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Invaders of the Rokujouma!?, Vol. 37

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

Given the longevity of this series – at 39 volumes (counting the two .5 volumes) it’s probably the biggest light novel series to hit North America in full translation – it’s not particularly a surprise that the more recent volumes are taking the time to look back at the past. This is particularly true of this, a short story volume that follows the usual pattern we’ve seen to date – three web-only short stories and a longer story written specifically for this book. The three web stories all involve looking back at the past in some way, shape or form, and seeing how far people have come. Harumi and Clan, who are in many ways opposites, each envy the other; Theia and Ruth reflect about the fact that they can trust other now and are better people as a result; and Sanae and Shizuka think about life without Koutarou in it and decide “no thank you”, even if at the time they may have felt differently. Fortunately, the final story in the book looks toward the future… and has swimsuits.

In the first story, Clan and Harumi (and Alaia, as Harumi’s later ego) are looking back over events of two thousand years prior, where Clan is forced to admit that Koutarou basically did all the cooking and laundry. The two then use magic and technology to swap bodies, essentially, so Koutarou can roughly rub Harumi’s head and treat Clan with respect and politeness. The second story has Theia and Ruth trying to pick out photos for a news article about the Blue Knight, and thinking about their childhood together and how difficult it was for both of them. The third story sees Shizuka and Sanae spring cleaning all the apartments in the complex, and also stirring up memories – be it Shizuka’s parents before their death or Sanae’s “haunting” of Koutarou before the others arrived. Finally, Koutarou and the girls go on a private beach holiday… but also find time to sneak in some plot-based activities.

Shizuka’s story reminded me that there are other residents of the apartment complex besides her and the 106 herd, and we really haven’t ever ran into any of them, have we? Even if they don’t complain about the noise and/or property damage, you’d think the idea of one man living with so many girls would cause them to at least talk to the manager. Then again, she *does* know martial arts… As usual with these short story volumes, the longest was the best, as we see Nefilforan and her troops wanting to train against Koutarou and the other girls, as they’re all basically powerhouses. This gives us a chance to see just how powerful everyone in the group has become… and yes, for once that includes Yurika, though she thinks sleeping gas is not very cute and magical girl-ey. Unfortunately for the girls, while Koutarou is slowly getting over his past traumas and personality flaws, he’s not really ready to admire the girls’ swimsuits at all or show that he is sexually attracted to them. Perhaps it might take another 39 books.

Of course, this still leaves a cliffhanger from the last book hanging there, and the author promises that we’ll get back to the main plot in Vol. 38, which should focus on Sanae. Till then, this is a good short story volume that is a definite buy for anyone who’s read close to forty other volumes of this series.

Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll Do Anything to Become a Librarian!, Part 4: Founder of the Royal Academy’s So-Called Library Committee, Vol. 2

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By Miya Kazuki and You Shiina. Released in Japan as “Honzuki no Gekokujou: Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan wo Erandeiraremasen” by TO Books. Released in North America digitally by J-Novel Club. Translated by quof.

If the plot of all nine of the books in this arc is 75% “Rozemyne goes to the magical academy and fun things happen” and the other 25% is “Sylvester and Ferdinand stare in horror, mouths agape as Rozemyne tells them what she did”, I will be a happy clam. Yes, once again she’s breaking rules she didn’t know existed, or breaking rules simply because she’s too deep inside a book to really pay attention to anything around her. Everyone in this book is constantly talking to her about sociability lessons and etiquette, etc. That said, they really should remember what she used to be like, as should the reader… we have come a LONG, LONG way from the Myne of the first three books. There are a grand total of zero temper tantrums here, even when you’d expect her to have them. – Benno doesn’t even noogie her! That said, one sad note for older readers, as her path back to Lutz and her old family is getting fainter and fainter.

The cover art shows Rozemyne and her attendants engaged in what seems to be a sporting match… indeed, I was a kid once, so I’ll buy the author’s explanation that she based the game played here on her daughter’s invented dodgeball variation. That said, the author is also correct that anyone who is reading the description of the match will be thinking of some other fantasy series. The match itself comes about because it turns out that the two rabbit familiars Rozemyne powered up last time are not only highly intelligent and powerful but also wanted by most of the other student cliques, and just getting them to her dorm so they can be measured for new clothes is an adventure. Getting them back is even more of one, and leads to the game of “ditter” we see on the cover, which our heroes only win because they have Rozemyne’s bag of tricks – they’re clearly outclassed in every other way.

In other news, much as she would like to try to stay out of everyone’s way and read books, that’s not going to happen, and much of it is Rozemyne’s own fault. Sure, she cannot turn down a prince when he arrives at a tea party she’s going to, but at the same time, she did not have to bluntly play matchmaker for him and tell him how far he has to go to be prime boyfriend material. She is fortunate that the advice works really well, or else disaster might have occurred. Then there’s the issue of her attendant Traugott, Rihyarda’s grandson. He’s a hothead who thinks you can get what you want through charging ahead, but unlike the other rock-stupid attendant we know and love (and Angelica is wonderful throughout, she’s my favorite after Rozemyne), he does not actually listen to or care about Rozemyne. As such… bye-bye. Mama don’t allow no mana-compression leeches in here.

