Pick of the Week

MICHELLE: Secure in the knowledge that someone else is going to pick Planetes, and despite genuinely looking forward to the second volume of Tokyo ESP, I am going to have to go with my squeeing fangirl heart this week and pick the digital-only debut of Crown of Thorns, a Yoko Kamio manga that was totally not on my radar before but which I now desperately need to read.

SEAN: It’s definitely Planetes for me. If you told someone to read a manga about space garbagemen, they’d likely ignore you. But they’d be very, very wrong.

ASH: It’s Planetes for me, too. I already have the entire series sitting on my shelf from when Tokyopop released it, but I’m sorely tempted to upgrade to Dark Horse’s edition.

ANNA: Usually with Pick of the Week, my choice is clear, but I’m genuinely torn between celebrating the return of a series I loved or the lure of the new. Since other folks have picked Planetes, I’m going to give in to the side of me that greets new shoujo series with glee and cast my vote for Crown of Thorns.

MJ: I’m going to join the majority of the pack here and go with Planetes. I missed this the first time around, and I am so thrilled to have another chance at it. This is something I’ve been eagerly anticipating for quite a while, so there’s really no other choice for me.

SEAN: I suspect many of the rest of our team will be looking towards vampires, but I’m going with magic instead, as The Ancient Magus’ Bride’s third volume is my pick. Wife husbandry aside, this is a sweet and gentle supernatural manga that is just what I need to relax before the holidays.

MICHELLE: No vampires for me! I am all about the Food Wars!!

ANNA: I feel like I have to be utterly predictable and go with shoujo vampires, so Bloody Mary for me!

ASH: I’ll be tagging along with Sean this week and picking The Ancient Magus’ Bride. I’ve really been enjoying the series and look forward to reading more.

MJ: Okay, I’m at a bit of a loss here this week, but I’ll throw caution to the wind and nervously try Bloody Mary. I’m past the point of being saturated on vampires—so far past that they almost seem okay again. What’s that about? Hm. Anyway, I’ll give it a shot!

MICHELLE: Though there’s not a great deal that appeals to me among this week’s releases, I am intrigued by Scarlet Empire. Time-traveling samurai are definitely worth a look!

SEAN: As it’s the last time I’ll get to do so, my pick is the criminally underrated Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer, whose 5th and final omnibus is out this week and resolves the story in a heartwarming and compelling way.

MJ: I’m going to join Michelle here in checking out Scarlet Empire. I’ll try anything peddled to me by GFantasy, and this is no exception. Count me in for those time-traveling samurai!

ASH: I recently caught up with My Neighbor Seki and can’t wait to read more, so I’m happy to make the fifth volume my pick this week. It delights, it charms, it leaves me with a smile; sometimes that’s just what I need.

SEAN: Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun. That was easy.

ANNA: You know what? I think I’m going to pick Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun!

MICHELLE: I am feeling the strangest compulsion to pick Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun!

ASH: There are so many great manga being released this week that I couldn’t possibly choose! Ah, who am I kidding? Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun!

MJ: I’m hearing a voice in my head… what’s that it’s saying? “No… zaki…kun…. No… saki… kun…” Why, I do believe it’s suggesting that I spend my money this week on Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun! Huh.

MICHELLE: There are a few volumes coming out this week that I will probably enjoy, but none that fills me with particular enthusiasm. But since a pick is required, I reckon I will go for volume four of Love Stage!!. I continue to hope for more stage, and will probably be disappointed, but I’m not giving up yet.

SEAN: With nothing really blowing me away this week, it’s time to go back to the beginning of my manga reading career. One can never go wrong with a volume of Ranma 1/2, provided you don’t take it too seriously. That said, the appearance of Nodoka Saotome does make this one a bit less wacky than the previous.

ASH: The two manga that I’m particularly interested in this week have actually both already been mentioned. But, since I haven’t actually read any of Love Stage!! yet, I’ll throw my pick towards the series that I know I like and am happy to see being re-released in English, Ranma 1/2.

SEAN: This week’s pick is the debut of Arina Tanemura’s new series Idol Dreams. It was called her first josei series, though it runs in Melody, a magazine that caters to late shoujo/early josei demographics. And, as is common with a lot of new series lately, it features an age difference romance. Should be fun.

