Review — Manga
Filters
All
Text-only Compact View
Text-only List View
Text-only Grid View
List View with Images
Grid View with Images
Ragna Crimson Manga Volume 11 Review
Ragna Crimson volume 11 effectively ends the first major arc of the manga and encapsulates all of the strengths and struggles of what has come thus far.
― Ragna Crimson Volume 11 effectively ends the first major arc of the manga and encapsulates the strengths and struggles of what has come thus far. The volume is essentially broken into three pieces: the battle, a flashback with Ultimatia and Wolteka...
Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint Volume 1 Manhwa Review
This is for the ones who knew the Red Wedding was coming, gleefully chuckled when the film Bridge to Terabithia grossly misled parents, and always read the book before seeing the movie.
― This one's for the smug readers, the ones who knew the Red Wedding was coming, who gleefully chuckled when the film for Bridge to Terabithia grossly misled parents as to what it was about, and who always read the bo...
Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons Graphic Novel Review
It's kaiju and pirates in this ahistorical take on the dragons found on old treasure maps—but it doesn't quite deliver on its fantastic elevator pitch.
― The elevator pitch for Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons is fantastic—a voyage of Sir Francis Drake to find the Dead Bishop's treasure, only to find forbidden seas filled with the kaiju of the Godzilla franchise, presented as a pirate's tall tale by a...
Rooming With My Two Lovers Volume 1 Manga Review
Rooming With My Two Lovers does something that I wish a lot more BL stories would do: the characters sit down and have a proper conversation like adults.
― Rooming With My Two Lovers is a series that I wouldn't say I liked when it started. In many ways, it falls into the typical conventional trappings you'd see in most other adult BL stories. There is this emphasis on teasing and gaslighting in a way...
My Ultramarine Sky Manga Review
My Ultramarine Sky is a slow burn, which may drag for some readers, but it's ultimately a very rewarding reading experience.
― Nagisa Furuya excels at writing gentle, yearning BL stories. Her previously released titles, The Two Lions from Seven Seas and My Summer of You from Kodansha, have demonstrated this knack, and My Ultramarine Sky is no exception. The story follows two friends, Kai and Ren, who...
A Kingdom of Quartz Manga Volume 1 Review
Sometimes, with an exceptional manga, all it takes is a few pages to fall hopelessly in love.
― Sometimes, with an exceptional manga, all it takes is a few pages to fall hopelessly in love. That was my early experience with Canadian mangaka BOMHAT's first published manga A Kingdom of Quartz. I'd describe it as Witch Hat Atelier meets Haibane Renmei by way of The Ugly Duckling. Initially published (wi...
Blood Blade Volume 1 Manga Review
Fans of The Case Study of Vanitas and Undead Girl Murder Farce are likely to find much to enjoy in this classic monsters-turned-manga characters tale.
― Chapter two of this dark supernatural fantasy begins with the words, "Why does Vlad the Impaler look like a young girl?" The obvious, facetious answer that immediately springs to mind is "because Japan." If Oda Nobunaga can be reborn in multiple form...
Kowloon Generic Romance Manga Volume 1-6 Review
What started as a lushly drawn nostalgia piece about a long-gone city soon delves into sci-fi mystery material and a burgeoning sense of dread.
― This is one of those mystery-focused manga that's almost impossible to discuss without some significant spoilers for at least the first volume. Author Jun Mayuzuki holds her cards incredibly close to her chest, so if there's even a chance you'd consider rea...
The Blue Wolves of Mibu Volume 1 Manga Review
Soon to be an anime series, The Blue Wolves of Mibu is a safe bet for fans of the Shinsengumi historical subgenre.
― The Shinsengumi is pretty inescapable in Japanese fiction, and I fully admit that most of my reading about them in the manga and visual novel sphere has been on the shōjo side – the Hakuouki franchise and the incomparable Kaze Hikaru, in particular. But there's undoubtedly more than ju...
A Returner's Magic Should Be Special Volumes 1-3 Manhwa Review
Despite hitting a lot of very familiar beats, there's something about A Returner's Magic Should Be Special that's incredibly readable.
― Despite hitting a lot of very familiar beats, there's something about A Returner's Magic Should Be Special that's incredibly readable. Yes, our hero Desir Herrman is the typical overpowered protagonist seen in so many isekai and time loop stories, and yes, he's faci...
Love, a Kitten, and a Salty Dog Manga Review
Love, a Kitten, and a Salty Dog is, by and large, a pleasant read, but it feels like a story that was shoved into a one-volume format when it might have benefitted from having two.
― BL series about veterinarians seems to be a budding, if not booming, subgenre. Alongside Therapy Game and Honey Darling we now have Seven Seas' release of Love, a Kitten, and a Salty Dog. Like Honey Darling (released by ...
