Manga Review: Spy x Family, Volume 2, by Tatsuya Endo

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: September 2020

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Master spy Twilight is unparalleled when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions for the betterment of the world. But when he receives the ultimate assignment—to get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!

Twilight must infiltrate the prestigious Eden Academy to get close to his target Donovan Desmond, but has he ruined his daughter Anya’s chances with his outburst during the admissions interview? Perhaps the truly impossible mission this time is making sure Anya both becomes an exemplary student and befriends Donovan’s arrogant son Damian!

 

Review:

 

Now that the family is all together, the first mission was to get Anya into the private school. After that interview, it surprisingly doesn't go too bad. While the task technically has a different step next, Twilight thinks that Anya could make friends with the main targets son in her class instead. But they're kids, so that doesn't quite go as planned.

Throughout all of this, of course, the three are still getting to know each other and growing closer. They're forming a familial bond, even though they've only been doing it a very short time, and with so little preparation. And then Yor's overprotective brother shows up.

This series is a lot of fun. I really like the characters, and I'm enjoying seeing them grow closer with each other. This development with Anya and her new classmates is also a lot of fun, since it's something she hasn't quite done like this before.

This is definitely a series to keep following.

Manga Review: One-Punch Man, Volume 19, by One and Yusuke Murata

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: March 2020

Volumes: 22+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 18. 20.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Life gets pretty boring when you can beat the snot out of any villain with just one punch.

Nothing about Saitama passes the eyeball test when it comes to superheroes, from his lifeless expression to his bald head to his unimpressive physique. However, this average-looking guy has a not-so-average problem—he just can’t seem to find an opponent strong enough to take on!

The Monster Association has kidnapped Tareo, the boy who admires Garo, and now Garo finds himself plunging headfirst and alone into the heart of the Monster Association’s hideout. Meanwhile, the Hero Association pushes forward with its operation to rescue Waganma, while Genos and the others are living it up enjoying hot pot at Saitama’s place!

 

Review:

 

While Saitama is having a hot pot night at his house, fighting over the meat, Garo is getting a boy out from the villains lair. He says he doesn't care, but for some reason he seems to want to save this weird little boy. Most of this volume is taken up with Garo's evolving indestructibility. The more he fights, the more he wants to fight and win, and the stronger he appears to become.

Honestly, there was a lack of Saitama in this volume.

It looks like Garo is building up to potentially be the first real fight for Saitama to have. But, then again, it very well might be a while for that. And the other heroes are stilling planning to bust into the villain lair and rescue the rich boy being kept there.

 

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

Manga Review: The Promised Neverland, Volume 16, by Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2020

Volumes: 20.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 15. 17.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Life at Grace Field House is good for Emma and her fellow orphans. While the daily studying and exams they have to take are tough, their loving caretaker provides them with delicious food and plenty of playtime. But perhaps not everything is as it seems…

While attempting to locate the Seven Walls, Emma and Ray find themselves trapped in a mysterious world. Can they escape this labyrinth and make the promise that will finally bring about peace? Meanwhile, Norman has his own plans...

 

Review:

 

While Emma and Ray are thrown into a reality-bending timescape, Norman has a new mission in the real world. Emma and Ray are being put to the test to figure out the ultimate puzzle, in order for Emma to make a new promise. It's unclear what she's willing to sacrifice to make it, though.

Gilda and Don are given a new mission by Norman as the volume starts. It's clear that Norman believes Mujika is a threat, so it's not surprising he sends them out to find her. They seem to read through at least some of his tricks, though. We meet Ayshe here, a girl sent out to help them. She doesn't speak, and they're not sure if she even understands them.

Ayshe might be one of my favorite characters so far. She adds a new complexity and complication to the story, in a way that I was kind of hoping would happen. She really intrigues me, and I'm really excited to see what happens next with her.

As this series draws closer to the conclusion, it's definitely getting more intense and complicated. I'm loving it, but I'm also increasingly worried about the ending.

Manga Review: Karneval, Volume 10, by Touya Mikanagi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: May 2020

Volumes: 26+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 11.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Yogi reclaims control over his body and returns to Circus's ship, along with his long-lost sister Mieux-Marie, but many difficult choices await the two of them. And Karoku's memories of the time he and his mother spent in the Rainbow Forest after fleeing their hometown of Karasuna provide insight into Nai's origins...

Review:

 

I stopped following this series a while back, but it's still one that I enjoyed. The artwork is seriously so pretty, and I love the color pages at the beginning. The artwork is gorgeous, in a cute and intricate and colorful way.

While some of this volume concludes what's appears to be happening with Yogi and Manai, there's also a lot of backstory. We get to see some depth to Yogi's characters, with his sister Manai. I think that's a cute story, with a relatively nice ending.

Aside from that, we get a surprising history with Nai and Karoku. I wasn't sure who Karoku was at first, and it definitely seems like he's up to something bad. But the backstory for him and Nai makes me think differently of him. I'm still not sure what he's up to in the present, but in the past, there's a lot of good intentions and painful losses. It also makes me even more intrigued in Nai, who's a sweetie all on his own.

