Anyone else feel that heat? No, that’s not the dog days of summer—they’ve come to an end. That’s romance you’re feeling! A host of new releases put love at the front and center, including volumes of The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl and Gazing at the Star Next Door, while others like My Girlfriend’s Child and Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up point toward romantic relationships while focusing on other topics. Oh, and there’s still plenty of fantasy in the mix in this week’s releases as well. Check out our reviews and let us know what you’re reading these days!

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Vol. 11) • Gazing at the Star Next Door (Vol. 3) • I Kept Pressing the 100-Million-Year Button and Came Out on Top (Vol. 6) • The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl (Vol. 6) • Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up (Vol. 1) • The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies (Vol. 0) • Mr. Villain’s Day Off (Vol. 5) • My Girlfriend’s Child (Vol. 5) • The Perks of Being an S-Class Heroine (Vol. 2) • Tearmoon Empire (Vol. 5) • The Unwanted Undead Adventurer (Vol. 10)

The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies, Manga Vol. 0

A magical girl keeping planet Earth safe. An evil lieutenant determined to conquer that planet Earth. But when the two meet, all the plans of the evil lieutenant get thrown out because it is love at first sight. As he tries to hide his feelings, but also get closer to her, Earth’s fate remains to be in question as a “forbidden” romance unfolds. I’m unsure of what to say about this manga, and that’s mainly because I loved the two leads and their interactions, but there is a cat/angel/thing that I absolutely hated. He singlehandedly ruined this manga for me because every time he came on page (at first anyway), I was irked and irritated, but not so much that I would stop reading. However, that changed around halfway through when we saw how he treated our magical girl and at least three times sexually harassed her! It’s even implied that this is on a day-to-day basis! I’ve never felt so relieved to see a hero, and I have the same exact reactions of pure rage! Maybe it was wrong, but when the evil lieutenant took out this cat/angel/thing, I cheered because get that freaking creep off the page! Ugh! There were some moments outside of that character that I wasn’t super fond of, but nothing was as hard of a deal breaker as that character. As soon as I was finding my footing with the main characters and happy over their cute moments, that character would show up and all my enjoyment would just vanish, which is unfortunate as I really really did like both the leads! I know this would be considered an age gap kind of story, but it was always so respectful, and I deeply admired how the lieutenant always kept it as such. I definitely would have loved to see where the story went and see their romance bloom more! Overall, I won’t be keeping this story in my collection, and am sad that I didn’t connect more with the story because of certain side characters. ~ Laura A. Grace

The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies is published by Yen Press.

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The Perks of Being an S-Class Heroine, Manhwa Vol. 2

Having survived her first dungeon, Ailette now uses that same dungeon (and the “people” who live there) to make some extra money. Things are looking up even more when she gets an opportunity to meet the protagonist of the novel she’s in! However, as one of the “gods” points out, “S-class novels are all about being at the wrong place at the wrong time,” because Ailette and the hero find themselves in a new S-class dungeon! Will she be able to keep herself, the hero, and the kids in the dungeon alive?! This series continues to be a blast to read! I deeply deeply love it and was surprised how everything I loved in volume one was even more prevalent in this volume! Probably my favorite part, though, was the skeletons! Seeing them find a purpose because of Ailette’s powers was really touching! I know she’s all about making some profit/money to increase her chances in this world, but I think she found it just as satisfying to help those around her! It was especially rewarding when her brother was touched by her gifts/abilities, and seeing Prinz stand up to his bully was everything! Also, I love how Bia will be such an active person in Ailette’s life moving forward! I have deeply loved their friendship, and it was wonderful not only hearing Ailette speak so highly of her, but also seeing Bia be happy too! The second half of this volume was super engaging, and I loved the dungeon that pops up, even though it is extremely tense! I loved how it paves the way for us to meet the protagonist, but also for all the fighting and humor that happen! I’m eagerly looking forward to the next volume because this one was so good! Definitely a series I never expected to fall head over heels for, but here we are!  ~ Laura A. Grace

The Perks of Being an S-Class Heroine is published by IZE Press.

