S.Q. Eries's Blog, page 9

Manhwa Review: The Remarried Empress Vol. 3

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

The Review

Volume 2 ended with Rashta stirring up gossip about a prominent noblewoman to deflect rumors about her own past. Not surprisingly, those efforts nearly backfire on the former slave, but she’s saved when it’s discovered that she’s pregnant.

Succession is generally a huge deal in royal circles so I had been wondering why the topic of an heir hadn’t popped up yet. Especially since Navier never mentions children or pressure to produce a child. With Rashta’s baby on the way, the Emperor and Empress talk frankly (argue) about the matter, and we learn that despite years of trying, Navier’s never gotten pregnant. With Navier ostensibly unable to conceive, the Emperor broaches the idea of making Rashta’s child his heir, which only further sours his relationship with his wife.

In short, if you didn’t think the Emperor was awful and inconsiderate before, Volume 3 should get you there. Especially with his jealous double standard concerning Navier’s love life.

Speaking of her love life, that proceeds to get more complicated thanks to Grand Duke Kaufman. To be honest, the straight-laced ambassador from Luipt does not seem at all like the type to meddle in a foreign sovereign’s personal affairs with a love potion. And he REALLY does not seem to be the type to prove the efficacy of said potion by consuming it himself. However, the delightful payoff of this less-than-believable chain of events is the lovelorn visuals of the otherwise serious Duke. (I’ll admit I have a weakness for that type of character so I found those illustrations delicious.) And there is an even greater payoff when Heinrey, the Grand Duke, and the Emperor all get into a jealous stew over Navier in the palace garden.

Navier’s such an unappreciated character that it’s nice to see so many guys brawling over her for once, even if it’s for absolutely the wrong reason.

However, the jealous fighting dissipates when the Grand Duke and Heinrey leave the Eastern Empire shortly thereafter – the Grand Duke to seek an antidote to the love potion and Heinrey to rush to his dying brother’s bedside.

Volume 3 wraps up on a somber note with pressure increasing on Navier to accept Rashta’s baby as a legitimate member of the Imperial family and with the crown of the Western Kingdom going to Heinrey after his brother’s passing. This puts Navier’s conditions for divorce in the opening of Volume 1 into a whole new perspective. After all, remarriage to a prince of another country would be shocking enough, but remarriage to a foreign king is outrageous! I’m looking forward to seeing how the dutiful Empress gets to that point and what happens afterward.

In Summary

The Emperor’s mistress has caused all sorts of headaches for Empress Navier, but now the former slave outdoes herself: Rashta’s pregnant. With a baby on the way, the palace drama continues with the line of succession at stake. And to spice up the story a little more, Navier gets an additional handsome admirer, although the way he falls for her is a bit far-fetched. The creators deliver yet another engaging and gorgeously illustrated volume of The Remarried Empress.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom Vol. #1

Isekai has really overtaken the anime/manga scene the last several years. A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom is one such title. Read on for my review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

On her eighteenth birthday, shut-in Sena Shirai finally works up the courage to leave the comfort of her home—only to be hit by a truck! Luckily, she has a second chance at life as a witch in another world, but the only spells she can use are “explode” and “perish.” Unable to control her destructive power, Sena is shunned by the nearby villagers and doomed to live in isolation once again. But when a mysterious boy collapses at her doorstep on her (second) eighteenth birthday, will her fate finally turn around?

The Review

Sena is shut-in who meets an untimely demise due to a reckless driver. As a result, the angel that reincarnates her into her new life grants her special powers. Unfortunately, those powers are the spells “Perish” and “Explode,” and they doom her to a life as a shut-in once more. But on her 18th birthday, a young boy collapses on her doorstep, triggering a series of events that bring Sena back out into the wider world.

A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom is a misleading title. Yes, Sena is reincarnated, and she is called a witch. Moreover, she is the only character thus far who is labeled a witch. However, according to Sena herself, half the population of this fantasy world can cast magic. So magic is simply a normal part of everyday life, and it’s never clarified why Sena is a witch and other magic users are not.

The other thing that’s misleading about the title is that it makes Sena sound like a walking disaster zone. She’s not. Her “Perish” and “Explode” spells, destructive though they are, are firmly within her control. She’s even able to package the magical powers for commercial use as weed control. So rather than a harbinger of chaos, Sena’s a timid girl living quietly alone in the forest who happens to be capable of two spells no one else can cast.

