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Silver Spoon, Vol. 13

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By Hiromu Arakawa. Released in Japan as “Gin no Saji” by Shogakukan, serialized in the magazine Weekly Shonen Sunday. Released in North America by Yen Press. Translated by Amanda Haley.

There’s always a careful balancing act that an author has to keep up when writing a character whose failures are hilarious. On the one hand, you can’t overegg the pudding – you need to contrast this hilarity with moments where they actually succeed. If done right, this can be extremely heartwarming. The first half of the manga deals with the equestrian competition, with Hachiken actually competing this time, and his “slow, steady and have fun” approach actually does pretty well, especially as it allows Mikage to dazzle. And of course the beauty of it is that it sets things up for the much larger stage where Hachiken again competes… and fails so badly that it turns into 20 pages of “lol”. You feel bad for him, but thinking as an author, the reason for this is obvious: Hachiken when he’s suffering is very, very funny. What’s more, there’s been less and less of that as he’s matured, so it’s nice to see he can still be a national laughingstock when appropriate.

Speaking of which, Hachiken, in his despair after doing so badly, wonders if Mikage won’t love him as he’s bad at horse racing. This is a callback to earlier in the book, when Mikage smiles as she recalls him saying he’ll ask her out after she passes her exams… then realizes that might mean if she fails, he won’t ask her out! Does he hate “stupid” girls? Now that the two of them have made it clear how they feel about each other, all that’s left is to actually get together. But it’s not as simple as that – they have goals to achieve first, Mikage’s father is watching Hachiken like a hawk, and his own father just seems to get in the way of any romantic resolution. What’s more, as the above jokes indicate, the two of them are still too insecure for a strong romantic relationship to happen. Mikage doesn’t need to pass her exams to date Hachiken – but it certainly would help her see herself as a success.

Elsewhere in the book, it’s pigs and pizza once again. I like the idea that the head of the school is willing to go the extra mile for these kids provided they can actually justify it as learning things and being educational. As a result – more pizza ovens! Which leads to a good competition where they try out various kinds of three-cheese pizza to see which one proves the most popular. Likewise, even in the midst of despair at his equestrian performance, he’s still able to do some pig research while in a different area of Japan (sadly, he finds that the pigs raised there would not do well in the northern climes of his school.) And, for once, there’s not even any long series of chapters devoted to butchering and slaughtering animals, so even the squeamish can enjoy this one.

We’re nearing the finish line for Silver Spoon, and I expect the next volume to mostly be about Mikage passing (or not) her exams. Will that also lead to romance? God, I hope so. I feel like Sakae – Just do it already!

An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride, Vol. 9

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By Fuminori Teshima and COMTA. Released in Japan as “Maou no Ore ga Dorei Elf wo Yome ni Shitanda ga, Dou Medereba Ii?” by HJ Bunko. Released in North America digitally by J-Novel Club. Translated by Hikoki.

As this series has gone on and become a reasonable success, the author has sensibly decided to widen its brief. As such, the “will they actually do anything?” parts get smaller and less relevant as time goes on. This is not to say that they’re absent, however, and we do get possibly the funniest moment in this volume when Zagan thinks that he and Nephy are literally cursed to never get closer to each other rather than, as everyone else around them can see, just being two socially awkward dorks in love. Still, at least the two of them share a honeymoon suite. That’s progress? And they sleep in each other’s arms, and call each other (as they are under cover) as “honey” and “dear”. But yeah, that’s all you’re going to get. Honestly, even Chastille and Barbatos make more progress in this book than Zagan and Nephy, who are adorable but really should grow up the teensiest bit. That said, they’re ahead of Shax, Mr. “I had your underwear in my pocket for a reason”.

The main thrust of the plot sees everyone converging on the Holy City for various reasons. That’s where Azazel’s Staff is, which is highly important to every single faction in the series. So we get the Angelic Knights, who don’t know much about it but know it should not fall into the wrong hands; Bifrons and Shere Khan, who have sent two minions to destroy the holy treasure room to get it; and Zagan and Nephy, who are actually there to try to find Orias, who might be able to help her cure Kuroka’s blindness, but end up looking for the staff as well. As you might imagine, there’s a lot of fighting towards the end of the book, mostly involving everyone attacking Zagan and his mopping the floor with them. That said, in the final battle against one of the stronger Angelic Knights, he has to use martial arts, rather than sorcery, to win. He regards this as a loss. Everyone else thinks he’s simply ridiculously overpowered.

It is amusing to see how many of the characters are leading double lives. There’s a traitor among the Angelic Knights, and you might briefly be worried for Chastille, but everyone agrees her alliance with Zagan is far too open and honest; she’s not tricky enough to be the real traitor. Then there’s Michael, who is secretly an Archdemon, but is also not the actual traitor. We also continue to get more insight on Alshiera, who continues to stay true to the course of “blond underage vampire mistress” in modern Japanese works, i.e. she’s pretending to be an irredeemable bad guy but really fits the caring mentor role better. And props to Foll, who is growing powerful enough to take on Bifrons and deal him actual damage. Our little dragon girl is growing up.

We’ve now caught up with Japan, as the 10th volume came out there two weeks ago, so it might be a bit till we get it here. Till then, though, this is a good, solid entry in the series, provided you don’t care that Zagan and Nephy are the most awkward couple ever – still.

