Manga Review: Platinum End, Volume 3, by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2017

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the creators of Death Note! Mirai may have been saved by an angel, but his battle is just beginning
As his classmates celebrate their middle school graduation, troubled Mirai is mired in darkness. But his battle is just beginning when he receives some salvation from above in the form of an angel. Now Mirai is pitted against 12 other chosen humans with the winner becoming the next god of the world. Mirai may have an angel in his corner, but he may need to become a devil to survive.
With the tragic events at the baseball stadium behind them, Mirai and Saki plan their next move. But can they trust a new god candidate who asks to join their side? And when the god candidate disguised as Metropoliman launches his next attack, Mirai will have to make a difficult choice!"

Review:

I missed a volume, and now we seem to have discovered a couple more of the god candidates. There's one guy who's leading something big and trying to pick off the other candidates, and cause chaos. Then there's Mirai, who's working with Saki and Mukaido, strategizing on how to deal with the other enemy. They're working together, and the other one is just trying to goad them out. And it works.

I feel like there's more behind the angels' motivation than is being shown, that there's something else going on. If there's not, then I really don't understand their motivation and what side they're really on. They don't seem that angelic to me.

The plot in this series seems odd to me, but maybe I just don't really understand this. Then there's that big twist at the end, which went much farther than I expected it to. This series seems rather similar to Death Note, to me. And it's just okay.

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

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 13, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: June 2017

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: Some/Yes.

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

Volume: 1. 12. 14.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins discover that cross-dressing as each other leads to trouble and true love!

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Having a long-distance relationship isn’t the easiest thing for Megumu and Aoi, but after a romantic evening and a standoff with her parents, their relationship is stronger than ever. And now that Mitsuru finally has a life goal (to beat Azusa’s other fiancé in the national pre-exams and win her hand), he’s pouring all his fierce energy into securing their future. But despite how promising their lives seem, the twins are having ominous dreams. Are the nightmares just a symptom of stress, or is something more prophetic going on…?

Review:

We see the conclusion to when Megumu and Aoi have sex. They also get to declare their intentions to marry. On the other side of the story, we see the results from Mitsuru's tests, and the result of Azusa deciding to stand up to her father on his terms. Azusa's decision makes sense to me, though I still don't really care about them.

In the latter half of the volume, we get a real life event. I was a little surprised by the decision to include the tsunami, and at first I was bothered by it. But reading the authors' reasoning at the end of the volume, I'm okay with it. I'm wondering where it's heading next, though I can't really imagine a sad ending for this series.

I really don't care for this series at this point. I don't care for the humor, and all the jumping to marriage plots drive me crazy. It's cheesy and dumb, even. But the twist at the end has me a little curious.

Either way, it looks like I'll be sticking around to the end.

Manga Review: Haikyu!!, Volume 10, by Haruichi Furudate

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 2017

Volumes: 27+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 9. 11.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Shoyo Hinata is out to prove that in volleyball you don't need to be tall to fly!

Ever since he saw the legendary player known as "the Little Giant" compete at the national volleyball finals, Shoyo Hinata has been aiming to be the best volleyball player ever! He decides to join the team at the high school the Little Giant went to—and then surpass him. Who says you need to be tall to play volleyball when you can jump higher than anyone else?

Review:

We get some more practice games in at the beginning of the volume, and then there's a little break while they wait for the week long training camp. During this break, everyone on the team has started practicing different moves. They've all decided to improve their skills and they're pushing themselves and each other to do more. Kageyama and Shoyo have a confrontation where Kageyama has to accept what Shoyo is trying to do. We also see Asahi trying to get better, and even the back players are trying some new techniques.

Then the real training camp starts, and they get to try out those new moves with each other in a real game. And... it's not so great. Because they weren't really practicing these things with each other, and now they're all at different levels. It's actually quite funny to watch.

During this, we get to see that Tsukkishima is the odd one out—he doesn't care about volleyball. He doesn't think he's good, and he doesn't see the point in practicing like everyone else is doing. It's interesting to see his backstory, and to see him being pushed to do more.

