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Young Lady Albert Is Courting Disaster!, Vol. 1

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By Saki and Haduki Futaba. Released in Japan as “Albert-ke no Reijō wa Botsuraku o Goshomō Desu” by Kadokawa Beans Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Ray Krycki.

As everyone knows, we are at the height of a villainess boom right now, with seemingly every single new villainess title getting picked up for publication. That said… are they really new? I looked to see when Young Lady Albert Is Courting Disaster! began as a webnovel, and it debuted in late July, 2014. For comparison, My Next Life As a Villainess debuted in EARLY July, 2014. And the light novel itself had its first volume published in 2015. That said, unfortunately, its translation is being published in 2023, and therefore the reader may have to stop themselves from sighing and saying “total ripoff”. It’s not, really. What’s more, the plot of this is almost the inverse of My Next Life As a Villainess. Katarina Claes does wacky things to avoid getting killed/exiled, and despite these she wins the hearts of everyone. Lady Mary Albert does villainous things to deliberately try to get exiled… and despite these she wins the hearts of everyone. Because at heart, they’re both great people.

Mary Albert is the daughter of a powerful noble house… and she’s just regained her past memories from Japan. She immediately tells her beleaguered manservant that Mary was the villainess in an otome game, doomed to be exiled to northern lands at the end after bullying the heroine for the entire game. Mary’s reaction to these memories is to say “Welp, guess it’s time to be a villainess” and break out her ojou-sama laugh and cruelest remarks. She quickly targets Alicia, the heroine, and verbally abuses her sense of direction… while directing her to the correct place. She viciously mocks her tables manners… by showing her the correct way to eat. Adi, her servant, is getting very frustrated. What the heck is Mary actually trying to achieve? Is there method to this madness?

Actually, yes, there is. I was suckered in a bit. The first third or so of the book is Mary Albert’s increasingly silly attempts to bully the heroine, and those same attempts failing miserably, because at heart Mary is a nice girl. It’s hilarious. Then Adi asks why she’s REALLY doing this, and things get a lot more serious. Mary turns out to be a lot more on the ball than I was expecting, and can see how her family’s political power, as the nation now is, is a massive liability for the future. Her goal, to achieve her ruin, is meant to sacrifice herself to save everyone else, which is impressive… if it were not for the fact that she’s STILL terrible at it. In reality, Alicia becomes her best friend, much to her horror. Oh yes, and there’s also the relationship between her and Adi. He’s clearly in love with her. She’s in love with him too, but as yet unaware. It’s a very solid romance.

This could have been a one-shot, but there’s more to go. Still, it’s a good old-school villainess book, for a good reason: it is old-school, being written long before most other pretenders to the throne. But, most importantly, Mary Albert is a hoot.

Suppose a Kid from the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town, Vol. 12

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By Toshio Satou and Nao Watanuki. Released in Japan as “Tatoeba Last Dungeon Mae no Mura no Shonen ga Joban no Machi de Kurasu Youna Monogatari” by GA Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Andrew Cunningham.

This is a series that is a broad comedy, and is usually content to be just that. The characters are hilarious but also pretty much unrealistic, and the plot will always take a back seat to a joke. That said, there have been a few moments of drama in the books, usually involving Alka’s generation, and it’s the same here. In particular, it’s Eug. There was one scene in the book that had be basically recoiling and going “Jesus Christ”. Surprisingly, it was not the part where she dropped off weapons so horrifying that her soldiers are all appalled at the very though of using them, or her inevitable downfall after being manipulated by Eve. It’s where she gets so angry at the thought of Lloyd that she accidentally breaks her own fingers from clenching her fist too hard. That’s terrifying, and it gives the scenes afterwards a bit of pathos.

It’s time for military exercises, as everyone is posted to a different department. That said, our boy Lloyd is so over-powerful that he’s posted to handing out food to the soldiers, mostly as that also helps to avoid one department getting an advantage over the other. Unfortunately for the country, Eug’s nation has decided (with a little help from Big Bad Eve), that now is the perfect time to invade for real. They have traitors in Azami’s forces. They have really powerful tac nukes. They have soldiers who have recently been given delicious hot meals… by Lloyd? Wait, what the hell is Lloyd doing aiding and abetting the enemy? Unfortunately, Marie has an even bigger problem: some hussy in a hood is the new military advisor, and she’s taking the queen’s place in her father’s heart!

A series like this advances its plot bit by bit, so it’s no surprise that only three real things of consequence happen here. The first is that Rinko reveals herself to Marie, which is mostly played for comedy, but allows the joke to not get stale. The second is the revelation of what actually happened to all the Earth scientists, which turns out to be totally different from what we thought. And indeed what most of them thought as well, particularly Eug, whose repressed guilt over the population of Earth is what allows her to be so easily manipulated. And the third, of course, is the removal of Eug from the board, though I expect that will be temporary. Eve is now very definitely the main antagonist, and it will be interesting to see how things go. Oh yes, it was also nice to see Lloyd essentially lose here, and even get injured enough he had to be carried off. That’s a rarity in these books about Lloyd being basically invincible.

So yeah, a decent entry in the series, though I admit Marie’s patheticness is starting to wear on me. The author knows she’s #1 in the harem stakes, but is doing too good a job of knocking her back.

The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices, Vol. 2

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By Mamecyoro and Mitsuya Fuji. Released in Japan as “Watashi wa Gotsugou Shugi na Kaiketsu Tantou no Oujo de aru” by B’s-LOG Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Sarah Moon.

This is one of those “everything is the same as the previous volume, until it isn’t” volumes. For the most part, the first three-quarters of Book 2 are the same as most of Book 1. Octavia is attending a ball in the hopes to find a (fake) boyfriend, and has someone in mind who will be there. Unfortunately, she’s dealing with the fact that everyone else sees her thinks she’s some sort of evil spectre with supernatural influence on the lives of everyone she meets. Most of this volume deals with her learning about this, and trying to use it for her own ends, with limited success. (Octavia’s life can sometimes be described as the “I’m a Genius!… Oh no!” meme.) Then we get to the point where she’s about to achieve her goal and meet the guy she’s come there to see… and actually seeing him terrifies her so much that she flees immediately. Then… the rest of the book happens.

