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Stay By My Side After the Rain Volumes 1-3 Manga Review
Stay By My Side After the Rain is a remarkably well put together story. While each volume is more or less self-contained, they all build together to form a picture of two people overcoming their hurdles and finding happiness together.
― If there are two persistent narratives that queer fiction is beholden to, they're coping with homophobia and coming out. Both are real and significant in fiction and ...
Uglymug, Epicfighter Manga Chapters 1-10 Review
OK, what if someone was transported to another world but they were ugly? No seriously, that's it.
― OK, what if someone was transported to another world but they were ugly? No seriously, that's it. Is the story going to be some kind of biting social commentary about how beauty is in the eye of the beholder and how we don't give people a chance due to their physical appearances? Maybe the story is a c...
Rockin' Out With Sumiko Arai, The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All Manga Creator
In her first-ever English-language interview, Green Yuri creator Sumiko Arai talks about WLW stories, the inspiration for her characters, and what's on her music playlist.
― When Sumiko Arai launched The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All on her Twitter account in 2021, she couldn't have predicted its meteoric rise in popularity. From social media to Pixiv Comic, the four-page serializatio...
This Week in Anime - Manga, Translation, and the Rise of Machines
Lucas and Coop discuss the insidious rise of AI in the translation space.
― Lucas and Coop discuss the insidious rise of AI in the translation space. 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. One Piece and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure are available at Viz/Shonen Jump App.
Ka...
New Saga Volume 1 Manga Review
If you had the ability to go back in time and relive one of the most difficult journeys of your life, what would you do differently?
― If you had the ability to go back in time and relive one of the most difficult journeys of your life, what would you do differently? If you sacrificed everything for the sake of taking down an ultimate evil, do you think it's possible to accomplish the same goal witho...
Edo Era's Brave Firefighters: Interview with Oedo Fire Slayer Novelist Shogo Imamura & Mangaka Shinobu Seguchi
Discover the history behind Oedo Fire Slayer in our interview with author Shōgo Imamura and manga creator Shinobu Seguchi.
― Japan's history is teeming with everyday heroes, and there may not be a stronger example than the Edo period's firefighters. Known as hikeshigumi, community firefighters rose to meet a 17th-century challenge: protecting the fragile wooden and paper homes in what would become th...
Does It Count If You Lose Your Virginity to an Android? Volume 1 Manga Review
This manga asks and answers the question “What if the loveable loser in a sexbot comedy was a woman?” The answer won’t surprise you.
― If you've been reading manga for any length of time, you've probably encountered some version of the hapless, yet relatable, loser protagonist. He's a guy with no friends and a weird hobby, or the woman who looks super cool and together on the outside, but when she st...
Night of the Living Cat Volume 1 Manga Review
This manga has an amusing idea that could make for a funny one-shot manga or a spoof trailer, but feels ludicrously overstretched here.
― Night of the Living Cat will soon hit the screens as an anime series in July, with at least one huge name attached: Takashi Miike, on board as the “Chief Director.” You may know Miike from the live-action films of Ichi The Killer and other manga. I'll always rememb...
Dra-Q Volumes 1-2 Manga Review
Dra-Q is a hard series to recommend with its skin-deep characters and a plot that sometimes feels like the creator was just flying by the seat of their pants.
― Kodansha's copy for Dra-q, Chiyo's dark comedy/romance/horror manga series, says that it's perfect for fans of Dandadan and Call of the Night. While I wouldn't necessarily agree with the latter – the only real commonality they share is vampir...
The 13th Footprint Volume 1 Manga Review
The 13th Footprint’s first volume is mainly a setup, but it’s a lesson in how to do it well.
― While nothing else he's created has quite lived up to Erased's level of excellence, it's not for lack of trying on Kei Sanbe's part – both of the other mystery titles previously released, Island in a Puddle and For the Kid I Saw in my Dreams are very good. But The 13th Footprint's first volume comes closest...
They Were Eleven Manga Review
They Were Eleven is indisputably a classic, a beautiful example of how manga can transcend literary snobbery to be classified as literature in its own right.
― Of all classic shōjo manga creators, Moto Hagio has had the most success in English. Part of the Year 24 Group, which includes Keiko Takemiya (To Terra…), Riyoko Ikeda (The Rose of Versailles), and Yasuko Aoike (From Eroica with Love), Hagio h...
Dogsred Volumes 1-2 Manga Review
I can't wait for more people to discover this absolute slapshot of a classic in the making.