The creators might have been better off keeping this a fantasy without the isekai factor. The first 30 pages are devoted to showing Sena’s life in Japan and how she got reincarnated with her particular powers. However, the knowledge and experiences she retains from modern Japan aren’t really critical to the story, and all that background about her being a shut-in before her second shut-in life simply results in a very slow start.

Moreover, the chain of events that led to Sena’s second shut-in life are rather convoluted. At the age of 10, she spectacularly destroyed a carriage in town, freaking out the inhabitants. As a result, she isolated herself in her forest home in fear of their wrath. Turns out, the townsfolk were actually grateful to her because she had destroyed the carriage to protect another child. Yet Sena conveniently forgot the critical fact that she saved someone’s life, and even though her mother and the friendly old peddler who delivers their supplies knew the truth, they neglected to clear up this misunderstanding, instead allowing it to drag for eight years.

Anyway, the second half of Chapter 3, where Sena demonstrates her powers to Prince Keith’s corps and accepts their invitation to go to the capital, is where the story really gets going. Apparently, the prince is involved in a succession struggle, and the kingdom’s under threat by dragons, who are undergoing their own succession issues. These conflicts, along with the mystery of Sena’s powers, which fall outside this world’s standard seven magical elements, create a decent fantasy plot.

In addition to the dragon crisis and factional palace conflict, the story appears to be setting up the prince as Sena’s love interest. As far as their relationship goes, it’s moving quite fast for a girl who’s lived apart from civilization for eight years and the guy she just met. Only three days, and this hard-core shut-in is leaving everything she’s known to follow him. But if you like perfect prince types, Keith fits the bill.

In terms of illustrations, the human characters, architectural elements, and objects are drawn in a pleasant, cute style. However, action scenes and magic scenes are hard to follow. The dragon scenes especially are heavy on speed lines that make it difficult to tell what you are looking at. If not for the character commentary, I wouldn’t understand what was happening in those panels.

Extras include the first four pages printed in color, creator notes, and bonus illustrations on the inside cover.

In Summary

As you might guess from the title, A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom is an isekai. However, so far there’s not much about main character Sena’s previous shut-in life that comes into play in her current shut-in life in a fantasy world where half the inhabitants wield magic and half do not. Perhaps those memories and experiences of modern Japan will prove crucial later, but for now, the plot is coming across more as a standard fantasy with a sheltered heroine who manifests unique magic powers, a noble prince embroiled in palace politics, and dragons who are currently ravaging the land.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Handyman Saitou in Another World Vol. #1

Isekai has really overtaken the anime/manga scene the last several years. Handyman Saitou in Another World is one such title. Read on for my review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

Until recently……he lived an ordinary life. Saitou is a thoroughly unremarkable handyman who can’t help but feel unsatisfied with his lot in life. Sure, doing odd jobs pays the bills―barely―but it comes at the cost of dealing with his ungrateful customers and boss. Dejected and dispirited, he’s starting to wonder what the point of it all is…when he finds himself in another world. There, he meets Raelza, a strong and beautiful female warrior with a prickly attitude; Morlock, a dirty old man and a powerful wizard (when he can remember his spells); and Lafanpan, a cute but greedy fairy. Together with his companions, Saitou goes dungeon crawling in search of riches and feels what it’s like to be needed for the first time. After all, who would you trust to open locked treasure chests or repair your equipment more than your local handyman?

The Review

Saitou is living an unfulfilling life as an underpaid, underappreciated handyman. Above all, he wants to be needed by someone, but society views him as an easily replaceable drone. Then one day, he’s suddenly transported to a fantasy world where he becomes an irreplaceable member in a party of dungeon crawlers. After all, when it comes to repairing equipment or picking locks, there is no match for a modern Japanese handyman!

I watched the anime adaption that was released earlier this year, and based on its story format, I guessed that the original material was four-panel comics. Turns out, I was wrong, but not by much. The Yen Press adaption divides Volume 1 into four chapters, but each “chapter” is actually a grouping of very loosely connected mini-vignettes that are 1 to 6 pages long. Moreover, these vignettes about Saito and his party are frequently broken up by side stories about other adventurers. (At this point, five other parties and two solo adventures have been introduced).