Octavia, with her bodyguard Klifford about about 8 other guards (she *is* a princess, after all) is on her way to a ball held by noble Rosa Reddington, where she will hopefully get to meet Rust Byrne, the person she’s tagged for her “get a fake boyfriend” plan. On the way there, though, she meets up with Sil, who is about to have a tragic carriage accident, and rescues him. Sil is going to the ball as well, without telling his lover Sirius. He wants to find out about his real family… something he says that Octavia secretly inspired him to do. (This is true, but it was mostly by accident.) Once at the ball, it becomes apparent that Rosa has engineered for Octavia to dance with someone, because it turns out that any dance partner she’s ever had has either risen to glory or fallen to destruction. This is news to Octavia. And then there’s the man she supposedly came to meet…

Of all the light novels I ever thought I would comp[are this series to, The Saga of Tanya the Evil was certainly not one of them. The last quarter of the volume, though, reminds ,me quite a bit of the start of Tanya. Octavia recalls her death, and has the obligatory meeting with “God” afterwards. Except that God is an asshole. And says her death was an accident, but he can’t be bothered to revive her because her soul isn’t that important. This causes her to get angry… and the negotiation that follows upends this entire series. That said, the biggest takeaway that we get is that Octavia, whose attempts at bettering her life were mostly centered around herself, is now going to try to better her life by changing the entire kingdom. That’s definitely going to put her up against her brother, and probably the majority of the nobility, but it’s also the only way to get back at God. She may even have to become a villain.

So yeah, still loving this series a lot more than I expected. Can’t wait for the third book.

I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss, Vol. 5

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By Sarasa Nagase and Mai Murasaki. Released in Japan as “Akuyaku Reijo Nanode Rasubosu o Katte Mimashita” by Kadokawa Beans Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Taylor Engel.

I am a great fan of this series, which is one of the best in the Villainess genre. That said, reading every volume can be stressful and exhausting. More than any other book, you get the sense that if Aileen relaxes at all, takes her foot off the gas one little bit, she’ll immediately be executed. There’s never any downtime in these books. Hell, that’s the running gag at the start of this volume, before things inevitably turn serious: she can’t consummate her marriage because plot keeps happening. And the plot really, really wants things to happen the way the games were written. Interestingly, for once no one talks about trying to execute Aileen here. That said, they do say that Claude has to marry someone else, and also that he will be turning into a demon. You get the sense the implication is there. But yes, here we go again, time for Aileen to fight fate, and this time even her allies are seemingly turning on her.

Aileen and Claude are now back home after the events of the last book, and are ready to consummate. Sadly, even if the plot weren’t getting in the way, Aileen’s still too nervous about sex for anything to happen. But things do happen, and they’re interrupted by the arrival of Luciel, a demon who claims to be Claude’s father, and refuses to recognixe Aileen as Claude’s wife. What’s more, the nearby Kingdom of Hausel is having a Bridal Royale, with the winner getting to become the new ruler… oh, and also getting Claude, of course. Honestly, this is sounding a lot like the plot of the fourth game, to be honest, but there’s one slight problem: the fourth game took place six hundred years before the first three! Is fate out for Aileen’s head so badly that it will redo everything to get the ending it wants?

I hate to inform you, but this is a two-parter, so we don’t get all the answers in this first book. That said, the answer definitely appears to be “yes” so far, as Grace Dark, the antagonist of this book, is going around trying to get the “real” heroines back on their routes. She’s only mildly successful in this regard. Sahra is a pushover, and mostly goes along to help Ares. Serena knows this is fishy, but is at present so disgusted with Auguste’s waffling that she’s prepared to be a traitor. And Lilia just finds the whole thing hilarious, of course. And then there’s Aileen, who spends the whole book running around putting out fires, getting kidnapped, crashing a wedding, and generally being as badass as possible. Which is fantastic, that’s why we read these books. It’s just there’s is, as I said, the problem that if she ever stops for a breath everything she loves will be destroyed.

So yeah, very good book, but read it when you’re ready to be tense. I will say that so far Aileen has not died. We’ll see what the 6th book brings.

Bookshelf Briefs 4/20/23

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The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Vol. 17 | By Kore Yamazaki | Seven Seas – It’s been a long time since I reviewed this series, but I have been keeping up. We’re currently at an interesting point, as we see a war between the “magic has consequences, and sometimes those consequences are tragic, and there’s nothing you can do about that” part of the story, and the “screw that, I’m going to save my friend no matter what” part of the story, which is to say, Chise’s part. I’m honestly still not sure if we’re going to be able to not have Philomela die… and even if she is saved, she may have to be written out of the cast anyway. Also, there are some terrifying drawings here, and a nice examination of how family frequently is terrible. Still excellent. – Sean Gaffney

Blue Box, Vol. 3 | By Kouji Miura | Viz Media – The author is finally starting to give Chinatsu some focus here, which is good. The focus is more on her struggles in sports, though. This title is balancing the sports and romance, but I’d say at the moment it’s more a 65-35 split, with sports being the 65. That means we also get the results of Taiki’s badminton competition, where he does much better than anyone expected… but does not win. That sort of result is fairly standard in these sorts of Jump sports manga, and you can see why—it always leaves an impact. As for Chinatsu, I think she may have to have a girls’ talk with Hina soon so that we can resolve the fact that Hina is The Other Girl in a series that’s not going to tolerate that for long. – Sean Gaffney

Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon, Vol. 4 | By Shio Usui | Seven Seas – Last time I said I didn’t think this would go down the asexual route, and here I am eating my words. The emotional climax of the story comes both from Hinako and Asahi admitting that they love each other and want to make a life together, while also confessing to each other that they don’t really have the desire to kiss or other stuff with their romantic partner. I’m so used to seeing series like this quietly walk back the lack of sexual attraction once the main couple get together that I found this all the more affecting. The rest of the book also wrapped things up very nicely, including some closure for the other two cast members. One of the better yuri titles we’ve seen lately. – Sean Gaffney

Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible, Vol. 6 | By Nene Yukimori | Viz Media – The main thrust of this series continues to be the cute, adorable moments, but I will grant you that we are seeing considerable character development as well. Shiraishi still has to cross a monumental chasm to get a hold of some self-esteem, but people are noticing him more, and he did a group event well. As for Kubo, here we find that a lot of her own classroom habits stem from having to live up to the example of her older sister—who we’ve seen as the one who teases Kubo but apparently was also effortlessly good in school… whereas Kubo really needs to put in a LOT of effort. It’s good stuff, and will keep you going till new episodes of the anime return in May. – Sean Gaffney