― About thirty-five years ago, a young mangaka from Kagoshima took Japan by storm with a little story about a relatively obscure sport—basketball. Fast-forward to today, it's pretty safe to say that this artist's love letter to shooting hoops became something of a Slam Dunk with its readers. While reading thro...
The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse Volume 1 Manga Review
The Color of the End is one of the stronger “girls after the apocalypse” manga out there, more bitter than sweet and filled to the brim with loneliness.
― “Girls after the apocalypse” has become a subgenre of post-apocalyptic fiction. Whether alone, in pairs, or with their pets, young women traversing a ruined world have carved a niche in science fiction manga and anime, perhaps relying on the juxtap...
The Spring 2025 Manga Guide After-Dark (18+)
Welcome to the steamy side of ANN's Spring Manga Guide, where all the titles are for adults with a little something for almost every taste.
― 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 fr...
My Kitten is a Picky Eater Volume 1 Manga Review
If you like cats and stories about people taking care of cats, My Kitten is a Picky Eater will be a purr-fect fit for you.
― If you've ever owned a pet, then you've almost certainly learned that oftentimes, the best way to their heart is, of course, through their stomach. Such is the core of Migiri Miki's My Kitten is a Picky Eater (henceforth Picky Eater), which follows a new kitten owner—Mano—whose...
This Week in Anime - Can't Beat the Classics
Chris and Coop explore the sadly underpopulated world of classic manga in English.
― Chris and Coop explore the sadly underpopulated world of classic manga in English. 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.
While Discotek Media's Blu-ray release of Aim for the Ace sli...
The Spring 2025 Manga Guide
Now updated with May titles like Kindergarten Wars and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run. Sponsored by @yenpress!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 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 t...
Shimazaki in the Land of Peace Volume 1 Manga Review
Every time I turned the page, I was worried about what would happen because the answer could've ranged from a gorgeous scenery shot to a violent execution.
― If there's one thing I can command Shimazaki in the Land of Peace for, it's the first volume's ability to create this incredible layer of consistency from beginning to end. Every time I turned the page, I was worried about what would happen beca...
Mask Danshi: This Shouldn't Lead to Love Volume 1 Manga Review
The biggest strength of this volume is the way it works with Sayama’s anxiety.
― Anxiety isn't always treated seriously in fiction. That could be because it's unique to everyone who deals with it; even if the same basic things make multiple people anxious, reactions and coping mechanisms will be different. In the case of Sayama, one of the protagonists of Mask Danshi: This Shouldn't Lead to Love, he ...
Manga in The Crosshairs: The State of Manga Bans in 2025
Coop Bicknell interviewed librarians across the country about how the latest Executive Orders and lists targeting LGBTQ+ are affecting students' ability to read age-appropriate comics.
― Back in 2005, I'd often find myself racing my friends to the public library around the corner from our middle school. Once we walked through the building's double doors, our obnoxious chattering would drop and we'd ...
The Spring 2025 Manga Guide
This is the final update for the regular Spring Manga Guide, but don't worry - there's more to come!
Sponsored by @yenpress! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 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 tric...
Sponsored by @yenpress! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 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 tric...
The Legend of Kamui Volume 1 Manga Review
The start of a legendary manga franchise, The Legend of Kamui is rife with social conflict and violence that isn’t for the faint of heart, but an excellent must-read for manga fans hungry for historical epics and political commentary.
― With each and every passing day comes another hardship. A family of farmers accompanied by
genin (outcast) assistants are working in the fields. A young genin child s...
Hunter × Hunter Omnibus Manga Review
Twenty-seven years after Hunter X Hunter's debut in Shonen Jump magazine, we can witness the start of Togashi's legendary manga again with this sleek omnibus edition of the first three volumes.
― Yoshihiro Togashi's decision to pen Hunter x Hunter a few years after infamously closing the book on Yu Yu Hakusho meant one thing: you can take the mangaka out of battle shonen, but you can never take the b...
A Sinner of the Deep Sea Manga Series Review
Akihito Tomi's A Sinner of the Deep Sea takes Andersen's tale and reframes it, asking what would have changed if the mermaid had a best friend who wouldn't just sit back and let her die.
― We all know the story: a mermaid ventures to the surface, falls in love with a human man, and ultimately ends up dying because of it. Hans Christian Andersen's literary fairy tale The Little Mermaid has become the ...
The Spring 2025 Manga Guide
The Manga Guide moves into April with new releases like Kaiju No. 8: B-Side, Fabricant 100, Detectives These Days are Crazy, and more. Sponsored by @yenpress!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 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 som...
AMNERO Anthology Volumes 1 and 2
What would happen if Vash from Trigun had a jaded, loudmouth sidekick with a lactation problem?