I’m not sure what else to say, except that everyone should be reading this. Despite its length (each book is easily the size of two normal light novels), you’ll want to plow through it the moment you pick it up.

The Devil Is a Part-Timer!, Vol. 20

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By Satoshi Wagahara and 029. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen Press. Translated by Kevin Gifford.

Sometimes I worry that an author might be paying too much attention to their fans. This is not a bad volume of Devil Is a Part-Timer! per se, though it’s light on the series’ usual wacky comedy. As we get closer to the end of the series, Chiho and Suzuno are too busy to crack many jokes, and Maou and Emi are too stressed out. But we do get to the point where we’re ready for the final battle next time, which is good. Maou is still waffling, which is less good, but at least in the cliffhanger ending he admits that it’s because he has no idea what it means to love someone. That said, there’s a sense that the author saw a few Maou/Emi fanfics and got annoyed, because this volume definitely has the feeling of the author trying too hard. The plot is “Maou and Emi have to live in her apartment for the sake of Alas Ramus”, and they try to bond as a family, but there’s no sexual tension at all. Meanwhile, Chiho is… well, overpowered.

Maou and Emi are able to do this “live in her apartment” thing because they’re mostly being kept out of the loop, as Chiho organizes a gigantic peace summit for the express purpose of not getting left behind in Japan when this is all resolved. This involves trying to please every faction, many of whom have reason to hate the Devil King… including a few surprises. That said, Maou and Emi have a good reason to not be part of the preparations: Alas Ramus is starting to suffer what Acieth did last book, only it’s not eating but attention she wants, and it’s causing her to grow between infancy and middle school age… and also teleport. And there’s also the matter of Sariel, who is just a bit stressed out that Chiho revealed everything to the McRonald’s staff without bothering to check with him first. A lot going on.

Look, I like Chiho. I’ve even shipped Maou/Chiho since the book began, mostly as Japanese titles with a tsundere lead and a cute plucky second girl always end the same way. But… damn, this feels forced. There’s a hysterically bad section of the book where Chiho discusses talking with the student council and studying how parliament works as last-second prep for chairing a summit of supernaturally-powered factions. Yeah, even I’m not buying this. As for Maou and Emi, Chiho makes a good point when she says if anything was going to happen between them, it would have by now, but still… it’s a bit of a damp squib here, showing off all their awkwardness but none of their friendship. On the bright side, there was actual depth given to Emeralda, who is pretty good at hiding behind her speech affectations and “don’t care” attitude, but it turns out has real reasons to hate the Devil King. That said, just before the end of the series is not a good time to remind us he was supposed to be fantasy Hitler.

And so everything is prepared for the final volume, though honestly I feel that dealing with love confessions may be more difficult than an actual war with heaven. In the meantime, if you’re going to break the cliche, you might want to try a bit harder than this does.

The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt (Hey, How About Treason?), Vol. 7

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By Toru Taba and Falmaro. Released in Japan as “Tensai Ouji no Akaji Kokka Saisei Jutsu ~Sou da, Baikoku Shiyou~” by GA Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Jessica Lange.

This series continues to do what I want it to do, and that makes me very happy. There’s some whining and complaining from Wein here, but nit’s kept to a minimum. There’s a larger role for his sister, with promises of more to come in the future. There’s a lot of very clever people trying to outfox each other, succeeding, then being upended by someone else. And in the end it turns out that the unloved son, who is the least suited for the throne, is the only one who really wins here. There’s also a lot of discussion about what it means to rule a nation… and an empire, for that matter. All of Wein and Lowellmina’s old classmates get cool things to do. Including Ninym, who continues to function as Wein’s minder and sounding board, but also shows that she’s dangerous on her own. Basically, if you like this series, you’ll really like this volume.

The throne war in the empire is heating up, and Demetrio, the eldest son, has decided to advance things by having himself baptized in the holy land, the first step towards becoming the new Emperor. Naturally, none of the other candidates, including Lowellmina, will stand for that. She invites Wein and Ninym to the Empire to discuss an alliance… but on the way there, they’re waylaid by the first prince’s soldiers, and have to pretend they’re there to answer HIS summons to discuss an alliance. Which is awkward, because a) the alliance letter was meant to be a formality, no one expected Wein would agree to it, b) the first prince is the one with the lowest chances of becoming Emperor, and c) this is probably all part of Lowellmina’s plot to use Wein to further her own interests. Fortunately, Wein had a backup plan. His sister.

