Manga Review: 7th Garden, Volume 8, by Mitsu Izumi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 3, 2018

Volumes: 8 (Hiatus)

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 7.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The high-pitched battle is on between powerful angels, sexy demons and innocent humans to dominate a world rife with political intrigue…and to win the heart of one hapless male!

Awyn Gardner will do anything to protect the beautiful mistress of the equally beautiful estate gardens he lovingly tends—even enslave himself to an also beautiful demon bent on world domination! The high-pitched battle is on between powerful angels, sexy demons and innocent people to dominate a world rife with political intrigue…and to win the heart of one hapless human man!

With Vyrde catatonic for months, it’s up to Awyn and his friends from the manor house to stem the tide of monsters continuously spawning from people bitten by the hideous flying bug-mouths. Meanwhile, the mastermind behind this plague, Angel Loki, sets in motion his technological scheme to eradicate every last gnome from the planet! Then, when a repressed memory is awakened in Awyn, he is determined to wreak vengeance upon Angel Vul and Covenanter Isaac…

Review:

 Back in the virtual world, we get to see what Awyn and the rest have been up to. The monsters have invaded the rest of the world now, and so they're slowly trying to clear them out, while waiting for Vyrde to wake up. And now we get to see what Iola and the rest are doing, given that they know they're computer programs. We also get to see what Loki has been doing, since Vyrde has been gone so long in-game.

We get a flashback to when the game was first created, an idea of what happened to Vyrde and her sister before all this. And then we're back in the present, with the physical struggle between Vyrde's good and bad sides, and how the evil one is dragging Awyn with her. It's not good.

I'm a little iffy on this series now; the whole virtual aspect makes some of it seem less important, plus it's only more confusing now. I'm just very meh at this point.

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

Manga Review: 7th Garden, Volume 7, by Mitsu Izumi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2018

Volumes: 8 (Hiatus)

Spoilers?: Yes.

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

Volume: 1. 6. 8.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The high-pitched battle is on between powerful angels, sexy demons and innocent humans to dominate a world rife with political intrigue…and to win the heart of one hapless male!

Awyn Gardner will do anything to protect the beautiful mistress of the equally beautiful estate gardens he lovingly tends—even enslave himself to an also beautiful demon bent on world domination! The high-pitched battle is on between powerful angels, sexy demons and innocent people to dominate a world rife with political intrigue…and to win the heart of one hapless human man!

After a fierce battle with Angel Levi, Maria travels to another world, and the secret of 7thGARDEN is fully revealed. Can this realm of gnomes, angels and demons solve humanity’s problems? Or is it just a game board for powerful elites to exploit everyone else? Either way, why are the most tragic historical events being reenacted there…? Will we never learn from history?

Review:

The first half of the volume is the continuation of the fight. We see Iola and Liz giving it their all to finish the fight, and it's very straining to both sides. It's also extremely destructive to the town. Awyn jumps in to help at the end, because he's always been close to them in their other forms. He's got almost too much loyalty, honestly, but it works out well.

But then... In the latter half of the volume, we get to see the angel and demons' real forms. And it utterly confuses me.

Where the series goes next is odd and confusing, and didn't make any sense. When they were just angels and sent back to their terrestrial realm to recoup, I was okay with that. But now it seems that they're actually just playing some interactive game? Which Vyrde is trying to take over from the people who are running it and betrayed her? And yet there are still two versions of Vyrde? I'm just utterly confused, and that makes me wonder if Awyn and the village are really just made up.

I'm not sure how to feel about this, and I'm wondering where the series ends off at.

Manga Review: 7th Garden, Volume 6, by Mitsu Izumi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2017

Volumes: 8 (Cancelled)

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 5. 7.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The high-pitched battle is on between powerful angels, sexy demons and innocent humans to dominate a world rife with political intrigue…and to win the heart of one hapless male!

Awyn Gardner will do anything to protect the beautiful mistress of the equally beautiful estate gardens he lovingly tends—even enslave himself to an also beautiful demon bent on world domination! The high-pitched battle is on between powerful angels, sexy demons and innocent people to dominate a world rife with political intrigue…and to win the heart of one hapless human man!

An unexpected source warns covenanter Awyn and his demon mistress Vyrde that their village is about to be attacked by an enemy angel. Even with Vyrde’s help, how can Awyn protect so many people at once…?! If only they had a powerful ally…wielded by another covenanter…

Review:

Awyn is having to come to terms with the fact that this thing with the angels has real consequences. He doesn't seem to care about himself, but he cares almost too much for the people of the village. Particularly Marie, but he doesn't want anyone else to die, either.