― The AMNERO anthologies are less like serialized web novels and more like collections of individual chapters written by Hyocoro. Therefore, the first volume doesn't necessarily have a strong narrative flow. The first chapter feels like the pilot to the series, building up a sort of rescue mission that get...
Hellsing, Drifters Creator's Exhibition is a Horrifyingly Good Time
The large-scale exhibition chronicled Hirano's work from Hellsing to Drifters, including life-size recreations of props and costumes and some impressive interactive photo areas!
― Last year, I finally crossed Hellsing Ultimate off my backlog, but my experience with the manga was close to zero when I made my way to he Kouta Hirano Super Expo inside the Sunshine City shopping center in Ikebukuro. The ...
Luciole Has a Dream Volume 1 Manga Review
We don't know precisely what happened or what will happen, but watching Lu's world unfold on the page is immersive in a way that the best fantasy should be.
― With most manga, whether you read them digitally or in print, it comes down to personal preference, or maybe budget and space concerns. But every so often one comes along that simply begs to be read in print. Luciole has a Dream is absolutely o...
The Spring 2025 Manga Guide
With over 100 manga, K-comics, light novels, and adult titles, you'll want to check back every day to find your next page-turner!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 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...
Teppu Volume 1 Manga Review
Moare Ohta’s Teppu is a bonafide cult sensation, but is this print-on-demand release punching under its weight?
― In early December, Kodansha USA announced the establishment of their Kodansha Print Club program—a print-on-demand service that gives select digital-only titles the chance to shine in print. The publisher capped off this news by revealing the program's first trio of titles—Narumi Shigemat...
With You, Our Love Will Make it Through Volume 1 Manga Review
With You, Our Love Will Make It Through isn’t for everyone, but if it’s in your area of interest, I think it does a good enough job.
― Yes, this is a furry romance manga, and yes, it fits the criteria for young adult fiction. But those two things don't need to be either mutually exclusive or a terrible warning, and to be perfectly honest, any reservations I have about this story don't arise from the ...
Hereditary Triangle Manga Review
Despite a middle act that flirts with melodrama, there’s a thoughtful maturity to much of this short series as its cast explores complex emotions and questions about grief, change, and regret.
― Hereditary Triangle is technically a two-volume series, but the Yen Press edition politely collects them into a single volume, allowing readers to sink fully into the world of this quiet but compelling drama....
Be My Worst Nightmare! Volume 1 Manga Review
This wouldn’t be my first recommendation for high school-set, moderately explicit BL, but I also wouldn’t universally tell you to steer clear.
― Don't you just hate it when your dreams might be telling you something you don't want to hear? That's what Sayo Hoshikawa is afraid is happening to him. Despite his surface-level anger at his classmate Mashiba for things like “being tall” and “girls confessi...
Hikaru in the Light! Manga Review
Even if you can see where Hikaru's plot is going five miles away, none feels hackneyed.
― At times, Hikaru in the Light felt like a season of American Idol to me. We feel the intensity of the competition through its characters' hopes and aspirations, the glow of the stage, and the harsh rules laid down by the competition's judges and producers. It requires the winning idols an extraordinary cut above...
Corpse Blade Volume 1 Manga Review
I desperately wanted to make a pun somewhere about how this volume just isn’t as fleshed out as it needs to be, but its problems run deeper than that.
― Do zombie apocalypse stories ever really go out of style? It's like a pendulum—usually spurred by one super-successful title, they'll go in full force for a while. Then maybe there's a brief lull when audiences start feeling sick of what's become an ...
Welcome to Ghost Mansion Manga Volume 1 Review
Welcome to Ghost Mansion has a promisingly spooky premise that could develop later on, but its first steps don’t have it hit the ground running like it should.
― There exists an interesting premise within the initial volume of Nebukuro's debut manga. As a story about a landlord who rents an apartment out to the undead, there is potential in making this an enveloping, spooky story about the things th...
The Revenge of My Youth Manga Review
This manga knows how to use its tried-and-true premise about redoing the past to its advantage, giving us a start of a story that makes for a leisurely read even if it comes off as cliche at times.
― There's no going through life without regret. And there's certainly no avoiding those moments where every mistake, error, goof, and flub comes rushing back through your cerebral cortex like a never-endin...
I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day Manga Review
This story is hard to recommend based on the first volume, but it really gets better after this point.
― I Want to Love You Till You're Dying Day feels like a small story with grand ambitions. It's very humble and almost quiet in its approach to storytelling. Not a lot happens throughout this first volume, but every few pages you'll see an image or a character make a comment alluding to something muc...
