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Peach Boy Riverside #1
Peach Boy Riverside, Vol. 1
Saltherine, princess of the Kingdom of Aldarake, dreams of traveling the world…a dangerous dream in a land where monsters roam the countryside! A chance meeting with a wanderer named Mikoto gives her hope that she might still find excitement in her life. But then she discovers the wanderer’s true Momotaro the Peach Boy, demon slayer of legend! Though terrified by his bloody profession, Sally feels driven to follow Momotaro and learn more. But is this curiosity, or a magical connection that goes deeper than either of them realize…?
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 17, 2016
5 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
coolkyousinnjya
135 books102 followersCOOL Kyoushinja
Name (in native language): クール教信者
Associated Names:
Cool Kyou Sinnjya
COOL Kyoushinsha
Coolkyou Shinja
Coolkyou Shinjya
Coolkyoushinja
Cool-kyou Shinja
Zodiac: Cancer
Blood Type: B
Pixiv: クール教信者@新都社
Name (in native language): クール教信者
Associated Names:
Cool Kyou Sinnjya
COOL Kyoushinsha
Coolkyou Shinja
Coolkyou Shinjya
Coolkyoushinja
Cool-kyou Shinja
Zodiac: Cancer
Blood Type: B
Pixiv: クール教信者@新都社
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
September 4, 2021
3.5 ~4 stars
So I saw a few weeks back, in search of my next anime fix that a new one named 'Peach Boy Riverside' was streaming. Its name and set-up didn't sound that unique or different from other seinen though. So I shelfed it for later. Imagine my surprise when I found Netgalley was offering the volume 1 of its manga for review. Coincidence? I think not. Safe to say I clicked to request. I mean whom am I to fight with fate.
First things first, I didn't know but it is a retelling of Japanese folklore "Momotaro'. Hence the name Peach Boy. I didn't know much about that tale but it doesn't matter. It doesn't take away from the experience of the manga. The only thing I am irked about is a few pages where they regaled that story was missing from my copy.
Since I went into it pretty much blank, it made for a pretty entertaining experience. Our peach boy, Mikoto is a lone traveller, an ogre killing machine, who moves on to kill more on his way. The thing making him apart from other heroes is his bloodthirsty lust for killing more monsters. Not much other than that is known or told about his character. I think their goal was to make him seem mysterious but cuz of this, he seems 2-D. Here's to hoping that change in the next volumes.
Princess Saltherine Aldarake or ex-princess Sally was an aspiring traveller, who after a brief brush-up with Mikoto decided to finally take the next steps towards her own adventure, picking up a harefolk demi-human, Frau-chan on the way. But of course she's not all she looks on the surface.
The pace and action of the story was good. My favourite was Frau-chan. She looks cute like a rabbit but can kill and fight like a savage.
I will definitely read the next volume. Or just switch on the anime version.
So I saw a few weeks back, in search of my next anime fix that a new one named 'Peach Boy Riverside' was streaming. Its name and set-up didn't sound that unique or different from other seinen though. So I shelfed it for later. Imagine my surprise when I found Netgalley was offering the volume 1 of its manga for review. Coincidence? I think not. Safe to say I clicked to request. I mean whom am I to fight with fate.
First things first, I didn't know but it is a retelling of Japanese folklore "Momotaro'. Hence the name Peach Boy. I didn't know much about that tale but it doesn't matter. It doesn't take away from the experience of the manga. The only thing I am irked about is a few pages where they regaled that story was missing from my copy.
Since I went into it pretty much blank, it made for a pretty entertaining experience. Our peach boy, Mikoto is a lone traveller, an ogre killing machine, who moves on to kill more on his way. The thing making him apart from other heroes is his bloodthirsty lust for killing more monsters. Not much other than that is known or told about his character. I think their goal was to make him seem mysterious but cuz of this, he seems 2-D. Here's to hoping that change in the next volumes.
Princess Saltherine Aldarake or ex-princess Sally was an aspiring traveller, who after a brief brush-up with Mikoto decided to finally take the next steps towards her own adventure, picking up a harefolk demi-human, Frau-chan on the way. But of course she's not all she looks on the surface.
The pace and action of the story was good. My favourite was Frau-chan. She looks cute like a rabbit but can kill and fight like a savage.
I will definitely read the next volume. Or just switch on the anime version.
August 21, 2021
Once there was a boy who was born from a peach and he fought some ogres. A classic of Japanese folklore, somebody is probably mouth agape in their grave wondering how said story went from that to this.
