This week’s Reader’s Corner is full of really cool releases, including a new edition of a classic X-Men manga; one-shots from Oda Eiichiro; the newest volume of Steel of the Celestial Shadows; volume ten of both Issak and Solo Leveling; and not one, but TWO Oshi no Ko releases. Check out our thoughts on these series and more below!

I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time (Vol. 4) • I’m the Grim Reaper (Vol. 1) • Issak (Vol. 10) • Oshi No Ko 1st Illustration Collection: Glare x Sparkle • Oshi no Ko (Vol. 8) • The Small-Animallike Lady Is Adored by the Ice Prince (Vol. 1) • Solo Leveling (Vol. 10) • Steel of the Celestial Shadows (Vol. 4) • Sword Art Online: Kiss and Fly (Vol. 2) • Wanted! Eiichiro Oda Before One Piece • X-Men: The Manga: Remastered

Steel of the Celestial Shadows, Manga Vol. 4

Pushed to the brink of death by his battle with a female assassin wielding strange and malevolent witchcraft, samurai Ryudo Konosuke learns the “curse” which has forever been the bane of his existence is actually a gift. Or rather, it could be if he can learn to control it. If he can’t, the long-dormant powers he’s beginning to unleash could very well come to control him. Meanwhile, Aki is facing a similar problem, as her oracular sight has somehow been kicked into overdrive and her visions now threaten to snap her grasp of reality and swallow her mind whole. And why is it that when Ryudo or Aki see things under supernatural influence, perceptions of time and space get wonky and Aki and Ryudo’s wife Tsuki appear to swap places without rhyme or reason? For every answer this pair finds, three more questions appear, but perhaps a mysterious Tengu-trained doctor with a “Gift” of his own can clarify a few things while our pair recuperates inside a clay jar (it’s bigger on the inside)… If volume one started things off with small hints that this Edo Period samurai story had a larger supernatural world hiding just behind the scenes, by this volume the series has gone all-in on exploring the world of traditional Japanese monsters, magic, and folklore. Technically, most of this volume takes place in one location while a new character drops the backstory on our two heroes, but the revelations we are given—and the key bits we aren’t—are so intriguing that the story doesn’t feel like it has “stopped” at all. It’s now clear that Steel has fully committed to “historical fantasy” rather than “historical fiction,” so readers looking for a grounded and realistic samurai story will need to understand this isn’t that. And while I absolutely devour anything decent in the latter category, I am also an unrepentant sucker for this Weird Tales kind of stuff. Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a wild ride. ~ WacOtaku

Steel of the Celestial Shadows is published by VIZ Media.

Read reviews of Steel of the Celestial Shadows: Vol. 1 // Vol.2 // Vol.3

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Sword Art Online: Kiss and Fly, Manga Vol. 2

The Kiss and Fly tales seem to be distinct side stories related to the main SAO tales, and may or may not directly intersect each other down the road. As the first volume included one and a half stories, so this one concludes the second story from that volume and adds a third. In the first part (“Rainbow Bridge”), Kirito, Asuna, and their friends continue to investigate the mysterious quest they were wrapped up in, eventually leading them to…a very special place…and to hints that there may be whole realms in the game that they aren’t even aware of yet. Then the second part (“Sisters’ Prayer”) goes into the backstory of Yuuki (from the “Sleeping Knights” arc) and her sister. Yuuki is one of my favorite characters in SAO, and her arc is one of my favorites as well; so I was glad for an opportunity to delve more into her life. If you haven’t read or watched her story in the main SAO media, however, you should do that first, as information in this tale will spoil surprises in that one. As with volume one, these are fun, sweet stories that flesh out the world we’ve already come to know and love; they are not epic extensions but rather comfy insertions, and that’s good enough for me. ~ NegativePrimes

Sword Art Online: Kiss and Fly is published by Yen Press.

