume), Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun: IruMafia Edition 5, and Witch Hat Atelier: Grimoire Edition 2.

ASH: Some great series in that list.

SEAN: And digitally we see Fate/Grand Order -Epic of Remnant- Pseudo-Singularity III: The Stage of Carnage, Shimousa – Seven Duels of Swordmasters 6 and I Left my A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! 10.

Kaze has the 4th volume of Plus-Sized Misadventures in Love!.

J-Novel Club has a print debut for the light novel The Water Magician (Mizu Zokusei no Mahoutsukai). It features an isekai’d boy who’s just trying to learn how to use his newfound water magic, but sadly finds this world is not Slow Life.

Also in print is the 2nd manga volume of The 100th Time’s the Charm: She Was Executed 99 Times, So How Did She Unlock “Super Love” Mode?!.

Digitally, J-Novel Club has some light novels. The Canon Fodder’s Ascension from Pawn to World Unifier 3, In Another World with Household Spells 6, Isekai Tensei: Recruited to Another World 14, Isekai Walking 7, and Scooped Up by an S-Rank Adventurer! This White Mage Is One Heck of a Healer 4.

And there is a digital manga debut, in the Knight line. Last Summer Sparkle is a BL one-shot from Chara Selection. It stars two guys. One has no idea what to do after he finishes high school. The other one has no idea what would happen if he confesses to the first guy.

ASH: I’m guessing we get to find out!

SEAN: And for other manga there is Ascendance of a Bookworm Arc 4 Volume 7, The Crown of Rutile Quartz 3 (the final volume), The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World 10, Sweet Reincarnation 13, Tearmoon Empire 10, and A Wild Last Boss Appeared! 11.

Inklore debuts Daughter of a Thousand Faces, a webtoon. Daughter has many suitors reject her, her mother is executed, and her life is awful. Then she frees a demon guy and becomes his disciple.

Hanashi Media, who surely must be annoyed with me always forgetting about them, has new titles. The debut already out is The Vampire and the Chocolatier, a BL fantasy light novel about the supernatural, servitude, and sweets.

ASH: I enjoy chocolate. And BL. Could be a delectable combination.

SEAN: Out this week is the 5th and final (?) volume of The Abandoned Reincarnation Sage.

And out next week is the 4th volume of The New Gate.

Airship, in print, has the 14th and final volume of Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentōshō, as well as The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash 13.

ASH: I’ve been meaning to give Sword of the Demon Hunter a try.

They also have a digital-only debut, no print here. Liar’s Journey: Reborn as a False Hero – I’ll Save the Tragic Heroine from Every Death Route! (Usotsuki wa Yuusha no Hajimari: Nisemono Yuusha ni Tensei Shita kedo Daisuki na Game no Shibou Route shika Nai Higeki no Heroine o Sukuidasu), another in what is becoming a genre of “guy reincarnated into game tries to save his favorite, the girl who dies in every route”.

And for early digital there is Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord: Production Magic Turns a Nameless Village into the Strongest Fortified City 8 and Virgin Knight: I Became the Frontier Lord in a World Ruled by Women 4.

I died by being buried in manga, so cannot say anything here.

MICHELLE: Let’s all pour one out for Sean.

ASH: His efforts were not in vain.

The Fearsome Witch Teaches in Another World: I’ll Save You from Being a Shut-in!

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By Mitsuru Inoue and Suzuno. Released in Japan as “Isekai Teni Shite Kyoushi ni Natta ga, Majo to Osorerarete Iru Ken” by Earth Star Luna. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Gierrlon Dunn.

I talked in my last book about how this book has an agenda when it comes to teaching, but I’m not entirely convinced that the agenda is “show people there’s a better way”. I don’t think anything that Aoi does in this book is something that can really be replicated in the real world, it works because Aoi is effectively omnipotent. Hell, even her non-magical way of thinking is suspect: at one point, she seems to seriously think that the best way to get shut-ins out of their rooms is to remove the door. Aoi is the best reason to read this book, but she’s a deadpan, a ditz, and OP, a very dangerous combination. What it leads to is a lot of stuff happening that will seemingly change the world, only because she’s the narrator the bulk of the book, the impression given is “and then I did this thing anyone could do if they were taught correctly”. She’s feared here.

I’ll have to leave it to experts as to whether the cover images have zettai ryoukai or if Aoi’s stockings make it ineligible, but the artist is certainly dedicated to showing off her hips and legs. In any case, the start of the book finishes off the Culture Festival, after a brief crisis – no one’s going to see the kids as the dwarves have taken over and are doing a sword demonstration. Aoi straightens that out, and then both the student’s lightning magic and her own fireworks go well. However, she then discovers that there’s a student who’s been a shut-in since she got there. He’s Solare, and he’s the grandson of the headmaster, but bullying and the crappy responses to dealing with bullying have made him not want to trust anyone. So it’s time for a world tour in which Aoi meets up with the bullies and makes them see what real power looks like.