As such, even though Saito is the main character, the manga very much has the feel of a fantasy sitcom with an ensemble cast. Pretty much every character has a quirk, and the creator plays those quirks (like Morlock’s frequent memory loss) to comic effect.

For Saito, his quirk is that he is a handyman among magicians, fairies, and armor-clad warriors. The juxtaposition of his jumpsuit and toolkit among fantasy characters is pretty funny. His modern Japanese mindset is also used for laughs, like when he grills an eel monster to his party’s horror.

In terms of setting, Saito’s new world has all the attributes you would expect in a fantasy comedy on the lewd side. For instance, mimics, succubus, and a metal-dissolving slime that leaves party member Raelza in her undergarments. However, it also has its own version of things associated with the modern world, like a crystal ball live-stream of a government-certified hero’s party.

So even though characters, setting, and conflict are drawn from standard fantasy elements, the way the narrative shapes them is definitely nonstandard. Like the old king who defeats the Demon Lord and turns him into his chess playmate. Or the adventurer entry fee with a senior discount for the government-run dungeon.

As I mentioned above, this comedy does lean on the lewd side in terms of content and visuals. In addition to Morlock’s dirty old man tendencies, there’s blatant messing around among side characters and phallic jokes. And yes, there is fan service. Female characters are all cute or sexy. On the other hand, with the exception of Saito and government-certified hero Cains, male characters are old, scarred, and/or homely.

In terms of illustrations, the artwork does the job of conveying the narrative and humor but can’t be called polished. The manga is lean on screen tones, so drawings tend to look flat. Design details are the same as the anime but rendered in a much rougher style. Honestly, it’s like looking at storyboard drafts for the anime. Also, due to the six or less pages format, content is often packed in, which results in a cramped look.

By the way, even though the illustrations do leave something to be desired, the manga does contain scenes and details that were not included in the anime. So if you are a big fan of the series, the manga is worth considering from that standpoint.

Extras include introduction of party members, character sheets, and translation notes.

In Summary

If you’re seeking an epic fantasy with a strong narrative arc, Handyman Saito in Another World is not it. However, if you’re looking for sketch comedy involving a Japanese handyman exploring fantasy style dungeons with quirky party members, this series fits the bill. The artwork is on the rough side and humor can be raunchy, but it is a clever and fun take on the isekai genre.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Artbook Review: Scribbles Vol. 1

Kaoru Mori is best known for her historical manga Emma and A Bride’s Story. For those who love her detailed illustrations, Yen Press has released Scribbles, a collection of Mori’s sketches and the thoughts behind them!

Back Cover Blurb

In this stunning volume, Kaoru Mori―author of award-winning series A Bride’s Story and Emma―shares works from her personal collection of sketches and concept drawings. From familiar characters and settings to illustrations drawn from Mori’s own interests, Scribbles is a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes and into the sketch books of one of Japan’s most beloved creators.

The Review

If you’re a fan of Kaoru Mori’s artwork, Scribbles is worth checking out. It’s a collection of sketches that Yen Press has packaged in fine fashion. There are no color drawings – the vast majority are pencil sketches with eight ink drawings thrown in. However, the book has been released as a hardcover, and when I compared it to Yen Press’ volumes of A Bride’s Story, I found the specs to be nearly identical. Both have dust jackets, the same dimensions, and the same brown covers with gold lettering on the spine. The weight and texture of the matte paper are also the same, as near as I can tell. The only difference is that the color used for the inner covers of A Bride’s Story are red, and Scribbles has a teal inner cover. Basically, Yen Press has maintained consistency with their Kaoru Mori titles so that they can all be shelved harmoniously together.

And the effort is worth it. Scribbles is not a manga with a story, but Mori-sensei’s artwork and commentary have a lot to offer to those familiar with her work.

If you’re acquainted with her historical works Emma and A Bride’s Story, you know that her illustrations are both a treat for the eyes and packed with exquisitely researched detail. Only a few of the drawings in Scribbles can be deemed polished, and some sketches Mori-sensei herself describes as “doodles.” Even so, the contents of this book are gorgeous, and the captions are an entertaining blend of research facts, thoughts about the subject matter, and the context in which she created her drawings.

