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Manhwa Review: Beware the Villainess! Vol. #1

There’s been a lot of variations on the Villainess trope, and Beware the Villainess! is the latest such series released from Ize Press. Read on for my review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

When a modern-day college student wakes up in the body of Melissa Foddebrat, the villainess of a cliché reverse-harem novel, she is determined to cast aside the plot and live a quiet life of luxury, but…AGH! Why are all the men in this novel trash?! A sleazebag crown prince, an asshole sniper, a crazed werewolf, and an obsessive merchant―Melissa can’t just stand by and watch the innocent heroine suffer at the hands of these four male leads. Scummy love interests, begone ― this story is getting a rewrite!

The Review

When a burned-out Korean college student meets an untimely end in a traffic accident, she wakes up in the body of noblewoman Melissa Foddebrat, the villainess of a cliché romance novel. Uninterested in playing out her part in the story, the reincarnated Melissa determines to cast aside her role and live a quiet life – starting by breaking her engagement to the philandering prince who’s one of the male leads. The only problem: he refuses to let her go!

While our main character is supposedly reborn into a romance novel, the scenario feels a lot more like a stereotypical otome video game. There is the commoner heroine with a heart of gold and magical talent and looks to match. The haughty highborn villainess. And four conquerable characters – I mean, male leads: the crown prince, an assassin, a werewolf, and a merchant.

The cover teaser might lead you to think our main character is motivated by feelings for the heroine Yuri, but she’s not. Although there are several mentions of Yuri, she doesn’t show up in person in Volume 1, nor is Melissa particularly interested in meeting her. In fact, she’d prefer to avoid Yuri entirely and sidestep the drama dictated by the novel.

Unfortunately for Melissa, she is intimately connected to two of the male leads. Crown Prince Ian is her fiancé, and the assassin Jake is Melissa’s younger brother as well as Ian’s close friend. So her first goal is to break her engagement to Ian before he meets the heroine, thereby avoiding any involvement with her. Because Ian has a history of cheating on Melissa, going so far as to seduce other women in front of her, she thinks this should be easy.

However, even though Ian is half-naked on top of another woman when Melissa demands an end to their engagement, Ian refuses. Moreover, he acts like he’s the victim. Apparently, the Melissa of the novel never blamed him for his philandering; she only ever vented her wrath on the women she caught him with. So when our reincarnated soul takes over, no one believes she actually wants to dump him. In fact, once she goes off script, Ian – and later her brother Jake – are determined to cement her in her role as Ian’s fiancé.

Perhaps there is drama in later volumes, but for right now, the story is all comedy. Our reincarnated soul is not an extreme personality; she simply gives as good as she gets. Due to the circumstances she’s inherited from the Melissa character and the quirks of the male leads, she’s got a lot to push back against. The dialogue can get crude, and she and Jake are constantly giving each other the finger. And because she is the story’s villainess, her expressions take on the stereotypical bad guy menace whether she intends it or not.

Regarding the supporting cast, only two male leads and Melissa’s father the Duke have been introduced, and they all give Melissa different reasons to despise them. In the absence of the heroine, the only female character of note thus far is Melissa’s ever-cynical, ever-calm maid Yona. While other women are intimidated by Melissa, Yona simply states things as they are, which makes the pair seem like a comedy duo in situations where Melissa’s utterly frustrated.

Like most Ize Press manhwa, this book is printed in full color on glossy paper making for a visually appealing but hefty book. The illustrations work well for this comic storyline. The narrative makes a lot of modern references, and some of the artwork reflects this with drawings reminiscent of The Simpsons, One Piece, and Kaiji. Some of the more obscure cultural references are explained in the Translation Notes, but not all.

In Summary

It’s another villainess isekai! In this one, our reincarnated soul couldn’t care less about the characters or events of the original novel. All she wants is to avoid the heroine so she can enjoy her character’s cush lifestyle. Unfortunately, two of the male leads are dead set on forcing her to stay in her role. It’s a comedy of extreme personalities in this villainess isekai parody!