Fall in Love, You False Angels Volume 1 Manga Review
If there’s a theme to be traced in this volume, it’s the idea of when it’s okay to be two-faced.
― When is it safe to be yourself? That's maybe a more intense question than you'd expect from Fall in Love, You False Angels, which is unquestionably a romantic comedy. But that doesn't mean that it lacks any heavier subtext, and the story of Otogi and Toki can be read in such a way to facilitate discussi...
Helena and Mr. Big Bad Wolf Volume 1 Manga Review
Despite its title, this series has less in common with fairy tales and more with classic children’s literature, complete with plucky orphans, gruff-but-kind adults, and alarmingly tragic backstories.
― Despite its title, this Taiwanese manhua has less in common with fairy tales and more with classic English children's literature, where spunky kids befriend gruff-but-kind adults over a shared hobby or...
Hana-Kimi Exhibition Celebrates Hisaya Nakajo's 30th Career Anniversary
Revisit the iconic manga series before the new anime premieres!
― In 1996, the world of shōjo manga was introduced to Hisaya Nakajo's work Hana Zakari no Kimi-tachi e (Hana-Kimi). Following the fun-loving Mizuki Ashiya as she disguises herself as a boy to enroll in the all-boys Osaka Academy, the story and characters captured the hearts and minds of readers across Japan and, subsequently, the world. ...
A Look into Classic Shōjo Manga at Hideko Mizuno's Holiday Gallery
When Osamu Tezuka, the creator of seminal manga Astro Boy, saw the artwork of the then 15-year-old Hideko Mizuno, he told an editor, "She has talent."
― When Osamu Tezuka, the creator of seminal manga Astro Boy, saw the artwork of the then 15-year-old Hideko Mizuno, he told an editor, "She has talent." This event became the catalyst for Mizuno's career, and she went on to become one of the most famou...
Vagabond Definitive Edition Volume 1 Manga Review
Inoue’s art is startlingly good. His keen eye for composition and posing, already put to amazing use in Slam Dunk, almost makes the characters leap from the pages.
― At its core, this initial three-volume collection of Takehiko Inoue's (Slam Dunk) adaptation of Eiji Yoshikawa's fictionalized biographical novel Musashi is about the terrible life decisions made by two seventeen-year-old boys. Full of h...
Mecha-Ude: Mechanical Arms Manga Review
Everything in Mecha-Ude Volume 1 is so close to the anime that, at times, it almost feels like reading through storyboards.
― During Fall 2024, here on ANN, I reviewed studio TriF's debut anime series Mecha-Ude as it aired weekly. Overall it was a great 12-episode show, densely packed with enough plot to fuel a series twice its length, elevated by wonderfully kinetic action animation heavily influenc...
Tokyo Alien Bros. Volume 1 Manga Review
By the end of the first book (of three), my initial interest had turned to boredom, and I couldn't see much of a point to what I'd read so far.
― Having read the first book of the Tokyo Alien Bros. manga, I confess I'm baffled, and not for the obvious reasons. The scenario isn't outlandishly way-out. Instead, it's very simple: two alien brothers living in modern Tokyo, posing as humans. Nor is the st...
Answerman - Are We At Risk for Censorship of LGBTQ+/Adult Material Because of U.S. 2025 Federal Policies?
The short answer to your question is yes. Of course, there is a risk of increased censorship of LGBQT+ and “adult material” in 2025 and beyond for those of you living in the United States.
― traverse390 asks: Are we at risk of censorship of LGBTQ+/adult material re: U.S. 2025 federal policies? The short answer to your question is yes. Of course, there is a risk of increased censorship of LGBQT+ and ...
Hiro Mashima Praises Fairy Tail 2 Video Game in New Interview
“The level of accuracy is high, and being able to walk to places that were actually in the manga is fantastic.”
― While video game adaptations of popular anime are now more than commonplace, few anime are as well suited to jump between the mediums as Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail. With its sprawling fantasy world, extensive cast of colorful characters, and focus on explosive action, it's no wonder there...
Love and the Highly Sensitive Person Manga Review
This is a sincere but not-too-sappy tale of love and acceptance, both for oneself and others.
― It's always refreshing to see romances that explore uncommon perspectives and relationships, telling love stories that don't often get told. It's even more refreshing when they do it with as much kindness and empathy as Love and the Highly Sensitive Person does. This one-shot, PG-rated BL follows the hairs...
Re-Living My Life with a Boyfriend Who Doesn't Remember Me Volumes 1-2 Manga Review
Even questionable execution can’t rob the plot of its key point: Oriana’s desperation to save Vincent’s life.
