Happy Release Tuesday, everyone! This week, we’re serving up reviews of fantasy series and modern-day high school romance, which have become par for the course in today’s manga landscape, but there are some outliers in our bunch as well: stories about seeking your passion, an unusual take on detective series, and a manhwa about vengeance, justice, and family. Dig into our reviews below and let us know what you think!
Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You (Vol. 1) • Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside (Vol. 7) • Drifting Dragons (Vol. 8) • The Essence of Being a Muse (Vol. 3) • The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl (Vol. 4) • Itaewon Class (Vol. 1) • No Longer Heroine (Vol. 6) • Usotoki Rhetoric (Vol. 6) • When I Became a Commoner, They Broke Off Our Engagement! (Vol. 2)
Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside, Manga Vol. 7
Volume seven of Banished from the Hero’s Party could be subtitled, “Everything That’s Right and Wrong About This Manga.” First, what’s right: as this series progresses, it’s developing into an unexpectedly deep story with some excellent world-building involving religion, magic, and mythology. All this takes center stage during the first half of this volume, as the schemes involving the Thieves Guild and Al reach their climax, but also and particularly during the transition to the next arc of the manga, which seems as if it will focus on the hero’s party. In fact, there’s so much going on here regarding demons and humans, contracts and magic substances, that I’m a little lost, which leads me to one of the “wrongs”: as I mentioned in a previous review, the writer of this series is ambitious, but because of the developing complexities, more time is needed to build out the story, more moments that simply help explain what’s going on (though hopefully in a creative way). Quieter moments seemed to be reserved for just focusing on Rit and Red, who were the emphasis of the first few volumes of Banished from the Hero’s Party, but whose relationship now serves relatively little purpose except to remind us of the cuteness that once was in this story and to titillate the readers. What the series has done to Rit is a crime and another of the wrongs: she was a compelling character due to her chipper personality and encouraging backstory, but now she’s just there so that the volumes can be sold behind shrinkwrap, reduced to a nude figure in scenes that make no sense at all. (They’ve had sexual relationships but are afraid to see each other naked? Ok.) I’m at the precipice of dropping this manga because of all the weaknesses—a real shame because the potential for it turning into a great series is high and the first few volumes were adorable to boot. But unfortunately, I don’t think it’ll ever get to the former, and the latter seems to be forever gone. ~ Twwk
Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside is published by Yen Press.
READ Reviews of Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5
When I Became a Commoner, They Broke Off Our Engagement!, Manga Vol. 2
The inevitable moment has taken place, with the truth that the fairies switched Anna and Annette’s birth now out in the open. The families agree to switch them both into their “proper” families, which is what Anna has been preparing for during the past year. However, Anna’s preparations haven’t made things any easier, and Annette doesn’t seem to be “thriving” in her new home either. I knew I wanted to check out this second volume even though I didn’t love volume one due to how heartbreaking it was, but oh my goodness—I loved this volume! Is it still just as heartbreaking? Oh, for sure, but I braced my heart this time so it felt a little easier to read than the emotional whiplash of volume one! Ha! I am surprised by how much I like Annette, but she is amazing! I don’t like her more than our lead, Anna, but the way she calls out Henry and wants to take control of her fate rather than be a “fairy’s plaything” is deeply admirable. Poor Anna, though! Her life seems to be slipping through her fingers, and I ached for her once again because even though she spent time preparing to be a commoner, it was still very hard. She’s not being welcomed in, and I’m irked at how these two families are like, “You’re with your flesh and blood now, so they’ll welcome you with open arms.” Um, what? Yeah, that does matter, but these families don’t know the actual daughter/person. Anna’s introduction and first time with her “family” shows that. I don’t know what to want for these ladies moving forward. All I can hope is that Anna can continue to keep her optimistic outlook and that the fairies will not intervene again. Klew is great, and I’m thankful he is standing by Anna’s side, but that other fairy needs to go. She may have left me a little speechless with her talk of why humans are “precious,” but I don’t think anything will go well if she’s involved. ~ Laura A. Grace
When I Became a Commoner, They Broke Off Our Engagement! is published by Yen Press.