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Me and My Beast Boss Vol. #3

There are a number of Beauty and the Beast retellings, but how about one in an office setting? Yen Press’ Me and My Beast Boss spins a workplace romance between an office worker and a literal beast of a boss. Read on for my review of Volume 3. (For other reviews from this series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Beastfolk reign over the world. Despite being oppressed and looked down upon for her human “weakness,” office worker Saki earnestly tries her best. And while Atlas, the boss of the company, is one of the beastfolk, he acknowledges and trusts her. “I want you to become used to me quickly and fall in love with me.” Atlas’s feelings, crossing the boundary between humans and beastfolk, only grow stronger…

The Review

By intervening on Saki’s behalf, Atlas earns Saeki’s trust. Atlas responds to Saeki’s openness by introducing him to Grey, who, upon discovering that Saeki possesses insight into Saki that Grey does not, seizes the opportunity to (forcibly) recruit Saeki into his personal mission to kindle romance between Atlas and Saki.

It is a bit odd having three men so focused on romance when it hasn’t even entered our female protagonist’s head. Having characters on different wavelengths is a classic comedy device, but I found it odd that “date” doesn’t even cross Saki’s mind when Atlas gallantly takes her by the hand and asks her out to dinner. At any rate, Saki and Atlas are getting closer, but Atlas is the only one catching feelings.

The second half of the book focuses on a new ploy by the former managing director. This time, he’s joining forces with a human-run company, whose CEO Magatsu just happens to be Saki’s ex-boyfriend. Grey and Atlas already have an inkling of what trouble their adversaries are plotting from the very start, so Atlas’s position is never in any real danger. Instead, this arc presents Magatsu as another human devastated by speciesism and gives Atlas the opportunity to demonstrate by his actions that he is different from other beastfolk. This arc also includes a formal dinner, so Atlas and Saki get a chance to dress up. It is a little strange that Grey’s the one to help Saki with her makeup, but the cast is lean on female characters, so Shiroinu-sensei’s just working with the characters on hand, I guess?

Extras include the first page printed in color, illustrations printed on the inside covers, and two bonus manga.

In Summary

A new threat to Atlas appears in the form of Magatsu, a human CEO who happens to be Saki’s former boyfriend. While the incident is tidily wrapped up in record time, it does give the newly formed team of Atlas, Grey, Saki, and Saeki a chance to demonstrate what humans and beastfolk can do when they collaborate. Also, Atlas and Saki get a chance to dress up!

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies

Enemies to lovers is a common romance category, and The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used To Be Archenemies takes on that theme with some pretty unconventional characters. Read on for the review.

Back Cover Blurb

Byakuya is the alter ego of the heroic magical girl Glass Happiness. Mira is a villainous lieutenant to the Evil King, and he’s prepared to do what it takes to eliminate his wand-wielding nemesis once and for all. While his cunning is unmatched, the last thing Mira expected was love at first sight! Now, instead of devising schemes to defeat Byakuya, he’s finding excuses to see her! What’s more, she doesn’t seem to mind…?!

The Review

Mira is the Evil Organization’s mastermind. Infamous for his cruelty, he’s laid waste to many a nation. But when magical girl Glass Happiness appears, he’s rendered powerless – by love at first sight!

The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used To Be Archenemies is a magical girl parody. To start, our heroine Byakuya, a.k.a. magical girl Glass Happiness, has the look of a magical girl, but all the other stereotypes get turned on their heads. Instead of fighting for love and peace, this hard-luck orphan views her magical girl role as a job. Moreover, it doesn’t pay all the bills. Even with multiple part-time jobs, she lives a hand-to-mouth existence. Most of her problems can be tracked to her angelic familiar, a cat-man who is more yakuza than angelic. He is verbally abusive, sexually harasses her, and takes all her money like a callous pimp.

Then there’s Mira, the lieutenant known far and wide for being cruel and heartless. Well, turns out he actually does have a heart, which he immediately loses to Byakuya. So instead of scheming against his magical girl enemy, he’s forced to use his wits to justify his actions towards her, which generally fall in the category of bringing her various treats and bailing her out of lewd situations that the cat-man’s coerced her into. And because Mira treats her far better than anyone else in her life, Byakuya regards him only with respect and gratitude.