May I Ask for One Final Thing?, Vol. 1 | By Nana Otori and Sora Hoonoki | AlphaPolis (digital only) – This small Japanese publisher has released a few titles in English, and we’re getting volume releases (sadly, exclusive to Kindle for now). This was the one I picked up, as it has a LOT of buzz. It’s a standard villainess start, with our seemingly cool, stoic villainess being shamed by her fiance, who declares his love for the smug heroine. So far so normal. Then we get the title remark… and our villainess lets loose a punch that will have you cheering. Turns out she just loves violence, and has been holding herself back for the sake of the kingdom. Thankfully, there is another (eccentric but not evil) prince, who appreciates her more. This was hilarious. Volumes two and three are also available. – Sean Gaffney

orange: to you, dear one | By Ichigo Takano | Seven Seas – It’s been over five years since the last volume of orange, but I was easily able to slide back in and remember all the characters and situations. (Which is more than I could say for Dreamin’ Sun, the author’s other manga, which gets a somewhat pointless crossover at the end of this book.) Each of the main characters gets a chapter or two focusing on advice from a future self they’re never going to be, and those future selves also write letters to Kakeru encouraging him and giving him hope. Which he needs, as he meets his father in this volume as well, who is an absolute asshole that will make you want to throw your book across the room. Thankfully, Kakeru has his friends. Oh yes, and yay, confession at LAST! -Sean Gaffney

Under Ninja, Vol. 1 | By Kengo Hanazawa | Denpa – When we’re first introduced to seventeen-year-old Kuro Kumogakure, nothing about his behavior or living situation suggests that he’s actually part of a secret ninja organization. He drinks beer in the middle of the day, blows darts at the ceiling, and watches DVDs to pass the time. His dull but safe existence is upended by the arrival of a messenger who gives him an assignment: infiltrate a local high school by posing as a student. Though the premise seems ripe with comic potential, the story can’t settle on a tone. There are a few outbursts of graphic violence that cast a pall over the early chapters, as do some uncomfortable jokes at the expense of Kuro’s landlady. Perhaps the worst running gag involves a wannabe Russian ninja whose inability to read Japanese results in gory mayhem; his enthusiasm for Japanese culture might be darkly amusing if the rest of the story was lighter on its feet, but instead reinforces the sour mood. Not recommended. – Katherine Dacey

The Villainess and the Demon Knight, Vol. 1 | By Nekota and Seikan | Ghost Ship – I was just about ready to drop this after the first chapter. As a “villainess,” Cecilia is a bit of a drip, and as a love interest, Lucas is a bit too forceful and obsessed. Fortunately, it sort of improves as it goes along, with a few laugh-out-loud moments, and backstory showing that she’s not as pathetic as she appeared, and he is… well, no, he’s your standard shoujo “being a an obsessed psycho is kinda hot” boyfriend, but his intentions beyond sex are at least good. And the sex scenes aren’t too bad. Villainess fans can skip this, but Ghost Ship fans should find something here to like. And it’s got a maid who can terrify people with merely a smile. I love that. – Sean Gaffney

Manga the Week of 4/26/23

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SEAN: Manga the Week of is here for all of your manga needs. All of our contributors are with other customers right now. Please hold.

MICHELLE: Your position in the queue is… 7.

SEAN: We start with Yen Press, who have two stragglers from last week: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side: Sword Oratoria 19 and Kowloon Generic Romance 3.

ASH: Only two, eh? I hear Kowloon Generic Romance is a good one!

SEAN: A brief detour to look at academic publisher Wiley. They’re putting out six books in a series called Manga for Success, that are basically corporate help books that use manga to break things down in an easy to follow way. They appear to be based on a set of Japanese books that came out about eight years ago.

ASH: Wow! It’s not often that academic publishers are releasing manga.

SEAN: There’s a new Viz Signature debut, Boy’s Abyss (Shounen no Abyss). It’s a Weekly Young Jump series that’s Boy Meets Girl, but also has the tags ‘psychological’, ‘drama’, and ‘tragedy’, so expect a bit more than high school hijinks. A high school boy with a very dull life finds a pop idol working at his local store one day.

MICHELLE: Hm …

ASH: The cover artwork is striking and I am intrigued.

SEAN: There’s also The Art of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (an artbook) and Jujutsu Kaisen: Thorny Road at Dawn (a light novel).

ASH: While I’ve fallen behind the Demon Slayer curve, I am glad the artbook was licensed.

SEAN: Two BL one-shots from Tokyopop. Cut Over Criteria runs in a magazine titled NUUDE, and as you can imagine is a mature title. Office romance between a new recruit and a brooding systems engineer.

There’s also Platinum Blood, also running in the same magazine, about the relationship between a priest and a vampire, and it has like 5 different content warnings on he solicit.

(Yeah, I know, shut up. I swear it said 4/18 on their website last week.)

A debut from Square Enix. Daemons of the Shadow Realm (Yomi no Tsugai) is the latest title from Hiromu Arakawa (Fullmetal Alchemist, Silver Spoon, etc.) and runs in Shonen Gangan. A boy lives a quiet life in his quiet mountain village… until his younger sister is called to work at the local jail. Which also means being confined in the local jail. What’s going on here?

ANNA: OK, I’m curious now!

ASH: Hiromu Arakawa, you say!

SEAN: We also get Otherside Picnic 4 and Suppose a Kid from the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town 8.

Two debuts from Seven Seas. My Girlfriend’s Child (Ano Ko no Kodomo) is a shoujo series from Betsufure. A young couple in high school have to deal with the fact that she’s now pregnant. This has been nominated for some awards.

MICHELLE: The art on the cover is interesting!

ANNA: Also intrigued.

ASH: Likewise.

SEAN: And there’s a new danmei novel, Remnants of Filth: Yuwu. This is set in the same world as The Husky and His White Cat Shizun. Two commanders in love are torn apart when one betrays their nation. But what’s the real story?

ANNA: I need to read so many other danmei novels.

ASH: I am so glad these are coming out, but I am so far behind.

SEAN: Seven Seas also has Free Life Fantasy Online: Immortal Princess 3, The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún Deluxe Edition III, The Haunted Bookstore – Gateway to a Parallel Universe 3, My Lovey-Dovey Wife is a Stone Cold Killer 4, My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero’s 4, Reincarnated as a Sword 10, Succubus and Hitman 3, and Yakuza Reincarnation 5.

ASH: The deluxe editions of The Girl From the Other Side are so pretty.

SEAN: Kodansha Books has the second volume of Am I Actually the Strongest?.

