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Manhwa Review: The Remarried Empress 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 The Remarried Empress. Read on for the review of Volume 7 of the manhwa. (For other reviews of this series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Navier and Heinrey have successfully escaped to the Western Kingdom! But with a new chapter in their lives also come new challenges. Due to their loyalty to the former queen Krista, not all of Heinrey’s people are taking kindly to Navier’s arrival. On top of that, Navier accidentally stumbles upon Heinrey transforming from his bird form―completely naked! While indignation should be filling her heart from the deception, Navier is more flustered than anything else…especially when she can’t stop thinking about how Heinrey looked! Will Navier be able to navigate this unfamiliar minefield of politics and passion, or will everything blow up on her?

The Review

A new arc begins in the Western Kingdom! But it’s not honeymoon stuff. Navier and Heinrey may be newly married, but until the formal wedding, Navier will not be recognized as queen. Moreover, the freshly divorced foreign Empress has many courtiers regarding her with suspicion. As such, Navier must walk a tightrope of diplomacy and etiquette as she strives to establish her new position and authority in Heinrey’s country.

Unlike the situation with Rashta, there’s no single person vying against Navier. However, her sudden appearance in the Western Kingdom is most keenly felt by the staff of the former queen Krista. Krista herself treats Navier courteously and doesn’t seem to harbor any ill will, but Krista’s ladies-in-waiting are loyal to Krista alone. Between that and the unconventional way Heinrey married Navier, Navier, and the former queen unwillingly find themselves pitted against one another.

Despite all the rumors and skepticism, the resourceful Navier successfully recruits two ladies in waiting. The sharp-witted Rose is the type of competent noblewoman you’d expect Navier to keep as a trusted aide. The spear-wielding, Amazonian Sir Mastas is not. She is the younger sister of Kosair’s escort into the Western Kingdom, Sir Aprin. I thought Aprin was a one-off character, but turns out he and his sibling play a critical – but secret – role for Heinrey. Oblivious to that fact, Navier installs the female knight as her lady-in-waiting for her own reasons. At least in the short term, Mastas is bound to provide comic relief within Navier’s closest circle.

As for her new husband, Navier views their marriage as one of convenience, so she’s not exactly being lovey-dovey with him. Her attitude changes drastically though when she tails the bird Queen in hopes of confirmation of her suspicions that Heinrey is part of the Birdbrain Clan. Well, she gets that confirmation – along with an eyeful of Heinrey’s glorious naked body. Navier’s reserved, but she’s not made out of ice. With that scalding hot image seared into her mind, she gets distracted to the point of causing a misunderstanding with Heinrey. However, once it clears up, Heinrey’s demeanor towards her shifts from cute to seductive, and it’s pretty clear things will be steaming up in this marriage of convenience.

In Summary

Navier has a new husband and new challenges. Most of these challenges spring from the fact that bringing a freshly divorced foreign Empress to become queen of another kingdom is completely unprecedented. It’s an uphill battle made more difficult by the former queen’s presence in the palace and those loyal to her. But Navier makes headway in her new position by recruiting two (very different!) ladies in waiting. And although circumstances aren’t exactly conducive for a carefree honeymoon, an accidental glimpse of Heinrey’s naked body sparks the beginnings of desire in his royal bride.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom Vol. #4

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 4. For other reviews from this series, click here.

Back Cover Blurb

Once upon a time, a strange epidemic ravaged the land—including the halls of the royal palace! With Queen Abigail’s birthday coming up, Sabrian and Blanche insist on a grand, four-day affair! Although Abigail initially declines, she can’t deny that it might completely lay to rest any rumors of discord in her marriage. However, when a sudden outbreak of an unidentifiable illness threatens to ruin the festivities and even leaves the princess bedridden, Abigail takes matters into her own hands. Will she be able to find the cause of the mysterious plague in time?

The Review

Karen Stokes got introduced in the previous volume, but she’s already on her way out. Thanks to Abigail’s unwitting good-naturedness, Karen’s won over by the Queen and disappears as a rival for the King’s affections. That leaves old Lord Stoke on his own to try to machinate palace affairs (which he stubbornly continues to do).

