Manga Bookshelf's Weekly Features

SEAN: I have no idea what this title is really like, and its publisher, Alien Books, is also new to me (it seems to be another Penguin Random House imprint), but Kinryo Rock – Code Amrita looks and sounds cool, so I’ll make that my pick for this week.

MICHELLE: Yeah, it’s hard to beat a synopsis like “humans and vampires must team up with the power of rock and roll!” I’ll endorse this pick, too.

ANNA: Me too, I hope vampires and rock is a winning combination.

ASH: Likewise! I am more than willing to give a new series and a new publisher/imprint a try when a supernatural music manga is involved.

KATE: The plot summary at the Penguin site makes zero sense, but I, too, like the idea of human/vampire crossover, especially if there’s a killer guitar solo involved. Add me to the Kinryo Rock—Code Amrita fan club.

KATE: So many manga… so little that interests me. I’d sit this week out, but I feel morally obligated to point out that there’s a new omnibus edition of Dragon Head, a stylish apocalyptic horror story that Tokyopop published back in the aughts. Volume two arrives in stores on Wednesday.

MICHELLE: Yeah, I’m not really inspired, either. I suppose a new Aya Kanno series wins by default.

SEAN: I too am sort of meh about this week, so I’ll pick an ongoing favorite. The Tanaka Family Reincarnates is a delightfully silly light novel series AND it has giant cats.

ANNA: I’m with Michelle this week, new Aya Kanno is what I’m finding most interesting.

ASH: The debut of Aya Kanno’s Fruit of the Underworld is my pick as well, seeing as I’ve thoroughly enjoyed much of her previous work. However, I’d also like to highlight He Rolled Me Up Like a Grilled Squid considering the recent passing of Yoshiharu Tsuge. His work can be quite powerful and I’m so glad to see it being translated.

SEAN: No question, my pick this week is The Manga Bible, the new nonfiction coffeetable book by Helen McCarthy. It looks terrific, and is no doubt a treasure trove of lore.

MICHELLE: I agree; it looks amazing.

ANNA: Absolutely the release to highlight this week!

KATE: I’m excited to pick up a copy of The Manga Bible, but I’ll also make a pitch for Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty, a manga that doesn’t break all the rules, but recognizes that even demure young women like REALLY LOUD MUSIC. As a late-in-life metal fan, that’s a message I can get behind.

ASH: I can get behind that message, too! And also The Manga Bible, which should be excellent. (Although, I personally would have gone with a different title for the work, to avoid being conflated with the various other manga bibles out there…)

MICHELLE: Admittedly, there isn’t a ton coming out this week that appeals to me, but the debut volume of Omori intrigues me the most, so I”ll go with that, this week.

SEAN: We all know I can’t resist villainess books, and while they’re usually very talkative folks, I can get behind the alternative, so I will pick The Villainess Speaks Not this week.

ASH: Omori is the title I’ll be making sure to take a look at this week! If I look hard enough, I’m pretty sure I can find a few mini-comics from Omocat in my collection, so I’m interested in seeing this more formally published work.

ANNA: Realistically, what I’m going to run out and read is the latest volume of Witch Hat Atelier so that’s my pick!

SEAN: There are several titles I’ve got my eye on this week, including the Komi Can’t Communicate self-help book. But while buying manga, why not also get M.J. Beasi’s new novel I Was a Teenage Death God? It has the Manga Bookshelf seal of approval.

MICHELLE: While Deep 3 might turn out to be something I like, I’m happiest about the return of Welcome to the Ballroom, this week! I’m sure the prolonged delays will promptly resume, but I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.

ASH: In addition to I Was a Teenage Death God, I’m probably most excited by The Legend of Kamui this week. It’s not a debut, which is what I generally try to highlight, but I’m still thrilled that this series is being translated.

ANNA: I’m going to highlight the josei debut this week, On-the-Job Training, while we have a bit more josei coming out now than many years ago, it is still nice to see new series coming out.

