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ANN Manga and Novel Summer Reading List 2026
Remember those summer reading lists you used to get as a kid? While they could have a few gems, for the most part, they weren't all that exciting. But what if your teachers had given you manga and light novels to read?
― Remember those summer reading lists you used to get as a kid? While they could have a few gems, for the most part, they weren't all that exciting. But what if your teachers had give...
Kingdom of Quartz Volumes 2-5 Manga Review
BOMHAT’s world is well thought out and existentially horrifying if one considers its details too closely.
― It's been over two years since I reviewed the first volume of Canadian author BOMHAT's gorgeous dark fantasy manga A Kingdom of Quartz, and re-reading it to prepare for reviewing its remaining four volumes reminded me of why I loved it so much in the first place. Thankfully, the author (mostly)...
The Prescience of Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell
When does science fiction start becoming reality? Kevin Cormack takes a trip through Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell to ascertain how much of its tech is on its way to the real world.
― There's a truism about science fiction in that it tends to say more about the era in which it was written than about the future it attempts to describe. The original 1960s Star Trek, for example, trailblazed con...
Natsume & Natsume Volume 2-10 Manga Review
They say looks can be deceiving, but actions also speak louder than words, and Natsume's actions far overshadow his intimidating demeanor.
― The "scary guy who actually has a heart of gold" trope has been done a lot, and I'll fault Natsume & Natsume for it because it occasionally falls into the predictable narrative beats often associated with that setup. There are parts in these volumes where Natsum...
Hide and Seek Manga Review
Naono Yoshiko’s line of '70s shoujo horror stories is as grisly, harrowing, and all-around entertaining a read as they come.
― My introduction to Hide and Seek went thusly: 70's shoujo manga focusing on children who meet horrible ends. I heard “70's” and “children who meet horrible ends” and immediately thought of Ringing Bell, which (cold take, I know, but) to this day is still my gold standard of o...
Magilumiere Co. Ltd. Volumes 1-12 Manga Review
Although it’s a bright and breezy magical girl manga with an adorable cast and plenty of fun, flashy battles, at its heart, Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. is a pointed criticism of dehumanizing mega-corporate culture.
― The dispiriting search for meaningful (or even merely paid) work is a depressing experience common to almost every twenty-something college graduate. Today's job market chews up and s...
This Week in Anime - Attack of the 50 Foot Women
There's just something about a woman who could squish you. Sylvia and Chris run down (up?) some of the giantesses of anime.
― There's just something about a woman who could squish you. Sylvia and Chris run down (up?) some of the giantesses of anime. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discussion ...
Thunder 3 Volumes 2-8 Manga Review
Thunder 3 is one of the most insane manga I’ve ever read, and it’s incredible.
― Thunder 3 is one of the most insane manga I've ever read, and it's incredible. It's a bizarre mash-up that I can only describe as “what if Crayon Shin-chan, but Gantz”. If that sounds like a wild combination, then it is. The first volume, which I reviewed for Manga Guide back in Fall 2024, certainly impressed me with its...
Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You Volumes 2-6 Manga Review
Author Jinushi seems to have taken more than a few leaves out of the Rumiko Takahashi book of “one step forward, two steps back” style of storytelling.
― How important is relationship progression to you regarding your enjoyment of romantic comedy manga? Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You's author Jinushi seems to have taken more than a few leaves out of the Rumiko Takahashi book of “one step for...
Read It First: Manga, Light Novel Sources for Summer 2026 Anime
From A Witch in Mongolia to a kaiju-sized girl, read Anime News Network's reviews of the original manga and light novels behind the upcoming summer anime season. Sponsored by BookWalker!
― It's hardly a rule that you have to read the source material before you watch the adaptation, but what if you want to? A decade ago, anime fans who wanted to read the manga or light novel before the show debuted w...
Ghost in the Shell: The Human Algorithm Volumes 1-8 Manga Review
Fujisaku’s work on Stand Alone Complex really shines through, as he absolutely nails the interpersonal banter between the lead characters in a way reminiscent of what made that series so iconic.
― For anyone new to legendary manga creator Masamune Shirow's expansive Ghost in the Shell (GitS) franchise, The Human Algorithm (THA) is absolutely not the correct place to start. First, go check out the abs...
The Ghost in the Shell Legacy Edition Box Set Manga Review
This is a premium product for those who already know what they’re getting, and it’s absolutely the best way to acquire Ghost in the Shell.
― Does The Ghost in the Shell franchise even need to be introduced? For fans of my generation, after Akira, the 1995 movie adaptation was one of the main gateway drugs into the anime medium. Dark Horse comics brought the manga to English readers during the same pe...