However, the other character introduced in Volume 3, Lord Raven, remains on the scene with the narrative dropping more tidbits about him. When Abigail’s birthday comes, he personally delivers a magical item as a gift. Thus we discover he possesses the ability to cast magic, a detail that makes me wonder whether he had any involvement with Abigail’s death and resurrection. At any rate, it’s clear his interest in Abigail goes beyond that of Queen/sister-in-law, but his true intent plus the reason for the apparent rift between him and his half-brother remains a tantalizing mystery.

In the meantime, the bulk of this installment focuses on the deepening relationships between the King, Queen, and Princess. Almost nothing is said about Abigail’s “wicked face” in this installment, but she’s still making plenty of wild expressions as Sabrian clumsily strives to be a good father and husband. At this point, Abigail and Sabrian are both in the in-love-but-doesn’t-know-what-to-do-and-doesn’t-realize-the-feelings-are-mutual stage of the game. Watching the pair stumble around in their marriage with little Blanche cheering them on is quite adorable to watch.

And actually, there’s plenty of opportunity for all three royals to both embarrass and endear themselves to one another with the occasion of Abigail’s birthday (Blanche’s embroidered bunny family is CUTE!) and the illness that lays low Blanche, then Abigail. The mystery malady’s onset, detection, and resolution/eradication goes full-circle awfully fast, even accounting for Abigail’s modern-day knowledge. However, the “green disease” gives our characters the chance to worry and care for each other, so if you like sickbed tropes, you’ll have plenty to enjoy.

The “green disease” also opens the door for another character to enter the story. We’ve heard about Sabrian’s mother, and apparently she’ll be coming soon to the palace. So instead of an evil stepmom, we may have an evil mother-in-law appearing on the scene.

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

In Summary

This installment has a couple of characters with the potential to cause trouble hanging around in the background, but the focus of Volume 4 is Abigail, Sabrian, and Blanche working toward becoming a family. There’s plenty to adore and laugh at as the trio figure out how to celebrate Abigail’s birthday and how to care for each other when illness strikes. A truly adorable installment to this fairytale rom-com.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: A Sinner of the Deep Sea Vol. 1

Fairy tale retellings are a favorite genre of mine, and A Sinner of the Deep Sea brings a modern, very non-Disney twist on The Little Mermaid. Read on for the review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

The ocean covers about 70% of the earth’s surface—A whole world, yet unknown to humanity… And in its depths a nation, thousands of meters beneath the waves. There, the mermaid Jo has been whiling away her days in peace. But that tranquility is shattered when her friend Ryuu is locked away for breaking the gravest of undersea laws: That humans must never know of the world below. But why would Ryuu let the secret slip? And who did she tell? The curtain rises on Jo’s adventure to save her friend—and on her love..!??

The Review

Thousands of meters below the ocean surface is The Abyss, a massive underwater cavern that is home to a nation of merfolk. They once occupied the shallows, but with the advent of human ships and the brutality they brought, the merfolk withdrew to the deep and forbade all contact with humans. For the mermaid Jo, following that grave law is common sense. However, her world gets turned upside down when her best friend breaks that law by falling in love with a human.

This story is a modern-day reimagining of The Little Mermaid – that is, if the Little Mermaid had a tough, protective friend. Jo is the main character of this manga, but she’s not the one falling in love. Forget humans; this brusque underwater lone wolf is antisocial among her own people. Her only soft spot is for her friend and polar opposite, Ryuu. A celebrity dancer, Ryuu uses her looks and talent to climb the merfolk social ladder. For her, men exist solely for the purpose of being seduced for all they’re worth. But all that changes when she meets and falls in love with a human on the seashore. Caught in the act by The Abyss’ border patrol, Ryuu gets locked up because she refuses to renounce the human, and that’s when she turns to Jo for help.