Tokyo These Days Volume 1 Manga Review
Taiyo Matsumoto turns his talents to exploring the manga field from various creative angles and the inescapable hold creative work (and manga, in particular) has on us.
― Many authors and illustrators have tried to write about what it means to work in a creative field. For my money, John Kendrick Bangs' 1896 novel A Rebellious Heroine best captures the writing life, and that's illustrious company for...
My Boss Is a Giant: He Manages My Every Need With Enormous Skill! Manga Review
Unfortunately, the steamy story is undermined by abandoned plot threads leaving fairly non-graphic sex scenes to entice readers.
― The title says it all as far as major content warnings go with this one: it's a romance manga about a woman who becomes involved with her boss. It's hardly novel in the genre, but it's also one of those tropes that doesn't work for all readers, so the good news is that yo...
Tekkonkinkreet: Black & White 30th Anniversary Edition Manga Review
Taiyō Matsumoto's Tekkonkikreet is a powerful manga, one unique and beautiful in its off-beat presentation and heartbreaking/warming in its characters and themes.
― I knew next to nothing about Taiyō Matsumoto or his work before reading Tekkonkikreet, and with the manga in question, I only knew of Treasure Town, coming across it when looking up cool anime cities. I'm glad I ended up going in blind to...
Pokemon Adventures: Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Volume 1 Manga Review
This manga is best read with prior knowledge of the characters and the base games, but inside is a worthwhile, fast-paced adventure.
― I will always take advantage of any opportunity to talk about the Pokémon Adventures manga because I genuinely think it is fantastic. Composed of dozens of volumes, the Pokémon Adventures manga series is the closest thing that fans have to a dedicated expansion of the...
The White and Blue Between Us Manga Review
This is only a one-volume story, and it simply doesn't have the space to give us the needed depth of emotion, especially for lead character Mishima.
― So many love stories in fiction begin or end with a lie. That's not surprising when you think about the genre; its very nature means that any antagonistic actions need to be either ridiculously huge (kidnapping, war, etc.) or small enough to be a fixtu...
Ako and Bambi Volume 1 Manga Review
From one the creators behind Horimiya, an up-and-coming writer meets a ghost haunting his new apartment, but there are still mysteries lingering behind her death.
― You may recognize HERO as one of the creators behind Horimiya, and for some readers, that will be enough to merit picking this up. But Ako and Bambi's first volume stands on its own two feet even without that endorsement, and it is striki...
God Bless the Mistaken Volume 1 Manga Review
Bloom Into You's Nio Nakatani is no one-trick pony as she takes on a gentle slice of magic realism life tale in God Bless the Mistaken.
― Sometimes, a creator works on a series that is so good that it risks shadowing all of their other works. For Nio Nakatani, that series is Bloom into You, and fans of that one might find themselves a little dismayed that God Bless the Mistaken isn't a similar gentle...
Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You Volume 1 Manga Review
The award-winning manga hinges on the humorous rapport between an overworked salaryman and the biker-chic woman who smokes behind the supermarket.
― Let me start by admitting that I think cigarette smoking (in fact, any kind of nicotine inhalation, whether cigar smoking, e-cig vaping, or snuff… uh… snuffing?) is gross. It's not just the myriad of horrific health complications, nor the hideous stench ...
holoX MEETing! Volume 1 Manga Review
This is probably a must-buy for holoX fans. However, I think it also functions perfectly well on its own.
― VTubers have exploded as a form of online entertainment in the past couple of years and it makes sense why. On a corporate and professional level, they have tapped into the appeal of mainstream idol cultures. This has given birth to various forms of media, from music to animations and even mang...
Taking Care of God Manga Review
Like the best science fiction, Taking Care of God posits an absurd situation to illuminate our present or near future: how will we care for our aging population?
― Fans of Chinese sci-fi may recognize the name Cixin Liu, the Hugo award-winning author of the short story that inspired this manga. The 2019 theatrical adaptation of his novel The Wandering Earth broke records as the highest-domestic-gross...
All You Want, Whenever You Want Manga Review
If you want your BL to be equal parts graphic raunchiness and sweet romance, All You Want, Whenever You Want is the perfect recipe.
― If there's one thing I very much appreciate about Tokyopop's current incarnation (apart from the fact that they've been doing quite well with their BL licensing choices), it's how they list content warnings on their product pages. Rather than simply noting that a book ...
Whoever Steals This Book Volume 1 Manga Review
A manga about fiction coming to life, Whoever Steals This Book's art for each new fictional world is distinct and captivating.