This Week in Anime - Basketball Anime is a Slam Dunk
Lucas and Coop honor the Knicks' historic win by looking at some of the best basketball that anime has to offer.
― Lucas and Coop honor the Knicks' historic win by looking at some of the best basketball that anime and manga has to offer. Crunchyroll streams Slam Dunk, Kuroko's Basketball, and Left-Hand Layup. Netflix streams Slam Dunk, The First Slam Dunk, and Kuroko's Basketball. Deep 3 manga Avail...
My Stepmother and Stepsisters Aren't Wicked Volumes 1-7 Manga Review
My Stepmother and Stepsisters Aren't Wicked is a frothy confection of a series, and consuming it a little at a time will help to allow its sweetness to come through.
― It's a story that's been around for millennia: a girl is thrust into a terrible situation after her mother's death, when her father remarries and her new stepmother and stepsisters resent her for the crime of merely existing. Sometimes...
Red River Omnibus 2-5 Manga Review
Red River is a work of epic fiction, shoujo manga style, and it's still worth reading thirty years after its original publication.
― Historical fiction doesn't always owe history fidelity, but Chie Shinohara absolutely gives it more than its due in Red River. Although she fudges history a bit – the inspiration for Yuri was likely the wife of one of Kail's successors, a woman named Puduhepa – and chan...
Dara-san of Reiwa Volume 1-3 Manga Review
Dara-san of Reiwa feels like two manga stitched together, not unlike its monstrous central character.
― How should readers approach Dara-san of Reiwa, a story that feels like two manga stitched together, not unlike its monstrous central character? Creator Haruomi Tomotsuka shared at the end of volume one that the story originated as a web manga and was, at least at first, an outlet for his own fetish...
Reform with No Wasted Draws - The Legend of Koizumi Volume 1 Manga Review
When a manga has a two-page disclaimer, you know you're in for a good time.
― When a manga has a two-page disclaimer, you know you're in for a good time. And let me tell you, Reform with No Wasted Draws - The Legend of Koizumi's first volume is a hell of a ride. My initial thought was, “Why bother with using real people?” but after reading this volume, I've come to understand why it was a much more e...
Saved By the Ice Cold Prince's Embrace Chapters 1-19 Manga Review
Despite treading this familiar ground, Saved by the Ice Cold Prince feels fresh.
― Once upon a time, there was a count. He had two daughters, one with his wife and one with a maid. The daughter of the countess was treated with love, affection, and care – probably too much. The maid's daughter, on the other hand, was treated with cruelty and harshness, made to live with her dying mother in a cold atti...
This Week in Anime - Back From Far Away
One kind of isekai is on the wane, but another, earlier form seems to be ascendant! Chris and Sylvia hop in their time machine for a look at when the genre was primarily aimed at girls.
― One kind of isekai is on the wane, but another, earlier form seems to be ascendant! Chris and Sylvia hop in their time machine for a look at when the genre was primarily aimed at girls. Disclaimer: The views and op...
Creating Wordless Manga
How did the winners of the Silver Prize in Kadokawa's Global Manga Contest come up with their wordless stories? We sat down with masterlynx and REKU to find out.
― For many manga fans, the dream of publishing in Japan feels like just that - a dream. This is doubly true if you don't read, write, or speak Japanese, and while there's absolutely nothing wrong with publishing in another country or an onli...
MAO Volume 24 Manga Review
Stuck in Natsuno's eye, Daigo never really had the same chance to move on from the bad old days like the rest of the Goko Clan remnants.
― As a young man once said, life comes at you fast. Sometimes that means you don't have time to stop and really process what's coming your way. For Nanoka, that means that she has to keep moving forward, Natsuno's death notwithstanding. After all, there's still the ...
This Week in Anime - Girls in Boyland
It's becoming more common for girls to be the protagonists of shounen manga. Sylvia and Chris discuss why that's a good thing.
― It's becoming more common for girls to be the protagonists of shounen manga. Sylvia and Chris discuss why that's a good thing. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discu...
100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Volumes 2-17 Manga Review
No scene in any of these volumes feels like it exists solely for the gratification of the viewer, but rather like a natural consequence of these adorkable, horny characters being trapped in a room together.
― Hakari Hanazono, Karane Inda, Shizuka Yoshimoto, Nano Eiai, Kusuri Yakuzen, Hahari Hanazono, Kurumi Haraga, Mei Meido, Iku Sutou, Mimimi Utsukushisugi, Meme Kakure, Chiyo Iin, Nadeshiko Yamato, ...
Grand Blue Dreaming Volumes 1-23 Manga Review
Peekaboo Diving Club’s definition of “fun” is much less about love of the ocean than it is about drinking, getting naked, and failing classes.