I still think I would like to catch up with this series at some point. The artwork, as I said, is gorgeous. But I also really like the characters. They're a lot of fun, and I would like to get to know them better.

 

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

Manga Review: Blue Exorcist, Volume 23, by Kazue Kato

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February 2020

Volumes: 25+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 22. 24.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Rin and his exorcist classmates are caught in a secret war against the forces of darkness.

Raised by Father Fujimoto, a famous exorcist, Rin Okumura never knew his real father. One day a fateful argument with Father Fujimoto forces Rin to face a terrible truth – the blood of the demon lord Satan runs in Rin’s veins! Rin swears to defeat Satan, but doing that means entering the mysterious True Cross Academy and becoming an exorcist himself.

The tragic story of what happened to Rin and Yukio’s mother, Yuri Egin, continues to unfold. Yuri and Father Fujimoto were once up-and-coming young Exorcists involved in Section 13’s extensive operation to research elixirs of immortality and develop clones to house the spirits of demons. The project seemed to be moving ahead until the unexpected manifestation of a demonic spirt into one of the clone bodies. And not just any demon—the most powerful demon of all: Satan!

 

Review:

 

This volume continues the back story of their mother and Satan. We discover who Satan really is, how he became who he is, and how their mother got mixed up in it all. It definitely gets messy very quickly, and how Yuri decides to help with it only complicates things further. Yukio might be the one who feels like he needs to know more than Rin, but Rin also needs to understand where his powers came from, and what happened that led to him and Yukio.

So far, it's explained some things, but also complicated others. We're reaching the climax of the back story, I think, so it'll be interesting to see how it concludes and leaves the twins where they are now.

I definitely do find this story interesting, but I'm also very curious where the rest of the characters are in the mean time, and what this means for Rin and Yukio going forward.

I really like the direction this series is taking, and I want more of it, faster. This plot is definitely one that would read really nicely in a binge session.

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: Radiant, Volume 9, by Tony Valente

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: VIZ Media

Release Date: January 2020

Volumes: 14+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 8. 10.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

The world is overrun with monsters called Nemeses—and a young boy infected by one will stop at nothing to defeat them all!

Evil creatures called Nemeses fall from the skies and the only ones who can fight them are Wizards—infected ones who survived a Nemesis's corruption. Seth, one of these survivors, vows not only to fight the Nemeses, but to find their mythical nest, Radiant, and destroy it!

The battle for Caislean Merlin rages on. Queen Boadicée enters the fray at great risk to her own life while Seth’s friend Ocoho, of the Queen’s forces, wrestles with a shocking revelation about Mordred, her most trusted comrade in arms. Seth’s other friend, Mélie, must deal with Liselotte, an Inquisitor who captured her while infiltrating Caislean Merlin. And Doc, Seth’s most reluctant ally, shows up with a couple of "friends" who could play a big part in the conflict between Inquisitors and Wizards.

 

Review:

 

Everyone is under attack in this volume, and it's getting much more serious. The wizard knights are fighting hard, and their queen is even on the front lines doing what she can. Melie is off fighting her own one-on-one battle. Ocoho is up on the flying ship being betrayed by her childhood friend.

And then Seth is down on the ground, doing what he can, to get to the bottom of it all with the main enemies. When, as the volume ends, he's faced with a big, surprising casualty that I was not expecting, and another reveal that makes sense but is also surprising, it's clear things are going to get hard after this.

This volume was intense in several parts, and I definitely want to read the next one after that cliffhanger. After what we learned in the previous couple volumes, that blow hits hard.

 

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

Manga Review: Black Clover, Volume 18, by Yuki Tabata

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2019

Volumes: 26+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 17. 19.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

In a world of magic, Asta, a boy with anti-magic powers, will do whatever it takes to become the Wizard King!

Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem—he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure—Asta will never give up!

With their friend and teammate turned into an elf, the other members of the Black Bulls will risk their lives to return Luck back to normal. But is their only hope Asta and his new sword?

 

Review:

 

The fight against the fae body-snatchers continues in this volume.

Asta barges in and tries to get his friends back to normal; there's a lot of stuff blowing up, a lot of emotions and arguing as they try to talk sense into them. The first half of the volume has Asta's fight continuing from the previous volume, then the latter half features Yami fighting. It's all very intense, blah blah blah. The volume ends with the hint of the main fight coming, I believe. We'll see.

I will admit this story line is a tiny bit more interesting than previous ones, but I don't care much for the characters. The inner turmoil all feels rather one-dimensional to me. Something about the fairies' hate also feels off to me, as well.

Meh, overall. The writing and characterization in this series is not enough for me.

 

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

Manga Review: Spy x Family, Volume 1, by Tatsuya Endo

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: June 2020

Volumes: 5+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volumes: 2.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Master spy Twilight is the best at what he does when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions in the name of a better world. But when he receives the ultimate impossible assignment—get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!