The storytelling is a bit unusual. Thus far, we know precious little about Jo, but there is a ton of information about Ryuu. Moreover, Ryuu’s the one who has very concrete goals, and she’s the one who instigates the primary conflict of the story. Meanwhile, Jo’s simply floating along in life, and we don’t even know why Jo chooses to be friends with Ryuu. The narrative hints that we’ll get more information about Jo in Volume 2, but for the moment, all we know about her is that she doesn’t care about fitting in in society and that she cares very deeply for Ryuu.

The pacing is quite slow. It’s not until Chapter 3 that things start happening plot-wise. However, what Tomi-sensei does instead is immerse readers into the world beneath the sea. The first 32 pages, which are dedicated to an ocean frolic Jo has with a baby whale and its mother, have almost no dialogue. The next 25 pages are dedicated to showing the society within The Abyss. It’s a lot of pages used to establish setting, but Tomi-sensei turns it into a visual feast. All the ocean creatures, seafood items, and natural structures are drawn with realistic detail. As for The Abyss, it is a lively town with expressive characters and undersea versions of modern eateries, agriculture, fashion, and living spaces. But whether it’s the striations of a salmon steak, the markings of a sea slug, or the accessories adorning the merfolk, the illustrations are a delight for the eyes. Although this is a fantasy and not a slice of life, I find Tomi-sensei’s style and character designs highly reminiscent of mangaka Kaoru Mori (Emma and A Bride’s Story)

Extras include translation notes.

In Summary

If you’re searching for artwork beautiful enough to drown in, take a look at A Sinner of the Deep Sea. The plot of this The Little Mermaid reimagining is off to a slow start, and the motivations of our main character Jo remain a puzzle. However, this ocean fantasy contains breathtaking natural scenes and an entertaining merfolk world.

First published at The Fandom Post.

Light Novel Review: Wolf and Parchment: New Theory Spice and Wolf Vol. 8

Holo and Lawrence of the  Spice and Wolf light novel series have reached their happy ending, but for those who haven’t gotten enough of the Spice and Wolf world, creator Hasekura has a spinoff series: Wolf and Parchment. Read on for the review of Volume 8. (For reviews of other volumes, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

For the first time in almost a century, the Church is planning to hold an ecumenical council, or so say some reform-minded fellows who dearly want the Twilight Cardinal to attend. While Col attempts to find out if such a tremendous assembly will actually happen and deliberates on whether he should go, he and Myuri venture to the academic city of Aquent on the mainland to secure much-needed printing materials. It doesn’t take long before they catch wind of a conflict that splits the city in two, and at the center of it all is someone who calls herself the Wisewolf!

The Review

Col and Myuri have spent quite a bit of time in the island kingdom of Winfiel. Now their travels take them back to the mainland. The reasons are threefold. One, they need to secure a supply of paper for Col’s scripture translation. Two, they seek what information they can get about the new continent. Three–and most outrageously–Col is being summoned for an ecumenical council, the first the Church has held in over a century.

That last reason is a bombshell for our characters. Much of the first two chapters is spent discerning whether the messenger delivering the news is legitimate; what an ecumenical council is; and what it could possibly mean for Col’s cause. Fortunately, Archivist Canaan is able to confirm the authenticity of the messenger and convinces Col to attend. Thus, Col and Myuri find themselves back on the mainland.

With such a monumental event impending, I assumed the ecumenical council would be the focus of this volume. Well, not really. Rather than head directly for the Holy See to take on this churchwide meeting, our adventurers instead stop at the academic city of Aquent. The rationale being that Col needs to prepare himself for the debates ahead, and what better place to do it than what is essentially a scholar’s town specializing in ecclesiastical law. And because it is a scholar’s town, they can also inquire about paper supplies and possible leads about the new continent.

This town holds special significance for Col. Readers of the original Spice and Wolf series will recognize it as the city he lived as a wandering student prior to encountering Myuri’s parents. Thus, part of the story involves Col sharing these childhood memories with Myuri and facing some old demons as those childhood memories are closely tied with the town’s darker practices.