― Grand Blue Dreaming has all the emotional depth and resonance of that friend of a friend who, well into your 30s, always says things like “Dude! Remember that time you got blasted and puked on the shoes of the girl you liked? That was awesome!” Iori, an aver...
You and I Are Polar Opposites Volume 8 Manga Review
I have a lot of respect for the relationship built between Taira and Azuma throughout the series. On the other hand, there is a part of me that feels just a little unsatisfied.
― If there's one thing I like about this finale of You and I Are Polar Opposites, it's how it managed to bring the series full circle. The entire series was built on the idea of characters being obsessed with appearances and o...
Love from the Tip of the Tongue Volume 1 Manga Review
Is this the first official license of a cakeverse manga?
― Is this the first official license of a cakeverse manga? I'm not sure, but I can say that it's the first time I've encountered this omegaverse spin-off. For the uninitiated, “cakeverse” is a variant of the increasingly omnipresent omegaverse where, instead of people being classified as alphas, betas, and omegas, they are separated into cakes ...
Kaiju Girl Caramelise Volumes 5-8 Manga Review
Who you are on the outside doesn’t matter nearly as much as who you are in your soul.
― While prior volumes of Spica Aoki's Kaiju Girl Caramelise have focused on the metaphorical aspects of Kuroe's dual nature as Kuroe the High School Girl and Harudon the Kaiju, these four books take the story to a more grounded place. Kuroe has always assumed she's really a human with the odd ability to transform in...
Land Volume 2 Manga Review
Land is neither fantasy nor science fiction, nor is it historical fiction. It's close to all of those, but it settles for none. What it is is an excellent read.
― They say that the more things change, the more they stay the same. In Kazumi Yamashita's Land, that takes on a very different meaning. At the end of the first omnibus, An and her twin Anne (this second spelling begins to be used in this vol...
Baki The Grappler Volume 9-12 Manga Review
Young Baki faces losses, but he finds purpose in returning to the hidden arena under the Tokyo Dome to defend his title as the strongest fighter.
― As Volume nine opens, Baki is training again to face his father. Baki walks into a Northern Japan wilderness to find a team of battle-hardened, bloodthirsty commandos that defeated thousands of elite JDSF soldiers by themselves. In Baki The Grappler, ever...
Spring 2026 Manga Guide After Dark (18+)
Welcome to the steamy side of the Spring Manga Guide! Come see what manga gets up to when the kids are all asleep.
― Welcome to the steamy side of ANN's Spring Manga Guide. All of these titles are for readers 18 and older, from spicy to something a bit more, and featuring a range of tropes, groupings, and fetishes. Come find your next adult read - there's plenty to choose from. March On the Job Trai...
Bleach Volume 56-74 Manga Review
If, like me, you’re a longtime Bleach reader, you owe it to yourself to see this manga to its completion. You’re going to have a bad time, though, and the goodwill the series was already running low on will not carry you to its conclusion.
― Stop me if you've heard this one before, but when a mysterious figure from an otherworldly race/organization appears before Ichigo and pals, their peaceful lives...
Spring 2026 Manga Guide
It's the final update for the Spring Manga Guide, and we're closing out with a new series by Yuu Toyota of Cherry Magic fame: A Starlit Darkness! Plus a series about veterinarians, some zombies, and a contender for longest title!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2026 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writes up each new anime tele...
Glasses With a Chance of Delinquent Volumes 1-3 Manga Review
If there’s one thing that these volumes have going for them, it’s that both Ichikura and Momose earnestly want to change.
― The high school debut or glow-up has become a staple of shoujo and shounen romances in recent decades. You know the story: a kid who was bullied or ignored or perhaps bad in middle school decides that since high school is a chance to start over, they're going to make some seriou...
Spring 2026 Manga Guide
Are you enjoying Aimi and Nami's Kirio-based escapades in anime form? Then check out the original manga version of Kirio Fan Club as the manga guide continues!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2026 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writes up each new anime television premiere as it airs at the beginning of a season. Now, doing so...
Dangers in My Heart Volumes 9-12 Manga Review
Sakurai’s characters are so well-crafted, empathetic, and amusing, that I’d happily read a manga where they do nothing but watch paint dry.
― For fans of The Dangers in My Heart's excellent TV anime adaptation, we're into uncharted waters now. Although the recently released (mostly) recap movie features just under ten minutes of new material, it adapts at most a handful of short chapters from volume ...
Manga Author Keiko Takemiya Talks Toward the Terra and Its Deeper Meanings
"I grew up reading shōnen manga and didn't read much shōjo manga, so I felt there was potential in being able to draw for a shōnen magazine. I didn't want to miss my chance."
