It’s a big week for new manga releases—and we’ve got reviews for a bunch to share with you (along with a new manhua, too)! Undead heroes, an idol fan who’s a hitman, a tyrant actor, and a lady who turns into a cat are just a few of the characters who rule our reviews this week. Read on to see what we liked and what we didn’t!

The Daughter of the Demon Lord Is Too Kind (Vol. 1) • The Hitman Stans (Vol. 3) • I Made Friends with the 2nd Prettiest Girl in My Class (Vol. 3) • See You There, Beyond the Ocean • Sentenced to Be a Hero (Vol. 1) • A Timid Lady Was Turned into an Ugly Cat, but on the Verge of Fainting Is Picked Up by the Most Fearsome Military Duke (Vol. 1) • Thank You for Taking Care of Our Boy Banri (Vol. 1)

I Made Friends with the 2nd Prettiest Girl in My Class, Manga Vol. 3

I absolutely adored volumes one and two of I Made Friends with the 2nd Prettiest Girl in My Class, but holes are starting to appear in my perfect little romcom. Not at first, though—I like how this volume opens, working off the cliffhanger from the last volume in which Amami discovers how close Asanagi and Maehara have become, which surprisingly opens a story dealing with Asanagi’s insecurities and how they intertwine with her friendship with Amami. However, the story feels a little superficial—especially compared to the anime, where we get to know the two girls at the center of this conflict a wee bit more. There’s an artificiality, too, in scenes involving Asanagi showing her affection for Maehara; it’s hard to put my hand on it, but they feel like they don’t really belong here at this point in time, instead having been crafted into the story to advance the romance. I’m aware of where the series goes in the coming volumes after watching the anime, and I’m afraid we’ll see more of this. I still like the characters and am eager to see how the manga illustrates this tale; I just no longer have the same excitement for the series I once had. ~ Twwk

I Made Friends with the 2nd Prettiest Girl in My Class is published by Yen Press.

Read Reviews of I Made Friends with the 2nd Prettiest Girl in My Class: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2

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Sentenced to Be a Hero, Manga Vol. 1

The anime adaptation of Sentenced to Be a Hero began with a bang—it’s unfortunate that the manga’s opening isn’t quite on par, moving along with surprising dullness for an action series. That “action” opens with Xylo Forbartz, a “hero” who is battling on the front lines. But in this world, heroes aren’t admired warriors; instead, they are cursed criminals who must fight until all demons are killed—an impossible task—and are resurrected over and over again until their mission is accomplished. Xylo is a formidable warrior on his own, but when the ultra-cute (and very powerful) goddess Teorrita joins him, the duo might be able to take on insurmountable odds and come out victorious. This is a fairly dark series, with one particularly shining light—Teoritta, who is a memorable and fun character. Her desire for head pats is such a ridiculous touch, and quite charming. Xylo is a fine protagonist too, but the series is hampered by starting in the middle of a confusing battle that’s not exactly exciting, though it’s meant to be. The volume also starts in the most boring way possible, with a ton of info drops in the initial dozen pages, which could have instead been revealed as the chapters moved forward. I would recommend you check out the anime instead, which rectifies some of the sins of this adaptation—and covers over others with excellent fight scenes; the manga is better left alone. ~ Twwk

Sentenced to Be a Hero is published by Yen Press.

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See You There, Beyond the Ocean, Manhua

As Wu Hsiao-jung prepares to move on to the next part of her life and clears out her childhood room, she notices a book entitled Voice of the Ocean. It brings back a flood of memories—which are difficult and bittersweet. This one-volume manhua, written by Chiao Meow and illustrated by Monday Recovery, is a heartwrenching work, but one that is meditative—and by being so, it never feels like it’s playing with your heart just to get a reaction. There’s purpose and meaning here, a maturity even, that I feel is sometimes lacking in works that bring tears to your eyes. This one will do so too, as it starts with Hsiao-jung as a much less well-adjusted elementary schooler; it’s through her friendship with her outgoing artist friend, Ko-wei, that she’s able to become confident and flourish in her studies, friendships, and creativity. But from the start, we know this is a tragic piece, so the tone is never quite happy; it’s filled with sadness, particularly when the tragic event occurs but also afterwards, as Voice of the Ocean plays a major role in how Hsiao-jung deals with the events, well into her adulthood and the present time. I think that through Hsiao-jung’s journey, the author is trying to tell us something about holding on too tight in your grief, for too many years, even if you’re trying to honor a loved one, and how discouraging that can be. But there’s hope here too; we see it, after all, right from the beginning through the adult eyes of Hsiao-jung, who is a beautiful, strong woman—unlike the timid young girl she once was. The writing in this work is lovely and thoughtful, and the artwork is emotive, especially when conveying characters’ feelings through their eyes. I’m glad that Yen Press has published this manhua—it’s a memorable and meaningful journey through friendship, grief, and growing up. ~ Twwk

See You There, Beyond the Ocean is published by Yen Press.

