Manga Bookshelf's Weekly Features

MICHELLE: There are a few things coming out this week that appeal to me a great deal, not least of which is the latest Yona of the Dawn, but this week I’ll highlight a pair of digital-only Kodansha josei series that I’ve been enjoying a lot: Chihayafuru (now volume 23) and Ex-Enthusiasts: MotoKar Mania (now volume 5). I will never not be grateful that Kodansha is reliably churning out josei material on a monthly basis. Ten years ago we had a dearth of great josei and now we have a respectable amount of options!

SEAN: I’m also interested in Yona, as well as Reign of the Seven Spellblades, but my pick this week is Eniale & Dewiela, because honestly Kamome Shirahama could do a manga of the phone book and it would be gorgeous and awesome. I’m also interested in seeing how the creator of Witch Hat Atelier creator does comedy.

ANNA: There’s a lot of intriguing manga coming out this week, but I’m going to pick Yona of the Dawn, which is consistently great.

ASH: Like Sean, my top pick this week is Eniale & Dewiela, but I’m also curious about How Many Light-Years to Babylon since I enjoyed the creator’s odd sort of humor in The Voynich Hotel and have had good luck reading other Seiun Award winners in the past.

SEAN: Seven Seas has most of my attention this week, as I’m torn between the relaxing yuri feel of Days of Love at Seagull Villa and the less yuri but more drama majorey Kageki Shojo!! The Curtain Rises. I think I’ll go with the latter, if only in hopes that we might get the sequel. Plus, I always love Takarazuka stuff.

MICHELLE: These two are also vying for my top pick this week, and since Sean picked the latter, I’m going with the former. The premise of a lonely person being accepted (presumably) into a family makes me think of Our Dining Table, another Seven Seas title that I loved immensely. Thus, I am very here for this!

ASH: Perhaps unsurprisingly, these are the two manga being released this week that also have most of my attention! Of the two, Kageki Shojo!! The Curtain Rises sits the highest on my ever-growing mountain of to-be-read books, so that gets my official pick. But I’m looking forward to reading the debut of Days of Love at Seagull Villa, too.

KATE: If only the rest of the American electorate was as unified as we are! I’m in total agreement with the rest of the MB gang’s picks.

ANNA: I agree, I’m looking forward to Kageki Shojo!! The Curtain Rises as well!

MJ: Probably this is obvious, but it’s Kageki Shojo!! The Curtain Rises for me! I’m so on board for this!

MICHELLE: Most of the stuff that interests me this week is a reminder of how far behind I’ve fallen in various series. There’s one, though, that I waited so long to read that it’s now fresh and new and I can be timely, and that is Mermaid Saga! I enjoy Rumiko Takahashi on the whole, but have never read Rumiko Takahashi being scary, and it’s an experience I’m looking forward to!

SEAN: My eye is on horror as well this week, but not Mermaid Saga, though I’m sure that’s great. My pick is Sadako at the End of the World, a title that asks the question “what if you took the girl from Ringu and put her in a world where humanity is nearly destroyed?” The answer might not be what you think!

ANNA: Mermaid Saga for me! I’m excited to check this out.

ASH: It’s a horror-filled week for me, too! The new edition of Mermaid Saga gets my official pick (I still love it from back when it made its first appearance in English), but I’m also looking forward to giving Sadako at the End of the World and Mieruko-chan a try.

MJ: Okay, look. I’ve never been the kind of Rumiko Takahashi fan I’ve always felt I was supposed to be. But I gotta finally read this. Mermaid Saga it is!

KATE: If InuYasha didn’t convince you that Rumiko Takahashi has real horror chops, let the weird, unsettling stories in Mermaid Saga work their eerie magic on you. There’s a good deal of Monkey Paw Theater in this collection–lots of people discover that immortality isn’t what it’s cracked up to be–but the stories’ resolutions are never too pat or predictable, and Takahashi’s artwork is evocative. I already own the complete set, but I’m sorely tempted to purchase the new edition… just ’cause.

SEAN: I try not to do more than one pick per week, but I have to break the rules this time around, as I cannot decide between jazz-tinged Blue Giant and gut-wrenching My Broken Mariko They both look amazing.

MICHELLE: I am absolutely in the exact same boat. I’m really looking forward to both of these.

ANNA: I agree, both of them sound amazing.

KATE: I am 400% on board with Blue Giant. I’m contractually obligated to pick it; what’s more Berklee than jazz manga?!

