There’s a wonderfully eclectic mix in this week’s Reader’s Corner! We’re returning to the action-packed romance of Always a Catch, exploring some charming alternate takes on the world of Elden Ring, and diving into the beautifully bizarre artwork of Dorohedoro. Whether you’re here for royal hijinks, whimsical “what if?” stories, or grotesque art that somehow manages to be gorgeous, our reviewers have plenty to share!
Always a Catch!: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince (Vol. 8) • Dorohedoro Illustrations: Mud and Sludge • Elden Ring: Distant Tales Between (Vol. 1) • Mechanical Marie (Vol. 3) • Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Chapter 4: The Sanctuary and the Witch of Greed (Vol. 11) • Villains Are Destined to Die (Vol. 9)
Always a Catch!: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince, Manga Vol. 8
The fun never seems to stop with Mimi around! But it’s not all sunshine when their royal guests have their own ideas of who Mimi should be engaged to and do what they can to make that happen! Of course the reader never has to worry because Mimi won’t let anyone take her fiancé, but neither is she going to let anyone kidnap their royal guests on her watch! This volume was absolutely fantastic! I mean, every volume has been good, but considering my initial strong feelings towards certain visitors from another country, I was extremely impressed with how my feelings changed towards them by the end! I definitely was not expecting that, considering how our prince visitor seemed to have misogynistic views—if not his own, then certainly the heavy influence from his misogynistic country. I was thankful that the original creator in her afterword mentioned how angry she was at his character because I was like, same! But he showed some amazing character growth, and I was very thankful to see he was not nearly as shallow as I expected him to be. He was willing to listen after a hard hit to the head and even showed just how much his sister means to him. Talk about a shock to my angry system! Mimi, however, of course stole the show once again, and I love how she has never once given up on Princess Ancelline! I adored how she went out of her way to show that she does care for her and wants to genuinely befriend her. Her words aren’t just for show or to sound “high and mighty”; she means them on a heartfelt level that shows through every action. And speaking of action, I enjoyed it all! I’ve thought it before, and thought it again when reading: This artist really shines in drawing so many different body types and expressions! I really enjoy the creative take she has because it’s always enjoyable to read! I’m very thankful this volume had a happy ending, and I honestly cannot wait for the next arc to begin because I have no doubt it is going to be a super fun one! ~ 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 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7
Villains Are Destined to Die, Manhwa Vol. 9
With poison coursing through Penelope’s veins, she is ready to meet her end, but that’s not what “greets” her. Instead, she’s in some waiting place she doesn’t recognize, and the love interests are bickering and fighting about Penelope’s motives and who exactly is the one behind the poisoned drink. All the while, Ivonne continues to manipulate those around her for the sake of her end goal and getting the mirror shard. Wow! What a volume! Considering the overwhelming heartbreak and grief that struck my heart with the end of the previous volume, it was veryyy satisfying since Callisto put every single man in his place at the beginning of this one. The way he’s the only one asking the right questions while some people are outright accusing that Penelope did what she did for attention is so frustrating! While it was deeply satisfying to see Callisto’s anger on Penelope’s behalf, it was also heartbreaking to see his heartbreak about her current state. I don’t think there has been a question of his love for Penelope, but if there ever was any doubt before now, this volume shows how much he genuinely loves her. On the flip side, though, when someone mentioned that there are times that this series can read like a horror story, I get it now. Um, definitely yes, yes, it can, and it is creepy! I’m really thankful Penelope is getting out of that house because Ivonne is far scarier than I ever realized! Overall, I loved this volume! It was crushing to see my best girl be so void of emotion for much of it, to the point she honestly comes across as lifeless at times, but I think she’s closer to escape and potential freedom than she has ever been! She has so many more who really want her safe and to help her in any way possible! (Shoutout to the wonderful Emily, who was definitely an MVP this volume!) Such a good, good volume! ~ Laura A. Grace
Villains Are Destined to Die is published by IZE Press.
