A Bocchi the Rock spin-off, the complete edition of the Dungeon Meshi World Guide, and the latest volume in Vagabond Definitive Edition are among the volumes we’re reviewing in this week’s Reader’s Corner!

Always a Catch: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince (Vol. 3) • Bocchi the Rock! Comic Anthology (Vol. 1) • Delicious in Dungeon World Guide: The Adventurer’s Bible, Complete Editio • Itaewon Class (Vol. 6) • Neighborhood Craftsmen: Stories from Kanda’s Gokura-chou (Vol. 1) • Touring After the Apocalypse (Vol. 6) • Vagabond Definitive Edition (Vol. 3)

Neighborhood Craftsmen: Stories from Kanda’s Gokura-chou, Manga Vol. 1

Have you ever wondered about the life of craftsmen in historical Japan as they made barrels, katanas, and plastered buildings? Look no further than this manga right here! A “collection” of sorts where each short story focuses on a craftsman trying to hone and grow their craft as well as overcome the obstacles in their paths! This was an absolutely amazing read! I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy this, but a friend’s excitement influenced me to give it a try, and it was so incredible! The amount of detail that went into literally everything was insane! I’ve never read a manga that was so richly detailed that it let you see every single piece of texture! Not only that, but it seemed like if I reached out and touched the page, I could actually feel the different textures! Wow! There were so many times I made sure I was reading extremely slowly even though for at least the first two chapters there were hardly any words on the page. I wanted to make sure there was nothing I missed, but I feel I could come back and read this again and find things I missed the first time! When it comes to the stories themselves, it’s hard to say which is my favorite honestly! I really, really enjoyed the last three because I liked both the “main” characters a lot, but I also loved the samurai one! That was good! I definitely think each story excelled, though, showing the art of each craftsman and leaving me in a sense of awe at the work they were doing. You can really tell the care, love, and passion that went into each thing they did, and I caught myself being very invested with each “obstacle” they were trying to overcome! Overall, I’m really glad I gave this a chance! It was something I didn’t know if I would like but caught myself not being able to stop reading! If you’re looking for a historical manga and/or richly detailed manga, this is it! ~ Laura A. Grace

Neighborhood Craftsmen: Stories from Kanda’s Gokura-chou is published by Yen Press.

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Touring After the Apocalypse, Manga Vol. 6

The volume kicks off with a flashback and a sneak peek at Youko and Airi’s daily life in the shelter, before the adventure on their trusty Yamaha Serow began. This is the most generous look at life before touring that we’ve had so far with these two peripatetic teens, and it poses more questions—albeit only implicitly and in between the lines—than it answers. This is what Manaka Sakae Saito excels at, namely, teasing the reader with hints of mystery that are easily overlooked. For instance, it wasn’t until this volume that I began to seriously question how old Youko actually is—about ten pages before she herself asked the very same question! Mind you, for me, it had to do with the shattering of a pet theory about her mysterious dreams, another of Saito’s subtle brainteasers; while for her, it was about whether or not she was old enough to sample some of the fine sake they unearthed—she probably isn’t, but she did anyway, leaving Airi to clean up the resulting mess! Their other escapades involve fossils and fireworks and a cryptid named Inassie, or maybe just a big fish… All in all, another delightful installment of a series designed to soothe readers while simultaneously turning them into second-guessers (“Wait a second, was that…? You mean that…? HUH?!”). This one is getting an anime adaptation in the Fall season, and let me tell you, I am here for it! ~ claire

Touring After the Apocalypse is published by Yen Press.

READ Reviews of Touring After the Apocalypse: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4

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Always a Catch: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince, Manga Vol. 3

After hanging out with her family and making up with her father, Mimi is ready to head back home to her fiancé! However, she and her brothers quickly come across some worried villagers, and Mimi decides to step in when they mention a missing girl. Thinking it won’t take much time and having a strong desire to help, Mimi investigates only to realize it may be more challenging than she thought! This series continues to be as fun as ever! I loved seeing Mimi in her element and beating people up, even if that sounds bad to say! Ha! However, the reason she did beat them up was absolutely hilarious, and it was a first for me to ever see something like that in shoujo manga! On the flip side, I really enjoyed seeing the softer sides of Mimi and how she is thankful that Prince Renato wants to protect her. I’m glad that she is willing to let him “take charge” so to speak, as she can rest and enjoy being by his side without having to always protect him. I think it really goes to show that women can be strong physically and mentally but also can be “soft,” so to speak, without being any less of a woman. Truly a great message to see represented in this story! Outside of Mimi beating up a bunch of “bad guys,” hands down my favorite part was seeing Prince Renato in action! That double-page spread was awesome! I went back to it numerous times when reading just so I could reexperience that moment all over again! Very, very cool! I liked the ending and very much appreciated how Mimi made it known to Prince Renato that she wants to be with him. I get where Prince Renato is coming from, but I’m with Mimi because what woman would do all she has done if she didn’t love him?! Eagerly looking forward to the next volume because I continue to have such a great time reading this series! ~ Laura A. Grace