READ The Perks of Being an S-Class Heroine Vol. 1 Review

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The Unwanted Undead Adventurer, Manga Vol. 10

We care about Rentt because of the person he is now, but do we really care about his development into becoming powerful, even perhaps into a Mythril-class adventure, which has long been his goal? I don’t think we have—not until volume ten of the manga, at least, when his tragic backstory is revealed. While it’s not anything unique to fantasy manga, the flashback that extends throughout the entire volume still manages to be moving. I think this in part because while The Unwanted Undead Adventurer does sometimes feature a dark tone, it generally avoids gruesome encounters, and Rentt’s story of loss and how he decided to become an adventurer is terrifically violent. I don’t want to reveal anything more, but it’s an absorbing read. The manga itself is well drawn, and the release is quite beautiful—the manga volumes are thin (and admittedly short) and the black outlines used for the flashback scenes add a real cinematic feel to volume ten, at least. It feels like a collectible, though it appears that this is strangely the first volume that Yen Press is bringing to print from its J-Novel collection. Another reason to purchase it, however, is that it may appeal to anime viewers like myself; volume ten roughly matches the final episode of season one of the anime. ~ Twwk

The Unwanted Undead Adventurer is published through Yen Press’s J-Novel Club imprint and released digitally through J-Novel Club.

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Gazing at the Star Next Door, Manga Vol. 3

Having gained the courage to allow herself to one day confess to her best friend, Chi is in high spirits. However, after seeing him at his job and at how different of a world he’s in, she gets discouraged and balks at the idea of telling Subaru. Yet the more she and Subaru are together and given how he acts when it’s just them, her feelings just might end up pouring out anyway. If I thought love triangles only had angst, I couldn’t have been more wrong! The “childhood friends to lovers” angst is in a league of its own! This was another incredible volume, but the emotional roller coaster I was on from the first page to the last had my heart cheering for Chi, then breaking, then upset on her behalf, then feeling confused. There was never a dull moment, as I felt completely invested in this story and reading Chi go through her own emotional roller coaster! The mangaka thrived in conveying such strong emotions, whether it was through Chi’s courageous “gaze” at Subaru or even her watching his back get further away from her! Truly, there were many moments where the emotions of the characters overflowed off the page! There is definitely so much more I would love to say, but I worry anything else would lead to spoilers! Instead, I will say that this series continues to be in my top three favorite shoujo I’ve read this year, as well as in my top three I would give for shoujo recommendations, and I would highly recommend it! But why in the world is the release for volume four so far away when it ended on that kind of cliffhanger?! I need to see what happens next ASAP! ~ Laura A. Grace

Gazing at the Star Next Door is published by Kodansha.

READ Reviews of Gazing at the Star Next Door: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2

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The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl, Manga Vol. 6

With the conclusion of the last volume, Himuro worries that thanks to his sister, Fuyutsuki only now sees him as a “bestie.” However, he feels even if this is the case, he still wants to get closer to her, and thankfully that happens! Thanks to unexpected help from his sister on an unexpected snow day, Himuro and Fuyutsuki draw closer still! I always feel like I read this series at just the right time because, after several days of intense sickness, this volume made my heart feel lighter! I couldn’t help but smile and feel happy the entire way through! I enjoyed reading this volume so much and was even pleasantly surprised how this volume had a larger focus on the side characters! I know the mangaka mentioned in her last author’s note that she was hoping to give them some focus, but I didn’t expect it to be right from the opening chapter! And it wasn’t just Komori and Saejima, who work directly with our leads and have had the largest page time from the cast of side characters, but also Otonashi and Katori, coworkers from another department who we hardly ever see! Truly every chapter was wonderful, and I am already looking forward to the next volume! Definitely one of the fluffiest ongoing josei series that I continue to love more with every volume! ~ 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 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5

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Mr. Villain’s Day Off, Manga Vol. 5

