In this week’s column, we let you know how Star Wars: The High Republic: The Edge of Balance ends; Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Manga – Book of Savanaclaw begins; and what Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki is up to almost two years after the last volume. Plus much much more! Check out all our manhwa, manga, and light novel reviews below!

April Showers Bring May Flowers (Vol. 2) • Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki (Vol. 11) • Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Manga – Book of Savanaclaw (Vol. 1) • Itaewon Class (Vol. 5) • Overgeared (Vol. 7) • A Sinner of the Deep Sea (Vol. 3) • Star Wars: The High Republic: The Edge of Balance (Vol. 4) • Steel of the Celestial Shadows (Vol. 6)

A Sinner of the Deep Sea, Manga Vol. 3

What started as a fascinating and rather unique take on the mermaid genre comes to a premature and only halfway satisfying conclusion in volume three. Jo is jailed for having contact with humans, Yuki the human has been hidden away by the merpeople leaders, and Lord Harujion moves forward with his plan to take over the land. But Akira, the border guard, seems to share Jo’s distrust of Harujion, and they hatch a pretty typical escape-and-infiltration plan that ends with a pretty typical success-and-failure combo. Unfortunately, while this volume introduces some very intriguing and promising plotlines, they are all wrapped up too soon as the series comes to its close—I can’t help but suspect that it was canceled and the author forced to wrap everything up posthaste. One bright spot is that the ending doesn’t end with the cliche that I was worried it would; I won’t spoil anything, but they resolved the love triangle in a way that I felt was satisfying given the short amount of space the author had to work with. The art is quality work, for the most part, even if a few panels left me confused as to what was happening at first (again, at these points it felt a bit rushed). So…it’s an okay series? Not terrible, not great, but a sufficiently entertaining read. In the meantime, my search for the perfect mermaid manga continues. ~ NegativePrimes

A Sinner of the Deep Sea is published by Yen Press.

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Steel of the Celestial Shadows, Manga Vol. 6

“Lady Luck is on my side, whether I want her to be or not.” Such were the enigmatic words of Tenroku, a “Gifted” gambler who used his knowledge of Tsuki’s location to coerce Konosuke into unknowingly betting his wife’s life on a supernaturally rigged game of dice. Both callously confident and dejectedly resigned in his magical powers, this shrimp of a man learned in the midst of horrific tragedy that he couldn’t lose a game of chance if he tried. And he has tried time after time. But turnabout is fair play, and if one bettor can bring magic into this wager, then so can another. After all, there is no better blade to cut those strings which puppeteer fate than one made of celestial steel… Equal parts gruesome and gut-punch, this sixth volume of Steel of the Celestial Shadows hits like a freight train and fixes the series irrevocably within the seinen demographic if it wasn’t already. Judging by this series and what I’ve read so far of Daruma Matsura’s prior series Kasane, she has a clear preference and a knack for supernatural thrillers with horror elements. Not my favorite genre, but one which can scratch a very particular itch if done correctly. The mystery of how Tsuki fits into all of this only grows murkier in this volume as well. The deeper we wade into that question, the more clear it becomes that the eventual “big reveal” will absolutely need to be a good one. Celestial Shadows has more than enough going for it that I won’t feel my time was wasted if the answers to the big questions are ultimately duds, but sticking the landing on that point could put this series in rarified air. ~ 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 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5

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Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Manga – Book of Savanaclaw, Manga Vol. 1