READ When I Became a Commoner, They Broke Off Our Engagement!: Vol. 1 Review
Usotoki Rhetoric, Manga Vol. 6
“It’s amazing, isn’t it. The power of belief.” I love this series more and more with every volume! Both Mr. Iwai and Kanako have returned home after having solved the mystery that required them to travel, but while things may seem back to normal, they’re far from it! Mr. Iwai is approached by the police, who say that he is the prime suspect in a murder! Kanako knows he’s been framed, but will she be able to get to the bottom of this mystery that may have the biggest stakes yet? While the last volume was one of my favorites, I think this volume might be even more so! Ha! (Do I detect a trend for the rest of the series?!) Goodness, the stakes! I felt so many emotions seeing Mr. Iwai taken to jail! But I admired Kanako so much! She did amazing! I love how her belief that Mr. Iwai was innocent and that he was framed kept her going strong when things were super rough in the beginning. As a result, I know I definitely didn’t expect her to “tag team” with another character due to events in previous volumes! And the bombshell he dropped! Oh my goodness! I don’t know what to expect next volume, because in between what that character said and finding out a little bit more about Mr. Iwai, it seems that our detectives are not going to be getting a break anytime soon! Ha! But I’m eagerly looking forward to it! I really loved seeing Kanako shine and think it will give her more confidence in upcoming volumes, as she continues to stand by Mr. Iwai’s side as she desires. Hoping the wait won’t feel too long for the next volume, because I’m already wanting it in my hands right now! ~ Laura A. Grace
Usotoki Rhetoric is published by ONE PEACE BOOKS.
READ Reviews of Usotoki Rhetoric: Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5
Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You, Manga Vol. 1
Usually, I don’t read contemporary romance with reverse harems, but when I tried Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You on KMANGA, I knew after binge-reading almost two volumes that this was one I had to get physically! Our poor female heroine, though! It’s Mizhua’s seventeenth birthday, and between her dad forgetting and the senpai she has been crushing on rejecting her, her birthday doesn’t seem all that special. However, things quickly change when her childhood friend asks her out! Reeling from his confession, Mizhua’s life with her friends might just be the start of something new and exciting! Oh, how I loved this first volume! There was something so sweet and very wonderful about this story that I couldn’t help but be pulled in! I wouldn’t say it was a life-changing read, exactly, but I deeply loved the friendship that Mizuha has with these four guys. There was something special that jumped off the page in how they acted and talked around one another, with each guy having a clear personality and vibe (so no worries about confusing any of them). It really made my heart feel light while reading and left me wanting to stay in this story world and continue to see how things unfold long after I finished. Truly, when it comes down to it, reading this manga just felt special. It has an airiness that was exactly what I was looking for, but not shallow in interactions or storytelling. Mizhua was an engaging character to follow as she wondered if her life could be something “shining” so it could help influence the manga she was writing. I don’t think there were many moments where I wasn’t enjoying my time reading! Also, while I love all the guys, I am hardcore cheering for Kizuki! Definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a light and sweet shoujo read with great art! (Truly, why is everyone so beautiful?!) ~ Laura A. Grace
Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You is published by Kodansha.