ASH: While I’m certainly interested in My Broken Mariko, I’m with Kate this week in fully backing Blue Giant as my pick. Bring on the award-winning music manga!

MJ: Okay, I’ll admit I’ve been having a hectic week, and I’m feeling unprepared to make a pick. But I’m hearing “jazz manga” and I absolutely can’t resist. Make it Blue Giant for me!

MICHELLE: I’m reluctant to tout anything from TOKYOPOP, given that I am still bitter about past deeds, but I must admit that Ossan Idol! looks really fun. I’m worried they’ll abandon this series midway, like so many others, but I shall cautiously award it my pick of the week.

SEAN: This week’s pick is Easy Breezy for me: it’s the first volume of Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken, which if it’s even half as good as the anime will be very good indeed.

ASH: I’m certainly interested in Eizouken, too, but this week I think I’ll be focusing on catching up on Viz series, probably starting with JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure before pivoting to shoujo.

MJ: Okay, I’ll be honest, folks. I don’t have a pick this week, because I can’t focus on anything besides the impending doom we’re facing this week in the U.S. It’s pretty all-consuming. I know they are still selling manga, but that knowledge is buried under so much anxiety, I can barely even acknowledge it. Stay safe, everyone. I’m sure you know where my meager hopes fall. Sorry I’m useless.

KATE: I’m intrigued by Ossan Idol, but my heart belongs to O, Maidens in Your Savage Season, a sharp, funny portrait of nerdy girls coming to terms with their budding sexuality. If you enjoyed the movie Booksmart, Maidens is for you, as it explores some of the same emotional (and humorous) terrain.

ANNA: I’m finding it hard to concentrate on manga right now. There’s a lot of great shoujo coming out this week, I think I’m going to pick Daytime Shooting Star, a manga that inspires both feelings of dread about potentially inappropriate relationships and hope that things all work out somehow.

SEAN: I am torn between two manga with really nice art this week. Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie and Heterogenia Linguistico both make me want to judge books by their covers. I’ll make them a co-pick.

MICHELLE: I’m keen to get caught up on The Girl from the Other Side, but I too am charmed by the cover of Heterogenia Linguistico, so will make that my official pick this week.

ANNA: I’m going to signal my intentions of getting caught up on The GIrl from the Other Side and make that my pick!

KATE: The last two volumes of Girl from the Other Side have been such colossal downers that I’m going to highlight a different Seven Seas title this week: Nicola Traveling Around the Demon’s World, a handsomely illustrated, utterly charming manga about a plucky human who’s passing through a world of monsters, demons, ghosts and spirits, making friends and casting spells along the way. It’s the kind of all-ages series that adult readers can appreciate for the craftsmanship and young readers can appreciate for its emotional honesty and down-to-earth humor. Why this isn’t on more people’s radar, I don’t know, but Nicola is Eisner-worthy. Just sayin’.

ASH: I don’t think I can put it much better than Kate already has, but Nicola Traveling Around the Demon’s World is a truly wonderful and absolutely delightful series. While debut-wise I’m curious about Heterogenia Linguistico, my heart goes to Nicola this week.

MJ: Okay, I really didn’t have a pick this week, but you all have convinced me that I absolutely need to check out Nicola Traveling Around the Demon’s World. So I guess that’s that. I’m doing it.

MICHELLE: It’s all about the W’s for me this week. Wotakoi and Whisper Me a Love Song are high on my list, but I’m most excited to continue the story of Wave, Listen to Me. The digital releases paused to allow the print version to catch up, so it has been a long time! Honorable mention to non-W Blue Flag, as well.

SEAN: I’ll go with a double dose of light novels this week. Ongoing, no question it’s the new Ascendance of a Bookworm that has my pick. But we’re also seeing the debut of In the Land of Leadale, which has intrigued me since it first was announced, if only for the gorgeous covers. (Remember around four years ago, when we were desperate for any light novels with a female protagonist? Those days are happily long gone.)

KATE: Achoo! It’s Sneeze for me, as I’m really curious about Naoki Urasawa’s short game. I’ve enjoyed Master Keaton and Pineapple Army, two series that are more anthologies than epic sagas, so I’m cautiously optimistic about Urasawa’s ability to tell a self-contained story.

ASH: My wallet will certainly be hurting this week; I’m reading so much of what is being released! In addition to everything that everyone else has mentioned so far, I’ve also got my eyes on the (print) debut of Heaven’s Design Team.

