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Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!, Vol. 13

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By FUNA and Itsuki Akata. Released in Japan as “Watashi, Nouryoku wa Heikinchi de tte Itta yo ne!” by Earth Star Novels. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Diana Taylor. Adapted by Maggie Cooper.

At last, after missing each other for a few volumes, the Wonder Trio and the Crimson Vow finally meet each other in the latter half of this volume, which leads to the fated battle of who gets to have Mile as their bestie. The outcome of this is very much up in the air… theoretically. In-universe, certainly. In the meta sense, the outcome is very much set in stone, as we’ve been traveling with the Crimson Vow for 12 books now, and the Wonder Trio are merely beloved supporting characters and backstory for our heroine. But it’s a good thing, really, as it reminds us of the Crimson Vow’s biggest flaw, which is that the other three have gotten so used to having Mile around that they’ve forgotten to think about basic things… like food or shelter. Reina gets this, being more used to the hunter life than the others, but when it comes to the fated battle… well, it appears to be a bit one-sided.

But wait, we also have the first half of the book. There are a few cute short stories, but mostly it has three main plotlines: the resolution of the battle with the Elder Dragons that formed last volume’s cliffhanger (turns out that controlling the nanos that control reality is super useful, who knew?); Kelvin, the guy who challenged Adele at school and got creamed growing up and leading a huge battle force (that would have lost without Mile, but hey, baby steps); and the Crimson Vow coming upon a small village, whereupon they save a young girl from being kidnapped by bandits. Said girl reminds Mile a lot of her little sister from her previous life… and it doesn’t help that she had an older sister in this world who died EXACTLY the way Misato did. I was actually waiting for this to go somewhere, but it really does seem to have been a coincidence… but it allows Mile to gush a lot, and the rest of the group to beat the crap out of bandits, their favorite thing.

The battle honestly feels like a bit of an apology to the wonder Trio. I’ve always felt it sort of baffling that the first volume in this series gave Adele a supporting cast of friends… and then dumped them and had Mile gain a NEW supporting cast of friends. As such, here we see that the trio are more intelligent and adept at magic, to the point where Mile is teaching them things that she would never teach the other members of the Crimson Vow. She also, like the Little Sister from earlier in the book, assigns some nanos to watch over them… not realizing that these nanos love to do anything in order to break their cycle of boredom. Combine that with the Wonder Trio figuring out uses for Mile’s storage magic that even she hasn’t dreamed of, and they start to look truly terrifying. That said, sorry to spoil but Mile remains with the Crimson Vow.

Aside from the usual flat/large breast remarks, there wasn’t even a lot of annoying fanservice in this book. The best part was the back half, but it was solid overall, and fans should be very pleased.

Fushi no Kami: Rebuilding Civilization Starts with a Village, Vol. 4

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By Mizuumi Amakawa and Mai Okuma. Released in Japan as “Fushi no Kami: Henkyou kara Hajimeru Bunmei Saiseiki” by Overlap. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Maurice Alesch.

Last time I asked for Ash to have a few failures under his belt, and we do get a bit of that here, showing that he can’t do ANYTHING he puts his mind to. Food preservation is still a big problem, and the wonders of canned food will have to wait for more advanced techniques. There’s more good news: by now, everyone has gotten so used to Ash being the greatest thing since sliced bread that they’ve started to stop talking about it, which means less page count devoted to everyone praising him to the skies. That said, there’s a larger failure towards the back half of the book, as he chooses to try to save a village on its last legs, mostly due to sentimentality, and finds that while rebuilding civilization may start with a village, the village is not necessarily of one mind, and that humans tend to be lazy, cowardly and devious creatures. Fortunately, the next generation shows more promise.

On the cover are Renge, the maid who took a significant role in Book 3, and gets a much larger one here, and Suiren, her friend from a neighboring village. They had a falling out a couple years ago about the fate of Suiren’s village – the poor harvests have hit it particularly badly, but they’re too stubborn to give up or move. Now it’s a couple of years later, and things are even worse. Still, Renge is diligent, steadfast, and kindhearted, and wants to help them even though she’s been rebuffed. And Suiren is feeling regretful, and also the pangs of starvation, so is willing to accept the help. Everything is in place for Ash to test his new fertilizer experiments, and things seem to go swimmingly – until Suiren’s father, the actual village chief (who had been “ill” before) reappears to screw everything up.

For the most part, Ash is in “bad cop” mode throughout a lot of this book, and it’s not hard to see why. While he is resolved to help Suiren’s village because of Renge’s pleas, the village has not done a great job of even the minimal farming requirements. Even after he teaches them the right methods, some are better at them than others – and the ones who do poorly get less food. And when they’re proud of themselves for achieving results using the fertilizer… he points out everything they did wrong. It’s a brutal teaching method, and one that Maika and the others who’ve been around him just shrug off. Some, like Suiren, grow to be better, stronger people under these circumstances… and some, like her father, end up arrested and having their village taken away. Lesson learned: do what Ash says. Of course, this lesson does not apply to Ash himself, who tells the soldiers not to go to far trying to take down some treant monsters and then promptly goes too far. He is “do as I say, not as I do” in triplicate.