KATE: The cover of Blades and Guardians is indeed giving me Lone Wolf & Cub vibes, so that’s my pick of the week. My gentle nudge of the week is to all the youngsters who haven’t read NANA. To mark the series’ twenty-fifth anniversary, VIZ is in the process of reissuing Ai Yazawa’s soapy classic. Volume three arrives in stores this week.

ASH: I’m not sure how I’m only now finding out about Blades of the Guardians (especially considering the recently released film adaptation with Jet Li), but a martial arts epic with great artwork is absolutely something I will be reading.

SEAN: I’ll go with something on the complete opposite end of the spectrum and make my pick They Are Still Being Shaken This Morning, which I have heard is incredibly sweet and adorable and feels like just what I need.

MICHELLE: I’m always intrigued by mystery manga, so Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow definitely appeals to me. However, I could also use something less grim, so my official pick is the eighth volume of 10 Dance, a series I greatly look forward to getting caught up on.

ANNA: I’m going to pick magical girls this week! With the anniversary release of Shugo Chara! and the release of Magical Girl Dandelion it does seem like magical girls are having a mini moment.

SEAN: My pick this week is 18-24 inches of snow with blizzard conditions. Oh no, wait, that’s my nightmare coming true. For my pick, I’ll go with Hitting Rewind with You, because it’s been a while since I’ve picked a nice shoujo romance, and I appreciate that “she’s younger than she looks” has become “they’re both older than they look they just like to cosplay”.

MICHELLE: I’m with Sean. Shoujo with an adult lead sounds appealing.

KATE: Holy cow! This week’s new arrival list is longer than a novel by George R.R. Martin. I dutifully waded through all those titles and decided to cast my vote for the latest volumes of Veil and Insomniacs After School, the former for its swoon-worthy artwork and the latter for its tug-your-heartstrings storyline.

ASH: All excellent choices! I’m going to take a little bit of a risk and choose the debut of Dungeons That Surely Slaughter Adventurers as my pick this week. I don’t know much about it, but I have enjoyed some the creator’s previous quirky and off-beat manga, so I’m willing to give it a try.

ANNA: I’m most excited about Veil, assuming it comes out this week.

MICHELLE: As glad as I am to see a new volume of What Did You Eat Yesterday? coming out, it’s Hibana all the way, this week.

ASH: I’m definitely excited to see both of those releases this week, but after realizing Aki Shimizu created Hinatsugimura, I’m going to have to make that horror one-shot my pick. (I was always a little sad we didn’t get the final volumes of Qwan in English.)

SEAN: Yes, I’m picking a Tokyopop title. The winner for me this week is Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko!, because I love yuri with adults. Even if they both think it’s one-sided yuri.

ANNA: Sometimes you have to give it up for long running series – What Did You Eat Yesterday? is my pick this week.

KATE: While none of the new series piqued my interest, I’m excited for another installment of Hirayasumi, which manages to be funny and heartbreaking without lapsing into sentimentality.

SEAN: The new season of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has reminded me how much I enjoy it, so the new volume of that is my pick for this week.

MICHELLE: Having really enjoyed Sakae Kusama’s The Troublesome Guest of Sotomura Detective Agency, I am picking Wandervogel this week!

ASH: I’m curious about that one, too! And I agree that A Good Day Starts with Cats and Books, but I’m going to make The Beast King: Master of Medicines my pick this week. I tend to like these sorts of healing stories.

ANNA: I’m going to go with A Good Day Starts with Cats and Books, for the title alone!

MICHELLE: I hadn’t previously known about Ichi the Witch, but I’m very intrigued! That’s my pick for this week.

KATE: This week is light on stuff that piques my interest, but if I had to pick a title—and death was not an option—Ghost & Witch has an interesting premise.

ASH: Who knew witchy season would come so early this year? These are the two series that have won my attention this week, too.

SEAN: Been a while since I’ve seen a Jump series with this much buzz. Ichi the Witch is also my pick.

SEAN: Nothing really leaps out at me this week, so I’m going to choose the new volume of The Bladesmith’s Enchanted Weapons, which has been one of the bigger pleasant surprises of my recent light novel reading.

