In this week’s Reader’s Corner, we review the newest volumes of a pair of uber-popular series (Solo Leveling and Kaiju No. 8), budding classics (Bocchi the Rock and Hirayasumi), and more! Plus, we introduce you to two new series: Cosmos—a galactic insurance agent series from the mangaka behind Beelzebub—and Not So Shoujo Love Story, an original English language webtoon!

Always a Catch: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince (Vol. 2) • Bocchi the Rock (Vol. 6) • Cosmos (Vol. 1) • Hirayasumi (Vol. 5) • It Takes More Than a Pretty Face to Fall in Love (Vol. 1) • Kaiju No. 8 (Vol. 12) • Mujina Into the Deep (Vol. 2) • Not So Shoujo Love Story (Vol. 1) • Solo Leveling (Vol. 12)

Always a Catch: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince, Manga Vol. 2

Maria has managed to find a fiancee, despite the misunderstanding and mistaken identity!  She’s successfully won Renato’s family over as well, but when Maria decides to head home to announce her engagement personally, will her family be just as excited as she is? This was so much fun! I deeply enjoyed volume one, but volume two was a complete blast! I might have initially been a little bummed to know our leads weren’t going to be together for much of this volume, but seeing Maria’s family was hilarious! All her brothers are so buff!! I don’t think I’ve seen this much muscle in one volume of manga before! Ha! The departure was sweet, though, and I’m thankful to know our leads will be united again! I really hope that Renato is coming to meet her family because I need to see Maria’s Dad meet him! He is a huge burly guy, but he truly does have a soft spot for his daughter. I honestly had to laugh at the part where they are having a good heart-to-heart and he’s upset and wondering why she would let herself be protected by people weaker than herself, only for her to say, “I plan on keeping them safe so that they can feel better about protecting me.” Ha! The action scenes were soooo good! I love how the artist has really brought Maria’s fighting techniques and her overall training to life! It’s really, really fun seeing her kick butt on page! I am so excited for the next volume and truly hope the wait for it won’t feel too long because this series is such a good one! Highly recommend it! ~ Laura A. Grace

Always a Catch: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince is published by Square Enix.

READ Always a Catch Vol. 1 Review

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Kaiju No. 8, Manga Vol. 12

The Eastern Division continues their battles with kaiju who are individually targeting some of their strongest soldiers! Narumi and Kikoru have come out victorious while Hoshina continues his fight against No. 11, the prototype of No. 10. Can he and No. 10 truly work together to take down their strongest opponent yet? Hoshina! Hoshina! Hoshina! His fight was so good! Definitely felt like I was thriving as a fan, and I was cheering out loud when he had his breakthrough and started to win! And not just that, but seeing him and No. 10 fully connect was awesome! They really do make an epic duo, and this fight showed it, especially when they tried something “new” near the end, which was incredible! I loved every single moment of it! And not just that battle, but Mina! I was shocked to see she had her own spotlight, and I was so giddily happy! She is amazing, and seeing her motivations and her fears was incredible to witness as a reader because she has been so inspiring (and continues to be)! I’m very, very excited to see what’s to come! It looks like Kafka is up next for the spotlight, and I am more than ready, even though I feel slightly terrified at what seems to be happening right now! I’m hoping he gets to where he needs to go before things get worse because this could be really, really bad otherwise! ~ Laura A. Grace

Kaiju No. 8 is published by Shonen Jump.

READ Kaiju No. 8 Reviews: Vol.1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol.4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7 // Vol. 8 // Vol. 9 // Vol. 10 // Vol. 11

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It Takes More Than a Pretty Face to Fall in Love, Manga Vol. 1

Sana might just be a little bit obsessed with handsome faces, including the influencer Kanato. When she hears a rumor about what high school he attends, she decides to enroll in hopes of seeing him. She never expected that she would get roped into helping manage the school’s social media account so he doesn’t get expelled! Will she see he’s more than a pretty face, or will the photos she takes of him be too much for her heart? Be still my heart, this was so cute! I had read some of this online and remembered I had deeply enjoyed it, but I was surprised by reading the full volume and how fast-paced it was? Or maybe it always was and I just forgot? But ultimately, though this might sound like a “shallow” manga of Sana only loving Kanato’s handsome face, I was very surprised (and touched!) at how quickly she came to realize how hurtful her actions could come across, as not treating Kanato like a “real” human. You can see very early on how the title is playing a role in this story, which I loved and deeply appreciated! Did it maybe happen too fast? Yeah, I would say it did, but I felt excited and eager to keep reading because I knew where the direction was going and was excited to see everything unfold! I think the biggest surprise, though, was Kanato’s personality! I agree with Sana that he comes across as not caring but seems to get jealous and can be clingy. I was caught off guard by how assertive and almost possessive he was at one point! I also thought words didn’t affect him at first, but throughout the course of the volume, you can really see how his expressions soften as Sana comes to really see him, concerns and all. I loved it! And speaking of Sana, she is a wonderful heroine, and I laughed so much at her way of thinking and her expressions! She has been a blast to follow, and I am already loving how she is growing in this first volume alone! Overall, I am so so so thankful we got this in print! It is sure to be a really fun series, and I’m excited to read more! ~ Laura A. Grace