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 22

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Yona of the Dawn Volume 22 by Mizuho Kusanagi

Volume 22 of Yona of the Dawn follows the tried and true formula of contrasting a hilarious chapter with a deep dive into introspection. The volume opens as Riri is recovering from her and Yona’s latest adventure. Su-Won goes to visit her and it is clear that some of the people that surround them are interested in pushing them together for various geopolitical reasons. However, Riri’s a bit dispassionate at being told to act dignified in front of the king, and Su-Won continues to find her frank mannerisms amusing. I hope for better for Riri than Su-Won though! In a hilarious scene Riri reveals the depth of her crush as General Geum-Tae enters her room. She immediately starts blushing and acting like a shy maiden. In the aftermath, plenty of people inform Riri that Geum-Tae is happily marries, and she’s very well aware, she’s just happy to enjoy her crush. Seeing Riri freak out about how cool Geum-Tae is in front of Su-Won was hilarious.

Yona of the Dawn

The reader gets a rare look into Hak’s mind as he struggles with the idea of returning Yona’s misplaced belongings to her, including the hairpin that Su-Won gave her right before he murdered her father. Hak reflects on their past friendship, and Su-Won’s betrayal. He thinks about his own emotions and how Su-Won didn’t seem to care about the pain he was inflicting on other people. The bulk of this volume deals with an adventure to a new land, as people from Xing pop up to ask if Yona and her companions are the “monsters from Kokha.” Yona meets another new female friend when she spends time with Tao, the younger princess of Xing, but she also learns about the extent of political destabilization that is following from Su-Won’s wars, as Xing might be split between two factions. Tao asks Yona’s advice about what to do with Su-Won, and Yona remains awkwardly silent, realizing that bringing her own feelings and opinions into someone else’s political calculations might not be in the best interest of Xing. This volume bridges two story arcs very effectively, with a little bit of comic relief, a glimpse of the emotional toll the journey has taken on Hak, and the introduction of a new land that hopefully Yona will be able to help.

Toradora!, Vol. 9

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By Yuyuko Takemiya and Yasu. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Jan Cash & Vincent Castaneda. Adapted by Will Holcomb.

The character arc of Toradora! as a whole has generally been each of the characters trying to save each other from jumping off a cliff by jumping off the same cliff first, and that reaches a crescendo here, in a volume that might as well be called “Toradora!: Everyone Hates Themselves SO MUCH”. Ryuuji is the poster child here, of course, shouting into the void that no one will let him sacrifice his life and future. To be fair, he has very real concerns. His family are indeed poor, and his mother, despite being a comedy character for almost the entire series to date, is working herself sick so that he can have a better life. But his solution in the course of “realistic ideas” is stubborn, petulant and bad, and you want to strangle him. Things are not helped by Taiga being absent from the first part of the book, dealing with her own drama, which doesn’t become apparent till the climax. Hell, even Ami is super angsty here. Everyone wants to run away.

We’re back at school after the events of the last volume, but everything is not back to normal, no matter how much Ryuuji tries to make it happen. He’s having nightmares about Taiga dying at the ski slopes… while in class. The class is sympathetic, but this is a far cry from the Ryuuji of the start of the series. His main concern is the career survey he hasn’t turned in, though: he’s determined to get a job so that his mother can take it easy, and he might do college later. His mother is adamant that no, he will be doing college, even if she has to work a second job to earn more money. Taiga does eventually show up, having recovered from a head wound she got from her fall, but she too is reluctant to complete the career survey, and, when it’s eventually revealed that it was Ryuuji who saved her and heard her confession, shows she’s just as unable to deal with the fallout. The book ends with the two, confronted by their mothers, literally running away from everything.

As for the supporting cast, aside from one of Those Two Guys showing off he’s had a girlfriend all this time (which reads as somewhat out of nowhere), it’s all about Ami and Minori. Ami is almost as bad as our two leads in the “why am I so terrible?” sweepstakes, bemoaning that she let things like friendship stop her from transferring out like she planned to earlier in the year… and is now planning to do again, without confessing to Ryuuji or patching things up with Minori. As for Minori, she admits (in an extended rant while chasing Taiga) that she’s loved Ryuuji all this time, but that’s no excuse for Taiga to sacrifice everything for her. In fact, that’s the theme of the whole book: Self-sacrifice for the sake of others is painful and dumb.

The next book is the last in the main series (there are three side-story novels as well, but I wouldn’t hold my breath), and I’ve no doubt things will eventually work out. For now, though, enjoy everyone being very, very sad and flagellating themselves.

What’s Michael?: Fatcat Collection, Vol. 1

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By Makoto Kobayashi. Released in Japan by Kodansha, serialized in the magazine Weekly Morning. Released in North America by Dark Horse, originally in six separate volumes. Translated by Dana Lewis, Toren Smith, Jeanne Sather, Alan Gleason, Hisashi Kotobuki, Lea Seidman, and Elin Winkler.

