On this week’s Reader’s Corner, one manga ends, two others begin, and host of others hit their stride! Oh, and there’s a series that after seven volumes, one of our reviewers finally drops. Scroll below to see which one that is and to read all our reviews!
Chitose Is in the Ramune Bottle (Vol. 6.5) • From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman (Vol. 1) • God Bless the Mistaken (Vol. 3) • I’m Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness (Vol. 7) • Morgana and Oz (Vol. 1) • Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint (Vol. 4) • The Remarried Empress (Vol. 8) • Tokyo These Days (Vol. 3) • True Love Fades Away When the Contract Ends (Vol. 2)
God Bless the Mistaken, Manga Vol. 3
In a more typical manga, the shocker from volume two might have set the groundwork for grand adventures ahead, but in God Bless the Mistaken, the reveal that Kon was born as the result of a bug just allows the series to become more tender and character-driven. Kon was already the “aww, shucks” sort of likeable lead, but now he’s now imbued with an additional layer of depth. Meanwhile, Kasane, who meets with two different agencies in this volume as she makes her guardianship over Kon official, shows even further character development as well. In fact, a story at the end of this volume flashing back to her childhood provides great insight into who she is and why she approaches the bugs with a detached sort of curiosity. I honestly don’t need the layers of depth this series is providing—the chapters about bugs that slant toward humor are creative and fun enough for me—but I love it all the more because of them. What a terrific series this is! ~ Twwk
God Bless the Mistaken is published by Yen Press.
From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman, Manga Vol. 1: My Hotshot Disciples Are All Grown Up Now, and They Won’t Leave Me Alone
There is a story type in fantasy light novels and manga where the protagonist isn’t naturally talented (well okay, he’s way more talented than me and you, but still) but works really hard for years on end to become OP, except that he’s too dense to realize what he’s become. And that skill he’s gained, along with the humility, makes him very attractive to women. From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman, the manga adaptation of the LN series, fits right into this type of mold, with the protagonist being a swordsman who was once the master who trained knights’ commander Allusia, who in turn has asked him to become the instructor for her fellow knights. She sees his value and is head-over-heels for her much older former master; others also pop up in this episode who were likewise trained by Beryl and are attracted to him. It’s a little weird, though the series is helped by Beryl’s character—he’s kind, humble, and down to earth. There isn’t yet an overabundance of fanservice either. We’ll see how all this develops, but more critically, I’m eager to see how the story unfolds. This setup can be fun, but it’ll only take you so far and could also wear thin without a strong tale. I like the world-building in this series so far, and the storytelling is fluid, so I’m optimistic. But time will tell if Old Country Bumpkin turns into a tale worth pursuing, or if—like many of its fantasy manga kin—it’s better left by the wayside. ~ Twwk
From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman is published by Yen Press.
Chitose Is in the Ramune Bottle, Light Novel Vol. 6.5
I did not finish volume 6.5. In fact, I didn’t make it more than several dozen pages through. When this happens during one of my reads—and it does from time to time—I typically will not review the volume. But I feel the need to make an exception in this case. After all, I’ve reviewed every volume up to this point, and if any readers have followed along and read my frequent praise of Chitose’s characterization and the frequently excellent final acts of each volume, I owe it to you to close out these reviews. More pertinent to this review, however, is the reason why I’ve dropped it. The praise I’ve given for the previous volumes has always been balanced with a heavy criticism of the author’s characterization of the girls in the series. I simply cannot tell them apart. Their personality differences are so insubstantial and their designs so blandly pretty (blame the illustrator, I suppose) that if you give me the name of any of the main female characters, I couldn’t tell you which one she is—the ugly duckling, the athletic one, the other athletic one, etc. As volume 6.5 begins, three girls—including two of the main ones—have a meet-up and, once again, I still didn’t know who was who. And after six volumes (even after two or three!), that shouldn’t still be an issue. The primary problem is that Hiromu has no idea how to write women; he has them act in ways that are wholly foreign to any woman. Awful characterization. A shame, too, because when Chitose Is in the Ramune Bottle is good, it’s very good. But that’s not enough to make it through a series when 90% of the characters are unmemorable. ~ Twwk
Chitose Is in the Ramune Bottle is published by Yen Press.