This isn’t the first series to take on Japanese (yes, they’re elves, but look, it’s an obvious metaphor) bullying in schools. We see, but find it hard to sympathize with, Glen’s balancing act, as he tries to help his grandson while also trying to avoid starting a huge political war by just expelling everyone who participated in the bullying. We also see that a lot of the time the attitude of the bully is also held in their parent, making things even harder. Aoi’s solution for her own experience, alas, is one I’ve seen a great deal in anime, manga, and light novels – if you’re being bullied, the solution is to get stronger. It’s on you, not the bullies. I hate this solution, but there’s a reason it’s still a very popular one – it rocks the least boats. As for the rest of the book, it was pretty fun.

That said, this series is definitely not essential. If you’ve been reading it, you can keep doing so.

Rascal Does Not Dream of a Beach Queen +

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By Hajime Kamoshida and Keji Mizoguchi. Released in Japan as “Seishun Buta Yarou wa Beach Queen no Yume wo Minai +” by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Andrew Cunningham.

One refreshing thing about this series is that, while it was running, it lacked all the SS or .5 volumes stuffing in tons of short stories to drag out the plot. Which is good, as this series already felt like fifteen volumes was too long. But it’s over now, and so it’s time for Vol. 16, the first of two short story collections. Fortunately, for me if no one else, these aren’t microstories. There’s only three. The first story was a bonus that came with the Blu-Ray release of the anime. The second story was a freebie for fans who went to the movie. And the third is actually written for this book. Given that, they take place before Sakuta’s plotline is resolved, but they feel more relaxed regardless. The first story has a bit of drama, but it’s drama Sakuta is uninterested in. The second has drama, but mostly as a character beat for Sakuta. And the third is pure fluff. Perfect short story collection, in other words.

The first story takes up the bulk of the book. It’s the athletic festival in Sakuta’s final year of high school, and Mai is even coming at lunchtime to give him sandwiches. Unfortunately, despite being an alternate, he keeps having to do events as the star athlete has disappeared. Sakuta tracks her down, only to find that the disappearance is quite literal. In the second story, Sakuta and Mai go on a cute Christmas date, but Sakuta keeps seeing another girl, and he’s having these horrible emotions come to the surface. In the third story, Sakuta laments that, because she’s so famous, he and Mai can never go to the beach. She then surprises him with a trip to an exclusive summer residence with a pool… though he does have to also have his sister, Nodoka, and Uzuki tag along.

I’m going to try not to spoil the first story too much, but I was very surprised, I will admit. In fact, at first I thought what I was suspecting was a big fake-out, and it would be something far more prosaic. But no, it actually WAS what I was suspecting. The writing reads a bit like it was written for teenage guys a bit (because, well, it was), but hey. I did also appreciate that we get no resolution because Sakuta does not care about anything other than Mai, and so walks away. The second story relies very much on you remembering what happened in Books 6 and 7, and how even when a death is rewritten so that reality doesn’t have it, the grief still has to go somewhere. The third story is, as I said, pure fluff, but will definitely appeal to fans of Sakuta and Mai – they’re practically married here, as Mai notes.

There’s a second SS collection, which apparently does actually take place after the main series. Till then, fans will enjoy this.

Proud to Be the Villainess: Upon the Despair You Face Blooms the Wicked Flower of Hope

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By Mary=Doe and Kuga Huna. Released in Japan as “Akuyaku Reijou no Kyouji” by SQEX Novel. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Bérénice Vourdon.

Last time I asked what the author was going to do to continue what was an obviously complete story beyond the first volume. The answer ends up being escalation, in every possible way. Did the first volume have a villainess archetype? Let’s add a couple more! Are there obvious schemes to save the day by sacrificing oneself? Let’s double down on making it even more convoluted. The author wanted to see how many gambit balls they could keep in the air at once, and the answer turns out to be “a lot”. Fortunately, they have the skills to back this up – this is excellent. Mostly as, like the first volume, most of the cast have genuinely well-thought out motivation and gripping backstory, rather than just being “wait, she’s a pink-haired baron’s daughter who’s a saint candidate? Must be evil.” And fear not, Wellmy is back, ans she’s got a plan. Unfortunately, while her plan is very, very clever, it still runs into quite a few snags, because of the “antagonist’s” plan.

Darristea, a duke’s daughter, has been having a bad time of it. Long assumed to be the obvious fiancee candidate for her childhood friend Leo, he’s now going around with the horrible Wellmy, who everyone knows is a villainess. Worse, Wellmy has a posse of men around her at all times. Could she be using… mind control magic? Then another noble, Lord Turgis, gives her a device that will force Wellmy to tell the truth. It’s a perfect scheme! …except, of course, that this is all part of a wheels-within-wheels plan which Darristea has unfortunately gotten caught up in. Worse, Theresalo, the aforementioned baron’s daughter and saint candidate, is being blackmailed into an attack on Prince Leo as well. With all of these potential villainesses running around, is there room for Wellmy to quietly save the country and make her sister happy, not in that order?