In terms of organization, Scribbles has none. Drawings are not grouped by category, nor is there a table of contents. So it’s kind of a disordered, widely ranging collection. There are, as you might expect from the maid-obsessed mangaka, drawings of maids aplenty. However, the collection also includes bunny girls, cancan dancers, ballet dancers, and images inspired by operatic works such as Carmen. There are quite a bit of Victorian-era illustrations, but Edwardian and 20th-century business fashions are also included. Japanese garb is also featured, including Heian, Meiji, Taisho, and Showa styles along with a range of school uniforms. Subject matter includes humans, animals, and backdrops, but Mori-sensei definitely has a strong preference for female figures, from child to mature woman. And yes, there are a few nude sketches in the mix.

If you’re an Emma or maid fan, there’s a lot to like. Drawings related to the Emma series are featured on pages 2 through 13, 40 through 67, and 85 through 100. Illustrations include concept drawings for the Yujin figures series created for Emma, and captions include details that didn’t make it into the manga and Mori-sensei’s thoughts about the characters. Sketches from Mori-sensei’s other maid manga Shirley take up pages 74 through 84. And finally, the book includes an unexpected maid-related treat. Apparently, Mori-sensei still had maids on the brain after Emma concluded, so she sketched a three-part maid mini-manga for herself, and you can find it on pages 168 through 177.

To fans of A Bride’s Story, I’m sorry to say there isn’t nearly as much material related to that series. Only ten concept drawings are included in the collection. However, their captions provide an interesting glimpse of the early stages of that work.

In Summary

Kaoru Mori is best known for her Victorian romance, Emma, and her Central Asian slice of life, A Bride’s Story. However, her repertoire isn’t limited to the 19th century, and Scribbles provides a glimpse of her wide-ranging interests. This collection contains ten pages of A Bride’s Story concept drawings and about a hundred pages of Emma and maid-related material, but the remaining half of the book is populated by illustrations ranging from bullfighters to military personnel to figures from Japanese folklore. The contents are almost entirely pencil sketches, but they brim with charm, and Mori-sensei’s notes are a lot of fun, too.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Like A Butterfly Vol. #01

High school romances usually involve a certain amount of shyness. For the lead couple of Viz’s Like a Butterfly, that shyness dominates the relationship. Read on for my review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

Suiren Shibazeki is often compared to a beautiful flower—but one that grows on the tallest peak of a mountain, forever out of reach. When Suiren develops feelings for the quiet Taichi Kawasumi, however, she doesn’t want to be a distant flower. She’d rather leave her lofty perch and fly toward him like a butterfly.

After Kawasumi rescues her from an unwelcome admirer, Suiren finds herself captivated by him. However, Suiren is too shy to speak to anyone, much less this reserved karate boy. What’s more, Suiren isn’t the only one interested in Kawasumi. Will a class trip offer the opportunity to reveal her feelings before it’s too late?

The Review

Suiren’s gorgeous looks make her an idol among her peers. However, all the attention makes the shy girl withdraw into herself, especially around boys. But after schoolmate Kawasumi rescues her from an unwelcome admirer, Suiren falls for him. There’s a problem though. He is as reticent around girls as she is around boys.

Like Viz Media’s Wolf Girl and Black Prince, the original Japanese material for Like a Butterfly was printed a decade ago. However, the content of Volume 1 isn’t obviously dated, so it still works as a contemporary high school romance. The premise of Like a Butterfly is another matter though.

Some main characters are easy for readers to relate to. Suiren, not so much. Nicknamed “Mysterious Flower” by her adoring fans, she’s been treated like an idol by girls and boys alike since middle school. As a result of this intense popularity, she rarely speaks or shows emotion. In Chapter 1, she only has three brief lines of dialogue, and two of them are in middle school flashbacks. Even her internal monologue is on the sparse side. Moreover, she has no goals, no interests, and isn’t involved in any activities. She just kind of… exists to be admired. As a result, it’s largely up to Suiren’s two friends to provide explanations and react/interact with other characters on her behalf.

Things aren’t quite as bad with the male lead, Kawasumi. He’s standoffish around girls but behaves normally, for the most part, with other boys. And unlike Suiren, he has a club activity (karate) that he is dedicated to. However, the combination of a boy who avoids female attention and a girl who’s too shy to interact with boys is kind of a problem for a romance series. I don’t have anything against a slow burn, but this set up makes the pace ridiculously slow.