ANNA: There’s a lot of manga coming out this week that sounds interesting, but I think for me more Blue Flag is what I’m most excited about.

SEAN: Was feeling kind of blue this week, so thought I might go for the adorable-looking Cutie and the Beast as my pick instead, but then I thought, so what? Let’s go with the manga I’ve been most excited for, that is miles ahead of the others. Blue Period is my pick.

MICHELLE: These are definitely the two titles I am most excited about this week! I must agree with Sean that Blue Period generates the most excitement, though, so I will also pick that one.

ASH: It’s the debut of Blue Period and Cutie and the Beast for me, too, this week! Quite different series from each other, I expect, but I’m looking forward to reading both of them.

ANNA: To be honest, I’m probably most excited for Cutie and the Beast, it sounds like an adorable distraction.

MJ: There’s not a lot luring me in this week, with the exception of Blue Period, which sounds like exactly my kind of manga. So here’s hoping!

KATE: What Ash said!

MICHELLE: I’m excited by all the final volumes out next week. I’m definitely interested to read the conclusions of Ao Haru Ride and The Demon Prince of Momochi House, but most look forward to the resolution of To Be Next to You, a shoujo offering of Kodansha’s digital-first initiative. I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve read by Atsuko Namba and look forward to more in the future.

SEAN: Lotsa Viz I’m getting, and I’m tempted to pick Yona (always my default). But I really loved Sexiled, and want to see more by the author, so I will go with A Lily Blooms in Another World, despite having read a very similar book 3 weeks ago.

KATE: With Halloween around the corner, I’ll put in a word for the new digital edition of Junji Ito’s Dissolving Classroom, a weird, funny, and icky collection of short stories about the siblings from hell. Plot-wise, Ito’s manga doesn’t have much to do with Kazuo Umezu’s similarly titled Drifting Classroom, but it shares the same penchant for over-the-top gore and WTF? moments.

ASH: Despite already owning the first trade paperback edition of Blade of the Immortal, I can’t resist picking up the new deluxe release in all its glory. But I’ll also be turning my eyes towards the debut of another dark, action-packed series this week – Chainsaw Man.

ANNA: There’s a bunch of manga coming out this week that I’m excited to read, but the one I’m most excited about is the final volume of Ao Haru Ride, which has managed to tell a compelling story of teen romance developing despite past tragedy.

SEAN: There are a few other titles I’m interested in this week, including the new one by the Barakamon author, but there’s no doubt about it: Pretty Boy Detective Club is absolutely the one I want to read most.

MICHELLE: I really must agree. There are definitely other things I am happy about too, but this is really the standout. I’ve never read anything by NISIOISIN before, but cannot resist pretty boy detectives!

MJ: There’s not a lot that interests me this week, but the one thing that does catch my eye puts me on the same wavelength with my colleagues so far. It’s Pretty Boy Detective Club for me!

ANNA: Who would I be to stop this wave of enthusiasm for Pretty Boy Detective Club? I’ll just go with the flow this week.

ASH: As curious as I am about Pretty Boy Detective Club, I think I may actually be even more curious about Yoshi no Zuikara: The Frog in the Well Does Not Know the Ocean. I enjoyed Barakamon a great deal, but somehow missed that another manga by the creator was going to be released in English!

MJ: In a stunning turn of events, I’ll begin this week’s column. I have only one cry to let out into the world, and that would be… “SILVER SPOOOOOOOOOOOON.” What I’m saying is that my pick is Silver Spoon.

SEAN: Technically I know I should be picking the final Silver Spoon, or the new A Bride’s Story, or a new Baccano!, or any other number of Yen Press stuff. But after seeing Erica’s review of the first volume of I’m in Love with the Villainess!, that’s gone to the top of my “books I want to know more about”. Despite 2020 being the year of villainess stories, this is still apparently a cut above.

MICHELLE: For the longest time, I wasn’t especially tempted by light novels, but lately there have been a few to catch my eye. And after reading Erica’s review, I immediately went to Amazon and pre-ordered the digital edition of I’m in Love with the Villainess!. The prospect of genuine character growth and development within a fantasy isekai (plus yuri!) is really calling to me.

KATE: Oof–this is a lot to take in! I’m going to join MJin reminding everyone to buy the final volume of Silver Spoon, which has been a consistently great series from beginning to end, with vivid characters, real-life drama, and just enough poop jokes to prevent the whole thing from being too heavy, but I’m also going to shamelessly plug the newest installment of A Bride’s Story. Kaoru Mori costume drama = win.