― Fiction about fiction is a weird, woolly, postmodern fantasy genre I tend to enjoy. The best examples from the Western comic oeuvre I can think of would either be Neil Gaiman's The Sandman or Mike Carey's The Unwritten. Both play with the structures and tropes of fantasy st...
Gazing at the Star Next Door Volume 1 Manga Review
Gazing at the Star Next Door takes on a coziness and warmth that many other series lack. If you like sweet shoujo goodness, this is a series to pick up.
― With this second series released in English, Ammitsu has officially become one of my favorite creators. In Gazing at the Star Next Door, she takes the childhood friend trope, combines it with the celebrity romance, and somehow manages to come out w...
In the Name of the Mermaid Princess Volume 1 Manga Review
Yoshino Fumikawa and Miya Tashiro's manga tackles ableism and racism via a fantasy lens.
― In the kingdom of Blognig, it doesn't do to be anything but human. People born with animal features are not tolerated, even though they're a perfectly natural occurrence. Even if neither parent has them, and according to both law and custom, such "unhumans" are transported to other, more tolerant countries. Pos...
What's Wrong with Secretary Kim? Volumes 1-3 Manhwa Review
A kidnapping incident, a possible romantic triangle, and family business politics make What's Wrong with Secretary Kim? a page-turner.
― Although there are plenty of differences between manga and manhwa, a modern trend seems true for both: originating as a novel. What's Wrong with Secretary Kim? began its life that way in 2013. GyeongYun Jeong's book has been adapted into a live-action television ser...
Gachiakuta Manga Volume 1 Review
Gachiakuta looks like a promising entry to satisfy readers with Mad Max-esque itch.
― From the outset, Gachiakuta's heavily graffiti-inspired art is striking – with deceptively simple and immediately cool-looking character designs depicted with clean, thick line-work contrasting with a grimy, lived-in world. The opening chapter, in particular, plays with perspective and warped proportions to instantl...
All About My Two Dads Manga Review
Together, the two men struggle with the highs and lows of raising a child in a story that, despite its title, is much more about being human than anything else.
― Ask any parent, and they'll tell you – raising a child isn't easy. It doesn't matter what your gender or sexual orientation is or if it's your first or fifth baby; every child is their own person. Roji's All About My Two Dads takes this tru...
Ennead Manhwa Volume 1 Review
Ennead is undoubtedly a must-read if you're interested in Ancient Egypt and its mythology, but it's also just an interesting story in its own right.
― Although it isn't fair to say that Egyptian mythology gets no exposure in pop culture, it certainly doesn't have the same recognizability as Greco-Roman or Norse mythologies regarding ancient cultures. Authors like Pauline Gedge and Danielle S. LeBlanc...
Steel of the Celestial Shadows Volume 1 Manga Review
This slow-burn supernatural series will test reader's patience, but the reveal is worth the wait.
― Perspective is everything. That's more than just a pat statement in the case of samurai Konosuke Ryudo, who has suffered (as he sees it) from an inability to interact with metal since childhood. In his mind, it's a curse – he's a samurai who can't use a steel blade, a man who can't even get a close sha...
Witch's Life in a Micro Room Manga Volume 1 Review
Witch Life in a Micro Room is about standing out while not standing out. It's a story that effectively combines the slice-of-life, fantasy, and underdog genres in a digestible package.
― Have you ever felt outdated? Have you ever felt like you were constantly being compared to those more marketable than you? This is an existential crisis that most of us go through in this world of social media and in...
King in Limbo Omnibus 1 Manga Review
From the creator Apple Children of Aeon, Ai Tanaka, comes a fascinating story if you're up for reading about a pandemic.
― It's important to note that King in Limbo was originally published in 2017, before the COVID-19 pandemic, making this feel just a teensy bit prescient. Predicting conspiracy theories surrounding a global pandemic is probably no great feat. It reads differently today than it would...
MARRIAGETOXIN Volume 1 Manga Review
When everything is so bloodthirsty, and everyone has an ulterior motive, you appreciate the mundane much more, which gets us into the mindset of our protagonists very well.
― What's more dangerous, living life as a deadly assassin or trying to find the love of your life as quickly as possible? I can't speak for everybody, but I'm pretty sure the answer to that question would be the latter if we were ...
Love Murder Basketball Volume 1 Manga Review
While certain story elements will be hard to stomach, Love Murder Basketball is a story of abuse and how it can shape a person's affection.
― Love Murder Basketball is a story of abuse and how it can shape a person's affection. The pacing is breakneck, with a bland presentation at first glance. There isn't much shading to the designs or environments, but there is attention to detail when artist Tsund...
Villains are Destined to Die Manhwa Review
Well-written, making use of actual game mechanics in ways that benefit the story, Villains are Destined to Die is simply a good series.
