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Reviews

Classroom of the Elite, Vol. 2

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By Syougo Kinugasa and Tomoseshunsaku. Released in Japan by Media Factory. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Timothy MacKenzie. Adapted by Jessica Cluess.

Tempting as it is to paste my review of the first volume in for the second and see if anyone notices, I will make an effort to say new things. The series’ strengths and weaknesses remain the same. It’s compulsively readable, always a good thing. Its premise can be teeth-grindingly annoying, especially when everyone turns into a vicious sadist for no reason, with a lot of “ha ha, you will fail forever now” sneering. I’m still not entirely clear if this school has a purpose beyond abusing 1/4 of its student body, and I suspect this is not a question I’m going to get answered anytime soon. We do get a couple of new characters here, though, including one who I actually did not want to punch in the face, which is a monstrous improvement from the first book. Sadly, she isn’t in Class D, meaning I am probably out of luck unless we get a spinoff series or something. Plus honestly, shee likely has a dark side too.

The other new character introduced is Sakura, who isn’t annoying so much as passive. In fact, her very passivity is the problem, as she’s also an important witness to an assault by Class D hothead Sudo on three Class C students. He now faces suspension, of course, and every single thing over the course of the entire book does not help his cause. First off, he’s claiming self-defense, but that’s hard to prove when you beat up three guys and you’re fine. Secondly, no one believes him anyway because his first response is to punch everything. Of course, if Sudo gets suspended Class D will lose the few points they gained from the first book (which aren’t given to them as money, by the way – it’s implied they never will be). Can the rest of the class overcome their antipathy towards Sudo and apathy in general and help clear his name? Or will they need to be a bit more… creative?

As I said, there’s also a girl from Class B that we briefly met in the first book but who gets a genuine introduction here. Ichinose is so refreshingly normal that I was almost crying in happiness. She’s friendly and outgoing without (so far) having a scheming dark side like Kushida. She tries to use Ayanokouji to help her with a problem (girl is confessing to her, need a pretend boyfriend). She ends up being of great help to them in the climax of the book. Really, I want her to be the star. She’s certainly more fun to read than grumpy Horikita, who spends the book attempting to help Sudo while being miserable about it, or our “hero” Ayanokouji, whose desire to be average and not stand out is so great that even his own inner narration lies to us – frequently he talks about Kushida as if he knows nothing about her secrets, and there are other points where I suspect he’s straight up lying to the reader. Which is the point – their teacher is trying to get Horikita to figure out why he’s like this – but again, it’s not what I’d call fun.

I can see why this is popular – I sped through it very quickly, and want to read more. This despite the fact that I was frowning most of the time and occasionally wanted to slam the book against a wall. Classroom of the Elite is a war between the writing and the characterization, and it may take more than two volumes to figure out who’s winning.

Classmates, Vol. 1: Dou Kyu Sei

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By Asumiko Nakamura. Released in Japan by Akaneshinsha, serialized in the magazine Opera. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Jocelyne Allen. Adapted by Lillian Diaz-Przybyl.

This is the latest in a series of “OMG, I can’t believe we’re finally seeing this title!” LGBTQ releases that we’ve seen in North American this spring. Technically, we’ve seen this one before, as it came out digitally via JManga, then digitally again via the Digital Manga Guild. But this is a print release, newly translated, and looking very nice. It’s not a new title, having come out in 2006, but the story is certainly timeless. There’s a handsome, outgoing boy. There’s a serious, introverted young boy. They fall in love. But as with most really popular titles, it’s not just the story that makes people want to read it. Classmates has a number of individual story beats that I paused and read slower, or went back to read again, because they were handled so well. There’s also some excellent art here as well, as sometimes even a sketchy background shot carries impact. It’s a manga by an author who knows craft.

Hikaru is the easygoing, handsome, long-haired blond, who’s cool, in a band, etc. He’s in an all-boys school, which is practicing for a choral presentation, and notices that a classmate, Rihito, is only pretending to sing. Later he finds Rihito in an empty classroom, trying to learn the song (his vision is poor, so he couldn’t see the music earlier) and Hikaru offers to teach him. Over the course of this, the two fall in love, helped along by Hikaru’s kissing, which is not entirely consensual at first but eventually reciprocated. As the volume continues, you see the passion they have for each other, but is there anything behind it? Moreover, college is coming up, and Rihito, pressured by his parents, is boning up to get into a prestigious university. Is this a long-term thing, or is just another high school romance?

As I said earlier, individual chapters or scenes were what caught my attention here. Student/teacher relationships are a staple of Japanese manga, but you usually see them coming from the POV of the student. Here we get a chapter devoted to Manabu, their music teacher, who tells us why being a gay guy at an all-boys’ school is not all it’s cracked up to be (they’re mostly immature brats), but then runs into Rihito and falls for him immediately (Rihito has a knack for being unconsciously smooth). There are also a couple of fights that were very good, the first after Rihito sees a girl hitting on Hikaru at a concert and drunkenly runs off (Page 114 made me smile hugely) and Rihito’s explosion of emotions (he’s normally pretty repressed) about how he knows nothing about what Hikaru is doing for college or the future. (To be fair, I don’t think Hikaru knows either.) It’s scenes like this that make a series really enjoyable, and I’m very pleased that Seven Seas has also picked up the two-volume sequel to this.