Yu has found herself “isekai’d” to Night Raven College, a school for those who can wield magic, in Twisted Wonderland. The problem is, Yu is the only one who has no magic! Thankfully, the head mage that runs the school is willing to give her a place to stay, but she’ll have to help out on campus, and this time it’s to find the culprit who somehow is making students hurt themselves before the big Spelldrive Tournament? This first volume was wonderful! As a huge fan of the game, I was downright giddy seeing many of my favorite characters have a cameo scene, as well as how faithful this “adaptation” was of the game! It really felt like I was playing it all over again but in manga form, which was awesome! If there was any issue I had with this volume, it was that Yu really wasn’t involved as I had expected. I felt more often than not she was only a character who popped up in the background after her initial introduction. Truthfully, when she has moments of spotlight, it reminds me of when Yu the player has to choose between two prompts, because the flow of the manga fits the same beats I remembered from playing the game. That’s not necessarily a bad thing since that means the manga is closely following the game, but it left me feeling Yu wasn’t really part of the main cast of characters. It seemed more of a convenient character who pops up when the story needs to change directions. One thing I think is important to know is that unlike the previous manga series, I do think you need to be familiar with the game and characters before reading this one. While I think someone could read this and enjoy it, there is not the same setting up and getting to know the previous characters as intimately, making it not quite as enjoyable; I feel someone will need the extra context to really get attached to these characters and understand everyone’s motivations better. I’m hoping in the next volume we see more of Yu and that the story will continue to faithfully follow the game! Definitely one I would recommend to Twisted Wonderland fans! ~ Laura A. Grace

Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Manga – Book of Savanaclaw is published by VIZ Media.

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April Showers Bring May Flowers, Manga Vol. 2

Somehow Tabata has become the rival in a love battle with Sumire about Yousuke, but she has no idea! Sumire, on the other hand, is determined to make Tabata realize that she is not a good fit for Yousuke, who she also happens to like. Just is what in store for Tabata and her friendship with Sumire and Yousuke? I struggled to connect a little bit with this volume because I still don’t like Sumire and how two-faced she is. It really bothers me how for the opening chapter she was trying to make Tabata feel like crap while making herself feel better. I’m sure she’ll have a redeeming arc, but my enjoyment of this volume was deeply affected by her having so much page time. On the flip side, when she was not the focus of this volume, I really enjoyed it! I love how Tabata’s mom is trying to help out Tabata in small ways, despite Tabata freaking out about it. LOL! She’s really giving her all, and I’m glad that she wanted to clear up a misunderstanding by the end! Talking about that, I’m really excited we got to see more into Yousuke’s heart and more sides of him in general! I also think he is going to start thinking more about romance and I’m allll for it! Looking forward to the next volume and seeing these two grow closer! ~ Laura A. Grace

April Showers Bring May Flowers is published by Yen Press.

READ April Showers Bring May Flowers Vol. 1 Review

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Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki, Light Novel Vol. 11

It’s been almost two years since the last volume of Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki was released stateside, but it was worth the wait for volume eleven, as writer Yuki Yaku finally blows open the doors to Hinami’s past and how Tomozaki can defeat this final boss—if he can at all. Purely focused on the singularity that is Aoi Hinami, volume eleven takes us on quite a ride—not necessarily through big happenings or emotional ups and downs, but through Tomozaki’s thinking and his approach in trying to get through to Hinami after an unexpected event during the birthday celebration that ended volume ten. In that way, this is perhaps the volume that comes closest to the series that I most compare it to, Oregairu—there’s a lot of “thinking” in this volume, and like that series, the reader must parse out what Tomozaki believes, what’s true, and what the author wants us to know. It’s a tricky but delightful exercise, especially since so many themes are discussed as the book drills down into who Hinami is: karma vs. self-determination and luck; moral relativism; toxic positivity; and more. Admittedly, I remain annoyed with Tomozaki himself: Some of his answers strike me as just plain wrong, and his care for Hinami and other girls still makes me feel bad for Kikuchi—though by novel’s end, I will say that the volume left me remembering that Tomozaki is doing the best a teenager can and that the author probably isn’t trying to turn this into a Tomozaki x Hinami ending. Speaking of the end, the book ends with an interesting afterword, including the author’s commentary that he took so long because he wrote 500 pages, which would be divided into two books to end this series; it seems now that the finale may be extended one further volume as we still await volume twelve to release in Japan, though Yuki Yaku had promised it would publish shortly after this one did. No matter: If he can land this plane properly, and his treatment of Hinami here—which was always going to be complicated because he needed to present her depth in a way that was both worthy of the character’s “perfection” and believable—tells me that he can, the final few volumes will be worth the wait, as well as the change in tone that accompanies a series headed toward an emotional, meaningful end. ~ Twwk

Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki is published by Yen Press. Volume eleven releases on April 29th.