There’s a fair amount of military battles in this book, and we get to show off the strategist and the swashbuckler in Wein’s “college days” party being fairly awesome. Wein himself, as with the previous book, is more of an influencer here. Indeed, he has to be, as he been put in a very awkward position. But he’s got a sharp mind, and he knows that all three factions have their own issues. (The second prince doesn’t really seem to want the job, to be honest.) It also would not be a new volume of Genius Prince without a new eccentric character, in this case the Prime Minister of the empire, who has some wonderful ideas for what makes a good ruler but also seems to ramble on about anything and everything and randomly collapse. He was fun. The best part, however, was seeing the continued development of Falanya. Events are conspiring to pit her against her brother in a civil war, even to the point where she’s hiring a vassal who’s one of Wein’s former enemies. That said, I think the two siblings adore each other too much for real conflict to arise.

So yes, good volume, and of course it has a nasty cliffhanger, as it looks like we’ll be seeing more of the secret cabal that rules over the other half of this territory. Enjoying this series more and more.

Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?, Vol. 10

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By Dachima Inaka and Iida Pochi. Released in Japan as “Tsujo Kogeki ga Zentai Kogeki de Ni-kai Kogeki no Okasan wa Suki desu ka?” by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Andrew Cunningham.

For some reason, I had it in my head that most of the last five books were short-story volumes. This isn’t actually the case, it just seems like it, but even the other short story volumes added a plot that coheres more than this one, a volume that is the very definition of “we need you to end with Vol 11 instead of 10, so can you just busk for 200 pages?”. There is a plotline introduced here, one that seems to promise that the final volume will at least not consist of stories from Dragon Magazine, but unfortunately we only see that plot in a brief prologue and in the final story. For most of this, it’s generic adventures. And, because they’re meant to slot in anywhere for readers as they’re magazine stories, that means Masato is more annoying than usual, and also more put-upon than usual, a dangerous double combination. Basically, this was hard to push through.

We open with a prologue where Shirase (in the real world, so without extra letters) is explaining to the government that they’re ready to actually launch the game – but the identity of the beta testers comes as a surprise to one of the people in the room. After this, our heroes try to stop a restaurant feud between mother and daughter, which mostly involves paying high bills and a lot of curry; the appearance of a MOD that allows a body modification leads to one of the few cliches the series had not done yet, a bodyswap between mother and son; the monsters are all getting a holiday, leaving our heroes at loose ends… well, just Masato really; our heroes team up with an overly florid grocer to try to stop a shoplifter; and our heroes film a commercial for the game, and all try to show their best sides. We know how that works out.

The final story is the best… OK, let’s be honest, the only one that did not make me want to skim the book, though the shoplifting story has its clever moments. A new beta tester, named “Hawk” arrives, led by Shiraaase. He looks 15, but his real identity is obvious to… well, Mamako and the reader, and even Masato is coming up with a good guess. Yes, it’s his dad, and he seems to be just as much of a dad stereotype as Mamako is the mom stereotype. Despite the cliffhanger, he does not actually seem to be evil or misguided here, and clearly loves his family. He’s also impressed with the growth Masato has shown, which I’d likely have appreciated more if I hadn’t just plowed through those short stories where he was more generic dipshit guy. It does serve to remind you that the game it meant to serve a purpose beyond “make Mamako an OP goddess”.

So yes, the next volume is the final one, and I’m hoping that it will not have more short stories. It will also probably bring back the rest of the cast like Hahako and the 3 evil minion kids, etc. Heck, we might even see Wise and Mehdi’s mothers again. Till then, though, the best part of the book was seeing that dad is just as big of a dork as his wife and child.

Altina the Sword Princess, Vol. 10

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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.

Well, after a couple of volumes where she played a very small role, this volumes finally gives us what we’ve sort of been expecting. Altina the Sword Princess does not appear in it. Instead, we finish up Regis’ time on the side of Latrielle, as we get the second half of the big siege we started in Book 9, and also bring to an end the war with Britannia. I had sort of guessed that the war was going to end in this volume, if only as a minor character I did not expect to die brutally died brutally, and the denouement is pretty much everything you want in a military-themed light novel series. Unfortunately for Regis, he has made himself far, FAR too valuable. This is not merely a matter of taking a promotion exam and returning to Altina’s side anymore. Especially as Latrielle reveals his plans for the future of the nation, and they are absolutely terrifying. So now the big question becomes: can Regis survive?

Regis has reason to be concerned about his plans, of course. A lot of them rely on their soldier in the walled city itself, Varese, and the teenage girl who has basically decided to glom onto him and live or die with him. Unfortunately for her, that comes close to meaning dying, though I am hopeful we’ll hear from them again. As for the plan to fight the massive army, things are helped along by the mercenary corps suddenly deserting the enemy army mysteriously, which is good news for our heroes… for now. Eventually everything comes down to stopping the Queen from escaping back to Britannia, which of course means stopping Oswald, something that that Regis is thoroughly incapable of doing if it requires physical strength. Fortunately, he has a wannabe emperor at his side.