If you like teen romance with passion or classic BL, this is absolutely a series to buy.

Toradora!, Vol. 5

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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.

This is a light novel series that is coming out in America well after both the manga and the anime (though the manga remains unfinished as it crawls along in Japan), so to a certain degree there’s very little “surprise” involved in the contents. I knew that we would eventually be dealing with the volume with Taiga’s father, and here it is. As such, a good deal of the book consists of the reader yelling at Ryuuji “NOOOOO, DON’T TRUST HIIIIIM, YOU IIIIIDDDIOOOOOTTT!”, which to be fair Minori does as well. It’s actually rather refreshing, as usually Ryuuji is the sensible, down-to-earth core of these books, so it’s somewhat startling to see him so taken in by Taiga’s dad. Of course, it’s spelled out why he is; he longs for a relationship with his father he can never have, and now he can sort of get it via Taiga. Of course, this means it’s not about what Taiga wants at all, something that he realizes in a horrified sort of way when everything goes wrong.

Before we move on, I want to note that, while Toradora! is quite funny and has some excellent gags, it does lean on one running gag through this book that I wasn’t very fond of. Yuri, the class teacher, turns thirty in this book, something that she and the author make you very aware of. There is a bit of sympathy for her near the end (bless you, Ami), but for the most part the joke is that she’s 30 and unmarried, and the constant (30 years old) tags after her name grow annoying. Of course, without that we would not have had the class wrestling play, which has to be read to be believed, although I admit I think it worked better in more visual mediums. Taiga and Ryuuji really do make an excellent evil duo. And then there’s the race at the end, where Ryuuji and Minori, both incredibly furious with themselves, get involved in a nasty little race to see who can crown Miss Taiga with a tiara of “I’m most important to you!”. The race is fantastic, though I do wonder, given the apparent injuries that occurred during it, why no one got in trouble.

Ryuuji and Minori have a huge fight here, of course, Ryuuji coming from a position of ignorance and Minori from one of having been here before. She withholds that from him, though, deliberately. Minori is upset that Taiga is not only closer to Ryuuji these days, but seems to be getting herself hurt again by making up with her father purely for Ryuuji’s sake. The series to date has been about Taiga and Ryuuji having one-sided crushes, and in the last book we wondered if Ryuuji’s was really one-sided after all. Now we see Minori wondering, out loud, after her struggle to be the one most dear to Taiga, if she’s a lesbian. Leaving aside Ryuuji’s response, which is understandable but won him zero points in the fandom, it’s an interesting question, and I wonder if the author will develop it later on or if it merely serves as an odd coda to this excellent volume.

After the Rain, Vol. 3

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By Jun Mayuzuki. Released in Japan as “Koi wa Ameagari no You ni” in two separate volumes by Shogakukan, serialized in the magazine Big Comic Spirits. Released in North America by Vertical Comics. Translated by Jocelyne Allen.

The third omnibus of this series shows off a few of the characters beginning to realize that Akira’s love for Kondo is not just some easily swayed crush, and that they may need to take it seriously. This includes the smarmy chef who’s been hitting on her, who it turns out is a lot less smarmy when he’s around his sister. They run into our lead “couple” and Kondo’s kid and go on a sort of double date from hell, featuring the dorkiest sweatshirt ever, a lot of phallic plants with no symbolism intended at all no sirree, and Tamako, the sister, who is a LOT in a series that’s driven by introverts most of the time. It also has an odd moment where Kase tells Akira that she is the sort to “bend towards the light”, like plants, implying a depth that she hadn’t seen before but which we don’t really get deeper into because, well, sister.

That said, the most interesting part of this book is that Akira’s tortured feelings about Kondo take a back seat to Akira’s tortured feelings about track. I had assumed, and the text implied up until now, that Akira’s injury was very much the “career ending” sort of injury. But no, with physical therapy, she could easily regain her powerful running ways. She just ISN’T. And this is annoying not just Haruka but also a lot of her fans, including one very angry underclassman who I’m pretty sure we’ll see again. Akira loves working at the restaurant so she can be around Kondo, but is that really all a girl like her wants to do? And how can she run after her perpetually forgetful boss with a bum leg? Akira’s issues are not just related to love, there’s more going on here.

