Manga Bookshelf's Weekly Features

SEAN: I’ve heard good things about That Blue-Sky Feeling, but feel fairly confident the rest of the team will be weighing in on that one. So my pick this week is Accomplishments of a Duke’s Daughter. I’m a sucker for isekai with a female lead, and this one has the basic premise of the heroine ending up in the otome game she’s played… as the main antagonist. Should be great fun.

MICHELLE: I don’t read much in the isekai genre, but Accomplishments of a Duke’s Daughter might be the exception. Still, Sean is right that I’m most eager to read That Blue-Sky Feeling. Slice-of-life sounds like just the thing.

ASH: Sean has me pegged, too! While as always there are multiple releases that interest me this week, That Blue Sky Feeling is without a doubt my pick. I’ve likewise heard great things about this thoughtful and sweet gay coming-of-age story.

KATE: Since it’s been hot and sticky this week, my vote is for fun. I’ll be picking up the third volume of Toppu GP, which I’ve been enjoying despite my total lack of interest in motorcycles, and the second volume of Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, which I just reviewed and adored.

ANNA: Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle Volume 2 for me as well! I’m in the mood for a pleasant diversion, and I enjoy the way this fantasy comedy manga subverts the familiar trope of a princess in distress.

MICHELLE: It’s the first week of August and that can mean only one thing: my annual opportunity to pick Kaze Hikaru! I am also super excited about the new volume of What Did You Eat Yesterday?, however.

ASH: As Sean recently noted, there’s lots and lots and lots being released this week. Shoujo, shonen, seinen, and even josei manga are all represented and I’m reading SO MUCH of it. However, the release that I’m perhaps most interested in this week actually isn’t manga at all but Shinsuke Nakamura’s autobiography King of Strong Style.

SEAN: I suspect Anna will also be picking Kaze Hikaru, so I’ll pitch in for her and make my pick the lucky 13th volume of Yona of the Dawn. Every volume deserves to be read and reread, like a favorite childhood story. I love it to bits.

ANNA: It is such a tough choice because I love Kaze Hikaru and Yona of the Dawn so much! But with only one volume of Kaze Hikaru coming out a year, I have to take the opportunity to highlight it whenever I can. It is such a great, underappreciated series.

KATE: Kaze Hikaru. ‘Nuff said.

MICHELLE: There’s not much on the manga front this week that really calls to me, so instead I’ll devote my pick to a charming graphic novel that came out a couple weeks ago. The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins is adapted from a great podcast in which three brothers play Dungeons & Dragons with their dad. The graphic novel cuts out most of the out-of-character interaction and presents as more of a straightforward fantasy story, but with loads of jokes (and profanity). Also, it’s the first graphic novel to score the #1 position on the New York Times Paperback Trade Fiction list! Check it out, won’t you?

KATE: I’m with Michelle: this week’s manga list is just not ringing my bell. So I’ll use today’s column to shamelessly plug one of my favorite ongoing series, Hiromu Arakawa’s Silver Spoon. It’s funny, wise, and surprisingly serious at times, but so well done that you will laugh AND cry at least once per volume. The first three volumes are available right now, giving you a chance to catch up before volume four arrives in August. Not convinced? Here’s what I had to say about volume one.

SEAN: I will stick with the actual list, but I’ll go with prose this time around. I keep waiting for it to get so dark I lose interest, but through the last two volumes, The Saga of Tanya the Evil has proven to be an excellent, if very long, read. I look forward to the third novel.

ASH: While I certainly have plenty of reading to catch up on, it is an extremely rare week that there isn’t at least one release I’m looking forward to getting my hands on. This week that release is the most recent omnibus of I Am a Hero. Even having grown tired of the inundation of zombie media, I still find this series to be one heck of a ride.

ANNA: There isn’t much coming out this week that I’m interested in, which is good, as I’m going to use the time to get caught up on my reading. One recent release that is non-manga that I think is cool is Viz getting into translated amigurumi books! San-X Crochet Patterns is my pick.