We’ve caught up with Japan, as the 5th volume of the book is not due out there till the end of July. So we leave Ash and Maika for a time. (He’s still not recognizing anyone is in love with him, and we can definitely add Renge to that list – though fortunately NOT Suiren.) Till then, let’s enjoy the fact that by now everyone has grown so used to Ash’s maniacal ideas that they take them in stride. Mostly.

Guide to the Perfect Otaku Girlfriend: Roomies and Romance, Vol. 1

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By Rin Murakami and Mako Tatekawa. Released in Japan as “Dousei kara Hajimaru Otaku Kanojo no Tsukurikata” by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Marco Godano.

Contrary to popular belief, I don’t read everything. I don’t even read every first volume anymore, which I tried to do for a while, and my ‘should I check this out?’ meter has gotten higher, meaning less “I was the absolute worst talent, only it turned out it was the best” style books. (Well, excepting the ones I’ve already started.) That said, I have been trying to do every Vol. 1 of non-fantasy novels, simply because they’re still a refreshing minority in a sea of isekai and villainesses. It’s a good plan, and I’m usually happy, but sometimes I hit a series that is not for me, like this one. It’s not a bad series, and it certainly should appeal to its market, but it just didn’t grab me. The hero and heroine both clearly have room to grow over the course of this five-volume series, but (especially in regards to the guy) it’s not enough to make me want to read more. Still, that’s me. If you like otaku and high school romance, this is fine.

Kagetora is our male protagonist. He’s that guy. You know, you’ve seen anime. Kinda schlubby. Giant nerd, loves his manga, games and porn. Has no girlfriend, and bemoans the fact, but his standards are too high. He wants a girlfriend who will tolerate his otaku hobbies. Then he meets Kokoro, a popular girl who turns out to have a secret otaku habit herself. She wants the same thing he does – a guy who will understand her love for her own genres. Trouble is, her expectations for a boyfriend are just as out of sync as his. What starts as snapping and griping at each other, then turns into a decision to help each other out, finally gets far more serious when, owing to a wacky situation (TM), they end up living together in Kagetoro’s house while their families are overseas. Can they teach the other person how to appeal more to someone of the opposite sex? Or perhaps… the two of them are perfect for each other?

I don’t know how this actually ends in Japan, but I will be very, very surprised if the two of them don’t end up with each other. Most of the book shows off that they have quite good chemistry, which they mostly tend to ignore, and they also look out for each other, which is great. Kagetoro took longer to warm up to me, as he has a few qualities that I frankly hate in otaku guys, and the word “slutty” is thrown around far too often. Kokoro is more likeable, but also has her issues, though they tend to be more of the standard “has a sharp tongue” sort – this series is written for guys, after all, and you don’t want a heroine who will turn off the audience. (A hero who does, of course, is acceptable – at least in this way.) Over the course of the book, they try dating via game parties (disaster), otaku meetups (mostly a disaster, though we get a bit of a cliffhanger in regards to his date), and advice. Still, Tomozaki this ain’t.

Again, it didn’t really put too many feet wrong. And it’s not too long. If you like the genre, this is worth reading. But not my thing.

Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke: This Time I’m Gonna Tell Her How I Feel!, Vol. 1

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By Rhythm Aida and nauribon. Released in Japan as “Buta Koushaku ni Tensei shita kara, Kondo wa Kimi ni Suki to Iitai” by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Zihan Gao.

For the most part, the “villainess” stories that we’ve seen a lot of lately have all been… well, villainesses. The genre began as a woman-driven creation, usually pairing the (former) villainess with various hot guys, because theoretically they live in an otome game. The male equivalent has not particularly shown up much. Visual novels meant for guys tend not to have a serious romantic rival for anyone. If for villainesses you think of sneering ladies covering their mouths with fans while laughing “OHOHOHOHOHO!”, then for villains in anime and manga you tend to think of a specific type. Short, fat, usually has a bowl cut. Son of a major noble, so can bully people pretty well, and usually will get a humiliating defeat at the hands of our heroes. That said, one of the more interesting things about this new series is that it really isn’t that. The titular Piggy Duke is actually the “Ensemble Darkhorse” of the show.

We don’t even find out how our hero died this time, but he’s been reincarnated as Slowe Denning, a duke’s son and the antagonist of the popular anime Shuya Marionette. Shuya is the hero. Slowe has spent most of his recent history destroying his reputation, to the point where he’s now despised by almost everyone around him. Of course, the reincarnated anime fan knows why: he’s trying to rig things so that he can confess to his retainer, a (secret) former princess who now lives as a commoner. That said, with his new memories of how the anime turned out for Slowe (badly, though the fans loved his stubbornness), our hero is NOT going to go down that path. He’s going to try to lose some weight. He’s going to improve his reputation. And he’s going to confess to the girl he likes. That said… easier said than done when he can’t even walk ten feet without three passersby calling him the Piggy Duke.

