The newest manga from the creator of Dr. Stone, which introduces over-the-top tropes and characters into a Western setting, is among the series we’re looking at on Reader’s Corner this week! In addition to volume one of The Marshal King, we’re also reviewing the latest volumes of D.N.Angel, Once Upon a Witch’s Death, and more!
Bocchi the Rock! Comic Anthology (Vol. 2) • D.N.Angel New Edition (Vol. 3) • Destroy All Humans. They Can’t Be Regenerated. A Magic: The Gathering Manga (Vol. 8) • The Marshal King (Vol. 1) • Once Upon a Witch’s Death (Vol. 3) • Seeds of Anxiety* (Vol. 1) • A Witch’s Life in Mongol (Vol. 3)
D.N.Angel New Edition, Manga Vol. 3
There are moments while reading the “New Edition” (a beautifully faux gilded double-length collector’s re-release of the manga) of D.N.Angel when I remember why I enjoyed the anime series long ago and why many consider the series a classic. For example, the first third of volume three closes the dramatic arc involving Dark and Daisuke’s mirror world “replacement” story, and it’s pretty thrilling through the end. And then there’s the next story, which had me confused from the start: Who is this character again? What are the limitations of Daisuke’s transformation? Why does none of this really make sense? D.N.Angel flies through its panels and just expects you to go along for the ride; when a foundational story really isn’t needed, as in the doppelganger arc, it works well, but when there’s actual plot development, the story more than languishes: It’s irrational and totally loses me. Unfortunately, for all the nostalgic goodness of the tale and the beauty of these sets (they really are gorgeous), I’m not willing to invest further in the series. ~ Twwk
D.N.Angel New Edition is published by Yen Press.
Once Upon a Witch’s Death, Light Novel Vol. 3
At last, the adventures of Meg Raspberry continue! Volume three picks up just a little before where the anime left off, and oh boy does that first chapter ever pack an emotional punch! The tale of Meg’s orphanhood begins to come to light, and it turns everything on its head—or at least, it could if one were given to panic. But Meg is a sturdy type—almost like a middle-aged man ;)—and she takes the new revelations in stride…until the Magical Council shows up and invites her to join what is essentially a humanitarian aid delegation to regions of the world devastated by magical corruption. The trip introduces Meg to a whole new cast of multinational characters and takes her across three continents, culminating in a visit to the Chornobyl-like destruction of the former nation of Orloff—Meg’s birthplace. What will she find there, and how much will it cost her? This volume is all I hoped it would be and so much more! The new characters are vivid and pose just the right amount of challenge to Meg’s charms as she seeks to understand and befriend them (and squeeze a few tears of joy out of them, of course!), while the conundrums they face at each disaster site are layered and realistic, enriching the worldbuilding. Best of all, Meg shows genuine emotional maturity in the face of all the potentially upsetting revelations about her early life and those nearest and dearest to her—so much so that I found myself taking notes. It was a bold move by author Saka to introduce entirely new characters and plot trajectories this close to the end of Meg’s tale (and her life: only two months remaining now!), but it absolutely pays off here. In short, a must-read for fans of Meg Raspberry. Now, bring on the finale! ~ claire
Once Upon a Witch’s Death is published by Yen Press.
READ Review of Once Upon a Witch’s Death Vol. 2
A Witch’s Life in Mongol, Manga Vol. 3
Another volume, another wife of the khaan to cosy up to (or betray?)! Fatima (as she’s now known) is nothing if not a quick-thinking opportunist. So when she finds herself summoned to the tent of the Great Khatun (that is, the top wife) through a misunderstanding, she pivots readily and turns the situation to her favour—which means she turns it to the downfall of the Mongolian Empire! The details of how exactly she’s aiming to bring this about are still a little thin, but the plot certainly does thicken in this volume as it twists and turns with wily new political intrigues by various competing factions, and mysterious manipulations by shamans and spiritual forces—which may or may not be real. Mangaka Tomato Soup is still holding their cards close to their chest as to just how much science and mysticism actually work together in this 13th-century nomadic world, but to be fair, this haziness is probably quite accurate to the historical period. While I found the previous volume a tad frustrating in terms of the flimsiness of Fatima’s motivations, this latest volume is so full of action, meaningful dialogue, and cutthroat scheming that I no longer noticed the things that formerly irked me about the series. Fatima benefits from a welcome pinch of humanizing in this volume too, as it becomes clear that she may just be in over her head (which is only sensible considering she’s a foreign slave girl! How could she always have the upper hand?). I’m still not convinced of the righteousness of her cause, though! I’ll admit, I was on the fence after volume two as to whether or not to continue, but now I’m committed to following this series—it’s starting to come together in unexpected ways, which bodes well for future volumes. ~ claire
A Witch’s Life in Mongol is published by Yen Press.