I had absolutely no expectations for this book going in, having seen stills of the anime and raised a disinterested eyebrow at what was on offer there. And this book sure features some bloodthirsty characters. And some ogres.
By the time a literal bunny girl in a sailor suit shows up, you can assume this book has the internal consistency of a dormitory cafeteria on chimichanga night. Still, I give this book a lot of credit for not even pretending to care about this fashion choice - don’t excuse, just roll with it!
So I liked this, actually, and it was kind of a fun bit of shonen. It treats the peach boy legend with about as much respect as Evangelion manages to do with Christianity, so fair play to spreading the love there. And I really don’t know squat about the legend and I still enjoyed it.
The titular peach boy is currently the object of pursuit from some of our other leads and we see him doing precious little except killing ogres and enjoying the hell out of it. I have to imagine that he’ll get a little more fleshing out later.
Our main entry point to this world, as a consequence, is actually Princess Sally, who encounters our boy and sees his somewhat alarming zeal for ogre offing. I do like that she kind of gets traumatized by this, but is able to overcome and use it to push herself forward on a journey.
Sally’s actually part of why this book works for me - she’s determined and not stupid, perhaps a little naive, and turns out to be a real positive force when the chips are down. I like the way that what originally looks like some serious PTSD ends up being something far different.
The other part is Frau, the aforementioned bunny girl. Initially a walking advertisement for getting enough beta carotene, she ends up being used as part of an examination of discrimination that might not break any new ground, but was a lot better than just casting her as, say, a bit of fluff (sorry) with no point.
Toss in a couple of decent fights and some violence and a random smattering of danger with some occasional humour and you have something that isn’t particularly novel but didn’t feel like a waste of time either. It’s fantasy trappings are done well enough (minus an inexplicable wardrobe), it treats its leads with respect, and can balance its action with some not unwelcome morality.
3 stars, possibly 3.5 depending on what part of the book I’m thinking about. I suspect I’ll read more of this - it’s low watt shonen that doesn’t especially excel but also doesn’t turn into a slog either, making for a nice, even ride. Sometimes a little consistency is all you need.
I had absolutely no expectations for this book going in, having seen stills of the anime and raised a disinterested eyebrow at what was on offer there. And this book sure features some bloodthirsty characters. And some ogres.
By the time a literal bunny girl in a sailor suit shows up, you can assume this book has the internal consistency of a dormitory cafeteria on chimichanga night. Still, I give this book a lot of credit for not even pretending to care about this fashion choice - don’t excuse, just roll with it!
So I liked this, actually, and it was kind of a fun bit of shonen. It treats the peach boy legend with about as much respect as Evangelion manages to do with Christianity, so fair play to spreading the love there. And I really don’t know squat about the legend and I still enjoyed it.
The titular peach boy is currently the object of pursuit from some of our other leads and we see him doing precious little except killing ogres and enjoying the hell out of it. I have to imagine that he’ll get a little more fleshing out later.
Our main entry point to this world, as a consequence, is actually Princess Sally, who encounters our boy and sees his somewhat alarming zeal for ogre offing. I do like that she kind of gets traumatized by this, but is able to overcome and use it to push herself forward on a journey.
Sally’s actually part of why this book works for me - she’s determined and not stupid, perhaps a little naive, and turns out to be a real positive force when the chips are down. I like the way that what originally looks like some serious PTSD ends up being something far different.
The other part is Frau, the aforementioned bunny girl. Initially a walking advertisement for getting enough beta carotene, she ends up being used as part of an examination of discrimination that might not break any new ground, but was a lot better than just casting her as, say, a bit of fluff (sorry) with no point.
Toss in a couple of decent fights and some violence and a random smattering of danger with some occasional humour and you have something that isn’t particularly novel but didn’t feel like a waste of time either. It’s fantasy trappings are done well enough (minus an inexplicable wardrobe), it treats its leads with respect, and can balance its action with some not unwelcome morality.
3 stars, possibly 3.5 depending on what part of the book I’m thinking about. I suspect I’ll read more of this - it’s low watt shonen that doesn’t especially excel but also doesn’t turn into a slog either, making for a nice, even ride. Sometimes a little consistency is all you need.
August 21, 2021
Firstly, I would like to thank Netgalley and Kodansha for providing me with an e-arc of the book. This review is based on my personal opinion and enjoyment of the book.