READ Reviews of Villains Are Destined to Die: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7 // Vol. 8
Mechanical Marie, Manga Vol. 3
After realizing that maybe what she feels for Arthur is love, poor Marie is wrestling and struggling with her feelings because does love really make you stronger? Marie isn’t sure, especially with how much closer she gets to Arthur in celebrating his birthday and going on vacation! Just how much can our poor girl, er, robot, take?! This volume was downright adorable! I enjoyed seeing both Arthur and Marie have so much page time together without any interference (looking at Mr. Assassin from the previous volume) and seeing them really work on their relationship, even if it’s one-sided since Arthur still thinks Marie is a robot! Ha! However, I was okay with that after I started reading because I really loved seeing Marie come into her feelings for Arthur and acknowledge that she does love him. I liked seeing her struggle with the idea of being in love and needing Marie-2 to remind her that love doesn’t make you weaker. Plus, seeing Marie jealous was super cute! Hehe! All of that said, though, I am desperate for Arthur to find out the truth that Marie IS a real human! I know Marie is basically planning to keep her secret of being a human forever, but the way he cares for her is so sweet, and seeing her blushing/internally struggling to keep her composure makes it even sweeter! I really, really hope he is starting to connect the dots that Marie isn’t a “normal” robot. I mean, how could he not after everything that happened in this volume, especially the end?! I will mention that Arthur’s birthday wish being fulfilled by Marie was so much fun, and I wouldn’t mind seeing something like that again in the future! Hehe! Overall, I deeply, deeply enjoyed this volume and am excited to see how these two are going to grow together as a very unexpected “lovey dovey” couple! ~ Laura A. Grace
Mechanical Marie is published by Yen Press.
READ Reviews of Mechanical Marie: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Chapter 4: The Sanctuary and the Witch of Greed, Manga Vol. 11
The cover of volume eleven of this Re:Zero arc tells it all: Things are about to go down, and it’s going to be tragic. From beginning to end (and the manga leaves us on a bit of a cliffhanger, so disastrous events are still to come), volume eleven reveals tragic flashbacks, beginning with more of the backstory involving Ryuzu Meyer and her relationship with Beatrice, and then moving back to Emilia’s trial and the battle involving Regulas and Pandora on one side, and Geuse, Fortuna, and the rest on the other side. Death is coming, horrible mutations are coming, mutilations are coming, sacrifices are coming—and it’s heartbreaking. Not as heartbreaking, though, as watching the anime (or presumably reading the light novels, which in my experience are the most visceral of all the Re:Zero media), though the manga does remain eminently readable. I flew through these pages, and found the earlier material involving Echidna’s group to be especially moving. So while I haven’t found the Sanctuary arc to be particularly memorable, I did enjoy this small piece of it, and am looking forward to seeing how the action from the past concluded and how it’ll intersect with the present. ~ Twwk
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Chapter 4: The Sanctuary and the Witch of Greed is published by Yen Press.
READ: Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Chapter 4: The Sanctuary and the Witch of Greed Reviews: Vol. 6 // Vol. 7 // Vol. 9 // Vol. 10
Elden Ring: Distant Tales Between, Manga Vol. 1
Distant Tales Between is a collection of “What if?” stories about the Lands Between, the setting of hit video game Elden Ring. What if Roderika became friends with the Tarnished of Roundtable Hold—and took up spirit tuning as a profession? What if Big Boggart hosted a cooking-and-travel show? And what if Rya was raised by Tanith—with Tanith’s Knights as her babysitters? These are stories are charming, whimsical, and heartwarming: not essential reading for fans of Elden Ring, but enjoyable for what they are, alternative timelines that could have happened in the realms of the World Tree. ~ Dr. Steve
Elden Ring: Distant Tales Between is published by Yen Press.
Dorohedoro Illustrations: Mud and Sludge, Art Book
Macabre, industrial, grotesque, humorous—these are a few words to describe the artwork of Q-Hayashida, known most of her manga, Dorohedoro. Her illustrations from the series—from volume and magazine covers to calendar drawings and prints—are presented in all their dark beauty in Dorohedoro Illustrations: Mud and Sludge. Fans of Dorohedoro will love this artbook; Q-Hayashida’s off-kilter imagination is on display page after page in a book that itself has a dusty, factory feel, with a black and silver cover and mostly gray pages within. Going in, I was only familiar with Q-Hayashida by reputation; I came away impressed by how she intermingles kawaii illustrations with far darker art, including disembowelings and decapitations. This artbook is not for everyone. But if you can handle the graphic material, and even some beauty in the grotesque, you’re likely to think this release is an absolute gem. ~ Twwk
Dorohedoro Illustrations: Mud and Sludge is published by VIZ Media.
“Reader’s Corner” is our weekly celebration of manga, light novels, and visual novels—the creative works most closely tied to anime, yet with a magic all their own. Each week, our writers share their honest take on what they’re reading: new releases as they hit shelves, so you’re always in the loop on the latest manga and light novel news, alongside older titles we revisit because they’re just as unforgettable—for better or worse.
