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Haibara’s Teenage New Game+, Vol. 9

By Kazuki Amamiya and Gin. Released in Japan as “Haibara-kun no Tsuyokute Seishun New Game” by HJ Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Esther Sun. Natsuki’s do-over has been going pretty well. He’s got friends, he’s slimmed down and folks think he is handsome, he is able to hold conversations and help others – sometimes to a ridiculous shonen degree – and he has a girlfriend, and their relationship is sugary sweet (what little of it we see in this volume). So it makes sense that it’s time to move on to the next generation of socially inept malcontents, and that means Saya, the first-year who knew him in middle-school and is trying to achieve the same thing he did. Unfortunately, she’s blunt to the point…

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My Girlfriend Cheated on Me, and Now My Flirty Underclassman Won’t Leave Me Alone!, Vol. 1

By Yu Omiya and Ale. Released in Japan as “Kanojo ni Uwakisareteita Ore ga, Koakuma na Kouhai ni Natsukareteimasu” by Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Benjamin Daughety. Adapted by RFD. I try not to carp too much about a book that fulfills all its goals and doesn’t really do much wrong, even if I personally was not entertained. I picked this up because it promised to be about college kids rather than the usual “second year of high school” start we tend to get in romcoms. Indeed, everyone in this is in college. There are drinking parties. The main character is not a virgin. (Well, according to him, but given the plot of this book, I’m not sure I trust his word.) The flirty…

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The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time and Aims to Become the Ultimate Villain, Vol. 7

By Bakufu Narayama and Ebisushi. Released in Japan as “Danzaisareta Akuyaku Reijō wa, Gyakkō-shite Kanpekina Akujo o Mezasu” by TO Books. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Alyssa Niioka. Adapted by Vida Cruz-Borja. Please note that spoilers are far more unavoidable than usual this volume. If you want to remain unspoiled, please try to read the review after the book. I’ll stick the cover art here to hopefully mask it. So, let’s talk about the Unreliable Narrator. Starting off by spoiling a 100-year-old book for you, the most famous example is probably Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. It upset a lot of people when it came out, and folks who were especially invested in trying to figure out the mystery, rather than reading it as a…

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An Introvert’s Hookup Hiccups: This Gyaru Is Head Over Heels for Me!, Vol. 12

By Yuishi and Kagachisaku. Released in Japan as “Inkya no Boku ni Batsu Game de Kokuhaku Shitekita Hazu no Gal ga, Dō Mitemo Boku ni Beta Bore Des” by HJ Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Satoko Kakihara. Given that the bulk of this series is our two main leads flirting hard with each other, deliberately or no, it makes sense that this is also what’s going on with the author. Oh, sure, the start of the series was different. We had the push and pull of “when will they discover they both know and admit their feelings”. But ever since they got together as a real couple, the books have been the author as Lucy, holding a football, saying, “I bet this is the one…

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One Last Hurrah! The Grayed Heroes Explore a Vivid Future, Vol. 2

By fukurou and johndee. Released in Japan as “Jiji Baba Yuusha Party Saigo no Tabi: Oita Saikyou wa Iroasenu Mama Mirai e Susumu you desu” by DRE Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Vasileios Mousikidis. I do enjoy some good foreshadowing. It’s the kind where you know this is going to be important later, and think “ah yes, the author is doing that deliberately”, but also not enough so that’s it’s constantly on your mind. By the time we get to the big reveal in this volume, I remembered the ominous mentor guy, as well as the terrible country that sat out the war because they were simply too terrible, but I was distracted by the main plot of the first half, which is the same…

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In Another World with Household Spells, Vol. 4

By Rika and HIROKAZU. Released in Japan as “Isekai ni Kita kedo, Seikatsu Mahou shika Tsukaemasen” by Mag Garden Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by sachi salehi. Despite the fact that Patience is 11 years old going on 12 in this volume, this is still a series full of nobles, and as such we know that marriage is going to always be on the table. And yes, arranged marriages can be made at a young age, though obviously just “waiting till they’re older”. And Patience, as everyone tells her but she refuses to believe, is a very hot property, financial woes or no. Who will she end up with? Obviously the music-obsessed father and son are out, though the son is certainly a better choice than…

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Manga the Week of 3/4/26

SEAN: I’d make a March Comes in Like a Lion joke, but there’s no new volume of that series, and frankly February is Lioning pretty hard right now. Anyway, manga. ASH: It’s dependable even when the weather isn’t. SEAN: Airship has new print volumes for Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentōshō 12, A Tale of the Secret Saint ZERO 4, The Too-Perfect Saint 5, and True Love Fades Away When the Contract Ends 3. And in early digital they have The Strange Adventure of a Broke Mercenary 14 and The Tale of a Little Alchemist Blessed by the Spirits 2. Ghost Ship has the fourth volume of Betrayed by the Hero, I Formed a MILF Party With His Mom! and the second volume of Virgin Ventures. Inklore has a…

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The Fearsome Witch Teaches in Another World: A Remedial Lesson in Crime and Politics

By Mitsuru Inoue and Suzuno. Released in Japan as “Isekai Teni Shite Kyoushi ni Natta ga, Majo to Osorerarete Iru Ken” by Earth Star Luna. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Gierrlon Dunn. The running gag of this volume, and indeed this series, is that people meet Aoi, underestimate her because she’s young and small, get their asses handed to them (physically or mentally), and immediately become her minions and/or supporters. Not the first time I’ve read this sort of plot, and it can be funny provided there’s more to it than that. There’s a BIT more. Aoi is absolutely dedicated to advancing sorcery throughout this world (theoretically so she can return to Japan, but I get the feeling that’s not happening), and does not actually care…

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Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter: The Sacred Shield, Guardian of the Key

By Riku Nanano and cura. Released in Japan as “Koujo Denka no Kateikyoushi” by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by William Varteresian. This review will contain a lot of spoilers, so let’s start with the synopsis. The book is pretty much balanced between checking in on the bad guys, who are bemoaning the fact that our heroes are so good at what they do but still also clearly taking the lead in the “who wins” race. As for Allen and company, they’re in the home stretch, but still need to get lots of vital bits of information, such as more details of what happened generations ago and who was involved, and – most importantly – who Allen really is. Was he really found by…

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