#manga article

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Manga Review: A Witch’s Life in Mongol, Vol. 1

Sitara is sold into slavery as a child in 13th-century Persia, but fortunately for her, Fatima is a kind mistress, and pretty soon Sitara is like a member of the family. She hits it off well with the academically gifted young heir of the family, Master Muhammad, and thanks to this, quickly finds herself immersed in a full education. This is the Islamic Golden Age, so Sitara’s education is quite substantial, centering on science, mathematics, classical literature, and most of all, astronomy. But when her adoptive city of Tus is sacked by the Mongol Hordes of Genghis Khan, Sitara’s aptitude for learning and love of books becomes a double-edged sword, as it is her determination to protect the family’s precious library that brings her to the notice of the Khan’s son, who carries her away to serve as an interpreter for a particular book that his wife is keen on acquiring. How will Sitara fare in the land of the Mongols and the court of the Khan? What “magic” will she weave through her vast knowledge, and will it be enough to enable her to carve out a future for herself amid the political and religious intrigues that await her?

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TL;DR: This is a unique series both for its subject matter and the art, meaning it won’t be to everyone’s taste. The two can feel a little at odds sometimes, with such perilous history depicted in chibi style. But if this potential dissonance doesn’t bother you, and you are interested in this time and place, then there is much that is fascinating to dig into here! Also, key historical figures introduced at the very end were, in reality, actually Christians, so I’m intrigued to see to what extent that side of the story will be explored. There’s much potential here!

Now, on with the spoilerific review…

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Team Review: Bocchi the Rock! Side Story: Kikuri Hiroi’s Heavy-Drinking Diary, Vol. 1

Kikuri Hiroi. In the main story of Bocchi the Rock, she’s Hitori Gotoh’s hero, the undeniably charming, happy-go-lucky bass player who pulls Hitori out of her shell and sets her on a hero’s journey of her own. But what lies beyond the mask, behind all the charisma and derring-do? Who is this girl who mysteriously manages to show up whenever Bocchi needs a boost? And more importantly, how has she not perished of alcohol poisoning yet? All of these questions and more are answered in the latest volume from the Bocchi the Rock franchise, and the premier volume in the BTR Side Story featuring our beloved bassist.

TL;DR – In terms of plot, the first volume of this side story sidles up close to the main story, rather than being a spin-off into Kikuri Hiroi’s backstory or life beyond BTR. So, every chapter lines up with key moments in the main series and features only characters we already know from BTR. In this sense, it’s more a gap-filling exercise than a separate story. And it works—for the most part!

Without any further ado, onward to the spoiler-filled, in-depth review!

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We have some very cool releases to talk about this week! Our reviews include a couple volumes of series we love that haven’t had new releases in about a year (Laid-Back Camp and Secrets of the Silent Witch); the latest in several of our favorite manga (A Condition Called Love, Kaiju No. 8, and Usotoki Rhetoric); an 3-in-1 edition of a classic shoujo (Red River); and the final volume of one of the best spin-off manga available (Kimi ni Todoke: Soulmate). Check out our thoughts on these releases and let us know what you’re reading!

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A Condition Called Love (Vol. 10) • Dandadan (Vol. 9) • Kaiju No. 8 (Vol. 11) • Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate (Vol. 3) • Laid-Back Camp (Vol. 15) • Red River (3-in-1 Edition) (Vol. 1) • Secrets of the Silent Witch (Vol. 5) • Usotoki Rhetoric (Vol. 9)

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It’s perhaps easy to look down upon manga and light novels, as full of tropes as they are. And yet, it’s these tropes that we as fans adore—and when combined with excellent artistry, they lead to inspiring and heartfelt experiences. That’s the case with a number of volumes we’re reviewing this week, including the latest releases of A Sign of Affection, Adults’ Picture Book, and The Unimplemented Overlords Have Joined the Party! Check out our reviews of these and other volumes below, and as always, let us know what you’re reading!