SEAN: For me it’s a week where I could easily pick six or seven things. Another digital Kodansha debit, Is Kichijoji the Only Place to Live?; the dark but amusing The Voynich Hotel; Mari Okazaki’s new title Will I Be Single Forever?; the adorable looking Hakumei ad Mikochi; or my usual go-to obsession, Umineko: Then They Cry. But as I already indicated, my pick this week is Teasing Master Takagi-san, which simply puts a smile on my face. Teen romance was never this cute.

MICHELLE: What a position to be in, struggling to choose between two terrific-looking digital josei debuts! I really want VIZ’s experiment to succeed, as it might encourage them to release more stuff digitally (7SEEDS! ), but Is Kichijoji the Only Place to Live? looks like such a breath of fresh air. I think I’m gonna have to go with the latter.

KATE: This week’s new arrival list is one of the most eclectic of the year! If I had to pick just one title — and death was not an option — my vote would go to Mari Okazaki’s Will I Be Single Forever?, as I adored Suppli. If I could pick a second book, however, I’d add The Voynich Hotel, which sounds weird and funny (in a good way). What’s not to like about a manga starring a yakuza hitman, a witch, and a hotelier in a luchador mask?

ANNA: For me there is no question. I’ve often wished for more Mari Okazaki manga, and am delighted that there’s a manga of hers being translated again. Will I Be Single Forever? is my pick.

ASH: If Will I Be Single Forever? was being released in print, it would without question be my pick for this week. Alas, it’s only available digitally (for now???). I am rather curious about The Voynich Hotel, though, so I’ll happily be choosing that instead.

MICHELLE: For the second week in a row, I’m going to pick one of Kodansha’s digital josei debuts. This time it’s Kakafukaka, a title I know almost nothing about except that it’s josei. We went so long without many josei options that they’re always going to pique my interest when they come along.

SEAN: It’s an odd little week, and there’s a few things I’m quite interested in but nothing that screams READ ME!. So my pick this week is the 10th Durarara!! novel, as I believe this is one of the ‘plot hammers going off’ volumes.

KATE: I’ve had mixed feelings about some of Inio Asano’s other work, but I am STOKED for volume two of his alien invasion dramedy Dead Dead Demon’s DeDeDeDestruction. Great art, great story, and weird humor = win!

ASH: Dead Dead Demon’s DeDeDeDestruction is definitely high on my list for this week, too, as is the most recent volume of Land of the Lustrous which is always a visual treat.

ANNA: I have to join in with Michelle in celebrating more digital josei, so Kakafukaka, for me as well!

ASH: It seems like I only get the chance to make Berserk my pick of the week once every three years or so, so I’ll once again take this opportunity to pick the most recent volume. (Plus, the characters are finally off the boat…)

MICHELLE: I’m not especially into shopping but I can’t pass up new josei, so I’m going with Tokyo Alice this week.

SEAN: Yeah, I too am going to go with Tokyo Alice, which looks intriguing.

KATE: At the risk of sounding like an old grump, I’m going to pass on this week’s bounty and hold out for next week, when a new volume of Dead Dead Demon’s DeDeDeDestruction hits shelves.

ANNA: I’m always up for more josei so Tokyo Alice is my pick, of course!

MJ: Okay, I admit I’m not super enthused by any of this week’s offerings, though probably I’d read Tokyo Alice and maybe Little Devils, so I’m going to instead make sure all our interested readers are aware that the new Banana Fish anime has begun! I was able to catch the first episode (available now via Amazon Prime Video) and it really hit the spot. It was definitely a little disorienting at first for the folks who watched it with me (neither of whom had read the manga), but by the end of the episode things were coming together for them, and we’re all looking forward to the next installment. As a long-time fan of the manga who has talked about it a lot over the years, this is honestly something I never imagined could happen, ever, so just the fact that someone is even making this anime of a weird shojo manga from the 80s is enough to send me over the moon. But I’m here to report that it’s also being really well done (even if we don’t get to enjoy the awful 80s fashions from the original).

