Manga Review: Juni Taisen: Zodiac War, Volume 4, by Akira Akatsuki, Nisiosin and Hikaru Nakamura

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 2019

Volumes: 4.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Twelve fighters enter, one fighter leaves—who will win the 12th Zodiac War?

Every 12 years, 12 fighters take the form of the Chinese zodiac and engage in a battle royale. With their strength and mysterious powers, they fight to the death and the sole survivor is granted the ultimate prize—any wish.

With most of Rabbit’s zombie army out of the way, only one thing stands between Ox and Tiger and taking down Rabbit for good—Monkey. Her sheer strength and power, once disciplined in life, are completely unhinged in death, making her far and away the strongest fighter! With only four fighters and one zombie remaining, who will come out victorious? Don’t miss the thrilling, unexpected conclusion to the twelfth Zodiac War!

Review:

We reach the end of the zodiac war, and finally find out who is left at the end of this massacre. It is, of course, not quite what you would expect from the beginning of the series. Once you find out who it is and what their true power is, though, it makes sense, and it makes sense why it was kept secret this whole time.

There were a couple of interesting characters along the way of this series. The relationship between the Tiger and the Ox ended up being particularly odd in its sweetness, honestly. But there were a couple of others, too, that I almost wished hadn't died, like the twins.

After all of that build-up, though, I'm a bit disappointed that we don't find out what the winner wants his wish for. It seems like there was a lot of build up for that, especially the further the series went, and then we're left with an “I'll think about it”, basically. I guess there's a whole sequel novel about his decision, though? So I suppose, in that ideal, that it makes sense the fighting would take up the first story line.

This was an interesting story. Not something I would normally read, especially with so much gore, but I'm glad I stuck around. I wanted to know who won this crazy battle royale, and it was an interesting conclusion.

Manga Review: A Witch's Printing Office, Volume 1, by Mochinchi and Yasuhiro Miyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: December 2019

Volumes: 4+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mika Kamiya was a completely average girl on her way back home from Japan's biggest amateur comics and book-selling event, Comic Market...until she got whisked off to a parallel fantasy world! To get back home, Mika is going to have to look for transportation magic at the magic tome-selling event, Magic Market!

Review:

This is about a girl protagonist who has been transported to another world. Mika is from modern day Tokyo, only she's been transported to a DnD-type world, where everyone knows at least some type of magic. In her efforts to find a way back home, and since she was on her way to Comiket when she was transported, she starts up the Magic Market and her very own printing press. It's quite innovative for a girl on her own in a new world.

I didn't really get much of a feel for the actual characters. Mika is okay, a little odd and rather normal. She is pretty smart, quick on her feet, and optimistic. She has the witch Claire at her side all the time, who seems to just follow along to humor what Mika is doing, in a nice way. We meet a handful of other characters. Broadway, the knight who guards Mika and seems to admire her, was sweet. There's a tiny bit of fanservice, but mostly this was a safe, more pg volume.

I'm not a big high fantasy reader, and this was a little slow and word-heavy, but it was kind of fun and very pretty. It's an interesting mix of DnD, isekai, and comic convention that I definitely don't mind.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, Yen Press, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: Penguindrum, Volume 1, by Isuzu Shibata, ikunichawder, and Lily Hoshino

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Seven Seas

Release Date: December 2019

Volumes: 5.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

PENGUIN POWER

Twins Kanba and Shoma live with their terminally ill little sister, Himari. One day, they visit the aquarium, a place full of warm memories for Himari, but she suddenly falls ill—and dies! At that very moment, a voice cries out, “Survival Tactic!” and Himari, wearing a penguin hat, comes back to life…?!

Review:

Himari is seriously sick, and her older brothers Kanba and Shoma are determined to take care of her and give her as much joy as they can. When she falls ill again, suddenly some other being seems to take over her body and the twins make a deal with it, willing to do anything to keep her alive.

I have mixed feelings about this. I did find the plot intriguing, and the way Himari turns into this almost robotic magical girl is really neat to me. This caught my eye first because of the art and how much I liked Hoshino's Kigurumi Guardians series, and this is quite pretty as well.

But I'm not quite sure where this is going after this volume, as the main plot is a little unclear to me. I also have suspicions about one of the boys being in love with Himari, and that makes me super wary of reading more.

