Subaru faces not one witch but half a dozen, the banished hero moves one step closer to reuniting with his sister, the plants of a dying world take revenge, a new shoujo heroine rises, and much much more!

Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside (Vol. 8) • Fool Night (Vol. 2) • I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World (Vol. 5) • Insomniacs After School (Vol. 7) • My Sister, the Cat (Vol. 3) • Pink & Habanero (Vol. 1) • The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices (Vol. 6) • Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Chapter 4: The Sanctuary and the Witch of Greed (Vol. 8) • A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom (Vol. 5) • Secrets of the Silent Witch (Vol. 3)

I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World, Manga Vol. 5

Nunnally has been working so hard towards her dream of being a receptionist, but now she’s taking a break with her dear friends! Going abroad, they check out a beach that seems perfect for their vacation, but who should show up? Rockmann, of course! And not only that, but a giant fish is taking her hostage and calling her “princess”?! I loved this volume so much! Not only did I feel fed when it came to the romance being more direct, but the change of setting was awesome! I loved them being under the sea! So, so, so cool! Granted, Nunnally being kidnapped/taken hostage, not so much, but I really loved the new character that we met, and my heart went out to them. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to “move on” and instead be stuck in that moment of time when your grief begins and now drives you to make choices you probably wouldn’t otherwise. I really hope all will be well for them in the future! Also wouldn’t mind seeing them again because their character design was awesome! I really love how this series has shown how Nunnally and her friends have stayed so connected even after graduating! Their plans to have a special vacation might have been “ruined” due to Nunnally being kidnapped, but it still doesn’t change the fact they’re all so close to one another and care for each other deeply. Even Satanās was worried for her and was doing all he could to get her back, even though it seemed all he wanted to do was see the beach babes. Ha! I’m very excited to see what happens next, because the ending definitely implies we will be seeing Rockmann again, which is always exciting! Granted, that means more bickering between him and Nunnally, but I think this volume was pivotal in Nunnally realizing that she does have feelings for him. I can only hope that will be explored more in the next volume! ~ Laura A. Grace

I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World is published by Yen Press.

READ Reviews of I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4

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Secrets of the Silent Witch, Manga Vol. 3

With Cyril thankfully okay and recovering, Monica focuses on confronting the “mastermind” behind the embezzlement that took place as well as on the magecraft interference that not only affected Cyril but also the others who would “forget” what they were doing. And while things may seem to calm after the mastermind is caught, Monica’s days are far from peaceful as she takes a trip to a town where a dragon makes an appearance?! The wrapping up of the previous arc was so good! I didn’t even think about who the culprit was until Monica called them out! The way she effortlessly put that person in their place and undid their formula with a perfect one was incredible! I love Monica’s love for numbers, and I like seeing her angry when the numbers aren’t perfect and how happy she is when they are! She’s amazing! The part with the dragon was awesome! I’m really glad it ended well concerning what happened (more epic and OP Monica!), but also how she was able to be with her friend too. Monica’s always putting so much effort into her hair, and I think really does value her friendship with Lana even if she’s nervous around her a lot, so I’m truly glad everything worked out. I loved the ending! I’m very excited to see where it goes and watch Monica unknowingly putting people in their places, because I hate when people start looking down on her! I think it’s why one of my favorite moments of this volume was of her and Cyril and her feeling touched that she was acknowledged by someone as “incredible” as him. (He and the prince are the only two people who don’t seem to look down on her at all.) More people need to respect her! Definitely another fantastic and extremely engaging volume! ~ Laura A. Grace

Secrets of the Silent Witch is published by Yen Press.

READ Reviews of Secrets of the Silent Witch: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2

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Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Chapter 4: The Sanctuary and the Witch of Greed, Manga Vol. 8

Subaru may be able to return by death, but can he also be in two places at once? That’s the conundrum he’s facing in volume eight of the Sanctuary Arc in Re:Zero, further complicated by a third terrible outcome joining the two established in the previous volume (his friends will either die or Emilia will be driven insane): Subaru’s friends may be parallel universe versions of themselves that don’t reset when he returns by death; they will continue to suffer in these alternate realms when Subaru dies. These results are enough to drive anyone insane, much less the already-mentally unstable Subaru, who continues to drive me nuts with his roller-coaster ride of conceit and self-loathing. But hey, that’s Subaru, and he’s consistently characterized as such. What’s new in this volume, and what stands as its centerpiece, is the introduction of several more witches, all within a few pages. It’s a lot to take in all at once. I was reminded of when I was a child and would receive a volume of these hardcover science books each month through a subscription service before the publisher shipped the entire remaining twenty volumes all at once; it was exciting at first to get such a large order, but then it was overwhelming and no longer felt special. It’s such with these witches too, none of whom get the special attention we as readers would like. They exist in these pages as a collective acting against Echidna’s schemes (though I continue to refuse to see her as a true antagonist) and point Subaru in the proper direction, I suppose, though if Subaru were a real person he’d actually be heading closer and closer to a total breakdown. Sigh. Anyway, lest I make the volume seem all gloom and doom, there are some positives, including nice characterization for Otto and the biggest drops yet about the mysterious cover girl (not Echidna but the one in shadow behind her). Ultimately, I think fans of the series will feel some delight and some disappointment, but hey, welcome to Re:Zero. ~ Twwk

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Chapter 4: The Sanctuary and the Witch of Greed is published by Yen Press.

