Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End returns this week with the conclusion of a time-traveling arc—and we’ve got much more, too, including the latest issue of Mr. Villain’s Day Off and the college chapters for My Love Story, as well as the opening volumes of The Villainess is a Marionette and A Star Brighter than the Sun. Read our reviews below and let us know what you think of these series in the comments!

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Vol. 13) • I Want to End This Love Game (Vol. 6) • Mr. Villain’s Day Off (Vol. 6) • My Love Story!! In College!! • Spider-Man: Octo-Girl (Vol. 2) • A Star Brighter than the Sun (Vol. 1) • The Villainess Is a Marionette (Vol. 1)

Mr. Villain’s Day Off, Manga Vol. 6

Our favorite evil supervillain is back, and he’s looking forward to his next day off! With old friends returning, a new “nemesis” that rivals other Earth creatures, and Red Ranger getting lost, there are more feel-good chapters to read! I  really enjoyed reading this volume! Seeing so many familiar faces from the Evil League was so much fun! I’m struggling to say who is my favorite among them (minus our Mr. Villain because I love him!) because everyone is so unique, and fun, and I really have a blast seeing them interact with one another! I think my favorite chapter was them sharing how they thought a bicycle worked because their guesses were so wild. Ha! I also love how this creator continuously brings back the entire cast of characters, including the sakura tree and bench. That chapter felt especially touching to me, given how they saw a confession and how that confession impacted them both in turn. As always, the Rangers are wonderful, and I deeply love the strong found-family vibes so much! Red Ranger is so earnest, but he isn’t the only one as that last chapter showed! Very wonderful and oh-so heartfelt! Lastly, I will just mention that my favorite chapter was definitely Mr. Villain interacting with the “monster.” So cute! (Also why are his chapters so relatable?!) This continues to be such a fun, feel-good series! I’m so glad it exists and that we have it in English! ~ 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 // Vol. 5

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A Star Brighter than the Sun, Manga Vol. 1

Sae has always been taller than her classmates, including her childhood best friend, Koki. Growing up, she was able to do things Koki couldn’t do since he was shorter and considered “weaker,” but when they met in high school again, all that changed. Now Koki is super popular and has plenty of girls crushing on him, including Sae! However, Sae wonders if he has feelings for anyone? So cute! So wholesome! I have to laugh at myself because I recently told people I wouldn’t buy manga just for the art, but with Kawahara Sensei, I definitely would! It was so very wonderful to be reading one of her works again, as I have deeply loved all her stories thus far, and this one of course is no exception! I think the thing that surprised me most about this volume though is how slow-burn it is compared to her other series. It sort of gave me Kimi ni Todoke vibes in the sense that Sae is very much an internalizer and a lot of her thoughts are only voiced to us the reader, not the characters around her. I don’t think that’s a bad thing and didn’t mind it at all, but I think it does create a slower pace when reading because there isn’t quite as much engagement with other characters. However, I feel that slowly changed the more the volume continued because Sae makes friends and begins to have “girl talk,” which was so cute! Admittedly, I was nervous about these “friends” and whether they would really be Sae’s friends, but I shouldn’t have worried because they have both been amazing! I love how each girl is very different from the other and yet they still have this fun trio together. It’s great! When it comes to Koki, I’m pretty sure my heart felt all the warm fuzzies every time he smiled because he has a smile made of gold and sunshine! It’s so bright, and I couldn’t help but be happy and smile with him! Plus, he truly is a very wonderful character, and I am sure that the girl he likes is Sae. Like there can’t possibly be anyone else! Ha! I’m so excited for the next volume and to see what happens next! This first volume might have been slower than I anticipated, but I loved the art and story deeply! ~ Laura A. Grace

A Star Brighter than the Sun is published by Shojo Beat.

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My Love Story!! In College!!, Manga Vol. 14

If you’re a fan of or have read My Love Story!!, the gang’s back together, but in college! However, it’s not all fun and games when our leads unite once again (but in the future) because everyone is headed out for a winter vacation, only to be at the center of a murder mystery?! This was such a fun read! I was a little nervous at first because I was prepared for our trio to be in college, which they were, but somehow the chapter centered around them not in college? I admittedly was a little disappointed about that, even though the new character we met was cute and a really friendly person. He just wasn’t who I wanted to see; but that said, seeing Takeo and Suna as kids was wonderful! I did enjoy that and getting to see them interact with other people besides one another! However, my favorite part of the volume was definitely the “mountain mystery” chapters! I loved seeing our trio actually in college and how they are still as strong as ever in their friendship/relationship! The fun I remember of the main series came rushing back the more I read, even though I was somewhat nervous over whether someone actually would get taken out in this cabin they’re staying in… The solving of the mystery was great, and I really enjoyed how everything wrapped up! I would definitely say this is a spin-off of sorts rather than a continuation of the main series because while it was the same characters and them in college, it felt more like a fun little trip with characters we love, just older. I would definitely recommend this volume if you’re looking to see these characters again and want to see some fun shenanigans with our trio! (Or just your faves because I internally squealed every time Sunakawa had a large panel! Ha!) Very enjoyable to read, and I’m really glad we got this in English! ~ Laura A. Grace

My Love Story!! In College!! is published by Shojo Beat.