I’ve honestly got mixed feelings about this title. Enemy-to-lovers is a favorite subgenre of mine, and the story does a lot of fun and playful things with this trope. I also have a soft spot for stoic, serious tsundere, so Mira is an absolute delight.

However, the manga reeks of fan service. Byakuya’s costume is pretty much lingerie; one scene even has Mira questioning the appropriateness of her outfit – if you can call it that. Whether in battles against the Evil Organization or unsavory gigs arranged by the cat-man, Byakuya ends up in situations with lewd overtones. Moreover, Bellatrix, Mira’s chesty colleague in the Evil Organization, is prone to smutty fantasies so there’s those images as well.

On top of that, there is the weirdness that is the story’s other magical girl, Hibana. In addition to contributing to the fan service with her own lingerie-type costume, she’s a hellion that attacks allies, friends, and enemies alike. Her dialogue is almost entirely F-bombs, and she prefers brass knuckles to her magic staff. Hibana definitely breaks the magical girl stereotype with her behavior which is sort of funny but mostly bewildering.

By the way, the format for the illustrations alternates between four-panel columns (each column picking up a single page) and regular manga panels. There doesn’t seem to be any particular pattern to when the styles switch. Backgrounds tend to be very simple, but the characters are well rendered, and their expressions and emotions leap off the pages.

The book is hefty – over 400 pages. From what I can tell, it includes the entirety of the series (20 chapters), plus the standalone manga Beauty and the Beast. The artwork and story for Beauty and the Beast is nowhere as polished as The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant, but readers might be amused by the fact that Fujiwara-sensei recycled a couple key names from that earlier story.

For those familiar with the anime, the manga covers the same general territory as the TV show, but there are variations. For example, the manga has Byakuya telling Mira about the slime video in the park, not in a hostess club. There is no equivalent for the anime Christmas episodes in the manga, and the manga also contains material not in the anime.

Extras include seven bonus illustrations printed in color and sketches.

In Summary

This magical girl parody could be a cute rom-com with the evil lieutenant fighting to maintain appearances even as he falls head over heels for his cute nemesis. However, the fan service is fairly excessive, and cussing magical girl Hibana and Byakuya’s gangster-ish familiar add enough crass elements to put at least half the humor into crude territory. So although the actual relationship between Mira and Byakuya can arguably be characterized as chaste, the title does warrant its Older Teen rating and its Language, Nudity, Sexual situations and Violence labels.

First published at The Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: The Remarried Empress Vol. 8

Lots of Korean web comics and web fiction are successfully making the jump from the Internet to traditional media nowadays. One of these is The Remarried Empress. Read on for the review of Volume 8 of the manhwa. (For other reviews of this series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Sovieshu has discovered that Navier overheard his plan to divorce her, and he’s furious! Is this the reason everything went to ruin?! Had Navier not gotten the wrong idea, she would’ve never remarried Heinrey in retaliation, right? Convinced of his new truth and determined to set things straight, Sovieshu invites Navier to his wedding ceremony―and so back to the Eastern Empire the former empress goes, Heinrey in tow. What revelations will come to light when Sovieshu and Navier finally meet again?

The Review

Navier’s embraced her new life as Heinrey’s wife and is working hard to establish herself in her new home. However, Sovieshu, having discovered that Navier overheard his plan to divorce her, is desperate to get her back on his side. He comes off as both self-centered and pathetic as he first sends a message via a trusted aide, and then, after she refuses to send a response, invites her and Heinrey to his wedding in hopes of speaking to her personally.

His frustration is not unnoticed by Rashta, who’s dealing with insecurities of her own leading up to their wedding. Though Navier is physically gone, her influence and legacy lingers. Thus, Rashta is compelled to continue competing against her absent rival. At this point, Duke Ergi, who had been guiding Rashta in her rise to power, seemingly vanishes from her side. As a result, she’s free to act upon and face the consequences of her own rash decisions.

