It’s perhaps easy to look down upon manga and light novels, as full of tropes as they are. And yet, it’s these tropes that we as fans adore—and when combined with excellent artistry, they lead to inspiring and heartfelt experiences. That’s the case with a number of volumes we’re reviewing this week, including the latest releases of A Sign of Affection, Adults’ Picture Book, and The Unimplemented Overlords Have Joined the Party! Check out our reviews of these and other volumes below, and as always, let us know what you’re reading!

Adults’ Picture Book: New Edition (Vol. 2) • Itaewon Class (Vol. 2) • The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices (Vol. 5) • A Sign of Affection (Vol. 9) • The Unimplemented Overlords Have Joined the Party! (Vol. 2) • Usotoki Rhetoric (Vol. 8) • The Villainess’s Guide to (Not) Falling in Love (Vol. 2)

The Villainess’s Guide to (Not) Falling in Love, Manga Vol. 2

After an action pack and intense battle with a snake monster, Luciana, her brother Lakas, and his sister can all finally rest, breathe, and recover. However, Luciana’s heart is far from recovering. as Lakas boldly declares he is interested in her! If that wasn’t enough, Luciana and her brother soon discover that a powerful enchantment has been placed on her and they will need one of the “original” love interests help in breaking it! This was an absolutely fantastic sequel to a very strong first volume! I very much enjoyed every moment of this volume and squealed SO much with all the parts involving Lakas! Eeeeppp! I love his character so much, and I’m like please Luciana, fall for this man and be an item because I’m shipping you both so hard! Ha! The art is breathtaking as always, and I very much appreciated how what happened with Lakas’s leg was addressed because, in the previous volume, I had wondered how he was walking. Ha! It was a brief moment, but I’m thankful it was explained, as well as for Saphir encouraging Luciana to not avoid Lakas forever. Thank you, Saphir! I am in your gratitude! Speaking of, I continue to deeply enjoy his character! My heart hurt for him because this whole new matter of the enchantment that’s over Luciana had to have been hard. I know for me, it was hard just reading it from Luciana’s POV, and with how caring Saphir actually is, I could imagine he was struggling internally. I’m thankful he has so many connections, because I need our girl to be okay and have this enchantment lifted! When it comes to connections, the new character we met was interesting! He’s not my favorite (#TeamLakasForever), but I am intrigued about him, especially regarding the character we meet at the very end. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next volume and can’t believe I originally was going to sleep on this series! I very much enjoy the humor that is woven in with this new mystery and can’t wait to see what all these guys will do next! Very much a fun and engaging read! ~ Laura A. Grace

The Villainess’s Guide to (Not) Falling in Love is published by Square Enix.

READ The Villainess’s Guide to (Not) Falling in Love Vol. 1 Review

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The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices, Manga Vol. 5

Even really good series (and especially adaptations) can reach lulls in the story. That’s what happens in volume five of The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices as the “draw out the insurrectionists” arc reaches its climax. But wait, a climactic fight isn’t supposed to be boring, right? And it’s not entirely, but despite bloody surprises, sword fights among a dozen characters, and us witnessing Sil vs. Klifford, it isn’t exactly thrilling either. The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices isn’t about action, per se, but the action scenes are important, and the mangaka doesn’t convey them with the clarity and dynamism needed to get the heart stirring. That’s an issue that may reappear as the series progresses, so it’s worth keeping an eye on. The arc denouement, which drops lots of hints here and there of mysteries still to unfold, is what I would expect—somewhat compelling but a little slow as the series transitions into its next story. It’s fine, really, because it is interesting to wonder what Duke Nightfellow’s role is in all this, seeing as he’s been characterized from the beginning as Octavia’s favorite, and what will happen once a certain item, discovered in the course of the earlier fight, is presented to the king. But when combined with the earlier middling execution of the fight sequence, the result is the worst of the volumes in this series so far. This is strong series overall, though, and here’s hoping it trends upward, again, in future installments. ~ Twwk

The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices is published by Yen Press.

READ Reviews of The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices: Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4

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Adults’ Picture Book: New Edition, Manga Vol. 2

While volume one focused heavily on the dad/husband side of this unusual family equation, and how Souchirou got to the point where he took guardianship of Kiki, volume two focuses on Fusako. How are we supposed to identify with a woman so ready to become a wife and mother but seemingly isn’t emotionally attached to either her new husband or daughter? That’s the conundrum that volume two works through—and effectively, as readers are privy to more of her personal life and see interactions involving her that don’t include Souichirou. And yet, she remains an enigma as much as Souchirou and other characters because, well, that’s part of what’s so compelling about this series. We get more insight into Fusako but still don’t really know her. And while the “big question” of whether Souchirou was in love with his best friend (and Kiki’s father) from volume one remains a hot topic here through conversations with his friends and with Kiki’s birth mother, we’re no closer to a conclusion about it, as the former tend to think he was not, the latter that he is, and the subject himself doesn’t seem to know. But this unusual series would simply be an exercise in creativity if there was no heart, and despite all the mistakes being made by Souchirou and Fusako, most of them at Kiki’s expense, I find myself pulling for them. When there’s a win, subtle as it is, I’m grateful and relieved. I want this ragtag family to work, but there’s indeed a lot of work that needs to be done if that’s to happen. Given how captivated I am by how mangaka Kei Itoi draws readers in, I will myself be seeing that process through to its conclusion. ~ Twwk

Adults’ Picture Book: New Edition is published by Yen Press.