READ Reviews of Chitose Is in the Ramune Bottle: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6
Morgana and Oz, Graphic Novel Vol. 1
Morgana is a witch who hopes and believes that the witches can be friends with the vampires. However, things aren’t that simple, especially when the “peace talks” between them end in disaster. Not only that, but when Morgana’s grandfather goes missing and Oz, a vampire, also goes “missing,” a war between the witches and vampires could be on the horizon. Thankfully, Morgana might be able to help prevent that, but first, she’ll have to figure out how to make Oz human again since she accidentally turned him into a cat! With how much I had enjoyed reading this story digitally, I knew I had to get it physically, and goodness! It was just as wonderful and magical as the first time I read it! I honestly had forgotten how “bad” Morgana was with her magic in the beginning and how chaotic things were for Oz when she turned him into a cat! Morgana has come so far in the latest chapters on Webtoon that it was a lot of fun coming back to the beginning of her story and seeing how everything starts! One thing I really appreciated when rereading is seeing how well the story is set up. You have the very high tension between the witches and vampires, Morgana’s earnestness as a witch to be at peace with the vampires, Oz being a cat, and this overall unraveling of what seemed like a “perfect little world” that is now showing how unpeaceful things have been. The art is absolutely delightful!! I loved it so much! Everything is so vibrant! I would highly recommend this series to those who like “tall girl x short boy,” witches and vampires, and Ghibli-like stories! I can’t wait for volume two to release! Also! If you read this digitally and are wondering if this volume has bonus content, it does! Lots of cute art, some of which I’ve seen shared by the creator on social media, but also some I’ve never seen before! I was excited to see that it was even several pages long, including a 4-koma comic! ~ Laura A. Grace
Morgana and Oz is published by Webtoon Unscrolled.
I’m Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness, Manga Vol. 7
Charlotte and Allen take a successful trip across the ocean to the academy where rumors from Allen’s parents say that Charlotte’s sister is an attendee. Hopeful but nervous, they are shocked to find that Charlotte’s sister is indeed a student there, but that she is nothing like how Charlotte has explained her to be! Is she really a troublemaker, and if so, what are Allen and Charlotte going to do? I miss all the “lovey-dovey” moments of the past two volumes we’ve had, but this was still such a fun and wonderful volume! (And I could say that the lovey-dovey moments are just now between Allen’s “parents” instead! Ha!) Hands down, my favorite part is seeing Allen look so proud of Charlotte because of all the small steps she’s making in achieving her hopes and dreams! When he has that huge smile on his face, my heart feels so warm because his pride really leaps off the page and surrounds you. He really is Charlotte’s biggest fan and supporter, and I love him all the more of it! Charlotte’s sister was nothing like I expected! A lot of the humor of this volume comes from moments between her and Allen and just how well they are hitting it off as the story progresses! I feel a little bad for Charlotte because of her quieter demeanor and how Allen and Natalia are causing a bunch of chaos, but it was so funny! The preview for the next volume though… I know Charlotte and Allen will be 100% fine, but I am worried nonetheless about what it meant! Are they going to get into some kind of argument? Will it affect their relationship in some way? I’m hoping not because I love them together so much, and definitely loved the short story that was included in this volume! Even the bonus mini-manga chapter! Allen’s family may be eccentric, but I love their love for Charlotte and really making her part of the family. Same as Allen, who I have no doubts will be doing everything he can for Charlotte and Natalia to grow closer! ~ Laura A. Grace
I’m Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness is published by Vertical, an imprint of Kodansha.
READ Reviews of I’m Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6
The Remarried Empress, Manwha Vol. 8
“…I want to show Sovieshu that I’m doing just fine without him.” Naiver is starting to feel at home in the Western Kingdom, but she knows she has a long way to go before truly being accepted as the new queen. Meanwhile, in the Eastern Kingdom, Sovieshu’s world is crumbling with Navier gone, but Rashta is thrilled their wedding isn’t that far away. Each volume has been so good, but for the past few volumes, each has been better than the last! This is true for volume eight too! Seeing Navier’s happiness really bloom by Heinrey’s side reminds me why I deeply deeply love this series, because it is incredibly satisfying to see her flourish around people who love and care for her. It still enrages me to see how ridiculous Sovieshu’s thoughts are and that he really thought if he wrote a letter to Navier explaining his honest intentions, she would suddenly divorce her new husband and come running back to her old husband? Then to have the audacity to dance with her and ask for a personal response to his letter on his wedding day? Shouldn’t you be with your wife Rashta and be excited for this new step in your relationship? However, I can say that since reading the latest season of The Remarried Empress and changing my entire view of Rashta, I’ve seen her story through a very different lens. My heart really broke for her in this volume, seeing how much she deeply loves Sovieshu, only for him to do all these things behind her back that show he still deeply loves Navier. She deserves so, so, so much better than anything he can ever offer her! Navier is so beautiful (as always), and I really feel I’m thriving as a reader as she slowly becomes more expressive! I adore Heinrey’s love for her and how sweet he is to and with her, because she deserves nothing less! Definitely another incredible volume that has me excitedly looking forward to the next one! ~ Laura A. Grace
The Remarried Empress is published by IZE Press, an imprint of Yen Press.
