This week, we’re knee-deep in ongoing series like Honey Lemon Soda (volume four) and Villains Are Destined to Die (volume five), but we also review the final release for one series (Higehiro, which kind of lands it) and the premieres of a fun new one (Jeanne the Genius) and Neighborhood Story, the highly anticipated manga from the creator of Paradise Kiss and NANA. Scroll below to see what we think of these manga and light novels!
Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway (Vol. 5) • Honey Lemon Soda (Vol. 4) • Issak (Vol. 4) • Jeanette the Genius: Defying My Evil Stepmother by Starting a Business With My Ride-or-Die Fiancé! (Vol. 1) • Neighborhood Story (Vol. 1) • Rainbow Days (Vol. 7) • Villains Are Destined to Die (Vol. 5) • Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion (Vol. 5)
Rainbow Days, Manga Vol. 7
Rainbow Days is a comfort series; it’s cute, fun, and one that you’re not supposed to read into too deeply. But volume seven wades into territory where a major character starts thinking more deeply and we, as readers, have to along—for better or worse. In the aftermath of the Christmas date that left Natsuki blacking out (just after he kissed her), Anna starts wondering what the kiss means. And here’s where the trouble begins: her questions about what a kiss is and what her feelings about Natsuki mean are so elementary that Anna feels more like an alien learning about humans for the first time than a human girl. Yes, she’s always been characterized as out of touch about these things, but whereas before it worked in the context of a funny little story, it’s completely eye-rolling when she’s seriously considering Natsuki, as she is. And them when she does start making the logical connections, it happens far too quickly. These are just poor writing decisions that ruin an important moment in this volume and series. Better is a later Valentine’s Day chapter (after a few fun filler ones in between) revolving around another potential couple. That chapter is more melancholy and unfolds in a surprising way. So volume seven isn’t a total loss. And the series overall has been really enjoyable, so I’m still deeply invested. I just hope that Anna’s character is better developed from here on out and that the story doesn’t stumble so awkwardly again. ~ Twwk
Rainbow Days is published by VIZ Media.
READ: Rainbow Days Reviews Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6
Villains Are Destined to Die, Manhwa Vol. 5
“You can’t let me down when I had no expectations in the first place.” Penelope is the ultimate girl boss, and no one can tell me differently because of how she absolutely slayed in this volume! She and Callisto have escaped the assassins, but not without a cost. As Callisto fights the poison coursing through his body, Penelope stands trial for attempted murder of the Crown Prince. As she stands her ground against those who wish her harm, Penelope once again fights for herself among those who would lie…and those who should have believed her in the first place. Out of the great amount of page time each of the love interests had, there is nothing that will change my mind about how horrible Derrick is due to his actions in this volume. Rip that man off the page and get him away from Penelope! And just when I think Penelope has no need to worry for her life, this “game” throws stuff at her and strikes fear into my heart! This story will follow the villainess trope of the story plot being changed and she will be okay, right? Right? At least on the bright side, there were so many wonderful panels and pages of Callisto! While I’m totally rooting for Penelope and her happiness, I can’t help but feel secretly giddy that her plan backfired when it came to staying away from him. You’re about to see a lot more of him, Penelope dear, and I am all for it! I know she thinks he is the most dangerous, but I really think this volume shows that he is not the most dangerous of all—at least in the love department—and that he really does care for her (or at least his own image, HA). Please, volume six, come out quickly because I need more! Such an excellent volume! ~ Laura A. Grace
Villains Are Destined to Die is published by Yen Press.