Because dialogue is nearly impossible between these two personalities, there’s a heavy reliance on significant looks to tell the story. Unfortunately, Suiren doesn’t really show emotion either, so those significant looks get old fast due to her limited expressive range. And because neither she nor Kawasumi has the initiative to start anything, it takes a third character, the upperclassman Koharu, to get things rolling. Like Suiren, she’s crushing on Kawasumi, but Koharu’s aggressively pursuing him despite his repeated rebuffs. Koharu’s dogged pursuit is what causes Suiren to realize her own attraction to Kawasumi and eventually pushes her to interact with him. Though that interaction is limited to wordless actions like bowing and returning stray volleyballs.

Those who’ve experienced intense feelings of shyness around their crush might relate to this aspect of the plot, but main characters should have more initiative than this for a story to have momentum. As it is, it’s only thanks to the liveliness of the supporting cast that Like a Butterfly has any momentum at all.

Extras include creator notes embedded in the manga and a couple bonus illustrations. There are no translation notes, but they would’ve been handy for the cultural reference to red bean rice.

In Summary

Romances generally have some obstacle that must be overcome in order for love to be attained. In the case of Like a Butterfly, the obstacles are Suiren’s unapproachable aura, Kawasumi’s disinterest in romantic relationships, and the fact that neither character talks to peers of the opposite gender. As a result, the story has a lot of observing from a distance, not a whole lot of interaction, and almost no conversation between the lead couple, if you can even call them that. Even for a slow burn, this romance is moving at a glacial pace.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Light Novel Review: Sasaki and Peeps Vol. 4

Isekai, sci-fi, and fantasy are huge light novel genres. But how about a mash-up of all three? That’s what you’ll find in Sasaki and Peeps! Read on for the review of Volume 4. (For other Sasaki and Peeps reviews, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Thanks to Peeps getting a little lost in the sauce, the whole world has found out about the base where Sasaki and Futarishizuka were keeping Lady Elsa. When Sasaki’s various acquaintances show up there looking for him, bullets and magic fly as the carefully built boundaries in his life come crashing down. Meanwhile, Sasaki gets a new assignment—dealing with a giant sea monster in the North Pacific! Between this rampaging octodragon(?) and distressing new developments in the proxy war, can Peeps and his exhausted owner manage to save Japan and—more importantly—get some rest?

The Review

For a guy whose goal is a slow, relaxing life, Sasaki’s working pretty hard in both the modern and the otherworld. And things get particularly chaotic in Tokyo when individuals representing all four supernatural groups stumble into each other in Sasaki’s hotel suite.

So much for the secrets he’s been trying so hard to hide. Passing off their superhuman damage as an “unidentified gas explosion” is one thing; keeping all those parties–two of which are sworn enemies and one who’s really unhinged when it comes to Sasaki–is another thing.

Interestingly, a bigger problem explodes onto the scene to force the four factions to cooperate, if only temporarily. Yet another inhabitant of the otherworld appears in the Pacific Ocean: a kaiju-sized octodragon. And there’s no time to wonder about how it crossed over – the powerful beast is on a swift trajectory toward Japan! Most of this volume is a lengthy set up for the cooperative effort, and it includes a show of force by five Magical Girls, a Demon/Angel skirmish that destroys Sasaki’s apartment, and the most suspiciously extravagant employee welcome party ever. Buncololi keeps things interesting, all the while seamlessly weaving the details that compel the four-way collaboration.

My main complaint is–as Sasaki’s neighbor observes–that Sasaki’s constantly surrounded by underage and ostensibly underage females. Their personalities and characterizations make the book’s brand of fan service particularly distasteful. Sasaki’s 13-year-old neighbor is especially bothersome in this respect. As in previous volumes, the POV occasionally switches to her, and her obsessive thoughts are disturbing to be frank.

With the marine monster causing so much trouble, the events in Japan take up the lion’s share of this volume. And to be honest, things are relatively quiet in the otherworld – except for a sudden visit to Sasaki’s not-yet-complete estate by Prince Lewis. The encounter provides a better picture of Prince Adonis’ rival for the throne, and though Prince Lewis’ attempts to ensnare Sasaki are not nearly as formidable as a dragon that can destroy nations, they’re probably a hint of headaches to come for Baron Sasaki.

The first eight pages, which contain illustrations and a thread from Futarishizuka’s social media, are printed in full color. Extras also include a summary of events thus far, ten black-and-white insert illustrations, afterword, and original cover material.