There were good and bad things about this first volume, and while I'm still intrigued to read more and find out what the plot really is, I'm also wary of where any romance might be going. I'm unsure if I'll read more.

Manga Review: Barakamon, Volume 18, by Satsuki Yoshino

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: August 2019

Volumes: 18 (+1).

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 17. 18+1.

Goodreads Synopsis:

It's been a year since Handa arrived on the island, and a lot has changed for the residents of Nanatsutake Village. Hiroshi's in Tokyo, Miwa and her friends have graduation on their minds, and Naru and her classmates are going into their second year of elementary school. With everyone looking to the future, the time to say goodbye approaches in the final volume of Barakamon.

Review:

Everyone's moving on, accepting where they'll be as their lives move forward, in this final volume.

Tama and Miwa are settling into their new school and a new routine. Also as upperclassmen, when Tama's little brother doesn't want to hang around them. Tama is getting closer to her mangaka dreams, and Miwa is resolute in her goals to reopen her family shop. Naru and the kids are in a new year, only their school is having less and less new kids every year, and that's something they have to deal with. And Sensei is still learning how to be a good sensei.

Naru makes some important steps forward with her father in this volume, and they're starting to grow a real relationship. Similarly, Miwa and her father have to come to a related agreement. The father/daughter relationships in this series are quite important, and I really like how they end up.

This was a really sweet conclusion to the series. It all ends rather easy and sweet, with a lot of fun along the way.

Manga Review: Secretly, I've Been Suffering About Being Sexless by Togame

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: July 2019

Volumes: 1.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Goodreads Synopsis:

True confessions from a sexless marriage...
Togame and her husband are happy in love and want to have kids. There's just one problem: Their bedroom has turned into a no-bang zone! With her raging libido frustrated by her beloved husband's practically nonexistent sex drive, Togame is climbing the walls in search of release...Left to her own devices to get her fix, will fulfilling her needs spell doom for Togame's marriage?!

Review:

This is about Togame and her sexual issues with her new husband. She wants sex relatively often, and has been trying to get his attention, and yet he seems completely uninterested. He doesn't know why, either.

I had really high hopes for this volume. It's an issue that we don't see very much, and I was curious how it would be handled here. Plus, the art work is really cute. Her husband is drawn in a particularly cute way, too, making him look like a sweetheart.

All of this is leading to the fact that I was disappointed. Togame is surprisingly vocal about her issues, and brings it up to her husband so they can deal with it. He doesn't seem to have put any thought into her issue, though, and doesn't really put any effort into trying more or figuring out what the real problem is. He's perfectly fine with smiling and shrugging it off.

All of the pressure with sex is put onto Togame. She tries a couple of different things to get his attention. And then at one point they decide that she hasn't been putting enough effort into her looks, so she tries to dress nicer and lose weight. A good enough amount of time is put on this option as the problem that it kind of ruined it for me. I really didn't want this to be a focus at any point, honestly, and was disappointed when he was like, “yeah, maybe you're just not making yourself look hot enough for me?” Again, seemingly without much thought for the idea, either.

This doesn't end up being the real problem, and it's kind of fixed weirdly easily in the end, but still. I was hoping for something more, I guess.

Comic Review: Mera: Tidebreaker by Denielle Paige and Stephen Byrne

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: DC Ink/DC Comics

Release Date: April 2019

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Princess Mera is teenage royalty and heir to the throne of Xebel, a penal colony ruled by the other not-so-lost land under the sea, Atlantis. Her father, his court and the entire kingdom are expecting her to marry and introduce a new king. But Mera is destined to wear a different crown....

When the Xebellian military plots to overthrow Atlantis and break free of its oppressive regime, Mera seizes the opportunity to take control over her own destiny by assassinating Arthur Curry—the long-lost prince and heir to the kingdom of Atlantis. But her mission gets sidetracked when Mera and Arthur unexpectedly fall in love. Will Arthur Curry be the king at Mera's side, or will he die under her blade as she attempts to free her people from persecution?

An astonishing graphic novel that explores duty, love, heroism and freedom, all through the eyes of readers' favorite undersea royalty.

From New York Times best-selling author Danielle Paige (Dorothy Must Die) and artist Stephen Byrne comes a Mera and Aquaman origin story that explores Mera's first steps on land, and her first steps as a hero or villain, forcing her to choose to follow her heart or her mission to kill.

