Manga Review: Library Wars: Love & War, Volume 15, by Kiiro Yumi and Hiro Arikawa

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5
Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)
Release Date: April 5, 2016
Volumes: 15.
Spoilers?: Light.
Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
Volume: 1. 14.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the near future, the federal government creates a committee to rid society of books it deems unsuitable. The libraries vow to protect their collections, and with the help of local governments, form a military group to defend themselves--the Library Forces!

Review:

Iku finishes her solo mission of getting the author to a safe place. She’s smart, and she’s careful, and she does her best. And when she finally completes it and gets to go back home, she’s too afraid to visit Dojo in the hospital.
She finally builds up the courage after some insisting, and ugh this scene! He has to push her to actually say what she promised she would say, and it’s so sweet. It’s adorable and heartwarming and just everything I wanted it to be. It was perfect.
The ending jumps forward, giving us a glimpse of what happens to them in the future, and it’s sweet. It’s nice to see that everyone is doing okay. Komaki and Marie I like seeing more of, and I’m not surprised by Tezuka and Shibazaki’s status.
There is mention of extra side volumes, and I seriously want those to be licensed extremely badly. I just want more of these characters, and would love to see more released over here. Otherwise, it was a pretty fantastic series and I loved it.

Manga Review: Library Wars: Love & War, Volume 13, by Kiiro Yumi and Hiro Arikawa

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 2015

Volumes: 15

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 12. 14.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the near future, the federal government creates a committee to rid society of books it deems unsuitable. The libraries vow to protect their collections, and with the help of local governments, form a military group to defend themselves--the Library Forces!

The Media Betterment Committee has silenced a famous writer, and Library Forces member Iku Kasahara and her supervisor and secret crush, Dojo, must fight to protect his right to speak…and live! As the Library Forces wage a fierce battle against censorship, Iku and Dojo’s burgeoning relationship provides the team with a welcome distraction, and—unfortunately for them—some comic relief!

Review:

There’s a lot of serious stuff happening right now. The library force is hiding an author, trying to keep him safe and figure out what to do about the big problem regarding him, in which Iku has a brilliant idea. Shibazaki has another behind-the-scenes talk with Tezuka’s brother.

But mostly, it’s all the character and romance stuff that I love about this series.

Shibazaki and Tezuka are in a bit of a middle-ground, mostly with Tezuka unsure of her real feelings. It’s cute. Dojo and Iku have a few moments in this volume, including a bit of hand-holding. It’s adorable and really hinting at more soon. It makes me so happy and I can’t wait. And finally, Komaki and Marie get a chapter where they go on a date, in which Marie is too afraid to ask for more, and Komaki is feeling a little possessive. It’s so sweet and heartwarming, and I love them. I love how mature they are. I just savor every bit we get of them together.

I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one. Ugh, this series makes me so ridiculously happy!

Manga Review: Library Wars: Love & War, Volume 12, by Kiiro Yumi and Hiro Arikawa

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: September 2014

Volumes: 14+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 11. 13.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the near future, the federal government creates a committee to rid society of books it deems unsuitable. The libraries vow to protect their collections, and with the help of local governments, form a military group to defend themselves--the Library Forces!

Library Forces member Iku Kasahara has plans to go out for tea with her supervisor and secret crush, Dojo, but just figuring out what to wear puts her in a tailspin. When an urgent call comes in about an author seeking protection from the government, Iku realizes that the fight against censorship never takes a break!

Review:

I’m just in love with this series. I don’t even know what else to say at this point. I love everything about it.

This volume has the group guarding a writer being pushed to censor his work, and then a problem with Tezuka’s brother, which Shibazaki takes care of very nicely. Shibazaki is brilliant, and so very smartly manipulative. I love how she takes care of things.

The main points in this volume, though, are the “date”s between Dojo and Iku, and the chemistry coming to a head between Shibazaki and Tezuka. Also all of the hilarity, but those are always there. Dojo and Iku seem to possibly be heading somewhere, maybe, but it could still easily be dragged out for several more volumes. Either way, I'm happy. Then Shibazaki, who I love, I think is a perfect fit for Tezuka, and I really enjoy seeing them get closer.

Just thinking about this series makes me smile, and I grin through every volume. I love every bit of this series, and this volume is another blissfully exciting one. I love it.

I can’t wait for the next volume.

Manga Review: Library Wars: Love & War, Volume 11, by Kiiro Yumi and Hiro Arikawa

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 2014

Volumes: 13+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 10. 12.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Fighting censorship at her hometown art museum, Iku Kasahara and her fellow Library Forces team members are involved in a fierce skirmish in which several ranking officers are severely injured. The damage is far reaching, causing a rift in the Library Forces management that makes Iku question her place in the organization. In the midst of this controversy, Iku’s relationship with her direct supervisor, Dojo, grows more intimate when a long-discussed tea-date begins to sound more like a romantic liaison!

Review:

This volume was much more serious than the previous ones.

There’s a lot going on, with them fighting censorship, and then having to deal with the repercussions, some of which are very serious. There’s even some crying. I’m not going to go into detail, though, so as not to spoil anything.

And while this volume was very good, I’m honestly looking forward to getting back to the fun stuff.

There’s some intense stuff going on with Iku, particularly romance wise. Honestly, I love that she’s admitted her feelings to herself. The development with her emotions toward Dojo is great. I love seeing her deal with it, get embarrassed over it, try to hide it. Especially in the bonus chapters at the end of the volume.

I’m also enjoying the development between Shibazaki and Tezuka. They are quite cute and hilarious. I also still love Komaki and Marie. Meaning, of course, that I’m just loving all of the characters.

While this volume was very serious, and a lot of important stuff happened, it was still very good. I can’t wait for the next one.

Manga Review: Library Wars: Love & War, Volume 10, by Kiiro Yumi and Hiro Arikawa

Rating (Out of 5): ~4-4.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August, 2013

Volumes: 12+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 9. 11.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the near future, the federal government creates a committee to rid society of books it deems unsuitable. The libraries vow to protect their collections, and with the help of local governments, form a military group to defend themselves--the Library Forces!

The Media Betterment Committee has censored an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in Iku’s hometown! Iku’s top-ranked Library Forces team must train the local troops to defend the freedom of speech using any means necessary...but the librarians there resent her position and aren't shy about making their feelings known. Soon Iku's parents catch wind of her secret life as a member of the Library Forces, with disastrous results!

Review:

I’m all caught up now! It went by much too quickly, and now I have to wait with everyone else.

There’s another censoring article that goes up at the beginning of the volume, featuring a famous guy. And this really just made me angry at the MBA even more, because the censoring was just ridiculous. But I’m biased, because of my general thoughts on the topic.

Then the group goes to stay and help a smaller library that’s having a controversial art exhibit. The people running the library are frustrating. And the whole thing is hard on Iku, sadly; but Dojo does good at helping her with it. And they’re just going off into possible battle at the end of the volume.

Then there’s a cherry blossom viewing side story at the end. And it was cute, mainly because of how hard Iku works to view it with Dojo. I love Iku and Dojo and it’s so cute now that Iku has realized her feelings. I really hope something happens between them soon, because really, how long is it going to be pushed off? 

So the next volume is still a while away, sadly. I can’t wait for it to get here.