― How many times has this happened to you? You're reading an isekai story that takes place in an otome game, but as you go on, you begin to realize that the story's creator has never played an otome game. Maybe it's the weird way they talk about game mechanics, or ma...
True Beauty Manhwa Volume 1-3 Review
True Beauty is the newest addition to the category of media I think of as "I know it's popular, but I really don't see why."
― I've gotten the feeling that part of my reaction to True Beauty may be due to unfair expectations from the English title. The original Korean title, which translates literally to The Rise of a Goddess, may give a more accurate impression. The phrase "true beauty" evokes the ...
Fairy Tail Manga Omnibus Volume 1 Review
If Rave Master was the series that gave Hiro Mashima his first dose of fame, then Fairy Tail was the series that launched his popularity into the stratosphere.
― It's hard to believe that Fairy Tail is almost 20 years old. If Rave Master was the series that gave Hiro Mashima his first dose of fame, then Fairy Tail was the series that launched his popularity into the stratosphere. While the franchise ...
Lord Hades's Ruthless Marriage Manga Volume 1 Review
It was only a matter of time until we got a manga based on the myth of Hades and Persephone. Yūho Ueji's manga shows they certainly did their research.
― It was only a matter of time until we got a manga based on the myth of Hades and Persephone. Even if we discount the popularity of world mythology-based Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon, that particular myth has been making the round...
Bergamot & Sunny Day Manga Review
This manga about a romance between a 40-something boss and his 20-something employee isn't the strongest BL manga to come out in recent months, but it is a good enough one
― According to twenty-three-year-old Riku, he's terrible at relationships. That means he's never managed to be in one for over three months, with all ending with his boyfriend breaking up with him. Typically, it's for the same host...
How I Met My Soulmate Volume 1 Manga Review
It's hard to pinpoint what precisely doesn't work here, but I think it comes down to lead character Yuuki herself.
― Anashin's first English-translated series, Waiting for Spring, may not have been anything overtly special in shoujo romance, but it was delightful and addictive to read. So far, that's not quite true of her subsequent work, How I Met My Soulmate, although it's still a good book. The se...
The Oblivious Saint Can't Contain Her Power Manga Volume 1 Review
This story has some real potential, so if you like an underdog tale, it's worth checking out.
― Flora has a lot to answer for. Flora, the older sister of heroine Carolina, has spent all of Carolina's sixteen years drumming the idea that she's a disappointment and a disaster into her sister's head. In public, Flora presents the perfect picture of both a saint-apparent and a loving older sister, but th...
When I Became a Commoner, They Broke Off Our Engagement! Manga Volume 1 Review
Message to the reader: When I Became a Commoner, They Broke Off Our Engagement suffers from what I think of as Light Novel Title Syndrome.
― Message to the reader: When I Became a Commoner, They Broke Off Our Engagement suffers from what I think of as Light Novel Title Syndrome. This is when a book is given a title that ought to be nothing more than overly descriptive but turns out to be misleading. ...
Since I Could Die Tomorrow Manga Volume 1 Review
Two women confront the onset of menopause and what reaching that particular age means, socially and emotionally.
― There's a reason why menopause is spoken of as The Change. The cessation of a woman's fertility and the exit from the menstrual cycle is traditionally, as with most things to do with the female reproductive system, considered at best mildly shameful and often becomes an excuse to make jo...
Neighborhood Story Manga Volume 1 Review
At long, long last, Neighborhood Story is available in English. Find out why this manga is such a triumph.
― At long, long last, Neighborhood Story is available in English. Why is that such a triumph? Apart from the fact that it's one of Ai Yazawa's best titles, it's also the story that comes directly before Paradise Kiss, so if you like that one, you need to read this one to get a fuller picture of ...
The Shiunji Family Children Volume 1 Manga Review
Is this a story about siblings realizing there's more to being a sibling than blood? Is this a story about teens realizing that blood was the only thing holding them back from hooking up?
― The Shiunji Family Children is a very well-drawn and well-presented manga. The character designs aren't anything flashy, but everyone is very distinct from one another, with a substantial amount of detail present....
Devil Is a Part-Timer! Official Comic Anthology Manga Review
It isn't perfect, but most of them have a real understanding of the original material and a clear love for it. I wouldn't call it a must-read, but it is a treat if you're a franchise fan.
― Regarding the three recent releases of official comic anthologies, The Devil is a Part-Timer! Official Comic Anthology falls in between Sasaki and Miyano's and Mieruko-Chan's offerings. That means that most of the...
Higurashi When They Cry: GOU Anthology Comic Manga Review
This compilation is best when it abandons the usual Higurashi setting and tone for something completely different.