Kodansha Manga has more. In print: Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card 13, EDENS ZERO 22, Fire Force 32, The Heroic Legend of Arslan 17, I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability 5, The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World 5, Phantom of the Idol 5, and Shangri-La Frontier 5. (That’s a lot of 5s.)

Debuting digitally is Love, That’s an Understatement (Hikaeme ni Itte mo, Kore wa Ai). This is a new Dessert series from the Lovesick Ellie creator. A high school girl saves a delinquent she finds beaten up in the park. She refuses any repayment… but suddenly finds that this guy and his minions are all around her now!

MICHELLE: Having adored Lovesick Ellie, I’m really interested in this one!

ANNA: Oh, as a fan of Lovesick Ellie I am intrigued but I wish it was coming out in print.

SEAN: Other digital titles: Boss Bride Days 4, Even Given the Worthless “Appraiser” Class, I’m Actually the Strongest 7, Gamaran: Shura 7, Girlfriend, Girlfriend 13, Hozuki’s Coolheadedness 13, Koigakubo-kun Stole My First Time 4, Love After World Domination 6 (the final volume), My Home Hero 3, Our Bodies, Entwining, Entwined 5, and Space Brothers 42.

There’s three debuts and one side story debut from J-Novel Club. The side story is Ascendance of a Bookworm: Short Story Collection, which is just what it sounds like, and covers everything from Myne’s early days making paper to Rozemyne’s academy adventures.

ASH: Yay!

SEAN: The Apothecary Witch Turned Divorce Agent (Kusushi no Majo Desu ga, Nazeka Fukugyō de Rikon Daikō Shiteimasu) is sadly not about a crusading woman going after asshole husbands, which is what I thought it would be. Carla’s not a very good witch, which is why she runs the divorce agency. Though… everyone who sees her for a divorce ends up getting back together?

ANNA: I wish it was about encouraging divorce, that sounds much more interesting.

SEAN: A Cave King’s Road to Paradise: Climbing to the Top with My Almighty Mining Skills! (Dōkutsu Ō kara Hajimeru Rakuen Life: Bannō no Saikutsu Skill de Saikyō ni!?) is one of those “I have a power everyone thinks is useless, so suddenly I am hated, exiled, and left to die series. Spoiler, it’s not useless.

There’s also A Royal Rebound: Forget My Ex-Fiancé, I’m Being Pampered by the Prince! (Konyakusha ga Uwakiaite to Kakeochi Shimashita. Ōji Denka ni Dekiaisarete Shiawase nanode, Ima sara Modoritai to Iwarete mo Komarimasu). A young woman is happily engaged and studying to be a mage… but when she gets to the academy, suddenly her fiance is shunning her? What’s going on here?

And we get I Surrendered My Sword for a New Life as a Mage 2, Monster Tamer 13, Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke: This Time I’m Gonna Tell Her How I Feel! 10 (the final volume), and The Tales of Marielle Clarac’s 6th manga volume.

From Ghost Ship we get Ayakashi Triangle 3, JK Haru is a Sex Worker in Another World 5, SUPER HXEROS 10, and Wicked Trapper: Hunter of Heroes 2.

Two debuts from Cross Infinite World. Lovestruck Prince! I’ll Fight the Heroine for My Villainess Fiancée! (Betabore no Kon’yakusha ga Akuyaku Reijou ni Sare sou na no de Heroine-gawa ni wa Sore Souou no Mukui wo Ukete Morau) is both a “someone is trying to make a non-evil girl into a villainess” book as well as a rare villainess book with a male protagonist.

The Reincarnated Villainess Won’t Seek Revenge (Tensei Shita Akuyaku Reijou wa Fukushuu wo Nozomanai) is also a Villainess book, of course. A young noble is hanged for a crime she didn’t commit. Now reincarnated, all her new self wants to do is live a quiet life away from politics. Sadly, she’s not the only one reincarnated, and everyone ELSE around her wants to get her revenge for her.

Airship gives us 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! 3, Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?! 15, and I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire! 4.

And in early digital, they have Disciple of the Lich: Or How I Was Cursed by the Gods and Dropped Into the Abyss! 5 and The Haunted Bookstore – Gateway to a Parallel Universe 5.

Thank you for holding, how may we assist you?

Spy Classroom Short Story Collection: Bridal Royale

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By Takemachi and Tomari. Released in Japan as “Spy Kyoushitsu” by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Nathaniel Thrasher.

When I reviewed the 4th volume of The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady the other day, I talked about how the success of the anime gave me a new appreciation and love of the books. The same season that that anime ran, we also had the first season of the adaptation of Spy Classroom. Sadly, here I have the opposite problem, as I have to remind myself that I actually did enjoy this series and was looking forward to the next book. Fortunately, this short story collection is in prose, which is the series’ greatest strength, and so I don’t have to worry about lame attempts to hide Erna under a table. Also, I know it’s a short story collection, so am not really expecting it to be more than it already is. As such, I am pleased to say that this is a solid book in the series, with the ending especially pleasing me a great deal, even as it really leans in to having its cake and eating it too.

The wraparound plot, and final short story, involves the girls finding out that Klaus has married one of them on paper for the sake of missions where he needs a wife. However, no one is admitting they’re the wife. As such, interrogations ensue, which form the four main short stories. We see Klaus and Sybilla embark on a miniature Oliver Twist story, only one where Bill Sikes rather than Fagin is the leader. We then see Sara, who already has low self-esteem in regards to being a spy, trying to make herself usual by repairing the mansion, which ends up turning into a contest. Monika goes on a solo mission where we learn her backstory, and she also bonds with the mark she’s trying to take care of, despite her best efforts to be cool and collected. And Grete tries to help Klaus by saving the local meat pie shop he likes, which ends up becoming an escalating comedy of errors. Finally, there’s only one way to resolve the wife question… have a winner-take-all fight to determine who gets to be Klaus’ new bride!

The four main stories all ran in Dragon Magazine, which exists primarily to run short stories for light novel franchises. They’re all pretty decent, though the meat pie story was struggling to keep my attention. The four girls who star were chosen as they weren’t the focus of the first volume in the main series, so this fleshed them out. (This takes place mostly before the climax of Vol. 1, with the rest happening right before the start of Vol. 2). If you like romance, you’ll enjoy this, as most of the cast are in love with Klaus, and a few are not shy of saying so. If you hate the idea of romance, though, you will also love this, as Klaus makes it very clear that he sees his relationship with the girls as teacher and students, does not want to cross a line he shouldn’t, and hopes they all find other partners. I am in the camp that prefers this cast as a found family, so to me this was the best part of the book.