Review:

I haven't really read any American comics, especially superhero ones. I'm just more of a manga girl. But the new trend of YA superhero comics has piqued my interest, and I want to like them.

This comic is about Mera before Aquaman, how she grew up and went against the expectations put on her in order to prove herself, and how that changed her perspective and helped her mature.

The artwork is okay, the coloring is really neat. The story was okay, too. I like the idea of these, but they don't keep my interest all that well, or seem to play out as well as they could. The idea of the story is interesting, but it was just kind of meh reading it.

This was okay. I'm going to try a couple more, I think, but I've lowered my expectations a bit, sadly.

Manga Review: My Hero Academia Smash!!, Volume 1, by Hirofumi Neda and Kohei Horikoshi

Rating (Out of 5): ~2

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2019

Volumes: 5.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Listen up! Follow the story of Midoriya, All Might and all the other aspiring heroes of U.A. High, but with hilarious twists! In this first volume, find out how Midoriya really trained to receive One for All and learn the U.A. students' goofy thoughts during their first practical exams...plus, All Might as Santa Claus? What are you waiting for? Start reading!!

Review:

This is a parody spin-off of MHA, just comic strips poking fun at the characters and main series. This volume pointedly follows along with the main series, and we meet the characters from the beginning, following the timeline of the main series.

There were a couple of funny moments, but mostly I just didn't get this volume. Most of it didn't hit me as funny, it was just meh, and not much of a fun read. I've heard good things about the later volumes, though, so hopefully it gets better?

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Novel Review: The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins)

Release Date: June 2019

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Emma Saylor doesn’t remember a lot about her mother, who died when she was ten. But she does remember the stories her mom told her about the big lake that went on forever, with cold, clear water and mossy trees at the edges.

Now it’s just Emma and her dad, and life is good, if a little predictable…until Emma is unexpectedly sent to spend the summer with her mother’s family—her grandmother and cousins she hasn’t seen since she was a little girl.

When Emma arrives at North Lake, she realizes there are actually two very different communities there. Her mother grew up in working class North Lake, while her dad spent summers in the wealthier Lake North resort. The more time Emma spends there, the more it starts to feel like she is divided into two people as well. To her father, she is Emma. But to her new family, she is Saylor, the name her mother always called her.

Then there’s Roo, the boy who was her very best friend when she was little. Roo holds the key to her family’s history, and slowly, he helps her put the pieces together about her past. It’s hard not to get caught up in the magic of North Lake—and Saylor finds herself falling under Roo’s spell as well.

For Saylor, it’s like a whole new world is opening up to her. But when it’s time to go back home, which side of her will win out?

The Cover:

I do like this cover. It's simple and cute, looks rather light-hearted. I actually think the contents are a bit deeper than are portrayed here, and it might even be too simple? Which is a weird thing to say. I still like it, though.

Review:

I eagerly anticipate every new book by Dessen. About every other year, I get a new book to devour, which I usually do very quickly. Even though I haven't been reading very many YA novels lately, I still preordered this one immediately, and read it as soon as I could.

Emma lives a nice, rather comfortable life with her father, his wife and her grandmother. But then one summer, plans with her best friend fall through, and her father and stepmother have vacation plans, and suddenly she doesn't have anywhere to go. The crazy suggestion of staying with her mothers family for the summer is thrown out, and she gets the chance to discover a side of herself and her family that she never knew was there.

Emma was comfortable in herself and her life before this, and feels a bit out of place at first. There's this whole culture and family here that she never knew, and that have an impression of her from a time she doesn't even remember because she was so young. She gets to meet these new people, and experience new things. And, of course, there's Roo. The boy who remembers her, but she doesn't remember. Who she has more of a connection with than she realized, as she keeps getting drawn to him.

This was a really sweet story. I like how Emma grew during this, and how she pulled her family together through it; she comes from two very different sides, with different prejudices on both, and she forces them to meet in the middle at one point. Then there's Roo. I mean, come on. With a name like that? Of course he's the sweetest.

It's so easy to fall into Dessen-land, and I love getting to do it every so often. Still one of my favorite authors, and one I will always be following.

Manga Review: Fullmetal Alchemist: The Complete Four-Panel Comics by Hiromu Arakawa

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: VIZ Media

Release Date: March 2019

Volumes: 1.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Goodreads Synopsis:

No joke is too cheesy and there are no sacred cows in this zany take on Fullmetal Alchemist!

