Manga Review: Ao Haru Ride, Volume 13, by Io Sakisaka

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2020

Volumes: 13.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 12.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Futaba Yoshioka has encountered her first love again in high school, but he seems different from the boy she once knew. The hearts of Futaba and Kou have aligned, but are more of their friends pairing off? The journey of youth concludes.

 

Review:

 

The final volume, so we get to see everything conclude. Futaba and Kou are finally an actual couple, so they get to settle into that sweetness together. There's some unsureness between them, but they get to sort that out rather nicely. There are several really sweet scenes between them in this final volume.

We also get to see Murao and Kominato settle things between them. They're kind of the opposite couple to Futaba and Kou, but I like them, too. Murao was a really good side character.

We get a surprise conclusion with Kou's older brother, and then we also get a side story for Strobe Edge that I wasn't expecting. It's been so long since I read that one, though, that I might need to re-read it at some point.

This was a really good end to this series, and I'm really happy with how it all wrapped up. Now I'm looking forward to getting more into Love Me, Love Me Not.

Manga Review: Jealousy, Volume 1, by Scarlet Beriko

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July 2020

Volumes: 4+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

The prequel to the popular yakuza rom-com Fourth Generation Head: Tatsuyuki Oyamato!

A yakuza head finds himself ensnared in the unwavering attentions of a sometimes impetuous but always cunning schemer. If being yakuza doesn’t get him killed, his new lover just might!

Uichi Rogi is in a bind, both literally and figuratively, when he meets Akitora Oyamato, the yakuza head who’s come to collect a debt from Uichi’s lover. Instantly smitten, Uichi schemes dubious and often dangerous ways of getting closer to the man, but his lies come at a heavy price—one he may regret having to pay for Akitora’s affections.

 

Review:

 

This is a spin-off of the one-shot Fourth Generation Head, featuring the stoic bodyguard of the yakuza with his little daughter.

I will say I'm intrigued by these two characters, and I find his daughter to be quite smart and cute. But most of this volume centers on Uichi and his past, what led to him being where he is today. Once upon a time, he was a young man, who had a hard time really connecting with people and feeling emotions, and he grasped onto the yakuza head at the time. He does several questionable things in order to get closer to him, leading him to very odd and sticky situations.

Uichi's obsession with the yakuza head is definitely dangerous and unhealthy. I'm curious where it's going, but I'm also very wary. Mostly, though, I would like to know more about his present situation, and I'm not sure when we'll get that.

Same as with the previous story, though, I tend to like the characters and relationships, more than the main, yakuza plot line.

Manga Review: Secret XXX by Meguru Hinohara

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 2020

Volumes: 1.

Spoilers?: No.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Shohei’s just trying to find love in a pet shop, so why are all these bunnies making it so difficult?

Shohei loves bunnies! He loves them so much he’s even taken to volunteering at a local pet shop. Store owner Mito is as sweet and kind as the fuzzy critters he cares for, and it’s not long before Shohei finds himself wanting to cuddle with him as much as the bunnies! But Shohei is hiding a dangerous secret, one that makes this dream an unlikely reality.

 

Review:

 

Even though Shohei appears to be allergic to bunnies, he's started volunteering at a bunny pet shop, where coincidentally, there's also this really cute guy who runs it. When Shohei accidentally over exposes himself to the bunnies, his secret is revealed, and his real relationship with Mito starts.

This was a really cute one-shot. The full volume is taken up with the main couple, which I appreciate, but we also get to meet the main characters for the spin-off series. Shohei is inexperienced, but he's sweet and has good intentions, and he wants to take care of Mito. Mito is a little older and more mature, but he's also got some surprises for Shohei. In the end, they were kind of like a newlywed couple, including some drama with Shohei's parents. It was all really cute, though, with some very hot steamy scenes, as well.

I'm definitely going to pick up the spin-off.

Manga Review: King of Eden, Volume 1, by Takashi Nagasaki and Ignito

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: September 2020

Volumes: 6.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Entire villages are going up in flames across the globe, with the same man left standing at the scene every time. Meanwhile, rumors abound of a highly contagious virus where those infected fly into a blind rage, killing anything and everything that crosses their path. As the death toll rises, agencies from nations around the world get together, looking for answers-How are these incidents connected? Who is that man? And most importantly...can the massacres be stopped before humanity is doomed? 