So yes, wipe that taste of the anime out of your mouth, the books are fine. What’s more, for some odd reason, this SS volume did not follow Yen’s normal publishing schedule, meaning we only have a month till the fifth book in the main series. I look forward to it.

The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, Vol. 4

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By Piero Karasu and Yuri Kisaragi. Released in Japan as “Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei” by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Haydn Trowell.

Since my review of the third volume, we have had the anime version of this series, which covered the first three books. In my opinion, it was a fantastic success, and the way that it adapted the books, changing and cutting things to the anime’s benefit, was a definite highlight. That said, there were some people who bemoaned a lot of the world building and discussion of magical technicalities getting cut from the anime. If that was you, good news! The books are still here, and they are still being very nerdy. This volume digs deep into the heart of magic vs. magicology, and why the latter is terrifying a number of the nobles remaining at everyone’s least favorite ministry. Can you change the prejudices and thoughts of an entire country by letting go of the past, or does the past need to be embraced as well? And, most importantly, why are all the books written like they sell for $200 on Amazon from Paletia University Press?

Anis and Euphie are now a couple, although it would appear their intimacy in bed is limited to Euphie taking Anis’ magical energy rather than taking Anis. Moreover, Anis now has two new assistants, since Euphie’s additional responsibilities mean she can’t be Anis’ assistant anymore. Halphys and Garkie… erm, Gark help Anis to think about what about magicology would help win over the nobles, who already have magic to do what she’s doing with kettles and the like? There’s also the problem of Lainie. Now that the dust has settled and she has a prominent position in Anis’ household, she’s getting marriage offers she does not want. And, of course, there’s the succession, as Anis’ father decides that now is the time to step down from the throne and let the next ruler take over. Who will be Queen? (I mean, we know who’ll be Queen, but let’s pretend we don’t.)

I had to laugh at the appearance of Tilty in this book. She’s there for about five pages, tells everyone they’re idiots, is absolutely infuriated, and storms off, having started the process of solving the problem. Unfortunately, the problem with Lainie is her crippling self-hatred, as the idea that anyone might actually be in love with her and not just influenced by her vampire powers causes her to have a complete meltdown. It was also nice to see Ilia actually screw up, and show that the relationship she and Anis have is very beneficial to them but can also be detrimental in regards to others. As for Anis and the Ministry of the Arcane, I also enjoyed how that played out. The remaining nobles know what the winning side is, they just want to ensure that they still have a place somewhere on it. You don’t want to help with your own downsizing.

I had a ball reading this book, and think those who enjoyed the anime will as well. It also wraps up nicely as a finale to the series… but don’t worry, there’s more coming.

Raven of the Inner Palace, Vol. 2

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By Kouko Shirakawa and Ayuko. Released in Japan as “Kōkyū no Karasu” by Shueisha Orange Bunko. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Amelia Mason.

I mentioned last time that this was a mystery series, and that’s still true here. The book is set up so that we have the chapter itself, which is a self-contained “a ghost is causing problems” thing for Jusetsu to deal with, but each chapter also adds to the overall narrative of Jusetsu and the Emperor getting closer to each other despite the entire world seeming to throw “do not do this” signs at them. But this second volume also amps up another part of this series, which is the horror. There is some deeply creepy shit going on here, and honestly the chapter that began with a court maid being found dead with her throat ripped out was on the milder end of the spectrum. These ghosts have issues, and just because Jusetsu is here to try to get them to the afterlife doesn’t mean she’s always going to succeed. Especially since it seems she has a distaff counterpart, the owl to her raven. And he’s trying to kill her.

The first story here has Jusetsu meet a young eunuch who is tormented by a ghost that only he can see, one that keeps apologizing in the direction of the concubine of that quarters. Who is the ghost and what does it have to do with gorgeous blue feathers? In the second story (and the most horrific of the lot), an old woman begs Jusetsu to try to put to rest the spirit of a young concubine who drowned herself, but the main issue is that some people, even when grieving, have to make it all about them. The third story has a mask with holes in the eyes which, when put on, shows a ghost who seems to be very interested in a specific kind of lute playing. And the final story has Jusetsu get involved with a concubine who has been somewhat off the rails since her brother died, and who will accept any help in order to get her brother back.

It’s very odd seeing the inner narrative push back against what we, as a reader, want. Jusetsu is a kind and lonely young girl who is starting to really come out of her shell now that she’s surrounded by people. She’s got a cute servant girl, a nice bodyguard, an older woman to give (wordless, her tongue was cut out) advice, and of course the Emperor dropping by all the time, seemingly infatuated with her. This is definitely good in an emotional way. But man, the backstory and the actions of others within the narrative have it being painted as this massive disaster, and honestly you can’t help but since every time she shows empathy to someone new and yet another person reminds her “the raven consort but always be alone”. And then there’s the end of the boo, which gives her her very own nemesis, who is going to murder her for her own good. Well, for the raven’s own good. Jusetsu is just unfortunate baggage.

As you can imagine, these are very good books. If you like your fantasy dark and don’t mind some creepy ghosts, definitely get this.

The Reincarnated Princess Spends Another Day Skipping Story Routes, Vol. 7

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By Bisu and Yukiko. Released in Japan as “Tensei Oujo wa Kyou mo Hata o Tatakioru” by Arian Rose. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Esther Sun.

This is not the final volume in the series – the eighth book is currently streaming on the J-Novel Club site, and has the standard romance novel final volume cover (heroine in wedding dress), but this does pretty much resolve all the remaining plot points that we had. This includes the love story, which takes up most of the first half of this book, and the demon lord story, which takes up most of the second half. I actually quite like the way that one shifted to the other. After the traditional Misunderstanding (TM), Rosemary has locked herself in her room and refuses to see anyone. Now, in reality this is because she’s a lovesick teenager who thinks the guy she loves is confessing to another woman, but to the rest of the palace it looks like she’s trying to protect everyone because she knows she’s possessed by the demon lord. Which is… not QUITE true, but honestly, events happen in the same way they would if it were.