As he's still dealing with the last fight, we get a surprise of a new one. We meet Moro first, another angel, who for a bit made me wonder if he was double crossing someone, and who. But then the town gets attacked by these demon bugs, and Awyn has to make a dractic move in order to get everyone to leave. It's a bit sad, but necessary. Most of this volume is full of fighting, and there are some deaths and a lot of blood. The cliffhanger has me actually excited to see what happens next. I can't wait to see this fight, honestly.

I really quite liked the new characters, Moro and Alice. I was surprised by how much backstory we got of Alice, but I liked it, and I like her. Their partnership is fun to me. Aside from that, we also got some hints regarding Maria, which should lead to something.

I'm quite interested in this series by this point. I want to read more.

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

Manga Review: 7th Garden, Volume 5, by Mitsu Izumi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July 4, 2017

Volumes: 8 (On Hiatus)

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The high-pitched battle is on between powerful angels, sexy demons and innocent humans to dominate a world rife with political intrigue and to win the heart of one hapless male!
Awyn Gardner will do anything to protect the beautiful mistress of the equally beautiful estate gardens he lovingly tends...even enslave himself to an also beautiful demon bent on world domination!
Awyn doesn t have the heart to battle a friend possessed by the angel Loki, but if he doesn t, he ll get killed! And who will save his beloved mistress Marie when she turns out to be his enemy s backup plan Vyrde or Marianne? Wait aren t those just different names for the same person ?!"

Review:

There was a lot of strategizing and flashbacks in this volume. The way that Loki and Vyrde knew each other before, they played games and tried to beat each other, and Vyrde was usually with the upper hand. Now that they're coming face-to-face again, they are using a similar method, though this time it's much more lethal, and involving a lot more people.

I will say that I'm surprised by the casualties that happen, and I'm wondering if they really will stick this time. It's sad, to see a couple characters go—but not everyone can survive in this kind of thing.

We also get a new insight into what is going on with Vyrde. That there might actually be two sides of her, and I'm intrigued by where that's going. I like the added depth this volume has shown.

I really like the artwork in this series; at times, it's gorgeous. The story line is interesting, and it is getting more so the more we learn. I'm enjoying following it so far.

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

Manga Review: 7th Garden, Volume 4, by Mitsu Izumi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 2017

Volumes: 8+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3. 5.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The battle is on between powerful angels and sexy demons.

Awyn Gardner will do anything to protect the beautiful mistress of the equally beautiful estate gardens he lovingly tends...even enslave himself to an also beautiful demon bent on world domination!

Awyn has pledged himself to the demon Vyrde in exchange for the power to protect his adopted home but especially Marie, the woman he loves. Now the full story of Awyn and Marie’s first meeting unfolds. We know Awyn saved her from a wild beast…but what saved her from him? And how did he end up with a job on Marie’s family estate? Plus, Ashriel Housekeeper teaches their new young gardener a lesson he’ll never forget...!

Review:

Most of this volume is showing us Awyn's past. What happened to his parents, what happened to him afterward, and how he ended up at the estate. Seeing how Awyn meets Marie is adorable. He's so much more harsh toward her, a tough guy who's been hurt over and over again and won't let anyone close. He's a little thief, even, hiding away from people. Marie is a little beam of sunshine in comparison, a rather happy little girl who's not even a little afraid of them.

This only made me like them together all the more. I really want more of them.

Since we've already been shown that everything up to this point was a set up, it makes sense that we get to see when Awyn gets pulled in, now. We don't get much new stuff until the very end, and even then it's still building up to whatever is coming.

I'm still intrigued by the idea behind the religious context, and wondering where that's going. The artwork is still gorgeous. I'm rather looking forward to reading more.

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

Manga Review: 7th Garden, Volume 3, by Mitsu Izumi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2017

Volumes: 7+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The high-pitched battle is on between powerful angels, sexy demons and innocent humans to dominate a world rife with political intrigue…and to win the heart of one hapless male!

Awyn Gardner will do anything to protect the beautiful mistress of the equally beautiful estate gardens he lovingly tends—even enslave himself to an also beautiful demon bent on world domination! The high-pitched battle is on between powerful angels, sexy demons and innocent people to dominate a world rife with political intrigue…and to win the heart of one hapless human man!

After a fierce battle, Awyn and Vyrde are welcomed home by their household. Unfortunately, Vyrde isn’t as pleased with them as they seem to be with her… Afraid that he isn’t Vyrde’s equal, Awyn trains with mysteriously ageless Ashriel. Iola turns out to have a secret identity. And then Awyn and Vyrde part ways—she to declare war on the enemy angels, he to the capital city, where he relives unhappy memories and unhappily meets old acquaintances…

Review:

The artwork in this series is really quite gorgeous. It is so pretty, and the color pages are very nice.