― Welcome back to Hinamizawa in the summer of 1983, where things are looking a little…different. Released to accompany (or at least celebrate) the anime sequel to Higurashi: When They Cry GOU, SOTSU, the Higurashi When They Cry: GOU Anthology Comic collects nine stories that stick to the...
Fist of the North Star Manga Volumes 9-10 Review
This is the grandest entry in the series yet, a flawless entry in the canon of shonen fighting manga. But like with any great warrior, there lies a tragic weakness in its invincibility.
― Fist of the North Star Volume 10 is the grandest entry in the series yet, a flawless entry in the canon of shonen fighting manga. But like with any great warrior, there lies a tragic weakness in its invincibility. I...
How to Treat a Lady Knight Right Manga Volume 1 Review
This manga tries to make something fundamental the primary focus without doing anything else. Check out other recommendations before this one because our lives are too short to waste on something so dry.
― How to Treat a Lady Knight Right is a series that accomplishes everything that it wants to. The problem is that everything done in this volume has been done in dozens of other stories, and that's b...
One More Step, Come Stand by My Side Manga Review
Takeda's detailed art helps to highlight her versatility when it comes to length and genre, and every story in the book is unique.
― Toryumon Takeda is a relative newcomer to manga, but One More Step, Come Stand by My Side should make us hope she'll stick around for a while. This collection of seven short stories of varying lengths shows a versatile and creative creator. While not all of them make a ...
Kiss the Scars of the Girls Volume 1 Manga Review
With its combination of a dark story and yearning romance, this is an exciting treat for Class S yuri fans and one worth checking out for all yuri readers.
― Regarding genre combinations, "vampire" and "Class S" may not be the most obvious pairings, but they work surprisingly well in Aya Haruhana's Kiss the Scars of the Girls. It takes the trappings of classic Class S yuri – the isolated girls' schoo...
At 30, I Realized I Had No Gender Manga Review
At 30, I Realized I Had No Gender is the open, frank, and honest discussion that sticks with you. If you're looking for a book that doesn't hold back and just speaks its mind about its creator's experiences as a human being, pick this up.
― There's a lot that we don't always know about ourselves. Sometimes, that's because we genuinely don't know something genetic about our bodies, as happened to crea...
Kafka Manga Review
Drawn by the brother-sister team known as Kyōdai Nishioka, this avant-garde works as an introduction to Kafka's works for the uninitiated looking an abstract reading experience.
― Pushkin Press isn't a publisher many of us think of when looking for manga, off the beaten path or otherwise. They aren't entirely off the radar, though – while their main imprint publishes contemporary Japanese fiction, th...
Spy×Family Manga Volume 10 Review
This volume of Spy×Family sets a stark contrast to previous entries, even forgoing its usual chair motif to show young Loid perched on war-torn debris.
― While Spy×Family has always done a good job of lightly masking its more serious elements, this volume hit me right in the generational trauma. Eschewing its more typical "banter with a dose of emotional heft" style, this book opens with the reveal o...
Ragna Crimson Volumes 9-10 Manga Review
Ragna Crimson manages to do the unthinkable and rise even further, delivering an amazing read full of tension, drama, and comedy without leaning fully on its traditional strengths in art and action.
― Ragna Crimson Volumes 9 and 10 manage to do the unthinkable and rise even further, in my estimation, delivering an amazing read full of tension, drama, and comedy without leaning fully on its traditiona...
Tokyo Aliens Manga Vol. 3-4 Review
This marked a turning point for Tokyo Aliens; things are starting to pick up. Everything feels greatly expanded: the cast, the mystery, the scenes, the emotional texture, and the action as well.
― I think these volumes marked a turning point for me in terms of my enjoyment of Tokyo Aliens. With the first two volumes, I found myself just sort of passively reading without much interest, but now things ...
After We Gazed at the Starry Sky Manga Volume 1 Review
This cozy BL read focuses on Subaru, a disabled graphic designer and astrophotographer Tougo as they navigate a budding relationship.
― It's always good – and important – to see representation in our fiction. It can help those of us who don't quite fit the mold of “normal” to find solace and enhance our imaginations, to show that no matter who we are, we can have adventures. Bisco Kida's BL romance A...
Why I Adopted My Husband Manga Review
Same-sex marriage is not legal in most of Japan, and same-sex couples have to find ways around the lack of legal marital status to have those basic couple rights, and this slim autobiographical manga is about one of them: adoption.
― As of June 8, 2023, same-sex marriage was still illegal in Japan, making it the only G7 country without protections for same-sex couples, according to Reuters. Those pro...