Supposedly, Hasekura-sensei used a 16th-century schoolmaster’s autobiography as a reference for traveling students and academic cities. However, the predatory situation described in Aquent sounds rather convoluted. The virtual enslavement of the youngest, poorest students is plausible, but the roaming gangs of academic elite and the textbook gambling are harder to swallow. Plus, everything falls neatly along the lines of the evil privileged wealthy and the righteous downtrodden poor.

At any rate, their sojourn in Aquent ends up less about pursuing their three goals and more about executing justice upon the system that preyed upon Col’s younger self. And the personification of that movement is the leader of the oppressed students, Lutia the Wise Wolf.

And yes, Lutia is a wolf spirit, one who’s had no contact with any wolf kin. Because the only wolf Myuri’s dealt with previously is her mother, it’s a singular moment for the two characters when their paths cross.

That aside, Lutia and the cause she champions are problematic. The secret regarding the couple who adopted her was something I suspected the moment she told her backstory. And when Canaan sets forth his solution to right the city’s wrongs, Lutia’s response strikes me as extreme. Myuri’s participation in Lutia’s scheme can be attributed to her immaturity, but for Lutia to deal a blow to those she considers her pack doesn’t make sense given the years under her belt and the loyalty that supposedly characterizes her species. Plus, it seems odd that she wouldn’t consider how her eternal youthfulness might eventually threaten her status quo.

Canaan’s resolution to the various conflicts also come too easily and quickly. Aquent’s problems are supposedly deeply entrenched, dating before Col’s time. Yet Canaan devises fixes to them all in a single conversation, and as soon as they act on them, the problems disappear. And the solution that Col offers to fix the problem of Lutia’s loneliness is also accepted awfully fast.

While I generally appreciate how Hasekura-sensei creates challenges for his characters to ponder through, Aquent and Lutia felt like a convenient house of cards set up solely for the purpose for our heroes to knock it down in a single stroke.

Extras include the first eight pages printed in color, a world map, seven black-and-white illustrations, and an afterword.

In Summary

The Church is holding an ecumenical council, the first in decades! This is a real opportunity for religious reform, so Col and Myuri return to the mainland. However, they get distracted while in Aquent by the mission of the wolf spirit Lutia to right the academic town’s social wrongs. This detour from Col’s primary mission is introduced halfway through the volume, and because of that, the arc comes off as rushed and the resolution too conveniently tidy.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? Vol. 4

Lots of Korean web comics and web fiction are successfully making the jump from the Internet to traditional media nowadays. One of these is What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?. Read on for the review of Volume 4 of the manhwa. (For other reviews of this series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Miso has reunited with the boy from her dreams, but much to her disappointment, there are still so many questions left unanswered…The more she digs, the more she feels things aren’t adding up. Why doesn’t Sungyeon remember her? What is the spider that haunts her memories? How did Youngjun get those strange scars on his ankles? And just who in the world is Hyun?

The Review

Miso has reunited with the boy from her past. Or has she? She and SungYeon meet up to piece the details of the kidnapping incident. However, the more they talk, the more SungYeon’s account doesn’t add up. He’s also strangely fixated on making Miso his, though she’s not the least interested. On the contrary, her relationship with YoungJun only progresses further and faster.

Despite the darker issues surrounding the kidnapping incident, this is a romcom, and those passionate moments get tripped up by bouts of sleepiness and misplaced tablets. Even so, their romance gets to a point that those around them take notice. It’s impossible for Mr. Park to know the exact details of what’s happening between the couple, but his “underwear” heart-to-heart with YoungJun is well-timed advice, plus it’s hilarious.

Then the truth spews out in the second half of the volume. Mrs. Lee finally tells SungYeon what actually happened in the past. Shortly afterward, a triggering incident unlocks Miso’s memories. We see the kidnapping as it unfolds from Miso’s then YoungJun’s perspectives. These chapters clarify it all – everyone’s various phobias, the conflict between the Lee brothers, the gaps in SungYeon’s recollections, YoungJun’s scars.