Rating: 3.8/5 stars
The story follows princess of Kingdom of Aldarake, Princess Saltherine (Sally) who wants to travel the world outside of her palace with the high walls surrounded her kingdom. This is because monsters and ogres roamed outside of the kingdom so the high walls acted as barrier and protection to the place. But she encountered a traveler named Mikoto by chance when she was on a run from palace guards and unexpectedly witnessed this traveler slayed ogres in front of her. Turned out Mikoto is a demon slayer with amazing ability known as Momotaro . However, instead of feels terrified by the gore scene of ogres being slayed, she found the strength to step out of the palace to pursue the journey of travelling the world and find the mysterious boy.
This is an interesting mix of fantasy with classic folklore. Momotaro, a japanese folklore of a boy born from peach found by an elderly couple. The settings of this story is in old era of the past which have similar vibes to Attack on Titan but less subtle and less gore. We have diverse creatures, ogres, monsters and demi-humans which appeared during Sally's journey.
So far, the story is building into an epic adventure but for now, in this volume we didn't get much information about the world building. The characters are a mixed bag to me. I think Sally is an independent character, she's not afraid of anything, she's resourceful despite living in the castle her whole life , also she's very helpful to others. She help Frau, a demi-human with a rabbit head and Frau is such a loyal creature. Her loyalty to Sally is everything, she's definitely my favourite character. Mikoto is obviously very strong and well known as a demon slayer as most monsters are afraid of him but we didn't get to see of him much so there are still so may questions on his background and his traits as a character.
The storyline moved fast and we get to see the village outside of the palace. The story is packed with action and fight scenes. However, so many things are still left unanswered and this is because its first volume so we are still not familiar with the world yet, why there are monsters, why human hates demi-human so much, how does Momotaro's power works? Also, at the end of this volume there is a twist and its definitely gets interesting so I'm looking forward to read the next installment.
Highly recommended to those who enjoy action-packed manga
Rating: 3.8/5 stars
The story follows princess of Kingdom of Aldarake, Princess Saltherine (Sally) who wants to travel the world outside of her palace with the high walls surrounded her kingdom. This is because monsters and ogres roamed outside of the kingdom so the high walls acted as barrier and protection to the place. But she encountered a traveler named Mikoto by chance when she was on a run from palace guards and unexpectedly witnessed this traveler slayed ogres in front of her. Turned out Mikoto is a demon slayer with amazing ability known as Momotaro . However, instead of feels terrified by the gore scene of ogres being slayed, she found the strength to step out of the palace to pursue the journey of travelling the world and find the mysterious boy.
This is an interesting mix of fantasy with classic folklore. Momotaro, a japanese folklore of a boy born from peach found by an elderly couple. The settings of this story is in old era of the past which have similar vibes to Attack on Titan but less subtle and less gore. We have diverse creatures, ogres, monsters and demi-humans which appeared during Sally's journey.
So far, the story is building into an epic adventure but for now, in this volume we didn't get much information about the world building. The characters are a mixed bag to me. I think Sally is an independent character, she's not afraid of anything, she's resourceful despite living in the castle her whole life , also she's very helpful to others. She help Frau, a demi-human with a rabbit head and Frau is such a loyal creature. Her loyalty to Sally is everything, she's definitely my favourite character. Mikoto is obviously very strong and well known as a demon slayer as most monsters are afraid of him but we didn't get to see of him much so there are still so may questions on his background and his traits as a character.
The storyline moved fast and we get to see the village outside of the palace. The story is packed with action and fight scenes. However, so many things are still left unanswered and this is because its first volume so we are still not familiar with the world yet, why there are monsters, why human hates demi-human so much, how does Momotaro's power works? Also, at the end of this volume there is a twist and its definitely gets interesting so I'm looking forward to read the next installment.
Highly recommended to those who enjoy action-packed manga
August 16, 2021
This is such a weird, random story. I'm not certain entirely what is going on. I feel like maybe a page or two was missing or just the translation was slightly off because there were two cases where the story felt like it jumped oddly during some action scenes when exposition was being given, and we missed something. Pages 46-47 especially felt like there was a whole page or two just completely gone.
That being said, this is an interesting set-up. It's your classic story of humans in a fantasy-esque world beset by monsters that hate them, and there's a ton of xenophobia between the monsters and the humans. The main character wants to explore the world and meet new people, and a foreign traveler arrives at her city to kinda spark her eventual journey. So, nothing unique, but I like the princess's character a lot. She has a lot of agency and is very willing to work hard to get where she wants. She's caring and sweet and snarky.