― To celebrate Toward the Terra's manga author, Keiko Takemiya, winning the Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award, three episodes of the 2007 anime were screened at the festival. Afterward, the now 76-year-o...
Spring 2026 Manga Guide
An arranged marriage doesn't quite go as planned in the yuri fantasy Marrying the Dark Knight (For Her Money)! Plus a charming new fairy tale-style fantasy, a magical girl, and the inevitable Junji Ito short story collection as the Manga Guide continues.
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2026 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writ...
Gunsmith Cats Omnibus Volume 3 Manga Review
This third volume of Dark Horse Comics' latest Gunsmith Cats re-release is arguably its most essential to long-term fans.
― This third volume of Dark Horse Comics' latest Gunsmith Cats re-release is arguably its most essential to long-term fans; it certainly is to me. Not only does it include the fantastic storyline “Mister V” which really acts as a de facto climax to the entire series (despite it co...
Versus Volumes 2-4 Manga Review
ONE took all of his favorite game, movie, and book antagonists, altered them slightly to avoid copyright violations, and mashed them all together in one almighty smorgasbord of madness.
― Versus is another gleefully over-the-top action extravaganza from the pen of Mob Psycho 100 and One Punch Man author ONE. After the first volume's extended introduction to this complex world, the next three volumes ...
Wandance Volumes 11-13 Manga Review
Dancing like no one is watching you is freeing, but it won’t win competitions.
― We all know that dance is a form of communication, and we know that dance is a form of storytelling. In Wandance Volumes 11-13, the club members at Ichirin learn an important lesson about telling the right story to the right people at the right time. Kabo is struggling more and more with trying to decide who he is, what ...
Tower Dungeon Volumes 2-4 Manga Review
What really sets Tower Dungeon apart is the ever-present sense of progression, of uncovering the unknown, of overcoming trials to progress further.
― Although manga creator Tsutomu Nihei is well-renowned for his sprawling sci-fi epics Blame! and Knights of Sidonia, with these further volumes of Tower Dungeon, he proves he's equally adept at creating fascinating, mysterious fantasy worlds. In place of...
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Volumes 11-16 Manga Review
Whether Iruma’s changing the Netherworld or the Netherworld was always more “human” than ours, the root of the story is the same: you don’t need to go it alone.
― Welcome to Iruma-kun's longest arc thus far – the Harvest Festival. Unlike the Battler arc and the upcoming Music Festival arc, this one doesn't really have an analogous real-world school event, although I suppose you could make an argument...
Drops of God: Mariage Volume 11-13 Manga Review
To truly be worthy of the Drops of God, Shizuku and Issei have traveled the world through cuisine. Now they will take on the complex and delicious Chinese table.
― We're heading into the last battle to determine if either Shizuku or Issei is worthy of even searching for “The Drops of God.” Volume 11 into 12 just hits it out of the park, with a perfect play of the best of this series. Also, that is a ...
Devil's in the Lunch Deals Manga Review
This tale of an outcast goddess of death who makes delicious food and tries to do good deeds as penance for being, you know, a goddess of death, is prickly and weird, and I think I love it.
― Fairytales play a significant role in human society. They stand in as simplistic moral education, tales of punishment and reward. They are also expressions of psychological and philosophical experimentation. Fai...
Oshi no Ko Volumes 9-12 Manga Review
It’s painful to read this flawed yet sympathetic character slide further towards self-destruction, but that’s all part of the dark appeal of Oshi no Ko.
― For readers wanting to catch up on the manga story after the point where the anime adaptation's second season left off, volume nine is the place to start. Oshi no Ko's anime maintains close fidelity to its manga source, and the four volumes covered...
This Week in Anime - ChainsawED Man
Sylvia and Lucas process their feelings on Chainsaw Man's ending. Was the real Chainsaw Man the friends we made along the way?
― Sylvia and Lucas process their feelings on Chainsaw Man's ending. Was the real Chainsaw Man the friends we made along the way? Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discu...
Gizmo Riser Volume 1 Manga Review
When the system is designed to keep you at the bottom, there is no other way to go but up.
― This series checks all the boxes for “shōnen bildungsroman/Hero's Journey tale built on a foundation of social inequity that is actually about the cool gear.” Kuro is a slave among slaves. He's beaten and mocked by a man who claims Kuro as property, with no hope in sight, except for the very brief glimpses he...
Kowloon Generic Romance Volumes 9-10 Manga Review
While everyone else around her remains prisoners of their own regret, pulled into Kowloon like insects by a pitcher plant, Kujirai deserves to fly free, away from this place.