MICHELLE: Two series that I love are ending this week—Chi’s Sweet Home and Yukarism. I love Chi a lot, as it’s adorable and great for kids, but it doesn’t have a mystery plot that I’ve been waiting to see resolved for several months, so in terms of sheer anticipation, I think I’ve gotta award this week’s pick to Yukarism.

ASH: As usual, there are quite a few manga that I’m looking forward to this week. The final volume of the ever-delightful Chi’s Sweet Home is definitely high up there on my list, but as a JoJo’s fan who never expected to see much of the series translated, the first volume of the ridiculously epic Battle Tendency earns my pick this time around.

MJ: Since Michelle has already given the final volume of Yukarism its due, I’ll throw caution to the wind and check out Livingstone. Though I had mixed feelings about Deadman Wonderland, the combination of summary and cover art on this series’ first volume intrigues me pretty intensely. So I’m in, at least for the short term. Livingstone it is for me!

ANNA: I’m a bit torn between Yukarism and Idol Dreams but given that I’m often distracted by whatever is shiny and new, I’m going to pick the new Tanemura manga.

What looks good to you this week?

MICHELLE: There are a few things I’m interested in picking up this coming week but, ultimately, my heart belongs to kitties. Junji Ito is responsible for some incredibly terrifying imagery but I am hoping he’ll elicit warm and fuzzy feelings instead with Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu, brought to us this week by Kodansha Comics.

SEAN: I continue to be drawn towards Yen’s light novel program, so I’ll make my pick the third volume of Sword Art Online Progressive. Seeing the author return to his original setting with added years of experience under his belt has led to better writing and greater depth, and having it limited to one floor per volume is also a good idea. Also, Kirito x Asuna OTP.

ASH: I’m completely with Michelle on this one. While there are several manga being released this week that I’ll definitely be picking up, by far I’m most excited for Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu.

MJ: There are a number of releases I’m interested in this week, including my colleagues’ picks, but I simply can’t ignore anything involving Yun Kouga. I’ve waxed eloquent (or at least waxed enthusiastic) about her works time and again, and though Akuma no Riddle was somehow not on my radar at all before this week, there’s no way I’d miss it. I’m sure I’ll miss her artwork on this series, but it was always her particular way with writing that really hooked me. Akuma no Riddle is my only possible choice this week.

What looks good to you this week?

SEAN: I was going to go with L♥DK for this week’s pick, but then sadly I read it. So instead, with a minimal number of things I’m excited about, I will pick Udon’s first volume of Kill La Kill. The anime got huge buzz, both good and bad, on the Twitters and the Tumblrs, and I look forward to seeing what the excitement is all about.

MICHELLE: Oh, no! But I guess, in the absence of anything else I was planning to get, that I will still pick L♥DK anyway. With much trepidation.

ASH: I seem to be hearing a lot of good things about Claymore recently, but I’ve never actually read any of the manga. So, I’m definitely eyeing the giant box set that’s being released this week.

MJ: This feels like the right time to give another boost to Claymore, one of my very favorite shounen series. It’s dark, it’s thrilling, it’s filled with incredible female characters… what’s not to like? I don’t have any need for Viz’s new box set myself, but I’d encourage anyone to consider it! It’s a fantastic series.

SEAN: Everything comes to an end, and we have three major series ending this week. My pick is for the final volume of Oh My Goddess!. It’s the 2nd manga series I ever read, after Ranma 1/2, and I’ve literally been reading it as long as I’ve read manga. Seeing it come to an end is surprising – I honestly thought it would run forever, like Sazae-san. Here’s hoping Keiichi and Belldandy finally get the honeymoon they’ve deserved for the last 25 or so years.

MICHELLE: And while some things end, others begin, like the latest series from Kyousuke Motomi (Beast Master, Dengeki Daisy), QQSweeper! I’m partway through the debut volume now and enjoying it immensely, so it easily earns my Pick of the Week award.

ASH: QQ Sweeper is my pick, too! Although I still need to read Beast Master, I really enjoyed Dengeki Daisy, even more than I expected that I would. I’m definitely looking forward to the debut of Motomi’s newest series in English.

ANNA: I enjoyed Dengeki Daisy very much, and while QQ Sweeper doesn’t feature another older hacker janitor/schoolgirl romance, Motomi’s delightfully quirky storytelling habits make it my pick of the week. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with this more supernatural shoujo series.