Shoutout to the king for being the father every adventurous woman/girl needs. More fantasy stories need dads, and parents, who are there to encourage their children's dreams.
I have questions regarding the powers of the "Peach Boy" or whatever it's called because, again, I feel like things were left out or not explained well--not sure if pages are gone or things weren't translated correctly--because certain plot points were super confusing and sudden. They make the story interesting, but I wish I had more context.
All-in-all, an enjoyable first book in a new series that shows a lot of promise.
That being said, this is an interesting set-up. It's your classic story of humans in a fantasy-esque world beset by monsters that hate them, and there's a ton of xenophobia between the monsters and the humans. The main character wants to explore the world and meet new people, and a foreign traveler arrives at her city to kinda spark her eventual journey. So, nothing unique, but I like the princess's character a lot. She has a lot of agency and is very willing to work hard to get where she wants. She's caring and sweet and snarky.
Shoutout to the king for being the father every adventurous woman/girl needs. More fantasy stories need dads, and parents, who are there to encourage their children's dreams.
I have questions regarding the powers of the "Peach Boy" or whatever it's called because, again, I feel like things were left out or not explained well--not sure if pages are gone or things weren't translated correctly--because certain plot points were super confusing and sudden. They make the story interesting, but I wish I had more context.
All-in-all, an enjoyable first book in a new series that shows a lot of promise.
August 14, 2021
(TW:- Violence,Blood)
Genre:- Adventure, Fantasy
Thank you to NetGalley & Kodansha for the e-arc of this manga.
Artstyle:- 5/5 ⭐️
Plot:- 4/5 ⭐️
Characters:- 5/5 ⭐️
Overall Rate:- 4.5/5 ⭐️
Peach Boy Riverside is a new piece from the creator of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid (the anime is available on Netflix). The settings of the manga takes off from the Japanese folklore, Momotaro who is a popular hero that defeat bunch of oni (demons/ogres).Momotaro is a boy borned from a peach that found by an elderly couples.
The manga features Princess Saltherine (Sally) of a kingdom called Kingdom Aldarake. Sally always yearn for adventure outside of her kingdom walls as she feels her village is boring till one day, she met a traveller named Mikoto while on a run from her palace guards. She assume Mikoto is a friendly and weak traveller but little did she know, Mikoto is actually a great demon slayer until Mikoto chopped off all the oni that trying to invade Kingdom Aldarake. From that incident, she made up her mind and set off for an adventure, exploring the world with her new demi-human friend (Frau).
What I love about this manga are the artstyle and the plot. I love how it is relating the story to the Japanese folklore, Momotaro. No wonder the title is Peach Boy, I didn’t see it coming actually. At first you’ll find it confusing on the weird title and weird character name but towards the end you kind of understand why the title is like that as it relates to Momotaro. Somehow I also feel it kind of smiliar with Attack on Titan but much more more lighter than AOT. AOT is very dark, gory and lots of violence but as for Peach Boy here, it have humour and more positive. I am lloking forward to read Volume 2 and ride in adventure with Sally and her friend. I also the twist at the end of the volume too 🤪.
If you like adventure, fantasy and a bit gory manga, this is the one for you.
Genre:- Adventure, Fantasy
Thank you to NetGalley & Kodansha for the e-arc of this manga.
Artstyle:- 5/5 ⭐️
Plot:- 4/5 ⭐️
Characters:- 5/5 ⭐️
Overall Rate:- 4.5/5 ⭐️
Peach Boy Riverside is a new piece from the creator of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid (the anime is available on Netflix). The settings of the manga takes off from the Japanese folklore, Momotaro who is a popular hero that defeat bunch of oni (demons/ogres).Momotaro is a boy borned from a peach that found by an elderly couples.
The manga features Princess Saltherine (Sally) of a kingdom called Kingdom Aldarake. Sally always yearn for adventure outside of her kingdom walls as she feels her village is boring till one day, she met a traveller named Mikoto while on a run from her palace guards. She assume Mikoto is a friendly and weak traveller but little did she know, Mikoto is actually a great demon slayer until Mikoto chopped off all the oni that trying to invade Kingdom Aldarake. From that incident, she made up her mind and set off for an adventure, exploring the world with her new demi-human friend (Frau).
What I love about this manga are the artstyle and the plot. I love how it is relating the story to the Japanese folklore, Momotaro. No wonder the title is Peach Boy, I didn’t see it coming actually. At first you’ll find it confusing on the weird title and weird character name but towards the end you kind of understand why the title is like that as it relates to Momotaro. Somehow I also feel it kind of smiliar with Attack on Titan but much more more lighter than AOT. AOT is very dark, gory and lots of violence but as for Peach Boy here, it have humour and more positive. I am lloking forward to read Volume 2 and ride in adventure with Sally and her friend. I also the twist at the end of the volume too 🤪.