I'm intrigued by all of the back stories we're seeing, and all of the dots that are being connected to the “Little Giant”s story. I'm wondering where that will go next.

I'm starting to really almost love this series. I can't wait to read the next one.

Manga Review: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Volume 22, by Shinobu Ohtaka

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Sunday (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February 2017

Volumes: 35+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 21. 23.

Goodreads Synopsis:

An epic dungeon-busting adventure inspired by One Thousand and One Nights!

Deep within the desert lie the mysterious Dungeons, vast stores of riches there for the taking by anyone lucky enough to find them and brave enough to venture into the depths from where few have ever returned. Plucky young adventurer Aladdin means to find the Dungeons and their secrets, but Aladdin may be just as mysterious as the treasures he seeks.

A summit involving the major powers of the world is about to begin in Sindria. Despite the looming threats to everyone, each country maneuvers and plots in their own self interest. The burgeoning Kou Empire brings an unexpected ally to the table, and several Magi including Aladdin are also in attendance. Aladdin has an important story to tell—the tale of the lost people known as the Alma Tran!

Review:

Alibaba is shown what Ren is really planning and what he intends to do. And Alibaba is forced to make a choice, on whether to follow Ren and help Balbadd or be on Sindria's side. Halfway through the volume, Aladdin shows up and gives a history lesson regarding a different world that started down the same path they're on. It seems dark and going in a bad direction, but we shall see.

I'm honestly surprised that I'm not more into this series. I didn't start from beginning, and I haven't been following it very well. But even just reading these solo volumes, I don't really care. It seemed like something I would like, but just meh, mostly.

I've got several more of this series to read, so we'll see. Maybe it'll grow on me.

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

Manga Review: Bloody Mary, Volume 8, by Akaza Samamiya

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: September 5, 2017

Volumes: 10.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 7. 9.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A blood-pounding tale of an unorthodox alliance between a vampire and an exorcist!
"Bloody" Mary, a vampire with a death wish, has spent the past 400 years chasing down a modern-day exorcist named Maria who is thought to have inherited "The Blood of Maria" and is the only one who can kill Mary. To Mary's dismay, Maria doesn't know how to kill vampires. Desperate to die, Mary agrees to become Maria's bodyguard until Maria can find a way to kill him.
Unable to bear the shocking truth that Maria reveals to him, Mary loses consciousness and locks himself inside while "Mary" comes to the surface to take his place. "Mary" heads out alone while Maria, along with Shinobu and Hydra, confront a trio of vampires. Bathed in blood, "Mary" gradually succumbs to madness...

Review:

We're slowly getting clues as to who exactly “Mary” is. We know that they were twins, but I still feel like there's something more here. I feel like there's some twist as to which one is the real Mary, and I'm wondering where that's going.

Of course, once Maria tries to shake some truth into Mary, he releases “Mary” for real.

During the Mary reveals, we also get to learn what happened with Hydra. And by this, I mean what happened with Hydra and Bloody Eye, the chick we haven't officially met in real time yet. It's an interesting revelation, and I'm intrigued by where that is going, by what happened after that flashback.

I'm also surprised by the new mix of yuri undertones with these yaoi ones. Though I'm seriously feeling the MariaxMary relationship. Especially in the extras after the story. They're so mean sometimes with how cute they are.

This series is messy and complicated and dark, and I rather love it. I can't wait for the next one.

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

Manga Review: Haikyu!!, Volume 9, by Haruichi Furudate

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February 2017

Volumes: 27+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 8. 10.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Shoyo Hinata is out to prove that in volleyball you don't need to be tall to fly!

Ever since he saw the legendary player known as "the Little Giant" compete at the national volleyball finals, Shoyo Hinata has been aiming to be the best volleyball player ever! He decides to join the team at the high school the Little Giant went to—and then surpass him. Who says you need to be tall to play volleyball when you can jump higher than anyone else?