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The Small-Animallike Lady Is Adored by the Ice Prince, Manga Vol. 1

Liliana is the daughter of an earl and is more than happy to remain single and live at home with her two very doting brothers and sweet parents. However, when she’s invited to the royal ball as a potential marriage candidate for the eldest crowned prince, she decides to do everything she can to not look interesting by wearing a drab dress and boring makeup. Thinking she’ll succeed in the prince not noticing her and therefore she can remain happily single, she’s shocked that he ends up choosing her as his fiancee! When this manga was announced, I was super excited and felt it would be a perfect fit for me! Unfortunately, though, I really struggled to finish reading this first volume. I’m not quite sure what it was, but I knew I was in trouble when I didn’t feel a connection with Liliana early on. I think her deep love for food was supposed to make her more endearing as well as seeing her earnestness to do everything she could to avoid attention at the royal ball, but neither hooked me. When the Prince was introduced, I definitely didn’t like him and even read ahead to see if my feelings would change once I saw what he looked like on the cover. My feelings sadly, however, didn’t change, and I was very, very bummed about that because I think the art is cute and the story is sweet-ish. I’m unsure if I would recommend this, because my first thought is if you’re looking for a heroine who loves food, then Pass the Monster Meat, Milady is one I would strongly recommend. If you’re looking for a female lead who doesn’t want marriage but ends up finding herself engaged and want a trope of “he fell first,” then I would recommend True Love Fades Away When the Contract Ends. I feel these manga showcase and explore those tropes in a more engaging and exciting way. ~ Laura A. Grace

The Small-Animallike Lady Is Adored by the Ice Prince is published by Yen Press.

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I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time, Light Novel Vol. 4

“It’ll all come together. I know it will.” I have to remind myself of this while reading volumes of I May Be a Guild Receptionist, which while fun and action-packed throughout, often feel messy right up to the conclusion and even until the denouement. That much is true again in volume four, in which Alinia’s initial enemy is again the amount of work she is required to do; this time, however, the difference is that she must register the parties for an adventurer battle tournament (that’s not quite the same as overtime, right?), which she is also wrangled into joining. This volume then shifts its focus to Lowe, the Silver Sword party member who is the only one so far that hasn’t been featured, with volume four providing him an unusually dark background that really doesn’t feel like it was earned by his previous appearances. As the volume progresses and its main protagonist comes to light, little inconsistencies seem to appear as well; while some justifiably ought to have been hammered out better (see Lullalee’s stupidly personal reaction to a sudden reveal when everyone is literally about to die), author Mato Kousaka proves once again that he’s actually an excellent storyteller. You just have to wait. The ending is satisfying, encouraging, and a bit of a cliffhanger—all in one. And it’s a reminder, too, that this gem of a series does a wonderful job of combining the fun and cute elements of some fantasy light novels with a more serious and literary side; I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time is a strong series, and I can’t wait to see what route it takes next. ~ Twwk

I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time is published by Yen Press.

READ Reviews of I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3

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Issak, Manga Vol. 10

With his friends safely across the Rhine, Issak can now turn his full attention to his sworn enemy Lorenzo. Currently at large in central Europe with both of their teacher’s masterwork guns, each of which contain half of the secrets of their design, that renegade samurai hopes to mass-produce these weapons and drown the continent in carnage. But all is not yet lost. Issak knows what Lorenzo intends, and there is still one final safeguard against his nemesis’ plans: The instructions hidden on the two gun’s stocks are written in Japanese. Lorenzo will need a translator of rare skill to copy them properly into some language local gunsmiths can understand, and Issak befriended one of the only men in the whole of Europe who could do the job during his voyage from Japan. Find his friend, and he finds Lorenzo. But however unhinged his mind, Lorenzo is still as crafty as a serpent and will not be easy to catch… We get a significant shift in the status-quo in this volume, as the story zooms in on three characters: Issak, Zetta, and Claus. They make for an entertaining trio of samurai, saint, and schemer, with Claus often stealing the spotlight as the one “normal” guy. In a cast usually concerned with lofty questions of faith and empire, Claus would simply like to keep his head attached to the rest of his body and get his hands on as much money as he can while doing so, thank you very much. I don’t know how long the story intends on sticking with this streamlined trio, but it allows all attention to be re-focused back on the central plotline. The previous major arc had to regularly jump between characters to keep several narrative plates spinning, and the role of main villain was often carried by General Wallenstein rather than Lorenzo. Entertaining stuff, but without care it could have become the sort of subplot that smothers the rest of the story. This current arc gets the manga back to basics, but with the added benefit of the previous nine volumes of character development. ~ WacOtaku

Issak is published by Kodansha.