Drifting Dragons, Manga Vol. 8
With Quin Zaza fully paid off and all debts cleared, her officers and crew are now free to sail wherever they wish—and they wish to find the legendary dragons of the Tian Shan Mountains. The creatures’ meat is said to be incredibly delicious; what is known for certain is that it sells for a fortune. The catch? These flying jackpots nest in the “Valley of Death,” an uncharted maze of narrow canyons between the towering Tian Shan peaks, whose walls all reach such a high altitude that overflight is impossible. Yet the greatest danger may be other human beings. The sky is often a lawless place, so Draker ships operate by a code of conduct and set rules of dragon hunting in order to prevent conflict between vessels. But no such rules exist between Drakers and Slayers. And while the Quin Zaza is searching for dragons to hunt, their rivals in the Slayer ship Plana Grava are operating nearby on a contract to clear the maze of any dragons, carrying permission to shoot on sight.… I have to hand it to Taku Kuwabara: with a basic knowledge of physics and some creativity, he managed to craft a scenario where the sky itself feels claustrophobic. The “Valley of Death” he puts on display appears empty and lifeless, but while our characters delicately pick their way through it, the tension is so thick it feels like something catastrophic could happen in almost any panel. We also get another critical piece of Mika’s backstory, which in context makes it clear he and Kurga of the Plana Grava are foils to each other. It’s a famous old technique in comics, both American and Japanese, but having two conflicting characters of similar backgrounds be defined by the fact that they chose to react differently to similar events is famous and old because it works. I wrote about “tension and release” in my previous Drifting Dragons review, and this volume is an excellent display of controlling tension within a story as, like a slow-burning match, events proceed inexorably towards the climactic twist on the last page… ~ WacOtaku
Drifting Dragons is published by Kodansha.
READ Reviews of Drifting Dragons: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol.3 // Vol.4 // Vol.5 // Vol.6 // Vol.7
The Essence of Being a Muse, Manga Vol. 3
“At the end of the day, ‘be yourself’ is just a popular saying advocated by those who are loved for being themselves.” Aya Fumino manages to apply the finishing touches to her incisive portrait of the trials of self-discovery in the final volume of The Essence of Being a Muse. As the day for the art school entrance exam draws closer, Miyuu finds herself bearing a host of burdens, including her mother’s declining health and the eerie fact that Miyuu’s art style is starting to mirror that of a certain role-model figure… As her carefully constructed identity begins to crack under the weight, Miyuu must learn to face herself—her deepest fears and longings, her place in a world where she doesn’t quite fit in, and her persistent love for art—and make the decision whether to keep chasing her dreams or to give up altogether. The final chapters handle her ultimate decision and its fallout quite nicely, with a shift in style that reminded me of Neon Genesis Evangelion‘s heavily psychological final episodes. But Miyuu is no Shinji, achieving success through a final, desperate exertion of will; nor is she your typical shoujo manga protagonist, affirmed by others because of her quirky way of being true to herself. Rather, Miyuu is just an ordinary girl, fraught with the cross-pressures of forming a unique identity. In that sense, she reflects Aya Fumino herself, who reflects in the afterword, “I’ve often felt like I have no sense of things, and life isn’t like a manga where you succeed if you work hard in your own way.” Even so, both Miyuu and her creator press on, chasing after beauty and purpose in a world that seems bent on choking them out. That stubborn hopefulness defines the essence of this series, and that’s why I heartily recommend it as a refreshingly honest take on the well-worn coming-of-age story arc. ~ sleepminusminus
The Essence of Being a Muse is published by Yen Press.
READ Reviews of The Essence of Being a Muse: Vol. 1 (full) // Vol. 2
The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl, Manga Vol. 4
Once again, this volume reminds me how relaxing and fun this series is! Between a Halloween costume contest where Himuro and his coworkers dress up to an outing with Himuro, his sister, and Fuyutsuki, this series continues to captivate my heart! Before reading this volume, it had been an extremely stressful week. I had high hopes that reading this would help brighten my day, and it did so much! Goodness, I felt all the tension melt away as I giggled over all the happy things unfolding in these two lives! While our leads are still not dating yet, I love how they are steadily becoming closer to one another and that Fuyutsuki is seeing Himuro in a different way than just a colleague. Hehe! The Halloween Costume Contest was a great example of that, and I thought they looked so dashing as a team!! I also super enjoyed seeing Himuro, his sister, and Fuyutsuki hang out together! The jealous flurries made me laugh and laughed even more when Fuyutsuki totally misunderstood the situation! Ha! At least both the siblings got a free plushie thanks to Fuyutsuki’s cool self getting two at once in a crane game! Ha! And truly, such great times like that certainly only continued! I very much love this series and eagerly look forward to the next volume because I certainly read this one too fast and need more! ~ Laura A. Grace
The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl is published by Square Enix.