As usual with this series, there are a number of gorgeous scenes with people simply staring at each other, and I admit that as much as I like the story of After the Rain, I wonder sometimes how it would read without any dialogue at all. I’m not sure it could tell everything in silence, but I think the majority of it could be implied. And honestly, when you finish the book and then go back to look at your favorite facial expressions, that’s a good book. We’re over halfway through the series now, and I’m still not entirely sure where it’s going, but it’s become clear that the story is not just about Akira and Kondo but about Akira maturing… or not maturing, as there are several points in this book where, as with previous volumes, she throws a bit of a tantrum when reality gets in her way.

I had fallen behind on this series, so the 4th volume is out very soon. It will be interesting to see where it goes. We saw Haruka meeting Kondo towards the end of the book, and I wonder how close the ‘love story’ and ‘track injury’ subplots are going to come. In any case, keep reading this very pretty series.

Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits, Vol. 3

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Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits, Volume 3 by Waco Ioka and Laruha

This is one of those series that ends up getting stronger with each volume. I thought the first volume was okish, liked the way the second volume showed more character development, and appreciated the balance between backstory and new plot elements in the third volume. One thing I tend to look for in series about ayakashi is some interesting character design or art that captures my attention. While the art for this series is fine, I wasn’t getting that same sense of wonder about the spirit world that other ayakashi-centric manga titles have delivered. In this volume, I did find the portrayal of wall demons blocking Aoi’s path to be delightful, as they looked like pieces of wallboard dressed in formal kimonos.

Kakuriyo Bed and Breakfast for Spirits 3

Aoi is slowly finding more of a rhythm to her life in the spirit world with the discovery that her food is unique in bolstering the spiritual energy of the demons that surround her. She becomes more involved in the lives of the spider demon siblings, Suzuran and Akatsuki. They tie in to her own story with her grandfather, as she learns that he took them in and temporarily made them his servants when they were fleeing for their lives. Suzuran wants to go back to the human world to exist near Shiro’s grave, and Akatsuki is absolutely opposed to her dream. Aoi mediates this sibling relationship with nourishing food, and the steps in cooking her dishes are more clearly portrayed in this volume. It didn’t quite deliver the level of obsessive detail that I like to see in a food manga, but I appreciated food preparation getting more attention, since it is so central to Aoi’s identity.

One thing I really enjoy about this series now is how each volume tells a satisfying story while inspiring more questions for the reader to ponder. Shiro’s actions and motivations seem more mysterious the more Aoi learns about him. I’m also curious to find out more about Ginji after seeing him report back to the Odanna. I’m enjoying the measured pace at which this story is developing.

Another World’s Zombie Apocalypse Is NOT My Problem!

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By Haru Yayari and Fuyuki. Released in Japan as “Zombie Darake no Kusatta Sekai wo Seijo no Chikara de Jōka Shimasu!” by the author on a webnovel site. Released in North America digitally by Cross Infinite World. Translated by Charis Messier.

As the title might suggest, this novel combines zombies and “transported to another world”, two of the hottest current trends, or at least hot in 2016, when this was originally published. Unlike some of CIW’s other titles, I think this one could be marketed to both male and female readers, but the star is definitely a young girl. The first half of the book leans heavily on the zombie end of things, while the second, after the crisis is slowly being averted, feels more like an isekai proper, as Mizuha wanders around the kingdom, meets eccentric characters, etc. It’s just that the adventuring she does is zombie-purifying, that’s all. It’s also definitely a book that’s just about the right length – this is done in one, and I don’t think would make a good series. As a single volume, it’s pretty decent, with its main flaw being that ‘pretty decent’ is as far as it goes.

Given her appearance, as seen on the cover, and the fact that she uses her right hand to purify zombies, it’s hard not to think of Mizuha as the daughter of Touma and Mikoto from A Certain Magical Index. She wakes up on a deserted island surrounded by toxic, foul-smelling sludge. Even worse, a zombie emerges from said sludge and goes after her. But when she smacks its chest, the zombie turns into a handsome blond knight! It turns out that by hitting the zombies she can return them to their living selves. On a more humiliating note, her saliva can also be used to magically purify the sludge, making it water again. (This leads to the book’s running gag, with her being referred to as the “Holy Priestess of Spit”, and her despair at this title.) Escaping the island, she finds herself in a kingdom that’s overrun with zombies, and has to slowly heal each one, not get converted herself, and try to figure out how to get back home.

Mizuha is the best part of the book. She’s fun, and her narration feels, with a few exceptions, like she’s in a YA novel rather than a standard isekai light novel. She comes to terms with everything pretty quickly, bonds with the young princess who is the second zombie she saves, and theoretically falls for Lex, the young blond knight. I say theoretically as the romance feels kind of last-minute and minimal, at least on Mizuha’s end. Lex is strong and powerful but also sort of a weirdo and a dimbulb, and he would not look out of place if you handed him a Sword of Light and sent him off with Lina Inverse. The zombie sections of the book are reasonably action-packed, and there are several good laughs in here. Sometimes the book feels like a webnovel that needed more editing (Cia’s parents needed one or two more “where on earth are they?” mentions, as an example), but it holds together well.