Sovieshu and Rashta’s souring love affair is a stark contrast to the love blossoming between Navier and Heinrey. Navier does still face the challenge of dealing with former Queen Krista’s influence in the Western Kingdom though. However, old friends from the Eastern Empire rally to her side. In addition to Laura and Countess Joubert, the former Duchess Tuania arrives along with her lover Viscount Landre, who, as it turns out, is head of a division of transnational knights. Between this elite military group and Heinrey’s own secret knights, there are a bunch of random fighting forces popping up in the plot, and I’m guessing they will end up playing key roles in Heinrey’s political plans.

In Summary

After all that Navier’s gone through, she deserves some victories, and she scores quite a few in this volume. Back in the Eastern Empire, life is not happily ever after for the Emperor and his new bride. Meanwhile, in the Western Kingdom, formidable allies have gathered to help Navier establish herself as the new Queen. And although things haven’t gotten physical with Heinrey yet, things are certainly heating up between them. Overall, the volume should very much please Navier fans.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom Vol. #5

The isekai genre has gotten big enough to spin off subgenres such as the reincarnated villainess. Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom is an entertaining take on that subgenre that also happens to be a fairytale retelling. Read on for my review of Volume 5. For other reviews from this series, click here.

Back Cover Blurb

As the Freidkin family prepares for the Queen Mother’s return, they’re filled with dread and anticipation―until the woman arrives, and she actually seems…nice? Abigail’s first impressions of Sabrian’s mother are hardly what she was expecting, but that doesn’t mean she’ll let her guard down. When she senses a change in Blanche’s behavior, Abigail begins to suspect something is off, and her suspicions are confirmed when she learns of the Queen Mother’s plans to marry off her stepdaughter!

The Review

There are a few references to fashion and Abigail’s reputation in this volume, but the focus is less on the Queen and more on Princess Blanche. Specifically, those who would use the princess to advance their own agenda.

First up is the Queen Mother. We already know that there is a rift between her and Sabrian, and now we get to see that element at play. The Queen Mother is ambitious, conniving, and most importantly, her top loyalty is not to Nerghen or her son. Rather she is striving to gain power for herself and advance her home country of Morca. Upon arriving at the palace, she wastes no time badgering Sabrian about state affairs and manipulating Blanche into considering marriage with a Morcan prince.

Her present behavior sparks flashbacks of her past actions, which paint a clearer picture of how the royal family ended up as dysfunctional as it did. Thus, Sabrian becomes an even more sympathetic character, and when Abigail helps him uncover and end the Queen Mother’s meddling, their victory is all the more satisfying.

Next is Gideon, a new court musician who has been appointed to give Blanche music lessons. However, Abigail remembers him as the unsettling character hovering around the princess at the Foundation Day celebration. Thanks to a tip from Karen (who’s apparently now Abigail’s tsundere-type friend) and Verite’s monitoring abilities, Abigail’s able to foil Gideon’s plan before he can get his clutches on Blanche.

However, it has the unexpected result of forcing Abigail to reveal Verite to Sabrian and Blanche. The reveal scene is hilarious, with Blanche wildly delighted by Verite’s powers and Sabrian overcome by jealousy. The king’s already freaked out about Gideon’s womanizing reputation, so seeing the mirror act so familiarly with Abigail pushes him over the edge. The argument between Verite and Sabrian is one of the funniest scenes in the series, and even though the arc has yet to conclude, it’s sweet to see Verite end up a member of Abigail’s little family.

Extras include Verite’s Character Sheet and Artist’s Notes.

In Summary

A really nice balance of drama and comedy in this volume. On one hand, we have Sabrian’s painful memories as well as unscrupulous characters trying to manipulate Princess Blanche. On the other hand, we have hilarious awkwardness between the royal couple as Sabrian’s affection for Abigail grows. Overall, a charmingly engaging and beautifully illustrated read.

First published at the Fandom Post.

In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name Vol. #1

There’s been a ton of variations on the isekai trope, and In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name, the latest such series released from Yen Press. Read on for my review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

Through a handheld mirror connected to another world, college student Ichika shares a friendship with a boy named Cecil―one that only her older sister, Karen, knows about. When Karen and the mirror disappear one day, Ichika is devastated. But grief turns to shock a year later when she, too, is sent to the world on the other side, only to find her lost sister and a grown-up Cecil! Except…why are her sister’s first words to her “I’ve missed you, Karen”? And why is everyone else calling her “Ichika”?!In a world where her name and her past have been stolen, Ichika must find a way to forge her own destiny!