It Takes More Than a Pretty Face to Fall in Love is published by Seven Seas.

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Solo Leveling, Manhwa Vol. 12

Well…this is where the series loses me a little. I’ve read and reviewed the original novels for Solo Leveling, which, like the manhwa, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed until it gets to the conclusion. This penultimate volume features Jinwoo going head to head against three monarchs in the highest-scaled fights yet, but it also finally drops the full mystery of this world—and it’s that latter bit that’s convoluted. As the Shadow Monarch explains the history of the monarchs and rulers, and what they have to do with Earth, there’s one panel in which Jinwoo—fully comprehending everything as it’s said—finishes the monarch’s sentence, which made me think: Great! I’m glad at least one of us gets what he’s saying! Actually, it’s not all that complicated, but it does feel like another reveal that has to be so huge as to match the rest of the series’ power scaling, yet is ironically flimsy. Sigh. That said, I did appreciate the Aha! moment that closes the Shadow Monarch’s explanation. I’m also thankful for this: Solo Leveling could go on and on and on for a dozen or more volumes, but the story will conclude in volume thirteen; I’m thankful for that because it lacks the depth of story and character to effectively be a long-running series. I can’t say it’s going to end on a high note, but I’m sure to walk away satisfied—and honestly, that’s a rare case with fighting-adventure series such as this. ~ Twwk

Solo Leveling is published by Ize Press.

READ: Reviews of Solo Leveling Vol. 3 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7 // Vol. 8 // Vol. 9 // Vol. 10 // Vol. 11

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Cosmos, Manga Vol. 1

If you’re a high schooler with the secret ability to “smell” out of the truth of any situation, you might be like Kaede too—cool but detached, unwilling to form deep relationships with his classmates. It turns out that what Kaede needs is insurance—intergalactic, alien insurance. Huh? Volume one of Cosmos, from famed mangaka Ryuhei Tamura (Beelzebub, Hard-Boiled Cop and Dolphin), takes a wild left turn when Kaede seeks out a missing classmate and happens upon the world of alien immigration. Rin, a cutthroat insurance investigator, wants to hire Kaede—his unique ability will help her as she investigates situations that may require cancellation of contracts or payouts. What an interesting setup, right? It’s like Agents Meryl and Milly from Trigun meet agents J and K from Men in Black, and it works really well, starting with the duo of Kaeda and Rin; they’re fun characters, and there’s a lot of room to explore them as individuals and together as a team. There’s also some unexpected tenderness to the series, found in one of the later chapters in this volume. I am hooked! I can’t wait to see if one of the most unexpected opening volumes I’ve read this year will continue to surprise and enthrall me in future releases! ~ Twwk

Cosmos is published by VIZ Media.

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Hirayasumi, Manga Vol. 5

It feels like now in volume five, Hirayasumi has settled on its main cast—and I love every single one of them. While Hiroto and Natsumi continue to be at the center of this series, with the former getting a chance to shine in several chapters of this volume, I’m really enjoying Keigo Shinzo’s look into the other characters’ lives as well. The entire series is about the challenges of adulthood in all their agony, but with the optimistic perspective of how you can make life better for yourself, your family, and your friends. It’s maybe a slightly naive approach, but it feels right, like something we should aspire to. And it feels authentic too, especially with Hideki’s story in this volume. He’s the least sympathetic major character in the series—selfish, clueless, and sometimes mean. So you would think it would be a challenge for Shinzo-sensei to make us really care about him without going out of character, and yet that’s precisely what happens for volume five’s cover boy. And furthermore, his story is of utmost importance, as he is the only married major character and the only parent. I think a lot of readers will find themselves drawn to his story. Not that all the rest aren’t excellent as well, with Ishikawa a new favorite for me. Oh, and the last chapter of this volume? An absolute treasure of a message here—but honestly, the entire volume is a treasure. This is one of the most meaningful and heartfelt series I’ve read. What a joy! ~ Twwk

Hirayasumi is published by VIZ Media.