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The Hitman Stans, Manga Vol. 3

Despite the inherent silliness in the plot, I can say this after three volumes of The Hitman Stans—this is a methodic, unrelenting, excellent series. The broad outlines of volume three are simple: Rosaceae starts preparing for the next round of the idol competition they’ve entered, and Endou prepares for it too by trying up his stan game. But the roads they take and how they interconnect are fascinating, suspenseful, and often violent. Kaori continues to shows her depth as a character as she makes friends (frenemies?) during the idol event, Endou gets into gun battles precipitated by his ridiculous depths of fandom, and a new major character comes to the forefront—who’s just as interesting as the primary duo. I am just loving this series. I’ve compared it to the John Wick movies, and that’s obviously a major inspiration, but it’s more than just skin-deep; this is the story of what happens if that retired hitman hadn’t been widowed and had his dog killed—it’s if he hadn’t yet had a chance to marry at all and his beloved was in constant danger. There are plenty of laughs in the series, for sure, and silliness too, but its tone really is more in line with a dark, action-packed series than, say, The Way of the Househusband. And I’m glad for it—to have two excellent and diametrically opposed manga series like that involving retired hitmen right now is truly a blessing for us readers. What a time to be a manga fan! ~ Twwk

The Hitman Stans is published by Yen Press.

READ Reviews of The Hitman Stans: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2

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A Timid Lady Was Turned into an Ugly Cat, but on the Verge of Fainting Is Picked Up by the Most Fearsome Military Duke, Manga Vol. 1

Marie has patiently waited for her father to return home from a years-long trip. Knowing he’s coming with her new sister fills her with excitement! But what started with happiness leads to years of her sister stealing away everything and everyone from Marie, including her fiancé. Just when Marie thought things couldn’t get any worse, her sister turns her into an “ugly” cat! This was as cute as everyone said it would be! But poor Marie! I instantly loved her character and found myself quickly wishing for her happiness! I don’t think she was prepared for how her sister would eventually turn against her. Rather, I know I wasn’t! I was upset that she stole Marie’s fiancé from her, but I never imagined that Marie’s sister would hold a grudge that has lasted pretty much a lifetime? I was so hurt and angry when she said cruel things to our sweet girl! It feels even worse coming after a mysterious person said such kind things to Marie, even if just in writing. However, our sweet Marie, as a cat, is so loved, which I could imagine would shock her sister to know! Yes, Marie is not the prettiest, but I love her expressions just as much as Lord Marshal does! Speaking of, I loved how this volume showed that the more time he has with Marie, the more every rumor she had heard was debunked! He is nothing like the rumors, and I am hoping there is going to be something good that happens so that Marie can be with him as a human! I’ll definitely be tuning in for volume two because this was so lovely and I need to know what happens next! Definitely recommend it if you love glasses-wearing heroines, dashing male leads who are nowhere near what the rumors are making them out to be, and an overall engaging story with a cat! ~ Laura A. Grace

A Timid Lady Was Turned into an Ugly Cat, but on the Verge of Fainting Is Picked Up by the Most Fearsome Military Duke is published by Yen Press.

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The Daughter of the Demon Lord Is Too Kind, Manga Vol. 1

I’ll be frank: I could do without the whole “demons are actually cute and kind” theme that’s pervasive in manga and light novels right now. While it has produced a few good titles, most are forgettable, which is the case with The Daughter of the Demon Lord Is Too Kind, in which the Demon Lord Ahriman’s attendant, Jahi, takes his lord’s daughter, Doux, under her wing in an attempt to make the cute and especially compassionate demon child into a truly awful creature. The results are cute enough—like when Doux’s befriending of a lizard helps in a much larger situation, or when her choice of torture is tickling (not, uh, seduction), and the illustrations are cute, but I consistently found it strange that Jahi wants Doux to do the most awful things, like feeding human slaves alive to hulking creatures. All that, of course, assumes that this is business as normal for the demon realm. While my assumption is that Doux’s kindness ends up changing the kingdom—another common theme in these stories—I still don’t really jive with the juxtaposition. Moreover, I don’t find the characters memorable. If you’re looking for an encouraging and happy read, The Daughter of the Demon Lord Is Too Kind could be that for you. Otherwise, I don’t think you’ll miss much by skipping it. ~ Twwk

The Daughter of the Demon Lord Is Too Kind is published by Yen Press.

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Thank You for Taking Care of Our Boy Banri, Manga Vol. 1

Nanase couldn’t be happier to be asked to be a temporary manager for the famous actor, Banri Narita. After all, she’s a huge fan of his and knows the job will be so fun! However, when she starts working with him, she quickly realizes he is nothing like the personality he seems to have in dramas! He is a total tyrant! Just how long will she last being his manager?! This was literally everything I was hoping it would be! Honestly, chapter zero was extremely strong as a one-shot, but the way the creator effortlessly continued the story was amazing! I didn’t feel there was a weird gap or difference where you could see an obvious continuation, which was nice because after much I deeply loved that “one-shot,” I was unsure how I would feel about the rest of the volume. I shouldn’t have worried at all, though, because it was fantastic! I deeply love the relationship Banri and Nanase have: While Banri can be grumpy, I did not find him overly mean the way I did with Jade in My Super-Cute Black Mage. Yes, he calls her stupid often, but there are strong moments where you can see he cares for her. I definitely second another character stating how they argue because they get along so well. Seeing Nanase grow as a manager was very fulfilling! I thought it was interesting that she was very relatable as a fangirl, but that her job was, in fact, hard, teaching me something new about what it’s like being a manager. I think the creator did a great job of highlighting the ups and downs of what she does! Plus, she is just SO cool! I mean, riding a motorcycle and chasing down paparazzi?! What’s not to love about her! I am so very eager for the next volume! This manga was my last license win of 2025, and it’s shaping up to be something that will easily be one of my favorite reads of 2026! I can’t wait to see what happens next and will happily recommend it! ~ Laura A. Grace

Thank You for Taking Care of Our Boy Banri 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.