My Happy Marriage Manga Volumes 2-4 Review
Anime fans! If you enjoyed the Netflix series, there are unique developments and characterizations that make the manga volumes worth your time.
― It isn't often that a story can be just as good in all of its various adaptations, but Akumi Agitogi's My Happy Marriage is that rare case. The original light novels, anime, and manga all bring something a little different to the table, and all three of the...
I Don't Need a Happy Ending Manga Review
I Don't Need a Happy Ending is collection of unrelated short stories about women trying to find love together and sometimes falling short of the mark.
― Content Warning: this work contains sexual assault and mention of suicide ideation. Yuri readers may already be familiar with Mikanuji's work – I Don't Need a Happy Ending is the third to get an English release, following Assorted Entanglements and N...
Hi Score Girl Manga Vol. 9-10 Review
Hi Score Girl remains the same, and that's a solid positive. It shows Rensuke Oshikiri's deftness with the pen, as writing conflicts with increasing stakes that still predominantly work within the same fundamental elements is a serious challenge.
― Note: There are minor spoilers for the finale of the manga in this review, so if you wish to avoid any reveals, the short version is that they're good, an...
Persona 4 Arena GN 1-3 Review
Persona 4 Arena gives the spotlight to Yosuke and he is forced figure out if he has really changed or not—and in the process step out of Yu's shadow and become an independent hero all his own.
― Persona 4 Arena is based on the 2012 fighting game of the same name. However, it's simply not possible to do a one-to-one adaptation of that game. Instead of having a single, unified story, the game's story i...
Record of Lodoss War: The Crown of the Covenant GN 1-3
The only negative comment our reviewer could find with this manga series is that there isn't more of it.
― The original Record of Lodoss war is a classic fantasy epic following several groups of adventurers as they attempt to save their war-torn land from everything up to and including evil emperors and dark gods. The Crown of the Covenant, on the other hand, centers its story on a single family: the...
I Don't Know Which Is Love GN 1
I Don't Know Which Is Love is all about wallowing in the delirious indecision of being the cheese in a quintuple-decker girlburger, and has no patience for anything approaching subtlety.
― It's not too often we get a full-on yuri harem manga, and this first volume is eager to show off both of those aspects immediately. By about page three, before we even hit the table of contents, our love-lorn heroi...
A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom GN 1
This is also a very nice acknowledgment that magic can't solve all of your problems. Sena will need to overcome her agoraphobia, second life or no.
― Most reincarnated characters granted a second life in another world take the opportunity to start over completely, no matter what their issues were back in ours. But Sena is different. During her first eighteen years in Japan, she suffered from agorapho...
Mermaid Melody: Pichi Pichi Pitch Aqua GN 1
Is it odd to license a sequel manga when the original has been out of print for years and its anime adaptation never got licensed?
― Is it odd to license a sequel manga when the original has been out of print for years and its anime adaptation never got licensed? Undoubtedly yes, especially since the first Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch from 2003 wasn't particularly well received by critics when it...
The Essence of Being a Muse GN 1
What if Blue Period was less enamored with art history and the nitty-gritty of making art and more about an artist beaten down by perceived failures, trying to get into art school five years after she was rejected?
― What if Blue Period was less enamored with art history and the nitty-gritty of making art and more about an artist beaten down by perceived failures, trying to get into art school five y...
My Mate Is a Feline Gentleman GN
This book is a story about finding acceptance and love for who you are, not what society says you are.
― Although romance as a genre, in both manga and novels, has been expanding its boundaries in terms of what makes it to mainstream publishing, both omegaverse and furry (as opposed to shifter) titles still face some headwinds when it comes to readership, or at least overt readership. That can make t...
The Reformation of the World as Overseen by a Realist Demon King GN 1
Creative battle strategies can't save this series from its bland protagonist and uninspired character designs.
― Power creep can be a nightmare. Don't get me wrong; I grew up with shows with some of the most absurd power scaling ever, and sometimes you want to see someone win a fight by hitting them really, really hard. But sometimes, less is more. Creating a story that relies more on strategy over b...
Heart Gear GN 1
Sci-fi fans will find a lot to love in this Isaac Asimov-inspired story about an artificial lifeform becoming human through its interactions with a human child
― Tsuyoshi Takaki says in his commentary that he wants people to question what we as humans see as "normal." That's a good summary of this volume - Roue, a girl of about eleven, is the only human in the story, and no one's quite sure how she e...
Cat-Eyed Boy: The Perfect Edition GN 1
Cat-Eyed Boy combines horror with an understanding of how people deemed to be Other by societies are isolated and ignored, using that to ponder what would happen if they struck back.
― While not entirely true, the easiest way to think of Cat-Eyed Boy is as a younger shounen version of Kazuo Umezz's Orochi, although given that this series dates to 1967 and Orochi to 1969 that's an imperfect comparison...