There are a few highlights in this book, but in terms of the ongoing plot I think the biggie is Latrielle’s plan for the future of the country, with Regis’ occasional interjections pointing out the difficulties. The biggest one, I think, is only alluded to, which is this kind of military dictatorship Latrielle wants is only really feasible while he’s alive. It is quite brave and also quite stupid of Regis to essentially tell the future King, to his face, “no, I disagree with everything you say, I’m going to return to my liege now”. No surprise that the book ends with Latrielle essentially ordering a halt to Regis’ future prospects. Even the romance in the book is fraught with peril. Regis does his best Catarina Claes impression when Fanrine, the noble who’s fallen in love with him, gives him the old Japanese staple “I want to cook for you for the rest of your life” and his response is essentially “That would be great. But sadly, I’m about to be assassinated.”

Still, quite a strong volume, and one that both makes me happy that the next one is coming soon and sad that we’re about to hit the series’ “end” – the author has been busy with other better-selling series like How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord for the last three years. But we have a few volumes to go till that happens. Till then, enjoy Regis the Strategist, with no appearances by Altina.

Also Laetrile’s plot would never work as he’s banned in the US! (Obscure, I know.)

Girls Kingdom, Vol. 4

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By Nayo and Shio Sakura. Released in Japan by GL Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Philip Reuben.

Because a series such as Girls Kingdom revels in its cliches, it’s not a great surprise that everything that happens in it seems to revolve around Misaki. She has Big Protagonist Energy, and thus is able to be part of events that might otherwise have gone on without her input, or, in other cases, able to accidentally wander into areas that she absolutely has no right to be in. Not to spoil too much, but there is a supernatural barrier in the forest that Misaki just blithely walks past, and the explanation that we get is something akin to “huh, well, she’s just that sort”. Speaking of supernatural barriers, after the reveal in the 3rd book, I was expecting a bit more of that sort of thing, and yet for 3/4 of this book we are once again dealing with Maria-sama Ga Miteru-style school politics and social miscues. Fortunately, when we DO get what we wanted all along, it’s possibly the best part of the book… not because it’s dramatic or action-packed, but more because it’s absolutely hilarious. This series really can go anywhere.

We pick up where we left off last time. Sakura is newly arrived at the school, and the salons are fighting to see who she joins up with. Will it be the Sky Salon, who not only offer business opportunities but also our heroine’s Big Protagonist Energy? Will it be the Paradise Palace, where she can be among other very short young ladies and eat the tastiest sweets in the world? Or perhaps the Gloriana Guesthouse, the British-themed dark horse? It certainly won’t be the Mauve Manor, and relations between Shion and Himeko seem, if anything, worse than ever. After this, we focus on Saeko, the Sky Salon’s “Number Two”, and her seemingly sadistic relationship with her Seraph, Matsuri. Matsuri has now paid off her debt, meaning she does not have to be Saeko’s Seraph anymore. Most would assume that they could thus enter a more natural Mistress and Seraph relationship, but they reckon without Saeko’s stubbornness and Matsuri’s melancholy.

As readers will no doubt note, I left out Angelica from this description. She shows up here and there, and does indeed have a plotline near the end of the book, but I’ll avoid that for now, as it’s better read unspoiled. As for the rest, it was pretty good. The second half was better than the first, and not just because of Angelica. Much as the author did their best to stir up doubt about who Sakura would choose, and how everyone was very close in the end… from a dramatic standpoint, it’s not particularly a surprise. Saeko and Matsuri is more interesting, especially because if everyone finds out about it the whole school is in danger of a Yellow Rose Revolution. It also reflects back on Misaki and Himeko, as Misaki realizes that her own arrangement with her Mistress is not so easily broken. It doesn’t help that Misaki is currently taking baths with Himeko, sleeping with Himeko, being constantly touched by Himeko, and thinking “this must be what Mistresses and Seraphs do”. She’d get along well with Otherside Picnic’s Sorawo.

The book ends with a cliffhanger, and possibly a field trip, but we’re going to have to wait – we’ve caught up with the Japanese releases. Till then, if you enjoy your yuri tongue-in-cheek and can’t get the Maria-sama novels licensed, this will do nicely to tide you over.

The Holy Crown of Marielle Clarac

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By Haruka Momo and Maro. Released in Japan as “Marielle Clarac no Seikan” by Ichijinsha Bunko Iris NEO. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Philip Reuben.

While they have not realized they are in a series of fictional romance novels, the cast of the Marielle Clarac books have certainly figured out what’s going on around the heroine. Even with Simeon trying his best to keep Marielle away from anything remotely resembling danger and excitement, it always finds its way to her. What’s more, things can’t even be kept secret from her – she’s far too clever and makes too many connections, guessing the plot at times before it can even be explained to her. Fortunately for Marielle, though unfortunately for her husband, most of the actual physical injuries in this book happen to her husband. This is not to say that Marielle is not in peril, as she is, constantly, through much of this book. But, having knifed her in the arm in the last book, the author is content to emotionally abuse her by having Simeon shot, then go off a cliff, then get shot AGAIN. Again: potboiler.