This is the first of two huge re-releases of Dark Horse’s What’s Michael? collections, this one containing the first six volumes. Despite that, it’s only 530 pages – they weren’t big volumes. They’re compiled as they were in the late 1990s, so don’t expect the book to read right-to-left or the missing chapters with violence and nudity to be put back in. That said, I’m not particularly concerned, as it allows this marvelous creation to come back into print after all this time. What’s Michael? is not only a joy to read if you love cats, but it’s also a wonderful experience for those who love its creator, Makoto Kobayashi. This is his most famous title, though Dark Horse did also try to publish his early 90s host club comedy Heba! Hello-chan (aka Club 9), which also desperately needs a re-release. Kobayashi’s cartoonish, rubbery humans are even more fun than his cartoonish, rubbery cats.

Michael is the titular cat, and is the sole recurring character in every chapter. The series has a sort of semi-continuity, in that there are a series of households, any one of which has Michael as their pet for the duration of the 6-page chapter. He doesn’t travel around from house to house – you’re just supposed to say “ah, this time it’s the young OL who owns him”, and then a new chapter happens and “ah, this time it’s the couple with the kid”, etc. Kobayashi picks the owners that best fit the mood of the chapter. Sometimes, although not nearly as often as its reputation suggests, we also see an “all-cat” chapter where Michael and other cats act like humans, as he’s interrogated by police, has a boxing match, etc. For the most part, however, Michael is a cat who acts like a cat here, albeit a cat who can be quite eccentric. Kobayashi has clearly enjoyed a lot of cat-watching creating this series, and owners will find much to identify with here.

There are a few running gags throughout the series, such as the tough guy yakuza who tries to hide how much he loves cats (his talk about the danger of the “Kodansha gang” reminded me of Pop Team Epic’s treatment of Takeshobo), and the burly guy who’s just trying to live a catless life but finds the neighborhood cats constantly wandering into his house to hang out with him. Reiko, the OL, is the most frequently seen owner, and with her Michael is one of about ten cats that she has, most of whom sleep on top of her and make it impossible for her to get a good night’s sleep. On the other hand, the married couple have Michael as a father with a wife and kid (an early chapter sees them buying a female kitten for Michael, and she grows up rapidly to fit the role). As I noted, the series is curated to be all-ages, with the possibly exception of one chapter where Michael ends up at what is clearly a cat brothel, but I think adults may find this funnier than kids for the most part.

I believe that Dark Horse released 11 volumes total, so the next collection should have the remaining five. They’re an absolute must get for cat lovers, and for those who want to experience the unique eccentricities of Makoto Kobayashi.

Kokoro Connect: Step Time

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By Sadanatsu Anda and Shiromizakana. Released in Japan by Famitsu Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Molly Lee.

I get the feeling the author needed a break from the angst as much as the reader did. The last few regular volumes of Kokoro Connect have been rather excruciating, if well-written, and all signs point to the next two books coming up as being even worse. (There are some hints and foreshadinwg in this book as well, the only really serious moment in it.) As a result, even more than the last collection of Short Stories, Step Time allows us to relax and enjoy the cast being together without the threat of Heartseed hanging over them. It also allows the author to go back and take care of some business. Kokoro Connect began with the Cultural Research Club fully formed, our heroes all in it and friends with each other, and Iori and Inaba best friends. So here we get to see how that happened in the first place, in two stories which read like one part destiny to eight parts slice of life.

The book has four largish stories in it. The first, as I suggested, deals with how the CRC was first formed by their teacher (still a normal lazy teacher at this point) and Taichi and the rest talking and realizing they don’t share many interests and all want to be in different clubs anyway. That said, there’s clearly something about these five kids… it’s not the most subtle story in the world, but does a good job of showing why the CRC hang out with each other in the first place. It’s part of a mini-theme in this book of “don’t overanalyze things”, which brings us to the second story, where Inaba and Iori tell the CRC how they came to be friends. This is probably the strongest story in the book (the lack of Taichi POV helps), as Inaba’s natural grumpy cussedness hits up against Iori’s “I am already losing my ability to pretend” complexes and the two have to deal with a stalker of Iori’s.

The third story is also good, though you kind of want to take Kurihara and throw her into the nearest lake. She’s one of the group of girls in the class who aren’t Iori, Inaba or Yui, and she’s very frustrated at the fact that, although there are now three couples in their little group, none of them are having lovey lovey date time. As such, she and an enthusiastic Iori decide to have the three couples (Taichi x Inaba, Yui x Aoki, and that other girl x that other guy) do a triple date, supervised by Kurihara herself. The best part of this is Taichi and Inaba, who really are a terrific couple, as they find out. The last story focuses on Fujishima, who is once again brilliant at everything except ordinary social interaction, and her attempts to figure out why others in their school consider the CRC members “cool”. She’s joined by the two junior CRC menbers, Shino and Chihiro, both of whom are equally socially awkward. What follows is, again, “don’t overanalyze things”, with a healthy dose of Fujishima being oblivious to her own powers of attraction. (She also confirms she is bisexual, almost offhandedly.)

So again, if you love the cast but hate seeing them suffer, this is a terrific volume to pick up. And if you enjoy seeing them suffer… well, Volume 9 should be coming soon.

A Man & His Cat, Vol. 1

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As someone who’s suffered a lifetime of embarrassment over my tendency to cry at movies and books about animals—even ones with happy outcomes—I realize that that my reaction to A Man and His Cat may not, in fact, be warranted by the quality of the storytelling or artwork. I should also disclose that I’m almost 50, so I’m hungry for stories about people old enough to have a few grey hairs and wrinkles. And I should probably mention that I live with two cats, one of whom is contentedly snoozing by my feet as I type.