As with the first book, there’s a lot less suspense in this than you’d expect. The main question is not really “what’s happening” but “how many people are trying to throw themselves under a bus to save someone else?”. Also as with the first book, it’s divided into the first half (Wellmy’s scheme and how it plays out) and the second half (other character’s POV explaining bits we may not have known about and wrapping up various romantic pairings. The main villain proves to be almost as interesting as Wellmy was, though I will admit there was one plot point, involving his motivation and how to fix it, that made me think that was one handwave too many. There’s also some funny stuff here, from Theresalo gradually realizing that she’s surrounded by monsters who will one day rule the world to Wellmy finding that there are some people whose emotional state she cannot, in fact, read. And while the romance still isn’t the point of this series, this book is drenched in it, with couples galore.

So all is well, and Leo is finally able to officially announce that Wellmy’s sister is his fiancee. I’m sure that they’ll all live happily ever… what’s that, you say? Trusted servants? There’s a notable lack thereof? Guess we need a third book. Recommended to all fans of the genre, or just really good books.

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, Vol. 20

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By Fujino Omori and Suzuhito Yasuda. Released in Japan as “Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatte Iru Darou ka?” by GA Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Dale DeLucia.

It’s been almost twelve years since the first volume of DanMachi came out in North America, and I think we can forgive the reader for forgetting the original premise of the series, as well as the reason for the title. Bell Cranel arrives in Orario to become an adventurer. He does this so that he can meet girls and get a harem. Now,, to be fair, this is mostly planted in him by his pervy grandfather, but still. Now, twenty volumes and unfathomable amounts of spinoffs later, Bell is an adventurer. He’s met plenty of girls. And, if you look at those girls, you know that he definitely has a harem. Even if he’s ignoring that fact. But this series has always been about getting Bell to see the bigger picture, and for this volume we get the biggest picture of all. Bell is needed because the heroes of old, the really strong ones, are all dead. And now there’s another world-shattering crisis, and they need not only Bell, but every other hero on deck.

Bell has returned from the School District, and he and his Familia are ready to go back into the dungeons… especially as they have a cute new intern, Nina. Who it turns out also has amazing healing capabilities – the one thing they’re short on for these long dungeon crawls. She’s perfect! Unfortunately, the shmuck who runs the guilds does something dumb again, and as a result the School District has pulled all its students back from internships and announced it’s cutting Orario off. This interests the Gods, who love giant messes, and so they make a deal to turn the whole fight between school and adventurers into a tournament arc, best of five, to see who wins. Meanwhile, Bell disguises himself as a student again and goes to talk with Leon… who turns out to be a Level 7 powerhouse, and probably the guy who’s going to be fighting Bell in the tournament. Welp.

Maybe it’s because it’s been two years since the last main volume of the series, but I liked this one a bit more. For those wondering how many volumes it would take for Syr to stop being every God’s punching bag and go back to flirting with Bell and teasing the others, the answer is “one” – she’s almost moved into Bell’s mansion. I do also like how, even though the romance is not really the focus of this series anymore, the author never lets it drop – Lyu has confessed, but knows what Bell’s answer will be, so begs him not to say anything. Nina and Eina realize they’re both in love with the same guy, and kind of bond over it. And above everyone is Aiz, who expresses affection to Bell through aggressive training, and gets very jealous when she hears Lyu has been training him as well. Resolve Bell and Aiz, and everyone else will come after it. Erm, assuming Aiz isn’t dead…

Yes, that’s right, cliffhanger! We don’t hear exactly what happened, but that’s what Sword Oratorio 15 is for, I’m guessing. Which is fortunately out in two months, rather than two years. Good stuff. Also, dragons! Wait, dragons are bad in this series…

Sasaki and Peeps: Assigned Overseas! Poached! Hired on the Spot! ~That Time the Corporate Drone Who Couldn’t Speak English Was Sent to a Foreign Country and Taken In by the Mafia~

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By Buncololi and Kantoku. Released in Japan as “Sasaki to Pi-chan” by Media Factory. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Alice Prowse.

It’s always nice when Sasaki and Peeps hits the sweet spot of adding so many more genres you think your head is going to explode, but also tying everything back to what’s come before so that it doesn’t get too confusing. (However, the summary of what’s happened so far is VERY appreciated.) This time around the genre, at least for the first 2/3 or so, seems to be “Asian action movie”, with a side order of mafia in the mix. That said, you know what this series does. It adds underage girls (or women who look like underage girls) to Sasaki’s orbit, has then fall for him, and has him completely ignore that. And sure enough, we get another one here. The afterword tells me that this girl is a mesugaki, which I had to look up (and now you will too). That said, it sounds worse than it is, and this series continues to provide a lot of “lolicon” content without any actual worry. He’s just not that into them, no matter what his neighbor thinks or how many suggestive hot dogs are on the cover.