Read Adults’ Picture Book: New Edition: Vol. 1 Review

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The Unimplemented Overlords Have Joined the Party!, Light Novel Vol. 2

Has there ever been a death game light novel this optimistic and cheerful? Don’t get me wrong, the players are worried for their lives in The Unimplemented Overlords Have Joined the Party!, and people are killed in violent ways, but generally the descriptors that come to mind when describing volume two are “cute,” “warm,” and “wholesome.” And that’s a good route to go for writer Nagawasabi64; after an initial volume that was up and down but at its best when it did show a heartfelt perspective, the move entirely into this direction makes for a far better second volume. In fact, I couldn’t put it down; Shuutarou’s decision to join a party, the events for said party, and the various interactions and relationships in this volume are full of life and encouragement. There are a host of characters to root for in this book, in fact, though one of its weaknesses is that we’re supposed to easily recall each of the titular overlords, whom we learned about in volume one but who mostly take a back seat to adventurers in volume two. A final extra chapter does help build out the background for one of them, as was the case at the end of volume one, which is helpful. A little less forgivable is a cover that serves as a spoiler for this volume; I could have done without knowing the exact route the story was taking when it’s written in a windy, somewhat unpredictable way. Still, I was fully engaged by the book, one of the most involving ones I’ve read in recent months; it has me bullish for the future of this fantasy series! ~ Twwk

The Unimplemented Overlords Have Joined the Party! is published by Yen Press.

Read The Unimplemented Overlords Have Joined the Party!: Vol. 1 Review

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Usotoki Rhetoric, Manga Vol. 8

Kanako and Soma have gone in disguise to the upcoming party, in hopes they can find who is after their client’s life. Not only that, they’ll finally meet Atsushi, Soma’s brother! When all calms down and they head back home, a lady who meets Kanako poses the question: What would Kanako do if Soma gets married? I am not sure why, but I didn’t love this volume as much as I have previous volumes. I even went back and skimmed some of volume seven and still super enjoyed it (and I know I have deeply enjoyed previous volumes, so not worried there!), so I’m a little stumped on why I didn’t adore this one? I loved seeing Kanako and Soma in different clothes than usual! I love seeing them do all the detective work and was having a blast up until Atsushi came on page. Now when I think about it, I really felt Kanako’s rage, because I was not happy with how Atsushi talked or treated Soma. Yeah, things might have been hard for him growing up, but I don’t think he should treat Soma the way he does. Atsushi’s wife is so kind and deeply gracious, and I think because Atsushi does see her as more than just “breeding” and good “pedigree,” it was supposed to make my anger towards him not as strong, which may have worked because…I liked the second half a lot more and didn’t feel as upset! Ha! I think the “last” mystery was interesting. Kanako has continually said how she is content to stay Soma’s assistant, but that “truth” is challenged by the question of what she would do if Soma gets married. Would she still be content? Would she still have a place? And so the tides turn in regards to this story, because I think the next volume will see some romance! This might not have been a favorite volume for me, but I do really want to see how this story unfolds, because it has been absolutely lovely! ~ Laura A. Grace

Usotoki Rhetoric is published by ONE PEACE BOOKS. Volume eight releases on August 13th.

READ Reviews of Usotoki Rhetoric: Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7

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Itaewon Class, Manhwa Vol. 2

Saeroyi takes a back seat in volume two of Itaewon Class, relinquishing his hold on the primary role to another captivating character: psychotic social media influencer, Yiseo Jo. As much as we’ve become attached to Saeroyi, this is the right move—the series shows us that the writer is not a one-trick pony; the twists and turns in volume one extend here, as does the artist’s ability to create compelling characters. I should note, too, that Saeroyi isn’t long gone; he plays a major role in the volume and remains the protagonist, and in fact, both a humorous incident and a major knife-twisting kind of moment involve him. And these are the qualities that make the series so interesting—characters who are deeply flawed or in challenging situations, and to whom we’re attracted, plus the situations themselves, which often take us unaware. I guarantee you that if you can get past the artwork, which plainly speaking is awful, you’ll find this manhwa adaptation of the noted K-drama to be deeply engaging. ~ Twwk

Itaewon Class is published by Yen Press.

READ Itaewon Class Vol. 1 Review

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A Sign of Affection, Manga Vol. 9

“Let’s fall for each other even harder.” Yuki and Itsuomi officially have approval from Yuki’s parents to move in with one another! So they begin apartment hunting with the hopes of moving in together as quickly as they can! There isn’t a shojosei manga that’s quite like this series, especially with this volume! I felt very blown away that this volume centered around Yuki and Itsuomi moving forward to move in with one another and how encouraging everyone is. The beginning was wonderful in seeing Itsuomi and Yuki’s dad show they had exchanged phone numbers and are now on a first-name basis. Not only that, but seeing Rin and Kyouya be super supportive and show them their notebook really made my heart have all the warm fuzzies. Having friends/family like them is incredible, and the series really shows how it’s helping both Yuki and Itsuomi! There were so many moments I really really loved that it’s hard for me to focus on what my favorites are, but I think the biggest one is truly how respectful Itsuomi is of Yuki. He really is watching her closely for her reactions and how she is feeling about his touch! On the flip side, the way they have a close relationship but also are close as “friends” too! I loved that, especially the scene where he calls her “partner”! Eeeepp! It’s not a super romantic moment, but it feels so moving because the desire Yuki expresses isn’t pushed off or brushed aside; instead he embraces it and calls her partner. Such a wonderful moment! I am very curious exactly what it is that Itsuomi is “lying” about! Yuki shared how she would realize if he was lying because of the way his whole body would act—as she says, “Sign language isn’t just about the hands.” I hope we will find out sooner rather than later, because I really want to know! Very very much loved this volume and even read it twice back-to-back! I can’t wait for the next volume to see what happens next! ~ Laura A. Grace

A Sign of Affection is published by Kodansha.

READ Reviews of A Sign of Affection: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7 // Vol. 8

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“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.