OP isekai’d heroes, young men who can’t help but be attracted to the heroine (er, villainess), and…a cat? This week’s reviews are for a diverse group of light novels and manga. Enjoy!
I Kept Pressing the 100-Million-Year Button and Came Out on Top (Vol. 6) • My Instant Death Ability Is So Overpowered, No One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me -AΩ- (Vol. 4) • Nights with a Cat (Vol. 3) • Steel of the Celestial Shadows (Vol. 2) • Touge Oni (Vol. 3) • The Villainess’s Guide to (Not) Falling in Love (Vol. 1) • You and I Are Polar Opposites (Vol. 1)
I Kept Pressing the 100-Million-Year Button and Came Out on Top, Manga Vol. 6
I Kept Pressing the 100-Million-Year Button is a “don’t think too deeply and you’ll enjoy it” kind of story. If you’re reading the light novel version, you can’t help but dwell on the writing, so it doesn’t really work; while reading the manga, you can just enjoy the goings-on, which in volume five amount to (another—the third in five volumes!) tournament arc and a romance all wrapped up in a brisk one hundred fifty pages as Allen, accompanying Lia to her homeland, is forced to fight against the king’s guard because Lia’s father assumes that Allen has bewitched her. The tropes are heavy with this one—overly possessive father, a masculine guard who is in fact a woman, etc.—but because the action moves quickly and the manga seems to always be winking and nodding at the readers, it’s easy to accept what might be lazy writing as simply being fun. Yes, I Kept Pressing the 100-Million-Year Button is a lot of fun. When it turns toward action or tries to get a little serious, the shortcomings are far more apparent and the series becomes quite boring. In the long run, that’s going to be an issue, but for now, and particularly for volume five, it’s not a concern. So I would say, enjoy the ride, as long as it can be enjoyed! ~ Twwk
I Kept Pressing the 100-Million-Year Button and Came Out on Top is published by Yen Press.
READ Reviews of I Kept Pressing the 100-Million-Year Button and Came Out on Top: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4
My Instant Death Ability Is So Overpowered, No One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me -AΩ-, Manga Vol. 4
By volume four of My Instant Death Ability Is So Overpowered, No One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me -AΩ-, if you’re still reading, you probably know what you’re getting into. In a nutshell, this is an eldritch horror story masquerading as an isekai—a promising premise with an average execution. Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t read it—I’m caught up on the manga and the anime and almost the light novels. So obviously there’s something here that appeals to people like me. However, volume four largely consists of one of my least favorite arcs, the Swordmaster arc. Yogiri and Tomochika get sidetracked (and keep getting sidetracked, on rather flimsy excuses) to a tower where they end up taking part in a competition to see who the next Swordmaster (a person tasked with defending the world from the Demon Lord’s spawn) will be. Some important moments do occur in this arc, including Yogiri casually exercising his instant death ability on a being whose demise…will kind of impact the entire story in a world-altering way. And we learn that the Swordmaster has been up to some sketchy stuff. In fact, the worldbuilding is fascinating (as always). It’s just that it’s dragged out with so much mediocre filler (including unnecessary and inappropriate humor), a problem that occurs with some frequency in this series but which is probably worse here in this arc than elsewhere. Having said that, the last chapters introduce Aoi Hayanose, a girl whose reality-warping powers seem to be on par with Yogiri’s. The story is clearly setting up for a showdown between the two in the near future (and which is one of my favorite moments in the series). So if you (like me) are willing to overlook the execution’s weaknesses and enjoy exploring the multidimensional worldbuilding going on, you might want to check this out. ~ NegativePrimes
My Instant Death Ability Is So Overpowered, No One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me -AΩ- is published through Yen Press’ J-Novel Club imprint and released digitally through J-Novel Club.
READ My Instant Death Ability Is So Overpowered, No One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me -AΩ- Vol. 1 Review
Nights with a Cat, Manga Vol. 3
Ah Kyuruga, you little rascal! Do you want your tummy rubbed or not?! Make up your mind! Volume three brings us more floofy escapades from the daily life of a munchkin tabby and his humans, and boy are they ever relatable for anyone who has spent more than half an hour with a cat! Mangaka KyuryuZ has a real knack for capturing feline behavior, from the endearing to the perplexing, the charming to the mildly terrifying (that moment when you realize you have a tiny predator living with you!). As with previous volumes, I can’t help but marvel at how the stylized character design and pretty much unchanging facial expression of Kyuruga still manages to convey such a range of emotions and attitudes, as that wide-eyed little face either aligns with or belies the cat’s body language and movement. This series is an excellent study resource for young artists, showing how expressive even a rotund blob of fur can be with just a few subtle adjustments to the lines. There’s no overarching plot here, so you can dive into the series wherever you like. And I recommend doing it and giving your eyes a rest from the screen (because I know you’re watching those cat videos!). Long may this series continue! ~ claire
Nights with a Cat is published by Yen Press.
