It’s finally here! The concluding volume of Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion is out today, and we’re sharing our thoughts on it as well as the series as a whole! Other reviews on this week’s column include the latest volumes of other romance series like My Girlfriend’s Child, A Star Brighter Than the Sun, Choking on Love, Insomniacs After School, and more!
Choking on Love (Vol. 3) • The Hitman Stans (Vol. 2) • Insomniacs After School (Vol. 11) • My Girlfriend’s Child (Vol. 8) • A Star Brighter than the Sun (Vol. 3) • Vagabond Definitive Edition (Vol. 4) • Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion (Vol. 9)
Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion, Manhwa Vol. 9 (Final)
The secret is out about who has messed with the “destinies” of Raeliana and Beatrice. With everything on the line, including her relationship with Noah, Raeliana has to make the greatest decision yet, affecting not just her and Noah’s future, but Beatrice’s too. This final volume was everything I was hoping it would be! While I do confess that I didn’t reread the previous volume beforehand, resulting in a few details being fuzzy at the beginning of this one, the shenanigans and romance within these pages made me laugh so much, and also get very emotional. Honestly, even now, I am still teary-eyed because these characters took me on such a wonderful adventure, and I was incredibly grateful to see their love story bloom and unfold. It truly felt like a precious gift, and I was not and am not ready to say goodbye. (Thank you, Crossed Hearts, for physically licensing the novel because I will be picking it up!) It’s hard to express all of what to say concerning this ending due to spoilers, but I think it is a very strong and fantastic finale to this series! I loved how it was shown that Raeliana and Noah’s story will continue on for a long time, and I feel much happiness that the ending I always hoped for these two was just as amazing as I had anticipated. I highly recommend this series and look forward to coming back and rereading it from start to finish! ~ Laura A. Grace
Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion is published by Yen Press.
READ Reviews of Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7 // Vol. 8
The Hitman Stans, Manga Vol. 2
Two volumes into The Hitman Stans, and I’m still trying to figure out exactly what this series is trying to be—does it want to have a complicated storyline? Is it building up atmosphere more than story? Is it a romance? I’m left confused, but nonetheless, I have to say—I’m enjoying the series greatly. In volume two, there’s fallout from Endou’s heroism in volume one, namely that many of the bosses in his old outfit are unwilling to let him live out a retirement; he’ll need to come back, or he’ll need to die. I was kind of expecting this to only be somewhat dramatic, but remembering the intensity of some scenes from volume one, I should have expected what we get instead, which is strongly violent episodes and a heaviness that will apparently cover several volumes, if not the entire run of the series. You wonder if the intent was not only to imitate John Wick superficially but to really think out what he would have needed to do to leave the hitman life, and how difficult and violent it would have have been. This volume is definitely heavier than the last, and that’s mostly welcome, though I wish we would have gotten a little more levity as well. I’ll look toward volume three to see if there’s more balance between the two extremes, and maybe to discover more clues about what this series will ultimately be about. ~ Twwk
The Hitman Stans is published by Yen Press.
READ The Hitman Stans Vol. 1 Review
My Girlfriend’s Child, Manga Vol. 8
It seems things are starting to calm down in Sachi’s family since her father returned home. Our dear Takara cannot say the same for his own family, but despite his struggles, he continues to aim to be by Sachi’s side. As the baby’s delivery date gets closer, will these two be ready for a future that they are hopeful for, but which is anything but easy? Another exceptionally well done volume, and emotional too! One thing that spoke to me in this volume is how deeply realistic Sachi’s pregnancy is right now. Regardless of the difference in our ages when having our firstborns, the way it “hit her” that she was having a child was the same for me! It’s like you can do all the research in the world, but when things get closer to the actual due date, it’s like suddenly it clicks that you’re having an actual human being, resulting in a lot of nervousness and even fear about how delivery will be. I also second having bizarre nightmares because I had them too! In the bonus interview that was included at the end, the other person in the interview mentioned how this is a series that every family should have in their home, and I literally caught myself thinking the same thing when reading! I was deeply surprised by how this volume went pretty in-depth about vaginal and c-section deliveries, because I have never in my life as a reader seen that kind of conversation represented in fiction! I have always thought this series was special, but I definitely feel that even more so because of how real-world concerns and questions are being woven into a fictional story. Well done, Mamoru Aoi! I’m sad to know this story is coming to an end, but I’m also excited for this incredible couple to meet their baby! I’m hoping it will be a wonderful delivery and that their child will bring these characters great happiness! ~ Laura A. Grace
My Girlfriend’s Child is published by Seven Seas.