In Summary

What happens when you put otherworld inhabitants, a Demon and his Disciple, psychics, and a Magical Girl in a hotel room? Pandemonium at its most destructive! Fortunately (or unfortunately?) for Sasaki, a gargantuan otherworldly octodragon swims onto the scene, forcing all parties to cooperate for the sake of the planet. Meanwhile, Sasaki’s carefully kept secrets get exposed one after the other. Hopes of a quiet life seem to be drifting further away as supernatural disasters keep him working overtime!

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Sasaki and Peeps Vol. 2

Isekai, sci-fi, and fantasy are huge light novel genres. But how about a mash-up of all three? That’s what you’ll find in Sasaki and Peeps! Read on for the review of Volume 2 of the manga. (For more reviews of Sasaki and Peeps works, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

THE GRAND ADVENTURES OF A MAN AND HIS BIRD―DIMENSION HOPPING BETWEEN WORLDS! “…How did I end up working for a secret government department that essentially functions as a psychic police force?! I only wanted to save that woman from a thug… Peeps, didn’t you say there’s no magic here?” “I did. But perhaps this world possesses something similar to magic that operates under a different set of rules.” “Haah…I wish I could just focus on eating French’s food and learning teleportation magic and doing business with the Hermann Trading Company. At least the other world seems pretty peaceful―right?”

The Review

The previous volume was very high fantasy with Peeps’ magic and Sasaki’s sojourns into the Western-medieval-style otherworld. With Volume 2, we take a turn into sci-fi as Sasaki encounters psychics on the streets of Tokyo. By “psychic,” the narrative refers not to a clairvoyant, but someone more along the lines of an X-Men mutant, an individual with innate superpowers. Poor Sasaki has the ill luck to stumble upon two such individuals battling it out, and he uses his magic to prevent one from murdering the other.

As it turns out, the girl he saves is a member of the Cabinet Office Paranormal Phenomena Countermeasure Bureau. Basically, a secret government agency comprised of psychics that counter rogue psychics. Their policy is to require all law-abiding psychics to join the agency (lest they be deemed rogue), and because Sasaki’s magic looks a whole lot like psychic superpowers, he’s immediately coerced, er recruited into the agency. The only silver lining is that psychics are limited to one superpower each, and because Sasaki’s only manifested one spell before them, he’s able to hide the fact that he’s not a psychic and actually much more powerful than they realize.

So most of this volume is spent introducing the Bureau, psychics, and two of Sasaki’s new coworkers, the combat-happy Hoshizaki and their intimidating section chief Akutsu. This world-building requires a lot of explanations, but fortunately, the manga is not nearly as long-winded as the light novel. The mangaka also presents information in a relatively digestible manner. And to give readers (and Sasaki) a break, but the middle chapter’s a quick trip to the fantasy otherworld before resuming Sasaki’s deep dive into the secret world of modern-day psychics.

Once you’re done slogging through all the rules of this new supernatural system and the government agency that goes with it, the book rewards you at the end with an action-packed chapter and a half. It’s along the lines of an X-Men battle – if an X-Men battle had a clueless middle-aged office worker thrown in for laughs.

Despite the glut of new details to keep track of, I enjoyed the continued adventures of Sasaki and Peeps, with one exception. I mentioned in my review of Volume 1 that I found the manga’s portrayal of females problematic, and Volume 2 is no better in that respect. This volume introduces a new male and a new female character. The male character, Section Chief Akutsu, is Sasaki’s age and has a dignified bearing. Hoshizaki, on the other hand, has no dignity at all. She’s very young, kind of thoughtless, and oozes fan service with her large bust and short skirt. And Sasaki’s middle school age neighbor returns to show that she really does have a very unhealthy, very creepy obsession with Sasaki.

Extras include the first four pages printed in color, the creator afterword, and a bonus short story by Buncololi.

In Summary

Sasaki stumbles upon humans wielding supernatural powers in Japan! No, they’re not mages, but they assume he’s one of them, so Sasaki gets dragged into the hidden world of modern psychics. It’s a lot of information to plow through as the story morphs into sci-fi, but the narrative keeps things entertaining, if heavy on the fan service.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: A Business Proposal Vol. 1

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 1 of the manhwa.