KATE: VIZ announced that they will be republishing OOP volumes of the Banana Fish manga, FWIW. Anime News Network has the details.

MJ: Oooooh, amazing news! Thanks, Kate!

MICHELLE: There are many things coming out that I am interested in this week, particularly ongoing shoujo and shounen from VIZ and a slew of digital shoujo from Kodansha, but I find that what I most look forward to is some BL comedy in the vein of Go For It, Nakamura!. I just love that cover so much.

SEAN: I had never expected to see it over here, mostly as it’s years old now, so my pick of the week is definitely the One Piece Color Walk artbook. Seeing these beloved characters back in the old days will be great, especially with Oda commentary on the artwork.

KATE: Looking over this week’s list, I’m having a hard time limiting myself to just one title. I’ll be picking up the second volume of Kenka Bancho Otome, which is dumb as rocks, but in a delightful, cheeky way, and the second volume of Giant Spider & Me, which is also a delightful bit of escapism. I’m always down for new sports manga, so Harakuna Receive is on my list, despite the ever-present threat of fan service. And heck, while I’m at it, why not join Michelle in recommending Go For It, Nakamura!, which does indeed have an awesome cover.

ASH: It’s a Seven Seas sort of week for me, as well! I’m curious about Harukana Receive and Mushroom Girls, and am looking forward to reading more of Giant Spider & Me, but the release I really have my sights on is Go For It, Nakamura!, the publisher’s first real foray into BL.

ANNA: Water Dragon’s Bride 6 is coming out, so I’m so happy about that I can’t even think about anything else!

KATE: The obvious pick of the week is Riyoko Ikeda’s three-hanky drama Claudine, a sensitive (if sometimes melodramatic) story about a transgender man who struggles to find his place in society. As Sean pointed out in his terrific review, Claudine is surprisingly woke for a manga written in 1977, even if the ending is a major downer. In addition to Claudine, I’m also making space on my shelf for Shibuya Goldfish, a manga that dares ask the question, what really happens when you flush your pet fish down the toilet. (Spoiler alert: bad stuff.)

SEAN: It’s an embarrassment of riches this week, and I feel bad for not highlighting True Tenchi Muyo, one of the titles that got me into anime, or Little Witch Academia, a fun adaptation of a great (and kid-friendly) series. But yes, obvious, the pick is Claudine, which was worth the wait and reminds you why Riyoko Ikeda is still one of the most loved creators in Japan.

MICHELLE: I, too, am picking Claudine this week, but I do want to take a moment to highlight the print debut of Tokyo Tarareba Girls, which is really a terrific and fun josei series.

ANNA: Claudine Claudine Claudine, Claudine Claudine. CLAUDINE!

ASH: Yes! Absolutely no question about it! Claudine is my pick, too! (Of course, Tokyo Tarareba Girls and Silver Spoon are pretty high on my reading list as well…)

MJ: What they all said! Claudine it is!

SEAN: I’m not getting all that much this week, so Pick of the Week is a choice between Golden Kamuy and Sweet Blue Flowers. I’m going to go with the latter, as it’s the final volume, but ideally I’d love to see a crossover between the two.

KATE: I agree with Sean: the pick of this week’s litter is Golden Kamuy, my favorite manly cooking manga (now with 200% more bears).

MICHELLE: It’s gotta be Sweet Blue Flowers for me!

ASH: Sweet Blue Flowers is my official pick, too! I’m so happy that the series was translated and hope that it may lead to even more of Shimura’s work being released in English. (I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of Golden Kamuy, too, though!)

ANNA: Sweet Blue Flowers is also my pick. Bring on the angst!

MICHELLE: I feel like I really should be picking Loveless, since it’s been so long, but I’m pretty sure someone else will have that covered. Instead, I’ll go with the second volume of Wotakoi. I’ve finally gotten around to reading the first one, and it’s amusing and charming and just really a lot of fun.

