Forum - View topicThe Spring 2020 Manga Guide
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
 Posts: 2611 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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It hasn't been posted yet, but it's in the "no brain cells required" realm of romance, which is about where my head is at this point. I was, however, counting Yuzu the Pet Vet in my hidden gems category. I didn't love reading it, but it's unquestionably well done, and if sad animal stories weren't my personal button, I'd absolutely be reading more of it. But they are so I'm not.  I really admire you for working as a vet tech, Psycho 101. I know I couldn't do it.
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Sailor Sedna
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Well, now it looks like good titles are coming in, My Roomie Is a Dino and Yuzu the Pet Vet look like the best ones so far.
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Twage
Posts: 358 Location: North Bergen, NJ |
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I'm not trolling you; I'm just saying that even a cliche can be executed well. Totoro is a perfect example of a good absent dad/sick mom story, and so is Yuzu. Maybe give it a shot before you rip on it. |
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar  Posts: 16939 |
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Right about now no brain cells required sounds like a mighty fine thing. Heavy topics right now....I got my fill with real world things. So I'll be waiting to see what this title of yours is. I also don't need another "I'm overpowered but died and got reincarnated as a god but can't equip my armor so my mom came and gave me campbell's chunky soup so now i can summon my skills" Isekai manga. I think I'll add Yuzu to my list to check out at a later date. Perhaps when things are quite going to hell in a hand basket. Thank you btw. Honestly, there are many parts of the job that are quite hard and get to me. Even after many years of doing this. Still, most days the positives outweigh the negatives. |
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar Posts: 16939 |
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On a moderator's note let's keep it civil please.
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Kosaka
Posts: 239 |
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It's a small point, but in Rebecca Silverman's review she says Nightschool: The Weirn Books Collector's Edition, Vol. 1 "combines the first two of six books". It combines the first two of four books. There is a third book, but it's not a combination of two books in the original series, but it's a newly written single volume that looks like it's part of a new trilogy. I went to Svetlana Chmakova's ANN page and clicked on the link to her website, and its main page had these two posts:
ANN, Nightschool: The Weirn Books (OEL manga): manga#17638 ANN, Svetlana CHMAKOVA: person#49422 Svetlania (Svetlana Chmakova): https://svetlania.com |
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russ869
Posts: 423 |
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Yeah, there was definitely some of that nihilistic "humans are garbage" message in the original, but Ichio Itano definitely pumped it up and made it a lot more ridiculous and preachy. For example these monologues (which I used to like a lot when I was a teenage edgelord, but now seem pretty silly) don't happen in the manga. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmipdUAAGqU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUHEzBt4SRo&feature=youtu.be&t=116 Also while the anime depicts the GANTZ players in the first story arc as simply horrible people indulging their innate violent impulses, the manga is a little more nuanced in exploring how people cope and rationalize extreme actions when in a situation they don't understand. For example characters ponder about if somehow they've been controlled through post-hypnotic suggestion, or if the entire thing is an "Eichmann test." In other words a psychological experiment to see if people would be willing to commit horrible acts when instructed to by an authority figure such as a reality TV show producer. Although, all that turns out to be the wishful delusions strung along by the cruel and sadistic Nishi screwing with them. |
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whiskeyii
 Posts: 2247 |
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I have! I even bought the second volume to go with the first!  I think it feels like Basara meets Yona of the Dawn, so it was perfect for me. Though I will admit, I stumbled on it as part of a Viz ad on Facebook and was drawn in by the pretty cover art. ^^; Despite only having three chapters in this volume over the usual four, it did feel like the chapters were longer and denser than what I’m typically used to, which was nice, but it does kind of feel like the author intended the first volume to be four chapters, because the volume ends fairly abruptly. My only real concern is that the author seems to do relatively short series, and this feels like the kind of story that’s very large in scope, but what I’ve read I heartily enjoyed.