Our family would kind of like a break after the events of the last few books, but that’s not in the cards. The American soldiers they’ve met before essentially blackmail Japan into having the Sasaki Family come to America to deal with a threat. Once there, everyone but Sasaki is treated to a glorious, very expensive vacation. Huge planes, vast hotel rooms, casinos at Vegas, clearing out all of Walt Disney World except for them… (which backfires, as everyone agrees it’s too eerie). Meanwhile, Sasaki is asked to pose as a convicted felon and infiltrate a prison to find out about a Chinese mafia connection. This leads to all the cliches you could possibly imagine. Then, once he’s out, he goes back to Chinatown in New York and meets up with the aforementioned mesugaki and her bodyguard/minder. After saving her from thugs, he’s promptly hired as bodyguard #2. Does this have anything to do with why they were brought there?

This series has always had its narrator and sub-narrator for when Sasaki’s not around, and Kurosu, aka neighbor girl, gets a lot of it here, as he’s absent a good part of the book. She definitely has the funniest part of the book, as while the rest of the family is trying to deal with a terrorist threat (yes, the vacation eventually ends), she’s trying to figure out what Sasaki’s type is and why he seems closer to Futarishizuka than any of the other girls. As for the new girl, Yingling, as I said above, she turns out to be closer to what was happening in past books than we thought, and that also gives us a chance (in case you didn’t look at the top of the cover art) to bring in the pink magical girl, Sayoko. Whose living situation continues to be absolutely wretched, and I hope Sasaki can work out a way to get her defenses down and bring her into their family orbit. Even if that messes up Type Twelve’s cliche math.

Lots of action. Lots of hijinks. Lots of fun. Sadly, the family is now banned from Japan. And America. This may prove difficult whenever book 11 comes out here (seems to be about every 10 months or so). But I will wait patiently.

The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, Vol. 10

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By Saekisan and Hanekoto. Released in Japan as “Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsu no Ma ni ka Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken” by GA Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Nicole Wilder.

By definition, this series is for readers who want to see cute sweet romance with little to no drama. No one is here to watch Amane and Miharu get into a big fight or temporarily break up. We want to see them be adorable and make sweets and give each other presents and maybe kiss and hug once or twice, because they’re definitely not doing much more than that. The trouble is that that can sometimes make for a very dull book. This is why we have supporting couples in the series. Unfortunately, aside from her muscle fetish, Ayaka is also relatively normal. That means we’re left with Itsuki’s family drama, which does indeed pop up again here, and also the comedy not-a-couple workplace duo of Miyamoto and Oohashi, who have the sort of relationship problem that you can only get when a couple are NOT together. That helps to make the book a bit more intriguing than usual.

Now that Mahiru’s birthday is done, it’s time for Christmas!… which both Amane and Mahiru have forgotten about due to all the birthday stuff. Fortunately, Christmas is a fairly easy event, they can spend it at Amane’s home eating fried chicken with Itsuki and Chitose, and give presents (well, he does. He tricked her into not returning it). And then there’s New Year’s, which is unfortunately interrupted by more Itsuki family drama. Amane’s father, however, stops by, and gives some very salient advice that amounts to “I get you were killing yourself with the honor student stress, but perhaps being a goofy slacker is what actually is upsetting your father”. Lastly, Valentine’s Day rolls around, and Amane is absolutely baffled to discover that girls might give him chocolates, even though he’s in a relationship. What has this world come to?

Leaving aside Amane’s mental issues, which are starting to almost overwhelm the series, I quite liked this. The most amusing part was the subplot with Miyamoto and Oohashi, which is very very good at implying but never outright saying “they got drunk and accidentally had sex”. The awkwardness that follows feels almost like justice given how annoying Oohashi has tended to get in previous books. I do hope they eventually figure it out. As for Itsuki, I do hope that he and Chitose can discover there’s a happy medium where you don’t have all the stress in the world but can still actually, y’know, become a productive member of society. But yeah, the bulk of this is Amane’s POV, and while I do like Amane and think he’s come a long way, he can be frustratingly obtuse just when you don’t need him to be. The idea that someone could have feelings for him despite his being in a relationship is just so foreign to him. I feel bad for the girl who confessed, and hope she gets some closure out of it.

In the next book, we’ll probably get White Day, which is how these romances go. Good stuff, probably better in print than animated.

Manga the Week of 8/19/26

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SEAN: This is the week of Anime NYC, will any of you be buying manga there?

ASH: Alas, not I.

SEAN: Airship’s print debut is Saving a Weapon Shop from Bankruptcy after the Demon King’s Defeat (Maou Botsugo no Genkai Bukiya). After the defeat of the demon king, no monsters and no need for weapons means blacksmiths and adventurers are headed for poverty and slavery. Can our hero change that?

ASH: One does hold out hope.

ANNA: The economy is rough!

SEAN: Also in print: There’s No Freaking Way I’ll be Your Lover! Unless… 8 and Too Many Losing Heroines! 8.

In early digital we have Loner Life in Another World 15, Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! 16, and Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Maiden Court 11.

Alien Books has the 3rd and final volume of Kinryo Rock – Code Amrita.

ASH: I’d forgotten about Alien Books! So many small manga publishers these days; I love it.

SEAN: Dark Horse Manga has Cat + Crazy 4 and The Art of Star Wars: A New Hope–The Manga 2.