Read Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki Reviews: Vol. 3 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 6.5 // Vol. 7 // Vol. 8 // Vol. 8.5 // Vol. 9 // Vol. 10

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Star Wars: The High Republic: The Edge of Balance, Manga Vol. 4

Aw, nuts—this was bad, just as I expected it to be. After a promising start before a long wait between volumes, only to conclude with two quick, final releases this month, The Edge of Balance saga comes to an end in an anticlimactic and overstuffed way. New characters continue to be introduced, storylines conclude, people escape, questions are left unanswered, everyone lives happily ever after… It’s jarring how much is stuffed into volume four here. What’s unfortunate is that there are so many things to embrace about this series—its heroine, the throwbacks to old friends (including one appearing for the first time in the series in this chapter), some captivating villains, a real sense of danger. But this series obviously needed at least twice as many volumes to come together. I was also thrown off by the Precedent and Premonition side stories, which ultimately ended up being a full third of the entire series. I haven’t kept up with the news regarding The High Republic properties, but I do know many fans have complained about it. And while I’ve liked what I’ve read, sloppy clean-ups like what happened here seem to indicate that maybe this whole experiment is nearing an end. A shame, because with this manga at least, I’ll always wonder what might have been with the full support of the folks at Disney. ~ Twwk

Star Wars: The High Republic: The Edge of Balance (manga) is published by VIZ Media.

READ Reviews of Star Wars: The High Republic: The Edge of Balance: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Precedent // Vol. 3 // Premonition

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Itaewon Class, Manhwa Vol. 5

Because the previous volumes have been so moving and exciting, I’m going to give the series the benefit of the doubt and still expect it to deliver in future volumes. But volume five? It’s not good. After slowly building, chapter after chapter, establishing Saeroyi’s plans and a group of allies and enemies, author Kwang Jin treats the entire story like he’s run out of patience and flies through key plot points, advancing the story leaps and bounds. It’s not the first time he’s done it in the manhwa, but this time feels most out of place. Saeroyi is headstrong, determined, and meticulously paced—and for the most part, the story has been likewise since he opened his restaurant. But as Yiseo confronts Geunwon, and later as Saeroyi continues to move forward with his scheme for vengeance, a lot of steps are skipped and assumed. The quickened pace makes a sort of betrayal and a confession scene feel as if they don’t carry much importance when they really do. Here’s hoping that volume six returns the pace to where it needs to be because for once, the writing in Itaewon Class matches its art—they’re both kind of terrible. ~ Twwk

Itaewon Class is published by Ize Press.

READ Reviews of Itaewon Class: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4

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Overgeared, Manhwa Vol. 7

Overgeared is too much fun. Volume seven starts with Grid receiving holy blessings and far more by being, well, his Grid self, and it ends with a bang—with a bunch of action and even room for some heart in between. At first, I was critical of the lack of strong supporting characters in this series; party members and others go missing for volumes on end before coming into the story to basically just show how OP or how well things are going generally for Grid, but I’ve come to accept their roles. Much like the more serious Solo Leveling, this series is just a fun ride. The excellent artwork, with colors that are vivid and just leap off the page, and writing that builds scenes up perfectly for Grid to show his tenacity and continued growth make the series a quick and fun read. Well, it’s quick if you gloss over all the stats that the series meticulously drops about characters and weapons, which game mechanics gearheads will enjoy more than I do. Regardless, this series shows no signs of slowing down and is a perfect read for those who enjoy fun adventure with just a touch of heart. ~ Twwk

Overgeared is published by Ize Press, an imprint of Yen Press.

Read Reviews of Overgeared: Vol. 1 // Vol.2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5

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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.