Reader, I loved it.

There’s no real plot to speak of; the most dramatic event unfolds in the opening pages, when Fukumaru, a grumpy-faced cat, is adopted from the pet store where he’s spent a lonely year waiting for an owner. His knight in shining armor is Mr. Kanda, a middle-aged music teacher and empty nester who exudes an aura of sadness, despite his outward composure. Though Fukumaru frets that Kanda might suffer buyer’s remorse, Kanda is thoroughly smitten with Fukumaru, throwing himself into cat ownership with abandon, buying toys and collars, and taking selfies with Fukumaru. These scenes are engineered to elicit a strong, uncomplicated emotional response from the reader; Umi Sakurai doesn’t pluck or tug at the heartstrings so much as tear and rend them, giving Fukumaru a running interior monologue about his fears and hopes. And if seeing a cat worry about being returned to the pet store isn’t enough to make your lip tremble even a little, Fukumaru’s speech is peppered with feline-specific pronouns that underscore his plight in a shamelessly sentimental fashion: who but the most jaded reader could laugh at a chubby cat who worries that he might “go meowy whole life without a name?”

Fukumaru’s vulnerability is further amplified by Sakurai’s depiction of him as round and awkwardly proportioned, with an enormous face and stumpy legs. (One character helpfully describes him as “ugly-cute.”) Though Fukumaru’s penchant for tearing up is chalked up to his breed—the pet shop labels him a “short-haired exotic”—almost every kind gesture, separation, reunion, and potential setback makes Fukumaru’s eyes glisten with great, beady tears. Kanda, on the other hand, is drawn in a somewhat stiff, bland fashion with a few perfunctory laugh lines to suggest his age. The contrast between Fukumaru—who looks like the kind of off-brand stuffed animal you might win at a carnival—and his slim, be-suited owner is an interesting artistic choice, as it makes it easier for the reader to understand why Fukumaru initially feels such trepidation about Kanda. (It’s also a pretty amusing visual gag, too.)

By now, reader, you’re probably wondering, but would I like it? That’s a question I can’t really answer, since this manga’s wholesome sentimentality appealed to me against my better judgment. But if there’s a cat in your lap as you read this review, or you share your house with a pet you rescued from a shelter, I think you might appreciate the warm dynamic between Kanda and Fukumaru, as watching these two wounded souls revel in each other’s company is a genuinely heartwarming experience. Recommended.

Square Enix provided a review copy.

A MAN & HIS CAT, VOL. 1 • BY UMI SAKURAI • TRANSLATED BY TAYLOR ENGEL • SQUARE ENIX MANGA & BOOKS • 146 pp.

A Man & His Cat, Vol. 1

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By Umi Sakurai. Released in Japan as “Ojisama to Neko” by Square Enix, serialization ongoing in the magazine Gangan Pixiv. Released in North America by Square Enix Manga. Translated by Taylor Engel.

There’s a new publisher in the North American market, and Square Enix Manga has chosen this series to be their debut. It’s a strong choice. The series hits on several popular manga genres, is heartwarming and touching without getting cloying, and is also one of those titles where pet owners will be nodding their heads in understanding and sympathy. Since it is a new publisher, I’ll briefly get into the technical details before starting the review. The book looks nice, with thicker cover stock than others, and good solid paper. There are color pages at the front and the back. The translation is fine, though be warned that one of the narrators is a cat, which means that there are lots of “inserting meow into every word” choices. This mirrors the Japanese, of course, but I know some people might find it aggravating. That said, the main reason anyone will be picking up and continuing to read this is the titular man and cat.

A cat, nearly one year old, sits unloved in a pet shop. He’s an exotic shorthair, and looks odd, so no one cares… plus he’s now too old. Into this shop comes Kaito, an old man who takes an immediate liking to this cat, who he buys and names Fukumaru. The man and the cat are both very lonely people through circumstance, and so bond almost immediately. The rest of the volume consists of glimpses into Kaito’s current and past life and amusing “this is what it is like to own a cat” stories. Fukumaru is very loving and hands-on for a cat, so the series ends up being full of heartwarming moments. Kaito’s friends and co-workers are also very nice, sweet people. There’s no real conflict beyond things like “will he be OK when I leave the house for the day”, but that’s fine, as this series gets by on pure heartwarming.

One thing I love about this title is its subtlety regarding Kaito’s life, which is still only somewhat sketched in. He’s an older gentleman, and we see a few flashbacks to him and his wife, where they discuss getting a cat. It’s never explicitly stated, but it’s very clear his wife has now passed away, which weighs heavily on him. A flashback suggests they knew each other from childhood, which makes it even more painful. Kaito seems to be a music teacher, and there are some lovely scenes of him playing the piano. But the kids he teaches note that he only played sad songs till recently (i.e. pre-cat), and he implies he has a love/hate relationship with his piano (and, inferred, his career in general.) Basically, while I definitely think people are buying this manga for the cat, the man gets just as much attention, and is fascinating.