READ: Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Chapter 4: The Sanctuary and the Witch of Greed Review Vol. 6 // Vol. 7

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A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom, Manga Vol. 5

Sena and Keith agree to travel with Sealiene to her kingdom and see the situation of why she would beg Sena to take her life. Between the King’s illness that leaves him at death’s door and the political strife between nobles and the King’s son, Eduardo, who only wants Sealiene to stay by his side, what will she do moving forward? Another very good volume! I love the change of setting and how the “plot” was a lot different than the previous volumes! Yes, it still involves the dragons, but I think seeing a dragon overwhelmed with grief hit a lot differently after Sena being around Gideon. He is not nearly as expressive, though I would definitely say just as honest as Sealiene! But moving on, I was deeply touched by this volume and how politics was a thing, but that at the heart of many of the struggles was some kind of emotion. My heart completely went out to Eduardo and how he was struggling, and how that struggle impacted Sealiene. All of it just felt very emotionally compelling, and I was very surprised by how quickly I finished this volume! I will be curious to see what happens with Sena and Keith! While they have been established as fiancees (though against their will), Keith didn’t introduce himself as such. I definitely think both of them have feelings for each other, but they have such a beautiful companionship that it’s hard for me to say I want to hurry up and see them romantically involved! Ha! It’s wonderful though, and I really love the new characters that were introduced! There was a moment that I felt it was way too fast to have a turning/change of the plot, but even that did not affect my excitement and enjoyment of this volume! This continues to be such a great series! ~ Laura A. Grace

A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom is published by Yen Press.

READ Reviews of A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4

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The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices, Light Novel Vol. 6

The author makes a striking choice in volume six of The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices: instead of moving into another exciting arc, Mamecyoro keeps the action at court, with his leads moving no more than just across the palace throughout the entire volume. A focus of this volume is what had been one of the major loose ends of the series thus far, Octavia’s choice of a fake boyfriend; it’s no longer left untied as volume six digs right into it, with the king preparing an event at which Octavia must present her boyfriend, or else possibly become betrothed to one of two other candidates. But make no mistake, volume six is just as exciting as the violent fare in the previous books with Octavia finally choosing the object of her fake affection and the mythology of the world, which now becomes more fully integrated into Maki’s arrival into it, erupting onto the stage. So much happens in what would outwardly appear to be a volume of little consequence. What a mesmerizing read! Romance, mystery, fantasy, adventure—The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices has it all! ~ Twwk

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

READ Reviews of The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5

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My Sister, the Cat, Manga Vol. 3

“A family is what happens naturally when you spend time with people.” In this conclusion, Nekota struggles with his role as the human son and brother in a family of cats. As people continuously point out how he and Neneko must be “friends” or that he should let Neneko be more independent from him, Nekota’s heart seems to weigh heavier and heavier. However, his precious little sister (and his parents too!) aren’t going to leave any doubts about how much he means to this cat family! I second what a friend of mine said in her Goodreads review: this is one of the sweetest cat manga series I’ve ever read! Goodness, there was so much heart in this volume that it left me sniffling and teary-eyed by the end! I thought I would just be getting more cute human brother and cat sister chapters, but I got so much more than just that! There was tons of heart packed into this final volume, so that it felt unexpectedly deeper than the previous volumes, making me want to go back and reread the series from the start just so I could experience all the joy, love, and laughter these pages brought all over again. Out of all the cat manga I’ve read, which truthfully isn’t many, this is one of my favorites and will be staying in my collection for a long time! Definitely one of the best manga “surprise buys” I’ve ever done, and I would highly recommend it! ~ Laura A. Grace

My Sister, the Cat is published by Seven Seas.