But while the kidnapping and its aftermath do provide a rationale for the current state of events, certain elements may have you raising your eyebrows. When I watched the What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? TV adaption, I found the explanation of SungYeon’s guilty conscience rewriting events difficult to swallow; having read the manhwa, I still feel the same about that aspect of the story. The manhwa does do a better job of portraying the family instability that leads to YoungJun “losing” his own memories and the decades-long farce that follows. However, the part where YoungJun gets his original name changed because it sounded too much like his brother’s doesn’t make much sense to me.

Anyway, now that the past has been clarified, we can look forward to seeing how it affects everyone’s present!

Extras include illustration gallery, next volume preview, artist’s note, and translation notes.

In Summary

Even though YoungJun’s hot brother has his sights on Miso, things haven’t headed into love triangle territory. Rather, Miso grows closer to YoungJun – to the point where things start getting steamy between the two. Then everything slams to a halt when the truth behind the kidnapping is revealed. Pretty much all the mysteries get resolved, but our characters’ responses to these revelations remain to be shown.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: A Business Proposal Vol. 5

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 5 of the manhwa. (For other reviews of the series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

PENDING APPROVAL The big day is finally here. Taemu takes Hari to meet his grandfather and receive his blessing…only for her to be flat-out rejected! But Hari has come too far to give up. Fishing, hiking, watching dramas―if it means getting on the chairman’s good side, she’ll do it all! Meanwhile, Yeongsuh faces relationship problems of her own when her father tracks down the lowly secretary who dares date his daughter. And when Sunghoon comes back from the meeting, he seems a changed man, his face devoid of its usual warmth and sweetness…

The Review

Taemu’s grandfather has been pestering his grandson to let him meet the woman he’s dating. That moment finally arrives – and Grandpa rejects Hari! His rejection is partly a test for Hari and Taemu. However, it’s more the old man using the situation to get attention from the young couple as his tests turn into a series of leisure activities (fishing, games, watching TV dramas). Although it’s unclear how many days this test period lasts, what is clear is that Grandpa Kang is pleased by Hari and is only withholding his final approval as bait to get more time with her.

Unfortunately, everything blows up when Taemu becomes impatient with his grandfather and declares he doesn’t need Grandpa’s approval after all. A fight erupts between the two men, but it has the unexpected result of Hari walking out on Taemu when she discovers that he wanted Grandpa’s approval for marriage and not dating.

Things look bleak for the relationship in that instant. However, our male lead is quick to go after her. What follows is the most honest conversation the couple has ever had. Taemu shares the reasons he’s fallen for Hari, and Hari confesses that she’s fallen for him, too. At the end of it, Taemu and Hari wind up a dating couple. Not for a contract or fake dating, but a true dating couple. Finally.

Of course, that’s not the end of their story. Because Taemu’s been marriage-obsessed the entire time, Hari asks that the topic of marriage be off-limits until she’s ready for it. Also, Minwoo shows surprising persistence by coming to the chicken restaurant to try to win Hari’s favor. On top of that, a hot new Sungwoon employee takes an interest in Hari.

In the meantime, our secondary couple has gone on its own roller coaster ride. It’s a parade of K-drama tropes as Yeongsuh’s rich daddy threatens and belittles Sunghoon, Sunghoon breaks up with Yeongsuh, Sunghoon valiantly sacrifices his body to save Yeongsuh from a car accident, and Yeongsuh and Grandpa Kang put her rich daddy in his place. At the end of it, the couple is engaged, but new trouble’s brewing, this time in the form of Yeongsuh’s rival, Yoojeong.

By the way, there’s still plenty of eye candy to warrant the Older Teen rating. Even with Sunghoon bedridden in the hospital, Yeongsuh can’t keep her hands off him.

