Inside Mari (Series)
Every so often I’ll jump into the two main manga reading apps I use (Crunchyroll and Shonen Jump) and look for a completed series. I found that in Inside Mari. The series began by introducing you to a 20 something slacker named Isao Komori who was obsessed with a teenage girl. Then one night he suddenly found himself inside her (Mari) body. The story progresses from there and gets graphically sexual at times; however, the fascinating plot and twists of what was happening inside the mind of Mari kept me coming back for more. I rapidly finished the series and, in the end, enjoyed the unexpected psychological thriller within Mari. – MDMRN
Inside Mari is available from Crunchyroll.
Slayers, Vol. 1 (light novel)
In my first impressions post, I said that Slayers was a fun read that felt like it would fit right in among modern fantasy light novels. While it’s still a fun read, there are parts later on that are definitely more dated. In particular, there’s one part that makes jokes about rape that most definitely would not fly in modern works; just be aware when reading that this book was in fact written decades ago and sensibilities have changed since then. As long as that is kept in mind, this remains an enjoyable fantasy romp with fun characters, cheeky narration, great action, and some interesting worldbuilding. Overall, I would say it has aged quite well. – stardf29
Slayers is available from J-Novel Club.
Sayonara, Football (Volume 1)
I loved the manga and anime for Your Lie in April. Recently I had decided to snatched up the first volume of Naoshi Arakawa’s previous series Sayonara, Football. This story follows Nozomi Onda, a fantastic female soccer player who wants to play for her Junior High team. The problem is that there’s only a boys team at her school. They let her practice with them; however, when a tournament comes up they will not let her play in an official match. The thing is that Onda is a fantastic players. Her being on the field elevates the rest of the team as they are forced to compete at her level. However, her smaller physique makes her physically weaker than some of the other players which, they fear, could lead to her getting injured. If you enjoy Arakawa’s writing style and gorgeous art and are looking for a relatively short series to dive into, check this out. It’s only 2 volumes and I definitely plan to keep reading. – MDMRN
Sayonara, Football is available from Kodansha.
Spirit Photographer Saburo Kono (One-shot)
Although it’s only been a couple of months since The Promised Neverland concluded, the artists behind it—writer Kaiu Shirai and illustrator Posuka Demizu—have already developed a one-shot, I’m assuming potentially for their next vehicle. Seeming more serial in nature than TPN, the story concerns an unusual man who uses a special camera to help release spirits who remain in pain here on earth. I didn’t think much of the story as it began—I can’t tell you how tired I am of hearing about the legend of some believing that a camera would steal your soul—but as expected of this trio, as the chapter progressed, so did the goosebumps up and down my arm, and not only because of terrifying images. I love reading one shots, not only as a preview of what might come, but because they often standalone as these rough works that may be compelling on their own, but aren’t canon if the idea is picked up or if not selected, remain this unique, short manga that’s left incomplete forever. But with its pedigree and excellent content, I would be surprised if the one-shot for Spirit Photographer Saburo Kono didn’t become a full series, much less another megahit. – Twwk
Spirit Photographer Saburo Kono is available through VIZ.
Featured illustration by PugWit (reprinted w/permission)
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