Tried out volume 1 of Witchcraft Works and well...it's okay. I might continue, but I won't be reaching for it first.
It starts out pretty meh, kind of standard high school shenanigans stuff which escalates quickly in the way these usually do when it’s just a high school romance plot.
Main character is kind of bland with some stand out characteristics, kind of meek as well - which made sense when I read in the extras at the end that this was supposed to be a yuri romance, but they ended up making him male (and keeping a feminine name). I am a bit put off by ‘let’s not tell the protagonist anything’ thing, but there are hints that the reasons for it are good and well meaning so I might give it a pass depending on how that develops.
Now as I was reading I noticed something bothering me....and it took me a few pages to realize that it’s the panel layout and composition.
Don’t get me wrong, I really love the character designs for witches, the magic effects and hints of magic world-building - but honestly the composition and paneling just jars me out of it. At one point it even made the action incomprehensible so I couldn’t properly get into the story without thinking ‘this should have been moved a bit’ or ‘maybe 3 mm down’.
Maybe that’s just the curse of being an artist and reading manga, but this one really got me.
To bad because I was loving the witch costume designs, the magic effects and at some point there was even a crocodile in a suit! I want more of that!
I just don’t know when I’ll be picking up the next volume, especially since I’ve got so many other things on my backlog and this one has 10+ volumes
You can practically hear the music. No, I haven't seen the anime, but this manga is already giving off spy movie vibes. I'm loving it.
I'm loving the juxtaposition of Twilight|Loid as this calculating, smooth spy - with endless disguises and perfect emotional distance - and then he gets the mission.
The one that will break it or make it.
Marry and have a child.
Well, not really, but-!
His reactions are absolutely delightful through this whole volume and the way he has to learn to unwind a bit, not be so inflexible with himself and others. The way his heart foes get stirred by both his new child and his new wife - in different ways of course.
Next we have the Thorn Princess|Yor, who I at first thought was using that space-cadet persona as a mask - but it turns out she really is like that, and honestly, I like that even more. The office lady is an assassin and the assassin is an office lady and that's wonderful.
Her honest belief in Loid is vary charming and though he sometimes finds it baffling he is charmed by her - especially when going gets rough and she shows off her assassin skills, she is pretty darn amazing and his delight at that is pretty obvious.
Then we have Anya, the cute little menace who thinks her new 'fake' parents are the coolest thing since EVER. Naturally she has the advantage of being a telepath and knowing their every secret thought. However, just because she can hear people's thoughts doesn't mean she knows what to do with or about what she hears. She is still a little girl and it shows.
She quickly manages to win over both of her new parents who are absolutely ready to murder a man for her by the end of volume 1 and I'm all about that.
I'm really looking forward to development of this small family.
Now for some reading commentary I typed while reading this so you can see me freak out:
Spy movie vibes, music in the background.
Poor Karen, though maybe not if she's like the crime boss's daughter XD I guess we'll never find out - she's just another sacrifice for the mission.
I wonder if this is going to be all comedy or if we'll delve into the politics of this conflict.
'You will marry and have a child' *spews coffee* HACK! COUGH!
'I have seven days to make a child?!' he yells in the train - spy everyone - lol
I wonder how long you'll be able to 'play' father before you actually become a father
Little Anya is literally cheating by reading his mind :p
Oooo, an Experiment? I wonder if that's all satire writing or if it'll come back
She is so cute, takes it literally <3
'i want a pistol with a silencer' 'Yes, fine, if we see it on sale'
I would SO love it if they all stayed a family and Anya grew up to be a super cute badass with terrifying badass parents who love her.
Omg
Well you can't say he's not serious about parenting. He immediately hit the books. 100% effort by our man - even if he's acting like he's never been a kid himself - who knows what his childhood was like tho (no interrogation - omg)
Oof...there isn't going to be any future. That one hit me.
I'm looking forward to seeing you eat your words. I don't like bad parents in fiction (or reality) so I'm looking forward to a turn-around that I'm expecting will happen.
Anya's having fun - kinda XD and Twilight is getting an aneurysm lol
Getting reported for child abuse will be the least of his worries
Intro to Franky, hmmm, an informant?
ACTION! I love the true mood of this is a spy action movie.
Oh boy, what a cliffhanger with that - the guy behind him, him thinking about abandoning Anya
Ooo, bits of history on both Anya and Twilight - oof, an experiment and a kid from a war-zone
Papa has such cool internal monologue Anya can't help her hero-worshiping.
Papa really is cool.
Twilight looks monstrous.
Shaded with black, only eyes glowing - I love it.