― Time loops are fickle things. As any reader of the isekai subgenre can tell you, most of them only grant memories to the person doing the looping – as far as everyone else knows, they're living their lives for the first time. For Oriana, the heroine of Re-Living My Life with a Boyfriend Who...
Living With Him Manga Review
If you want something a little less spicy and a little bit more wholesome, there’s plenty here to make your heart flutter as a smile creeps across your face.
― I've never been to Japan, so I can't comment on how its society at large views same-sex relationships. But there seems to be a consistent theme in these stories where people never seem to entertain the notion that two guys could be romanticall...
Hell is Dark with No Flowers Volume 1 Manga Review
Somewhere between xxxHoLiC and Hell Girl lies Hell is Dark with No Flowers.
― Somewhere between xxxHoLiC and Hell Girl lies Hell is Dark with No Flowers. If you think I've made that comparison before, you're right – Matsuri's Phantom Tales of the Night can also be described that way. But Hell is Dark with No Flowers, based on the novel of the same name by Yoru Michio, is the better use of the descrip...
A Chat with Lena Atanassova, Editor-in-Chief of TOKYOPOP
Rebecca Silverman talks to Atanassova about her history with TOKYOPOP, the publisher's LGBTQ+ imprints, and how they're trying to maintain readers' trust.
―
As a manga publisher, TOKYOPOP has undergone some difficulties, a statement some readers may think is an understatement. But in its new incarnation, the publisher has made a lot of good changes with solid choices in titles and a dedication to pr...
Firefly Wedding Volume 1 Manga Review
It isn’t a perfect way to phrase it, but Firefly Wedding’s first volume feels like it lands somewhere in between Yakuza Fiancé and Yakuza Lover.
― It isn't a perfect way to phrase it, but Firefly Wedding's first volume feels like it lands somewhere between Yakuza Fiancé and Yakuza Lover. That's not because there's a yakuza element to the story, at least not in those terms; set during what appears to ...
The Shōjo Anime Renaissance
After a long dry spell, there's finally an increase in shōjo anime adaptations. Which ones are worth watching?
― Anime is not always there for shōjo fans. Not that there isn't any in a given season, but at times it can feel like every other show that comes out is either an adaptation of a Shonen Jump property, a male power fantasy light novel, or something else that isn't all that concerned with attr...
RuriDragon Volume 1 Manga Review
In spite, or perhaps because of how laid-back it is about Ruri’s seemingly bizarre circumstances, RuriDragon really feels like something special.
― Honestly, the fact that I'm even here reviewing RuriDragon at all is something of a minor miracle. While the manga debuted in Shonen Jump to pretty much immediate success, it quickly ran into trouble when its author, Masaoki Shindo, started suffering from...
Galette Manga Magazine Volume 1 Review
This is not a one-for-one version of the original Japanese volume; it is an adapted edition for the English-reading audience.
― In the mid-2010s, the runs of two of the three existing quarterly yuri manga magazines, Pure Yuri Anthology Hirari published by Shinsokan and Tsubomi published by Hobunsha came to an end, leaving some yuri artists with unfinished series and no place to serialize them. Some o...
This Week in Anime - (Shonen) Jump Right In
Coop and Lucas browse the Shonen Jump app to sort out the good, the bad, and the Fujimoto-flavored.
― Coop and Lucas browse the Shonen Jump app to sort out the good, the bad, and the Fujimoto-flavored. 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. Chainsaw Man, Fire Punch, D...
ANN's Most-Read News and Interest Articles of 2024
These were the stories and events that shaped the anime community in 2024.
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2024 was a year for monsters, whether laying waste to the nearest metropolis or becoming a feast for dungeon crawlers. Anime News Network readers were hungry for new information about the King of Monsters; news articles focused on Godzilla ranked high as fans tracked Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Oscar-winner Godzilla...
Crescent Moon Marching Volumes 1-6 Manga Review
Crescent Moon Marching becomes a story of how young Mizuki understands what it means to be passionate about music and how crucial it is to improve yourself while understanding others.
― Originality is a tough thing to come by. The great Salvador Dali once said that those who imitate nothing produce nothing. Considering the infinite artists, musicians, writers, and other types of pen-wielders who have...
The Best Manga and Light Novels of 2024
Which manga and light novels kept you turning pages, chapter after chapter? If you haven't flipped through these titles yet, better late than never.
― Which manga and light novels kept you turning pages, chapter after chapter? Anime News Network's critics narrowed down their must-read lists to find the best series, both new and continuing, of the year. If you haven't flipped through these titles yet...