Not gonna lie, this book’s fat shaming is not great. Slowe’s appearance is belittled all the time, and while some of it is due to his porcine face and occasional snorts making him sound like an “orc”, most of it is mocking his weight. A good deal of the book sees him starting to work out to lose it, or searching for magical weight loss potions to help take the pounds off. But that said, I did enjoy this more than I expected. Slowe actually does sound much of the time like an anime fan would if their memories were now part of their favorite villain character. Also, unlike almost all villains of Slowe’s type, he actually has HUGE skills with magic… which, yes, means this is an OP hero story, sorry, did you expect something else? The magic system is classist (and described as such, to the point that when Slowe helps a commoner figure out how to use magic, it’s a big effing deal) but does allow for nice property-damaging mage battles. And the girls are cute.

So it’s not terrific, and I could do without the fat shaming embedded into the premise, but for the most part I found this book quite readable and the protagonist a fun guy. I’ll be picking up the next volume.

Outbreak Company, Vol. 18

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By Ichiro Sakaki and Yuugen. Released in Japan by Kodansha Light Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Kevin Steinbach.

(This review discusses the ending of the series, so spoilers abound.)

OK, I’ve calmed down now. When I first finished this volume, the final one in the Outbreak Company series (let’s leave Gaiden aside for the moment), I was a little upset. The book ended up going in a couple of unexpected directions that threw me for a loop, which the author seems to specialize in – Bluesteel Blasphemer did the same thing. Unlike Bluesteel Blasphemer, I was able to finish this series and do recommend it, though I’m tempted to tell people to simply skip the epilogue. In the end, this book is a political one, and who Shinichi chooses (which is pretty obvious by now anyway) takes a backseat to the hyperspace tunnels, the damage they’re doing to Japan, and the fact that closing them has become complicated by the presence of the US Navy and Marines, who are looking at a fantasy world with technology beyond anything they have and getting very sinister ideas.

The J-Novel Club Forums discuss the novels as they come out, and there was some discussion of how realistically the United States military was in this book, which seems to portray them most of the time as arrogant, cartoon bad guys. The folks who said “nope, no issues, it’s 100% realistic” in the comments were in fact ex-military, so there you go, then. They quickly decide to make the most of being in Eldasnt by taking over everything, threatening Shinichi repeatedly (as he and Theresa can control the Dragon’s Den) to give them power, and then going so far as to become “advisors” to a terrorist group that kidnaps Patralka and holds her hostage, meaning the series is ending much the same way it begun. That said, in these modern times, Americans being power-mad psychos is not something all too surprising, though the treatment of Theresa, who is murdered repeatedly to keep her down, is disturbing and creepy.

In the end, things are taken care of, and we end up where we’ve been for a couple of books now: are the main cast returning to Japan or staying in Eldant, and who is Shinichi in love with? The answer to Question 2 is obvious, as if the cover didn’t already tell you, but suffice to say getting him to say the words is like pulling teeth. As for their decision to stay or go, it’s not what I’d heard (showing to never trust spoilers on the Internet), but it fits the series pretty well, and leads to a nice, sweet, relatively happy ending… until you get to the epilogue, showing a future Japan is a dystopia where BL doujinshi is punishable by death. (It’s also a Japan that’s been essentially taken over by China with the US’s help, which… let’s not go there.) I suppose it’s meant to show that the struggle for otaku lifestyle will always go on no matter where or when, and also that our heroes will be there to be on the side of the otaku, but it really did not work for me. I’d have preferred the next-gen that the author rejected (as he says in the afterword).

That said, me liking certain things and really disliking other things is par for the course for Outbreak Company, a series that has always worn its heart on its sleeve, sometimes to a truly horrifying degree. I wish Shinichi and Myusel luck, and feel bad for Petralka, who (as the author admits) just wasn’t in a role that allowed her to do a lot.

I Refuse to Be Your Enemy!, Vol. 6

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By Kanata Satsuki and Mitsuya Fuji. Released in Japan as “Watashi wa Teki ni Narimasen!” by PASH! Books. Released in North America digitally by J-Novel Club. Translated by Tara Quinn.

It’s the final volume of this series, and I am pleased that it’s ending pretty much the way that it began: with lots of strategy and battles. There is some romance here, as the cover art will no doubt clue you in on, but for the most part this is still a military fantasy first and a romance second. e get to see the remaining bad guys be really bad, but also (well, in one case) see how they got to be that way, and witness Kiara say that if Reggie had died she’d totally have done something very similar, which is… chilling, but very on brand. There’s a character reveal that’s well-handled and an actual surprise, which pleased me. And, of course, our heroes very nearly lose several times, as we are shown that just because you may know about the past in a game… or even via other means… does not mean that there is not still danger of death lurking everywhere. This ISN’T a game.