MJ: I admit that I fizzled out early on Dengeki Daisy, but QQ Sweeper hooked me right away. It hits all my contemporary shoujo sweet spots, and I really can’t wait to read the next volume. This is absolutely my pick of the week.

MICHELLE: The two volumes I am most looking forward to this week hail from two very different series I love a lot and which only have a few volumes left. I think I’ve probably praised My Little Monster more often and more recently, though, so I will cast my vote this time for Tsutomu Nihei’s Knights of Sidonia, which I love fervently. I really can’t believe that it’s ending soon, but I intend to cherish every panel until it does.

SEAN: No question here: the final volume of Showa is absolutely my pick of the week. Shigeru Mizuki’s book is 60% history textbook and 40% biography, and it’s to his credit that we find both equally riveting. I can’t wait to see the conclusion.

ASH: Vinland Saga! It’s been about a year since the fifth omnibus was released, and the fate of the series in English will depend on the success of the sixth and seventh. So far, the historical epic has been excellent; I’ve been anxiously waiting to read more.

ANNA: I absolutely agree. Vinland Saga is a great series and it deserves more support. Buy a copy or three!!!!!

MJ: Though there’s a lot of manga coming out this week, I admit it’s mostly series I’m not following. That is, of course, with one BIG exception, the glorious Knights of Sidonia, which is worthy of my pick any week. I’m going for Sidonia.

MICHELLE: While I’m really looking forward to getting caught up on Naoki Urasawa’s Master Keaton, I must cast my vote this week to the new Astro Boy omnibus, which includes the story “The Greatest Robot on Earth,” which is pretty much required reading and which gives its robot a surprisingly touching character arc.

SEAN: Absolutely Astro Boy for me as well. Some of the finest Tezuka.

ASH: I almost feel like picking something else just to be contrary, but the new edition of Astro Boy is probably the most alluring release for me this week, too.

MJ: I am a sheep. Astro Boy it is.

ANNA: I’m not going to be the one to break this trend. Astro Boy for everybody!!!!

MICHELLE: Baaaa. :)

What looks good to you this week?

SEAN: There’s some interesting stuff going on this week, which I’m sure the rest of the team will talk about, so my pick is a title only I care about: the 26th Hayate the Combat Butler. It’s been pretty serious and plot-oriented the last three volumes or so – expect that to change back to its usual goofy fourth-wall breaking humor.

MICHELLE: It’s kind of odd that a VIZ shoujo title is coming out the second week of the month rather than the first, but I don’t mind, since that makes volume two of the versatile Aya Kanno’s Requiem of the Rose King an easy choice!

ASH: I’m with Michelle, Requiem of the Rose King is absolutely my pick this week. Although the first volume was a bit chaotic in places, I loved its drama and theatrics. The stage has been set, and I can’t wait to see what’s to come.

MJ: I’m also going to give my vote to Requiem of the Rose King. I haven’t caught up with the first volume yet, but this is easily the most enticing title on the list for me this week. I have a feeling I may even be happy in the end that I can read this two at a time!

ANNA: I’m also going to pick Requiem of the Rose King too. I loved the combination of history, anguish, and surreal visions in the first volume, and I’m excited to see where the story goes.

SEAN: Requiem of the Rose King is awesome, I will admit. But totally sticking with Hayate. Someone has to.

What looks good to you this week?

MICHELLE: There’s a new volume of Skip Beat! out this week, which I of course adore, but that makes it even more significant when I say my pick of the week is actually the first volume of Maki Minami’s Komomo Confiserie. I actually know nothing about this series, but I do know that Minami’s Voice Over! ended up being a surprise favorite, so I am really glad to have another new series from its creator now that it has finished.

ASH: It seems like I’ve been waiting to read One-Punch Man forever, but I enjoyed the first volume of The Ancient Magus’ Bride so much that there could be no other pick for me this week.

SEAN: I’m fairly sure that One-Punch Man takes the prize for my pick of the week. Never has invincibility been so funny.

ANNA: I’m very excited that One-Punch Man is coming out in print form, but I’ve aleady been buying the digital volumes!. I’m going to pick the shoujo series Komomo Confiserie because a shoujo series involving food just sounds incredibly entertaining.