After the events of the last book, everyone is basically terrified that the demon lord has possessed Rosemary, and her father is in fact coming up with a plan just in case they’re unable to save her. Kanon, our Japanese import, is of course devastated that all this has happened because Rosemary took the attack meant for her. And Leonhart is upset that he wasn’t able to protect her, upset that he cannot convey his love to her, upset that he’s unworthy of her because he’s too old/too common/whatever. That said, no one is sitting around waiting for things to get worse. The sorcerers are busy trying to design a demon lord-catching trap, and Rosemary, despite being a devastated teenager, really is researching possible ways out of this. That said, the actual power behind the demon lord turns out to be far closer to her than anyone could have guessed…

There’s some interesting isekai physics here, which Kanon and Rosemary discuss. Basically, she’s been summoned but they can send her back fairly easily at the moment… but the longer they wait, the more the “hole” that she went through to go from Japan to this world will deform, and eventually she won’t be able to return. Hell, I’m not even sure whether she will be returning – there’s no way she can miss the wedding next book, right? As for Rosemary and Leonhart, yeah, sorry to spoil the obvious, but they’re not destroyed by the demon lord, and they do eventually manage to confess to each other, after not one but TWO false starts where they do it while the other is sleeping. As for her other potential boyfriends, well, they’re sad, but I think in the end it’s very much a case of “as long as Rosemary is alive, that’s fine”. Which, given the entire premise of this book has been “trying to stop Rosemary getting killed”, thematically fits.

So we’ve almost wrapped everything up, and I for one am quite happy to have a victory lap if that’s what we get… unless, of course, there’s one final assassination attempt that Rosemary has missed. Either way, this has been a good romantic thriller.

The Manga Review: Who Do You Read?

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A few months ago, I put out a call on Twitter asking other manga lovers for podcast recommendations. I was inundated with so many terrific suggestions that I created a podcast directory at The Manga Critic. Now I’m turning to the internet to ask about your reading habits–specifically, which websites do you visit for manga reviews? Do you have a favorite manga critic (or critics)? Do you write about manga? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, I’d like to hear from you so! Feel free to post a comment here or reach out to me via Twitter (@manga_critic).

AROUND THE WEB…

Fancy a bit of the old ultraviolence? The Mangasplainers have the series for you: Keisuke Itagaki’s New Baki Grappler, one of the most bloody, muscle-bound manga ever translated into English. [Mangasplaining]

On the latest Manga Machinations podcast, the gang compare notes on Yamada Murasaki’s trailblazing short stories. [Manga Machinations]

The OverMangaCast crew dishes the dirt on chapters 21-40 of Oshi no Ko. [OverMangaCast]

Harry compiles a list of five manga that explore different Japanese art forms, from calligraphy to flower arranging. [Honey’s Anime]

Reuben Baron caught up with manga artist Shiu Yoshijima at Anime Boston for a brief conversation about her work and influences. [Anime Boston]

Can’t make it to TCAF this year? Do the next best thing: shop the TCAF Digital Marketplace for a variety of comics, zines, art prints, and t-shirts. The shop goes live on April 21st! [TCAF]

Are sports manga finally having a moment in the US? Brigid Alverson weighs in on the growing popularity of Blue Lock, and notes some other interesting trends in the March 2023 Circana Bookscan data. [ICv2]

REVIEWS

Over at The Wonder of Anime, Lisa De La Cruz reviews Until I Love Myself: The Journey of a Non-Binary Manga Artist. “Overall, Until I Love Myself is a gut-wrenching read,” she notes. “I don’t think I’ve ever read something that shook me as much as this did.”

Manga the Week of 4/19/23

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SEAN: Spring is rapidly becoming summer in April here, I dunno about you. Will my manga wilt in the heat?

ASH: I’m enjoying the change in weather at the moment, but if this is spring I worry about what summer will feel like.

ANNA: The snow here only melted last weekend!

SEAN: Airship, in print, has the 8th and final volume of Accomplishments of the Duke’s Daughter and The World’s Fastest Level Up 2.

And early digital volumes of The Case Files of Jeweler Richard 4, The Most Notorious “Talker” Runs the World’s Greatest Clan 4, and The Strange Adventure of a Broke Mercenary 8.

Dark Horse has a 12th omnibus volume of Gantz.

Ghost Ship has nothing next week, but Seven Seas has a Mature-rated BL title, so I’ll put it here. We see Love is an Illusion! 2.

ASH: Seems appropriate.

SEAN: J-Novel Club has some print next week. Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 2 Vol. 6 (this is the manga), My Friend’s Little Sister Has It in For Me! 7, and Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles Omnibus 9.

ASH: Bookworm! (I really do need to catch up.)

SEAN: Digitally we get two debuts. Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte (Tsundere Akuyaku Reijou Liselotte to Jikkyou no Endo-kun to Kaisetsu no Kobayashi-san) is the manga adaptation of the light novel series that also got an anime recently. It runs in B’s-Log Comic.

The other debut is a light novel coming after J-Novel Club licensed the manga version. Young Lady Albert Is Courting Disaster (Albert-ke no Reijou wa Botsuraku wo Goshomou desu) and has the interesting premise where a “reincarnated in an otome game” noble tries her hardest to be the villainess and harass the heroine… she’s just terrible at being bad.

Also from J-Novel Club: Black Summoner’s 11th manga volume, The Coppersmith’s Bride 2, Full Clearing Another World under a Goddess with Zero Believers 7, and Now I’m a Demon Lord! Happily Ever After with Monster Girls in My Dungeon 4.

Kodansha Books has a light novel debut: Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for my Retirement (Rougo ni Sonaete Isekai de 8-manmai no Kinka o Tamemasu). Sol Press had released two volumes of this before, but this is (I presume) a new translation. It’s from the creator of Make My Abilities Average, and got an anime recently.

ASH: I find it interesting how these titles move around.

SEAN: From Kodansha Manga we see print books for Blue Lock 6, Go! Go! Loser Ranger! 4, Rent-a-Girlfriend 18, and Something’s Wrong With Us 14.

ASH: I really ought to give Blue Lock a try sooner rather than later.

ANNA: Going to pick this up for one of my kids.

SEAN: And digitally we see Boss Wife 6, The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses 7, Gamaran 8, Our Fake Marriage 11, and SHAMAN KING: MARCOS 5 (the final volume).

One Peace Books has a new sequel, I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons (Hidamari ga Kikoeru: Shunkashuutou). This Canna release continues the story from previous volumes.

MICHELLE: Ooh, I didn’t know about this one!

ASH: Always happy to see more of this series!

ANNA: I am also surprised and delighted although I need to catch up.

SEAN: Seven Seas has one debut, a yuri title. Does it Count if You Lose Your Virginity to an Android? (Android wa Keiken Ninzuu ni Hairimasu ka??), a Comic Yuri Hime title featuring a robotics engineer who’s brilliant but also can barely take care of herself. She orders an android to help clean up… but the android has designs on her.