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Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Manga Vol. 13

Did I say in my review of volume twelve that Frieren was hitting a lull? Uh, forget I wrote that. Volume thirteen shows that the series is as masterful as it ever was. Within these chapters, you get everything that makes Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End special—cool action sequences, warm meditations on friendship and love, and clever and fun “between arc” chapters. The volume begins with the meat of the time-travel arc and images that probably every single Frieren fan has always wanted to see: the titular elf in a chapel being wedded to Himmel. While I can’t tell you if the time travel logic here is sound, I can say that it’s relatively tidy and very exciting as the original party fights to keep Frieren’s future life and party alive (and themselves as well). What I love most about these chapters is that Himmel steps forward out of his typical flashback state to really play a role for several chapters. We get more insight into his character as he gets actively involved in the goings-on. The chapters following this arc, though, are also engaging, including the introduction of a new organization into the fantasy world that will have a major impact on the arc that is just beginning as the volume concludes. Oh, plus two fan favorites (especially when shipped together) step forward into the new arc. See? Just about all you could ask for. If there is a criticism, however, it’s that the action scenes are never long enough in this series, although the anime will hopefully do what it does best and take care of that at some future point. Still, that’s very little to complain about for what is otherwise the height of art and storytelling in manga. What a series! ~ 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 // Vol. 11 // Vol. 12

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I Want to End This Love Game, Manga Vol. 6

Color me impressed. The artwork for I Want to End This Love Game has been beautiful and clean right from the start, but the writing for the series has really been strong in the last couple of volumes—effectively introducing a rival, creating situations that allow Yukiya to grow, and starting to incorporate a supporting cast. Most importantly, after writing herself into a corner by progressing Yukiya and Miku’s physical relationship way too quickly in a series founded on a more wholesome vibe, mangaka Yuki Domoto has not only found the way back but is developing the series into a compelling romance. In volume six, the two continue their “fake relationship” arrangement, leading to a climax that really feels like “final volume” stuff. Exciting! But even better is how the volume turns toward new developments that open up an entirely new world for the story’s plot. Centered on activities for field day, this new direction—focused on individual character development that will deepen the relationship growth between Yukiya and Miku—is the stuff of romcom heaven: cute, fun, and meaningful. It’s been a while since I’ve been excited for this series. Well, I’m excited again and very much looking forward to future volumes to see how this “love game” continues to move along. ~ Twwk

I Want to End This Love Game is published by VIZ Media.

READ Reviews of I Want to End This Love Game: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 5

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The Villainess Is a Marionette, Manhwa Vol. 1

What would you do if you found out you’ve been given a second chance by being reborn into a novel you read, only to realize that in the original story, you are merely a puppet who ends up losing your life later on? For Kaeyna Hill, that’s exactly what happened to her, and she quickly decides will no longer be anyone’s puppet! As the most beautiful princess in the empire and with knowledge of her past life, she will do everything in her power to get the freedom she longs for. I am not sure what I fully feel about this first volume because I have a rule I can’t keep reading a series just for the art, but this series is so breathtaking to read! Everyone looks stunning! Since I don’t want to break my own rule, though, I think what keeps me on the fence about continuing this one is that I love how everyone is changing around Kayena! They are viewing her in such a different light and seem to be genuinely caring for her well-being, and I loved to see it!  But it’s because I loved it that I’m worried I’m going to feel very sad when Kayena actually accomplishes her goal of leaving and finally being free. I want her to be free for sure, but with how everyone is changing, I don’t think I’m going to want her to leave in the future. However, it feels complicated because I don’t think Kayena is by any means being her original self. She is playing everyone in order to protect herself, which I totally understand! It just makes me sad because there are a few panels where she is utterly beautiful and her smile seems so genuine, but it’s not. So I guess after saying all that, I think I will read the next chapter digitally and go from there in deciding if I want to read more of the series physically. At least, these are my thoughts when it comes to the story, because if you for sure want a beautiful manhwa to read, this one is definitely it! ~ Laura A. Grace

The Villainess Is a Marionette is published by Yen Press. It publishes on May 20th.

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Spider-Man: Octo-Girl, Manga Vol. 2

The premise feels icky—old Doc Ock shares a consciousness with a middle-schooler who looks even younger than her age—but Spider-man: Octo-Girl isn’t that at all; it’s a lovely and creative tale that’s as much a coming-of-age story for adolescent girls as it is a Marvel action series. Volume two begins with Otoha now having become part of the unusual group of slightly deranged but ultimately kind and realistically complex girls in her class, while now joining Doc Ock in fighting against Superior Octopus, a Doc Ock that’s trying to be a hero. It’s a complex situation that befits a series trying to prove that you can create characters with varying and often contradictory motivations. The “villains” are interesting and add excitement to the tale, but the heart of the story is with the young girls, particularly with Maruko and her childhood friend in this volume. I’m looking forward to volume three, which concludes the series; while I am enjoying the work, three volumes feel just about right for this tale, and I expect it to end well. What an unexpected and delightful work! ~ Twwk

Spider-Man: Octo-Girl is published by VIZ Media.

Read Spider-Man: Octo-Girl Vol. 1 Review

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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.