Ashita no Joe: Fighting For Tomorrow Volume 1 Manga Review
While it would be a lie to say that Ashita no Joe doesn’t show its age, it’s still a solid story, and one that’s very much worth reading.
― To call Ashita no Joe one of the most culturally significant works to ever exist within the realm of anime and manga would be a bit of an understatement. It served as the inspiration for many a boxing manga, and its anime adaptation is one of the most iconic work...
There's No Freaking Way I'll Be Your Lover! Unless... Volumes 1-6 Manga Review
If you're looking for a GL harem, this is a safe enough bet; just be aware of the dubious consent issues going in.
― Are you looking for a harem? A single, ordinary person surrounded by a bevy of beauties, all of whom want them? Typically, that ordinary person would be an unfortunate young man, dull as a potato, but There's No Freaking Way I'll Be Your Lover! Unless…, based on the light novels of the...
Scars Volume 1 Manga Review
Between Kyonosuke's past trauma, trouble at school, and zero support at home, Scars is a story about the world's worst coming-of-age.
― Based on the cute character designs, I didn't expect this comic to get so dark so fast. Between Kyonosuke's past trauma, trouble at school, and zero support at home, Scars is a story about the world's worst coming-of-age. The title refers to scars both physical and p...
The Best Anime of Fall 2024
It was another packed season of anime, but nothing could stop Science SARU's DAN DA DAN from rocketing to the top of critics and fans' lists.
― It was another packed season of anime, but nothing could stop Science Saru's DAN DA DAN from rocketing to the top of critics and fans' lists. Still, the series was in good company even if it dominated conversation. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Du...
Re:Anima Volume 1 Manga Review
Re:Anima tamps down any hope that it'll do much that's new with its familiar-feeling ideas. So far, it seems happy to be one more genre potboiler, to take or to leave.
― The kindest way to describe this science-fiction action manga is as competently average. It's a likable, lightweight read, with lively action scenes, but the first book is also laughably tropey and flimsy. The book has a note from cr...
Exploring How a Manga is Printed at the One Piece Only Exhibition
Rather than just a collection of art, this exhibit uses One Piece to both explore the history and art of printing and give an in-depth look at the process of creating modern manga.
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Recently, I was able to check out the "One Piece Only" art exhibition currently running in Tokyo. Rather than just a collection of art, the exhibit uses One Piece as a vehicle to both explore the history and art of prin...
What Happened After My Place Got So Humid It Grew Magic Mushrooms And I Ate Them And Got Super Horny! - Volumes 1-2 Manga Review (18+)
Sometimes, it doesn't matter how detailed or long the title is; you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
― Sometimes, it doesn't matter how detailed or long the title is; you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. A title like What Happened After My Place Got So Humid It Grew Magic Mushrooms And I Ate Them And Got Super Horny! prompts a lot of questions, and the answers are surprising. It sounds like o...
Dracula's On the Night Shift Manga Review
Despite ostensibly being a manga about a vampire working a night shift, DotNS isn’t the What We Do in the Shadows-esque comedy/slice-of-life series you might expect at first glance—because it’s not really a comedy/slice-of-life series at all.
― There's plenty of anime and manga about vampires trying to blend into human society out there, but not as many of them are terribly concerned with how their v...
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Shining Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak Vol. 1 Manga Review
This manga strives to answer the burning question I'm sure some fans were asking: Whatever happened to Hol Horse?
― The shifting, generation-crossing story setup of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure pretty well lends itself to spin-offs and crossovers with itself. Part 4, Diamond is Unbreakable had a better part of its plot driven by characters returning from Stardust Crusaders (and earlier!) to ostensibly co...
The Teen Exorcist Volume 1 Manga Review
This volume is, as happens with introductory books, mostly set up for Masahiro’s eventual understanding of himself.
― Due to the vagaries of English localization, you may not immediately associate this with its parent series: The Teen Exorcist is a manga reworking of the light novel series Shonen Onmyoji, which clocks in at an impressive fifty-six volumes. The light novels have never been officially ...
WEBTOON and A New Era of Digital Comics
Anime News Network spoke with David Lee, Head of U.S. WEBTOON, and Aron Levitz, president of Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, to discuss the platform's creative process, what makes webtoons distinct as a medium, and the company's upcoming projects.
― WEBTOON is a global storytelling platform that features the work of creators from all over the world. Whether it's through their mobile app or through physical...
Praise Me When I'm a Good Boy Manga Review
It genuinely makes me happy when I come across a story that treats BDSM dynamics with the reverence they deserve!