READ Reviews of Issak: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol.6 // Vol.7 // Vol.8 // Vol.9

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[Oshi No Ko] 1st Illustration Collection: Glare x Sparkle, Art Book

If any series demands an art book published this side of the Pacific, it’s Oshi no Ko—and finally, we now have an official one! Glare x Sparkle gathers (mostly) full-color illustrations from the breadth of Oshi no Ko material—special illustrations, promos, and manga publications—from the first several years of the series into one artbook. But “gathering” doesn’t properly express how lovingly the illustrations are arranged; the book feels completely original, with the design of the pages coming across almost as artistic as the material itself. The collection features illustrations through early 2023 and up through the material covered in season two of the anime and volume seven of the manga series (and perhaps a little further, but these eyes didn’t spot any spoilers). There is extra written material as well, including some captivating captions by artist Mengo Yokoyari, an interview with her and writer Aka Akasaka (plus a few surprises involving Akasaka’s most famous character not in Oshi no Ko), early drawings for the series characters, and a complete storyboard of chapter one. The presentation is colorful and slick, just like the series, so if you’re a fan of Oshi no Ko and artbooks, you’ll want to get your hands on this one. What a beautiful collection! ~ Twwk

[Oshi No Ko] 1st Illustration Collection: Glare x Sparkle is published by Yen Press.

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[Oshi no Ko], Manga Vol. 8

Even with the major reveal in volume seven, things have been a little too nice, a little too calm in the world of Oshi no Ko. Well, here comes volume eight to remedy that. Hot on the heels of the anime’s conclusion to season two (and aligning with the last few episodes), volume eight follows Aqua and Akane as they join B-Komachi on a work trip to the city where Ruby and Aqua were born (and where their previously lives ended). The idol group is there to film a video, but it’s rather a short excursion to the hospital that was the site of so much pain and joy that leads to one stunning discovery and a new character’s reveal (a second discovery occurs by way of Akane working something out that Aqua doesn’t yet realize). The intelligence of the series is on full display with the new revelations—the one Akane uncovers because I know that I’m a fairly intelligent person, but like Aqua, I overlooked what Akane is able to grasp, and that initial “stunning discovery” because we’re led down another painful route that is fitting with this oft-agonizing series. I love how Mengo Yokoyari and Aka Akasaka work so well together, with Yokoyari using black backgrounds and appropriately stunned expressions where appropriate and fitting with writer Akasaka’s dialogue and story. And we get yet another wondrously dark ending, as one arc ends and another begins, increasing anticipation for where the series will go next. I wonder if Oshi no Ko can sustain this high-level suspense and excellent writing—it seems almost impossible, though the series has remained consistently amazing through eight volumes. Here’s hoping it stays that way right through to the possibly bitter end. ~ Twwk

Oshi no Ko is published by Yen Press.

READ Reviews of Oshi no Ko: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7

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I’m the Grim Reaper, Manhwa Vol. 1

“Scarlet,” as she now calls herself, is in a precarious predicament: Having died and been sent to hell, where she is to be cast into the infamously punitive ninth ring, Scarlet strikes a deal with the devil. She can continue to visit Earth and avoid her punishment if she kills certain humans who are marked to be sent to Hell. Scarlet agrees and finds her job both miserable and somewhat addicting, though it’s her meeting with Chase, a police officer marked by an “X” and hiding secrets behind a sometimes-tough, sometimes-adorkable exterior, that sets her down another mysterious and possibly just as sinister path. Boy, oh boy, this first volume is a grand start to a story that at first doesn’t seem particularly novel. But it’s the execution that’s very strong. The nature of hell is a vital part of the story, and there’s a lot of theology here to work through which doesn’t precisely match the Christian theology, but is founded on it; ideas like the hiddenness of sin, its ugliness, and the distinction between one’s relative moral goodness and the same person’s responsibility for sin are explored. Honestly, this series could be a field day for us at Beneath the Tangles. But even if you’re not a theology nerd, there’s plenty here to make volume one highly entertaining. Most vividly, it’s the humor that stands out. Though the series deals with serious issues and is often violent and dark, it is just as often full of quite silly laughs, mostly because of Chase, a suspended police officer whose intensity is betrayed by his love for cute things, including a cat that’s ugly-cute and named—get this—Lightstaker, Banisher of the Void. There are lots of other cute asides to help balance out the grimmer stuff, but enough grim and thoughtful content to entrance me and make me hopeful that future volumes will be just as deep. What a powerful opening! ~ Twwk

I’m the Grim Reaper is published by VIZ Media.