Motivated by their heartbreaking loss to Aoba Johsai, Karasuno now works towards a new goal—the Spring Tournament! The team gears up for a trip to Tokyo for a training camp with some of the top teams in Tokyo, including Nekoma, but there’s something they need to do first…pass their finals! Hinata, Kageyama, Nishinoya and Tanaka are all at risk of not being allowed to go. What are they going to do?!

Review:

We don't get too much actual volleyball in this volume. The team has to prepare for the training camp in Tokyo, but first they have to deal with exams. And there are a good few who do not excel in school. Somewhat surprisingly, Kageyama struggles with school, and unsurprisingly so does Shoyo. They're both awful. But everyone works together to study and memorize and do their best on the coming finals.

During this, we meet a new character. Yachi is a first year, and she's trying out for their manager, since the third-years will be leaving soon. She's very hesitant, but she's smart and crafty. I think she'll fit in rather well. Her and Shoyo are already forming a friendship, unsurprisingly.

Kageyama and Shoyo get to meet the star of Shiratorizawa in this volume, and it's an odd stand-off. It leads to the training camp, where everyone is putting their all into being better. I was surprised that we're not getting too much actual in-game volleyball during this, but more character growth and relationship progression. Shoyo in particular seems to be taking a step forward.

Another new character we meet is Ryunosuke's older sister. She's feisty and a fighter, and I like her. She gives Shoyo a surprising insight into the original “Little Giant”. I didn't actually put much thought into the two meeting at any point, but it seems to be hinted at a couple times here. That should be interesting, even if it doesn't happen for a while.

I'm very into this series by this point. Can't wait to read the next one.

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

Manga Review: Nisekoi: False Love, Volume 22, by Naoshi Komi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July 2017

Volumes: 25.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 21. 23.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Love triangle! Comedic antics!! Gang warfare?!
Love triangle! Comedic antics!! Gang warfare?! You won t want to miss out on Shonen Jump's laugh-out-loud feel-good manga series!
It's hate at first sight when Raku Ichijo first meets Chitoge Kirisaki. But much to their chagrin, the two are forced into a false love relationship to keep the peace between their feuding gangster families.
Marika has been too sick to come to school lately, but on Valentine s Day she shows up to gift Raku with chocolate and once again declare her love! She presses Raku to reciprocate, but before he can respond, she is whisked away to her family s home in Kyushu because of her failing health. But Raku and the gang won't let her disappear from their lives without a fight!"

Review:

And we get the big blow up over Tachibana. We get to see her rescue, there's a ton of fighting and craziness. Her fiance has a subtle reveal, and it was an odd choice on my part. I think that it seemed to say that even her mother didn't think it was going to go through. (Though part of me really wanted it to be a guy that Tachibana would like. I just want to see her romance work out. Can she get her own spin-off romance, please?)

After the conclusion to that, which is rather sweet, Raku is being pushed to make a choice. Now there are two people urging him to acknowledge his feelings, accept them, and then decide for himself which is better. Kirisaki or Onodera? It definitely seems like Kirisaki to me, and that seems to be where everything is pointing. But, we still have a few volumes until we find out for sure.

This volume was fun. All of the Tachibana craziness was good, and I liked seeing all the sweet moments with her. I liked seeing how everyone was actually on her side. Then, afterward, I liked the overdone date with Chitoge. The cliffhanger is probably leading to a cute scene with them next? We'll see, I suppose.

Manga Review: My Love Story!!, Volume 13, by Kazune Kawahara and Aruko

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: September 5, 2017

Volumes: 13.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 12.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A gentle giant with a heart of gold finally stops being a love underdog in this hilarious romantic comedy!

Takeo Goda is a giant guy with a giant heart. Too bad the girls don’t want him! (They want his good-looking best friend, Sunakawa.) Used to being on the sidelines, Takeo simply stands tall and accepts his fate. But one day when he saves a girl named Yamato from a harasser on the train, his (love!) life suddenly takes an incredible turn!