This is definitely a title that “hits you in the feels”, and I think it’s a great choice for Square Enix to mark its debut. I highly look forward to the second volume.

Torture Princess: Fremd Torturchen, Vol. 3

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By Keishi Ayasato and Saki Ukai. Released in Japan as “Isekai Goumon Hime” by Media Factory. Released in North America Yen On. Translated by Nathaniel Hiroshi Thrasher.

Given how many of the villains were dispatched in the last book, it should come as no surprise to find that Elisabeth and Kaito finish off her task by the end of this book. The twelve villains she was ordered by the Church to destroy are, more or less, destroyed. Of course, that means that it’s her turn to be executed next. And therefore this is the final volume. Bye, everyone!… wait, no, of course it isn’t. There’s always an out, and the author is now describing the book as the end of the first arc. But what do you do when you’ve killed off the bad guys? Simple, have ma new bad guy for everyone to fear, twice as mean and terrifying, and set Elisabeth out to destroy him! Of course, there is one slight problem, which is who the villain actually is. (It should not be hard to figure this out.) It’s a very clever and also very foolish plot.

This book takes place in the capitol, and as such the cast expands greatly, though really there’s only one name we need to remember. The various knights and paladins of the church are doing their best, but in the end this is something that mercy and compassion are a bad fit for. Izabella in particular is so pure and shiny that she no doubt will be a powerful antagonist in future volumes (she’s the name to remember). In case you were worried that there would not be descriptions of horrific graphical body horror, torture and fates worse than death, fear not, they’re here in abundance – one featuring a children’s theater was particularly horrible. But then you get a fantastic line of dialogue, or an evocative description, or even just Elisabeth briefly turning into Teru from Dengeki Daisy and demanding Kaito go bald, there’s always a new element to remind you why you’re reading this series. (If you are reading this series just for the gore, good for you, and also you may want to visit some other blog.)

And then there’s Hina, who is only in one or two scenes in the book, but they’re so memorable they threaten to overshadow everything else. (That said, props to “The Butcher”, who remains ridiculous in the extreme.) Still in a coma for the majority of the book, she literally dive bombs into the final battle, declaring her love for Kaito as loud as a ball-jointed doll possibly can, and their reunion is actually really sweet. What follows is also the funniest point of the book, where Hina says she loves him even though they can’t have kids, and Elisabeth explains how they CAN have kids – even if the act she’s describing makes her blush. As I said in the other reviews, fans of Rem from Re: ZERO may as well start reading this, because you’re not getting more of her in the main series right now and this Rem actually gets the guy.

And so, at the end of the book, Elisabeth sets out to execute this new villain, Kaito and Hina are reunited and possibly making babies (though I doubt it, honestly), and Torture Princess remains a fantastic read, despite all the gore and torture. For those with strong stomachs, absolutely recommended.

Jackaby, Books 1-4 by William Ritter

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jackaby1Jackaby
I’ve seen this series described as “Sherlock meets Doctor Who,” and that is pretty apt. It’s January 1892 and our plucky British narrator, Abigail Rook, has just arrived in New England and needs employment. No one is hiring except for the eccentric investigator, R. F. Jackaby, who is looking for a new assistant since his previous one is “currently waterfowl.” Jackaby’s physical description is evocative of Benedict Cumberbatch in character as Sherlock, and he’s occasionally tactless, but aside from one early demonstration, he doesn’t do much in the way of deduction. Instead, he’s more like The Doctor—a kooky, scarf-wearing fellow who dashes about warning townspeople of supernatural threats while they regard him as “a crackpot imbecile.” Abigail is, of course, the companion—a clever girl who has always longed for adventure but who has until now been denied it. Happily, there is no hint of romance between them.

In this first installment, Abigail and Jackaby work together to solve a series of murders afflicting a particular apartment building. Jackaby, of course, can tell the culprit is a creature of some sort while the policeman in charge scoffs at this assertion and, at one point, locks Abigail and Jackaby up for impeding his investigation. Although I liked the characters—especially Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly resident of Jackaby’s headquarters—the mystery portion of the book was sadly predictable. “Obvious culprit is obvious,” I wrote in my notes, and though I didn’t work out what sort of creature was to blame, another character’s bestial secret was no surprise.

Still, I did enjoy Jackaby and like the characters and tone well enough to continue. I do hope the next mystery is a little less transparent, though.

the-map“The Map”
This short story takes place on Abigail’s birthday. She’s been quite clear about not wanting a fuss, but Jackaby is determined that they will have an adventure. Their first stop is a magical market, which she doesn’t enjoy much, to Jackaby’s disappointment. While there, however, they pick up a treasure map and proceed to complete a series of challenges in search of the treasure buried by the notorious rogue, the Bold Deceiver.

“The Map” may not be an essential piece of reading, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I especially liked the challenge in which they must get past the enormous hare guarding a castle—that one was sad and funny simultaneously. I also like that they’re not 100% successful with all the tasks, since centuries have passed since they were set up. On the whole, it’s worth checking out.

jackaby2Beastly Bones
It’s now the spring of 1892 and Jackaby and Abigail have been sent to the nearby town of Gad’s Valley to investigate thefts from a paleontological dig site. Abigail is mad for fossils, so is very excited about this prospect, while Jackaby must be convinced it’s worth their time. Another benefit is that Abigail gets to spend more time with Charlie the handsome policeman, for whom she has feelings, though she’s unsure what to do about him. Jenny the ghost has advised her to go for it and make the first move while Nelly Fuller, intrepid lady reporter, chastises her for thinking about love. “Do you want to be safe and happy or do you want to be great?”

