Manga Review: Kakegurui Twin, Volume 6, by Homura Kawamoto and Kei Saiki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: May 2020

Volumes: 10+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 5. 7.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Down a whopping five million yen, Mary is sent flying into debt, her pride as a gambler in shambles. As she mentally resigns herself to housepet-dom, a ray of hope shines through the tunnel in the form of Juraku's collared pet and Mary-hater, Mikura Sado! Together, the odd duo must join hands to defeat the ultimate dream team-the Ougatou sisters. Does Mary still have what it takes to become a winner?!

 

Review:

 

I haven't read a dramatic, murder-esque series in a while, and it's not normally my type of genre. But they can be interesting to read.

Not knowing any of the backstory here, this was still an interesting volume to read.

After an apparent mistake that Mary made, she's forced to either let herself become a pet, or take part in this game and hope she wins the money in order to survive as just a student in her class.

Aside from the very weird dynamic this school structure has, which is honestly very hard to believe, the game that Mary plays is quite interesting. We're made to believe, at first, that Mary has made some bad gambles and is the underdog here, but once she gets halfway through this card game, it becomes apparent that she knows how to analyze and play these games very well.

The strategy of the game was really quite interesting to me. It was an interesting card game between these five girls, with some surprises thrown in. I had a little bit of a hard time believing the twins were thrown off so easily, since it was their game and they've always played together. But they were also a bit too cocky for their own good.

I also found the sadomasochistic dynamics interesting. But part of it also made me a little uncomfortable, possibly because of how so many students are being forced into those roles. Maybe since I'm not following the series fully, but I definitely felt a bit off reading it.

Still, this was an interesting volume to read. For this kind of genre, I can see the appeal, I think.

 

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

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: Nyankees, Volume 6, by Atsushi Okada

Rating (Out of 5): ~2.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: May 2020

Volumes: 6.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 5.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A triggered Ryuusei hones in on Madara and strikes with a mighty cat punch, but there's more to the calico tom than meets the eye! Untold secrets and grudges are laid bare as the Nekonaki strife draws to a close in this final volume of Nyankees!

Review:

 

Jumping into this series at the very end, it was hard to follow at first. I clearly didn't know what this was about, because it took me a second to realize that the cats were being represented as the people, and that they were stray cats being represented as some kind of gang. It's very odd.

Also, I hate seeing animal violence like this, so seeing their back stories was hard to read. I don't read series like this, for this very reason. I can't take it.

Not knowing the rest of the story, it appears that all of the answers are given in this final volume. Ryuusei gets the answers he needs regarding Gekka, and finally gets some closure and a purpose.

The ending was actually pretty sweet. I liked the thoughts that we're left with, and how everything seems to wrap up.

Not necessarily my kind of story, but I imagine this was a nice ending for the people following it.

 

 

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: Black Lagoon, Volume 11, by Rei Hiroe

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2020

Volumes: 11+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 10.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Four hardcore heroes. One high-speed torpedo boat. Ten thousand bullets!

Lock n' load with the baddest group of mercenaries ever to hit the high seas of Southeast Asia! Aboard their World War II torpedo boat, the Black Lagoon, Dutch the Boss, Benny the Mechanic, Revy Two Hand, and Rock, the salaryman from Japan, deliver anything, anywhere. In the dangerous underworld of the Russian Mafia, Chinese triads, Colombian drug cartels, crazed assassins, and ruthless mercenaries, it's hard to know who to trust. But if you've got a delivery to make, and you don't mind a little property damage along the way, you can count on the crew of the Black Lagoon!

Disavowed by the Chinese government and now hunted as a traitor, Feng Yifei has turned to Rock and Revy for help. While dodging the PRC’s four hired guns from one side of Roanapur to the other, Feng presses Rock to make an important decision. Things get even more complicated when Eda shows an interest in the situation, and if she’s involved, it means the CIA isn’t far behind…

Review:

Having not read or watched any of this series, I wasn't quite sure what I was starting. It's more Cowboy Bebop than I had expected.