ASH: I’ll admit to being intrigued.

SEAN: Seven Seas also gives us Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon: My Party Tried to Kill Me, But Thanks to an Infinite Gacha I Got LVL 9999 Friends and Am Out For Revenge 2, BARBARITIES 2, THE EXO-DRIVE REINCARNATION GAMES: All-Japan Isekai Battle Tournament! 3 (the final volume), The Invincible Shovel 5, Kemono Jihen 5, Namekawa-san Won’t Take a Licking! 3, Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Maiden Court 2, and Tokyo Revengers 9-10.

MICHELLE: I need to catch up on Kemono Jihen before it gets away from me entirely.

SEAN: Tentai Books has Turning the Tables on the Seatmate Killer 2 (yes, I know, it’s out already… like Denpa, I treat Tentai’s release dates with a grain of salt, so I tend to put it on the list once I see it on retail sites.)

Two BL one-shots from Tokyopop. Cut Over Criteria runs in a magazine titled NUUDE, and as you can imagine is a mature title. Office romance between a new recruit and a brooding systems engineer.

There’s also Platinum Blood, also running in the same magazine, about the relationship between a priest and a vampire, and it has like 5 different content warnings on he solicit.

Viz has a debut comedic romance from Media Factory’s Niconico Seiga. Love’s in Sight! (Yankee-kun to Hakujou Girl) is the story of a delinquent who’s won countless fights, but now faces his greatest challenge when he falls for a blind girl.

ASH: I do like a good delinquent story.

ANNA: I also enjoy delinquents.

SEAN: Viz also has the 12th and final volume of Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction, Mission: Yozakura Family 4, Record of Ragnarok 6, Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 22–26 (also a final volume), Ultraman 18, and Undead Unluck 11.

And finally there is Yen. Yen On has two debuts that are sequels or side stories. Sasaki and Miyano: First-Years is the sequel … OK, prequel. Spy Classroom Short Story Collection is the side collection.

Also from Yen On: Cross-Dressing Villainess Cecilia Sylvie 4, The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy 8, The Hero Laughs While Walking the Path of Vengeance a Second Time 5, I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too 2, I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss 5, In the Land of Leadale 8, King’s Proposal 2, Magical Explorer 4, The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady 4, The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices 2, Sugar Apple Fairy Tale 3, Suppose a Kid from the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town 12, and The Vexations of a Shut-In Vampire Princess 4.

ASH: So many!

SEAN: Yen Press also has debuts. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Familia Chronicle Episode Freya is a manga spinoff based on the light novel spinoff. It runs in Manga Up!.

K-ON! Shuffle is a new spinoff of K-On!, starring a completely different cast. But the plot is the same.

Sugar Apple Fairy Tale is the 2nd manga adaptation of the light novel series. It got a 2-volume shoujo one 10 years ago, but this is the seinen one from Young Ace.

Sunbeams in the Sky (Sunbeams in the Sky) is a romance from GFantasy, so theoretically could be shonen or shoujo. Twin sisters are about to start at a new high school… then circumstances cause one of them to hide in her room for the foreseeable future. Can the other twin convince her to come out by pretending to be her?

What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? is a manwha title about an arrogant boss who is startled to find the perfect secretary, who’s kept his life together for almost a decade, is quitting! This is based on a novel, and I’d slot it in as josei.

MICHELLE: Hm. I am kind of in a manhwa mood lately…

ASH: There have been some good ones coming out recently!

ANNA: I’m curious about this.

SEAN: The Witch and the Knight Will Survive (Majo to Kishi wa Ikinokoru) is a seinen title from Young Ace Up. A knight finds his home village wiped out, allegedly the cause of a witch. He vows revenge… but is she really responsible?

ASH: That’s a fair number of debuts.

SEAN: Yen also has non-debuts, believe it or not. Catch These Hands! 4 (the final volume), Cheeky Brat 6, Combatants Will Be Dispatched! 8, The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy 2, Doomsday with My Dog 2, The Eminence in Shadow 6, The Executioner and Her Way of Life 2, From the Red Fog 4, I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too 3, I’m a Behemoth, an S-Ranked Monster, but Mistaken for a Cat, I Live as an Elf Girl’s Pet 6, I’m Quitting Heroing 2, In Another World with My Smartphone 8, Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 15, Laid-Back Camp 13, Let This Grieving Soul Retire 5, Love and Heart 7, Mieruko-chan 7, My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected @ comic, 19, A Returner’s Magic Should be Special 2, Run on Your New Legs 4, The Saga of Tanya the Evil 19, Slasher Maidens 7, So I’m a Spider, So What? The Daily Lives of the Kumoko Sisters 5, Tales of the Kingdom 3, Teasing Master Takagi-san 17, Trinity Seven 27, Tsubaki-chou Lonely Planet 3, and Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion 3.

MICHELLE: Tsubaki-chou Lonely Planet is the one on my list!

ASH: So much Yen!

ANNA: Looking forward to more Tsubaki-chou Lonely Planet.

SEAN: I miss Yen’s date slips, I reiterate. What are you picking up?

Reincarnated Mage with Inferior Eyes: Breezing through the Future as an Oppressed Ex-Hero, Vol. 1

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By Yusura Kankitsu and Ruria Miyuki. Released in Japan as “Rettōgan no Tensei Majutsushi: Shiitagerareta Moto Yūsha wa Mirai no Sekai o Yoyū de Ikinuku” by Dash x Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Gierrlon Dunn.

I have been reading Japanese media for a long time now, so I’m very used to the self-deprecation that many authors use when they’re talking to the reader. “Thank you so much for reading this wretched series of mine” is a dime a dozen in Afterwords, usually with a shower of thanks for the publisher, editor, and artist who worked on the book. Unfortunately, there’s a problem when you do that. The work has to actually be good, so that we can smile and say “Aw, it’s fine, take pride in your work, it was good!”. But when you do the “oh no, my mediocre prose” afterword and the reader thinks “actually, I think you’re praising it a bit too much”, that’s not good. That’s not self-deprecation, it’s trying to deflect honest criticism. So, let me honestly criticize this book: it’s generic and terrible, aside from one scene towards the beginning when it leapt past terrible and into appalling.