Ghost Ship gives us 2.5 Dimensional Seduction 19 and Into the Deepest, Most Unknowable Dungeon 14.

Inklore has My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 7.

Ize Press has Beware the Villainess! 8, I Love Amy 3, Kill the Villainess 7, Lady Devil 6, My Secretly Hot Husband 6, Overgeared 11, Revenge of the Baskerville Bloodhound 3, See You in My 19th Life 11, and Villains Are Destined to Die 9.

J-Novel Club is still in a debut desert. For ongoing light novels, we see The Misfit of Demon King Academy 12 Part 2, Miss Medic’s Diary at War 2, The Path of an S-Rank Adventurer: From Deadweight to Weapon Master 2, Repeated Vice: I Refuse to Be Important Enough to Die 4, Sister Mafioso 2, and Tearmoon Empire 17.

ASH: With as many titles as J-Novel releases, it’s probably not a bad idea to pace the debuts.

SEAN: And for ongoing manga, there is The Fearsome Witch Teaches in Another World: Ms. Aoi’s Lesson Plans 4, Jeanette the Genius: Defying My Evil Stepmother by Starting a Business with My Ride-or-Die Fiancé! 4, My Tiny Senpai 6, and Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles 13.

Kodansha has no debuts, but in print we see Blue Lock 33, Cat-Life Balance 2, Grand Blue Dreaming 24, Hitting Rewind with You 4, Kirio Fan Club 3, Love, That’s an Understatement 6, MF Ghost 5, and Rent-A-Girlfriend 38.

MICHELLE: I should really read more of Love, That’s an Understatement.

SEAN: And digitally we get My Home Hero 26 (the final volume) and Quality Assurance in Another World 17.

Seven Seas has two debuts. The Death Defying Princess Creates a Yuri Harem to Survive (Shi ni Modori Oujo wa Ikinobiru Tame ni Yuri Harem wo Tsukuru Koto ni Shita) is a yuri manga from Wild Hero’s. A bratty princess dies, then goes back in time… and dies again. And again. She keeps trying different things, including being a better person, but… death. Is seducing every woman in the series the answer?

ASH: It’s worth a try, I guess!

ANNA: I guess one does what one must!

SEAN: The other debut is a 2-volume omnibus, Puniru is a Kawaii Slime (Puniru wa Kawaii Slime), a kids’ manga from Weekly Corocoro Comic. It has an anime. A boy has a slime transform into a girl. Boy, she gets into wacky misadventures!

ASH: It’s good to see more kids’ manga being released.

ANNA: Indeed!

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon 12, Dear Sister, I’ve Become a Blessed Maiden 2, DOGGO 2, The Fed-Up Office Lady Wants to Serve the Villainess 4, Headhunted to Another World: From Salaryman to Big Four! 11, Let’s Buy the Land and Cultivate It in a Different World 10, My Bias is Showing?! 3 (the final volume), Our Sunny Days 2, Tonight, I Have a Date with a Serial Killer 2, The Too-Perfect Saint: Tossed Aside by My Fiancé and Sold to Another Kingdom 7, Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! 14, The Valiant Must Fall 7, and Yonoi Tsukihiko’s Happy Hell 6.

Square Enix Manga has Tokyo Aliens 11 and Wash It All Away 9.

Steamship gives us Don’t Hold Back, Lord Hades 4 (the final volume) and A Suitable Fetish 7.

Udon Entertainment has, according to retailers, My Stepmom’s Daughter is My Ex (manga) 3.

Viz Media debuts what I am calling now will definitely be Manga Bookshelf’s Pick of the Week. Half Is More (Hanbun Kyoudai) runs in Torch. Our heroine and her brother were born and raised in Japan, and their mother is Japanese, but their father is Black French, so there’s a loooooot of prejudice. This comes highly recommended by folks I know.

MICHELLE: I suspect you are right about the pick of the week.

ASH: You know us so well!

ANNA: I mean it does sound good!

SEAN: Also from Viz: Assassin’s Creed: Forgotten Temple 4, Centuria 3, Dogsred 4, Hunter x Hunter 3-in-1 7, Kingdom 10, Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. 14, Mission: Yozakura Family 24, Sakamoto Holidays 2, Show-ha Shoten! 11 (the final volume), Skip Beat! 3-in-1 17, Snowball Earth 9, Undead Unluck 26, and Vagabond Definitive Edition 6.

ASH: That’s an excellent week from Viz, right there!

Lotsa stuff there! What are you picking up?

Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside, Vol. 15

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By Zappon and Yasumo. Released in Japan as “Shin no Nakama ja Nai to Yuusha no Party wo Oidasaretanode, Henkyou de Slow Life Surukoto ni Shimashita” by Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Dale DeLucia.