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
Posts: 2611 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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Well, do we have a series of brainless romance manga for you! Yeah, those "romance comics" that The White Rose and the Black Lion is part of are what I was talking about. The one we reviewed for the Guide is one of my least favorites, unfortunately, and there are a truly staggering amount that for unknown reasons are about "sheiks" (in the way only romances can be, i.e. completely unrelated to reality), but for the most part they're a true guilty pleasure. |
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar Posts: 16939 |
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I can see what you mean about The White Rose and the Black Lion. It looks like it's definitely sort of cookie cutter in the vein of the typical romance genre. Which is not a bad thing per se. If you want nice easy brainless but enjoyable reading this would fit the bill. If you wanted a more substantial romance there's always Emma. I think I'll actually check this out, and also look on my kindle for some others. Truth be told I've been reading more various types of romance books the past few months. I'm in a few book clubs on Goodreads and one in particular is UF, Fantasy, & Sci-Fi based. A lot of the ladies read various cheesy romance or paranormal romance books. I've started reading many myself to join in the conversations, and because sometimes cheesy fluff is easier to digest than super serious characters and world ending plots. Plus I secretly have an affinity for gooey sweet holiday stories. Every Dec/Jan I read through a boat load of those Hallmark quality stories. Which btw if you like those you should check out Hope at Christmas by Nancy Naigle. It features a used bookstore as a main plot point. Not going to touch Caste Heaven with a 10 foot pole. Having been the subject of bullies and a caste like system growing up (not castes per se, but definitely a high school where there were "levels" you fit into) this completely turns me off. The fact of using that sort of system in regards to a romance or consent....yea no thanks. That's right up there with possibly falling for the guy who got your mom arrested and led to her death. Hell’s Paradise does interest me some. It seems almost like a Battle Royale or BTOOOM type story, but with ninjas/assassins. It sounds like it could be another nice "no brain cells" required manga. Albeit in a much different capacity. Basically in the vein of a summer action movie where you go to simply see car chases, fights, and explosions. Speaking of which I think I'll watch Bad Boys for Life later today. Can't get much more summer action and brainless than that. |
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TarsTarkas
 Posts: 5838 Location: Virginia, United States |
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Demon Lord Retry
I agree with what the two reviewers said for the most part. For my part, I loved the humor and the two main characters. I watched the anime first, just started reading the manga. Might have to switch to the light novels. As to the disempowerment comments. This was a live by the sword, die by the sword moment. What he should have done and was well into his rights to do, was kill her. If this was the real world, in that time period, that is most likely what would have happened. This trinity of sisters were not presented as nice people. The second sister is a piece of work. Yes this series does not take it self all that serious, but perhaps the Demon Lord, with his adult modern sensibilities decided to show a bit of mercy to what looks like a little girl. But, if you go around killing people because you can, what happens when you attack someone who can bite back, well you die. But at the very least you have to be punished, and he punished her like a child would be punished. Sure it seems like it is going to be a running joke, and I'll give you that. |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
Posts: 2611 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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They really are great for just sort of...going blah but getting that guaranteed happy ending. I started reading them when I was being beaten up at school on the regular, and they're just...well, the dessert of the book world, I think. Not that there aren't some that aren't genuinely good literature - K.J. Charles' queer romances are really well researched and written and Mary Balogh's historicals are frankly beautiful - but they're mostly just light and fun. I definitely favor the historicals over contemporaries, especially the Regency-set ones. The manga romance comics I've liked the best thus far are Flower Crowns from the Knight (set in the same time and place as Arte) and The Fairy and the Mercenary, but the one I read most recently, by Mick Takeuchi, who had a couple of series released in English at one point, Serenade of the Pirate King was particularly silly and fun. Seduction on a Snowy Night is a good holiday-themed romance anthology. It was on sale on kindle a little while ago. |
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar Posts: 16939 |
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For me at school it was the high fantasy books. Dragonlance. Valdemar. Redwall. That or space operas. Quite the difference. I checked and kindle has each The Fairy and the Mercenary, Flower Crowns from the Knight, and Serenade of the Pirate King. Added them to my list and I'll wait and see if they go on sale at any point. As for Seduction on a Snowy Night it is not on sale anymore. BUT! My county does has a copy on Overdrive for e-book rental. I will say for these sorts of books a HEA ending is basically a requirement for me. Part of the appeal is the shut down brain aspect, and part is just for the "feels". So I don't want a non HEA ending with those. |
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Ashen Phoenix
 Posts: 2912 |
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I'd read some of Caste Heaven and I feel the reviewers' distaste is well-founded. It's a deeply toxic premise that is fetishized for sure. I'm happy for anyone who finds enjoyment in it; for me, I think I connected more with Ten Count so it was interesting to see them mentioned in the same breath.
This is certainly a hotly debated guide this year. |
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Beansprout Midget
Posts: 145 |
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It's about time Jigokuraku got a release state-side. I'm surprised this hasn't caught on yet in popularity, and I'm even more upset that as the manga appears to be wrapping up, there is no anime announcement in sight. This manga is quickly becoming one of my favorite and most memorable series in recent years, even joining my coveted Spirit Circle club.
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