The general of the Evil League wants a day off just like everyone else, but unfortunately his days off have been far from calm with his new pet robot cat! From wishing he had AC to wondering if he caught a cold, this “villain” has his work cut out for him on his days off! Another wonderfully fun volume! I really appreciated the “change” in this volume, in that it seemed a large part of it took place at our villain’s job rather than at home or somewhere randomly chilling on his day off. I think it made this world seem even larger than what it had, because now we see it’s not just him who is “fighting” Earth, but like the blurb has said, an entire Evil League. Speaking of the Evil League, I was excited to see Trigger again, who seems a self-proclaimed rival to the general! Ha! He’s always so grumpy, and I love how he always gets caught up in situations that “force” him to help those around him, even if he doesn’t want to. Ha! Not only that, I liked the new characters that we met and that the cute pet robot is still active in the story too! Definitely hope that will continue as the series progresses, because it’s always fun seeing old faces again, especially when you like those characters! Lots of happy moments that made me smile and laugh, and I definitely still enjoy this series! ~ Laura A. Grace

Mr. Villain’s Day Off is published by Square Enix.

READ Reviews of Mr. Villain’s Day Off: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4

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Tearmoon Empire, Manga Vol. 5

The excitement for the Swordsmanship Tournament has passed, with students of Saint-Noel Academy now heading home for the summer. However, Mia knows this is no time to relax! Back home she is meeting again with Ludwig to see how to change the future, because even if her diary shows minor changes, her path ending in doom is still the same. Ooooh, this was different but good! I feel the last few volumes have had a lot of shenanigans at the academy and some “romantic” moments (aka me shipping Mia and Abel an overwhelming amount and overanalyzing the situation), but this time it felt more serious? Still lots of very funny misunderstandings about Mia’s intentions, but Mia is once again pouring over her diary and seeing a “slightly new, but same outcome” future. She refuses to let that stand, of course, and she continues to go all out once back home in trying to change the future. To her shock (and my own), she finds out who is responsible for her downfall! And goodness what a character! I do not like them and resonated strongly with Mia’s words about teaching said character a lesson! That character is absolutely awful, and I hope that not only will the future change, but that this character can never continue their evil actions again! Hmph! I was excited to see Abel in the beginning as well as Mia realize/see she is so cared for and loved by her friends! It surprisingly made the beginning a little bit of an emotional one, with Mia remembering the past and then seeing her new (and better) reality. Very touching, and I’m happy for Mia in the new future she is creating! Very much continue to love this series and was excited and crushed to see at the end that the next volume releases in February! Gah! I want to know what happens next right now! ~ Laura A. Grace

Tearmoon Empire is published through Yen Press’s J-Novel Club imprint and released digitally through J-Novel Club.

^{READ: Reviews of Tearmoon Empire Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4}

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I Kept Pressing the 100-Million-Year Button and Came Out on Top, Manga Vol. 6

From the beginning, I Kept Pressing the 100-Million-Year Button and Came Out on Top has been a guilty pleasure, a series that’s “dumb fun.” But what happens when the “fun” part disappears? In volume six, where there’s yet another tournament, and Allen fights Lia and Rose once again, about half of the content is dedicated to battles. And while they’re pretty to look at, they lack any suspense. The outcomes are never in doubt because Lia and Rose serve only to feed into Allen’s story; the girls are one-dimensional and will never get a victory against Allen if it comes at the expense of him growing step by step without any true setbacks to his OP development. Elsewhere in volume six, background involving the mystery of the 100-Million-Year button is dropped, and some powerful antagonists (one of which very easily incapacitates Lia and Rose who just pages earlier were shown to be immensely powerful, with the latter set up as one of the most powerful people in the entire kingdom in volume one—though I guess not anymore) appear, but none of this story is interesting and none of the supporting characters are memorable. The charm and fun have worn off, leaving a pretty empty series, and one that I won’t be returning to. ~ 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

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My Girlfriend’s Child, Manga Vol. 5

