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Sword Art Online: Progressive, Vol. 9

By Reki Kawahara and abec. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Stephen Paul. I think I have come to the conclusion that Reki Kawahara, much like Ryohgo Narita, has too many balls in the air. The last time a Progressive volume came out here was in 2022. It is now 2026. That is bad, mostly as I can remember literally nothing about the last book other than “Kirito is a vampire now”. And I have bad news for you, 10 isn’t out in Japan, as he’s also writing the main series and Accel World, as well as supervising all those Alternative spinoffs, only some of which have been licensed over here. As such, it sure would be a shame if this…

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The Alchemist’s Fluffy Island Getaway, Vol. 1

By Kisetsu Morita and Matsuuni. Released in Japan as “Renkinjutsushi no Yurufuwa Ritou Kaitakuki” by GA Novel. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Tristan Hill. Sometimes I pick a book to read based on vibe, and only afterwards do I realize the actual creative team behind it. This is definitely one of those books. I got it as I like the mini-genre of “alchemist in a remote land a la the Atelier series”, and it felt cute. And then I finished it, and it turns out it’s freaking Morita AGAIN, with I believe his fourth LN series licensed over here, not counting spinoffs. And then I realized how an awful lot of this felt familiar if you’ve read Killing Slimes for 300 Years, especially the main character…

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Manga the Week of 5/20/26

SEAN: School is almost done for the year! But not yet. What manga do you buy sad kids who should be studying? ASH: Minecraft and Kirby are the ones currently in demand at my house. SEAN: Viz Media starts us off with Assassin’s Creed: Forgotten Temple 3, Battle Royale: Enforcers 5, Centuria 2, Choujin X 12, Hirayasumi 9, Hunter x Hunter 3-in-1 6, Kingdom 7, Mujina into the Deep 4, and One-Punch Man 33. ASH: I really do need to start reading Kingdom. SEAN: Tokyopop debuts Nagi & Hayasaki (Nagi-kun to Hayasaki-kun), a one-shot BL title that ran in from RED. I really don’t want to break down the summary of this one, so let’s just say rivals who hate each other find spicy common ground! MICHELLE: Yeesh. Good call…

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The Isle of Paramounts: Reborn into a Slow Life Among the Strongest in the World, Vol. 3

By Heiseiowari and Noy. Released in Japan as “Tenseishitara Saikyou Shu-tachi ga Sumau Shima deshita. Kono Shima de Slow Life wo Tanoshimimasu” by SQEX Novel. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Alex Castor. This is a slow-life series that has things happening, but it can be a bit difficult to review as, due to its nature, deep character development is just not on the table. The closest Arata gets to it are his struggles to fight back against everyone judging him by his god-like powers and insisting he’s human, and even he is half-hearted about it. There is a more interesting plot happening… away from the island, where the hero’s team are still being hunted by the Church as heretics. This means that they’re being hunted by…

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Starting on Hard Mode: God Levels, Got Problems, Vol. 1

By Hanmenkyoushi and ririnra. Released in Japan as “Level Count Stop kara Hajimaru, Kamisama-teki Isekai Life: Saikyou Status ni Tenseishita node Suki ni Ikimasu” by DRE Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Jessica Speed. There are series rich in depth, with multiple layered plots and character development galore, the sort that you read by a roaring fire in your study. And there are books that you read when you’re lying on the beach and want brain candy, something that really does not require you to think. Take a wild guess which one this falls into. There’s a smorgasbord of all the things that you’d expect from a series that looks like this cover and with this title. Overpowered guy, cute girls of elf and beast variety,…

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Proud to Be the Villainess: If My Doom Can Be Her Happily Ever After, So Be It!

By Mary=Doe and Kuga Huna. Released in Japan as “Akuyaku Reijou no Kyouji” by SQEX Novel. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Bérénice Vourdon. It’s always interesting seeing a Villainess title on the Club side of J-Novel rather than the Heart side. Usually it means that the romance isn’t the point of the exercise, and that is the case here, though that might surprise you after you see what the plot is, as there is an awful lot of romance in this book. But in the end this isn’t a romance as much as a twisted caper film. Our protagonist has a goal, that will take years and involves lots of moving parts, and eventually everything comes together until she’s able to pull off the goal… or…

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Heroine? Saint? No, I’m an All-Works Maid (And Proud of It)!, Vol. 6

By Atekichi and Yukiko. Released in Japan as “Heroine? Seijo? Iie, All Works Maid desu (ko)!” by TO Books. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Matthew Jackson. Adapted by Michelle McGuinness. A lot of these “we’re in the world of a game” series tend to fall into two categories. Either the game just goes off the rails immediately but the main character doesn’t realize it and is determined to fight against a fate that no longer exists (e.g. Observation Records of My Fiancee), or the game has a malevolent mind of its own and is determined to make sure those pesky villainesses die and heroines save the day. This title is firmly in the second category, and while the bulk of most of the book is fairly light…

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The Bladesmith’s Enchanted Weapons, Vol. 4

By Kazuma Ogiwara and CARIMARICA. Released in Japan as “Isekai Toushou no Maken Seisaku Gurashi” by Kadokawa Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Ryan Burris. This remains a series written almost entirely for teenage boys, but it’s worth noting that this isn’t just one aspect of things teenage boys like. Obviously there’s the stuff about the swords, because teen boys love swords, and fantasy authors love treating the swords like they’re women, which this book absolutely does. It’s also written for teen boys in terms of the sexuality – Lutz and Claudia remain very sexually active, and a princess of another country’s city/tribe is mostly described by her large breasts. But there’s something else teenage boys like, and that’s grimdark, and this series has that as…

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Manga the Week of 5/13/26

SEAN: It’s Mother’s Day week, and Manga Bookshelf has some totally mother-appropriate manga… as well as a lot of other titles. ASH: Seems about right. SEAN: Airship has print volumes for Chronicles of an Aristocrat Reborn in Another World 2 and Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash 21. And we get early digital for I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire! 11 and Magic Maker: How to Create Magic in Another World 2. Hanashi Media has a 4th volume of I Got Reincarnated as a Cultist Mob in an Eroge Full of Maniacs with Death Wishes. Ize Press has a 3rd novel of Villains Are Destined to Die. There is a giant pile of print for J-Novel Club, including debut volumes of three of their contest winners. We see Cogs…

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