In Summary

Difficult relatives cause our two couples a lot of trouble in this volume, but the payoff is worth it! Yeongsuh gets engaged to Sunghoon, and Hari and Taemu become an honest-to-goodness real dating couple. However, not everyone’s happy with the development. Minwoo and Yoojeong apparently can’t take no for an answer, and it looks like they’ll be trying to break these newly formed bonds.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: My Gently Raised Beast 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 My Gently Raised Beast. Read on for the review of Volume 6 of the manhwa. (For reviews of other volumes, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Humans and divine beasts are about to enter an era of unprecedented harmony, and at the center of it all stand Blondina and Amon! A grand banquet is being held to celebrate the newfound peace, but centuries-old prejudices are not easily forgotten. Attendees, both human and beast, are still distrustful of each other, and Adellai intends to use the power of Barahan to turn this lingering tension into open hatred and enmity. But Amon has far too much riding on this evening to let it be ruined. Can he save the party and bring his plan to fruition? “And today, finally, the moment has come. Briddy…”

The Review

The lion’s share of Volume 6 is taken up by the lead-up to, the events of, and the aftermath of the celebration of the peace treaty between divine beasts and humans. Balls and banquets are human customs, so the initial scenes are a comedy routine of Lucy struggling to persuade Amon to trouble himself to learn courtly etiquette and the lessons that follow. Amid the humor, Blondina finds herself insecure about Amon’s affection for her. At the same time, she keeps thinking of him as her “little kitten.” I found both lines of thinking irritating, especially the “little kitten” part. At this point, Amon’s saved her life a couple of times, helped her deal revenge to the abusive innkeepers, aided her in intimidating Adellai, and has gotten super handsy with her multiple times. All that should’ve shattered her “my adorable little kitty” image of him a long time ago.

Fortunately, the ball puts an end to her weird denseness. The divine beast guests are blunt in telling Blondina they expect a child to come from her union with Amon. If that isn’t enough to get Amon’s intentions through her thick skull, he does indeed propose to her at the party and had the foresight to coordinate with the Emperor to use the ball to publicly announce their engagement. Thus, Amon/Blondina fans get both a moment of romantic intimacy when he pops the question and the congratulations of friends and family for their upcoming nuptials.

Then, Amon makes his feelings and intentions crystal clear for his fiancée when he “imprints” on her after the party.

However, all is not love and happiness in this arc. Adellai uses the ball’s masquerade theme as a chance to test Joseph’s influence over the divine beasts and stir up trouble. Meanwhile, the Emperor continues in his Suckiest-Dad-Ever role in being completely oblivious to how his thoughtless treatment of his children might jeopardize the new treaty he’s counting on to ensure his people’s security.

Amid all these events, Blondina dreams dreams that appear to be inherited memories. It’s unclear whether they are due to her bloodline or because of her intimacy with Amon. Either way, these episodes shed new light on the conflict between the god Barahan and the divine beasts even as a new conflict threatens to break out at Adellai’s hands.

By the way, the font formatting for the inherited memory scenes is inconsistent, so it gets confusing as to which dialogue belongs to which character.

In Summary

A grand ball to celebrate the treaty between humans and divine beasts! An engagement between Princess Blondina and Amon, Lord of Beasts! It could almost be a fairytale ending… except Adellai’s still plotting Blondina’s ruin. While Blondina’s and Amon’s romantic feelings are finally made clear to everyone (including Blondina), the conflict between sisters is destined to continue on to the next volume.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: My Gemini

Manga about twins are fairly commonplace, but how about a pair based off Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? That’s the premise of the standalone manga My Gemini. Read on for the review!

Back Cover Blurb

Plain, redheaded, and freckled John has nothing going for him, except there’s one thing he’s proud of―he’s best friends with the two popular and mischievous twins Jekyll and Hyde. Jekyll (the calm and collected older brother) and Hyde (the cheerful younger brother) love switching places, and John is the only one who can tell them apart. But when the pair is fragmented by an untimely death, one twin is left alone without his “other self” by his side. The only question is―is he Jekyll, or is he Hyde?

The Review

John Utterson attends a British boarding school where he is best friends with the Stevenson twins: the prim and proper Jekyll and the charming and carefree Hyde. The twins frequently swap personas, and no one is the wiser, except for John, who can tell them apart no matter what. So when a Stevenson brother dies in an accident, John is the only one who realizes the surviving twin isn’t who everyone thinks he is…

It’s a little difficult to categorize this as a standalone story. Perhaps British boarding school mystery drama? But the mystery isn’t the typical whodunit where someone dies and characters track down the killer. Rather, a twin dies under absolutely non-suspicious circumstances, and you have to figure out who the remaining twin actually is. More importantly, you have to figure out why he behaves as he does.