As I had hoped, the mystery in Beastly Bones is a definite improvement over the first book; despite being a fine example of Chekhov’s Gun, its multiple layers made for a more complex case. Mostly, however, I liked that one aspect of it remains unsolved. Even though this series has Sherlockian elements, it hadn’t occurred to me that there’d be a Moriarty equivalent, but it looks like there is!

Still, the characters remain the main draw. Jackaby can be brash and insulting, but he doesn’t talk down to Abigail or treat her like a kid. I enjoyed his aversion to hearing about her romantic problems, and his awkward attempts to be sweet. “Buck up; you’re dreadful company when you’re melancholy.” Abigail continues to be resourceful and likable. And though there wasn’t much of Jenny, the ending finds her enlisting Jackaby to delve into her own murder. I’m very much looking forward to it!

jackaby3Ghostly Echoes
I’d really been looking forward to Ghostly Echoes and the truth behind Jenny’s murder, but it wasn’t exactly what I’d been hoping for.

True, Jenny’s murder is solved, but there is practically zero exploration of the person she was when she was alive. The plot is more about the evil council responsible (turns out that Moriarty-seeming character from previous books was only stirring things up to keep Jackaby busy so this group of dark fae could keep an eye on him) and the looming threat to mankind. Jenny did grow tremendously in both confidence and ability, and had a few genuinely badass moments in which she got to save her friends. I also appreciated her realization that she is more than a mere echo of the girl who died, but has her own thoughts and feelings. “I’m my own somebody.” I liked all of that, but I still wish she’d been the focus throughout instead of only in places.

Too, there’s not really much Jackaby, either. Yes, we learn about his childhood friend who was the Seer before him and how the council was after her too, but he just seems so… deflated. I guess it’s reasonable for him to be subdued given the case and its implications—he was worried that closure for Jenny might mean she’d move on—but I missed the humor he used to bring to situations. I reckon there shan’t be much of that in the next volume, either, in which our heroes face off against the bad guys and attempt to save the world.

The Dire King
The final entry in the Jackaby series wasn’t bad but, like the previous installment, certain character moments that I really wanted to see play out were completely glossed over.

Jackaby and company are trying to prevent the Dire King from destroying the veil that separates the Annwn and our world. This involves locating a particular magical artifact, attempting to destroy a diabolical machine, clashing armies, and lots and lots of fairies and magical creatures. I cannot possibly express how little interest I have in lots and lots of fairies and magical creatures.

There was at least more Jackaby here, and a somewhat warmer one, which I appreciated. I just wish there was much more about him and Jenny. She’s finally able to overcome her inability to touch him when his life is on the line, and there’s the suggestion that they’re going to live happily ever after once the crisis has been averted, but man, I really wish we’d gotten a scene where he pours his heart out and she scolds him for taking so long while also crying happily. Similarly, while I like where Abigail ultimately ends up, the very end is briefly pretty great but then it’s just… over.

I know cheesy epilogues get maligned pretty often, but in this case I would’ve appreciated one!

Altina the Sword Princess, Vol. 2

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By Yukiya Murasaki and himesuz. Released in Japan as “Haken no Kouki Altina” by Famitsu Bunko. Released in North America digitally by J-Novel Club. Translated by Roy Nukia.

This very much feels like the 2nd part of a two-parter, and in fact I think a re-release of the series in Japan saw these two grouped as a single novel. It picks up right where the first one left off, and sometimes that can be a problem, as Altina still has a broken arm, which makes swordfighting difficult. Unfortunately, the plot is not going to wait for her to recover. There are barbarians at the gate – literally – and Regis has to come up with a plan to solve that. The Empire has sent a couple of evil inspectors to see how things are going/sabotage Regis and Altina. What’s more, they’ve been given an impossible order, to attack one of the best defended forts in the area and emerge victorious. In other words, they’re being sent off to die. Of course, there’s an easy way to get around that. They just have to win against the impregnable fortress. Easy-peasy.

Again, the series succeeds best due to its two very likeable leads. Altina is a young, impetuous princess who nevertheless has a really good head on her shoulders, does not believe in needless killing, and knows exactly what she’s fighting for. Her speech to the soldiers as they’re about to storm the fort is fantastic, and reminds you how important the right motivation can be. As for Regis, he remains very clever and very self-deprecating – it takes moving mountains to get this man to admit that he was responsible for something good happening. He also has his amusing flaw, which is his love of books, and that leads to some excellent banter between him and Altina. They’re clearly intended to be a couple in then future, but the author has quite rightly decided not to rush things, which is fine.