Yamato initially accepts that she has to move to Spain with her family, but her feelings for Takeo are so strong that she runs away from home! Takeo follows her with the intention of bringing her back, but what will he do when he faces a heartbroken Yamato? And just how will Takeo’s love story end?

Review:

And the series comes to a super sweet close.

Yamato and Takeo accept that she's moving away, and they accept having a long distance relationship. Everyone is surprised by her move, but they all believe they'll make it. Sunakawa tries to help by keeping Takeo distracted, and cheering him up.

But Takeo has Sunakawa. Yamato has her family, but she's struggling more. School is hard, she's not doing great, she misses Takeo, she can't understand anyone around her. It doesn't take much from Takeo to get her to admit this, though, which I liked. She's honest with him about it. Takeo freaks out in an awful way, though, and no one can understand him for it.

One of the best moments of this manga for sure, though, is when Sunakawa knocks some sense into Takeo. Literally. He needs it, and he understands why.

This all leads to a very sweet conclusion, which is no surprise.

I loved everything about this series. I hope we get more from these authors.

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

Manga Review: Haikyu!!, Volume 8, by Haruichi Furudate

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February 2017

Volumes: 27+

Spoilers?: Hinted.

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

Volume: 1. 7. 9.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Shoyo Hinata is out to prove that in volleyball you don't need to be tall to fly!

Ever since he saw the legendary player known as "the Little Giant" compete at the national volleyball finals, Shoyo Hinata has been aiming to be the best volleyball player ever! He decides to join the team at the high school the Little Giant went to—and then surpass him. Who says you need to be tall to play volleyball when you can jump higher than anyone else?

The Inter-High match between Karasuno and Aoba Johsai continues. Karasuno has dragged the game into a third set and is struggling to keep up their momentum. In a desperate move, Coach Ukai decides to bring out Tadashi Yamaguchi as a pinch server! Could this be the push Karasuno needs to keep the team’s hopes alive and beat Aoba Johsai?

Review:

We finally get to the end of the Blue Castle game. And it's a real long one. It's hard, and the outcome makes sense. Karasuno needs more practice, they still have a little ways to go. But it's a really close game.

I'm really enjoying seeing the teammate relationships. Everyone is getting to know each other better, getting used to each other, and thus we're getting to see their dynamics. After the big game, we get a little break, where everyone settles back into normal life. We see the third years make the decision whether to play in the last game of the year or not, given that they also need to be focusing on exams and college.

It looks like we might get to see some volleyball camp next? Either way, I'm really enjoying this so far.

I might have to try the anime next.

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

Manga Review: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Volume 2, by Masashi Kishimoto, Mikio Ikemoto, and Ukyo Kodachi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: September 5, 2017

Volumes: 3+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The ninja adventures continue with Naruto’s son, Boruto!

Naruto was a young shinobi with an incorrigible knack for mischief. He achieved his dream to become the greatest ninja in his village, and now his face sits atop the Hokage monument. But this is not his story... A new generation of ninja are ready to take the stage, led by Naruto's own son, Boruto!

Boruto gets through round two of the Chunin Exam and receives praise from his father. But what Naruto doesn’t know is that his son is cheating by using prohibited ninja tools. What will happen to Boruto when the truth is revealed? Meanwhile, darker forces are advancing behind the scenes…

Review:

In the first part of the volume, the competition continues. Boruto does rather well, only to be discovered for cheating. It's quite bad character on his part, and his reaction to being discovered only makes it worse. On the other hand, during this, he seems to be making a step forward in his relationship with his father.

But then that gets interrupted by some people after the animal inside Naruto, and there's some fighting, a kidnapping and rescuing. It all happens rather quickly, honestly. At the end of the volume, we're admidst another big fight scene, in the middle of yet another big reveal by the bad guys.

I don't care much for this series. I didn't care much for the original, though, to be honest. Plus, Boruto is such a whiny kid. Supposedly he grew in this volume, but I don't really see it.

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