― Being a Kowloon Generic Romance fan is suffering. Since I last reviewed volumes 7 and 8 back in November 2024, only two further volumes have been published in English, with the eleventh due at the end of May 2026. The only bri...
GOGOGOGO-GO-GHOST! Manga Series Review
GOGOGOGO-GO-GHOST! is for the people who want to see a grown, tax-paying adult revel in petty revenge on everyday annoyances.
― Let's just be honest with ourselves: Broadly speaking, manga and anime are full of goody-two-shoes protagonists. They're usually teenagers. They tend to have selfless personalities or goals, and there's usually some element of needing to stop a superpowered bad guy for anyon...
This Week in Anime - The Interior Worlds of Tomoko Yamashita
Does manga creator Tomoko Yamashita know us better than we know ourselves? Sylvia and Coop have their suspicions.
― Does manga creator Tomoko Yamashita know us better than we know ourselves? Sylvia and Coop have their suspicions. The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discussion of the series ahead. Crunchyroll...
Wandance Volumes 8-10 Manga Review
Kabo gets closer to the beat, but the distance between him and dance is growing.
― One of the most delightful things about Wandance is that it continues to buck narrative trends repeatedly. In other sports/club stories, the focus would be on the way the team seems to lack cohesion, while one character or another fails to live up to their promise. Here, people do well sometimes and not so well other t...
Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku Box Set Manga Review
At times, Gabimaru’s surprisingly vulnerable, and even a little adorable – like a white-haired, fluffy murder-puppy.
― It's telling that the Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku manga is unavailable to read directly on the Shonen Jump app, at least not on Apple devices. It can only be read digitally via the Shonen Jump website. This is no doubt due to the manga's much higher-than-average (at least for Shonen ...
Answerman - Hiding Behind Pen Names
How did the MangaONE scandal happen? Jerome explains.
― A Reader asks: "How does someone convicted of a serious crime simply reappear in manga under a pen name, and nobody raises a flag? Do publishers run any checks on the actual person behind the pseudonym, and why are pen names becoming more and more popular for manga creators, writers, and artists? Should proper background checks become a regulat...
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Volumes 7-10 Manga Review
Building on earlier information and seemingly throwaway comments and characters, the story continues to delight as it pushes its characters to develop in meaningful ways.
― One of the strengths of Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun is that it rarely lets anything become a one-off joke. Ameri's surprisingly demure alternate self in volume six not only makes Ronové look even more ridiculous, but it als...
Food Diary of Miss Maid Volumes 1-4 Manga Review
Despite it being about food, whether or not this manga will have you eating well is something up for debate.
― Oftentimes, my dinner is the biggest highlight of my day. I get so hungry that my appetite becomes insatiable, resulting in that moment mid-afternoon where I inevitably scroll through whatever food porn comes across my YouTube home feed (we're up to taking up a good third of the page). There...
Read it First: Manga, Light Novel Sources for Spring 2026 Anime
Not sure what to watch in the coming anime season? Read our reviews of the manga and light novels that inspired the shows from Witch Hat Atelier to Daemons of the Shadow Realm!
― It's hardly a rule that you have to read the source material before you watch the adaptation, but what if you want to? A decade ago, anime fans who wanted to read the manga or light novel before the show debuted were out of...
Oshi no Ko Volumes 3-8 Manga Review
This is a dark, haunting revenge tale with a side order of unsettling insights into the murkier side of the Japanese entertainment industry.
― Oshi no Ko is what Kaguya-sama: Love is War's author Aka Akasaka did next, this time delegating artistic duties to Scum's Wish creator Mengo Yokoyari. Those expecting another light-hearted romcom are likely to be surprised: this is a dark, haunting revenge tal...
Kill Blue Volumes 3-5 Manga Review
Even if Fujimaki’s love of sports gets in the way at times, these three volumes of Kill Blue still make for a fun read.
― This trio of manga volumes rises and falls on its sportsy aesthetic. It's here where you can really, really tell Kill Blue was penned by the same mangaka who did Kuroko's Basketball (Tadatoshi Fujimaki), and he's definitely not gunshy about showing off his roots. He's got characte...
Ace of the Diamond Volumes 1-5 Manga Review
If there’s one thing that shines through in these first five volumes, it’s how much creator Yuji Terajima loves baseball.
― Do all sports manga about scrappy kids from tiny teams in the middle of nowhere start the same? It can certainly feel like it at times, and you could be forgiven for thinking that Ace of the Diamond is just Ao Ashi with baseball instead of soccer or [insert name here] with baseb...
You Can't Be In a Rom-Com with Your Childhood Friends! Chapters 1-47 Manga Review
It's a miracle that I didn't hate MY childhood friends by the time I sat down to write this review.