Having confessed to each other, all that’s left for Kiara and Reggie’s happy ending is… well, a lot, to be honest. Lord Patriciel is still around, as is Queen Marianne. And they both seem far more confident than they should, really. It would help to have a few more allies, which means getting the Thorn Princess completely on their side, but to do so they’ll have to discover who she really is. The enemy is brutal, enslaving people and using them as meat shields, then using the slaves and its own soldiers as defective spellcasters in order to kill the troops. And oh yes, they also have a monster, a huge flying beast that obeys the Queen’s command. Even when they’ve won and all that’s left is for the Queen to surrender, there’s still one nasty trick up her sleeve, which Kiara may have to pay for with her life.

As I mentioned earlier, I appreciated that it’s very hard to change fate, but not impossible. Every time Kiara or the Thorn Princess feel that they’ve managed to alter the past so that Reggie is not brutally killed, he ends up in a different kind of danger. It’s not easy trying to find the right butterfly to step on. Fortunately, they have the ability to plan and strategize on the fly, but it’s a touch-and-go thing, especially towards the end, where various characters compete to see who can sacrifice their life to save 3everyone else first. That said, it’s not a big spoiler to say that most everyone lives happily ever after, even some people that I was pretty sure were going to die. And, for those who DO like romance, there’s some nice stuff here – Reggie is very affectionate, and spends most of the book trying to get a very reserved Kiara to accept him touching her. A lot.

At six volumes, this turned out to be exactly the right length. If you like villainess stories done almost completely straight, with few cliches and a heaping helping of battle, this is a terrific series to read.

The Emperor’s Lady-in-Waiting Is Wanted As a Bride, Vol. 1

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By Kanata Satsuki and Yoru Ichige. Released in Japan as “Koutei-tsuki Nyokan wa Hanayome Toshite Nozomarechuu” by Ichijinsha Bunko Iris. released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Emily Hemphill.

There are various ways to conceal things in books, and some of them are harder to pull off than others. Common in mystery stories is keeping the viewpoint character and the reader in equal ignorance, revealing things to both when the time is right. Rare is when everyone except the reader knows about something, and they all talk around the subject. Then there’s the reader knowing something that most of the cast do not – we get a bit of that here in this novel. Unfortunately, we also get “everyone else knows what the viewpoint character does not, including the reader”. This is the hardest to pull off, and the most frustrating. You start to wonder what in the world is wrong with the main character. Still, it’s not impossible. That said… and I don’t mean to spoil, but I must to a certain degree… when it turns out that a magical mind-controlling device is the reason that your cast has not noticed things that are obvious to the reader, you have a problem.

Qatora, a knight in charge of protecting the young prince and his friend, ends up sacrificing her life to save the latter, falling into the “Light of Origin”, a seemingly religious artifact. Reincarnated in a different country several years into the future, she is Lyse, the daughter of a baron, who tries her best to fit in in this country where being strong as an ox and good with a sword is NOT appreciated in its young ladies. She’d much rather be back in the Empire, but knows the secret of the Light of Origin after falling into it, so avoids the country. Then one day the Emperor and his retinue pay a visit to their land, and she’s chosen to not only be Lady-in-Waiting to the Emperor, but also fiancee to his knight, Sidis, who seems mysteriously fascinated with her. Oh, and did I mention that the Emperor is… slowly tuning into a dog? Lyse is going to need strength and smarts to get out of this dilemma.

The author of this series also writes I Refuse to Be Your Enemy!, which I highly recommend, but I found myself struggling to get into this new series of hers. It is very clear to the reader from the start who Sidis really is, and hearing “but that can’t be, he doesn’t have blond hair” over and over is frustrating. Likewise, the villain of the piece is about as subtle as a boot to the head, to the point where there is literally a mind-controlling device meant to convince people that ISN’T what it is. I also wish we got to see a bit more of Lyse’s past abilities – she’s known as the “boar-killer”, but we don’t SEE that, and mostly she just kicks a lot of guys. (Who, admittedly, deserve it.) On the plus side, the Emperor and his ongoing problems are amusing enough, and Sidis makes for a good love interest, though again, you get the sense that Lyse is not interested in him because the writer doesn’t want her to be yet more than anything else. She needs to pick up on things better.

The book also feels complete at one volume, which is unfortunate as the series is at least four books in Japan. If you really enjoy romantic fantasies, give this a try, but honestly you’d be better off with I Refuse to Be Your Enemy!.

Girls Kingdom, Vol. 3

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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.

This series, in general, should not be taken seriously. I know that seems like a really obvious thing to say, but we are dealing with something written for a yuri audience, and yuri audiences have been conditioned to take things Very Seriously Indeed a lot of the time. This works on a 2005 yuri level, but it’s also clearly being written around 2020, and knows that too. So no one is going to be using the words lesbian or queer in this book anytime soon, but bathing together – complete with tickle fights – is still on the menu. Likewise, there are no canonical couples in the book, and yet the entire book consists of plotlines like “what is the perfect present I can give to my mistress” or “I am obsessed with my mistress to the point where I have become a living ghost story”. It’s a lot of fun to read. It also has Misaki, who still makes for a great protagonist, since she is, as I’ve said before, Yumi without all that self-doubt.