Even while we get some time to calm down, for Awyn to get better and to see the village people again, there's always some underlying tension. Vyrde doesn't take time to calm down, she's too obsessed with her revenge. While we still don't know why she's seeking vengeance, we do get to meet and/or hear the other angels she's after. We also get a rather big reveal about the village that Awyn lives in, why he was picked and who is behind it. I wasn't quite expecting that, though it gives an interesting context. It also makes the whole feel of the village, and how it feels like an untouched sanctuary (which goes back to innocent and perfect even after devastation) all the more true.

The plot is interesting in this series. I'm unsure but intrigued by all of the religious themes. I'm still not quite sure where that is going. I'm still confused by the angel's evilness, and yet Vyrde's being kicked out and also evil. I'm not sure where that point is going.

I am a fan of this series, I'm intrigued and enjoying it. It is one of the better newer shonen series I'm following.

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

Manga Review: 7th Garden, Volume 2, by Mitsu Izumi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3-3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 4, 2016

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The high-pitched battle is on between powerful angels, sexy demons and innocent humans to dominate a world rife with political intrigue and to win the heart of one hapless male!

Awyn Gardner will do anything to protect the beautiful mistress of the equally beautiful estate gardens he lovingly tends even enslave himself to an also beautiful demon bent on world domination!
Awyn and Vyrde are engaged in a savage battle with angel Uri when a mysterious young yet powerful boy appears on the scene. What is the child s relationship to Vyrde? Do demons even have relations? Then, because the other angels aren t conveniently showing up for Vyrde to slay, she follows their trail to a neighboring nation embroiled in regicide. Is tenderhearted Awyn willing to fight back against a cute young princess who happens to be wielding an angel-powered weapon capable of annihilating both him and Vyrde?!"

Review:

 We get away from Awyn's garden for most of this volume. Instead, the fight in the previous one draws to a conclusion, only for Vyrde to drag him off for another one. We continue getting clues as to what happened to Vyrde.

We meet another angel, who's horrible. I really don't understand the ideology here. The angels are clearly awful, and really aren't better than Vyrde, who is supposedly the only demon here. I don't get it, mostly because it seems obvious to me that the others aren't really angels? But if that's supposed to be a revelation later down the line, then why is it so obvious? There must be something deeper going on here, and I really don't understand what's happening with that.

We meet an interesting friend of Vyrde's. The reasons behind the angels actions has me intrigued, but only a little. The side character we met here was nice—a younger girl who's being pushed into her sisters crimes—but mostly I want to see more of Marie. I like her a lot, and the dynamic she has with Awyn.

I really do enjoy the contrast of good and evil, aside from the whole angel thing. Seeing the bright world of Awyn's garden and home, and then the darkness of Vyrde and the underlying dark side that Awyn is hiding. I want to see more depth of that as well.

I'm rather enjoying this series so far, surprisingly. I want to read more.

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

Manga Review: 7th Garden, Volume 1, by Mitsu Izumi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July 5, 2016

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: Light.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Awyn Gardner will do anything to protect the beautiful mistress of the equally beautiful estate gardens he lovingly tends—even enslave himself to an also beautiful demon bent on world domination! The high-pitched battle is on between powerful angels, sexy demons and innocent people to dominate a world rife with political intrigue…and to win the heart of one hapless human man!

Awyn strives to be the perfect gardener—and perfect man—to win over his human mistress. But then he unwittingly awakens the demon Vyrde, and his village is attacked by crusader knights! Desperate to protect the apple of his eye, Awyn pledges fealty to Vyrde in exchange for the ability to wield a powerful demonic sword. What he doesn’t know is that his new demon mistress is scheming to slay the six angels who rule the world—so she can. Then more enemies attack, one of them armed with…a particle-ray cannon?!

Review:

First of all: color pages! They’re gorgeous. The artwork is very pretty in this book, reminds me a little bit of 07-Ghost. Though with quite a bit more ecchi shots.

Awyn has a lot of held in rage from his past, wanting revenge for what happened to him and his family. But he’s holding onto residing happily in this small village, and his relationship with Marie. Marie is his mistress, younger than him and going to be married off soon. He’s merely her gardener, and that’s what he wants. But then he makes a contract with a demon, Vyrde, in order to save everything.

I’m immediately intrigued by Awyn. He wants to live a peaceful life, protecting Marie and gardening, always smiling in front of everyone, but he’s not afraid to kill when something is threatening him or what he holds dear. I’m interested to see where his character goes from here.

Vyrde is an interesting character, very manipulative and with her own agenda, though I like how she gets enjoyment out of mischief, and her careless attitude around people and personal space. I’m already a huge fan of Marie, and hope that she gets to stay a main character. I want to see more of her and how she grows.

This was an enjoyable volume. I’m intrigued and want to read more.

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