Mr. Villain's Day Off GN 1
Somewhere between Too Cute Crisis and Love After World Domination is a cozy little spot for Yuu Morikawa's Mr. Villain's Day Off.
― Somewhere between Too Cute Crisis and Love After World Domination is a cozy little spot for Yuu Morikawa's Mr. Villain's Day Off. It's almost a perfect combination of those other two titles: our nameless villain (his subordinates call him The General, being too afraid to...
The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses GN 3-4
There isn't much to say about The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses because it very much is “what you see is what you get.”
― Mostly, there isn't much to say about The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses because it very much is “what you see is what you get.” The story is a series of cute and sometimes comedic moments between two classmates, where one helps the other make it through the day due to their incr...
Choujin X GN 2-3
Choujin X volumes two and three are where the story begins to craft more of its own unique identity, visually and narratively.
― When I first reviewed volume one of Choujin X quite a while ago, it was hard to divorce the interesting premise from what I had seen in the creator's previous work, Tokyo Ghoul. This story revolves around a rather meek adolescent who gets drawn into the dark supernatural un...
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Memoria Freese GN 1
Adapting the non-canonical storyline Christmas Eve Träumerei, the story takes place during the Holy Night Festival in Orario, a thinly-veiled Christmas.
― Fans of the Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon franchise will already have figured out the key difference with this latest manga spinoff – rather than being based directly on Fujino Omori's light novels, it's rooted in the mobile game...
Offshore Lightning GN
Offshore Lightning is one of those books that you find yourself thinking about long after you've finished reading it.
― Drawn & Quarterly has done manga readers looking for something off the beaten commercial path a great service. They've consistently released volumes by creators who, if not always precisely avant-garde, always offer something that you're not likely to find in the pages of magazines ...
Villainess Level 99 GN 1
Reborn in another world, the joy of this story isn't in the well-worn ground it treads but rather in the villainess (or heroine?) Eumiella herself.
― You know what they say about the best-laid plans. Eumiella is fast discovering that that's more than just a comfortable aphorism because as a little girl, she realizes that she's somehow moved from her life as a Japanese university student to being a ch...
Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion GN 4
Pick up where the anime left off and find out why our reviewer gave this volume an A!
― It may not be strictly fair to say that the anime adaptation of Whale and Milcha's Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion stopped just before the story took off, but there are moments in this first volume that feel that way. Picking up after what Raeliana almost certainly thinks of as The Kiss and her encount...
Appare-Ranman! GN
While it doesn't serve as a replacement for the wonderful anime series, people who prefer a more-plot oriented than character-oriented route may prefer it.
― I find it genuinely tragic how Appare-Ranman has never really found much of an English-speaking audience since it premiered in 2020. With its energetic storytelling, charming ensemble cast, and unusual wild west setting, it has a lot to offer to...
Fist of the North Star GN 8-9
This is the distilled essence of page-turning comics depicting hot-blooded combat between super-powered warriors.
― Fist of the North Star Volumes 8 and 9 are, in my opinion, the high watermark of the entire manga and are essential reading for any fan of shōnen fighting series. In volume 8 we have the battle between Kenshiro and Souther. It is, to use modern parlance, the pinnacle. I mean, it's the p...
Wolverine: Snikt! GN
Wolverine: Snikt! is an interesting side dish that manages to wow visually while being mostly rote in every other respect.
― Wolverine: Snikt! is an interesting side dish that manages to wow visually while being mostly rote in every other respect. Wolverine: Snikt! – or simply Snikt! from here forward – was part of Marvel's rather short-lived Tsunami imprint and was originally published in 2003. This...
Saint? No! I'm Just a Passing Beast Tamer! GN 1
Saint? No! I'm Just a Passing Beast Tamer! is akin to a fluffy newborn kitten: Adorable and inherently charming but also prone to stumbling around and getting lost in places.
― One of many regular issues with the overpowering characters in the isekai series is motivation. So many times, our reincarnated heroes amassing of abilities, weapons, or allies/love interests are treated as an acquisitional go...
Higurashi: When They Cry - GOU GN 1
Does Higurashi: When They Cry: GOU need to exist? Not really.
― When a sequel or reboot of a finished series pops up, there's one very important question that we need to ask ourselves: did it, strictly speaking, need to happen? Sometimes the answer is yes; the 2023 reboot of Tokyo Mew Mew, Tokyo Mew Mew New, did tighten the storyline and have a particularly timely message, for example. With Higurashi...
The Summer Hikaru Died GN 1
The Summer Hikaru Died ties everything together into a cohesive story where longing, loneliness, and vulnerability feed into the sense of creeping dread.