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X-Men: The Manga: Remastered, Vol. 1

Listen closely. Can you hear it? Yes, that’s the 90’s X-Men cartoon opening theme playing! What was glorious in the 90s is marvelous all over again—even if the luster is just a little less shiny—with the release of volume one of X-Men: The Manga: Remastered. This manga adaptation of the 1992 animated series was originally published in 1994 to coincide with the Japanese airing of the show and brought stateside by Marvel a few years later. VIZ is now releasing it in whoppingly large editions (nearly 500 pages) with illustrious and textured covers and extras like bios for the characters. Speaking of those characters, part of what made the 90s series so much fun was seeing these beloved X-Men and villains finally coming to life through animation; although we’re back to comic form here (and it’s not new anymore), it’s still a ton of fun not only to see the X-Men in this manga like Storm, Gambit, Wolverine, and Cyclops get slowly introduced, and to see other characters make appearances as well. The stories are also compelling because this is the X-Men, after all, and there’s a wonderful mixture of warm storytelling, epic action scenes, and social commentary. You will, however, have to get used to the 90s vibe, which frankly is probably what you want from the series (I especially enjoyed the throwback humor and the sometimes kawaii-ized versions of characters like Jubilee and Rogue), but it may be a bit shocking. Something you’re less likely to adapt to is the inconsistent quality of the artwork. Each chapter (seven are featured in this opening volume) is drawn by a different artist, and some of them are poorly done, including the opening one; my favorite artwork is by Reiji Hagiwara, who poured a lot of love in chapter four, both into the drawings of the characters and the backgrounds. Regardless, the entire manga is a blast, particularly for fans of the original TV show, and more than worth procuring to take a Japanese-flavored visit down memory lane. ~ Twwk

X-Men: The Manga: Remastered is published by VIZ Media.

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Solo Leveling, Manhwa Vol. 10

Taking a relative break from its DBZ-sized fights, Solo Leveling returns to the mystery at the center of its world in volume nine. Completing the fight against giants, Jinwoo will be attending a conference gathering guilds from around the world; but little does he realize that an old enemy will lead to a very personal grudge boiling over and drawing in a national-level hunter, and also that the fight between Monarchs and Rulers will directly involve one of his family members. These reveals are actually really cool and add a depth to the series that’s been lacking. However, they may continue to take a back seat for readers because of the lack of attention they are given relative to other aspects of the series, namely the fighting. Here’s advice—go check out the excellent original light novels if you want to get a better grasp on the entire story. However, the action I alluded to remains intense, even in short bursts in volume ten. The final pages here, which will lead into volume eleven, are gripping and find the OP Jinwoo fighting another OP character, leading to perhaps the greatest fight of this series. Bigtime stuff. So while it may be described as a bridge volume, volume ten is both absolutely necessary and its own kind of thrill ride. Solo Leveling does not relent—and it never disappoints. ~ Twwk

Solo Leveling is published by Yen Press.

READ: Reviews of Solo Leveling Vol. 3 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7 // Vol. 8 // Vol. 9

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Wanted! Eiichiro Oda Before One Piece, Manga

Huzzah to VIZ Media! Like the Koyoharu Gotouge anthology before it, this Eiichiro Oda collection of material from before One Piece‘s launch is a really cool look into how diverse his work can be, his wonderous skills, and his thought process going into One Piece. Of particular note will be Romance Dawn, the one-shot that would morph into One Piece, and likely already known and read by most OP manga fans, but as someone outside of that circle, it’s new to me. I found it really interesting how Luffy’s design was pretty much set and how the character of Ann is somewhat of a model for who Nami would become. I think that collectors of the manga will definitely want to own this anthology, but it’s also a good entrance into the One Piece world for those who haven’t invested in the massive series, a chance to see what Oda-sensei is all about—to get a glimpse into his world. Just be warned: reading this collection may so entrance you that doing so could also be a commitment to a 110+-volume shonen series. ~ Twwk

Wanted! Eiichiro Oda Before One Piece is published by VIZ Media.

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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.