If you like adventure, fantasy and a bit gory manga, this is the one for you.
August 26, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Coolkyousinnjya for the opportunity to read this manga in exchange for an honest review.
This manga wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was certainly interesting.
Sally, a princess, just wants to go on an adventure. When she meets someone after running away from the palace, she soon finds out that he is Momotaro the Peach Boy, a demon slayer of legend. After he slays a bunch of ogres, Sally isn't sure she is cut out for the violence. After some resolve, she cuts of her heir and follows in his footsteps, going out on an adventure and trying to seek him again.
The second part of the story has Sally encounter Frau, a demihuman rabbit girl. Apparently demihumans are seen as the enemy, just like other monsters, but Frau is different. She is kind and fights for her new human friend, Sally. Sally still wants to find the Peach Boy again, and in the process, learns she might be a demon slayer in her own right.
This was an interesting and fun manga. Those into the demon-slayer genre may find enjoyment out of this one. The world is interesting and seems that it will have a lot more depth to its politics and conflicts as the story progresses.
This manga wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was certainly interesting.
Sally, a princess, just wants to go on an adventure. When she meets someone after running away from the palace, she soon finds out that he is Momotaro the Peach Boy, a demon slayer of legend. After he slays a bunch of ogres, Sally isn't sure she is cut out for the violence. After some resolve, she cuts of her heir and follows in his footsteps, going out on an adventure and trying to seek him again.
The second part of the story has Sally encounter Frau, a demihuman rabbit girl. Apparently demihumans are seen as the enemy, just like other monsters, but Frau is different. She is kind and fights for her new human friend, Sally. Sally still wants to find the Peach Boy again, and in the process, learns she might be a demon slayer in her own right.
This was an interesting and fun manga. Those into the demon-slayer genre may find enjoyment out of this one. The world is interesting and seems that it will have a lot more depth to its politics and conflicts as the story progresses.
July 10, 2024
So, this is okay?
At its heart, this is a fairly straightforward story about monsters and the warriors that fight them. What makes this story somewhat unique is how it reimagines the classic Japanese tale of Momotaro.
Personally, I’m not super drawn to these very simple, basic shonen-type stories.
I appreciate a story that has a bit more substance or thoughtfulness. This first volume introduces a story that seems designed just to revolve around intense match-ups and supernatural battle prowess—which is fine. But, it’s also a kind of story that really saturates the genre.
I will say that the art style is very crisp and sharp—the fight scenes are especially well-illustrated. There’s a lot of dynamism and movement captured in the art. That said, I do think the designs for the female characters (particularly the main character) are a bit too overly-sexualized. I know it’s practically a genre convention at this point—but, come on? Could’ve done without that.
Anyway. If you enjoy most battle-focused shonen, you’ll probably enjoy this series~
At its heart, this is a fairly straightforward story about monsters and the warriors that fight them. What makes this story somewhat unique is how it reimagines the classic Japanese tale of Momotaro.
Personally, I’m not super drawn to these very simple, basic shonen-type stories.
I appreciate a story that has a bit more substance or thoughtfulness. This first volume introduces a story that seems designed just to revolve around intense match-ups and supernatural battle prowess—which is fine. But, it’s also a kind of story that really saturates the genre.
I will say that the art style is very crisp and sharp—the fight scenes are especially well-illustrated. There’s a lot of dynamism and movement captured in the art. That said, I do think the designs for the female characters (particularly the main character) are a bit too overly-sexualized. I know it’s practically a genre convention at this point—but, come on? Could’ve done without that.
Anyway. If you enjoy most battle-focused shonen, you’ll probably enjoy this series~
read-comic-manga-gn
February 12, 2022ARC provided in exchange of an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher
Both the story and the characters from the book were intriguing; I didn't quite know what to expect from the story but I was happy with what I got, since it was a very entertaining read. It was a bit confusing at first, maybe even weak, mainly because not much was explained, but that could be due to it being the first volume. It also made the book look a bit weak and stereotypical, but I'm glad it changed.
Our two main characters are Saltherine and Momotaro. I have to admit that Saltherine seemed a bit vain at first but I wanted to see her go out and start her adventure, and especially meet Momotaro, who is a very mysterious and intriguing character. Their interactions are not what I expected and I want to see what's next for them.