― We're all familiar with the childhood friend trope, right? Often, this is an element or subtrope of a larger trope that a slice-of-life or romantic comedy series revolves around. For example, a childhood friend may be one of the girls in a harem or the main love interest in a slow-burn romance. Howev...
This Week in Anime - The Failings of Industry
Sylvia and Coop break down recent unfortunate developments in the manga industry.
―
Sylvia and Coop break down recent unfortunate developments in the manga industry. CONTENT WARNING: This edition of This Week in Anime features discussion of real-life sexual abuse involving minors. Reader discretion is advised. The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of ...
Dangers in My Heart Volumes 1-8 Manga Review
Where Kyotaro is prone to over-thinking and wrongly attributing negative motivations to others, Anna is almost pathologically open, and endearingly quirky.
― It's telling that author Norio Sakurai uses the German loanword “karte” instead of “chapter” for every installment of her most famous manga, The Dangers in My Heart. It's used in Japan to refer to a hospital inpatient's medical chart. Second-yea...
Baki The Grappler Volume 7-8 Manga Review
When beating the crap out of other people just isn’t enough, Baki turns to a giant ape for help getting stronger.
― Narrator Disclaimer: Baki The Grappler is not intended to illustrate martial arts in any meaningfully realistic way. Check with your doctor before continuing physical activity with broken bones and ruptured limbs. Baki The Grappler is a primer in unrealistic bloodsports. It's both amazi...
BEASTARS Volumes 5-22 Manga Review
This is not a series that will make it clear everything will be all right, as it doesn't offer solutions to its problems, even by the very end.
― BEASTARS is such a fascinating series on paper, with themes and setups that are beginning to seem more commonplace. Using anthropomorphic, furry characters as an allegory for real-world issues can have mixed results, especially when the separation between s...
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 7—Steel Ball Run Volumes 1-5 Manga Review
Steel Ball Run is easily Jojo’s most bizarre adventure yet.
― Even by Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (JJBA) standards—which, to be clear, is an absurdly high bar to clear—Steel Ball Run (SBR) is absolutely, positively, aggressively, relentlessly, and lovably capital-W Weird. As vast as it is, the world of manga simply doesn't get wilder than this. Dare I say, SBR is easily Jojo's most bizarre adventure yet...
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Volumes 2-6 Manga Review
Iruma’s early adventures fully coalesce in this set of volumes with its shorter arcs.
― It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize that, since Ameri's father's name is Henri, her name is almost certainly meant to be Amélie. That's really neither here nor there, but it does add an interesting extra layer to one of the major plotlines in this set of volumes: Ameri is a closet shoujo manga fan. N...
MARRIAGETOXIN Volume 2-11 Manga Review
For a series with the word TOXIN in the title, this series is anything but TOXIC.
― When I reviewed the first volume of MARRIAGETOXIN, I wrote it off as a fairly solid action series with a very lovable lead. The idea of a socially awkward yet incredibly capable assassin willingly throwing himself into harm's way for the sake of protecting his sister was a solid setup, and I very much thought that the...
Always a Catch! Volumes 2-5 Manga Review
At its heart, this is a romp of a story about an atypical young lady bulldozing her way through the world.
― If I had to sum Always a Catch up in the easiest way possible, I would say that it's May I Ask for One Final Thing? but with a heroine who is as goofy as possible. Like Scarlet, Maria “Mimi” Annovazzi is as strong as she can be and has an incredible skill for punching people, but she lacks Sca...
MAO Volume 23 Manga Review
While Sana remains conspicuous in her absence, they now know where Daigo has been: in Natsuno’s eyes.
― Nine hundred years is a long time to go without answers. All of the former members of the Goko Clan have done their best with their unexpected time in the world, but none of them have had any true notion of why they continued to live – or even what truly caused the downfall of their group back in t...
Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord Volumes 4-6 Manga Review
Wealth and magic can make life easier, but making friends can save the world.
― In Volume 1-3, we were presented with a kind of manga The Sims scenario, as Van gathered around him people willing to help him transform this “unnamed” village into a prosperous town. In Volume 4-6, the story continues to build on Van's blueprints, as the town builds defenses, weapons, and a military capable of wielding t...
Trigun Maximum Manga Review
The world Vash lives in is so well fleshed-out in its manga incarnation, and the stakes for survival of its populace much higher.
― You know when you've been overdoing something when aspects of it begin to bleed into your dreams. So it has been the past few weeks for me and Trigun. Not too long after closing my eyes, my mind is filled with images of spiky-haired red-trenchcoat-wearing gunslingers, cr...
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Volumes 10-13 Manga Review
After the first-class mage examination, mighty demons take on Frieren and Denken in both the present and the past.