Things that were simmering in the previous volumes are still simmering, as there’s war going on between two neighboring countries. No, Marielle isn’t going there – instead she’s off to the funeral of a very old relative of Simeon’s, who lived a long, happy life but who needs her, since Simeon can’t make it, to pay respects. Then… stuff happens. There’s a torrential rain, which causes a lot of the nearby commoners to be evacuated to the vicinity. Then Simeon DOES show up, along with the prince, as they’re looking for a missing royal… in fact, he’s the heir to the throne of Orta, though the monarchy was overthrown a couple of decades ago. Then some old enemies show up. Then the missing heir loses his memory. And then there’s the matter of the missing holy crown, which is the standard “we won’t believe you’re the heir without this” item. Is there a way to resolve everything without it all revolving around Marielle?

Well, no, but who wants to read a book where Marielle just hears about things afterward? She even muses that life has been too good to her lately, as someone who is unfamiliar with her treats her poorly and it makes her feel nostalgic. That said, as I noted, most of Marielle’s issues in this book are emotional rather than physical. She’s still seen as much younger than her age, and worries that Simeon is treating her like that as well, especially when they get in an argument midway through the book. She’s thinking about children, and wonders whether a boy or a girl would be easier for the noble succession/peace of mind (delete where applicable). And seeing Simeon is peril, and at one point not waking up after a horrible fall, makes her break down completely – for all her intellectual savvy and quick wit, Marielle is still very innocent at heart, and was not ready to see the love of her life near death.

All this and Lutin too. And he may stick around for the 8th book, which does not have a release date here yet but promises to finally have us meet the crown princess’s royal fiancee. That’ll go well, I’m sure. Safe and fun. In the meantime, if you love silly adventure stories, this is right up your alley.

The Ideal Sponger Life, Vol. 4

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

One of the reasons I really enjoy this series despite its unrecommendable premise is that it really seems to want to dig into the nitty gritty of everything. The genetics of magic are in full force here, and we see how that can also be political for various reasons, and also how it’s likely to affect Aura and Zenjirou’s marriage down the road. The stuff Zenjirou brought from Japan is also proving to be both very good and also very dangerous, as he gets to impress a princess (who’s really a science nerd deep down), but also manages to upend the power balance by explaining concave and convex lenses to her, something that is a huge thing but also so obscure he has to explain to his wife why he screwed up. All this and their newborn son has come down with fantasy world measles. The baby has a 90% chance of surviving… which means a 10% chance of dying, something that makes no one happy. Do they have to use another rare healing stone?

Despite the occasional break in the storyline to fight raptors (who are far more numerous than expected), the bulk of this book is taken up with the arrival of Prince Francesco (who is basically Tamaki from Ouran Host Club) and Princess Bona (no close relation, she’s his minder and the aforementioned science nerd). Dealing with Francesco is somewhat exhausting, especially as they’re trying to figure out why he’s not in the line of succession… and also how much of his airhead act is just an act. Princess Bona is high-strung, but much easier to deal with… possibly a bit TOO easy, as Aura notices immediately that she and Zenjirou seem to naturally bond. That said, it’s their child’s illness that brings them all the answers they want, as Francesco reveals his background and magic abilities… something that also is going to make it even HARDER for Zenjirou not to take a concubine.

You know it’s a good Sponger Life when even the maid side-stories, usually the low point of the book, are interesting. The three goofy maids are busy playing video golf, which is the funny part, but the narration also points out that by learning about birdies, par and bogies, and the value of each, they’re being taught zero and negative numbers, something well outside what they would normally learn. That said, they’re all airheads, so I’m not sure if it will actually crop up later on. I also enjoyed seeing Aura fight (mostly successfully) against her jealousy. She points out that she worries constantly about making Zenjirou angry, as unlike everyone else in her kingdom, he doesn’t really WANT anything, so can’t be bribed to get back on his good side. Fortunately, despite his good relationship with Bona, she’s highly unlikely to be a concubine (the book seems to be pairing her and Francesco, though it’s subtle).

By now I imagine every reader who was hanging around waiting for more sexytimes has abandoned ship, leaving those who love the series’ political intrigue. This is a very good volume for that, and makes me interested in the next book, which… does NOT have Aura on the cover! Gasp!

I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level, Vol. 10

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By Kisetsu Morita and Benio. Released in Japan as “Slime Taoshite 300 Nen, Shiranai Uchi ni Level MAX ni Nattemashita” by GA Novels. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Jasmine Bernhardt.

It’s the 10th volume of Killing Slimes for 300 Years, and that means that big, earth-shattering changes are in store. OK, no, that’s not what it means. This book is exactly the same as the previous nine. Anyone reading this to see characters change or grow is a glutton for punishment. Despite that, this is a very good volume, avoiding some of the series’ usual pitfalls. Azusa doesn’t even have to point out that she’s not gay! Instead, you get a lot of cute, fun stuff happening and the cast either causing it or reacting to it. Heck, even the Halkara side stories, which I have ragged on the last two books, are better than usual. The one thing that does happen in these books is the addition of new cast members, and we see that here, as we get a fortune-telling Moon Spirit. We also see Azusa’s estranged slime daughter Wynona, who pops up several times in this book and, despite her best efforts, ends up being part of the extended family.