The Review

This isekai is a bit different from the ones where protagonists get transported into a videogame or novel they’re familiar with. In In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name, modern-day college student Ichika has been communicating for a few years with a child prince of another world via a magic mirror before she abruptly gets sent over. However, the primary conflict of this story is not Ichika dealing with some disaster in her new world. Rather, it’s the feud with the sister whom she thought she got along with.

In other words, the heroine is pitted against her diabolical sister, whose true stripes emerged after gaining magic powers and status in their new fantasy world.

In order to accomplish this situation, the story begins with a ton of plot contrivances. Karen just happens to be the only person to know about Ichika’s mirror and conversations with Prince Cecil. Karen just happens to get transported a year prior to Ichika. The isekai process just happens to twist time such that Prince Cecil is an adult when the sisters cross over. Assuming Ichika’s identity just happens to be convenient for Karen’s purposes, and circumstances just happen to make it easy for Karen to bully Ichika into silence when she arrives.

Plot contrivances aren’t unusual for isekai, but this is a lot even for this genre.

However, if you don’t really care about details and what you really want is a heroine versus her villainous sister in a fantasy story with a love polygon on the horizon, this title may be worth considering. The main players in this drama are two sets of polar opposite siblings. The heroine Ichika is the model student aiming for med school with an honest, pleasant personality liked by everyone. Her sister Karen has no interest in studying, is a smooth liar, and never had qualms about using her sister. Our other siblings are the half-brother princes, Cecil and Noah. Cecil is your stereotypical Prince Charming – good looks, gallant demeanor, and dedication to duty. Prince Noah, on the other hand, is rude and unmotivated. However, because he’s also darkly handsome, sparks are sure to somehow fly with this grump.

And just as Karen’s sister threatens her vaunted position as Saint, Noah is viewed as a threat to Cecil’s position as heir to the throne by individuals such as Cecil’s mother.

The romantic stakes get jumpstarted by the fact that, in this world, otherworlders marry into the royal line. Thus, Karen is already engaged to Cecil when Ichika arrives. Not long thereafter, Ichika’s pushed into an engagement with Noah.

So no Demon Lords, monsters, or fighting scenes. But there are balls, conversations over teacups, and significant looks aplenty. If you like frilly gowns and bishounen in European-style garb, you’ll enjoy the visuals.

Extras include the first two pages printed in color, creator afterwords, and bonus art.

In Summary

Don’t let the “In Another World” portion of the title fool you. Technically this is an isekai, but the isekai aspect is mainly a plot device to throw two modern-day sisters into a fantasy world palace drama. So there is magic, but the meat of the story revolves around sibling rivalries and a love polygon.

First published at the .

Manhwa Review: A Business Proposal Vol. 6

Lots of Korean web comics and web fiction are successfully making the jump from the Internet to traditional media nowadays. One of these is A Business Proposal. Read on for the review of Volume 6 of the manhwa. (For other reviews of the series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Taemu can finally rest easy. With Minwoo out of the picture, he now has a monopoly on Hari’s affection…or does he? Jihoon, the new secretary filling in for Sunghoon, is smart and capable, but there’s just one problem―he’s getting a bit too friendly with Hari! Meanwhile, the other two lovebirds must also deal with a troublesome third party. When her rival Yoojeong uses her connections to pressure Sunghoon, Yeongsuh is forced to make a decision she’d been putting off…

The Review

The previous volume ended with Yoojeong using her connections to cause trouble for Sungwoon Corporation. Her rationale of making Sunghoon hers via his loyalty to his employer feels far-fetched. Ultimately though, it creates a situation where Yeongsuh’s dad gets to see the strength of Sunghoon’s character, and Yeongsuh uses the opportunity to strike a deal to get her father to accept their relationship. Once that is done, the crisis evaporates in quick fashion for what was supposed to be a corporate-sized catastrophe.