In the first part of the book, Misaki and Kirara, along with the other first-year maids, get that most important of things – their first paycheck. It’s tradition that part of that check should go to their mistress, but it’s up to them to figure out what the perfect present would be. After this, there’s rumors of a ghost on campus, and the student council president is trying to see what’s really going on, though it’s Misaki who has already worked things out. All of this is going on, of course, while Misaki and Kirara are still trying to learn how to be the best maids out there, and realizing they still have a LONG way to go. Especially if they want to compare themselves to Sara, whose mistress, who had been in England, is finally arriving to join the school. Will she upend the salon system? Or just create chaos? Probably, it’s that kind of series, but I expect all will work out in the end.

My favorite parts of the book are when you’re able to spot the tongue lodged firmly in the author’s cheek. Sometimes this is obvious because Misaki, our “common sense” character, points it out, such as student council president Angelica pulling a map of the campus out from between her breasts. And sometimes it’s obvious simply because it’s too ridiculous not to giggle. Sara’s past is tragic, but it’s tragic in a “Little Match Girl” sort of way that makes the denouement that much funnier. I’m amazed Sakura didn’t find her abandoned in a box with dog ears on her head. And sometimes the ridiculousness is actually a plot point, such as Sara’s “very English” mistress being named Sakura, which is noted by the characters but which we might have to wait till next time to actually figure out why.

Next time promises a 3-way Salon War – at least- and, I suspect, will have a lot more of Sakura and Sara, a relationship I can see going in several direction. Still, this was an excellent volume in the series, if only as I made it through the entire book without wanting to kill Kirara with my laser eye beams. Also, thanks must go to Angelica, for adding another common yuri trope the the overflowing stack already on the table.

The Devil Is a Part-Timer!, Vol. 19

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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.

(I discuss the climax of the book more than usual here, so spoiler warning.)

A lot of the last volume in this series focused on Chiho and her concerns for the future, and that doesn’t change here. Chiho is in many ways the glue that holds everyone’s relationships together, which is sort of nice, but not when it leads to her being everyone’s social secretary. She’s starting to get the feeling that all teens get at that age – that everyone around her is more grown up than she is. Maou is still calling her “Chi” like a kid, and of course is still ignoring her confession(s). Suzuno and Emi are adults with real world concerns, and they’re all out to save the world. And worst of all, she’s the only one in the group not tied to Enta Isla. When all this is over and that world is saved, will everyone just return there and leave her behind? It’s got her in a quandary… until a conversation with Suzuno (who, like Maou, has decided to run away from her problems) convinces her that it’s time to simply blow everything to tiny little bits.

There are, of course, other issues. Suzuno is stunned to find that she’s been promoted to Archbishop, which is actually pretty terrible news for their little conspiracy. It doesn’t help that the rituals that she has to do in preparation for her investiture all seem rather shallow and self-serving. Can you really have a crisis of faith when you’re becoming one of the leaders of that same faith? That and she’s also decided to confess her love to Maou… who reacts the same way he’s done with Chiho – avoid, avoid, avoid. Emi and Alas Ramus spent most of the novel away in Enta Isla helping with demon castle prep, meaning this is yet another Emi-lite book. Her fans, already grumpy from last volume’s ship sinking from Rika, might be even grumpier. Oh yes, and in Alas Ramus’ absence Acieth suddenly starts needing to eat a LOT more than usual… or else she starts firing lasers from her mouth.

This leads to the climax, as Chiho gathers everyone at McRonald’s. Maou, who’s been completely out of the loop on this, guesses it’s to feed Acieth… but how will they keep her nature secret from the McRonald’s crew? Or Kisaki, who’s also been invited? Or Chiho’s mom, who’s *also* there? I was wondering this myself, and the author does a great job of keeping everyone on tenterhooks. Then we find that Chiho’s plan is simply to rip the bandage off – Acieth’s growing hunger causes her to fire a laser AT Kisaki, which Emi and Maou must stop using their powers. Now the cat’s very, very out of the bag. On the bright side, they can feed her properly now. But there’s also the reaction from all the other normal humans to the Enta Isla story (which involves a visit TO Enta Isla as well) and also the reaction of everyone to Maou being such a wuss. Given that the demon castle/invasion timeline has been sped up vastly thanks to Suzuno’s promotion, this is probably not the ideal time, but it’s as if Chiho looked at the author and yelled “OK, endgame now!!”.

And indeed we only have two volumes to go. Thankfully for Emilia fans, the next volume’s blurb promises she’ll get more focus. That said, Chiho’s clearly in charge here, as not only Japan but also Enta Isla sees her as the only trustworthy person. Can she save the day? And even harder, can she get Maou to man up?