With one exception, which I’ll get to further down the page, this was a pretty good final volume to the series. It wraps up all the things you were expecting, and all the things you realize you’d never thought of but probably should have. Red and Rit are cute, Red gets to do some cool things, Ruti and Tisse are cute, Ruti gets to do some cool things, and Mister Crawly Wawly is the best. OK, I kind of wanted Ruti and Tisse to become a real couple rather than just “I can see it if I really want to”, but at least there aren’t any last minute love interests. A lot of this book is about parents and their children, so it makes sense that it ends that way, with Red and Rit having a son, who is on the cover, and in the book. For about 3 pages at the end.

Summertime, and the living is easy. If a bit dull. Peace means there’s not as much medicine being sold, and Red and Rit experiment with potion making. Then they hear Yaralandra is leaving to go exploring (and, given her lifespan, won’t be back for about a decade), and Tisse is returning to her guild to finally give her report on the job she took in Book 1. So they decide now is the time to take their long-awaited honeymoon. They go and visit Red and Ruti’s parents, which is a bit awkward but far more loving than I was expecting. They then go and visit Rit’s father, so that she can renounce her claim to the throne, which leads to a lot more political wrangling than she would have liked. Finally, they return home and delight in the news that she is pregnant. All is well… unless the author decides to throw in some last minute drama.

No spoilers guessing what I didn’t like. The entire ending with Rit slowly dying and Red having to find the right medicine reeked of “I want to end this with a bang”. The author has struggled with the slow life part of their slow life series since the start, and still can’t hack it. On the bright side, I’ve made no secret about my favorite characters in the series, and they’re both great here. Mister Crawly Wawly remains, to the end, one of the best non-speaking monster characters in any light novel, and I hope the restaurant goes well. Tisse may be described occasionally as being emotionless due to her training, but there are several moments here where she’s overcome with happiness, and the artist clearly loves to draw her grinning. I hope she finally confesses now that Ruti has gotten over her brother.

This was one of the first “banished from the hero’s party” books to come out here, and it’s still one of the better ones. I enjoyed it very much, despite its struggles with its genre.

An Introvert’s Hookup Hiccups: This Gyaru Is Head Over Heels for Me!, Vol. 13

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By Yuishi and Kagachisaku. Released in Japan as “Inkya no Boku ni Batsu Game de Kokuhaku Shitekita Hazu no Gal ga, Dō Mitemo Boku ni Beta Bore Des” by HJ Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Satoko Kakihara.

This is not exactly a series that moves at the speed of light. As Yoshin says in this book, they haven’t even gotten to their first anniversary yet. Thee reason that it feels like it’s been forever is that by now Yoshin and Nanami are essentially married in all but legal name, and the only reason that they haven’t gone further than kissing is Yoshin’s iron will… well, no, because the two of them are massive cowards, that becomes apparent near the end here. But we are actually headed into final exams, which means senior year will soon be upon them. This is not an issue for Nanami, who has terrific grades and a career she’s striving for. Yoshin, though, has only just woken up to the fact that he now has a girlfriend, as well as actual other friends (something he literally has to be told here). Not a surprise his future is hazy.

The last few volumes have consistently hit holidays, and this one does as well, Valentine’s Day is coming up. For Yoshin this has always been just another day, one he can safely ignore. Nanami is somewhat horrified to hear that he hasn’t even gotten obligation chocolate from classmates, but is also kind of delighted as she gets another of his firsts. Meanwhile, his friend Hitoshi, who we saw on the class trip getting along with a Hawaiian girl, went back there with his parents and they got on even better. To the point where she’s coming there for a trip. And since she’s American, they researched American Valentine’s, meaning Yoshin now also has to come up with a Valentine gift. And they also want the day off to be romantic. Which means, before that, ALL THE WORK HOURS. Fortunately, Nanami is now working at the same restaurant as Yoshin does, because this series is comfy as hell.

Yoshin’s self-reflective monologue about how he’s not remotely the protagonist of a story, with Nanami trying hard to convince him this isn’t the case, is probably not as cute as the author thinks it is, but it does give a nice view into the mind of Yoshin, who may have had a hot loving girlfriend for almost a year, but still tends to get into the “woe is me, why do I suck so much?” mindset at the drop of a hat. This is probably the main reason why he and Nanami still aren’t going further, despite the fact that even her grandparents are kind of hinting that the two of them should bonk, and their parents leaving several convenient times when no one is in the house. But no, nothing happens beyond a few really heavy french kisses. This despite Nanami really trying hard, with senpai/kohai roleplay, maid cosplay, more maid cosplay, still MORE maid cosplay, and “won’t you lick the chocolate off my body?” play. Which, as I said, goes nowhere, alas.

The next volume came out in Japan about a week and a half ago, and no doubt deals with White Day. We will be waiting. A bit frustrated, but waiting.

From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman: My Hotshot Disciples Are All Grown Up Now, and They Won’t Leave Me Alone, Vol. 10

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By Shigeru Sagazaki and Tetsuhiro Nabeshima. Released in Japan as “Katainaka no Ossan, Kensei ni Naru: Tada no Inaka no Kenjutsu Shihan Datta noni, Taisei Shita Deshitachi ga Ore o Hōttekurenai Ken” by SQEX Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Hikoki.