KATE: I’m stoked for a new installment of Asadora!, which is zippy and fun. I have no idea if Urasawa will ultimately stick the landing with this series, but for now I’m still enjoying it. Plucky heroines for the win!

MICHELLE: I’m in the same boat as Sean, but will go for The Strange House this week.

ASH: This week, I’m curious about Path From Tanuki Temple the most. Color manga isn’t as much of a rarity as it once was, but it’s still rather uncommon. Plus, you know, I find it hard to resist yokai manga.

MICHELLE: Scenes from Awajima has my enthusiastic endorsement, this week!

SEAN: Yup, 100% agree. Scenes from Awajima is the pick.

ASH: Scenes from Awajima is definitely what I’m most excited about this week. Give me the drama!

SEAN: Given the 2nd season of the Medalist anime doesn’t debut till late in the month, my pick this week is the new volume of the Medalist manga – print or digital, whatever you’re caught up on.

MICHELLE: I’m with Sean!

KATE: The cover of Wonder Boy is enticing, but I’m casting my vote for The Drops of God. It’s totally absurd in the best possible way; you’ll learn about terroir and varietals from two hot guys who are vying for their late father’s wine collection. (Think of it as a tournament manga with Pinot Noir.)

ASH: I can definitely get behind Kate’s recommendation, The Drops of God is terrific, but I’ll go ahead and flip the script and make Wonder Boy my official pick. It seems like it could be a very compelling series.

KATE: I’d be the first to admit that this week’s haul is light on series I’m actively following, so my vote goes to a newcomer: Smile!, a horror title with a solid premise and evocative artwork. I might be reading this one in broad daylight….

MICHELLE: Given that it was the one title I pre-ordered from this week’s offerings, I’m another vote for Smile!.

ANNA: Sort of a thin selection this week, but I’m going to go with Beatrice since it has been a while since I’ve checked out some manhwa.

SEAN: Smile! is clearly the most interesting title this week, but so not my thing. So I will go for Lilies Blooming in 100 Days, which most assuredly is.

ASH: While both Anna and Sean have solid picks that interest me, it’s Smile! for me, too!

SEAN: It feels like cheating to pick a manga that’s been running for ten years. But this year saw the final volume of My Hero Academia, and it was a rare Jump manga that totally stuck the landing (unless you’re involved in ship wars, but let’s not go there.) Seeing the path Izuku took to becoming a hero, then a teacher, then both was magnificent.

MICHELLE: I didn’t get much reading done this year, of any variety, so perhaps I’ll name two sports manga entries that I was really excited about, namely Mitsuru Adachi’s Short Game short story collection and the newest and long-awaited volume of Real, from Takehiko Inoue. Perhaps 2026 will actually give me a moment in which to read them!

ASH: I think I already called my pick of the year way back in January with the debut of Sanpei Shirato’s monumental series The Legend of Kamui. That prediction turned out to be accurate, but this year has also seen quite a few re-releases which have brought some of my favorite manga (Planetes, Nana, Mushishi) back into print, so I’ve been very excited for those, too.

KATE: This year has been a great one for readers interested in classic series, from Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow to The Legend of Kamui, so it’s no surprise that my Pick of the Year is the new edition of Moto Hagio’s They Were 11!. Denpa gave the story the deluxe treatment, with a larger-than-normal trim size that invites the reader to pore over every image. As an added bonus, Denpa also included Hagio’s 1976 sequel,They Were Eleven: Horizon of the East, Eternity of the West, which continues the story of Frol, Tada, and King in the months after their high-stakes training exercise. While the sequel doesn’t quite match the intensity of the original, it’s also an excellent showcase for Hagio’s draftsmanship.

ANNA: I haven’t got a ton of reading done this year either, although I enjoyed picking up and finally reading Go with the Clouds, North by Northwest and I’m closing out the year by rereading Witch Hat AtelierAshita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow and They Were 11!. Classic manga in general is my pick.