With that, our two main couples enjoy several chapters of romantic bliss. Now that Taemu and Hari are done lying to one another, Taemu can earnestly devote himself to the task of convincing Hari that he is the one for her. Thus, they have a picnic date, a midnight stroll on the beach, and the obligatory boyfriend-taking-care-of-his-sick-girlfriend chapter. In short, tons of warm and fuzzy moments.

On the sidelines, we do have substitute secretary Yoon trying to make advances on Hari. However, Hari is not at all interested, and Yoon, unlike Yoojeong, is just an ordinary guy. So no love triangles here. Thus, poor Yoon mainly serves to spark Taemu’s jealousy so we can see him get territorial about his girl.

Jealousy also sparks over Yeongsuh. However, it’s not Sunghoon getting territorial; rather, Hari’s brother Hamin gets het up upon learning about Yeongsuh’s engagement. The narrative has hinted about his crush on Yeongsuh, and now he gets his very own arc about it. When he takes off running, I thought it would at least lead to a confession. It didn’t. Overall, the arc was a let down because Hamin doesn’t actually do anything and there are no alternate love prospects for him either.

The volume closes with the introduction of a new female character who I’m guessing will cause trouble in Taemu and Hari’s relationship. Hari has spent most of this volume getting spoiled by Taemu’s love and affection, so they’re due for a bit of turbulence.

Extras include translation notes.

In Summary

Now that Hari and Taemu are truly a dating couple, Taemu gets to shine as Hari’s boyfriend extraordinaire. He may not have been in a relationship before, but he’s quickly wearing down Hari’s resolve not to talk marriage. He’s also making it impossible for Secretary Yoon to be a real rival for Hari’s affections. But even if Yoon doesn’t create a love triangle, he does the job in showing what happens when Taemu sees another guy getting too close to his girl.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: Father, I Don’t Want This Marriage Vol. #1

There’s been a lot of variations on the Villainess trope, and Father, I Don’t Want This Marriage is the latest such series released from Inklore. Read on for my review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

Juvelian is a villainess so universally hated that when she is accused of jealously poisoning the princess of the Ashet Empire, her own father leaves her to die a traitor’s death. Faced with the threat of interrogation by the infamously tyrannical Crown Prince Maximillian, she takes her own life.

And that’s how the story ends—at least, that’s how it was supposed to end.

Now, a reborn Juvelian has joined the cast, and she is determined to rewrite the finale. But even if she manages to change the ending, she will still need to contend with her father’s feral protégé—a young man who sees Juvelian as an obstacle to his dangerous ambitions.

The Review

This is the first villainess isekai manhwa I’ve read, but it’s certainly not my first villainess isekai, a subgenre that has really ballooned in the light novel and manga realm. In this case, the protagonist is reincarnated as Juvelian, a beautiful but evil noblewoman, whose life ends after she’s framed for poisoning the princess of her country. Because this world is based on a novel series, there are no “conquerable characters” or multiple storylines. However, there is a definitive Death Flag that our reincarnated soul is desperate to avoid.

Unfortunately for her, she’s faithfully lived her life according to the novel’s script, and it’s only with a year to go before the Death Flag incident that memories of her previous life return. Like most such characters who realize they are hurtling towards a Bad End, she quickly sets about taking measures to avoid that fate – playing nice with the noblewomen she’s snubbed and insulted, being kind to the servants she’s abused, and breaking up with Mikhail, the handsome swordsman who was the supposed reason she poisoned the princess. Pretty standard stuff for a villainess isekai.

The unique element of this series is Juvelian’s father, Duke Floyen. He is a master swordsman and hero of the Empire with remarkably youthful looks, but an indifferent father. According to the novel, his cold attitude toward Juvelian was why her personality got warped, and during the novel’s Death Flag event, he ignored her pleas of innocence and abandoned her to die. Given that memory and the neglect she’s personally experienced, our reincarnated soul does not count him as a person to rely on. Instead, she starts giving herself a crash course education on becoming financially independent in order to live a long and uneventful life.