As I said, the book’s main flaw is that there was no one scene or moment that elevated it to “OK, this just got terrific.” It’s a decent zombie novel with a fun heroine, worth your time, but it may not stick in the memory afterwards.

I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up

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By Kodama Naoko. Released in Japan as “Oya ga Urusai Node Kohai to Gisou Kekkon Shitemita” by Ichijinsha, serialized in the magazine Comic Yuri Hime. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Amber Tamosaitis. Adapted by Lora Gray.

I admit, when this was first announced, I said NOPE really hard. But that was mostly due to the author of the series, whose previous series I had sort of hated. But a few people reassured me that this was not along the lines of Netsuzou Trap, and indeed in the afterword the author jokes about their ‘light’ and ‘dark’ modes, and this is definitely on the light side. Indeed, very light – it’s complete in one volume, and also has an unrelated one-shot short story at the end. The main story is also pretty much described in the title, though I think the relationship between the two leads is more like the original Japanese – Agaya is a friend, but she’s definitely framed more as a kohai, with Morimoto as the sempai. They’re out of school now, but end up together as, well, read the title. What follows is cute, and both leads had more depth than I was expecting.

Morimoto is dealing with problems on several fronts. Her parents want her to get married. Her workplace is fairly sexist, resisting giving her any big projects as it’s assumed that women are there until they find husbands and that’s it. And she’s also a somewhat repressed, introverted sort to begin with. Agaya, on the other hand, is bright, bubbly, extroverted, and can be a bit much at times. She’s also gay, and in fact asked Morimoto out when they were in school, though she was rejected. So when she points out that gay marriage is legal in their prefecture, and that it would be a great way to stop her parents nagging her, Morimoto goes along with it. Then Agaya moves in, as she’s saving to get a new apartment and this helps. As the volume goes on, Morimoto gains confidence and realizes just how much she’s enjoying the married life. But can she hold on to Agaya, who is pretty convinced that her senpai is “super-straight”?

This is not the most complicated story in the world, but there were little touches I liked a lot. One early scene shows Morimoto flashing back to her childhood, an endless string of being nagged to excel in everything or else she’s a failure. The interesting part was seeing it start with her father accusing her mother of being a “bad mother” for a poor grade that Morimoto got – which of course is bound to show off why she does NOT want to get married. Agaya is also mostly well handled. She’s very “out”, personality-wise, and is not above sneaking in to bathe together with her new “wife”, or leering her her boobs. But she does not, for the most part, make any advances on Morimoto that she’s not comfortable with, and at the end she’s the one who has to be convinced that they could actually make this into something real. She also has her own career as well – this is not a “breadwinner and housewife” sort of relationship.

The short story afterwards, about a girl in an athletic school who got injured, so has to get great grades to maintain her scholarship, and her rude track girl friend, is a bit too slight to really go anywhere. The meat of the title is in the main story, and at three chapters it’s just about the right length. Worth a look for yuri fans.

I Shall Survive Using Potions!, Vol. 2

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By FUNA and Sukima. Released in Japan by Kodansha. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Garrison Denim.

There are currently three different series by FUNA coming out here, and having read some of each of them, I’m inclined to categorize them as Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced. Beginning is Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World, which even has an easy mode for its protagonist, who can still interact with the past world. She’s having fun, but there isn’t really all THAT much monstrous ridiculousness (though I admit this is the series I’ve read the least of). Intermediate would be Make My Abilities Average!, where Mile is absolutely stupidly overpowered and shows it, and helps her friend to get that way as well, but those seriously hurt of killed by her and her friends tend to be evil bandits, kidnappers and the like. The tone is very much happy, jolly adventures. Finally, there is I Shall Survive Using Potions!, the Advanced Course. You really, really need to not care about overpowered heroes at ALL, or you will hate this. What’s more, Kaoru is A LOT, and sometimes her emotions get the best of her in ways that veer beyond ridiculous and into horrifying.

Roughly the first half of this book takes place right after the previous one. Kaoru’s hitting this world like a tac nuke has had repercussions, and the kingdom she’s currently staying in is now under attack by two different nations. Fortunately, she has the knight that she was able to de-age in the last book at her side, the brother of the king, and her cadre of Baker Street Irregulars at her side, as well as her usual item boxes/potions/literally anything. Unfortunately, this is a war, which means things turn serious fast, and Kaoru quickly finds she really hates it when people are injured or killed in front of her. It’s pretty horrifying being reminded that when she loses it emotionally, she could decimate anyone around her. The second half of the book takes place after a time skip, and shows Kaoru and her hangers on heading to a new kingdom so that she can try to find herself a man to marry and have kids with. This is as much of a flaming disaster as you can imagine, because of Kaoru’s basic personality, but is far more amusing.