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 2

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By Natsu Hyuuga and Touko Shino. Released in Japan as “Kusuriya no Hitorigoto” by Hero Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Kevin Steinbach.

The second volume in the series serves to give readers who loved the first book more of what they loved. Maomao solves some mysteries, glares at her not-love interest, kvells over any poison she can possibly ingest, and manages to upend the entirety of the Emperor’s palace. And this doesn’t even count her new job she gains in this volume, which is teaching very specific subjects to the four high consorts. Or scoping out a soldier’s chances at winning over a woman he likes as if he was a stud horse. Or helping to resolve the issue of an inheritance… an inheritance that also finds itself coming up over and over again throughout the book. Folks have compared this to Ascendance of a Bookworm, and they share one big thing in common, which is that they reward a reader who pays close attention to things and remembers prior events. You get the feeling that Maomao will be going places over the course of this series, though I suspect she may go to these places kicking and screaming.

After the events at the end of the last book, Maomao is now back at the palace, working for Jinshi officially by cleaning his rooms and such, and unofficially by solving crimes, though she always has to be bribed or goaded into doing so. Sometimes she doesn’t even need to be dragged – when a fire with a supposed unknown cause is mentioned, she’s quick to bolt over to the site looking for clues. And sometimes she absolutely refuses, such as when it’s anything to do with Lakan, the eccentric military man who’s been hanging around Jinshi lately and who seems to want to meet Maomao come rain or come shine. Who he is is easily guessed, but the relationship between them proves surprisingly nuanced, and even Maomao, whose glare can kill tigers at 400 yards, can occasionally display a soft side.

This series is not meant to be a comedy… except it’s frequently absolutely hilarious. We don’t get the specifics of Maomao’s “education” class for the consorts, but their reactions show what it must have been like, and the fact that she occasionally provides them the equivalent of Amanda Quick novels as bribes later on is even better. Then there’s the goofy soldier Lihaku, who Maomao tends to think of as a dog, and who has a crush on one of the three princesses at the establishment Maomao grew up around, and asks what it might take to buy her out of there (presumably so he can marry her). Maomao, knowing that princess and her proclivities, evaluates him solely on strength and stamina, with a wonderful punchline. That said, there’s also good drama here, such as when Maomao tries to stop a murder meant to look like an “accident”, as well as Lakan’s backstory.

As with the first volume, I can’t recommend this enough. For everyone who say yet another isekai licensed and wondered when we’d get a light novel series for adults – this! This is it!

High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even in Another World!, Vol. 4

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By Riku Misora and Sacraneco. Released in Japan as “Choujin Koukousei-tachi wa Isekai demo Yoyuu de Ikinuku you desu!” by GA Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Nathaniel Hiroshi Thrasher.

While there are no long-term disasters here, it’s safe to say that this might be the first volume to actually belie its title, as the High School Prodigies don’t really have that good a time here. Trying to get their kingdom to stand on its own so that they can make preparations to go home turns out to be easier said than done. The actual way to go home seems to be offered up to them on a plate… but what’s the catch? Aoi finds that it’s not enough having a really strong sword, she needs a really strong CURSED sword or she’s screwed. And worst of all, economics happens. All of this barely leaves time for the love triangle that still inhabits the heart of this book, but rest assured there’s still time to deal with that. And, thankfully, there’s a minimum of Keine here, so we don’t need to worry about any questionable medical practices.

The book is divided into three, with two medium chunks and one long one. In the first, the prodigies go to negotiate with the Empire, currently being ruled by a proxy, and finds things go… suspiciously well. What’s more, said proxy is also from a different world. In the second story, Lyrule and Winona try to teach Jeanne how to cook, which is interesting more for Lyrule’s own tortured love life than anything else. The final story features the new nation of Elm, with Elch as its new Finance Minister, trying to introduce a new currency to the other nations. Masato is there as well, but he’s trying to be hands off so that the natives can attempt to handle things themselves. m Unfortunately, he underestimates Roo, and thus everything turns out both better and much worse than it could have gone.

Changing a world is not particularly an easy task, and the Prodigies have limited themselves to merely one part of it. When visiting the empire, they get a glimpse of the slave trade there, and we see a maid of the main villain of this book who is horribly abused. But she’s not there to be rescued later on, and indeed isn’t; she’s there to show us that you have to fix what you can for now. Which here mostly means the currency, as there’s a lot of back and forth, deals, secret deals, and endless piles of backstabbing. We get to learn firsthand the difference between politics and economics, and also see what I feel may be the first of many attempts to lure one of the prodigies to the enemy side. (It doesn’t work.. yet.) We also get to see how Roo has been soaking up information and tactics like a sponge from Masato, and though she still ends up getting tricked and almost killed, her resolve is impressive. (I do sort of wish we’d seen more of her after this scene.)

Overall I was pretty happy with this book, and the cliffhanger clearly introduces what’s likely to be the Big Bad of the series. It’s never going to be what one might call a good light novel, but it’s perfectly serviceable popcorn.