This series has always been pretty light on the harem aspect. There are several girls, they kind of like our lead, he’s been told to find a wife. But honestly, right now no one is “main girl” and nothing is happening at all. This book in particular is uninterested in the question. possibly as the “main girl” of this book, if there is one, is Mewi, who definitely fills the “daughter” role more than a romantic interest. But, as the cover art indicates, the real star of this volume is Bel himself. He still is very bad at self-confidence, at seeing himself as anything but just some average guy with a sword. Which is unfortunate, as sometimes when you continue to improve, to get to the next level, you need to know that you can take on the best of the best and still triumph. And Bel has leveled up.

While cooking with Mewi, Bel cuts himself with a kitchen knife. He regards this as something that could happen to everyone, but those around him are startled. Then, at the training hall, he spars with Vesper, the guy who was nearly but not entirely killed a number of volumes ago, and is now well enough to start light training again. While fighting him, Bel notices that his eyes can see the future of what Vesper is about to do… and Bel is so flummoxed by this he loses. This *really* startles everyone. Now Bel has to worry: is this all a part of his getting old and starting to lose his edge? Or has he genuinely unlocked some instinctual skill? He’d better figure things out quickly, unfortunately; Mewi went out with friends one day and never came home.

I admit when I got to that plotline I was wondering if the answer would be “whoops, Mewi was doing something entirely innocent and it’s all a misunderstanding”. But no, Mewi is essentially going through the exact same thing Bel is, only he has decades more experience than she does and knows his own limitations (in fact, one might argue he exaggerates his own limitations). Mewi, on the other hand, is learning fast and getting stronger, to the point where she thinks she can take out some random kidnappers with the help of her friends… only to find they’re not just random thugs after all, and she really is still a kid who is learning. I am… grumpy about Bel slapping Mewi after she’s rescued, but I’ll gloss over it. As for Bel’s future vision, I’m pleased to see it has very definite limits, but it does also allow him to stay ahead of his young students for now… which means, of course, he will still think of them as students. Which ties back to the start. No wife for you.

The anime’s second season is going on, and it does a pretty good job. For those who want to read about a far too modest guy and his amazing sword skills, this is top tier.

Bookshelf Briefs 8/10/26

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Colette Decides to Die, Vol. 7 | By Alto Yukimura | Viz Media – Colette and Hades may be together now (and it’s implied more happens by the end of this omnibus), but that doesn’t mean much has really changed. Most of these two volumes involve meeting more gods. Ares is a young hothead obsessed with challenging Athena to contests… which he always loses. He’s also rather forthright and honest, which may be one reason why. As for Athena, well, her servants certainly love shipping her with other women. The second half of this omnibus shows us Cronus, Hades’ father who is now a rather sulky baby, but also introduces a more serious issue: Hades’ mirror that can tell if someone is lying is shattered, and they may not be able to fix it. Will Hades need to rely on intuition and observation to make sure the right people go to hell? I love this. – Sean Gaffney

In/Spectre, Vol. 21 | By Kyo Shirodaira and Chashiba Katase | Kodansha Manga – Sometimes the best, most likely solution to a mystery is not the one that anyone involved wants to hear. This is especially true when it’s Kotoko doing the sleuthing. Here she proposes a decent enough solution that will allow them to try to get the matriarch of the family to remove her veil… then comes up with a more likely answer that will force the family to lift lids off cans of worms they don’t want to. But on the bright side, it will get that veil off. And there is the (supposedly) final appearance of Mecha-Kotoko, which is designed to take Kotoko herself down a peg and is thus very welcome. This one has a lot less of Kotoko being terrible, so it’s not as good as previous volumes, but I’m still enjoying it a great deal. – Sean Gaffney

Medalist, Vol. 14 | By Tsurumaikada | Kodansha Manga – If the last volume was about Inori having her worst day ever as a figure skater, this volume is about her comeback, and the back half is here to show off her awesomeness. That said, the manga tries not to ignore the other skaters that are also competing, and everyone gets a chance to show off some fantastic moves, technique, speed, et cetera, and the author gets to show off amazing drawing skills. We also get someone who is clearly being set up to be the next major antagonist in the series: Dahlia, the other Japanese competitor in this event. She thinks Inori is “a bit TOO innocent.” Unfortunately, we’re not able to see what Dahlia does until volume fifteen, so we must wait. This remains one of the best manga out there, always spellbinding. – Sean Gaffney

The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Seen, Vol. 1 | By mmk | Viz Media – This is a fairly standard high school romcom with a good gimmick: the guy is handsome but is also a “typical guy,” i.e. he hasn’t remembered the name of the girl who’s sat next to him the whole year, just that she has large breasts. But when he tries another crass remark that he insists is a compliment, she talks about the fact that she can almost see his nipples… and he freaks. Yup, he can dish it out but can’t take it. The rest of the volume has variations on that theme, with the two of them also gradually getting to know each other and developing actual feelings beyond “you are sexually attractive to me.” She’s a little weird. He’s a little annoying. They’re perfect for each other, really. This is cute, but full of sexual leering—on purpose. – Sean Gaffney