 

Review:

 

A mysterious man keeps showing up right before these small towns come down with this terrible killing virus and then burn to the ground. The government and scientists aren't sure who's behind it all, or what this virus really is, but they're pulling in some scientists and archaeologists to go after the answers.

There are a lot of different people moving around in this series, what with the different government officials and the different black market sellers of the virus, plus the different villages being experimented on and then set on fire. But we do get two main characters, Rua and Teze, who coincidentally were classmates a long time ago. Rua is a very smart historian and archaeologist, and she's pulled in because she's familiar with the history of where this virus potentially originated. Then there's Teze, who appears to know a lot more about this virus than anyone else, from personal experience.

The virus is definitely a horrifying thing, with how quickly it transforms people and what wolf-like monsters they become, plus the potential of it being a weapon. But it also has a really deep history that I'm intrigued by. There's a lot of real history being woven into it, some theories that are thrown out there and some that are clearly going to turn out to be true. It's a historical sci-fi that I'm more intrigued by than I expected, since I don't usually get into the deeper historical ideals.

The artwork was really good in this, and that along with the writing set up a really good thrilling and ominous feel to the story. There are a lot of characters already, but we are getting to know the main ones slowly, but enough to help the story along.

While this might not usually be my type of story, I could get into it. It was really well written and kept me interested, and reminded me of some similar thriller/horror movies.

 

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

Manga Review: Given, Volume 1, by Natsuki Kizu

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February 2020

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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Volume: 2.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Love of music unites the four members of the band Given: hotheaded guitarist Uenoyama, playboy drummer Akihiko, gentle bassist Haruki, and Mafuyu, a singer gifted with great talent and burdened by past tragedy. Their struggles and conflicts may drive them apart, but their bond to the music—and to each other—always brings them back together again.

Ritsuka Uenoyama is bored with it all—with school, with his basketball club, and even with his one true passion: playing guitar. That is, until the day he finds his favorite hidden napping spot occupied by a strange boy cradling a broken-stringed guitar. At first, Uenoyama is nonplussed by Mafuyu Sato and his slightly odd behavior, but when, on a whim, he asks Mafuyu to sing, the power of that song pierces him to the core.

 

Review:

 

I've heard so much about this series, I was actually wary of not liking it. My fears were in vain, because I was hooked almost immediately.

Uenoyama likes to nap during breaks in school, and when he goes to the stairway one day, he finds Mafuyu. Mafuyu is also sleeping, only he's holding a guitar with a broken string. When he tells Mafuyu that the guitar isn't ruined and can be fixed it sets off a tidal wave of changes for them both.

Mafuyu is a precious boy, and I only ever want good things to come to him from now on.

Anyway. I hadn't watched the anime when I read this volume, and have since finished the anime. The pacing is quite a bit different—we're given a lot more of an idea of what Mafuyu is going through here, whereas it took a lot longer in the anime. We also haven't been given as much information about their bandmates at this point. It hits a little differently, but it's still intense and it's still the same story.

I feel so strongly for Mafuyu, and I really just want good things for him. I understand why Uenoyama has a hard time saying no to him. And I feel for the fact that Mafuyu clearly has so much to say and is going through so many things, and yet doesn't know how to express any of it.

I feel very strongly for these characters, already, and I just badly need more.

Manga Review: Sweat and Soap, Volume 1, by Kintetsu Yamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: February 2020

Volumes: 8+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

In an office romance, there's a fine line between sexy and awkward... and that line is where Asako -- a woman who sweats copiously -- met Koutarou -- a perfume developer who can't get enough of Asako's, er, scent. Don't miss a romcom manga like no other!

Yae's living her dream, working at the toiletry maker Lilia Drop. Little do her coworkers know, the reason she loves the company so much is that she's ashamed of her body odor, and their soap is the only thing that does the trick. So when the company's lead product developer, a perfuming genius, approaches her in the lobby and wonders what "that smell" is, she's terrified... but could it be... that he likes it? And, even more surprising to Yae... does she like him?