READ: Villains Are Destined to Die Reviews Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4
Jeanette the Genius: Defying My Evil Stepmother by Starting a Business With My Ride-or-Die Fiancé!, Light Novel Vol. 1
When her father goes missing one day, Jeanette finds herself exiled from her house by her stepmother, who proceeds to take over the family company. Jeanette, however, has long prepared for such a situation, and prepares to use her business smarts to make it on her own. Her first order of business is to say her goodbyes to her fiancé, Claus, whom she felt she was always a burden on and was only attached to for business reasons; however, Claus, being completely in love with Jeanette, declares instead that he will stay with her and allow her to take over his company instead! While surprised at how much Claus wants to be with her, Jeanette nevertheless takes advantage of the opportunity to make her name in the business world. This is a fun light novel that is as much about Jeanette’s business dealings as it is about her relationship with Claus. Jeanette is a fun protagonist, with plenty of crafty ideas and a plucky personality, including a bit of ditziness that makes her believe that her stepfamily’s constant harassment is just a trial that is an opportunity for growth. It is a bit unusual, though, that despite her self-confidence in business, she feels so unworthy to be Claus’s future wife, and I do hope that in the future she has more confidence in that respect. That said, her burgeoning romance with Claus is rather nice, especially since Claus wastes no time making his own feelings known, while allowing Jeanette to slowly discover her feelings. This is definitely a very enjoyable volume and I am very much looking forward to future volumes. ~ stardf29
Jeanette the Genius is published by J-Novel Club.
Honey Lemon Soda, Manga Vol. 4
“That’s right. I’ll handle this myself. Why am I always letting Miura-kun handle things for me anyway?” Oh, how I deeply loved and enjoyed this volume! The culture festival is in full swing, and Uka is as busy as ever! As she tries to make sure the maid cafe her class is hosting runs smoothly, and hopes she has just a few minutes with Kai, she is pushing herself to give it her all! Will both the event and her hope be fulfilled? I have already been super enjoying this series, but I feel between the last volume and this volume, it really is only getting better and better! Uka is a heroine who is so easy to root for, and I felt that even stronger when reading this time around! However, her words from the ending of volume three still ring in my ears—”it’s bright here too” (in reference to her own “world” when compared to “Kai’s world”)—and I feel we are seeing the fruit of her words. She was the culture festival representative, continues to learn to “go with the flow,” and is taking plenty of other baby steps, with the biggest being her realizing that she loves Kai. I was riding a giddy high during the festival and seeing her also realize that Kai does act differently around her. This led to me feeling absolutely crushed, though, when Uka starts to feel that she should “step aside” so that other people can “shine.” She is shining herself, and I really hope she realizes that soon! I am very hopeful for what is to come in her story because out of all the heroines I’ve read recently, she is trying the hardest and giving her all and deserves to have nothing but happiness in moving forward. ~ Laura A. Grace
Honey Lemon Soda is published by Yen Press.
Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway, Light Novel Vol. 5 (Final)
For a good while, as Yoshida and Sayu are driven toward her mom’s house by her brother, Issa, volume five of Higehiro feels just as contrived as the last. I fully believe that the author, Shimesaba, just didn’t know how to handle the subject matter the way he wants to, with sensitivity and by making the readers desire for a romantic relationship to develop between Sayu and Yoshida, and so we’re left with a mess, something that doesn’t quite work on any level. But one thing I’ll give him credit for is this: Shimesaba writes a powerful and genuine climactic scene to his tale. I wasn’t expecting much out of the reunion between Sayu and her mother, but those who’ve pushed through to this point will be rewarded with a scene that’s suspenseful and dynamic. Lots of complicated emotions swirl during these few chapters that add a depth to the series that often been missing. The novel far better conveys the mother’s perspective than the anime series did; and I could be wrong, but I think that readers who have Asian parents, as is the case with me, may understand the situation and family dynamics even more than other readers. The concluding chapters were not quite as strong; they were too rushed in this already thin book (126 pages, the shortest in a series full of short volumes). The final “will they or won’t they” to the series will also lead readers to consider the big question at the center of it all: Is this relationship, whatever it is (and how it evolves from beginning to end), really okay? That aside, the writing in the series has its moments, though ultimately I’m glad this story was just five short volumes long; with how hard Shimesaba works to create a relationship that’s supposed to work for the readers but really ends up feeling inauthentic, I’m not sure I could have taken much more than that. ~ Twwk
Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway is published by Yen Press.