― Recently, I've seen several social media posts playing with the well-worn horror concept of “came back different.” The basic form of the idea is that someone goes missing, dies, or otherwise becomes inaccessible. They return, and everyone rejoices...
Disney Twisted-Wonderland The Comic: Episode of Heartslabyul GN 1
I think this may be best enjoyed by those familiar with the source game rather than simply Disney's sources or the Disney films referenced. It's trying to be its own thing and not quite getting there.
― I am, quite possibly, the worst person to be reviewing this book. Is it because I haven't played the game? Maybe in part. But the true reason is that I have what I like to call an Alice Problem - an u...
Soichi: Junji Ito Story Collection GN
The divisive character makes for a series of loosely connected stories that ultimately asks the reader to believe a weird 11-year-old could get away with more and more contrived supernatural pranks.
― I might've just found one of my least favorite characters in all of fiction, which is saying a lot when considering how much media I have to consume for my job. Like other Junji Ito books I have covered...
Parallel World Pharmacy GN 1
A well-researched story with a likable lead, Parallel World Pharmacy proves that familiar doesn't have to mean boring.
― When it comes to stories that revolve around people traveling to or being reincarnated in another world, it can be challenging to develop a concept or gimmick that helps make the story feel unique. While the isekai genre is far from my favorite, I'm always curious to see what write...
Spider-Man: Fake Red GN
Fake Red uses its approach, a focus on masks and costumes, to dig into the concepts of putting up metaphorical masks or adopting a role or personality that isn't necessarily your own for the sake of self and social betterment.
― The proliferation of works like Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and its multiversal "Anyone can wear the mask" mantra has ushered in a whole horde of alternate-identity Spi...
Centaurs GN 1
Dark historical fantasy doesn't get much better than this.
― There are many ways I considered starting this review, but I think we'll go with one of the obvious: despite the notorious difficulties of drawing horses, Ryo Sumiyoshi excels. This isn't surprising when you consider his credentials; before creating Centaurs, Sumiyoshi was a creature designer for the Monster Hunter franchise. But it's still...
Goodbye, Eri GN
Imagine reading a story with love, tragedy, suspense, mystery, fantasy, and at least one mindfuck within 200 pages.
― In an era of perpetually ongoing franchises that don't know when to die, it's refreshing to read something that feels like the perfect example of a complete package. Imagine reading a story with love, tragedy, suspense, mystery, fantasy, and at least one mindfuck within 200 pages. The...
Until I Love Myself GN 1
By no means an easy read, this is a first-hand account of the manga author's life during some of the most difficult moments of gender confusion.
― Learning to love yourself can be hard. That is probably the understatement of the century, but I can't think of a better phrase that sums up Until I Love Myself. This is a first-hand account of the manga author's life during some of the most difficult mome...
Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement GN 1
Mitsuha has hatched the perfect isekai plan: sell modern Japanese goods in a medieval world and save, save, save! Rebecca checks out the manga version of the series to see if its worth its weight (in gold).
― Mitsuha has not been having a good couple of years. When she was in high school, her parents and older brother died in a car accident. While they left her enough to get by, she worries about pay...
Honey Lemon Soda GN 2
What sets Honey Lemon Soda apart from its brethren? It's the willingness to understand that it's not a quick or easy thing to break free of the things that haunt you.
― What sets Honey Lemon Soda apart from its brethren? It's the willingness to understand that, even with the help of the most popular boy in class, it's not a quick or easy thing to break free of learned behavior and the things that hau...
I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons GN 1
A grounded romance, I Hear the Sunspot continues to be a slow-burn that touches on an important message with disability representation.
― It is always worth waiting for a new entry in Yuki Fumino's I Hear the Sunspot BL series. Four Seasons is the latest subseries in the overall tale of Kohei and Taichi, and it continues to move time forward while dealing with the slow-growing nature of their relatio...
What This World Is Made Of GN 1
Chalk this one up to a "good idea, mediocre execution."
― Chalk this one up to a "good idea, mediocre execution." Shin Yamamoto's third English language release (following Sekiro Side Story: Hanbei the Undying and Monster Hunter Flash Hunter) tells the story of two brothers who have lost everything. First, their parents abandoned them as children, then they were shuffled around between relatives befo...
Don't Call It Mystery Omnibus 1
This omnibus contains three complete cases and the start of a fourth. All of them are intriguing in different ways, and each explores a different trope of detective fiction.
― But then what should you call it? Even creator Yumi Tamura says in her afterword that this series isn't a mystery, despite all evidence to the contrary: there are crimes, clues, and cops throughout the volume, with protagonist ...
For all articles, see the archives