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

READ Reviews of Always a Catch: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2

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Bocchi the Rock! Comic Anthology, Manga Vol. 1

One of the things that makes the BTR anime—which was the gateway medium for so many of us internationals to the wonder that is our beloved anxious pink blob—so very delightful is the incredible artistic creativity, diversity, and freedom on display, and which only seemed to crank up with each new episode. Well, the latest Bocchi “spin-off series” to become available in English, the Comic Anthology, embodies that same dynamic! It consists of short scenes and band art from around two dozen mangaka, and actually dates (in Japan) from before the anime aired, showing that from her inception, Bocchi-chan has struck a chord with creatives and inspired them to create their own homages. (A couple of the mangaka mention the BTR fanart that got them invited to contribute!) For the most part, the artists’ personal styles are quite muted, with canon character designs (and personalities) remaining more or less intact, though it’s still clear that Hamazi and her team are not behind these permutations of our little bean and her friends. These are all quite lighthearted vignettes, and what’s more, they’re quick to read, since the majority are not in 4-koma style. Reading this volume (and getting through it easily in one sitting) really underlined for me what a master of scripting, detail, and comedy Hamazi is, and just how much she packs into a single two-page spread consisting of sixteen squares, since it always takes me much, much longer to read a volume of her work. The highlight of this comic outing for me are the scenes shared with Futari, who, in my opinion, is a criminally underused character so far. Overall, if you’re a fan of BTR, your heart is guaranteed to be warmed, both by the stories themselves and by the love for Bocchi from so many mangaka that pours from each page. A worthy addition to the BTR-verse! ~ claire

Bocchi the Rock! Comic Anthology is published by Yen Press.

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Vagabond Definitive Edition, Manga Vol. 3

What’s most surprising to me after three volumes of the Vagabond Definitive Edition is how this series, which is so filled with violence and sometimes hyper-masculinity, emphasizes gentleness, grace, and kindness as themes. Take, for instance, the conclusion of the duels between Musashi and Inshun; the former was the wild child, shunned by his village, while the latter is an arrogant and cold phenom. Yet, their “match to the death” ends with a powerfully moving scene, and one that’s unusually optimistic for a series that pictures a world that’s painful and unjust. The idea that kindness can be transformative—personally and maybe on a greater scale—carries through the rest of this fantastic volume as well. I should also note that this hardcover volume is gorgeous, a wonderful release for a series that features such stunning artwork, particularly in the realistically drawn character designs. As I make my way through the series, I’m understanding why it’s considered one of three great warrior seinen series, standing side-by-side with Vinland Saga and Berserk; it balances action and meaningful moments so well, and both sides of the coin have me begging for more. ~ Twwk

Vagabond Definitive Edition is published by VIZ Media.

Read Vagabond Definitive Edition Reviews: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2

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Itaewon Class, Manhwa Vol. 6

Could you slow down a little, Itaewon Class? By volume six, it feels like we’ve got at least twice that many volumes of story that have happened, and while this newest volume doesn’t leap as far forward or move quite as quickly as the last, it’s still going by really quickly. As volume six opens, Saeroyi is ready to make his move to take over Jangga Group, while Yi-seo has left following his rejection of her romantic overtures. One volume is a good length of a manhwa to settle all this, but a cooking competition is thrown in, as well as major development for two of the major characters and an announcement of the impending death of another. This pace of storytelling is a weakness that was most obviously revealed in the disappointing chapter five, and it looks like it’s going to be an issue throughout the series; however, the story itself is still compelling. Searoyi, too, remains a compelling character because of his goodness and consistency; he draws all the characters and the story itself, it seems, to him. He’s the center of a melodrama that is about justice in unjust circumstances, and that continues to have me cheering for Itaewon Class, despite its rather significant flaws. ~ Twwk

Itaewon Class is published by Ize Press.

READ Reviews of Itaewon Class: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5

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Delicious in Dungeon World Guide: The Adventurer’s Bible, Complete Edition

Oh my. I now understand why Delicious in Dungeon megafans have been clamoring for the English-language release of The Adventure’s Bible, perhaps the best guidebook I’ve ever read for a series or property. It reminds me less of anime guides, which are often cute and fun, and more of one for Lord of the Rings or A Song of Ice and Fire—well-arranged and chock-full of information, a real reference for fans. The work begins with character profiles, which are followed by material on monsters and the Dungeon Meshi world at large. I got lost in reading it—and I haven’t even finished the manga or anime (be warned that you should finish the story first, or you’ll get spoiled…on the very first page)! This is a terrific resource for fans of the series, and a wonderful way to complete your Delicious in Dungeon manga collection! ~ Twwk

Delicious in Dungeon World Guide: The Adventurer’s Bible, Complete Edition is published by Yen Press.

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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.