However, appearances are deceiving. Shortly after Juvelian tells her father she dumped Mikhail, the Duke abruptly starts giving her his attention, starting with a sudden summons to breakfast and a bizarre shopping outing. Though Juvelian can’t see it, the narrative gradually reveals that the Duke actually cares deeply for her. The details remain vague, but he has reasons for his contrary behavior, reasons connected to his liege, the Emperor.

If you enjoy palace dramas where people get poisoned and parents view their children as enemies, you got it. While the Duke is brave and noble, the Emperor is despicable trash, going so far as to exile his son, the Crown Prince Maximilian, from court. If you think Juvelian’s twisted, Max is twisted on a whole other level. Oh, and he’s the male romantic lead for this story.

Having been banished from the palace, Max roams about on his own. So when he crosses paths with Juvelian, she assumes he’s a vagabond student of her father’s. Max, on the other hand, knows exactly who she is. He also deems her an obstacle to his ultimate goal of revenge against the Emperor. However, his plan to eliminate her gets foiled when she’s unfazed by his threat to kill her. The reason for her bravery is surprising but completely logic-based, and the artist’s rendition of her outward expression versus her inner feelings in this scene are pretty comical.

Thus begins the romantic journey of assassin/target to lovers? At any rate, I’m intrigued, and the illustrations are dramatic and humorous as the situation calls for it. The artwork is rendered in full color on glossy paper, which makes for a nice-looking but hefty book. Extras include creator afterwords, a character sheet, and bonus art.

In Summary

An isekaied soul acutely aware of the storyline she’s been reborn into desperately strives to avoid the Bad End that threatens her. But even with her knowledge, she is unaware of the true intentions of her supposedly indifferent father. Add in her father’s handsome protégé, who also happens to be the Empire’s vengeful Crown Prince, and you have the basic elements of Father, I Don’t Want This Marriage.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Light Novel Review: Bride of the Barrier Master Vol. 3

It’s been a while since I’ve read a light novel that actually felt light. The ones on my plate tend to be heavy on military strategy, magical systems, or complex world-building. Bride of the Barrier Master does involve magic and rankings, but they’re mainly to illustrate how our heroine abruptly surges from below average to far above and beyond. Read on for the review of Volume 3. (For other reviews from this series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

All Hana wanted was a simple life. Instead, she has her hands full sending a terrorist organization packing, saving her school from destruction, and rescuing her twin sister from the clutches of their terrible parents! Plus, she has to stay on her toes to keep her husband’s romantic advances at bay. At this point, living a normal life and flying under the radar are simply impossible. News about who she is has spread far and wide, finally reaching Yukizasa Sankourou, a famous scion from one of the five clans and Saku’s old friend who vehemently opposes Saku’s marriage to Hana. He isn’t content to just grumble either; he fully intends on taking drastic action, and he’s not above teaming up with Hana’s parents to get her out of the picture!

The Review

The Bride of the Barrier Master world has five clans. Because Volume 2 introduced lead members of the Ninjouin clan, I anticipated a big shot from a third clan to appear in Volume 3. We do get him; the prologue is dedicated to the Fifth Color advancement exam of Yukizasa, the 20-year-old heir apparent to the Sankourou clan. However, after the prologue, he doesn’t return to the story until two-thirds of the way through Chapter 2. Overall, the Sankourou heir doesn’t have a huge presence in the story, although he is key to the volume’s final resolution.

Rather, the plot focuses on a very personal and private family dispute. Namely, Hazuki’s transition to the Ichinomiya household. Hana and Hazuki have the opportunity to rebuild their relationship, and Nozomu brings humor and an additional romantic vibe as the narrative reveals his one-sided crush on Hazuki. Meanwhile, at the Ichise household, the twins’ parents are scheming revenge against Hana – planning to get Hazuki back on their side and convince Saku to make her the clan lady instead. Not at all probable, but they’re being portrayed as stupid as they are despicable.

And there’s actually a third party in this family mess: the twins’ older brother Yanagi. Previously, he had only been mentioned in passing with the weirdly impressive credential “youngest to claim the Lapis rank.” Given their father’s obsession with restoring the Ichise reputation, it had struck me as weird that Yanagi wasn’t mentioned more by him. However, Yanagi makes his appearance as Saku’s aide in this volume. Moreover, he reveals the root of the Ichise family dysfunction.