Despite the character names, Hyde is not evil, and the narrative involves no nefarious schemes. However, the twins mirror the original Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in that the personalities they show the world are their joint creation, those personas are vastly different and distinct, and they can be assumed by either brother. While the twins and John treat these switcheroos as a fun game, things take on a much somber tone when one brother dies in an accident. Everyone believes Jekyll is the deceased Stevenson twin, but not long after the funeral, John realizes “Hyde” is actually Jekyll impersonating his brother.

The first part of the story has John – the one person to realize the truth of “Hyde’s” identity–watching over his bereaved friend and wondering why he’s continuing to playact his brother. The exchange of letters signed “Jekyll” and the run-ins with the prefects Benjamin and Roche in this initial arc are somewhat confusing. However, these events set the stage for “Hyde” to receive a cryptic message from Roche, a message that makes him realize his twin had been hiding something from him.

Things get more interesting from that point on as “Hyde” and John work together to get to the bottom of this secret. The deeper they dig, the more they find themselves questioning whether the bonds of friendship and brotherhood they thought they shared were genuine. This mystery primarily gets unraveled through flashbacks and conversations that take place at their family homes and at school. So there are no great adventures, and despite the students’ ghost stories, no supernatural elements.

Regarding illustrations, the manga does a nice job with the Victorian-era clothing and a British boarding school setting. The all-male cast is heavy on bishounen. Even John, who describes himself as plain, comes off as cute. Expressions are spot on, drawings brim with emotion, and you can always tell which “persona” the brothers are assuming.

Extras include the title page printed in color and afterword.

In Summary

This is a story about secrets between friends and between brothers. So despite the character names, there’s no psycho murdering people. Rather, it’s about how jealousy and longing can warp identity and perception. If a melancholy tale with a classic Victorian boarding school setting appeals to you, this title is worth a try.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: The Villainess Stans the Heroes: Playing the Antagonist to Support Her Faves! Vol. #3

Isekai has really overtaken the anime/manga scene the last several years. The Villainess Stans the Heroes: Playing the Antagonist to Support Her Faves! is one such title. Read on for my review of Volume 3. (For other reviews from this series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

With the hero’s party and the Ordi family on standby, Operation: Destroy the Dirty Casino is a go! Except…something doesn’t seem right. It’s almost like another mastermind is pulling the strings, and if my hunch is correct, it’s a character who’s not supposed to show up in this particular connection story. I’ll have to figure out what the deal is with all these disparities later, though, because first things first—the prince has been kidnapped! I may not be a knight in shining armor, but this dashing young villainess is coming to his rescue!

The Review

Volume 3 continues the casino arc with our villainess infiltrating the masquerade/black market auction. Because everyone is dressed in costumes and masks, much of the first chapter is simply her swooning over her faves’ disguises. Although Chikusa’s prized blade is at stake, the narrative spends hardly any time on its recovery. Chikusa gets her sword back without bothering to show the bidding process. Between that and a running joke about all the stuff Ellua has stored in her skirts, the atmosphere stays fairly lighthearted.

The mood changes though when Ellua notices things at the auction are deviating significantly from the original script. Then things really take a turn when she realizes Albert’s connection story is already underway.

Enter Vlad Chagrin, Originator of Vampires. He is the boss of Albert’s connection story, and with his appearance comes a huge problem. In the game, the hero and Albert defeat Vlad together. However, because of Ellua’s meddling, Albert has no connection with the hero. And before Ellua can react to this dilemma, Vlad abducts Albert.

Thus, Ellua must scramble for a way to defeat Vlad by substituting herself into Albert’s connection story. Despite the desperate situation, the pacing gets bogged by the new enemy’s backstory and Ellua’s fangirling. In terms of personality, Vlad makes a pretty flat villain, and his vampiric hordes behave more like zombies than an elite fighting force. And when Ellua and Albert team up against Vlad, it’s more trash talk than actual action. Still, having Ellua in a situation where she doesn’t know the outcome is a nice change. Plus, Ellua/Albert fans will enjoy watching them risk everything to fight for each other.