Back Cover Blurb

 Hari Shin has officially hit rock bottom. After being worked to the bone at her office job, meeting her long time crush’s girlfriend, and helping to pay off her family’s debt, she’s 0 for 3 with work, love, and money. Luckily, her friend Youngseo has a business proposal for her: go on an arranged date in her stead, and Hari will receive a hefty compensation. Things grow complicated, however, when the other party turns out to be her new CEO―and he’s got a proposal of his own!

The Review

Hari Shin’s overworked, drowning in debt, and friend-zoned by her longtime crush. So when her heiress friend Youngseo offers her cash to impersonate her for an arranged date and scare the guy off with a femme fatale act, Hari agrees. But things take a turn when the blind date turns out to be Hari’s new CEO. Worse, Hari’s efforts to drive him off result in a marriage proposal! What kind of pervert is he?

I was five pages into this manhwa adaption of a web novel and thought, “This is totally the set up for a contemporary K-drama series.” And as it turns out, A Business Proposal was adapted into a 2022 K-drama (available on Netflix). I haven’t seen the TV series, so I can’t make comparisons between the manhwa and the live-action adaption. However, the manhwa has many classic K-drama romance elements. The male lead, Taemu Kang, has gorgeous looks, an amazing body, wealth, and all the power and arrogance that comes with being the successful CEO of an international company. A company that just happens to be the employer of drowning-in-debt office drone Hari Shin. Her parents’ restaurant has gone deep into the red. To pay the rent, Hari’s taken a loan from her company, which has essentially turned her into a corporate indentured servant. So while Hari is college educated and her family debt doesn’t involve gambling losses or loan sharks, she falls into the category of financially-strapped heroine to offset our rich male lead.

Actually, the inciting incident portrays Hari more along the lines of poor normie getting caught up in the problems of rich people. One of the less typical aspects of this series is that Youngseo, the best friend of broke Hari, is filthy rich. As the heiress to a company, Youngseo’s situation is similar to Taemu’s in that they have comparable social status and are under pressure to meet potential spouses and get married already. And both view the matchmaking meetings arranged by their families as a waste of time. However, while Youngseo schemes to get out of yet another meeting by dressing up her friend to send as a substitute, Taemu decides to cut things short by simply marrying his first blind date, whoever she is.

That in essence is one of Taemu’s unique quirks. He’s stubborn about sticking to his word, no matter what new information might arise. At times, this quality runs counter to his other quirk: he hates having his time wasted. As Youngseo points out, if a quick marriage is his goal, it would be a lot more efficient for him to find someone willing rather than continue pursuing someone who’s turned him down. However, his third unique quirk is what has Hari terrified: he despises liars. Taemu’s notorious for firing employees for lying, and when Hari discovers that the suitor she’s trying to fool is him, she realizes her job is at risk.

At times, the details maintaining the story premise get a bit shaky. There’s one point where Hari could have easily shaken Taemu off for good, but she conveniently falls asleep (in a café no less!) during the 20 minute window she had to escape. That aside, the stakes of love and money (especially once Youngseo falls for Taemu’s head secretary) keep this an engaging and fluffy comedy of sham identities and misinterpreted intentions.

By the way, the artwork is great at projecting the mood, whether comic, frantic, or sizzling. Illustrations are rendered in full color on glossy paper, which makes for a nice looking but hefty book.

In Summary

Do you like workplace K-drama rom-coms? Then you might enjoy the impersonation hijinks of A Business Proposal. The premise gets a bit shaky at times, but the series is meant to be a fun, silly romp with lots of eye candy, so it works.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Death Note 20th Anniversary Edition Vol. #01

Twenty years have passed since Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata released Death Note, and the series still remains high on my list of recommended titles. To celebrate this masterpiece thriller, Viz released a special 20th-anniversary reprint of the first volume of the manga.

Back Cover Blurb

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects–and he’s bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. Will Light’s noble goal succeed, or will the Death Note turn him into the very thing he fights against?

The Review

Viz did something similar with Bleach when that manga celebrated its 20th-anniversary last year. However, unlike the Bleach reprint, which is available through your local book supplier, the Death Note commemorative release is a convention exclusive. It was sold at the Viz booth during Anime Expo a few weeks back. I’m not sure if the Death Note reprint will be available at subsequent anime conventions, but the bottom line is that is not available through usual book channels.