READ: Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway Reviews Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4
Neighborhood Story, Manga Vol. 1
Mikako is an art school student who lives next door to her longtime friend, Tsutomu. She finds herself getting annoyed at how he keeps bringing girls home, especially now that he seems to be dating one of the hottest girls in school. However, having been friends with him for so long, she can’t tell if her feelings are romantic love or not. Meanwhile, Tsutomu struggles with figuring out his own feelings toward Mikako, especially as his friend starts paying attention to her, and the relationship between the two gradually starts to change. This is a classic romance and coming-of-age story from Ai Yazawa, the mangaka behind NANA and Paradise Kiss, with this manga predating both of them (and Mikako actually appears in the latter title). While the tone isn’t as serious as Yazawa’s aforementioned works, Neighborhood Story does go a bit deeper into the classic childhood friend romance than is usual, touching upon thoughts like worrying about how one might be “missing out” on the rest of the world. Watching how Mikako and Tsutomu start to come to terms with their feelings brings out a lot of what I love about childhood friend romances. Add in a strong secondary cast of characters with their own feelings and ordeals, and you have a stacked, 309-page volume full of classic 90s’ shoujo goodness, accentuated by Yazawa’s distinctive art style. Overall, I definitely recommend this volume, particularly for fans of Yazawa’s other works, or if you’re like me and can’t get enough of stories about childhood friends becoming lovers. ~ stardf29
Neighborhood Story is published by Viz Media.
Issak, Manga Vol. 4
The siege of Rosenheim reaches its violent crescendo after both sides receive news that Protestant reinforcements will soon arrive. The Catholic army surrounding the city knows they only have one more opportunity to storm the walls, but with Issak, Heinrich, Zetta, and the garrison bloodied and exhausted, it’s a golden opportunity. So begins a grueling nightlong battle to survive wave after wave of attackers, where the advantage seesaws back and forth on a moment’s notice. The only constant is this: when the luck of war and the fickle loyalties of mercenaries are involved, you can never quite predict what will happen next. Volume four provides both a great action climax and a deeper look inside Lorenzo’s twisted mind. Several plotlines going back to volume one are tied up, or at least hit a major story beat that changes the status quo. And Lorenzo becomes an even more threating antagonist when he has a chance to demonstrate just how bloodthirsty and unstable he is beneath the suave façade. On their own, those things are great. In context of the larger story, I think it’s time for the plot to stop and catch its breath. We’ve had four volumes of rising action, and taking a chapter or two to give the characters some development and the audience time to sort everything out would be much appreciated. The end of this volume does hint that volume five will look a bit different from the previous four, so I have hope that I’ll get what I’m asking for. Issak remains a very good series, but it’s still looking for that one missing piece it needs to cross the threshold of greatness. ~ WacOtaku
Issak is published by Kodansha.
Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion, Manhwa Vol. 5
Goodness, I feel there is so much to unpack with the latest release of Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion because a lot happened in this volume! The biggest thing is that the original heroine has arrived! If that event wasn’t weighing on Raeliana’s mind already, it’s now the question of what exactly was the real Raeliana’s life like before she took over this body? How come she can’t remember any of her memories, and does she need to remember? More questions arise but with very few answers. I’m not even sure if I can capture all my thoughts of how much I loved this volume! I think the biggest thing though is how much “Grandpa” has really rubbed off on me! I really didn’t like him at first, but his relationship with Raeliana is so special and definitely made me tear up at one point because he really is filling that role in her life. He’s crazy and childlike often, but his love and affection for Raeliana are so sincere! Another thing was the mystery that was looming over Raeliana and her search for answers. I hope things that the previous Raeliana did really hasn’t affected our current wonderful Raeliana too much because I need her to see that she is loved for her, not the past her. This is especially true between things with her and Noah. Speaking of, I am so glad and grateful that Noah is pursuing her! The romance felt a tad lacking, but only because Raeliana is “fighting” him so hard! Gah! His affection for Raeliana is also genuine, and I truly hope that she will return his affection very soon because it’s obvious that she cares for him too. As always, another volume ends with a cliffhanger and leaves me desperate for more! Truly hoping for Raeliana to “come around” when it comes to Noah’s feelings, find more answers to her questions, and realize that she can be happy without worry! Another fantastic volume! ~ Laura A. Grace
Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion is published by Yen Press.
READ: Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion Reviews Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4
“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.