READ Reviews of Hirayasumi: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4

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Mujina Into the Deep, Manga Vol. 2

Mujina Into the Deep has style, SO MUCH STYLE. It also features compelling dystopian elements, but it’s more traditional aspects—like character-building and relationship development—that don’t quite click. Volume one went to great lengths to build up the Ubume’s new family, but even so, I don’t feel a lot of love for any of the three characters making up this ragtag bunch. This is a problem because it’s assumed I do, as this volume emphasizes a fourth main character (cover girl Tenko) and dives back into the assassinations and world-building. I wish we could get all awesome sci-fi elements to the series (maybe minus the content meant to titillate) while also seeing interactions that don’t feel cold and odd when they’re meant to be warm and sometimes humorous. I admire Inio Asano’s attempts to have it all; the mangaka works so hard in beautifully illustrating this series and packing it full of story and dialogue. I just don’t care enough about the characters to invest fully in it. A shame—but here’s hoping the series, like so many others with early challenges, finds its way. ~ Twwk

Read: Mujina Into the Deep, Vol. 1 Review

Mujina Into the Deep is published by VIZ Media.

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Not So Shoujo Love Story, Webtoon Vol. 1

Rei is addicted to manga—especially shoujo—and she wants her high school life to go according to the shoujo plan. She’s identified the love interest (pointy-chinned Hansum) and now a rival in the beautiful Hanna. The thing is, though, Rei is tough-as-nails and a little oblivious, while Hanna is actually falling head over heels for her. That’s the setup for one of the funniest series I’ve read this year—an original English language release from Webtoon. I challenge you not to literally laugh out loud while reading this series—it is written firmly for Gen Z, so not everything hits for this Millennial, but I still found the silliness and non sequiturs to be very funny, and grasped many of the references. The deformed drawings were also a consistent source of humor. However, like many webtoons, the drawings leave something to be desired; some of the illustrations meant to allow the two main characters to shine are quite pretty, but most are incredibly basic, and some are a little awkwardly drawn. I also don’t think there’s much here beyond the humor: Though the theme is admirable (the importance of seeing each other for who we really are), the writing is too simple; and while the storytelling emulates shoujo, it doesn’t feature the same thoughtfulness. I want that “something more” in the series I read, and though I expect heavy doses of humor in future series, this one just isn’t for me. ~ Twwk

Not So Shoujo Love Story is published by VIZ Media.

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Bocchi The Rock! Manga, Vol. 6

It’s Seika’s birthday! And on Christmas Eve, no less. To celebrate, the girls of KSB decide to recruit some bands and put together a Christmas Eve Concert in honor of Starry’s manager. Sounds like a solid plan, right? Only, a series of miscommunications, miscalculations, and downright misses make it pretty questionable whether they’ll be able to pull it off, especially since Bocchi is left in charge of the decorations, yikes! Ahhh (sigh of satisfaction), BTR fans are being well-fed with this one. Bocchi gets another new nickname, Oldchi (Ojji), due to the creepy old man vibe of her texts, and reveals that she has absolutely no design sense whatsoever. Meanwhile, her forays into social media alongside Ohtsuki (what a delightfully odd pair!) are deeply awkward, but bring her into contact with the SIDEROS frontwoman’s dere side. (Purposeful pun alert!) PA-san actually gets an entire 4-koma arc to herself (and she speaks! More than one line!), while Hamazi finally cracks a joke about chick sexers (not as bad as it sounds), that is, the mysterious group of professionals who can tell the gender of a baby chick by instinct, since there are actually no outward indicators of sex at that stage in their growth. (One guess as to who gets compared to one…) We also learn where Hitori gets her delusions of grandeur from: her dad! See what I mean? So many delicious snacky highlights. As for the volume as a whole, the arc builds beautifully on the backstory and character insights we got into Seika, Nijika, and their sisterly bond in the special at the end of volume five, which is a real treat. Everything points toward confirmation that Seika is just a big softie! (Is BTR becoming heartwarming?) All in all, a fluffy, fun volume. But then Kita drops a bombshell that leaves KSB shook. O.O So…anyone know when volume seven is coming out?!? ~ claire

Bocchi the Rock is published by Yen Press.

READ Reviews of Bocchi the Rock: Vols. 1 & 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.