Feng and Rock are attempting to save some hard drive and de-encrypt some kind of information, and since Feng has a price on her head, there's a lot of shooting happening because of it. That's fine with Revy, who's all for having a gun fight, up until she gets arrested.

There's a lot of shooting up in this volume, and a lot more deaths than I expected. I didn't realize this was such a bloody series. There's also quite a bit of politics, which I was surprised by, and found interesting, actually.

I didn't mind some of the characters, and even find the idea of the story interesting, but I don't think I'd be all that interested this far in depth into the political matters. I didn't mind Revy's character. I think that Eda might have been the most interesting of the characters to me, honestly, and we only saw her briefly a couple of times. But I liked her. I can get behind some badass females.

I don't think this is a series I'd really search out, so I'm not sure if I'll be watching the anime any time soon, but I didn't mind this.

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

Manga Review: The Way of the HouseHusband, Volume 2, by Kousuke Oono

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2020

Volumes: 5+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

It’s a day in the life of your average househusband—if your average househusband is the legendary yakuza “the Immortal Dragon”!

A former yakuza legend leaves it all behind to become your everyday househusband. But it’s not easy to walk away from the gangster life, and what should be mundane household tasks are anything but!

The legendary yakuza “the Immortal Dragon” has washed his hands of the gangster life for something far more dangerous—becoming a househusband! Cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking... These days he’s doing everything he can to succeed as man of the house, if it doesn’t kill him first! The cozy yakuza comedy continues!

Review:

I'm happy to say that this volume got to me a lot more than the first one did.

Tatsu is just trying to live as a good house husband. He starts worrying about his figure, and so joins an aerobics class, which might be my favorite chapter thus far. He teaches his protege how to get out a stain. We meet his in-laws, who are a little odd, unsurprisingly. There's a lot more of his wife in this one, which I quite like. They're kind of cute together.

This volume was still a bit odd, but it was also really quite fun. I'm definitely going to read more.

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

Manga Review: Gangsta., Volume 8, by Kohske

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: March 2019

Volumes: 8+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 7.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Got a problem? The Handymen can fix it —for a price.

Years ago, Marco turned against the Hunters, submitting to the “curse” Constance set on him to live and atone for his sins. But the bonds of the past aren’t so easily severed, and now Striker has tracked them down, still enraged by Marco’s betrayal and hellbent on making him pay. Meanwhile, with their partnership in pieces, Worick and Nic struggle to cope with the shifting boundaries of loyalty, faith and duty.

Review:

I've only read most of the prequel series, so it was a little weird jumping into this.

This is still very violent and brutal. It's also still following the same group of childhood twilight-haters, only now there's a lot of more people involved, and there's a lot more history and anger built up to amp up the need to fight and kill, and protect.

There are a couple of interesting characters, or at least character that I think I would like. There's some police and some underground politics happening, and a lot of built-up fights with revenge and past-hurts in mind.

This isn't really my kind of series. I don't go for the brutal kind of series, or mafia or prejudice-based series. I can kind of see the appeal, and how it would be fun to get wrapped up in all of it, though. (It also might be a little too close to real life at this moment.) It's well-written, and has an interesting art-style, though.

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

Manga Review: Graineliers, Volume 1, by Rihito Takarai

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: December 2017

Volumes: 3+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Rihito Takarai (Ten Count) pens anything but a garden variety fantasy! In a world where the seeds of plants are imbued with power, the wheels of fate begin to turn for Luca, an illegal seed cultivator, when the government-sanctioned Graineliers come to take away his father, who in turn hands Luca a rare and powerful seed...!

Review:

I've only read Takarai's yaoi series, Ten Count, which I enjoyed but I know was met with some issues. This seems to be a very different kind of series, though, and I'm pretty sure it's not labeled yaoi, at least.

We're introduced to a dystopian world, where plant seeds are hard to find and illegal to grow on your own, and very expensive. Luca does what he can to make money, even growing some plants and selling them on the blackmarket; he lives with his dad, who he doesn't see much of, and who he knows is doing something bad, but he's not sure what. It all goes downhill very quickly, though, when the police show up and he swallows a seed that makes him black out for two years.