ASH: As I anticipate being able to declare A Bride’s Story my pick in the future, and to grant that honor to I’m in Love with the Villainess! when it’s released in print (yes, I have it preordered), and that this is the last time I’ll be able to choose Silver Spoon, that’s the series I will go with this week! It’s such a great manga for all the reasons Kate has already described, plus it makes me oddly nostalgic for the area of the United States I grew up in. If you haven’t given Silver Spoon a try yet, this is the time.

SEAN: Despite my thinking that this series is a good example of why you shouldn’t use comedic sociopaths in a serious manga, the pick clearly has to be Maison Ikkoku anyway. It’s iconic, beloved, and Kyoko vies with Madoka from KOR as the most beloved anime heroine by men of a certain age. I’m quite happy Viz is bringing it back.

MICHELLE: Yep, it’s Maison Ikkoku for me, too, but honorable mentions for Ping Pong and The Way of the Househusband!

KATE: I’m voting a straight VIZ ticket, too, Michelle! Maison Ikkoku, Ping Pong, and The Way of the Househusband are all on my short list for this week.

ASH: VIZ has an incredibly strong showing this week! The second half of Ping Pong is most likely the first volume that I’ll be reaching for, but I’ll definitely be reading everything that’s been mentioned so far!

ANNA: I agree, this is a great week for Viz. I’m excited about many of the titles that have already been mentioned, but I do especially enjoy that classic manga is getting released, so I’m going to go with Maison Ikkoku.

MEINDA: I want to care about other things, but this week, my heart belongs to Maison Ikkoku.

MICHELLE: I’m happy to get more of Ace of the Diamond and Giant Killing, two long-running sports favorites of mine, but last week my love for Spy x Family eclipsed all else and I neglected to mention another long-running favorite has a new volume! And thus… Skip Beat! 44 is my belated pick.

SEAN: I should be picking Fly Me to the Moon out of loyalty to the Hayate creator, but I’ve got to admit, my eyes are drawn more to antique-shop mystery novel series Holmes of Kyoto, so that’s my pick for the week.

KATE: I’m feeling a little sentimental for the aughts, so my pick goes to CLOVER, a swoon-worthy sci-fi tale that doesn’t make a lot of sense but sure looks nice. By my count, this is the third edition of this series, which has passed from Tokyopop to Dark Horse to Kodansha, so I’m curious to see how the material is presented this time around.

ASH: Even considering some of the other interesting releases coming out this week, I’m in complete agreement with Kate. Clover has such a distinctive artistic approach from CLAMP, I’m looking forward to seeing its newest deluxe treatment.

ANNA: I’m intrigued by Clover too, but I’m also all CLAMPed out. I’m going to take the opportunity to celebrate Skip Beat!!

MJ: Okay, this is seriously off-brand for me, but even though I fully anticipate buying the new edition of CLOVER, I’m going to take a risk and check out Fly Me to the Moon. I wasn’t a Hayate fan, particularly, and this seems ] likely to backfire on me in a fanservicey way, but I’m so intrigued by the premise, I just gotta take a look.

SEAN: I’m getting a wide variety of stuff this week, from dark yuri light novel Roll Over and Die to cute pet manga With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day Is Fun. But the honeymoon is still not quite over for me. My pick this week is the 2nd volume of SPY x FAMILY, which is badass and adorable in equal measures.

KATE: Cute pet manga for the win! I’m on team Dog AND a Cat this week, but I won’t lie: I’m also excited for Knight of the Ice and SPY x FAMILY, as well as Makeup is Not (Just) Magic: A Manga Guide to Cosmetics and Skin Care.

MICHELLE: I’m in the same boat as Sean. I’m genuinely looking forward to With a Dog AND a Cat and new volumes of various shoujo and shounen favorites, but I fell for Spy x Family so quickly and so completely that I can’t wait for volume two!

ASH: The first volume of Spy x Family was such a delight! The second volume is one of my top picks this week, too. (I’ll also be reading just about everything Kodansha is releasing in print.)

ANNA: There’s a lot of good stuff coming out this week, but as long as ice-skating josei is an option, Knight of the Ice is going to be my pick!

MJ: There’s a lot more for me to like this week than some, but I’ve heard that With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day Is Fun, and I could use a bit of that these days!