In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Though the Elric brothers' circumstances are tragic, in these spoofs penned by author Hiromu Arakawa, the duo’s quest to reclaim their bodies is completely hilarious!

This complete collection offers the beloved four-panel comic strips from the graphic novel series and bonus strips from the anime DVDs of Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, as well as rare strips from Japan!

Review:

Full disclaimer, I have not read any of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga. I've only ever watched the original anime, not Brotherhood, and that was quite a long time ago.

Now, saying all of that, this was still a fun volume. It features all of the 4-koma comics from all other FMA outlets—it collects the comics from the manga, yes, as well as comics from the original anime and the Brotherhood anime release, and other miscellaneous product releases, and some bonus comics.

Not even being fully caught up on the real story, this was still a fun volume. I'm sure some of the jokes would have made more sense/been even funnier, had I had more context. But I still had fun reading it. The author pokes fun at the characters in fun ways, and the humor is easy.

If you're a fan of FMA, I would definitely recommend picking this one up.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow, Volume 1, by Makoto Hagino

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: VIZ Media

Release Date: November 2019

Volumes: 7+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sometimes you find what you yearn for…

Konatsu is about to start a new school in a new town, and she’s basically all on her own. Her dad just got a job overseas, and her aunt can only check in from time to time. It’s a lot for a shy, reserved girl to handle. But on one of the first days of class, she discovers that the school has an aquarium! The club that runs the aquarium is headed by an older student named Koyuki, and Konatsu is instantly drawn to her. Konatsu’s introverted tendencies are hard to overcome, but maybe she’s found something worth coming out of her shell for?

Review:

Konatsu is forced to move to this small fishing town to live with her aunt, and she was already a quiet girl, who puts on a smile and tries not to bother people. When she stumbles upon the aquarium club, she meets Koyuki, the only member. Koyuki is seen as basically perfect, only she's also shy and awkward and doesn't really know how to talk to people. Thus starts a sweet little friendship.

We get to see inside both of their heads, which is nice, and I think helps us understand Koyuki's side, as well. They're both very similar, and they like each other from the start even though they don't really understand why or to what extent. It's the very beginning of yuri feelings, before either of them has really started to understand what it could mean.

I was surprised by how utterly sweet this volume is. I didn't have huge expectations, and am delighted by how utterly sweet and heartwarming this turned out to be. I really like both characters, and how their relationship is developing. They're also forming friendships outside of each other, and that's similarly sweet and innocent, which I like. We haven't seen much of their families yet, though I hope we'll get more of that. They're also part of the aquarium club, and I really like getting to see the cute creatures and see them learning about them.

This volume was a surprising delight and I honestly can't wait to read the next one. It also feels very shojo for a yuri, in a very good way, which I appreciate.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: Fourth Generation Head: Tatsuyuki Oyamato by Scarlet Beriko

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2019

Volumes: 1 (But has related series).

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A young yakuza boss has a sexy encounter with his wild side when his family’s dirty business becomes personal.

The last thing playboy Tatsuyuki Oyamato, fourth-generation heir to a yakuza family syndicate, wants is any responsibility for running the family business, especially when a recent erotic encounter with a male masseur has him totally preoccupied with questioning his sexuality! But Tatsuyuki’s forced to step up both in the sheets and on the streets when a hot hookup deepens his newfound attraction to men, while also drawing the attention of a mysterious man who seems dangerously obsessed with Tatsuyuki’s lineage…

Review:

Tatsuyuki is the playboy, next in line for his yakuza family business, so he's had a pretty easy life. When he's given new responsibilities in a new place, he finds himself in some difficult circumstances. Someone he doesn't remember from his past shows up, Koga, a guy who fell in love with him at a young age. Only this is being used against them.

I really loved Beriko's other release, whereas this one didn't hit quite as good for me. I think it's just cause I'm not a yakuza/mafia fan, and some of the matters handled here go dark and dirty, and not in a good way.

Other than that, though, it was good. There's some very good smutty scenes, from early on, too. I really liked Koga's character, too; he's a teacher, with a happy outlook, and he's sweet on Tatsuyuki. He fawns over him a little bit. Tatsuyuki didn't stand out quite as much, but he's a good guy deep down.