SEAN: I’m also ready for Wotakoi, as well as Captain Harlock. But my pick this week is Sleepy Princess in the Demon Caste;, because every Shonen Sunday license needs our support, and also because sleepy princesses sound awesome.

ANNA: I’m pretty stoked for Captain Harlock, but like Sean, I want to support Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, since Shonen Sunday series don’t come around too often.

KATE: I’m glad we’re finally getting a second volume of After Hours, one of the only licensed yuri series that focuses on adult women, but my heart belongs to Captain Harlock. Bring on the manly conversations about Loyalty, Courage, and Space!

ASH: So much great stuff is being released this week! After Hours, Captain Harlock, and Wotakoi are all very high on my list, and I’m rather curious about Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, however another tremendous series that hasn’t been mentioned yet it is To Your Eternity. The manga just started a new story arc which I’m sure will be just as devastating as the ones that preceded it, but I’ve come to expect great things from the series.

MJ: Michelle was right not to fret, because of course the only possible pick for me this week is volume thirteen of Loveless. Yun Kouga’s pretty much always got my number, with her chaotic, emotionally messy style that’s exactly my cup of tea. There can be few who don’t already know how much I adore Loveless, in particular, since I was never able to stop writing about it (and writing about it). After nearly four years since the last volume was released in English, I suspect the new installment will feel scant and less satisfying than I’d like it to be, but I’m so glad to finally see it, I can’t quite bring myself to care.

SEAN: My pick this week is My Solo Exchange Diary, if only as I really want to find out what happens to our author next, painful as that may be. Also The Promised Neverland, Eclair, etcetcetc…

KATE: This is one of those weeks where I’m inclined to pick seven or eight titles. I second Sean’s recommendation of My Solo Exchange Diary, but I’m also excited for new installments of Princess Jellyfish, The Promised Neverland, and Descending Stories, three of my favorite ongoing series. I’d be remiss in my manga-critic duties if I didn’t also mention Yen Press’ yuri anthology Eclair, which has been on my radar since Erica Friedman reviewed it last year.

MICHELLE: I also have lots of things I’m looking forward to. Some ongoing shounen and shoujo faves from VIZ, Those Summer Days from Kodansha, Eclair from Yen Press, etc. But since it’s my final chance to choose quirky, unique, and addictive Princess Jellyfish, I’ve gotta go with that.

ASH: Absolutely sign me up for everything that’s already been mentioned and be sure to add on Vinland Saga, too. It’s such a tremendous series that somehow manages to only get better with each new volume that’s released.

ANNA: There’s a lot that’s great coming out, but I need to join with Ash in picking Vinland Saga for sure!

MICHELLE: I’ll definitely be picking up the latest Waiting for Spring, and I’m somewhat curious about A Kiss, for Real, but the release that really makes me squee this week is the third volume of Shojo FIGHT!. The first two volumes hooked me good and I’m extremely happy to get to read more about Neri, the girl who sometimes turns into a jerk when she lets herself play volleyball without restraint and who wants to change. It’s good stuff!

SEAN: There’s several things I’m interested in. I already reviewed Golosseum, and the Devilman hardcover is a must-have. That said, both are a bit too violent for me to pick, so I will go with The Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts from Yen Press, as I will come running for a Hana to Yume series. It may also be violent, but I highly doubt it’s as violent as those two.

MICHELLE: I’m most excited about Kodansha’s digital josei offerings this week. Since I’ve already advocated for Chihayafuru several times in this space, this week I’ll go with the second volume of Perfect World. I look forward to catching up on this series, as I hear it’s fab.

SEAN: While I’d argue that The Bride Was a Boy is the most important title this week, and Requiem of the Rose King probably the continuing series of the week, I have been waiting for the Toradora! novels for so long that there’s no question that it is my pick of the week. Put a Taiga in your tank!