Strike the Blood, Vol. 18

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

I think the author is finally, as we near the end of Strike the Blood, getting the hang of things. As such, I will stop implying that the entire book is written by an AI bot, as I have in previous books, and give credit where credit is due. This is the second of two books expanding on an OAV that came out years earlier, and manages to pull off something we haven’t really seen done before due to the nature of Kojou’s vampiric abilities – mind controlling him to become evil. (You’ll pardon the spoiler, but anyone who is reading a review of the 18th volume of a series and also hasn’t seen the earlier OAV is probably limited to one or two people.) The book manages to divide itself fairly well into halves, with the first part being a political romance of sorts, and the second half being our usual action movie. La Folia gets a large role, which is great, and Sayaka does as well, which… is not so great.

Kojou is in a good mood, as he’s headed up to the long holiday break, where he can finally relax and not have to worry about saving the world… or so he thinks. Instead, La Folia invites Kanon to a ceremony in her home country of Aldegia so that she can try to mend tensions between Kanon and the rest of the family, and Kojou and Yukina to essentially be her bodyguards. (Asagi, Yabe, and Nagisa also tag along.) Of course, this is merely part of a larger plan, which is to get out of various arranged marriages set up for her by saying Kojou is her fiancee. Part one of her plan goes far smoother than anyone intended, possibly as Kanon is a giant sweetie pie. The second part goes OK, despite the fact that La Folia’s father is one of those huge, killer dads who will never let anyone date his daughter and has a giant sword to back him up. And this is all BEFORE the terrorist plot, when La Folia and Yukina are kidnapped… and Kojou is brainwashed.

The last book made it pretty clear that Kojou, in the future, has more than one partner, and this book hammers home that this is perfectly valid for vampire Primogenitors. As such, anyone who was rooting for someone other than Yukina will be pleased to know they’ll still get a place at the table. (Well,l no, they likely won’t, as I sense Strike the Blood fanatics don’t like Yukina much.) In any case, La Folia is perfectly happy to share, especially as Kojou cannot help but be the best guy she’s ever met. He’s like that. As for Sayaka… her absence from the series for so long had made me forget how much of a comedy jealous dumbass she is 90% of the time, honestly. Sorry, Sayaka. I have also told the author multiple times that his humorous scenes aren’t funny, so props to him: the scene with brainwashed Kojou acting like a Byronic hero and spouting lines so cringeworthy that Asagi and Yabe took actual damage? That was really, really good.

As with a lot of recent books in this series, the epilogue serves to set up the next book in the series, with will be back on Itogami Island and no doubt will continue to make it completely uninsurable. In the meantime, Strike the Blood fans, especially fans of La Folia, will be quite happy.

I’m in Love with the Villainess, Vol. 3

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By Inori and Hanagata. Released in Japan as “Watashi no Oshi wa Akuyaku Reijou” by GL Bunko. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Kevin Ishizaka. Adapted by Nibedita Sen.

If a lot of this third volume feels a bit like Chekhov restocking his armory, that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. The second volume of this series ended at a very satisfactory place, to the point where I was very surprised to see a third volume. This is not uncommon in the light novel or manga genre, with a lot of “short” series becoming very popular and the author trying to extend things a bit. That said, this book is clearly written knowing that there will be a fourth volume coming later (it’s already out in Japan). As such, we get a lot of events here that… don’t really go much of anywhere at all. We know they will eventually, but for the moment they’re just sitting there, on the mantelpiece. Of course, that’s not to say there’s nothing going on in this book. We go to an “enemy” country, fight off demons, and try to prevent assassinating the Pope. There’s something for everyone.

As you can see by the cover art, which feels like a culmination of 100 years of yuri, Rae and Claire are happily together now with their adopted children, May and Aleah. It’s about a year after events in the second book, and they’re both teaching at the academy and being very lovey-dovey. Even setbacks like one of their daughters turning out to have zero magic power is dealt with sensibly and with love. Then… they’re asked to join a political “exchange” with the Nur Empire. Rae is familiar with this plot from the side story sequel to the Revolution game, which, much like its predecessor, has somewhat unimpressive romantic routes and a fantastic non-romance route. The empress, Dorothea, is not here for decorum or political gamesmanship. Its imperial princess is currently too meek to really start any sort of revolution. Oh yes, and the Pope has just shown up, and she looks… exactly like Rae.

The intrigue is quite good throughout, as are the few tragic moments. What I enjoyed most about this book, though, is seeing that the relationship between Rae and Claire is just as fun to read now as it was when Claire was a “villainess”. Rae, honestly, feels like the more immature of the two most of the time. They also both manage to wear the “oblivious to love” hat at different times, as Rae can’t seem to figure out (or at least is deliberately ignoring) a student’s crush on her, while the third princess ends up falling for Claire after Claire essentially enacts a classic otome game “route start” scene in front of her. That said, these two are crazy about each other. I especially loved Claire attempting to act like a bully again, to try to excite Rae, only for Rae to completely fail to pick up on it. The book also has several short stories after the main action, which involves weddings, holidays, and nightmares that involve Claire realizing how lucky she is that Rae is… well, the sort of person she is.