A good, very steamy yaoi volume in the end. Very good artwork. I'm still very much looking forward to the next series being released.

Manga Review: Monster and the Beast, Volume 1, by Renji

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: June 2019

Volumes: 2+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Cavo is a hideous monster with a pure heart. Liam, on the other hand, might look like the perfect gentleman, but he's a beast on the inside, and he has an eccentric personality to boot. When Cavo rescues Liam from an unfortunate situation in the forest, the paths of the monster and the beast cross for the first time. Will their meeting be a fleeting encounter or a timeless entanglement? And will Liam succeed in leading the innocent Cavo astray?

Review:

We meet Liam as he's being attacked by some men in the woods, and Cavo comes and saves him. But we quickly discover that Liam had agreed on a trip with those men and now doesn't know which way is out, and that he's familiar with using his body to get what he wants and to get affection.

I was intrigued at the first idea of a Beauty and the Beast take with a gay relationship. I'm a little disappointed with how this pans out, though.

Liam is definitely the monster of the relationship, despite being a handsome gentlemen. Cavo is a “terrifying creature”, and yet he's gentle and sweet, and simply wants to stay by Liam's side. How Liam treats Cavo with so much uncare, and even disdain at times, really puts me off. He seems to humor Cavo at times to let him come along with him, but he doesn't act with any real kindness or affection toward him.

The ending makes me think there'll be a little twist thrown in next, but I don't know if I'm all that interested. I liked Cavo enough, but I really didn't like Liam, and I didn't really get the chemistry between them, either.

Manga Review: Become You, Volume 1, by Ichigo Takano

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Seven Seas

Release Date: September 2019

Volumes: 1+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A new high school drama from the Eisner-nominated creator of orange!

Ashie Taiyou is a high school musician with dreams of stardom, but when his bandmates quit on him, it feels like his dreams are slipping away. In an act of desperation, Taiyou strong-arms his sullen classmate Hikari into forming a band with him. Can the two boys turn their dreams into reality? Creator Ichigo Takano–of orange and Dreamin’ Sun fame–collaborated with band Kobukuro around the song Kimi ni Nare in Japan, creating this manga as part of a multimedia expression of hope for a brighter future.

Review:

Taiyou wants to play music, but his friends want to focus on school. When he discovers that Hikaru used to play, he tries convincing him to join in.

Hikaru has a clearly bad history, which is why he's so resistant. Taiyou has a very bright outlook, though, and keeps trying; he's also not afraid to try by himself, if it comes to it.

I don't mind either of the characters in this volume, though I didn't really grow attached to either of them. Then Taiyou has a girl friend that shows up, and she's sweet and supportive. There was no real romance hinted at here, though. Honestly, when I saw the book, I thought it might be leaning more in yaoi or shonen-ai territory. Maybe just a basic bromance or friendship story, though, is also possible.

This was a sweet volume, but it didn't really stand out to me. Honestly, I really liked orange, but then I didn't stick with her other series. I'm a bit iffy on this one.

Manga Review: Love in Limbo, Volume 2, by Haji

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2019

Volumes: 2.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A poignant story of love and atonement in the afterworld.

Calen, the new reaper in Limbo, develops feelings for his purehearted caretaker, Makoto. But can love flourish in a place where even existence can be fleeting?

New reaper Calen has spent many a peaceful day with his friend and lover Makoto, protecting the people of Limbo. But one day, the time for Makoto’s father, Seishin, to be reincarnated comes. With him gone, the power sustaining Makoto—who is nothing more than an animated clay doll—will cease to exist. With his precious love’s dissolution looming, will Calen find a solution or be forced to watch as his lover returns to dust?

Review:

Calen and Makoto are settling in comfortably together, despite knowing the potential future ending, up until they're given a due date. This forces Calen to go on an adventure, on a mission to find the solution for Makoto's problem.

This reveals an interesting issue that the underworld has been ignoring/hiding, and that Calen gets to help with in the future. It's an interesting solution for Makoto, too; it's a bit odd but makes sense.

Aside from the serious matters in this volume, it was still a lot of fun. The characters are fun, including the side characters. I like the chemistry between our main couple, and there's some nice steamy scenes mixed in, as well. This was a really nice little series, with a nice ending, not rushed at all. Just sweet and steamy, with a nice afterlife plot thrown in.