READ Reviews of My Girlfriend’s Child: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7
Choking on Love, Manga Vol. 3
Hibari and Gaku are officially dating! Eeeepp! I couldn’t be more excited, but things aren’t always smooth-sailing when you have two people dating with very different personalities. Throw in a love rival who is definitely trying to make it known he cares for Habari, and things might just get a little bit more complicated. Can Habari express just how much she cares for Gaku so he knows how deep her feelings go? “We want to understand each other because we like each other.” I feel this quote perfectly sums up this volume, and I absolutely love how our leads are getting to know each other better! Though, oh my goodness, that opening! I couldn’t believe one character came right out and said he was going “to take responsibility”! And then seeing Gaku “fight back,” like yesssss! And then our sweet Hibari! I love how she’s at a loss for what to do as a girlfriend and keeps overthinking everything, because I find that makes her super relatable! I already deeply loved her before now, but seeing her be self-conscious, especially in light of Gaku being so free-spirited, somehow makes the series feel grounded. I truly admire how Hibari is slowly pushing herself and being brave in sharing how she feels. She’s amazing! The story itself was awesome! I’m really excited for the festival that’s coming up, and I’m definitely shipping two side characters pretty hard! The romance was stellar, and I can’t wait to see our leads continue to learn more about one another! I can’t recommend this series enough! ~ Laura A. Grace
Choking on Love is published by Seven Seas.
READ Choking on Love Vol. 2 Review
A Star Brighter than the Sun, Manga Vol. 3
The romantic feelings couldn’t be more obvious to us, but to some characters, that’s not the case. Sae fully believes that Koki has feelings for someone else, and that’s only further confirmed after she sees Koki talking with a girl he seems close to. On the flip side, Koki seems to be struggling with potential jealousy when a classmate seems to continuously want to get closer to Sae. This was another precious volume! I absolutely loved that last chapter and how it was focused on our leads! Seeing them have so much fun together and freely talk was wonderful! Plus, the way the play really touched Sae in wanting to be courageous in sharing her feelings with Koki had me internally cheering for her! And speaking of, the play was great, but Sae was amazing! I love how she protected her friend’s privacy the way she did! And then to see Koki jump in like he did was incredible too! These two truly are amazing, and I just need them to realize they both deeply care for one another! I also feel like this volume sort of introduces one character as an interloper into the main romance, but I really, really like that character and don’t want my feelings to change. I just hope that they can all remain friends for the whole series and that nothing happens to affect that later on. Overall, another cute volume that made me happy! ~ Laura A. Grace
A Star Brighter than the Sun is published by Shojo Beat.
READ Reviews of A Star Brighter than the Sun: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2
Insomniacs After School, Manga Vol. 11
As much as anything, Insomniacs After School is about conveying a nostalgic, romantic, and sometimes sorrowful mood to readers through its art. Volume eleven opens with several pages of panels with no dialogue to immediately remind us of the tone and set the stage for a volume where there’s no center point of action in the plot, yet quite a lot happens. For one, the characters start their new year of school, which leads to Magari and Nakami promoting their new club in hopes of recruiting first-year members. New characters always have a major effect on the plot, but the biggest news in this volume comes in the final chapters. Yet, all these goings-on are wrapped in the everyday life feel of the volume, emphasized through so many images of Magari and Nakami spending time with each other, family, and friends. Life goes on, even though we as readers wonder if Magari and Nakami can stand the pressure of adolescence and outside forces and continue forward as well. This is another lovely, thoughtful volume in one of my favorite series—one that is just a few volumes from its conclusion! ~ Twwk
Insomniacs After School is published by VIZ Media.
READ Reviews of Insomniacs After School: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7 // Vol. 8 // Vol. 9 // Vol. 10
Vagabond Definitive Edition, Manga Vol. 4
It’s not just the cover but the chapters in Vagabond Definitive Edition volume four (covering volumes ten through twelve of the original release), which remind us that the series doesn’t just trace Miyamoto Musashi’s story but “Sasaki Kojiro’s” and Otsu’s too, with this release drawing the three ever-so-closely together. It’s masterful how the three cross paths (or barely miss each other) in these chapters—in somewhat expected fashion for Otsu and Musashi, since she is a retainer for the man he intends to meet and kill, and less so as the cowardly Kojiro stumbles upon another warrior whom Musashi intends to meet. In between the emotional, character-driven content—and all three of the main trio of characters receive wonderful writing in this volume—is a masterful fight at a bridge, including an underwater battle, and a new challenger whose weapon is dreadful and deadly. Vagabond remains a page-turner, brutal and touching, beautifully illustrated and bloody. “Definitive” is not just an adjective to describe the wonderful hard-bound edition—this historical series deserves to be called that, no matter how it’s read. ~ Twwk
Vagabond Definitive Edition is published by VIZ Media.
Read Vagabond Definitive Edition Reviews: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3
“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.