READ Reviews of A Witch’s Life in Mongol Vol. 1 // Vol. 2
Destroy All Humans. They Can’t Be Regenerated. A Magic: The Gathering Manga, Vol. 8
A date? And the preliminaries for the national MTG tournament! Big events take place in this volume of Destroy All Humans, as the series progresses into the late spring of 1999. The aforementioned date, arranged in volume seven, takes place between Hajime and Yakumo, highlighting the love triangle between them and Emi. I know a lot of readers aren’t fans of love triangles, but I tend to enjoy them, and this one is no different; the feelings at play here are innocent and sweet, guided by characters who are the same, while the date pushes the characters forward toward making their feelings known toward one another, something that’s been difficult for any of them to do. The tournament, which takes up the bulk of volume eight, is also entertaining, with great matches and a nice little cliffhanger. The plot is progressing, characters are growing, exciting matches are at play, and romance is entering more and more into the picture: What’s not to love about volume eight? ~ Twwk
Destroy All Humans. They Can’t Be Regenerated. A Magic: The Gathering Manga is published by VIZ Media.
READ Destroy All Humans. They Can’t Be Regenerated. A Magic: The Gathering Manga Reviews: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7
Seeds of Anxiety*, Manga Vol. 1
There is a hidden world in the shadows, in the dark, in alleyways, and under overpasses, where horrific, supernatural beings creep along. This is the central conceit of the roughly 25 stories in Seeds of Anxiety*, which aim to create an eerie atmosphere through these forces being revealed. Masaaki Nakayama is masterful with backgrounds, which create this wonderful atmosphere in which his talents can play. This volume is also marked by his use of faces with misplaced features, like eyes or mouths in the wrong places. Unfortunately, the faces feel slightly comical, and not quite as eerie as his settings. But worse is the storytelling. Virtually every tale, most of which are about five or six pages long, reads like a middle schooler trying to come up with a scary story to tell his friends on the spot, of seeing a doppelganger through a peephole, or the ghost of a man who committed suicide through his factory’s windows—and none of them really have a climax to them. The endings of most of these stories are simply that the ghoul exists. It’s never scary and feels quite juvenile. Unfortunate, though it’s still perhaps worth owning volume one of this series if you enjoy excellent art and are a fan of horror manga; just don’t expect it to spook you. ~ Twwk
Seeds of Anxiety* is published by Yen Press.
Bocchi the Rock! Comic Anthology, Manga Vol. 2
And they’re back! It’s the ”by invitation only“ BTR Comic Anthology Band, with another playlist of (non-canon) shorts and illustrations. The artistic lineup may be comprised of mangaka and illustrators, but really, this is a work by BTR fans for BTR fans. We get body swaps, copious swimsuits, and the greatest wish fulfilment of them all: Ryou finally paying off her debts to Bocchi, under the influence of a terrifying dream that may or may not involve body swaps and swimsuits! There’s also a Bocchi glow-up, a new do, and at long last, a close examination of Nijika’s gravity-defying Dorito-shaped cowlick. And don’t forget the food! Er, and the weeds for Ryou. In fact, the girls of KSB are so busy having fun that there doesn’t seem to be any time for practicing or performing or work of any kind…funny, that. Finally, if Futari is your fave, you’re not going to want to miss this volume, as she has a very sweet little adventure in the playground. This one is a pretty quick read when compared with normal BTR fare, largely because the guest artists don’t really stick to a 4-koma format. Makes you realize just how much hard labor goes into one of Aki Hamazi’s usual BTR volumes! And it’s wonderful to see just how much love and respect the creator of our favorite pink-haired overthinker is getting from her colleagues. Rock on, BTR and the Comic Anthology Band! ~ claire
Bocchi the Rock! Comic Anthology is published by Yen Press.
READ Review of Bocchi the Rock Comic Anthology Vol. 1
The Marshal King, Manga Vol. 1
The Age of Desperados: The son of the most infamous outlaw of them all is going to enroll to become a U.S. Marshal! And thus starts a fun adventure and unique take on the shonen action genre—a western, steampunk series that’s bloody, goofy, and deeply engaging. The story begins in earnest when Jimmu Godspeed arrives from crossing the desert with a coffin in tow; he is intent on entering the Western U.S. Marshal Training Institute, where he joins a student body that is mostly in their 30s and above—and who harbor a deep mistrust of Jimmu. No wonder, since his father was at the very top of the villains that rule the land, but Jimmu is different from his dad, though he keeps his ultimate goal under wraps for most of this volume. I really enjoyed his character—he has deep convictions, incredible skill, and a mix of a very serious and oddball nature. He reminds me quite a lot of Senku from Dr. Stone—and no wonder, since this manga is from the same creator. You’ll see signs of it throughout, particularly in the character types and designs, though I appreciate how steampunk western the world is that he creates for this new series. It’s a beautiful, violent, and interesting start, and I am hankering for another helping. This looks like another winner! ~ Twwk
The Marshal King is published by VIZ Media.
“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.