Moral ambiguities aside, and I’m not entirely certain how much of this is intentional, this is still a lot of fun. There are in-jokes that are based on the publisher (a cameo from a certain goddess whose adventures also ran in a Kodansha magazine), and some where you wonder if it was the original or the J-Novel Club adaptation (the use of a certain popular anime meme). Kaoru’s personality is so straightforward that it tends towards snark, and she IS ridiculously overpowered, but there are a number of moments here where she’s allowed to slip up – indeed, the gag right at the end of the main story may be the best in the book. She’s still doing whatever the hell she wants, even if that means adopting a daughter (she’s an orphan), creating vibroblades for her knight (see, it’s really a potion that happens to look AND act like a vibroblade), etc. Disbelief is hung by the neck until it’s dead here. What’s more, Kaoru’s two friends from her original world have lived their full lives and died, and now they’re in this world as well… and also apparently have ridiculous powers.

Like most of FUNA’s series, I want to read more of this. Unlike the other two, though, I do wonder if Kaoru will actually turn down a darker path one day. I mean, she’s already pretty morally grey. Definitely worth picking up, though. Also, don’t insult the goddess or you’ll get a wooden washtub to the head.

An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride, Vol. 5

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By Fuminori Teshima and COMTA. Released in Japan by Hobby Japan. Released in North America digitally by J-Novel Club. Translated by Hikoki.

Given that An Archdemon’s Dilemma rarely has threats to its titular Archdemon that actually go anywhere (once again he’s the strongest one in the entire area, and is only greviously wounded once by his own choice), it makes sense that the series runs on putting loved ones in peril. Though it can take a lot to make Zagan actually admit to caring about people, he absolutely does, and therefore when Nephteros is once again sought after by the series’ major villain, he’s there to help her. Thankfully, he’s not really there to save her, as he generally rescues people based on power level. Innocents, such as the young fox girl who is possessed by black sludge, he is perfectly content to save entirely. Nephteros, who can get out of her own troubles once she gets over her identity issues, just needs a helping hand. And Chastille, who Zagan very much frames as “not a love interest”, has to fend for herself. Luckily, the author seems to finally let her do this.

I’ve talked before about how Chastille seemed like she was going to be the tsundere secondary love interest but then the author realized how much he loved seeing her flailing around and crying. Last time we saw that her ‘work’ and ‘rest’ phases are almost two different people. And here the two seem to combine, as she seems to have finally accepted in her heart that she loves Zagan but he doesn’t love her back… and moreover, she doesn’t want him to, as this would ruin things with Nephy. This actually allows her a stronger bond with Nephteros, who also is drawn to Zagan and Nephy but can’t really be with them. Zagan may say that she’s a sister to Nephy, but for once we get someone deciding NOT to live at Zagan’s castle of increasing population. Nephteros needs to cultivate her own story, as does Chastille.

Speaking of love stories, the biggest new character introduced this time around is Kuroka, a blind priestess with a grudge against a) sorcerers and b) Chastille. With her we get to examine the ‘driven by revenge’ trope, though I admit it was a bit too on the nose to have Zagan literally spell it out for the reader. Fortunately, aside from the revenge she’s a perfectly nice person. Also fortunately, the revenge she was seeking turns out to be unnecessary to begin with. There are hints of the ongoing plot here, as there seems to be a thirteenth sacred sword, and the corruption in the Church is still a larger problem even without assassination attempts on Chastille every book or so. As for the titular couple, well, they’re still awkward – by the end of the novel, Zagan has finally asked Nephy on a date, but that’s as far as we get. Unless you count the muffler scene, which was adorable.

I’m not sure I can point to one thing and say “this is why I enjoy the series so much”, but enjoy it I do. I was particularly pleased with Chastille this volume, who did not have one extended nervous breakdown. And it’s always nice to remind myself sometimes that Zagan is NOT an isekai protagonist, but just a poverty-stricken fantasy lad who got really, really powerful. Fun stuff.

Emanon, Vol. 1: Memories of Emanon

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By Shinji Kajio and Kenji Tsuruta. Released in Japan as “Omoide Emanon” by Tokuma Shoten, serialized in the magazine Comic Ryu. Released in North America by Dark Horse Comics. Translated by Dana Lewis.

I must admit, I wasn’t even aware this was a famous Japanese SF story till after I’d finished this volume and was reading the afterwords. Japan’s market for such titles tends to wax and wane (as the afterword itself notes), and I had never read a translation of this story. That said, I’m definitely interested in seeking it out now, as I found this to be an excellent adaptation. A great combination of thoughtful dialogue and striking art, it’s also exactly the right length, though I say that knowing that there are more volumes coming in the future that apparently expand on the original story. This particular volume, though, works very well as a stand-alone, and also gets into some of the big questions of how memory works, what makes a human, and where are we headed in the future. All that plus a bittersweet not-quite romance.

