Sometimes the reading pile gets a little out of hand—and that’s okay! This time in Reader’s Corner, we’re catching up on several volumes that have been waiting patiently for their turn, from magical girls to medieval merchants, and supernatural mysteries to OP hunters. We’ve also got two new releases: the most recent volume of post-apocalyptic sci-fi tale, The Color of the End, and Shiba Inu Rooms, featuring one very opinionated ghost dog. There’s plenty to dig into, whether you’re revisiting an old favorite or discovering something new!
Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture EX (Vol. 1) • The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse (Vol. 4) • Magical Girl Dandelion (Vol. 2) • Shiba Inu Rooms (Vol. 1) • Solo Leveling (Vol. 4) • Spice and Wolf Collector’s Edition (Vol. 1)
The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse, Manga Vol. 4
Each volume of The Color of the End shows us the beauty of memory, empathy, and humanity, and each also takes us deeper into the mystery of the cataclysm and all that resulted from it. Volume four—another brilliant volume in the series—is no different. It begins with a visit involving a watchmaker and ends with action-packed chapters that lead to questions about Saya and, well, everything that’s going on. Both halves of the volume are equally mesmerizing—the first for relaying to us something meaningful about time, and the latter for turning the story on its head. All the while, the background remains captivating and haunting, as much a character in this story as any other. I’ve already said it once in this review, but The Color of the End is brilliant—and you’d do well to join the journey if you haven’t already. ~ Twwk
The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse is published by Yen Press.
READ Reviews of The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3
Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture EX, Light Novel Vol. 1
While I’m generally enjoying the light novel series, I have to admit that Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture is a sometimes painfully slow build. Even as it reveals Takatsuki and Naoya’s backgrounds and opens stories that relate to them, the character development seems to lag behind. That’s where EX, a collection of side stories to the series, comes in. A group of four tales—an opening one that would fit at home in any of the other novels, but two others focusing on Naoya and one on Takatsuki—comprise the thin volume, and let me tell you: This is good reading. Because we’ve been craving more information about the two leads, when a story comes along about Naoya’s childhood dog (my favorite), or Kenji helping Takatsuki on a day off, or a character becoming inebriated (the most unexpected one at that), it feels like opening a Christmas gift. But more than that, these stories truly add to the tale, creating a level of warmth that was lacking—especially for Naoya. If you’re reading Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture, do not skip this volume; it makes the entire series richer, and gives us readers much-wanted fanservice, too. ~ Twwk
Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture is published by Yen Press.
READ Reviews of Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5
Spice and Wolf Collector’s Edition, Manga Vol. 1
As a fan of the light novels, I have to say that you almost have to get over volume one of the manga to really enjoy and learn what the series is about. By that, I mean getting a sense of what makes Spice and Wolf special; the basics of the series are mostly laid out here in volume one. Traveling merchant Lawrence arrives in a village that is having a harvest festival dedicated to the wolf goddess Holo; as Lawrence leaves, he discovers a “Holo” stowed away in his wagon. Could this be the goddess of legend? You do feel some of the medieval tone and charm in volume one, especially in the second half of the Collector’s Edition (which is two volumes in one and features gorgeous new cover art), but the strength of the world-building in this series—especially when it comes to the deep dive of trading and economics—struggles to come through in volume one of the manga version. Instead, it’s most obvious asset is Holo herself, who is stark naked and shown in colorful detail often in the opening half. The sexual content becomes less common as the story moves forward, while the meat of the story and the relationship between Holo and Kraft become more prominent, both in the light novel and in this manga series. I would recommend you hold on and try out the second volume if you read this one and wonder why this franchise is special. Trust me, it gets better. ~ Twwk
Spice and Wolf Collector’s Edition is published by Yen Press.
Read Reviews of Spice and Wolf Collector’s Edition: Vol. 2 // Vol. 3
Shiba Inu Rooms, Manga Vol. 1
Kori Momose has found an absolute steal for a new apartment, but as the landlady notes, it comes with a catch: The room is haunted by a scowling Shiba Inu. While scary things aren’t a problem for Kori, dogs are—especially this ghost one, who seems to absolutely hate her. Thus begins a cute, charming, and surprisingly heartfelt series about dogs and owners, the nature of friendship, and how—I imagine—caring for one another can help us heal and grow. We see some of that final theme in this opening volume as Kori begins to understand Mu, her Shiba Inu roommate, whose thoughts and faces made me laugh out loud throughout the volume, but whose “pure,” unfiltered thoughts led to a number of moving moments. I really enjoy Mu as a character—I can see him becoming an all-time favorite for me. I also should note that this manga conveys the thought processes of dogs better than any other media I’ve watched or read—at least from my experience as a dog owner. Time and time again as I read the volume, I thought, “That’s just like my dog!” Mu thinks totally differently from a human being, as he should if presented “accurately.” He’s able to be lovable and cute despite being written in a way that doesn’t feel like it’s a “human presenting how other humans would like dogs to think or act,” as you might find in other manga or in social media videos. I thought this approach was clever and sincere; I really appreciated it. I really appreciate the entire volume, in fact—and I encourage you, dog lover or not (like the protagonist!), to give it a try! ~ Twwk
Shiba Inu Rooms is published by VIZ Media.
Solo Leveling, Manhwa Vol. 4
As I revisit some of the earlier volumes of the Solo Leveling manhwa I hadn’t previously read (I went the circuitous route of reading the novels first and then jumping into the manhwa as they were being released by Ize Press at the time), I’ve realized that the Red Gate arc is where the series really starts showing just how absurdly powerful Jinwoo has become. Trapped in a frozen dungeon with a group of other hunters, he has little trouble dealing with monsters that would overwhelm everyone else, but the real fun comes from watching his shadow army continue to grow—and especially from his first use of the now-iconic command, “Arise.” Oh boy. There’s something particularly satisfying about seeing him turn defeated enemies into soldiers under his command, as the once-pathetic E-rank hunter increasingly becomes something far more frightening. At the same time, Jinwoo’s concern for the other hunters and his family keeps him from becoming completely detached from his humanity, though this balance has always been unsteady and is one of the main criticisms I have of the series overall. While the story is unapologetically a power fantasy, this volume is a great example of why that fantasy works so well: Jinwoo’s growth is ridiculous, the action is spectacular, and watching him discover just how far his new abilities can take him is incredibly fun. ~ 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 // Vol. 12 // Vol. 13 // Vol. 14 // Vol. 15
Magical Girl Dandelion, Manga Vol. 2
REVIEWED Volume two of Magical Girl Dandelion begins with Tanpopo and Shade completing their battle with Alice before the pair, along with Peony, continue with a new one involving an entertainment event. All the while, the specter of Shade being a fiend hangs over all the proceedings, especially when Peony, a hater of fiends, is involved. As I mentioned last time, the first couple of chapters of the series were a bit bumpy; these are smoother, but a problem remains: We’ve seen material like this before (see Soul Eater and Angels of Death, among other series), and Magical Girl Dandelion doesn’t add anything new. However, I do like the earnestness of the characters, and I think some readers will absolutely fall in love with the three that are central to the story so far. And the artwork—oh, the artwork!—is stunning. It’s a beautiful series to behold; I just don’t know how much longer that’ll be enough to keep my attention. ~ Twwk
Magical Girl Dandelion is published by VIZ Media.
READ Magical Girl Dandelion Vol. 1 Review
“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.