There is an attempted rape in this book, from one of the evil inspectors, I will warn people. I do wish that this was not a common “show they’re evil by having them do this” plot. In addition, at the end one of the maids tries to force herself on the suddenly popular and single Regis, and that’s just as bad. Other than that, however, the book is relatively free of all the fanservice-laden exploits you might see in, oh, one of the author’s other licensed series. We also meet Eric, a young soldier who is devastatingly handsome, devastatingly earnest, and who I suspect I should be using gender-neutral pronouns in describing them, as they seem to be hiding a secret (which would be less obvious if the author hadn’t gone “did you spot that? Hmm? Hmm?” in the afterword). He makes a nice change from the rest of the soldiers, who are more like the grumpy Jerome, who seems to get constantly angry at whatever Altina and Regis do but then does it anyway.

Next time Altina will be headed back home to meet the family, and I suspect political intrigue will follow. Till then, enjoy this nice, breezy read.

Strike the Blood, Vol. 14

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By Gakuto Mikumo and Manyako. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Jeremiah Bourque.

This is definitely a stronger volume than the previous one. It starts off by slowly removing all of Kojou’s allies, which gives a nice feeling of impending doom. Asagi is supposedly helping with the rebuilding the island needs by being… a pop idol, but anyone who’s met Asagi knows this is fake. In reality, she’s being held hostage. So is Motoki, who is recovering from his grievous wounds from last time, and thus can’t put up much of a fight when he’s used in a corporate struggle. And even Yukina ends up being a liability when, due to the various events that have been happening since the start and her own superweapon, she’s now turning into a faux-Angel, just like Kanon was. Fortunately, Kojou still has his own typical battle plan, which is use his Beast Vassals, see them fail, get nearly killed, and drink someone’s blood to power up. So far it’s been a sound strategy. Of course, there’s a little catch here.

The subtitle for this volume is Golden Days, which is how Yukina views her time here with Kojou. Leaving aside her romantic feelings for him, this is the closest thing she’s ever had to a normal life, something that Sayaka and Yukina’s mentor Yukari both point out. Yukina’s past has been shown to us on occasion in bits, and we certainly have no doubt that this is true. As such, despite his good intentions, when Kojou readily accepts that, in order not to be turned into a faux-Angel, she’ll never be able to see or help him again, she is very quick to reject this. It’s a lot of good, solid scenes. As for the solution to the problem… well, it’s sort of a macguffin, really, but I suppose we could do worse. While “fiancee” may be a bit much (mostly as it would require Kojou to admit to actually having romantic feelings for a girl without another one beating him up), certainly they’re much closer after this, and Yukina can stick around.

There were a few things I wasn’t as thrilled with. As ever, Strike the Blood’s attempts at humor are terrible, and the whole “this isn’t really a pregnancy test but” joke, even with it signposted a mile away, still made me roll my eyes. Asagi’s skills are shown off here, but – as she herself is quick to point out – all she did was sit around for two weeks. I like books that are more Asagi-heavy. And of course, despite having stronger scenes in general, the overall plot of this book is remarkably similar to about five or six others in this series – I’ve joked before about it being written by an AI, and the joke still holds up. It is designed to be made into an anime. I like the characters, but, except for Yukina a bit here, they simply don’t have the depth to elevate this series above “satisfactory”.

Still, satisfactory is not bad, and this book should please those who enjoy Strike the Blood, particularly Yukina fans, which I’m sure there must be one or two of. Next time we get the “end of Part One” of the series, but I’ll believe it when I see it, to be honest.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, Vol. 5

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By Rifuin Na Magonote and Shirotaka. Released in Japan as “Mushoku Tensei – Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu” by MF Books. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Paul Cuneo. Adapted by JY Yang.

I was pleased to see that almost all of the things I brought up as negatives in the last review were improved here. Yes, OK, there are several scenes of Rudeus getting distracted while fighting as he literally cannot stop staring at large breasts, but compared to prior volumes, this is on the light side of him perving out. Eris gets a great deal more to do, and the scenes with her and Cliff on her goblin hunt were probably the funniest in the book. It’s also made clearer, in case it wasn’t already, that she is over the moon in love with Rudy. She also plays a part in the main plot point of this book – indeed, the entire book seems a letdown compared to these scenes – where Rudeus is finally reunited with his father and younger sister. Sadly, due to misconceptions on both sides, it’s not exactly a happy meeting. In fact, things go south far more rapidly than anyone could have guessed.

The biggest point of interest in the series is, of course, the dissonance between Rudeus’s adult reincarnated otaku brain and his physical (and, let’s face it, emotional) child self. Here, after getting caught beating up kidnappers who turn out to be his father’s group rescuing slaves, we get the biggest contrast yet, as he tries to impress his father with everything that he’s been through to reassure him that he’s fine, but is confronted with a very real question: why does he not know what’s going on with the entire kingdom being teleported and displaced? I mean, Eris knows – she’s been keeping silent as she assumes Rudy is keeping silent for her sake. And everyone else in the world knows. But Rudy, by various plot coincidences, has never seen ANY of the messages his father left at various guilds. The result of all this? A huge father-son fight.

Paul is handled well here – he’s at his wit’s end trying to save people, getting drunk and depressed as most of his family is gone, and suddenly here’s his son back, being smug, and accusing him of sleeping with women when he hasn’t actually done it. You can see why he snapped. At the same time, Geese is absolutely correct in reminding him that Rudy is a child (has he turned 12 by now?) and the mere fact that he survived at all is stunning. Rudy’s genius makes people expect things of him that he is not functionally equipped to handle at times. As we see in the best scene in the book, when Rudy, post-fight, simply lies dazed in his room at the inn Eris tries to comfort him in a really awkward yet sweet way. Fortunately, things are mostly resolved, with father and son making up. That said, the younger sister will take longer – her seeing Rudy punch her dad’s lights out means she is not forgiving him ever ever ever. Eris hates Paul too. Fun times!