Stories in this volume: they all go to a sweets fair, where Falfa and Shalsha try to sell the edible slimes as sweets; they see a fortune teller who is surprisingly blunt, and she reveals she’s yet another spirit, though she’s not really sure what she should be doing; Wynona asks Azusa and Laika to party with her for a competition in a dungeon, and shows off her seemingly aloof self (and her obsession with the color white); everyone goes to a peach festival, with Momotaro references galore, an 18+ exhibit Azusa has to stop everyone from going to, and so many peaches; Muu from the ancient civilization requests the help of Flatorte to help with an encroaching plant problem; after this, due to what happened, Flatorte is suddenly extremely calm and efficient; and Beelzubub shows off her new demonic credit card… though there’s still a few bugs in the system. Meanwhile, Halkara and Flatorte struggle with local cuisine, and Halkara gets sent by the goddess to Japan, where she runs into Azusa pre-death.

I mentioned that no one expects character development, though that isn’t strictly true here; by the end of her stories, Wynona is decidedly less tsun and more dere towards her “step” mother. That said, the highlight of the book is definitely Flatorte. She hasn’t been able to fight or blow off steam in a long time, and has been getting even more eccentric as a result. The solution to Muu’s problem, which involves using her freezing breath more than she ever has before, also leads to her suddenly being polite, calm, and competent; Azusa even compares her to a butler! That said, We Want Our Jerk Back, so it doesn’t stick. There is also an amusing Lovecraft pastiche towards the end, describing events we’ve already seen as if they were the most terrible things imaginable. Halkara’s stories aren’t great, and I wish she’d actually interacted with Japanese Azusa, but they didn’t bore or irritate me. Plus, they’re the last of that spinoff – next time Laika gets the side stories.

So yes, cute fluffy, relaxing, nothing earth-shaking happens. A good book to read after you’ve read something dark and brooding.

86 –Eighty-Six–, Vol. 8: Gun Smoke on the Water

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By Asato Asato and Shirabii. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Roman Lempert.

As expected, after last volume’s romantic comedy shenanigans, we’re back to normal service with this volume of 86. Oh sure, the aftermath of Shin and Lena is still hanging around, and needless to say, the reader wants to strangle Lena. Don’t expect resolution in this book, though, because instead our heroes join up with a group of countries who normally try to avoid the threat of massive sea monsters, but sadly the Legion have proven to be even more dangerous to them, and finally, after ten years of slowly getting destroyed, they’re forced to call other nations for help. On the bright side, this means everyone gets to see the sea! On the down side, the sea is not really the gorgeous blue Mediterranean they had expected, but more of a cold Norway-style sea. What’s more, thanks to the cliffhanger from last time, there is a possibility that the end of the war could be in sight. Which means… thinking past the war. This proves difficult for some, especially Theo, the focus of this book.

I’m not great at remembering character appearances in this series beyond Shin and Lena, so when the cover art to Vol. 8 came out, I joked that 86 was crossing over with Isekai Quartet. But no, that’s not Tanya on the cover, it’s Theo, and he’s not having a good time. Several of the 86 are doing a much better job than he is at imagining a future for themselves that does not involve constant war and battle. He’s still haunted by the death of his former captain. And the Island Nations folks are weighing heavily on him, as they’ve thrown away their pride in order to protest what’s left of their people against the Legion. Given the 86 are supposedly left with nothing BUT pride, this baffles Theo. Fortunately, about 3/4 of this book is a huge sea battle against an unstoppable enemy that always looks dead but isn’t, with the potential for everyone to die horribly. So no change there, then.

As you might gather, the battles are excellent, but I can’t really say a lot about them, as military fighting novels are not my metier. Indeed, it’s still surprising how much I follow this series given that it hits a lot of my “no thanks” buttons, and it’s credit to the author. There is a Situation towards the end which deeply affects a number of the main cast, and while the reader has no doubt that all will be well, it does allow for some additional character development to be pulled off very well. That said… look, I’ve been waiting for another major cast member to die since Book 1, and have been very surprised it didn’t happen. And, spoiler, it doesn’t happen here either. That said, death is not the only way to leave a fight, and also not the only way to winnow down a cast. I suspect the majority of the 9th book is going to be dealing with the 86 having to cope with the events in this book.

So yes, fans should be pleased with Gun Smoke on the Water, despite an annoying lack of Frank Zappa and the Mothers. Will the war end anytime soon? I’m guessing no, but small steps is fine.

Durarara!!SH, Vol. 2

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By Ryohgo Narita and Suzuhito Yasuda. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Stephen Paul.