― I chose to review a lot of stories dealing with different types of sexual proclivities because I'm always curious about how these types of dynamics are portrayed in media. BDSM (relationship dynamics revolving around bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, etc.) in particula...
My Classmate Ren-kun is Kinda Scary Manga Review
My Classmate Ren-kun is Kinda Scary is, in a word, frothy.
― The narrator of this story isn't the romantic lead. That's probably the most interesting aspect of the book – it's narrated by a mostly nameless girl (we learn her name in the author's afterword, but never in the story proper) as she observes the boys on either side of her in class. It works fairly well as a framing device, particularly sin...
Our Aimless Nights Manga Review
By no means is this a deep, page-turning tale of love and lust, and it's not really meant to be.
― The risk in naming your manga Our Aimless Nights is that the adjective is already giving too much away. This two-volume manga has its narrative meandering around in certain areas, although this serves as a good thing. Teenage romances with all of their awkward tendencies are never exactly straightforwar...
Who is DAN DA DAN Heartthrob Ken Takakura?
The '60s-'70s era action film star stole Momo Ayase's heart. Here's why he should steal yours, too.
― “I am an awkward fellow, after all.” These are the words that make Momo Ayase's heart swoon in Yukinobu Tatsu's romantic paranormal phenomenon Dan Da Dan. Originally uttered by the man of her dreams, classic film actor Ken Takakura, these words eventually catch her off-guard when repeated by her UFO-...
This Week in Anime - Libraries are Fun!
Coop and Steve discover the wonderful world of libraries and all of the anime and manga goodness they give you access to.
― Coop and Steve discover the wonderful world of libraries and all of the anime and manga goodness they give you access to. 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 t...
The Importance of 'Blue' in Blue Period: Interview with Tsubasa Yamaguchi
At the Kodansha House pop-up venue in New York City, Tsubasa Yamaguchi made her U.S. fan event debut and revealed her own experience in fine art.
― Regardless of when you start or how much talent you have, there are always hurdles to creating art that can truly speak to people. The Blue Period manga has managed to speak to many readers, myself included, as a story that lays bare all of the trials and...
Kowloon Generic Romance Volumes 7-8 Manga Review
With both anime and live-action drama adaptations promised for 2025, now is unquestionably the right time to discover your Absolute Self and read the original first.
― Later volumes of After the Rain's Jun Mayuzuki's masterful sci-fi mystery romance are impossible to review without massively spoiling earlier volumes, so if you've not read the first few installments of Kowloon Generic Romance, be warn...
Yokai: The Art of Shigeru Mizuki Artbook Review
Although nominally an artbook, this might be just as easily described as a collection of folklore.
― “Shigeru Mizuki,” translator and scholar Zack Davisson says in his introductory essay, “lived in a vibrant fantasy world where every tree, every blade of grass was infused with spiritual energy.” If any one thing comes through in this collection of Mizuki's artwork, it is this – there's a deeply roote...
How Witch Hat Atelier's Manga Creator Made Magic for Everyone
We spoke with Kamome Shirahama at Kodansha House in NYC to discuss disability representation in her work, her art studies, and, of course, Qifrey.
― A packed room of enthusiastic fans gathered in the hall at the Kodansha House pop-up in NYC for the chance to have a live Q&A session with the mangaka of Witch Hat Atelier, Kamome Shirahama. The session began by introducing the moderator and local librar...
Miki Yamamoto, Creator of A Smart and Courageous Child Manga
Her single-volume book explores a couple's first pregnancy and their emotional trajectories as they go from thrilled to fearful, examining the role of news and how the written word impacts people.
― Miki Yamamoto's work isn't what most people think of when they hear the word "manga." Eschewing a typical manga style, the creator and picture book scholar has a deft hand with telling stories that rely e...
The Fall 2024 Manga Guide
Come get your fill of October releases, featuring fan-favorite yuri, horror for Halloween, and plenty of [pumpkin] spice!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2024 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 ...
My Sister Took My Fiance and Now I'm Being Courted by a Beastly Prince Volumes 1 & 2 Manga Review
My Sister Took My Fiancé and Now I'm Being Courted by a Beastly Prince is off to a solid start. It may not be wholly innovative, but Cordelia is a good heroine and nobody's fool, except when it comes to herself, and she's wholly cognizant of that.
― Life is not easy for Cordelia. The daughter of a noble in the kingdom of Liobern, Cordelia isn't so much unremarkable as she is less outwardly beautiful ...