This is an intriguing world, though the seed thing is a little weird. The effect it has on Luca, in particular, is very odd. And then we meet this little girl, who might be similarly odd, though she could be a whole different matter as well.

I'm very intrigued. I don't feel like we got enough in this volume, and yet there was a lot explained in this volume, and we got to know the characters relatively well. I was a little unsure at first, but I might pick up the next one. I kind of want to know where this goes next. And I do rather like how Takarai develops characters, and the humor put in.

Manga Review: Children of the Whales, Volume 7, by Abi Umeda

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2018

Volumes: 14+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 6. 8.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this postapocalyptic fantasy, a sea of sand swallows everything but the past.

In an endless sea of sand drifts the Mud Whale, a floating island city of clay and magic. In its chambers a small community clings to survival, cut off from its own history by the shadows of the past.

The Sea of Sand harbors many mysteries, and an encounter with one of them awakens deep memories of the past for the Eldest of the Mud Whale. But everyone is still reeling from the recently revealed harsh secrets about the true nature of the Mud Whale. How can Chakuro and the others handle the new knowledge these strange visions grant?

Review:

As the mud whale continues its journey, the inhabitants continue to research and attempt to learn more of their history and what led them here. When they meet up with a ghost of their ship, they get to see the ghosts of their past.

At the same time, the group is reading and going deeper and deeper inside the mud whale, until they discover a history no one expected. It hits Chakuro hard, as we see the effect on Ouni. It's a surprise, but an interesting revelation. I'm curious what it means for what happens next, and what they all know.

In the last quarter of the volume, we get to see a side story, with characters we've never met, but supposedly an untold story set in this world. It's not hard to believe in this setting, but still very sad. Sweet at times, but an overall sad tale.

This series really intrigues me. The world it's set in, the characters; and I love the art and style of telling it all. It's always an interesting read.

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

Manga Review: Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Volume 5, by Aka Akasaka

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2018

Volumes: 13+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 4. 6.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Two high school geniuses scheme to get the other to confess their love first.

Two geniuses. Two brains. Two hearts. One battle. Who will confess their love first…?!

Will Kaguya and Miyuki find a way to see each other sooner rather than later over summer vacation? And is tweeting really an effective way to communicate with your crush?

Then, Kaguya’s overprotective staff try to prevent her from going to the fireworks festival with the rest of the student council, Miyuki and Kaguya both try to find a way to enroll in the same elective class and someone tries to celebrate someone else’s birthday with style!

Some people believe the stars determine your compatibility.

Review:

It's summer vacation. And while Kaguya and Miyuki have shared their phone numbers, and potentially made plans, they both still refuse to be the first to make contact. They're essentially in the same position: miserable because the other person won't text them.

We get a surprising amount of vulnerability in this volume. All Kaguya wants to do is see the fireworks with her friends, and yet her family turns out to be very strict regarding her whereabouts. Miyuki does something spur-of-the-moment for the first time, in an attempt to make her wish come true. It's very sweet, and should be a momentous occasion as they're actually honest about something with each other—but, of course, instead they end up worrying and regretting everything.

After summer vacation, a new school year starts. They get new electives, and get to catch up with their classmates. Poor Chika gets tortured again, as Miyuki needs her help overcoming a weakness of his—and he admits that Chika is the only one he can show his weaknesses to. Though probably not in the way that Chika takes that statement.

It looks like Miyuki's birthday is coming upon us, and it should be interesting how Kaguya decides to show affection while pretending she's superior.

This is really a great series. I'm rather hooked now, and hope that they figure themselves out at some point. In the mean time, though, I enjoy discovering more out about Chika, and seeing how Yu gets scarred and insulted even more.

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

Manga Review: Gangsta.: Cursed. Ep_Marco Adriano, Volume 2, by Kohske and Syuhei Kamo

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: May 2017

Volumes: 5.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A spin-off series from the hit manga Gangsta that tells the backstory of Marco Adriano.