I always love to start off a review by admitting I was wrong. So yes, sorry Izaya, it turns out you were NOT the one who told Yahiro to come to Tokyo after all, it was Shinra, who is also an agent of chaos, just with a bit less malice. Of course, that’s all very well and good, but his arrival, along with meeting Himeka and Kuon, seems to have started everyone back on to their usual mess again. Narita specializes in chains of unconnected events exploding outward till they all connect, and that’s what happens here, thanks to… well, some of it is indirectly thanks to Izaya. OK, most of it. But alas, he’s still not in these books. But Celty returns, and it’s refreshing to see that she is much the same as she was before. Albeit a lot more panicked, given that while she was having a hot springs tour, people kept disappearing and she got the blame. We also find out a lot more about Himeka and Kuon… who both have a lot of issues to deal with as well.

Given that both Yahiro and Himeka are actively looking for Celty, it’s rather surprising that their confrontation goes so well. Then again, Celty’s a sweetie pie, as anyone who spends time around her knows. This helps Himeka to let go of the rage and anger towards the headless rider… and also makes her realize what’s actually going on, which is not supernatural in nature but instead involves a broken family, the desperation of being a true believer, and a drug that does very bad things to you. As for Yahiro, well, his fight with Shizuo was not nearly as secret as he’d hoped, and now everyone knows there’s a new bad boy in town. What’s more, one of his new friends is trying to manipulate him. Can he manage to resolve what it means to be a human with the monster that everyone says he is?

The answer is no, but don’t worry, that’s a good answer – in fact, it’s the best part of the book. DRRR!! is a series where we see normal, non-powerful humans turning out to be the absolute scum of the earth, while one of the actual supernatural monsters is one of the nicest people in it. Ikebukuro is a place where being a monster may be cool, it may attract attention, it may force events to revolve around you… but it’s not really the terrible thing that Yahiro dealt with in his small town. As for the human part of the book… well, Horada, everyone’s least favorite minor villain, is out of jail and still just as pathetic, but I think we know by now he’s a running gag. More concerning is the Heaven’s Slave drug, which has not only made a big comeback but also brought back two somewhat more major villains, both of whom have decided to get revenge on the city rather than a person. No doubt that will spark the third volume.

All this and I didn’t even get into the use of cults and their use to get away from what ails you, which can be a problem when your cult leader suddenly disappears. In any case, if you love DRRR!!, Izaya or no, this is a very fun volume, greatly enjoyable.

Konosuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World! Bonus Story: Deadbeat Busters

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By Natsume Akatsuki and Kurone Mishima. Released in Japan as “Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Bakuen wo!” by Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Alex Wetnight.

After three volumes that act as a prequel to the main series, and two volumes that give us the further adventures of Megumin trying to adventure with a different group of characters, we have finally come to the end of her spinoff. There are, of course, still a number of KonoSuba spinoffs out there, albeit unlicensed. Heck, even in Japan it’s hard to keep up with the source – one story in this volume has the author apologize in the afterword, as it brings back an antagonist from a preorder bonus story. So it’s not just English speakers who can’t keep up. More to the point, rejoice! This volume takes place after Book 14, meaning that for once, we’re getting a spinoff volume exactly where it should be. As for the premise? Well, I mean, wacky Megumin antics, for the most part, what do you expect? But mostly it’s about Megumin realizing that, much as she has fun with her side story adventuring party, there’s no party quite like home.

Megumin wants to go out and adventure, but it’s the rainy season, and Kazuma, Aqua and Darkness really don’t want to. Particularly Kazuma, which annoys her, as they’re supposed to be a couple. Clearly it’s time to get the side character band back together: Yunyun, who may be the next chief of the Crimson Magic Clan but still will walk down a suspicious dark alley with three burly dudes if they say they’ll be her friend; Iris, who is determined to go out and be a hero even though the slightest thing harming her will mean execution for the rest of the party; and Cecily, who… ugh, must we? They meet an eccentric scholar with a passion for rare monsters and a desire to impress the woman he likes, and so try to defeat a King Toad (much larger than the toads we’ve seen before) and a poison slime (which is not Cecily’s fault technically, but let’s blame her anyway) before Kazuma finally shows up with the rest of the team and they take on a Crystal Liger, its magpie tendencies, and its poop.

First, the most important part of any KonoSuba book: the book is quite funny, with a lot of good gags. As always, Megumin and Yunyun trade off the position of “the only one with common sense” throughout the book, though more accurately Yunyun has it 75% of the time. She and Iris manage to take down a wyvern on their own, though we don’t see it, and I think she’s going to be a powerhouse once she gets over her pathetic insecurities about friends. Getting away from Megumin might also help. As for the title character, as I noted above, this book serves to show to her that it’s most fun back with Kazuma, Aqua, and Darkness. More to the point, she finds she does not like being the leader of a party, and feels sympathy for Kazuma… though I assume that will vanish when she gets to go back to being the loose cannon we know and love.