― Frieren: Beyond Journey's End continues to surprise and entertain and has established a process to do so. Every large arc will require Frieren and Fern to understand magic just that much better. They will come up against their own limitations and analyze their enemies' weaknesses. Star...
I Want Your Mother to be With Me! Volumes 1-2 Manga Review
This is ultimately a story about recognizing that you don't have to stubbornly tackle everything on your own.
― Being a single parent is never easy. Raising a child demands a lot of time, expenses, and responsibilities that most couples would find difficult to manage. But being a single parent means that you're trying to fill all of those responsibilities by yourself, which naturally comes with sacri...
Drops of God: Mariage Volume 8-10 Manga Review
To find the perfect match of food and wine, we must travel the world and try new things, then come home and appreciate the familiar.
― Twice in Volume 9, someone rolled their eyes at someone else's melodrama during the big showdown, and I was 100% there for it. It actually made me like the whole story better. The first half of this arc is spent redeeming Chef Mikasa, the accomplished French chef whos...
Firefly Wedding Volumes 2-4 Manga Review
With richly detailed art and well-considered characters, Firefly Wedding is a traffic accident that you can’t look away from.
― If the first volume of Firefly Wedding set off warning bells in your head with its harsh story and themes of unwilling marriage and sexual predation, you may want to skip the rest of this series. It is hard to think of another ostensible romance that has as many flashing red...
The Winter 2026 Manga Guide After Dark (18+)
Happy Valentine's Day, and welcome to the steamy side of ANN's Winter Manga Guide!
― Welcome to the steamy side of ANN's Winter Manga Guide. All of these titles are intended for readers 18 and older, ranging from spicy to something a bit more, and featuring a variety of tropes, groupings, and fetishes. Come find your next adult read - there's plenty to choose from. DECEMBER The Cuckolding Wizard's A...
This Week in Anime - Fantasy Football
Are you ready for some football? No, not that kind - Coop and Lucas are talking about the football you actually play with your feet.
― Are you ready for some football? No, not that kind - Coop and Lucas are talking about the football you actually play with your feet. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warni...
Celebrating Girls-Love at the Yen Press Yuri Café in New York City
In a brutally cold New York February, there’s a warm home for yuri fandom at the Yen Press Yuri Café
― In 2025, The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't A Guy At All by Sumiko Arai, often referred to as the “Green Yuri” among fans, saw incredible success. Named Best Manga of the Year at the American Manga Awards, it has opened doors for other yuri manga, including inee's Love Bullet, to get full merchand...
Touring After the Apocalypse Volume 4-6 Manga Review
Everyone is dead, everything is destroyed, let’s go on a road trip!
― In the early volumes of Sakae Saito's post-apocalyptic landscape bike tour, we met Youko, a young human, and her companion Airi, an artificial humanoid of some kind, who are traveling around Japan on a Yamaha XT225, known as the Yamaha Serow. This small motorcycle allows for off-road and street riding. With no people to repair infr...
Rewriting the Chivalrous Yakuza: Interview with Stray Manga Writer Ryu Kamio
"I have no time for those who uncritically submit to authority. If one senses that the direction their group is heading is misguided, I believe they should have the courage to cry out that it is wrong."
― Writer Ryū Kamio and artist Yu Nakahara's newest work available in English is Stray, a twisty crime drama that follows Hachiya Ken, a man who just finished serving time in prison for a crime he did ...
Hana-Kimi Omnibus Volumes 4-6 Manga Review
It’s got its ups and downs for certain, but this omnibus of the beloved shoujo manga mostly remains a fun read.
― After a slow start, what better way to kick things up than with a school festival? Here we have arrived at one of the more exciting parts of Hana-Kimi's early phases. It approximates itself towards a tournament arc with the way it opens up; what better way to show off than by having the h...
Going for the Gold! Our Favorite Sports Anime
The 2026 Winter Olympics are underway in beautiful Italy, but it's not just pro athletes racing for the finishing line; anime has its own sports stars, too.
― The 2026 Winter Olympics are underway in beautiful Italy, but it's not just pro athletes racing for the finishing line; anime has its own sports stars, too. We asked Anime News Network's critics to highlight their favorite sports stories: the ...
The Evolution of Shōjo Manga in the 1970s with Curator Rei Yoshimura
The manga studies specialist talks about the diversity of shojo and its reflection of girls' and women's lives across decades.
― This January, the Japan House London in Kensington hosted a talk by manga curator Rei Yoshimura. Yoshimura, pictured right, has worked as a curator for more than a decade, first at the Kawasaki City Museum and since 2017 at the National Arts Centre in Tokyo (NACT). A specia...