The man named “Marco Adriano” is a loyal and beloved member of the Cristiano Family, helping them protect the persecuted Twilight population in the city of Ergastulum. But he was once a boy codenamed “Spas,” raised as a Hunter and assigned to the Destroyers Second Group for a single purpose: to track down and kill Twilights.

Ever since he was a young child, Spas has been indoctrinated to believe that eliminating all Twilights is the only way to guarantee the safety of the Normal population. But as he and the rest of the Hunters carry out their gruesome duty, the foundations of that belief begin to erode. Unable to reconcile the high-minded teachings of his past with the brutal realities of his present, Spas stands on the brink of a decision that will change his life—and the lives of those he loves—forever.

Review:

The story just jumps right in as the volume starts. I haven't read anything else in this series, so I really had no idea what was going on at first.

It became apparent that there are two types of people, and some extreme prejudice against the Twilights. They all appear human, but Twilights are different, and they wear tags to show what they are. Our group of protagonists are Hunters, and they're brutally killing off the Twilights. They believe they're doing the right thing, and have no mercy and no second thoughts. Aside from Spas, who suddenly realizes that the other humans in this village are trying to protect the Twilights.

I appreciated that it didn't take long for him to decide to do something about these new thoughts. He tries to reason with his friends, and then even puts himself on the line to stop what's happening. It doesn't look like good things will happen from it, but I respect that.

This is definitely brutal, and filled with death even in this one volume. It's awful, honestly.

This isn't something I would normally read, for sure, but it's intriguing. And the artwork looked a lot like Setona Mizushiro's, a style that is very particular.

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

Manga Review: Barakamon, Volume 13, by Satsuki Yoshino

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: March 2017

Volumes: 15+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 12. 14.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ya can't see the sunset from here.

Tagging along on Handa-sensei's visit home, Naru finally arrives in Tokyo! Trains, tall buildings, the zoo-the big city's full of amazing first experiences! But what will Handa decide when his dad asks him to come back to Tokyo? Volume 13 promises growth, courage, and farewells!

Review:

So Handa and Naru are heading off to Tokyo, while Kanzaki decides to run away to the island.

Handa is helping out on Kirie's team, and for his fathers next showing. Naru is left hanging out with his mother during most of this, aside from the times that Handa is free and takes her out. We get a surprise meeting with Handa's previous marriage proposal, who turns out to be a super sweet girl, and I really like the relationship that they form. It is funny how very non-sexual Handa can be, though, and how oblivious.

At the same time, Kanzaki is just messing everything up. He's driving Hiroshi crazy, in particular, and is a pain in general.

In the end, though, Handa makes a rather big decision about his future, when he realizes what he really wants to do. It should be nice to see him pursue it back at the village.

This is a very sweet and funny series. I'm looking forward to the next one.

Manga Review: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 2—Battle Tendency, Volume 2, by Hirohiko Araki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: VIZ Media

Release Date: February 2016

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: Light.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The battle against evil takes a diabolical twist as more Pillar Men awaken! Now it is up to Joseph Joestar and his new ally Caesar Zeppeli to try and stop their nefarious plan! But these are creatures of unimaginable power, and JoJo and Caesar will have to get a lot stronger to even stand a chance!

Review:

I haven’t read or seen any of this series, so I had very little idea of what I was getting into. And this is definitely a unique series.

The artwork is very detailed, and there are a lot of very muscled characters, particularly males. Lots of big males. And a lot of fighting between them.

We meet a female trainer in this volume, and she whips JoJo into fighting shape with a lot of brutal, unapologetic work. It’s tough. And it works, especially since JoJo is so arrogant and believes he’s the best when he’s not quite there yet.

And all this leads up to them fighting a team of ancient gods who are searching for something, and JoJo’s team is keeping them from it. I didn’t quite expect so much brutal violence, or the bloody deaths.

This was an intriguing, unique volume. I didn’t expect this, and while it’s not really my type of series, I didn’t mind it, I can see the appeal.

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