Our protagonist is a young college-aged man who’s getting over a broken heart from a one-sided love, so takes the ferry back to his hometown. While on the ferry he meets a young woman, and though they initially don’t get on, they are drawn together in a mutual desire to avoid drunken creeps hitting on her. Eventually she gives a name to him – Emanon, aka “no name” backwards – and, since he’s a science fiction reader and thus has an open mind, tells him a bit about herself and her life, which seems to go back about three million years, Despite her being born in 1950. (The story is set in 1967.) She’s very guarded, at one point passing off her entire confession as a story, but the guy’s open curiosity and acceptance helps her open up more, and they grow closer. That said, this is not really a romance.

The manga seems to alternate between pages of quite, introspective panels and pages that are filled with dialogue as the two leads discuss Emanon’s situation, what it means for her, and what it means for humanity. The story’s origins as science fiction really come to the fore here, but it’s a tribute to the story itself that I was never bored. This volume has a postscript years later, where the (now married) protagonist sees the girl he met on the ferry again, only she doesn’t know who he is. That said, this does not mean Emanon has forgotten him. It’s a good, wistful yet hopeful end for this story, and I’m actually rather curious to see how the manga develops in future volumes, which appear to follow Emanon’s journey. The art is also fantastic, to the point where the end of the book is several pages, both color and black and white, of Emanon just wandering around Japan wordlessly.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, and ended up pleasantly surprised. If you’re looking for something introspective and thought-provoking, this is a very good title to pick up.

Invaders of the Rokujouma!?, Vol. 21

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By Takehaya and Poco. Released in Japan as “Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?” by Hobby Japan. Released in North America digitally by J-Novel Club. Translated by Warnis.

We’re back to plot-heavy in this volume of Rokujouma, which sees the enemy making its move. No, not the actual Big Bads of the series, though they do sort of sit at the side, watch, and offer occasional “help”. Instead, the military wing of Forthorthe has been sabotaging things behind the scenes, and they decide to finally make their move to either capture or kill Elfaria once and for all. Naturally her daughter is not going to take that lying down, so everyone gets on their spaceship and rides. (I will assume for the sake of the plot that it’s still summer break or something, as missing school is not brought up at all.) Of course, just getting there is not going to be easy, as they’re trying to remain undetected, and are dealing with both actual bad guys and soldiers who’ve been fed ‘the Empress is a traitor’ fake news for a while. Fortunately for the Empress, she has the Blue Knight and company on her side.

The book starts off with Theia looking romantically at magazines showing happy wives and mothers, and also getting a big revelation from the more scientific princesses in the group: Forthortians and Earthlings have near-as-dammit the exact same genetic makeup, so having kids won’t be an issue. Leaving aside the sheer unlikeliness of this (which is mentioned in text), one thing I’ve noticed about Rokujouma is how pure it is, especially given that it’s about a guy and his nine-girl harem. Theia is seen to be dreaming of having kids, but there’s no real mention of how those kids will be made, and the girls never really think beyond “kisses on the cheek”. Part of this is due to Koutarou’s ongoing intimacy issues, but part of it, I think, is that it’s just that sort of series, and that trying to make things sexier would almost be like removing a magic spell or something. Besides, at heart this isn’t about the girls “getting” Koutarou, it’s about family.

This is Theia’s book, really, and she gets to show off a lot of sides here, even (towards the end) her self-sacrificing side, as she’s determined not to let an innocent fighter pilot die even if it costs her own life. Of course, that doesn’t happen, thank to both Koutarou and a screaming but competent Magical Girl Yurika. (Yurika is pretty whiny this book, but given the circumstances, and that she’s out of her element, it’s mostly fine.) I suspect we’re going to get an awful lot of “you guys go on, I will stay here and hold them off (and die”) going forward. Naturally, this will always be counteracted by everyone else in the cast, but I’m pretty sure that things are only going to get harder from here on out. Especially as the actual bad guys still haven’t stepped in yet.

We’re starting to get towards the endgame here (the books “end” with the 29th volume, though they are still ongoing with ‘after stories’). I expect the next volume will have more political machinations and big ol’ battles. Which is fine by me, as the author does those pretty well. Just as long as the emphasis is on the bond between these sweet, pure kids.

Re: ZERO -Starting Life in Another World – Ex, Vol. 3

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By Tappei Nagatsuki and Shinichirou Otsuka. Released in Japan by Media Factory. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Kevin Steinbach.

When this arrived, I didn’t read it for a while as I was expecting it to be the “second half” of Wilhelm’s tragic backstory. But no, as this volume ends we’re still in lovey dovey land, though there are echoes of bad things on the horizon. Instead this volume picks up where the last one left off, with Wilhelm having defeated Theresia in battle and thus proving that he can replace her as the main defense of the realm… or so he thinks, but given that he starts the book in a prison cell, it’s likely that he has a lot more convincing to do. What this actually is are three short stories mushed together telling the story of Theresia and Wilhelm getting married and going on their honeymoon, and all of the things that get in the way of their happiness, which at this stage are mostly played for comedy. That said, the main villain towards the end has some familiar equipment, and I’m wondering exactly how Big Bad he’s meat to be.