The hilarious ups and downs of an office romance at a personal care products company are the subject of this sexy, strange romp. Sweat and Soap combines the odd-couple chemistry of Wotakoi, the "too real!" workplace comedy of Aggretsuko, and a heavy dollop of office steaminess!

 

Review:

 

Asako works at a toiletry maker, which makes her favorite soaps. Coincidentally, she has a bit of a sweating problem, which embarrasses her a lot. When all of a sudden Natori, with a super sensitive nose and who happens to make the scents, sniffs her out and is instantly entranced.

This sounds like a crazy start of a series, given how the love interest starts smelling Asako all the time and she kind of goes along with it, even though it embarrasses her. But really, they basically just start dating. He takes her out to eat, they have what looks like moments of fooling around, when really he's just sniffing her neck and taking notes of the scents. She's basically his muse.

I admit that this sounds very weird. When I first heard about this, I didn't particularly think to pick it up. It seemed like it would probably be an ecchi seinen series, especially when I heard it was adult. I think the subject matter is what gives that impression.

When instead, this very much feels like a josei series. Asako is the protagonist, and while clearly Natori has an odd fetish, she goes along with it, and even gets used to it. She's not being forced here. And very quickly, a romance starts to form.

I like a dirty josei romance, and one with an odd fetish is not at all a problem to me. Plus, I really liked the characters, and the pace and writing.

I'm basically hooked, which even surprises me. But that means I'll be reading more.

Manga Review: Im: Great Priest Imhotep, Volume 1, by Makoto Morishita

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: January 2020

Volumes: 11.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the sands of Ancient Egypt to the streets of modern Japan, the newly resurrected Great Priest Imhotep traverses time and space on the hunt for the magai, devious beings with an appetite for destruction who impersonate the gods! When schoolgirl Hinome crosses paths with this illustrious ancient, is her loner lifestyle about to change for the better...or for the worse?!

Review:

Imhotep is brought back to life to purge the magai from the world. He finds himself in Japan, and when he discovers that Hinome has a magai haunting her, he decides to stick around. Hinome hasn't been able to talk for a long time, and her father is a big fan of Egyptian history, so he's very excited to let Imhotep stay at their supposedly haunted house.

Hinome and Im form an odd back-and-forth, in which Hinome basically feels she's stuck with him and Im keeps showing up and interrupting her life. But he also helps push her to better herself, including finally making a friend at school.

This was a rather fun first volume. Hinome is the main character, but it still feels like a shonen series. We meet a potential enemy as the volume ends, but most of this had short magai plots. It was fun to read, though.

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

Manga Review: RaW Hero, Volume 1, by Akira Hiramoto

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: February 2020

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the mind of Akira Hiramoto (Prison School) comes a super-powered story of heroes and villains that's wild, dirty, and unpredictable. Chiaki is desperate to find a job and support his family, but when he sacrifices a job interview in order to stop a train groper, he winds up at the center of a fight between good and evil!

Review:

This series starts off with a potential groping that turns out to be a planned and agreed to scene. That alone sets this series off on a weird path.

Chiaki is the older brother in his household, and it's up to him to support his two younger brothers. He's struggling to find a job, when suddenly he stops a groper and ends up being offered a job as a potential hero. He has a hard time deciding, and when he starts, his first job starts him as an accidental cross-dresser.

This is definitely an adult series, as there is some explicit, blatant groping that happens. Chiaki also ends up throwing himself into a role as a woman, trying to go undercover and not get himself killed. Aside from that, there's also some sweet family moments with his brothers, and we see how badly he wants to do good for them.

This was an odd volume to read. I'm not sure if it's something I would pick up on my own, but I didn't mind reading it. I even kind of appreciated the kink-friendly mention, whether it was necessary or not to the plot.

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

Manga Review: Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Volume 1, by Aidalro

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: January 2020

Volumes: 13+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Hanako-san, Hanako-san...are you there?" At Kamome Academy, rumors abound about the school's Seven Mysteries, one of which is Hanako-san. Said to occupy the third stall of the third floor girls' bathroom in the old school building, Hanako-san grants any wish when summoned. Nene Yashiro, an occult-loving high school girl who dreams of romance, ventures into this haunted bathroom...but the Hanako-san she meets there is nothing like she imagined! Kamome Academy's Hanako-san...is a boy!