READ Reviews of The Remarried Empress: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7
True Love Fades Away When the Contract Ends, Manga Vol. 2
Fiona and Giles enter into a (fake) engagement, much to the dismay of Fiona’s family! Since she had not expressed any interest in anyone before, they weren’t prepared for her to fancy someone. And neither was Fiona prepared to see how truly charming Giles can be! Will they continue to convince those around them that their feelings for another are “real”? I can’t put my finger on it, but I didn’t find this volume quite as enchanting as the first volume, despite the many elements I loved previously being just as prevalent here? I sort of wonder if it’s because the initial setup is over and now we’re getting deeper into this story world and other characters. I would say that’s not a bad thing, because I really loved seeing new faces, though I especially loved seeing more of Rick because he is hilarious giving advice to Giles! And speaking of, he is quite the natural charmer! I was surprised by how quickly he started to become jealous, though it also made me giggle because this is definitely the trope of “he fell first”! Plus, I loved how he appreciated Fiona’s work and said it was important! Considering that is her dream and her livelihood, it spoke very highly of him! Fiona, of course, is wonderful! I really, really loved hearing more about her through other people, including how much she cares for this one certain woman. She is truly amazing, and I really hope that when she falls hard for Giles, she can see she doesn’t have to give up her dream or give him up, but can still do all she is doing, just by his side. Overall, I enjoyed this volume quite a bit, but the last chapter had me excitedly looking forward to the next volume to see what happens next! ~ Laura A. Grace
True Love Fades Away When the Contract Ends is published by Seven Seas.
READ True Love Fades Away When the Contract Ends Vol. 1 Review
Tokyo These Days, Manga Vol. 3
“Even in the midst of production hardships, it’s really the journey that’s brought me joy.” Tokyo These Days, a wondrous, involving, and sometimes uncomfortable “journey” through the hardships of reality—including loneliness, disappointment, and aging—comes to a conclusion here in volume three. Shiozawa speaks those words—the theme of entire manga—near the end. By this point, there have been a couple of unexpectedly emotional payoffs for a series that’s been so subtle until now. Well, I suppose they should be expected—the concluding volume needed to wrap up loose ends, after all, and bring the series to a satisfying conclusion. Tokyo These Days obviously ended before it was meant to, but Taiyo Matsumoto nonetheless does a masterful job of bringing the series to a fitting conclusion. The most major characters receive closure to their stories, while others get a panel or two as well. Most importantly, Chosaku, who has risen virtually to the level of the main protagonist in the course of these three volumes, receives a strong final arc to his own journey. What’s lovely about this series is that any of us who have lived life a bit are likely to see some of ourselves in these characters, or at least in the story at large. It’s painful, sometimes, to see their disappointments and perhaps reflect on our own. But Tokyo These Days has always also been hopeful, and that concept (“the journey that’s brought me joy”) is key to the story. I could have read another fifteen volumes of this wonderful work, but I’m glad that we at least received three. And much like in the story itself, amidst all the major and more current releases out there, I hope some readers will find this gem; it’s an absolute treasure. ~ Twwk
Tokyo These Days is published by VIZ Media.
Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, Manhwa Vol. 4
When a formula hits its peak with a certain property, other series in the same vein suffer in comparison. I think that’s what happening right now with Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, which is fun and sometimes thrilling, but isn’t as good as the all-powerful Solo Leveling. The art is excellent, but not as brilliant as in Solo Leveling. The protagonist, Dokja, goes from humble to grumpy as quickly as Sung Jinwoo does, but doesn’t retain his likeability. And the supporting characters aren’t as memorable. It seems unfair to compare the two manhwa, but they are very similar, and this one just isn’t as good. That’s not to say that Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint doesn’t do some things well—namely, for the time being, creating a compelling storyline involving Junghyeok Yu, a “protagonist” who’s so downright uncompromising and dirty that Dokja seems magnanimous in comparison. He’s barely in volume four, mostly in the shadows, but the entire proceedings revolve around him; how can Dokja accomplish his mission of keeping Yu alive when he has to get through the current scenario with his newly found team first and when Yu, of course, wants to kill him? The fight against the monsters in the tunnel and the Landlord Coalition is violent and fun (though not very inspired—what happened to the cleverness of being the only reader of this story?), so you’ll fly through this volume. I’m just hoping for more depth and creativity in future volumes—and it may arise out of the Dokja/Junghyeok dynamic. We shall see! ~ Twwk
Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint 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.
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