I get the sense that the author wrote these stories while taking a break from their usual “Subaru has the worst day ever” fare. I was not expecting this to be as light-hearted as it was, and in many ways it doesn’t even feel like a Re: ZERO novel. Having determined to become Wilhelm’s bride and not a sword master (Wilhelm at least adds “unless she wants to” to this, but the narrative still pushes hard on “cute girls should not fight” mode), Theresia now goes into full-blown tsundere mode, with lots of embarrassment, mild jealousy, and no doubt pouting while pushing out one cheek in the grand anime faces tradition. Wilhelm has become more human since the last book, but that does make him a bit less interesting, as he’s now the standard snarky male light novel lead – something Subaru takes pains not to be. Theresia’s overprotective dad doesn’t help either, as he is made of cliches.

The final short story is the most interesting. (Well, there’s a short fourth short story about Carol and Grimm’s romance, but it’s clearly an afterword sort of thing.) Our couple are on their honeymoon, accompanied by Carol (who loves Theresia a bit too much) and tailed by Theresia’s father (ditto). Things turn serious, unfortunately, when they run into Lord Stride, who is the classic “arrogant noble” of many a light novel, and his bodyguard/champion, a big guy with eight arms. Naturally, he and Wilhelm have to fight, and it’s the best fight in the book, though unlike the last book this one really isn’t about the fights. Stride reminds me far too much of Petelgeuse only witho0ut the insanity, and I have a sneaking suspicion he or a relative may be in the main story sooner or later.

This is a great change of pace for those who’ve been reading Re: ZERO waiting for bad things to happen to good people. On the downside, that does mean it’s a little boring. There’s no deconstruction here, just the author writing a fun little light novel where the sword cutie marries the sword snarker. No doubt this will be continued in the 4th EX, but that’s not out in Japan yet.

Sword Art Online, Vol. 16: Alicization Exploding

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By Reki Kawahara and abec. Released in Japan by ASCII Mediaworks. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Stephen Paul.

Thankfully, this is a much stronger volume than the previous one. It helps that this time around we have very little POV of Gabriel Miller, though the little we get shows he’s as awful as ever, and has a new reason to be after Alice. There’s also no Kirito POV, as he spends the entire book still comatose. This allows a number of characters to get POV scenes, which Kawahara admits in the afterword he’s not really used to, but it plays out pretty well, as we’re introduced to a number of Integrity Knights, as well as some villains, and get a little more into what makes them human. Which is good, given that the entire premise of this arc is that the cast of the Underworld are meant to be just as important and sentient as our heroes, even if Alice is framed as the most special of all. And, coming down as a gift from heaven – literally – Asuna joins the fray, with God-tier powers and an immediate rivalry with Alice, because the author never met a cliche he didn’t like.

Unfortunately, sometimes that means cliches that shouldn’t really be used. I sighed when we got to the Integrity Knight with a massive crush on Fanatio, who was forced to become a knight because she fell in love with another woman, falls in love with Fanatio while a knight, and is promptly killed off protecting her. I should be grateful she wasn’t framed as evil or predatory, I suppose. The ‘bad guy’ cast also ranting about the “white iums’ (aka the good guys) also rankles, though I know that it comes from a fantasy base where white = good and black = bad, and was no doubt written into the Underworld by the developers. Better handled was the cowardly Knight who decides to hide from the final battle, and unfortunately for him ends up in the same tent as Ronie, Tiese and their unresponsive charge, and he is forced to learn the true meaning of Christmas. Or at least that some things are worth fighting for.

Most of this book is a fight sequence, and there are some good ones, particularly a battle between a stoic and (mostly) silent Integrity Knight and a Pugilist (who are basically a bunch of Hercules guys) on the opposite side who find that each has an equal bloodlust for a good fight. That said, we can’t avoid the plot entirely. Asuna is in the game now, but she won’t be enough, as the villains have hacked it to allow a bunch of Americans to log on – not telling them these are anything other than NPCs – and let them kill everyone. Fortunately, Yui – who laments the fact that she’s not as good an AI as Alice and company while at the same time surpassing her own limits, a scene that’s very deftly handled – is bringing in a few more ringers. Yes, at last, we’re getting the rest of the band back together, as the other “main” cast members prepare to enter the Underworld as well.

We have two more books to go in this arc, and I will be very surprised if the next one does not end with Kirito ascendant. But there’s no denying that things are tough right now. Fortunately, with the power of More Deban on its way, we can likely find a way past it. That said, SAO is every five months now, so be prepared for a slightly longer wait.

One Piece, Vol. 90

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By Eiichiro Oda. Released in Japan by Shueisha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Weekly Shonen Jump. Released in North America by Viz. Translated by Stephen Paul.