In terms of the product itself, it’s a reprint of Volume 1 with an alternate cover. The front features art from the January 1, 2004 series launch in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. The back cover features a color version of the title page illustration for Chapter 3 “Family,” with the words “20th Anniversary Convention Exclusive” printed lengthwise in silver.

And…that’s it. I thought this exclusive might have additional extras honoring the series’ 20th anniversary, but it pretty much is Volume 1 of the manga dressed up in a different cover. However, if you’re a big fan of the series and a collector, this is another item to consider for your collection.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Wolf Girl and Black Prince Vol. #01

Just about every shojo title has a guy with princely good looks. However not all of those characters have a princely personality to match, and the handsome male lead in Wolf Girl and Black Prince gets labeled by the heroine as blackhearted. Read on for my review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

Fed up with her friends’ constant bragging about their boyfriends, high school student Erika Shinohara decides to make up one of her own. When her lie starts unraveling at the seams, her charming schoolmate Kyoya Sata agrees to be her pretend boyfriend, seemingly saving her reputation. She won’t get off that easy, however, as she soon discovers her white knight is actually a blackhearted prince! Now Erika must be at his beck and call or risk her lie being exposed. But is Kyoya really as blackhearted as he seems?

The Review

High-schooler Erika Shinohara is a big fat liar. Her classmates are constantly bragging about their boyfriends, and to keep up, she acts like she has one, too. The farce nearly falls apart, but handsome schoolmate Kyoya Sata offers to bail her out by pretending to be her boyfriend. However, there is a catch. Erika must follow his orders like a dog!

This is not a recent title (first published in 2011). However, there hasn’t been much by the way of high school shojo amid the current isekai and action glut, and the content of Volume 1 isn’t obviously dated. So it still works if you’re looking for a contemporary romantic comedy.

As you might guess from the synopsis, this is an enemies-to-lovers story. I generally enjoy that trope, but I had a difficult time warming up to Wolf Girl and Black Prince. Mainly because I had trouble warming up to the main character Erika. She has no aspirations other than keep up with her clique. Not only does she blatantly lie to maintain appearances, she treats the one friend who actually knows and accepts her for who she is rather awfully. Erika’s also kind of thoughtless. Shortly after making her (pretend) relationship with Kyoya public (thereby triggering the ire of his female fans), Erika agrees to a date with another classmate with no consideration of how that might affect the charade Kyoya’s helping her maintain at school.

Actually, most of the female cast is terrible. Marin and Tezuka, the friends that Erika’s so desperate to impress, make me question Erika’s judgment. When Erika introduces Kyoya as her boyfriend, her friends respond by trying to publicly humiliate them in the cafeteria. Later, when another boy asks to speak with Erika, the two girls immediately blab to Kyoya, “Erika’s cheating on you!” In Chapter 3’s double date, Marin not only demonstrates a crazy temper, but she’s also physically and verbally abusive toward her boyfriend. Meanwhile, Tezuka’s apparently dating a grown adult.

With upstanding friends like these, who needs enemies?

As far as Kyoya goes, Erika describes him as having a “heart of coal,” but he’s actually fair, if a bit twisted. Erika is in a mess of her own making; he offers a solution but prices it accordingly. Given the amount of trouble the pretend relationship causes, he’s actually reasonable. Yes, he’s rude and sharp-tongued and makes fun of Erika when they’re alone, but he doesn’t extort money or sexual favors. Of course, his mockery of Erika and his cynical attitude toward women and romance has to be rooted in something, and unraveling that past will play into their relational arc.

As far as the comedy part of the story goes, much of the humor comes from Erika’s vain thoughtlessness and Erika and Kyoya’s biting exchanges. Some laughs also come from the antics of Erika’s clique. In general, jokes trend toward the mean-spirited end of the spectrum.

Extras include the author’s foreword and afterword. There are no translation notes, but translation notes would’ve been handy for cultural references such as the Okinawa souvenirs and Doraemon.

In Summary

Wolf Girl and Black Prince is definitely not the type of story where everyone’s their most authentic self and supportive of one another. Rather, it’s the opposite. As this is an enemies-to-lovers story, the contentious pretend couple will eventually swing toward genuine affection, but in the meantime, you have to put up with the ridiculous facade the main character’s so desperate to maintain before her so-called friends.

First published at the Fandom Post.