Review:

Yashiro hears about the seven mysteries in her new school and immediately goes to the girls bathroom in the old school building and calls for Hanako-san. Only to discover that, not only is Hanako-san a boy, but he also doesn't seem to do much magic, and thus isn't very helpful in her quest for romance and to get her crush to notice her.

Yashiro apparently likes occult stuff and ghost stories, or at least her classmate thinks so. She's definitely a scaredy-cat, though, so I don't see it. She definitely is a romantic, however. She's been rejected before, and yet she still falls for boys without knowing anything about them, and dreams of a prince falling from the sky to her rescue.

Yashiro and Hanako form a bond through friendship, but also through a surprising mermaid curse. It's quite cute, honestly, though they don't seem to have any romantic feelings at this point. Yashiro also has a friend in her class, and then we meet a boy who's determined to exorcise Hanako, and this gives hints to Hanako's dangerous past.

We're left on a bit of a cliffhanger. Since it felt a bit like Hanako was overpowered in the first couple of chapters, I'm curious to see where this plot goes next. This was quite a fun volume. The artstyle is very pretty and the characters are rather cutesy, but there are a lot of dark strokes and inks used, too, and there are definite hints of something darker coming that intrigues me.

I know this series has hit quite big, so I'm intrigued to read more. It's been a while since I've read a high school ghost series, too, and that's a theme I enjoy.

Manga Review: I'm a Behemoth, an S-Ranked Monster, but Mistaken for a Cat, I Live as an Elf Girl's Pet, Volume 1, by Taro Shinonome, Nozomi Ginyoku, and Mitsuki Yano

Rating (Out of 5): ~2

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: April 2020

Volumes: 4+

Spoilers?: Yes.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Syopsis:

You've got to be kitten me!
A proud knight, slain in battle, finds himself alive once more-reincarnated in the body of a fearsome behemoth. As if he wasn't confused enough by this turn of events, apparently behemoth cubs look exactly like adorable kittens?! Even if the rest of the world sees him as soft and cuddly, he has the honor of a noble warrior and the strength of an unstoppable S-ranked monster, both of which will be put to the test as he fights to protect the beautiful elf who has taken him as her pet!

Review:

Tama was a proud knight, but now he's been reincarnated as a highly powerful monster, only he looks like a tiny little kitten. When Aria, an elf girl, is going through a dungeon and stumbles upon him, she takes him home with her. Thus starts his life as her pet cat, and his devotion to protect her.

This was very weird.

Not even to mention the fact that Aria is objectified by every male in her vicinity, and how they're all jealous of this tiny kitten laying in her cleavage—which why. And how there's this knight who is obsessed with her and puts out an order to exterminate her cat in order to claim her as his bride—in a very Gaston-like fashion.

But then there's the fact that Aria gets aroused by Tama, in his little kitten form. This isn't even hinted at, it's very blatant and even discussed, since apparently they might be able to crossbreed, and she likes that.

I will say that I'm glad some of the time is spent on Aria fighting and getting higher level, and even on Tama's history. But there's also just so much sexualization, and Aria is leered at constantly. The sexual harassment is real in this series. She does also partake in that, though, since she kind of gropes Tama at one point.

There's a lot wrong with this volume. I'm mostly very confused on why this whole idea was chosen. I guess it's for a very specific audience? But somehow I didn't hate it, and I'm even more confused by that.

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

Manga Review: After School Bitchcraft, Volume 1, by Yu Shimizu and Kazuma Ichihara

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: March 2020

Volumes: 2+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Science teacher Renji Fuyumi is secretly a sorcerer, but after his barriers are accidentally broken by the fashion-obsessed Ririka Kirise, he decides to make her his disciple. Looks can be deceiving in this titillating tale of the occult!

Review:

Honestly, I don't know what I expected with this volume.

Renji has just taken up a high school teaching position, but he's bored to death of the job, and so are his students, since he couldn't care less about them. He's a sorcerer, and he's much more interested in that. Ririka is his student, she's a fashionable teenager, but she also wants to be a vet and thus wants to get better grades since she's struggling so hard. When she goes to Renji for help, he discovers she has some witchy powers in her heritage.