One Piece is ninety volumes long over here, in case you missed the title of the review. And it’s been running in Japan for twenty-two years, meaning many parents who started reading it in East Blue are having their kids pick it up with Cake Island. And while Oda tries his best to make everything accessible to casual readers, he really has his work cut out for him with this book, which sees the country’s leaders from all over the land get together for a meeting. The Celestial Dragons will be there… wait, who were they again? And Wapol’s back! … wait, who was he again? Even Oda knows that we can’t really recall everyone in every single volume. As result, not only does each chapter have ‘recap’ panels reminding us who these people are, there’s also an inserted 7-page ‘guidebook’ style entry going into even greater detail. You can’t tell the players without a scorecard. Especially since Oda seems to be reintroducing EVERYONE.

Of course, some characters don’t really need reintroduction, either because they’re still relatively new (Rebecca), hard to miss (Princess Shirahoshi), or iconic (Vivi). There’s an amusing scene where they all talk about how much Luffy did for all of them, and more people fall over themselves to talk about what a debt they owe the Straw Hats. Of course, not everyone reintroduced is a good guy. I mentioned Wapol before, though honestly he doesn’t seem that bad anymore, and I think is merely there to face off against Dalton and Kureha. No, I’m talking about the Celestial Dragons, particularly Stelly, the bratty kid who ruined Sabo’s childhood, who is now an even brattier adult. And of course there are the five elderly guys who run everything, who we rarely see but whenever we do it isn’t good. Worst of all, though, is the Dragon who appears riding Bartholomew Kuma like a mount. Sabo won’t take that lying down, and neither will Bonney, who’s infiltrated the party.

That said, it may be a while till we get back to this meeting, as we also have the Straw Hats, who have finally escaped from Big Mom, at least for the moment. Sadly, they’re without Jimbei, who has to stay behind to hold off the enemy, but he does resolve to join them soon, and I think we can safely say he’s a new crew member. And then we go off to the country of Wano, which allows Oda to bring out every single Meiji period cliche that he can. It also allows us to catch up with the cast who’ve been missing for a long, long time. Some are doing what they’ve always done (Franky is a carpenter, Usppp is lying), some are taking on tough new roles (Robin is a geisha), and some are… being executed? Well, at least they try to convince Zoro to commit suicide for the “crimes” he’s committed. It goes about as well as you’d expect.

So we’re kicking off a new arc, and Luffy seems to be once more separated from everyone else after the ship runs aground on the shore of an uncharted desert isle… wait, no, runs aground in Wano Country. What happens next? And when will we get back to Vivi and company?

Torture Princess: Fremd Torturchen, Vol. 1

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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 Press. Translated by Nathaniel Hiroshi Thrasher.

I do try not to be glib in my reviews too often, but I will admit it was tempting to have my entire review of this volume be “Loved the princess, hated the torture”. Honestly, it was a surprise to many people that I started this at all, given my wariness of overly dark and bloody titles. But I was on one of my “read the first volume of everything” kicks, so I worked my way through it. It was difficult at times, I will admit. The torture is no lie, and this isn’t even the pointless “torture them to get information” that you see in other, more annoying works. This is torture for the sake of gore, torture porn. Fortunately, the book also has three very distinct, likeable leads with expressive character voices and interesting through processes. I liked the way they went, and I want to see more of them. That said, it’s hard not to read this and think “the author wanted to write pages of torture description, so wrote a book around it”.

Kaito is a young man who has suffered at the hands of his abusive father his entire life, and finally is killed by said father. However, he ends up being transported to the land of the Torture Princess, Elisabeth Le Fanu. She brought him there to be her servant, and help (or at least watch) as she defeats thirteen demons and the people who have sold their souls to said demons. The demons enjoy torture and despair, and (seemingly) so does Elisabeth, so there’s an awful lot of it going on, and for a while the somewhat stoic Kaito is simply going with the flow. After a while, they also gain a robot maid, Hina (OK, a ball-jointed doll who is sentient maid, but for all intends and purposes she functions as a robot maid) with a devotion to Kaito that borders on the obsessive… well, OK, has moved into the obsessive and set up a knickknack shop there. Can they stop those contracted with demons from torturing innocents? Well, no. But they can at least punish them after the fact.

I will admit, I found Elisabeth, Kaito and Hina a lot of fun. Despite her name, Elisabeth is not a vampire, but she shares some of the same character traits, and the relationship between her and Kaito reminded me at times of Shinobu and Araragi from the Monogatari series. Kaito is snarky but not too much so, and most of this first book is seeing him regain a desire to actually find happiness and a purpose in life. And cliched as Hina is, she’s also hilarious and fun… and also provides the heart of the book, right near the end. It’s a good solid basis for a series. That said, dear sweet merciful Christ, after a while you will start flipping pages as you read about people lying in various bits, or having limbs chopped off, or being staked by demon crows, or… it almost went beyond exhausting to boring. It fits the florid Elisabeth’s Grand Guignol style, but that does mean that this is a book I can recommend only to the strong of stomach.