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You, Vol. 18 | By Rikito Nakamura and Yukiko Nozawa | Ghost Ship – New volume, new girlfriend. Saiki is a brilliant idol singer, but she longs to be an eccentric brilliant idol singer, emphasis on the eccentric, so keeps trying to do weird things. Naturally, she rejects Rentaro’s confession as too normal for her… until she finds out about his other girlfriends. The other major plotline sees the return of the Rentaro Family idol group… only because he’s got so many new girlfriends, the new girls are the ones who take it on. And, naturally, some girls are really good at idoling, and some… are not. Needless to say, this series remains very heartwarming and (in this volume) only slightly horny. No worries, the horny will return. – Sean Gaffney

Our Dining Table: Seconds, Please!, Vol. 2 | By Mita Ori | Seven Seas – I continue to enjoy this gentle, slice-of-life story, largely because it’s not just about Minoru and Yutaka as a couple, but is equally about Minoru’s relationship with his little brother, Tane. Early in the volume, Minoru and Yutaka put off moving in together because Tane’s just not ready to be without his big brother yet. However, as time goes on, Minoru graduates college and is set to embark on a training course at the same time as Tane is about to begin elementary school. By then, Tane has grown up enough to be more worried about Minoru being all alone than about himself. It’s really sweet, and more than once Tane made me think of Yotsuba. Have I made it clear how much Tane is the true star of this series? Because he totally is (though I do like Minoru and Yutaka, too, of course). – Michelle Smith

Stella Must Die, Vol. 1 | By Yasunori Mitsunaga | Kodansha Manga – Well, this was really, really weird. Take a standard “otome heroine is in danger” situation, and cross it with… Parasyte… and you have this. A king has died and now there’s a throne war. The older siblings need the young princess dead. They try poison. They try assassins. They try summoning demons. But the “shit worm” living inside her intestines, who is a reincarnated Japanese guy, keeps protecting her. The first volume is a combination of setup that I’m sure will pay off later and some truly grotesque situations, though fortunately by the end of the book Stella is aware of what’s going on, rather than just an unconscious prisoner in her own body. I’m not sure I’ll keep going, but this is definitely unique. – Sean Gaffney

The Isle of Paramounts: Reborn into a Slow Life Among the Strongest in the World, Vol. 4

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By Heiseiowari and Noy. Released in Japan as “Tenseishitara Saikyou Shu-tachi ga Sumau Shima deshita. Kono Shima de Slow Life wo Tanoshimimasu” by SQEX Novel. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Alex Castor.

I was talking online about how comfy and relaxing I found this series, and someone pointed out some quotes I made while reading the first book that talked about how tired and cliched it was. And of course both things are correct. There’s nothing here that’s going to make you say “wow, that’s something I’ve never seen before” or “didn’t expect them to react like that!”. But it’s like a nice meat and potato stew in the middle of winter. There’s meat. There’s potatoes. There’s carrots. And that’s about it. You don’t really want much else. We’ve got lots of Arata and Reina being married in all but name but still too shy to do anything about it. They’re raising their adopted daughter, adopted niece, and girl who’s still a bit too loli to get into the harem sweepstakes but she’s working on it. And, of course, we have today’s cover star, the blonde vampire who is hundreds of years old. She’s exactly what you think as well. Thank goodness.

It is pointed out to Arata that while he visited the dragonfolk village, he hasn’t yet visited the ogrefolk village, so he and the rest of his family decide to do just that. There they find that it’s essentially a Japanese hot springs town, and the ogre vibe is so “Japan” that Arata is somewhat overwhelmed by the whole thing. He meets Sakuya, the sister of the ogre he met in previous books, and thankfully she’s not falling for him – though she does help accidentally facilitate the big fanservice scene of the book. A problem comes up, though, when Luna, who is hitting puberty but still can’t remember her ancestor (the trigger for it in this series), winds up possessed, then dying, then back to normal but occasionally possessed again. And then there’s Mina, who’s spent three volumes tormenting our main couple but it’s been hiding her true desires – and Arata wants to give them to her.

There’s some nice backstory for Mina here, which doesn’t tell us anything we hadn’t guessed but does help to set up the big problem. Arata’s wish is to have everyone on the island gather together in peace for a big banquet. Mina is a vampire who wants a really, really really good fight, so that she can finally die. These two are fundamentally incompatible, but this is basically a shonen series, so the outcome of their fight should not surprise you. Honestly, as blonde vampires go, Mina is on the nicer side all round, though Arata and Reina may disagree after she tries to seduce Arata in Reina’s body… and we’re told that she does the same for Reina in Arata’s body. I like to think of that as Mina being a stand in for the reader, who wants to knock their heads together and say “You two need to fuck”. As for the rest of the book, it’s cute. It’s relaxing. It’s uneventful, mostly.

That said, a large number of additional cast may hit in the next volume. We’ll see if that stirs the pot any. Till then, I’ve come to like this quite a bit.