Sachi has longed for as normal a pregnancy as she can have. She has tried to make it so, but her fears and her frustrations bubble up in a horrible argument between her and Takara. Not only that, but a rumor about her pregnancy is now traveling around her school, leaving her concerned about her future. Just when I think it can’t get any more emotional than the last volume, I am proved wrong! I cried so much reading this, especially with Sachi and Takara arguing, but I’m also so thankful that both of them were able to convey their feelings! Even if they feel the other person didn’t understand where they were coming from or had a much different idea/view on what they should do next, at least their feelings were out in the open! It hurt to see him “leave,” because Sachi wanted him to stay, but at that moment in time, I agree with Sachi’s mom and even one of the nurses who both said that their arguing wasn’t bad because they were able to “talk” things out. The relief I felt though when they “made up” and could just talk!! Goodness, I cried, especially when both of them smiled! It’s been so long since we’ve seen either of them smile that my heart felt so full in that moment! I wish the moment would have lasted longer because seeing how Sachi’s classmates treated her absolutely enraged me! The audacity of her “one friend”! Ugh! Girl is in no way a friend, and I hated how Sachi was doing her best only for her classmates to laugh about everything! With how this volume ended, I truly hope that it will lead to Sachi not regretting any of her decisions. It was a tough read all around, honestly, but I’m hopeful for this young couple and what their future will bring! ~ Laura A. Grace

My Girlfriend’s Child is published by Seven Seas.

READ Reviews of My Girlfriend’s Child: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4

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Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up, Manga Vol. 1

When your middle school experience isn’t the best, then it’s time for a glow-up when going to high school! At least that’s what Keisuke did! Traumatized by the girl he liked rejecting him due to his looks and weight, he decides to not only go to a high school far away but look so different that no one would recognize him! So far he thinks he’s successful, but he’s shocked to learn not only that he wasn’t the only one who got a “makeover” but that someone from middle school knows exactly who he is! This was a cute read, and I enjoyed my time reading it! I’m not sure what else to say, because it was nothing groundbreaking, but I also appreciated how there was no fan service in two opposite-gender teens forming a friendship. With many other popular (shonen) series that are similar, we would have a panty shot or some other sexualized scene that leaves me rolling my eyes, but this one didn’t have either or give me that kind of reaction. So I guess in that sense, it was refreshing! I do really like the main leads and very much hope they will have a romantic relationship, even though I know the premise of the story is not even centered around that. Ha! I do think seeing them be friends is satisfying, especially with all the misunderstandings and reactions Keisuke has because it’s pretty funny, but I so want more! Overall, I’ll give it another volume and see where it goes! I wasn’t a huge fan of the other female character, and I think it’s because it’s been revealed to the reader just what kind of person she is. In no kind of way do I want her to befriend Kusunoki! I would recommend this manga if you’re looking for a lighthearted josei story that is easygoing with a little bit of humor and characters you easily find yourself cheering for! ~ Laura A. Grace

Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up is published by Kodansha.

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Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Manga Vol. 11

Something happened on the way to volume eleven of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End—namely, this manga now feels inseparable from its anime adaptation. I think that’s a good thing (I’ll explain why in a moment), not that Frieren ever needs animation to get the emotion flowing in its readers. As the Golden Land Arc reaches its climax, it is no surprise that Frieren (and Denken, too) look to the past and the people who touched their hearts to find the knowledge and strength in the present to fight against two foes who are respectively more powerful than they are. Yes, you heard that: Frieren is fighting a demon whose power surpasses her own, and the battle gets very dicey—scary, even, for readers. That said, I’ve mentioned before that the action scenes are clearly the weakest part of this series; they are beautifully drawn but only somewhat exciting. That’s where the anime comes in! Now having seen Madhouse’s incredible work in building out the series’ action scenes, my imagination is able to go take the fights illustrated in this volume’s pages and consider how they’d look in action under Madhouse’s guidance, which is a real boon for the series. And I think it’s fair, too—after all, as Frieren states here and is mentioned throughout the series, that magic is all about imagination! Oh, and there was something unexpected in volume eleven: a new arc begins almost immediately. It looks to be another one that will once again stir our hearts. I’m all the more eager for volume twelve, though with us practically catching up to the Japanese publishing schedule, I’m afraid future releases may be fewer and farther between. ~ Twwk

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is published by VIZ Media.

READ Reviews of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7 // Vol. 8 // Vol. 9 // Vol. 10

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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.