READ Reviews of The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3
No Longer Heroine, Manga Vol. 6
“Don’t throw yourself a pity party here. If you don’t stand up for the way you feel, who else is going to!?” Hear me out, but I think Hatori might actually be on her way to becoming a “proper” heroine, because did any of us imagine Hatori saying the opening quote to her previous rival?! Plus, Hatori is growing and changing as she stands by Hiromitsu’s side as his girlfriend! She’s the happiest she has ever been, but Rita is at one of his lowest moments as he deals with multiple fallouts, on top of horrible rumors spreading about him. While she may want to help him, it looks like Nakajima is the one who will? Oh my goodness, this volume was so messy! I mean, it’s always been messy, but having a love square followed by Nakajima and Hatori having a low-key fallout wasn’t on my bingo card for events to unfold in this volume! But here we are! Ha! This volume wasn’t quite as exciting as the previous volumes? I’m unsure because I had a moment where it just felt too much, and I almost caught myself saying I wouldn’t keep reading this series, but that moment quickly passed, so take that as you will. I’ve been pretty fed up with Rita for a while, but dang it, he had a quick moment of swoon in this one! It was very brief, but it’s like if you really loved Hatori, why didn’t you say all that much sooner? Anyway, I know that Hatori is sad about Rita and the rumors flying around about him, but she’s so focused on all this that she is totally missing the amazing man standing beside her! It wasn’t until the last few pages that Hatori had a huge turnaround and actually realized her actions, which left me shocked! I actually had to read the scene twice because I thought maybe I was reading it wrong! Ha! I read it right though and was quite surprised by her change of heart! It makes me want to say I’m looking forward to seeing her development in the next volume, but I don’t know if I should actually say that with how back-and-forth she is—but I’m still looking forward to reading the next volume nonetheless! Ha! ~ Laura A. Grace
No Longer Heroine is published by Yen Press.
READ No Longer Heroine Reviews: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5
Itaewon Class, Manhwa Vol. 1
What do you do next when following all you’ve been taught—standing on integrity over doing what’s easy and attractive leads—leads only to punishment and loss? Saeroyi Park, reared by a single father who stressed the importance of character, is about to discover the painful reality that doing what’s right can lead to awful consequences. Moving to a small city with his father, Saeroyi stands up to the class bully on the first day of school, with dire consequences that will change his and his father’s lives. Another related incident later leads to the worst outcome possible and a possibility that Saeroyi will either become vengeful, sink into despair, or both. Based on the popular K-drama, Itaweon Class is a compelling work, mostly because Saeroyi is an unusually genuine hero. The circumstances he’s put in are not the things of real life—this is Asian drama after all—but the formation of his character (as shown largely through his dad’s love and his interactions with his crush, Sooah) feels realistic while remaining gritty in a volume that balances a bleak worldview with a protagonist who is unwilling to budge from his principles. My wife is a fan of the K-drama, and from the story thus far, I can see why: it is absolutely a page-turner. It was also fun to see a Halloween scene where characters from Korea (Goblin), Japan (Spirited Away), and America (The Avengers) all converge. The only criticism I have is that the artwork is too plain: Kwang Jin’s backgrounds are beautiful and creative, but his character work is amateurish. Thankfully, this is a character piece, so I’m not particularly bothered, though I’m hopeful that as the volumes pass, the artwork will better match the excellence of this story. ~ Twwk
Itaewon Class is published by Yen Press.
“Reader’s Corner” is our way of embracing the wonderful world of manga, light novels, and visual novels, creative works intimately related to anime but with a magic all their own. Each week, our writers provide their thoughts on the works they’re reading—both those recently released as we keep you informed of newly published works, and those older titles that you might find as magical (or in some cases, reprehensible) as we do.