We begin with the most half-assed “banished from the hero’s party” I’ve ever seen, as the leader of the party tells our overpowered mage that since he’s so terrifying, he should go live by himself on an island somewhere. Abel, not wanting to do this and fairly disgusted with the world he’s in now that regards his amber eyes as scary, decides instead to reincarnate himself two hundred years in the future, when hopefully the world is less prejudiced towards his OP self. When he’s reborn, as a child, he finds that the opposite has happened: magic has declined, and amber eyes (which required years of training to get to be the terrifying things they are) is now a sign of no magic power and those who have them are abused and belittled. What to do?

Let me get the worst part out of the way. Abel is quickly joined by Lilith, the daughter of the Demon Lord that he slew long ago, who he also rescued. She’s been waiting for him to reincarnate, and is now buxom and hot. They bathe together, since she says he’s just a child. He… and I was wondering if I even read this right… gets out of the tub to prove to her he’s a man and sleeps with her. We’re never told HOW old he is when he wakes up, but “child” is used. What the hell? Fortunately, the rest of the book is content to merely be the “standard fantasy” the author says was his goal in writing this series. There’s a bratty noble who very quickly becomes our hero’s best pal/puppy (well, he acts like one). There’s an arrogant redhead who uses a sword and fire magic, which I think is legally required in all fantasy. And there’s our hero, who is ludicrously overpowered compared to everyone else in the land, and he proceeds to show this off while showing as little emotion as possible.

I’ve tried to avoid series in this vein lately, and this volume reminds me exactly why I’m doing that. Garbage.

Turning the Tables on the Seatmate Killer, Vol. 2

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By Aresanzui and Sabimizore. Released in Japan as “Tonari no Seki ni Natta Bishoujo ga Hore Saseyou to Karakatte Kuruga Itsunomanika Kaeriuchi ni Shite Ita” by Monster Bunko. Released in North America by Tentai Books. Translated by IpsMoink.

There have been so many of these sorts of series since the first volume of Seatmate Killer came out in English that I had to struggle to remember which one it was for a bit. That said, unlike a lot of the sorts of series I mentioned just now, this is not a sweet and syrupy “they’re already a couple” romcom, it’s more of a “rehabilitation project” sort of romcom. The easiest comparison is with Rascal Does Not Dream, and indeed you could describe the plot to Seatmate Killer as “what if Sakuta and Koga were classmates and worked together to help his sister”. That said, Seatmate Killer needed something to separate itself from the pack, and it has decided that something is the com part of romcom. This series is here to be wacky, and it will not let you forget that until about 4/5 of the way through the book.

Yui and Yuuki are still much the same as they were at the end of the last book. She tries to get him to fall for her/teases him, he ignores her/tries to rehabilitate her tendency to do this, and they both pretend to be a couple in order to help his shut-in sister. Things are complicated with the arrival of Rio, Yui’s friend who has been dubbed the “seatmate breaker” by Yuuki’s friends as she tends to make everyone who sits next to her hate her. As it turns out, in reality Rio is a lonely, socially inept teenager who is desperate for Yui to validate her, and now Yuuki finds himself trying to help two different girls… which unfortunately ends up reading quite a lot like him cheating. Can a party help to resolve this, or will it just make everything worse?

As with the first book, the payoff in this volume is quite good, as each of the characters reveals depth that they normally tend to conceal. Mina, in particular, was impressive here, quietly mentioning to Rio that she is well aware that her brother and Yui are faking a relationship for her benefit, but is leaving it alone mostly as she thinks they make a good couple. The trouble is that we have everything before the payoff to get through before we get to that. Everyone has that friend who tries to hard to be funny and “on” all the time but just ends up exhausting and annoying everyone, and Seatmate Killer is this friend, as it’s simply too manic. Yui especially, though at least she admits that this is the mask she wears at the end. If this does get an anime, and liberally cuts some of the repetition, it could be fast-paced fun. But I was definitely sighing about halfway through and asking Rio “can you please just snap and have a breakdown soon so I can get to the good stuff?”

So this remains about mid-tier romcom, worth it for those who love the genre, but not essential.

The Ideal Sponger Life, Vol. 11

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By Tsunehiko Watanabe and Jyuu Ayakura. Released in Japan as “Risou no Himo Seikatsu” by Hero Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by MPT.

This is the start of a new arc, and also a point at which this series says “OK, we’re in it for the long haul”, so there’s a ton of setup both for the next couple of volumes and for the foreseeable future. That said, the difficult part is that it’s almost ALL setup, with payoff presumably coming down the road. If you enjoy seeing balls thrown in the air, though, this is fine. It also gives Aura more of a role than she’s had in some time, as even through she starts the book off delegating a huge chunk of her power to others, she still has to keep a close eye on them to make sure they are not trying to undermine her own rule. She’s also quick to see that something very ominous is coming, and that their desert neighbors are making a ridiculous amount of concessions in order to make sure to stay in their good graces. Is there an upcoming war brewing?

Aura’s pregnancy and birth of her and Zenjirou’s daughter goes very well thanks to the healer that Zenjirou was able to get. Now, though, it’s time to move some other pieces on the board. Freya has to return home to tell her family that she’s going to be the kingdom’s first new concubine, and it would probably be best if Zenjirou went with her to try to show her family he’s not a creep or evil. More importantly, the events I mentioned above show Aura that they REALLY need a second concubine from the Twin Kingdoms. He gets along better with Bona, but Lucretia has the drive, the political clout, and the tragic backstory to put her in the running. There is, of course, one slight problem. She got off on the wrong foot with Zenjirou trying to lean into “seduce”, and now he’s wary of her. The solution? Join Freya’s sea voyage!

I’ve joked before about how, over the course of the series, the title has become the opposite of Zenjirou’s life. That said, I do wonder if he still sort of sees it as applying to him. His Japanese reserve comes across to everyone else, including his wife, as a complete lack of desire to have ANYTHING for himself. She knows that he objected to both Freya and Lucretia as his concubines, but he gave in really, really fast despite this, and she now is getting concerned that eventually he’s going to start to resent her. I don’t see that happening anytime soon, but it’s probably not a bad idea for the two of them to try harder to understand each other. The rest of the book, as I said, is mostly setup, with perhaps the most interesting thing being that the “problem maids” are split up, with Dolores being sent with Zenjirou on the sea voyage. This allows for a nice, touching scene where Faye and Letti worry about her.

Having talked in the first paragraph about the series settling in for the long haul, I’m sure someone will remind me that there hasn’t been a new volume in almost a year and a half. But that’s future me’s problem. For now, this remains a good political intrigue series.