Not one to depend on others, Twilight has his work cut out for him procuring both a wife and a child for his mission to infiltrate an elite private school. What he doesn’t know is that the wife he’s chosen is an assassin and the child he’s adopted is a telepath!

 

Review:

 

When a spy is forced into a new mission to infiltrate a school, he's ordered to get a child old enough to enter the school, and a wife so he looks like a nice family man. Only the child he finds in the orphanage, Anya, is actually a telepath. And then when he stumbles upon a woman suitable to be his wife, it turns out she's an assassin. Of course, none of them know this about each other. Instead, they get to stumble into being a family-unit.

Loid is thrown into this, and like any good spy, he does the best he can in a short period of time. Anya only wants a family, she wants a nice father and mother and home. Reading their minds only lets her know when to be careful of their double lives, and what to say if she's lucky, though. Yor, while an assassin, is actually quite shy and often shamed for being single. So despite all of their differences, and how little they know about each other, they seem to be a perfect fit.

I'd heard really good things about this series, and it sounded cute. And so I'm really happy that I was hooked from the very beginning. Especially once we meet Anya, who is just adorable. I think following how this family gets to know each other, Yor and Loid figuring out how to be parents and also slowly forming their romance, is going to be a lot of fun.

I'm excited for the next one.

Manga Review: The Promised Neverland, Volume 15, by Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: June 2020

Volumes: 19.

Spoilers?: Yes, light.

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

Volume: 1. 14. 16.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Life at Grace Field House is good for Emma and her fellow orphans. While the daily studying and exams they have to take are tough, their loving caretaker provides them with delicious food and plenty of playtime. But perhaps not everything is as it seems…

As Norman and his group prepare their plan to eradicate all of the demons, Emma searches for her own path. Can she find a way to create a new promise that achieves peace without resorting to violence?

 

Review:

 

The confrontation with Norman happens. He has information to share with Emma and Ray, just as they have their own worries to share. It's so hard to see Norman as this unmoving adult, when you know he's just doing what he believes is the right thing, but also when Emma has such bigger peaceful goals in mind.

We're given some new, surprising information in this volume. And then Emma and Ray are off on a timed mission, where it looks like they're starting a test for real answers. Norman has put them on a timer for it, but also the monsters have caught on and aren't going to let these human be for too much longer.

I'm intrigued to see where Ray and Emma are off to, and what's going to happen there. But this is also really hard to take. I'm afraid of where this series is going to go, cause I really don't want a bad ending for these three.

Manga Review: IM: Great Priest Imhotep, Volume 3, by Makoto Morishita

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: May 2020

Volumes: 11.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

The Ennead Priesthood has given Im a new objective: Return to Egypt and use "Damnatio Memoriae" to wipe the record of Prince Djoser clean from the record of the world. But when Djoser suddenly shows up-in the flesh?-the plan is forced to change. How will Im cope with seeing his friend again...when his only option is to kill him...?

 

Review:

 

Im is being put into a bad position, where he has to decide to ruin his best friend yet again, only it's even more important this time. He wants to fix things between him and Djoser, only to find out that that's not really an option for him. Not quite in the way that he expected, though.

Most of this volume was taken up with the friendship and feud between Im and Djoser. Im has regrets from his past, but he's also being put into a situation where he is forced to see what's happening in a new perspective and make a choice.

I'm not following this closely, but it's an interesting read. The characters are good and odd, and I find the Egyptian mythology/history really interesting. In the second half, Hinome gets to see Im playing at being a student, getting some carefree time. It's not something he's been able to experience before, and she discovers that he never got the chance to play and dream like a kid.

This has a surprising amount of depth, and I appreciate that.

 

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

Manga Review: Komi Can't Communicate, Volume 4, by Tomohito Oda

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Sunday (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 2019

Volumes: 17+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3. 5.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

The journey to 100 friends begins with a single conversation.

Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi’s greatest dream is to make some friends, but everyone at school mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve. With the whole student body keeping its distance and Komi unable to utter a single word, friendship might be forever beyond her reach.

School is out for the summer, and Komi is still getting used to this strange new world of having friends. She’s discovering that friendship doesn’t automatically save you from awkward situations with people, but the more time she spends with her friends, the easier it all seems. And to her astonishment, for the first time in her life Komi isn’t anxious for summer to end.

 

Review:

 

It's summer, which means this odd friend group has to find excuses to see each other. There's some video game competition, and some last-minute homework groups. We also get a chapter of Komi just at home, where it's hot and she hangs out with her brother and decides to cook. It's very slice-of-life and quiet, and honestly I rather like it.

Then school is back, and there's sports competitions. We also meet a new character, a new student with an accent who admires Komi. There's one chapter where Tadano shows the other two what Komi is really thinking; they're way off, and somehow Tadano can read her perfectly. They also visit an arcade and take purikura pictures, which is very cute.

I relate a lot to Komi—not as extreme, but a quiet introvert nonetheless—and so I enjoy this series quite a bit. Even just the relaxed chapters, but also just seeing her figure out how to communicate, is all very real to me. I'm enjoying this series a lot.

 

 

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

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!