READ Reviews of My Sister, the Cat: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2

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Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside, Manga Vol. 8

I started running out of steam on this series over the past two storylines, skipping a review of volume six and bemoaning in my volume seven one that “the potential for [Banished from the Hero’s Party] turning into a great series is high and the first few volumes were adorable to boot…but unfortunately, I don’t think it’ll ever get to the former, and the latter seems to be forever gone.” Well, I’m glad I stuck with it. Volume eight returns to form, with lots of cuteness abounding, and also finds a new way to lead the violent, frightening story involving the Hero softly into the gentler (and better) one focusing on Rit and Red. That couple continues their love fest while trying to find a new source of finances during a cold winter spell as the Hero (and a new funny assassin character) make their way to their town, with both parties unaware that a meeting could potentially occur. The previous story involving magic substances, which I felt was muddled and uninteresting, officially concludes here, and volume eight returns to this story’s real substance—Red’s goodness and his kawaii relationship with Rit. As I mentioned above, the Hero’s storyline begins to cross over into theirs, but it’s done in a way suited to the series, which was unexpected since until now, there has been such a juxtaposition between her storyline and Red’s. I’m all for this choice, and here’s hoping that the series generally continues in this direction, capturing what made the initial volumes so very special. ~ Twwk

Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside is published by Yen Press.

^{READ Reviews of Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 7}

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Fool Night, Manga Vol. 2

In volume two of Fool Night, mangaka Kasumi Yasuda continues to build upon the atmospheric and morally complicated world he established in volume one. The case from that volume comes to an end, and now the story shifts to an investigation of a serial killer whose crimes may challenge the entire transfloration movement. The case itself is violent, gripping, and fitting in this world where humans are effectively becoming extinct, but even more engrossing is the depth of the material, generally expressed through the personal lives of the characters and their relationships with one another, particularly Toshiro’s with Yomiko. Toshiro now only has two years to live, and he’s giving considerable thought to how he must spend the short time he has left; he also considers what to do about his mentally ill and violent mother. Meanwhile, Yomiko is dealing with her own parental issues (this theme of bad parents and how to move past their abuse has been a significant theme in the first two volumes). An anti-transfloration religious movement is also introduced in this volume, adding a further layer into a world where the morally disturbing work of transfloration is largely accepted and is the very job our protagonists take part in. The depth of the series, combined with the grotesque imagery, makes Fool Night an engrossing manga. It’s a unique and powerful work in both its imagery and story—and one of the best manga premiering in North America this year. ~ Twwk

Fool Night is published by VIZ Media.

Read Fool Night Vol. 1 Review

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Pink & Habanero, Manga Vol. 1

Mugi would love to have a boyfriend now, as she is in high school, but she also feels she doesn’t have the confidence to talk with boys either. Yet when she crosses paths with her super hot classmate, Kei, and finds out he has a secret job, she might just start seeing him more often until he decides he can trust her with his secret! I had so much fun reading this new debut manga! Does Kei really act like a jerk in the beginning? Oh my goodness, yes! I’m pretty sure that I verbally agreed with Mugi’s statement of him being a jerk every single time she said it, because he really was! However, cheers for his younger sister, because she was his biggest redeeming point! Ha! I would also say I liked him a lot more by the end and could see that he is a good guy with some good qualities. I was actually surprised that for the amount of mean looks he gives Mugi throughout the volume, he is willing to help her with a certain “problem” at the end. I honestly thought it was the perfect setup for the next volume, because there is no doubt it will lead the two of them to be a lot closer! I really liked Mugi a lot! She’s an earnest shoujo heroine who I found inspiring but also one I could relate to. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more of her hilarious facial expressions, because I laughed so much at the faces she would make! The story itself doesn’t seem “groundbreaking,” but I definitely had a wonderful time reading this first volume! I have high expectations for the second volume and eagerly look forward to seeing how this “love story” will play out, because it’s sure to be a fun one! ~ Laura A. Grace

Pink & Habanero is published by Yen Press.

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Insomniacs After School, Manga Vol. 7

Now for the aftermath! Volume six of Insomniacs After School opens with the most adorable (and now official!) couple in manga paying the price for effectively sneaking away for a week on a romantic rendezvous under the guise of a school trip. Oh boy. Well, at least the photo resulting from their escapade is helping to better establish the astronomy club, but the fallout is what clouds this volume as Nakami and Magari lose the trust of their parents and now have to further hide their relationship (at least Magari does)—all while navigating first love. If it sounds like a downer, it is a little, but volume seven also has its charming moments: Nakami continues to grow in confidence and has a pretty sizeable growth experience in these chapters, while another potential couple begins to take the stage as well. There’s always been a realism to the story, but even more so in these chapters as Nakami and Magari are faced with “real life,” and though volume seven doesn’t stir the heart like many of those coming before, it effectively moves the story forward. I’m all the more eager to see where it goes from here, and worried, a bit, for what the future holds in store for the central couple. ~ Twwk

Insomniacs After School is published by VIZ Media.

READ Reviews of Insomniacs After School: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6

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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.