This definitely feels like “Part One of Two”, and I expect most of the dangling plotlines will come up there. But there’s still so much here to love. This is a very hard book to put down, even when you want to, and fans of Rae and Claire will be very happy with it.

Slayers: King of the Phantom City

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By Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Araizumi. Released in Japan by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Elizabeth Ellis.

So the title of the last book was Gaav’s Challenge, and as it turns out the challenge for Gaav was living past the first six pages of this book. Instead we get a new big bad, Hellmaster Fibrizio, last seen as the dead little boy Lina and Xellos came across. (You remember, the one where I praised Slayers for showing off how humans are irrelevant in a demon war? My bad.) Because this series has a main heroine rather than a hero, Fibrizio proceeds to kidnap *Gourry* and hold him hostage, forcing Lina and company to journey all the way back to Sairaag to rescue him. But wait, wasn’t Sairaag completely blown up, with everyone in it, in the third book? Yup. But it’s back, and so are all its dead residents. That said, the tree in its center has been replaced with a rather ominous temple. Can Lina save Gourry and defeat Fibrizio without using yet another universe-breaking spell? Eh, probably not.

This novel was adapted into the last chunk of Slayers Next, though readers will note quite a few changes. There is *some* romance here – Sylphiel is in love with Gourry, which is why she returns in this book to try to save him, and she spends much of her time trying to force Lina to admit she loves Gourry so that Sylphiel can move on with her life. Lina does not really do this, occasionally unconsciously realizing she wants Gourry around her, and making up an excuse at the end to keep adventuring with him (even as the rest of the cast break off and goes home), but there is nothing remotely resembling the kiss we got in the anime. Indeed, Gourry, much like the rest of the cast, is irrelevant for the final battle – this has always been Lina’s series, with the others as minor supporting characters, and that’s true here as well – she takes on Fibrizio on her own, though she gets a little possessive help at the end.

Other interesting things: Sairaag being populated by its dead residents, including Sylphiel’s father, is eerie, especially as Lina and Sylphiel can tell they’re fakes, and even THEY know deep down they’re fakes. I’d have liked to have seen a more emotional reaction to this from Sylphiel, but, like Lina, the author shies away from that sort of thing. The Sword of Light takes its leave here, as it turns out to be demonic in origin, so Gourry’s gonna need a new sword (expect this to be the start of the next book). And, as mentioned, Amelia, Zelgadis, and Sylphiel all split at the end, with Amelia returning to Saillune to report to her father (Lina watches the justice-happy Amelia and wishes her older sister is more sensible, a great in joke for those who know the alternate Slayers continuity with Naga the Serpent). Fans of the anime know they’ll all be back for Slayers Try. Fans of Slayers also know that Try was widely despised by the author of the books. Let’s just say, don’t expect them back for a while. (Indeed, I don’t think we ever see Sylphiel again.)

And so we’re now all caught up with the Tokyopop paperbacks from eons ago, the first arc of the series is complete, and we can move on to brand new (in English) content! As for this book, it was a good, solid ending, with a few good gags but mostly relying on battles and suspenseful writing to keep a reader engaged.

Yakuza Lover, Vol 1

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Yakuza Lover Volume 1 by Nozomi Mino

I’m glad that Shojo Beat remains committed to bringing out one mature title at a time, so with An Incurable Case of Love ending, Yakuza Lover rotates in. Yuri is a 20 year old college student who capably fends off the overtures of sketchy men, loudly proclaiming “I want a guy who loves me for me!” Her desire for a boyfriend takes an unconventional turn when she ends up in the wrong party room and needs to defend herself from some criminals through the application of a handy side table and her previous experience as a high school athlete. Local yakuza boss Toshiomi Oya comes in to check up on her and gives her his coat as well as his business card, which he says can be used as a shield if she ever finds herself in a similar situation.

Yakuza Lover Volume 1

While Oya says farewell, Yuri can’t stop thinking about him and seeks him out to return his coat. Oya promptly confesses his feelings of affection for Yuri and she’s fascinated by him. They start dating, but each time Oya leaves he references his criminal lifestyle, saying “I’ll call you again if I’m still alive.” Like a Mayu Shinjo hero, Oya’s main personality trait is extreme possessiveness. However, he is happy to indulge Yuri’s whims, like dressing up in traditional clothing while playing tourist. Yuri is still trying to find a better part-time job and not all that invested in material things, although it remains to be seen if some of the complications of dating a crime lord are going to test the relationship.

This first volume was over the top and entertaining, and I enjoyed the elements of dark humor like Oya repeatedly referring to the potential of his impending death. As much as I enjoy a good shoujo trope, I do sometimes want to read a series that doesn’t feature school festivals and sports days all the time, and it seems like dodging bullets and dealing with rival crime lords will be plenty entertaining in Yakuza Lover.