READ: Nights with a Cat Vol. 2 Review
Steel of the Celestial Shadows, Manga Vol. 2
In the previous volume, samurai Ryudo Konosuke fought a terrible battle to save his wife from being kidnapped by a mysterious sorcerer—and lost. Now lying badly wounded in his house, he can’t even remember how he ended up so battered and bruised. His memory is riddled with inexplicable gaps, and pounding headaches sear his brain every time he tries to put the pieces back together, but his every instinct tells him someone is missing from his life. Meanwhile, a blind young fortune-teller named Aki arrives in Edo to search for her mother. Most of her predictions are nothing more than a street performer’s simple tricks and nonsense. However, every now and then she has strange flashes of oracular inspiration and genuinely can see things beyond human sight. But even with this ability she only has a single lead on her mother’s whereabouts: the lady of the Ryudo household was her last known point of contact. These two might be able to help each other find the answers they’re after, but those answers promise to drag both of them into something far bigger and more dangerous than they could possibly imagine… After a first volume that was heavy on set-up and light on payoff, Steel of the Celestial Shadows slams the pedal to the metal in volume two. The supernatural mystery plot that was previously only foreshadowed now takes center stage, helping the story’s momentum increase significantly. The new character dynamic between Konosuke and Aki also makes for some highly entertaining reading, their lively platonic chemistry being a rarity in manga. But it’s the artwork that I want to give the most attention to. It has a distinctive look where cartoony dynamism and “swagger” is seamlessly added to a foundation of intricate detail and a clear mastery of proper artistic fundamentals. It’s an aesthetic which I rarely see but always love. In short, if you were on the fence about this series after volume one, you need to give volume two a chance before making your final decision. ~ WacOtaku
Steel of the Celestial Shadows is published by VIZ Media.
Read: Steel of the Celestial Shadows Vol. 1 Review
The Villainess’s Guide to (Not) Falling in Love, Manga Vol. 1
Shame on past me for not preordering this and instead “sleeping” on it, because this first volume was amazing! Luciana is a thirty-year-old woman living out her “mundane life” when she wakes up as the villainess in her favorite otome game! Like most villainesses, she aims to avoid all the love interests and not “trip” the red flags that would lead to her doom. Unfortunately for her, though, she can’t seem to avoid these guys! Not only that, she has to decide whether she’ll let the “game” unfold as she remembers, or step in and change the story for the sake of others’ safety. This volume is a serious contender for my favorite read this month because it completely blew my expectations out of the water! I’m trying to think of another villainess isekai I’ve read where the woman getting isekaid is in her thirties, but right now nothing is coming to mind. Maybe there is, and I’m just not remembering because it wasn’t as funny or as relatable as this first volume was, or something else altogether, but I found Luciana’s reactions to seeing these otome guys in the flesh extremely funny! Her commenting on their voices, how they look, and how they act seemed way too much like if I was ever isekaid into my favorite otome game! Ha! I really liked both the guys that took the spotlight! I was sold on the handsome “black lily” as soon as we met him and had to laugh when Luciana said, “If I were a run-of-the-mill villainess, I would’ve fallen for him in an instant!” Girl, I must be one because I was already calling him a favorite right after she met him! Ha! The art was absolutely breathtaking, and I loved the epic and grand fight at the end! Truly, I absolutely loved reading this and have already added future volumes to my list of things to preorder! Highly recommend this to fans of villainess manga, a diverse male cast, and an engaging story that has humor, good storytelling, and a big touch of action! ~ Laura A. Grace
The Villainess’s Guide to (Not) Falling in Love is published by Square Enix.
You and I Are Polar Opposites, Manga Vol. 1
While the plot is common and simple—lively gyaru girl likes straight-laced, serious boy—the execution in volume one of You and I Are Polar Opposites is uncommonly good. Seriously, this series is bursting with enthusiasm, thoughtfulness, and humor. Mangaka Kocha Agasawa’s first manga in print features energetic Suzuki, who frequently bugs plain-spoken Tani by asking him random questions which he seemingly has no interest in. But she’s using these non sequiturs because she otherwise doesn’t know how to balance her fear of seeming strange to others with the crush she has on him! And he—well, I won’t spoil it, but he might be more interested in talking to Suzuki too than she realizes. The plot is cute, but the way Agasawa approaches the work is what’s impressive. There’s a non-stop energy expressed through characters (the supporting ones as well as the main duo) in what feels like very genuine, teenage interactions, sometimes in surprisingly touching ways but more often leading to humor. I found myself laughing out loud every few pages, particularly at Suzuki’s antics and inner monologue. This energy, too, is demonstrated in the mangaka’s approach: each panel is so carefully thought out, with many being quite complex in how dialogue is given and arranged. I’m so impressed by this work, which goes to show what you can do with skill, some care, thoughtfulness, and a little love. ~ Twwk
You and I Are Polar Opposites is published by VIZ Media. Volume one releases on May 7th.
Touge Oni, Manga Vol. 3
The journey to Mount Katsuragi continues! And why not get a little educated along the way? Miyo is skeptical at first, but Master En insists that learning to read and write is a good use of her time, and even the wild oni boy, Zen, agrees, showing off his mad kanji skills. And sure enough, the ability to wield a writing instrument does prove crucial, pretty much right away (pun intended!). Like previous installments, this volume features a number of strange and exciting encounters with capricious Shinto gods and their bizarre Divine Instruments. There’s the near-microscopic flea god, the sky-bracing amphibian god, and the strange being in the mist. But unlike previous volumes, this one is tightly woven, with details—like Miyo’s kanji studies—immediately bringing a payoff. This is the volume where we start to get some answers, too, about Master En, his sword, and even his childhood. And we finally begin to see some hints of why it is he is so determined to reach Mount Katsuragi…and the one who lives there. There are some delightful character moments as well! Even though we already know that Miyo and Zen will end up as a couple in adulthood (thank you, time travel), it’s lovely to see their bond growing—and pretty funny too! Mangaka Kenji Tsurubuchi is no lazy writer and manages to keep their interactions full of surprises and chuckles, alongside a growing number of tender moments. This volume comes with an explicit content warning, but there was actually no such content. The cover image is the most risqué thing about it, and the bathing goddess featured on it is in fact fully clothed in the actual panels. Not sure why it got the shrink-wrap treatment! Anyhow, another enjoyable installment in this journey through ancient Japan. And wait, is that Mount Katsuragi already?! ~ claire
Touge Oni 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.
