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Reforming an Icy Final Boss: Getting Back at the Self-Proclaimed Villainess with the Power of Friendship, Vol. 2

By Takamedou and Nemusuke. Released in Japan as “”Jishou Akuyaku Reijou” ni Korosareta Last Boss no Yarinaoshi: Bocchi na Reitetsu Koujo wa, Dai Ni no Jinsei de Riajuu wo Mezashimasu” by DRE Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Sheldon Drzka. The famous Bible quote “the sins of the father are visited upon the son” can apply to daughters as well, and it certainly does here. Milly may be doing her best to make friends, show off, and live her best second life, but her father Kyle is still regarded by everyone as the absolute worst, and he is certainly not above destroying families because he’s in a bad mood. As such, no one wants to be close friends with Milly except those who know her really…

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Manga the Week of 4/1/26

SEAN: It’s a Marchey, Apriley sort of week. ASH: That it is. SEAN: Airship’s print title is the 13th volume of Failure Frame. For early digital we debut Classroom of the Elite: Year 3 (Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e: 3-Nensei-hen), the sequel to the first two years, which explores what to do when the protagonist is now your enemy. Also early digital: Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex 2 and She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man 16. Cross Infinite World has a new one-shot, The Brooding Duke’s Guide to the Lie-Detecting Lady (Fukigen na Koushaku-sama wa Uso Hakkenki Tsuki Reijou no Torisetsu wo Goshomou desu: Ophelia ni wa Uso wa Tsukenai). A girl who can tell is someone is lying… and thus her life among petty nobles…

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Even Exiled, She’s Still the Beloved Saint! St. Evelyn’s Weird and Wonderful Friends, Vol. 2

By Harunadon and Kurodeko. Released in Japan as “Tsuihousareta Seijo desu ga, Jitsu wa Kunijuu kara Aisaresugitete Kowain desu kedo!?” by Earth Star Luna. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Camilla L. It can be difficult for me to do a review of a title that relies so much on just being funny. We aren’t really going to get much in the way of ongoing plot, and while there is character development, it’s not really why folks would want to read this book. This book is read for the laughs. Watching Evelyn suffer, seeing her misunderstand, seeing everyone else just completely losing their minds when she supposedly vanishes, and of course everything about the curse and its aftereffects that we get in this volume. The translator must…

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The Trials and Tribulations of My Next Life As a Noblewoman: A Ray of Hope, Part 1

By Kamihara and Shiro46. Released in Japan as “Tensei Reijo to Sūki na Jinsei o” by Hayakawa Shobo. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Hengtee Lim. The one thing that I think has surprised me most about this series is its dedication to the “My Next Life” part of the title. Let’s face it, in a LOT of these types of series with, if not a villainess, at least a villainess shape, the actual reincarnated from Japan part sometimes gets forgotten. Deliberately so, in many cases – like the male counterparts, a lot of writers write villainess books because people will read that. Trials and Tribulations, though, has quietly continued to point out Karen and Ern’s isekai life, even when it already has a ton of other…

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The Tiny Witch from the Deep Woods, Vol. 3

By Yanagi and Yoh Hihara. Released in Japan as “Mori no Hashikko no Chibi Majo-san” by TO Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Nathan Macklem. There’s a famous early episode of M*A*S*H where Hawkeye tries to save a patient but fails, and is despondent about it. Henry Blake, in a rare serious turn, says that the first thing he learned in the war was two rules. Rule #1: Young men die. Rule #2: Doctors can’t change Rule #1. This third volume of Tiny Witch is very much about teaching Misha that lesson, as she goes through all the worst things a doctor – sorry, apothecary – can go through. There’s a pandemic that she finds near impossible to solve, people blame her for it and even…

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The Villainess Speaks Not: The Awoken Genius and the Once-Lost Pawn

By Kei Yose and Ruria Miyuki. Released in Japan as “Akuyaku Reijou wa Shaberimasen” by Overlap Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Adam. I always find it very interesting when J-Novel Club puts a villainess title in their “main” imprint rather than in the romance-oriented J-Novel Heart line. The implication is that the romance is not the point in this series, and that’s certainly true in this first volume, where our pre-teen villainess does her best to try to avoid becoming the official fiancee to the crown prince. But more to the point, this is one of those villainess series that runs entirely on politics and intrigue, and that places it squarely in the main line of books. Liliana has assassins try to kill her over…

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Repeated Vice: I Refuse to Be Important Enough to Die, Vol. 2

By Kuroakawa Hitsugi and Kushiro Kuki. Released in Japan as “Repeat Vice: Akuyaku Kizoku wa Shinitakunai node Shitennou ni Naru no wo Yamemashita” by HJ Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by piyo. This series has one big selling point that makes it a lot better than most of the “reincarnated as some dude who dies” series I’ve been reading lately. Lofus starts this book angry, goes through the book angry, and ends the book angry. He is a perpetually frowning, bitching twelve-year-old, even when he’s rescuing slaves, helping to extend the life of dying wyverns, or helping one of the heroines escape from his family’s deadly crypt. Why does he have to do all this? Why can’t people just leave him alone to get on with…

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Re: ZERO -Starting Life in Another World – Ex, Vol. 6

By Tappei Nagatsuki and Shinichirou Otsuka. Released in Japan as “Re: Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu Ex”by Media Factory. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Kevin Steinbach. I know a lot of this review might sound like I’m complaining about the dead dove I found in the bag labeled Dead Dove: Do Not Eat. But it’s been harder lately to forget just how incredibly, punishingly bleak Re: Zero can get when it’s firing on all cylinders. The middle third of this volume is just getting punched in the face by the author over and over again, and I’ll be honest, I did not enjoy it at all. Part of it is that I don’t really enjoy seeing characters suffer – that was the me of thirty years…

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Manga the Week of 3/25/26

SEAN: The end of March is nearing, and will it be a lion or a lamb? ASH: Seems pretty lion-ish of late. SEAN: Yen On has two spinoff debuts. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End -Prelude- (Shusetsu Sousou no Frieren ‑Zensou‑) is a short story collection that, despite the word prelude, does cover folks from the present day. The author is best known for The Mimosa Confessions, though I’ve no doubt the Frieren author supervised. So I’m a Spider, So What? Ex (Kumo Desu ga, Nani ka? Ex) is the long-delayed companion volume to the light novel series that ended here in 2023. It has short stories, character profiles, some artwork, etc. ASH: That’ll be nice for fans to finally have. SEAN: Yen Press has the bulk of its March titles out…

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