Awww
Papa is the biggest liar and a cool one at that. He'll also get you a castle if there's one on sale. - I'm looking forward to this sentence being a running gag.
He helped her study and exhausted himself - and now they're snuggled up on the couch. So sweet <3 except he's a spy and hair-trigger so he woke up.
OH NO! THEY NEED A MOMMY ASAP!
Honestly Franky looks cute, but maybe doesn't suit Twilight's image as a spouse, hmm.
'You can have a peanut' Anya <3 <3 <3
Omg...Yor is a space cadet - tho I know it's a front, but it's still cute.
...being single at 30 is suspicious...well I guess I'm a spy too then.
They are all 'fake-friendly' it still leaves a bad taste even if I know Yor is a front.
Oh dear...even her family…
I suppose they wouldn't know, but still…
Omg she got herself into her own trap - now she needs a boyfriend
Oh dear...that's some sus brother there - I feel like he's manipulative, somehow - she's a bit too cowed…
Oooo, Thorn Princess.
Thorn Princess and Twilight <3 sounds like a lovely pair.
'Cleaning house is the only thing I know' omg.
They could work So well together.
Lol, they couldn't send him a suitable wife because suitable ones were dead - omg
The dark satire in this is hilarious when examined
Hahah 'Will I be sold to traffickers? - ‘not if you're a good girl’ - she's learning that language from you papa
Ooo, Yor's skill caught his eyes! :D
Anya's faces!
Omg
She just thinks they're so cool! (and is starved for entertainment)
And she's RIGHT!
Omg, their internal monologue - he's like manipulating and she's like 'what a wonderful person!'
Oh no - his schedule is fcked.
This is terrible - he's gonna stand her up unintentionally - oh no
He was late, but he saved the day, and then she saved the day! And and and
----that bitch literally called Yor a whore to Loid's face. What a crew….
AND now Loid and Yor are in their own action scene <3
What a delight. She's not simpleton Loid, she just thinks you're great.
'The sharpest or dumbest woman' lol Loid, she's fantastic -she's just got niche talents ...like you
Oh he looks so delighted at her strength <3
SHE asked HIM to marry her!
While in a shootout
Its perfect for them
He's like calculating and she's like 'the only man who'll like me as I am.' oh darling - the more he knows you the more he'll love you - I'm CERTAIN! ...He better love you.
Engagement in a shootout. Glorious.
Moving in and then prepping for interview - I kinda feel bad for Loid with how much he plans and then has his plans fall to shambles because he's not working solo and basically has to rely on other people's skills.
None of the 'refinement' is actually suited for them - but I bet it'll be useful later - somehow surprisingly, because rule of funny. I love how they just squared up to help an old lady, they are so cute ;o;
OMG the selection process is cutthroat - and Yor's 'no I idea what I'm doing, so I'll just follow Loid's lead' and Anya saluting a bald man - fantastic
Loid, omg, the gutter rescue, you're amazing - and so cool
OMG the housemaster is ...so over-the-top - hilarious
An effing stampede… ;o; unbelievable
Omg - so it wasn't a test, but an actual crisis XD hahaha
OMG
YOR
SHE PARALYZED THE COW
Loid, you better fall in love with this insane woman or I will swipe her up
Two changes of clothes. They are absolutely terrifying in every way imaginable and I love them. <3
Now I'm wondering if this will end up in a Mr. and Mrs. Smith type of ending? Or situation somewhere along the line - if not, I'd like a fanfic anyway.
OOOO the cutthroat interview - Get is Anya! Don't let the jitters get to you!
Omg
Omg
That man
I love how Yor and Loid immediately took Anya's side and walked out of there like boos ass bitches.
Aw I'm gonna cry - they are such a cute family ;o;
Recently, I’ve stared down my backlog of manga and it stared back at me, begging me to just try one volume.
So I set out to do just that.
A Try 1 challenge, of sorts... and I must say that while it seems like an easy thing to do I’m the type of person who gets anxiety whenever a character find themself in a stressful situation.
An emphatic reader so to speak.
I tend to put the volume down until I feel ready to continue, until my heartrate goes down.
This becomes a problem when I get distracted by a multitude of other things I could be doing or other manga, fanfics, books I could be reading or videos I could be watching.
I haven’t given up thoguh - even if it took me a few days to get through a volume I did do it! :D
So far I’ve completed Vol. 1 of Golden Kamuy, Vol. 1 of SIlver spoon and even managed to finish reding Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories manga!
Today I’m chewing through Vol.1 of Black Torch and having some kind of feeling about it, but more on that later :D