Renji is a bit of an ass, and I don't really care for him. Ririka is a bubbly, naive schoolgirl, who wears very revealing clothing (because they're comfier, even in the woods), and yet yells at Renji for being a perv when he doesn't even indicate interest.

There were moments of this volume where I could see what the authors are doing, and I can see what kind of audience this is for. But I also kind of hated parts of it. Ririka is naked several times in this volume, and her deciding to wear a tiny skirt out in the woods to search for wood for her wand was extremely unrealistic. Her yelling at the teacher for being a perv is also a trope that I've been over for a very long time.

I like the idea of this, but the execution is just not for me. Including how Ririka using her powers made her feel weirdly aroused. Also, the art is kind of odd to me. Mostly just the angles. There are really weird zoom-in angles, like upskirt shots of Ririka when they're talking normally, that were just very odd placements to me. It felt a bit like School Days to me, though maybe that's just a technique in this genre that I'm not familiar with.

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

Manga Review: Eclair Blanche: A Girls' Love Anthology that Resonates in Your Heart

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: February 2020

Volumes: 5 + 1.

Spoilers: No.

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

Volume: Eclair. Eclair Bleue.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The girls' love anthology is back and bursting with stories to enchant and delight. Featuring works from favorites such as Canno (Kiss and White Lily for My Dearest Girl), Hiroichi (Highschool DxD: Asia & Koneko's Secret Contract!?), and Fly (Kemono Friends: Welcome to Japari Park), this new addition to the Éclair lineup will sweep you off your feet!

Review:

This is an anthology by lots of different mangaka starring yuri one-shots. Some are very short, some are a little longer; some more sweet, high school friends stories, and even some starring older women. There's quite a mix in this one. Apparently it's also the second volume, though I haven't read many of these yuri stories that have come out lately, though it's nice that more are being released.

Since I haven't been following much of the yuri manga, I didn't recognize any of the mangaka, but there are a couple who have series being released in English. Most of the stories, especially in the beginning, have very vague and open endings, some even a little sad. Later in the volume, though, we see some actual couples that are developing, and we get some light kissing scenes.

There were a few art styles that stood out to me, and some neat stories. One featuring a sewing machine that turns into a magical girl for a brief period was very pretty. Another that had an almost gothic kind of art style that I quite enjoyed. There was also one about an idol girl who gets a crush on her new competition, and one about a princess/servant roleplay friendship that turned out quite cute.

The later stories definitely stood out more than the earlier ones, and while some had better story and art than others, they were all quite fun to read. There are about fifteen stories, so there's quite a variety, and if you like yuri romance, I'd suggest picking it up.

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

Manga Review: Anonymous Noise, Volume 18, by Ryoko Fukuyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2020

Volumes: 18.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 17.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Music and longing collide in this ballad of unrequited love!

Nino Arisugawa, a girl who loves to sing, experiences her first heart-wrenching goodbye when her beloved childhood friend, Momo, moves away. And after Nino befriends Yuzu, a music composer, she experiences another sad parting! Luckily, Nino reunites with Momo and Yuzu in high school, but things haven’t played out the way anyone expected…

With Yuzu back in Japan, In No Hurry’s yearlong hiatus is over! As the band sets out with excitement and trepidation to perform on Rock Horizon’s largest stage, how will Yuzu reconcile his past with his present? There’s no turning back once everyone’s secrets are laid bare!

Review:

Everything is leading up to Rock Horizon, where both bands are playing, the stage they've been waiting for. Finally it's here, and it's awesome for all of them.

And then Nino gets to declare her decision between Yuzu and Momo. It definitely felt like the story was leaning toward one more than the other, and I thought I knew who it was going to be, and I was wrong.

At first I was quite upset about this. While I really like them both, and both of them with Nino, even, I was leaning more toward the other one. By the time I got to the end of the volume, though, I'd warmed up to it. I can't deny their relationship is good, and that they've both grown a lot individually in order to be more stable together.

It still makes me sad for the other one, though.

Aside from the conflict there, this was a really good conclusion to the series. It's very sweet and thoughtful and heartwarming and strong. It wraps things up in a really sweet way, all the way to the last page.

I'm quite happy with this series, all the way through. Now I might watch the anime, in order to hear the real bands playing.

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