Wandance Volume 6-7 Manga Review
Is it enough to feel the beat and dance, or does everything need words, too?
― Since Ichirin won their first team competition, by the rules of manga, it is time for a humbling loss. Once again, Wandance bucks the trend. The Ichirin dance team, led by On-chan and the only other male member, Iori, who has a lot of experience in dance battles, shows up and does surprisingly well. Iori takes the individu...
Fire Force Volumes 11-20 Manga Review
There’s a certain point one comes to when reading Fire Force where it’s best to set aside one’s critical faculties and be swept along by the pyroclastic silliness.
― In my recent review of Fire Force volumes 1-10, I lauded Atsushi Ohkubo's apparently final manga series for its accomplished art, excellent character design, goofy humor, and exciting battles, while expressing frustration at the intrusiv...
Manga Creation with Kazumi Yamashita
Kazumi Yamashita has been creating manga since 1980. Come find out what makes her work so enduring.
― Manga creator Kazumi Yamashita has been crafting stories in the medium since 1980. Originally debuting in Margaret, Yamashita has moved fluidly through both shoujo and seinen magazines, bringing readers stories that are steeped in humanity even when they don't deal with characters who are, strictly s...
This Week in Anime - LOVE AND PEACE!
Chris and Coop talk all things Trigun .
― Chris and Coop talk all things Trigun. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network. Full Disclosure: Coop regularly works with Discotek Media, MediaOCD, and AnimEigo, having provided copy for the recent Blu-ray releases of City Hunter 2 and Hajime no Ippo. His opinions given here ar...
The Winter 2026 Manga Guide
It's the final update for the Winter Manga Guide, but don't worry - our K-Comics and 18+ Guides are on the way! In the meantime, check out Ghost & Witch, the new series from the creator of The Ancient Magus' Bride, and more!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2026 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writes up each new anime televisio...
Greek Mythology and its Magical Adaptations in Manga and Anime
Asha Bardon explores how Greek myths form the basis of anime and manga series.
― Greek mythology is in vogue these days; we have novel series like Percy Jackson and Netflix has several series retelling or remixing mythology. There are heaps of novels like Madeline Miller's Circe and even an amazing Odyssey-inspired concept album for a musical called Epic! Oh, and Christopher Nolan's next movie has ju...
Wash It All Away Volume 2-5 Manga Review
Near the gleaming beaches of Atami, a small cleaning service can ensure that your clothes are just as bright.
― This manga, written and illustrated by Mitsuru Hattori, has a relaxed, somewhat distanced feel, even as we run around town with Wakana. The narrative is trying to do several things at once, and some of those things it does well, while others feel like a dissonant note to the whole. To begin...
This Week in Anime - Escalation by the Rules
Sylvia and Lucas discuss the building blocks of shounen battle series.
― Sylvia and Lucas discuss the building blocks of shounen battle series. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discussion of the series ahead. Crunchyroll streams Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Hunter x Hunter, Jujutsu Kaisen, and ...
The Extraordinary Magic of Ichi the Witch
The first female writer-artist duo in Jump history has created a uniquely magical series that capitalizes on charm while juggling fantasy, action, and comedy.
― For better or worse, Shonen Jump reigns supreme in the world of anime and manga and has consistently churned out some of the biggest franchises on the market. As such, in the wake of juggernauts like My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen havin...
The Winter 2026 Manga Guide
New year, new edition of Battle Royale, plus the manga behind the upcoming anime Scenes from Awajima and more!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2026 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writes up each new anime television premiere as it airs at the beginning of a season. Now, doing something like that for manga is tricky - there's n...
White Note Pad Manga Review
White Note Pad is a story that demands introspection.
― Tomoko Yamashita is adept at writing stories that explore humanity. Although not many of her works have been translated into English, the two anime adaptations she's garnered – The Night Beyond the Tricorner Window and Journal with Witch – both amply demonstrate her thoughtful exploration of identity, gender, and sexuality alongside complex emot...
The Winter 2026 Manga Guide
Queer romance and horror intersect in Out of the Cocoon and folk horror takes center stage in Divine Incursions as our Winter Manga Guide continues!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2026 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writes up each new anime television premiere as it airs at the beginning of a season. Now, doing something lik...
Baki The Grappler Volumes 5-6 Manga Review
This is a manga in which a thirteen-year-old bulks up by eating and training so effing hard he hits galaxy brain mode and bulks up in ways that are impossible.
― Having defeated Kureha Shinogi, despite the man's intimate knowledge of the human body gained at the cost of dozens of other's lives, Baki almost immediately seeks his next fight. He's spotted fighting 100 delinquents at once, knocking out o...
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