Thus, battles against shades and shadowy organizations take a backseat to family history and the restoration of sibling bonds. While the Ichise patriarch’s actions become more comprehensible in light of this new information, the treatment of his children eliminates any sympathy he might have garnered.

But this is a series where the characters are born to fight supernatural forces, so there is a shade battle at the end. However, the circumstances leading to everyone being perfectly in the right place felt contrived. Also, the parents’ shock when they realize that the girl whom they assumed was Hazuki is actually Hana felt over the top. I mean, they are identical twins. Hana even says in Chapter 1 that they have “the same face.” The narrative doesn’t mention them having vastly different hairstyles or body types, so I’m surprised Azusa’s glamour was necessary to disguise Hana.

At any rate, if you’re willing to gloss over particulars, you can enjoy the satisfaction of Hana truly putting her parents into their place. Moreover, there is the unexpected bonus of the formerly estranged siblings reuniting. Oh, and Saku manages to get Hana to warm up to him. Happy endings all around!

In Summary

The heir to the Sankourou clan enters the story, but more importantly, Hana’s estranged older brother Yanagi appears on the scene. While Hana’s parents, who clearly don’t know when to quit, continue plotting against her, Yanagi’s making his own moves. Fights against shades take a backseat to infighting within the Ichise family!

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: My Gently Raised Beast Vol. 7

Lots of Korean web comics and web fiction are successfully making the jump from the Internet to traditional media nowadays. One of these is My Gently Raised Beast. Read on for the review of Volume 7 of the manhwa. (For reviews of other volumes, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

The mysterious dreams she’s been having, the strange incident at the banquet…Blondina pieces together the clues and finally realizes what her half sister is up to. But it’s too late―Adellai is marching on the imperial palace with an army of mind‑controlled divine beasts. The bloody past between the two races seems bound to repeat itself…but Amon refuses to give up. He’ll fight tooth and claw to protect a future with his betrothed! “Did you forget? I’m the strongest in these lands.”

The Review

Having realized that Adellai has found the descendent of Barahan, Blondina hurries to the forest of divine beasts. Lart, on the other hand, goes to Adellai in hopes of convincing her to stop. As such, most of Part 21 ends up as a confrontation between brother and sister where they make clear their intentions. Considering Adellai and Lart began as allies against Blondina, it is interesting to see Lart’s loyalty transition entirely to Blondina in this interaction.

Softhearted as he is, Lart gives Adellai time to change her mind – and she uses the opportunity to rush Joseph to the temple to unleash the full extent of his powers. What follows is a lot of characters running around between the forest and the palace, culminating in Adellai and Joseph attacking the palace with an army of mind-controlled beasts. As a result, the Emperor orders an evacuation and mobilizes the Imperial troops with himself at the head. However, the lead-up and clash all take place on the same day, so everything is too rushed to feel epic. Moreover, the encounters between the palace defenders and mind-controlled beasts is minimal, so it doesn’t seem much like a battle at all.

Rather all the attention goes toward the self-destruction of the anti-divine beasts camp. Blondina’s three main opponents–who weren’t exactly loyal to one another–essentially take one another out. Adellai’s demise was the most disappointing given how she was inflated as a villain. However, in lieu of our three human antagonists, we end up with one very intimidating supernatural enemy.

Suddenly the royal succession dispute gets replaced by a repeat fight between long-ago divine beings. While the animosity between humans and divine beasts was introduced early in the series, having Blondina turn into a stand-in for the Originator God feels a stretch. It was only in the previous volume that she showed any connection to Rafiyan. It feels like the creator got too ambitious with the story’s scope and is shoving all the loose strings into this final battle to force everything to a conclusion.

In Summary

The full power of Barahan is unleashed against the palace! However, this volume is long on conversations between Adellai and various characters and short on the actual battle involving the mind-controlled beasts. The story seems in a rush to wrap things up as bad guys are quickly dispatched and reincarnated beings abruptly overtake characters.

First published at the Fandom Post.