So yes, a stronger volume in the series. I also liked seeing another of Rudy’s relatives here, and hope we see more of her. The side story about the princess and her retainers (including the mysterious Finn) was also excellent. I could hope for less horndog antics, but I know that’s vain. Just sit back and enjoy it.

Given, Vol. 1

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Given Volume 1 by Natsuki Kizu

Even before I read this manga, I remember scrolling past something on twitter and seeing the cover. Who is the mildly cranky guitarist? What’s up with the diffident dude with the red guitar? Has there been yaoi manga translated here featuring a rock band since Gravitation? I have no idea, but I was more than ready to check out this series.

Uneoyama is a cranky high school student and guitar player who is quite irked to see another boy passed out holding a guitar in his favorite sleeping spot. Uneoyama is perturbed that the guy is clutching a Gibson with rusted out strings, but the mysterious boy says “Can this be fixed?” with a look of desperation on his face. Uneoyama quickly tunes the guitar, strums a cord, and is promptly asked for guitar lessons. Uneoyama isn’t sure how to teach an absolute novice the guitar, but his newfound companion tags along to band practice and introduces himself as Mafuyu Sato. Mafuyu meets bassist Haruki and drummer Kaji, and continues to be relentless about asking Uneoyama for guitar lessons.

Given

Throughout most of this first volume, Mafuyu is presented as an innocent enigma, but as Uneo gets to know him he begins to discover that Mafuyu’s emotional attachment to the Gibson he can’t play is rooted in a tragic event from his past. Uneoyama’s jaded attitude towards music is gradually changed by Mafuyu’s enthusiasm and he begins to think about his mysterious new friend more and more. Given perfectly executes the “I’m mad at you because you are so pretty” trope that is so enjoyable when done well. The scenes of the band playing music are dynamic, and Uneoyama’s growing feelings are built up in a subtle way even though he’s not yet ready to be honest with himself. Haruki and Kaji also have some cute scenes together, and as older band members spend a bit of time being amused at Uneoyama actually feeling off-kilter due to the fact that he is finally emotionally invested in something. Kizu’s character designs are all distinct and stylish, and I enjoyed the bonus illustrations of all the major characters that showed sketches of facial expressions as well as vital statistics. This was an extremely promising first volume, and I’m expecting this series will continue to entertain with a winning combination of slow burn romance and music.

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 22

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By Mizuho Kusanagi. Released in Japan as “Akatsuki no Yona” by Hakusensha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Hana to Yume. Released in North America by Viz Media. Translated by JN Productions, Adapted by Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane.

Last time I asked when Yona was going to finally realize her romantic feelings for Hak, and I guess the answer is “not that long after”, as she admits it to Riri, if not to Hak. The two have a heart to heart, and Riri, of course, wants Yona to immediately confess. Yona, though, is now aware of her feelings but has to contextualize them with the rest of her life with Hak – she can’t simply flip into “oh, I love him” right away. Especially as we’re still not quite sure how she feels about Su-Won. Though Hak seems to think he knows how she feels, and proves it by spending most of a chapter trying to retrieve the hairpin that Su-Won gave Yona. Hak’s self-sacrifice can verge on the ridiculous at times, and it should be clear to the reader that we’re likely a couple of volumes away from a confession. Still, it’s nice to see Yona’s awareness.

While it’s clear to the reader that Yona and Hak are the big romantic pairing in this series, romance is only one facet of this fantasy action series, and the facet begins and ends with those two. This leads to an amazing scene where Su-Won goes to visit a recovering Riri, and sparks absolutely do not fly. In fact, he begs her to treat him normally, as it’s just too uncomfortable having Riri using polite language to him. (Given how often Su-Won goes undercover, this must happen quite a lot.) Others may see her as a potential bride for the King (witness the amazing sword dance that goes on as Riri gets a quick makeup job) but Riri likes Yona… erm, pardon me, older men like Geun-Tae, and Su-Won does not seem to grasp the concept of love and romance, something he freely admits. Which is possibly why he gave Yona that remarkable hairpin before murdering her father.

We finish up one plot and begin another in this book, which means we get nice comedy moments in between arcs, as always (no, Jaeha’s foot does not grow huge like Gija’s hand) before the Happy Hungry Bunch are called to Xing, another kingdom that is about to go to war with Kohka. The kingdom is divided between the two princesses, and Yona and company meet the younger one, Tao, who is trying to save lives by having her country surrender. Needless to say, this makes her a target for those who disagree. Tao looks like a classic “I appear to be an adorable pushover, but am actually very clever” sorts, and I took to her right away – especially when she noticed Yona’s discomfort around the guys due to the sudden incursion of an unusually painful period, and took immediate action. Hopefully she survives the cliffhanger ending, though given she’s with Zeno, who has gotten very good at using his powers now that we know what they are, I think she’ll be OK.

As always, it’s hard to say “this is a must buy and essential shoujo” after every review, but it’s true. An excellent volume.