So that’s it for the spinoff. Fortunately, we have more of the main series coming in the fall. Till then, Megumin fans should enjoy this.

The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, Vol. 2

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

I admit that I had expected that Mahiru would be the tougher nut to crack in this burgeoning relationship. She clearly had some sort of family issue, which we get to see in detail here, and it’s both very predictable and also worse than I expected. That said, it also helps to explain why she falls in love faster than Amane. Now, don’t get me wrong, they’re both crazy about each other and it’s obvious to everyone who isn’t Amane. But seeing the relationship he has with his parents and his best friends is basically filling Mahiru with a longing that she’s had for her entire life, and it’s no surprise that she’s leaning hard into it. Unfortunately, we are going the cliche route here, for good and ill; the lead guy does not think that she could possibly love him, and does not notice any of the obvious signs. In fact, it turns out that Amane may have a tortured past himself.

The start of the book revolves around New Year’s, which the people-shy Amane and Mahiru do not want to be spending at a shrine, so they instead spend it with each other. They can’t avoid the shrine forever, though, and a few days later Amane’s parents show up to whisk them off there (and also dress them up in kimonos, because Mahiru is gorgeous and Amane, when he bothers to put in effort, is handsome). Mahiru then gets a cold, and (no surprises – again) tries to pretend she’s fine. Then we get Valentine’s Day and White Day, which is difficult to do when your relationship is so vague, as well as Amane’s best friend Itsuki staying over a few days after a fight with his father. Finally, we briefly meet Mahiru’s birth mother, and learn why she is the way she is.

The strengths and weaknesses of the second volume are the same as the first, so if you enjoyed one you should enjoy the other. That said, if you hate self-deprecating guys who cannot figure out that someone is in love with them despite it being glaringly obvious – and pointed out by everyone around them – then this series must be like drinking poison. Amane’s self-image is through the floor, which is probably why he never does anything about his hair, clothes, or lifestyle. His parents are both fantastic, so that’s not the issue, but a cliffhanger suggests that a friendship from the past led to this. Unfortunately, we don’t learn that there’s an obvious reason for his reticence till the end of the book, so for most of it it reads like Anime Guy Syndrome. Fortunately, the two are absolutely adorable together, couple or no, and the series runs on that.

I’m not sure when we’ll actually advance to a relationship – the 5th volume just came out in Japan last month, so it may be a bit. But aside from Amane’s mopey attitude, this remains an excellent high school romance.

Spy Classroom: Lily of the Garden

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

I am always pleased when a book meets the expectations I had for it. I’d heard good things about Spy Classroom when it was first licensed. It’s an award winner, and it seemed to be balancing humor and espionage in equal measure. The premise is simple enough: a group of girls, all of whom are in various schools training to be spies, and all of whom are failures and washouts for one reason or another, are removed from their schools and assigned to an “Impossible Mission”, i.e. a mission that a previous group of spies has tried to do and been killed for it. Success for those “redo” missions is about 10%. Fortunately, they have Klaus, a fantastic spy who they can never quite get the drop on no matter how many times they try, to teach them. That said, there is a slight problem. He’s so intuitive about everything he does that his explanations are ludicrously bad. No, normal teaching is not going to cut it here. We need teaching by example. Which means trying to kill the teacher over and over again.

The description makes it sound a lot like Assassination Classroom, even down to the name, but it’s not very much like that series at all. As you’d expect with a cast herd like this, we only really focus on a couple of the girls in this volume – indeed, except for these two, even the names of the other girls are obfuscated for the most part. Lily is the girl on the cover, a cheerful, somewhat arrogant young girl who is also, well, really terrible at spy school. She has one very big thing she can do, and it works well… the trouble is everything else. Oh yes, and she doesn’t want to die, which means the idea of an Impossible Mission freaks her out. The other girl we get to know is Erna, who is a bit of a type, the classic case of the “girl with bad luck”. Her luck tends to lash out at both her and everyone else, and it’s left her personality pretty much the opposite of Lily’s. They were both very well fleshed out.

As for the espionage part… much as I tend to be a walking spoiler factory in my reviews, I’m trying not to do that this time. There are several “shocking swerves” in the narrative, very much in the classic mystery genre way where after reading it you kick yourself for not noticing things beforehand. Indeed, the author and artist even take advantage of this, tricking the reader as well as the enemy into what they believe. The battles are exciting and honestly, I did worry there would be some main cast killed. It’s pretty clear this was written as a one-shot, so all bets are off, really. That said, being framed as a single book also helps to keep things tense and fast-paced – a lesser author would have spent the first book just having wacky spy teaching stuff and left the mission for a Book 3 or so, but we know what it’s safe to skip over and what isn’t. (Also, skipping stuff helps to keep the mystery going.)

Fortunately, there is more in the series, which makes me very happy. This was one of the best light novels I’ve read in months, and it also really makes you want to go back and re-read it after you’ve finished to spot the clues and smack your forehead. Also: FOUND FAMILY FOUND FAMILY FOUND FAMILY.