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Adults’ Picture Book: New Edition (Vol. 2) • Itaewon Class (Vol. 2) • The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices (Vol. 5) • A Sign of Affection (Vol. 9) • The Unimplemented Overlords Have Joined the Party! (Vol. 2) • Usotoki Rhetoric (Vol. 8) • The Villainess’s Guide to (Not) Falling in Love (Vol. 2)

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Manga Review: Girl Crush, Vol. 3

Tenka’s first day as an idol trainee at LJH gets off to a rough start when her nemesis, Jiwoo Jang, turns up, and the two of them have to form a search party to find the third and final new trainee, Minchae. When the three newbies finally make it back to the training facility, they’re told that they have thirty days to figure out how to work together as a group and come up with a performance that proves they are worthy to stay on at the agency. Even worse, Tenka, who turns out to be the eldest of the trio, is appointed their leader. How on Earth is she going to bring together Jiwoo, who’s as much the Queen of Snark as she is the Dancing Queen, with Minchae, the shy little girl with the huge emotions that never dial down, regardless of whether or not she’s holding the mic? Can Tenka find her place in an environment where she’s no longer the envy of those around her, and when she’s surrounded by girls who outrank her in both singing and dance? But this is Tenka we’re talking about, the girl whose superpower is having the grit and perseverance to learn quickly. It’s time to get to work! 

TL;DR: This is the volume we’ve been waiting for! Tenka’s growth in this volume is beautiful to behold. Also, Tayama’s writing once again proves skillful as the story manages not to succumb to the usual tropes, despite setting up the kind of frenemy dynamic that is a given for idol stories. Instead, each character is given the chance to surprise us with her reactions, revealing unexpected facets in all three. From strength to strength!

Ok, let’s dive into the spoiler-filled review…

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SANDA (and Santa!) returns in volume two with more dystopian goodness, Burtonesque character designs, and action-packed confrontations. In fact, with the basic story and introductions of most of the main characters now out of the way, volume two is even stronger than volume one, taking the story into interesting directions, both creatively and, if you’re looking for it, spiritually.

Ono’s sudden appearance ended volume one, but much of the first half of the story in volume two surrounds her funeral. The headmaster has arranged a mock funeral for the “missing” girl in order to draw Santa out and set his “St. Nick Pursuit Unit” upon them. Meanwhile, the back half of the volume offers challenges and relationship drama for Sanda and Fuyumura both, while deepening the mystery of their world.

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Niwa is just your average boy. As his crush, Risa, says before she turns his love confession down, he’s “just sooo average” and is “not exactly boyfriend material.” But things are about to change in a big way! On his 14th birthday, a mysterious magic—maybe better understood as a curse—is passed down to him. You see, when Niwa thinks of his romantic crush, he turns into the master thief, Dark! And now, his life is turned upside-down—Dark sets up elaborate heists at night, while during the day, Niwa is just trying to do his best to live a normal school life and not randomly turn into Dark at school, where he might be caught by Dark’s nemesis/Niwa’s classmate—or worse yet, by Risa or her twin sister Riku!

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Quick Takes

Twwk: I was really excited to read this opening volume! I haven’t read any of the D.N.Angel manga series, but I have a fondness for the anime—a series that I kind of hated at first, but kept with regardless, and ended up really enjoying. But it’s been a decade or more since I’ve watched it, so I expect that reading the manga will feel fresh for me—and that’s indeed how I felt after volume one!

Laura: It seems there are several people who have a fondness for the anime because when Yen Press announced the manga license, I asked Twitter if I should pick it up since I knew nothing about the story, and I had several comments saying “YES!” Ha! I’m truly glad I listened, because after reading this first volume, I can see why so many people love this story! Definitely grateful on behalf of readers like myself who now have the chance to experience the story for the first time!

Twwk: Well, let’s see if we enjoyed it as much as others have, or if we’re more like our co-writers and friend, Josh, who, let’s just say, isn’t a fan. On with the review!

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Team Review: Girl Crush, Vol. 2

Tenka and Sato only have a couple more days left in their trip to Seoul, but it’s clear their paths have already diverged: While Sato is riding high on plans for another audition before take off, Tenka has given up and just wants to enjoy the Korean BBQ. She’s satisfied with having tried…right? Sato convinces her to give it one more shot before she leaves, though, and the two head out to Gangam to an open dance class where, if you sparkle enough to catch the eye of the famous teacher, you may just find some open doors. The class pushes Tenka in ways she wasn’t expecting, but it also brings to light her particular talents: She may not have Sato’s spontaneity and bubbly joy, but she is a masterfully technical dancer, and can mimic anything she sees, even that intimidating rival girl! But is it enough to get noticed? And more than that, could this experience light a fire in Tenka powerful enough to inspire her to own the dream of becoming a K-pop star? Or, upon returning home, will Tenka retreat to safety behind the mask she presents to the world?

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