Extras include the first page in color, artwork on the inside covers, three pages of bonus comics, and author afterward.

In Summary

Ellua heads to the black market auction so she can ogle over everyone’s masquerade outfits and interactions. But what starts off as a swoon fest over her faves turns into a desperate situation when Albert gets abducted by the Originator of Vampires. With the story steadily diverging from the original plot, Ellua’s goal of making sure her heroes reach a happy ending looks like it’s going to get much more challenging.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Saga of Tanya the Evil Vol. #22

The Saga of Tanya the Evil anime was a surprise favorite for me in 2017. With a title like that, I was almost too scared to give it a try, but conniving little Tanya turned out to be nothing like I anticipated. Yen Press has released Volume 22 of the manga adaption, and you can read on for the review. (For my reviews of other Tanya the Evil works, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

It’s all storm and stress for the Free François Republic, as the Imperial Southern Continent Expeditionary Army Corps advances lightning-quick across the Republic’s colonial holdouts. General Romel sends forth wave after wave of unconventional maneuvers, and it’s not long before Tanya’s 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion is part of the tide…!

The Review

This volume begins by turning the clock back to 20 days before Major General Romel makes his rapid advance into the Southern Continent. Previous chapters indicated how keenly Tanya’s superiors regretted ignoring her warning about the Republican forces, and that regret continues to gnaw at them in Volume 22’s opening as they strategize against the escaped Republicans and the new threat of the Commonwealth. The light novels revealed little about the higher-ups’ perspectives on the Brest incident, and the anime touched on it only briefly, which I always thought unfair to Tanya. So I appreciate that the manga shows her superiors suffering the mental anguish of their decision.

Then the focus shifts from the generals in the war room to the general in the field, Romel. I enjoyed this arc in the light novel; it’s rare for Tanya to view a superior in the field so positively. As such, I was quite disappointed when the anime glossed over the Southern Campaign. (I’m not even sure if Romel made an actual appearance in the anime.) The manga, on the other hand, unabashedly thrusts General Romel into the spotlight. In fact, Volume 22 is more about him than Tanya. Having advanced far deeper than anticipated, the head of the Imperial Southern Campaign must now work out problems in his supply chain; deceive and intimidate his enemies; and herd up all the stragglers that couldn’t keep up with him in the desert. The manga uses these tasks not only to demonstrate how brilliant and unconventional he is at his job, but also show off his colorful personality and how it inspires loyalty and admiration even with someone like Tanya. Personally, I can’t get enough of the guy.

The final two chapters are a comedy of the disoriented as General Romel flies out on a recon plane escorted by Grantz’s mage platoon to personally search for a missing battalion. While you’ll have to suspend belief that allies and enemies of different tongues can communicate so easily, their blundering initial contact is hilarious. In between the funny bits is a rare interaction between the young mages and the highest commander on the Southern Continent. Without intending to, Grantz and company earn Romel’s deepest respect, and Grantz recognizes in Romel the same extraordinary power of perception as Tanya’s. The way the mangaka brings all this together is brilliant, and I can’t wait for more.

Extras include world map, battle log thus far, character introductions (in ridiculously small font), profile for the 203rd Battalion, country profiles, profile of the Imperial Southern Continent Expeditionary Army Corps, status of each country (also in ridiculously small font), and chapter glossaries (although the referenced chapter numbers appear to be incorrect).

In Summary

Tanya’s superiors are still kicking themselves for the victory they let slip through their fingers. Tanya, though, has moved past regret and is firmly focused on the task at hand: surviving in the Southern Continent against Republican and Commonwealth forces. Fortunately, she is under the command of the extraordinary General Romel. These chapters show that the man is as brilliant off the battlefield as he is on it. He has his own style of leadership, and watching him get things done is a ton of fun.

First published at the Fandom Post.