My Journey to Her Manga Review
Unlike a lot of similar narratives, this isn't about the anguish, coming out, or transphobia. That's not to say those things aren't present, but they aren't the point.
― There are so many falsehoods perpetrated about what it means to be transgender, so many scare tactics employed by people who fear those who are different, that it's important to highlight any authentic own-voices narratives that are ...
The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity Volumes 1-3 Manga Review
Author Saka Mikami 's main theme is the exploration of how uninformed judgments of others, especially when fuelled by humanity's innate tribalism, lead to unfair treatment and social ostracization.
― The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignityis one of those heart-warming romance manga where if you're not grinning with delight by the end of the first volume, there's probably something broken in your soul...
The Fall 2024 Manga Guide
The manga guide continues with a fan-favorite yuri series, a recent anime adaptation, and plenty of horror!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2024 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 no e...
Fist of the North Star Volume 14 Manga Review
Can you recreate the magic of the relationship between Kenshiro, Raoh, Toki, and Jagi?
― Fist of the North Star Volume 14 provides Kenshiro with the most interesting set of villains of the post-Raoh era by digging into a familiar bag of tricks. This volume, almost more than any other, has me split on how to feel about the events. It is equal parts novel ideas and the same old, familiar, and unique. T...
Korea's WEBTOON Entertainment In Midst of Labor Dispute
WEBTOON Entertainment's labor union is requesting fair compensation after its CEO was awarded an eye-popping $30 million in cash and stock options.
― Since going public on the U.S. stock market, WEBTOON Entertainment, the world's leading platform for Korean webcomics, has been battling a series of escalating crises. The company's stock price has plummeted by 50%, and disgruntled stockholders have fil...
Magical Girl and The Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies Manga Review
The late Cocoa Fujiwara never got to finish this story. Even if you don’t love the series, that’s a tragedy, and for readers, it means knowing that you’re embarking on a journey without a finish.
― The late Cocoa Fujiwara never got to finish this story. Even if you don't love the series, that's a tragedy, and for readers, it means knowing that you're embarking on a journey without a finish – when the...
The Fall 2024 Manga Guide
Check out the latest additions to the Manga Guide with gyaru, fantasy adventures, and more spicy series!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2024 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 no equi...
Fist of the North Star Volume 13 Manga Review
Fist of the North Star Volume 13 is a strong package, but at the same time I wouldn't blame someone for feeling like there are diminishing returns in this latter era of the run.
― Volume 13 is an odd mixture of elements and novel concepts that dazzle visually while being all right otherwise. I hate to sound like a broken record, but many of the same strengths and weaknesses seen here have been with t...
The Real Yokai of DAN DA DAN
We asked yokai expert Zack Davisson to give us a lesson in the real origins of Turbo Granny, Serpos aliens, and more from the hit series DAN DA DAN!
― I was just at AnimeNYC, and as usual, after my yokai panel I had people curious about their favorite series, asking “Is this a real yokai?” I get that question all the time and the answer is always “Yes.” Because all yokai are real to the same extent ...
Blood on the Tracks Manga Creator Shūzō Oshimi Can't Help But Get Personal
We met with Oshimi at the Kodansha House pop-up in NYC to look back at Flowers of Evil, gender themes in his work, and what might come next.
― “Have you ever read a comic that crept up on you? A story that lingers long after you put the book down? You turn off the lights and get ready to sleep, and then, from the darkness, this story reaches out and grabs your ankle? Congratulations, you've just read...
Creating a Multi-Volume Rom-Com Manga from a One-Shot
According to series creator Yūki Kanamaru, More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers was originally only supposed to be three chapters long!
― More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers certainly caught me by surprise when it aired back in 2022. Within its unique premise is a story about love and looking past our preconceptions about each other. At Anime Expo 2024, Anime News Network sat down and s...
Manga Biographies: Charles M. Schulz Manga Review
Big fan of the Peanuts gang? Discover how Snoopy’s creator, Charles M. Schulz’s love for art at a young age led to his career drawing a comic strip known by every American household.
― Despite growing up with the Peanuts comic strip and owning a minimum of five pieces of Snoopy merchandise, I admittedly knew very little about Charles M. Schulz prior to reading this manga biography. During San Diego C...
Fist of the North Star Volume 11-12 Manga Review
Fist of the North Star volumes 11 and 12 usher in a new era for the series, which is more divisive than previous arcs but still of incredibly high quality.
― Fist of the North Star volumes 11 and 12 usher in a new era for the series which is more divisive than previous arcs but still of incredibly high quality. As I said in the last review, we have been to the mountaintop of the series and are now be...
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