The art style was cool but I hated how the female characters were drawn. Why must they all look like that?
I found out after finishing this that it was inspired from Japanese folklore, which makes me more curious now to continue.
Both the story and the characters from the book were intriguing; I didn't quite know what to expect from the story but I was happy with what I got, since it was a very entertaining read. It was a bit confusing at first, maybe even weak, mainly because not much was explained, but that could be due to it being the first volume. It also made the book look a bit weak and stereotypical, but I'm glad it changed.
Our two main characters are Saltherine and Momotaro. I have to admit that Saltherine seemed a bit vain at first but I wanted to see her go out and start her adventure, and especially meet Momotaro, who is a very mysterious and intriguing character. Their interactions are not what I expected and I want to see what's next for them.
The art style was cool but I hated how the female characters were drawn. Why must they all look like that?
I found out after finishing this that it was inspired from Japanese folklore, which makes me more curious now to continue.
August 30, 2021
I was confused at it at first but as the story progressed,the more I found myself enjoying it. I think this story has a great potential and the unanswered questions it left us concerning the main character and traveller boy and his dog made me more curious to find out what's coming next. That cliffhanger at the end gave me aot,tokyo ghoul etc vibes which oof I'm so down for! Frankly, I think this story can turn into a pretty good anime so someone please make it happen
September 5, 2021
I think the beginning of the manga was kind of weak for me because it didn't fully convince me at all, We are just starting to follow these two main characters who are the opposite from each other, but there is something that is connecting them together. The black-haired boy comes to this kingdom to defeat the monsters and ends up befriending the princess while she was trying to run off. She wants to go on adventures and she decides that she will him, but that doesn't really happen when she ends up fainting after seeing the corpses of the monsters. I think that as the volumes continue to be out, the more I will be interested in the characters. I wanna see what this peach thing is in the book since I am super confused at the moment.
August 5, 2021
I am slightly confused by the plot so far, but looking forward to more. Especially Frau.
August 13, 2021
DNF at page 93
August 30, 2021
I'm currently watching the anime and I am loving the manga! I love the plot, characters, magic, world and the art style.
February 13, 2025
Mikoto is such a cool character and at first I thought he was a girl but I made a mistake haha however I love how his eyes turn into hearts when he's going to kill and ogre 😁
March 25, 2023
I really enjoyed the first volume in Peach Boy Riverside, Vol. 1, and look forward to reading the rest of the series when it arrives for the North American market!
The manga takes inspiration from the Japanese legend "Momotaro", a Thumbelina-esque story about a boy born from a peach that an elderly couple find washed up via nearby river. A popular hero in Japanese folklore, Momotaro famously defeated a band of Oni (demons/ogres) along with some animal companions he met along the way.
The main character of this story, Saltherine (or, more easily, Sally), is a princess who yearns for adventure outside the fortified palace walls she lives within. While this is a fairly common trope, I thought Sally was adorably earnest in her desire to experience literally anything outside the norm. Everyone in the kingdom is fond of her jailbreak shenanigans, from the guards to the King himself .
The change she craves comes when she welcomes Mikoto, a young traveler, into the palace. Mikoto is actually the legendary demon slayer Momotaro, a friendly unassuming youth- until he starts chopping through invading Ogres like butter. Mikoto, with a slightly psychotic look, tells the reader her now enjoys monster slaying "a little too much".
After he leaves, Sally decides to finally make her way out into the world, complete with a dramatic haircut à la Mulan.
Right off the bat, she meets Frau, a rabbit demi-human (and finds out most villagers consider demi-humans on the same level as ogres and other monsters), who becomes her loyal travelling companion. Other cool sh!t happens, which I won't spoil, but Volume 1 ends with the important question- what if Momotaro wasn't the only peach child blessed with awesome monster-slaying powers?
The thing I like about this manga is that it has a lot of similar elements as say, Attack on Titan, Vol. 1, but it's much lighter and more positive- which makes it way more accessible to different ages. As a bookseller, I appreciate that- Attack on Titan has cool things like ogre-like Titans and killing monsters, but obviously it's very dark and gory. This gives you that same action, but with more humour and optimism.
I can't wait for Volume 2- there's so much more to learn! The creator has introduced a lot of interesting concepts that hopefully will be explored in future volumes. I also want to see more Frau and Hawthorn, as well as learn about the hierarchy of Ogres, etc.
My only gripe is Sally's design- she has the stereotypical overly large, super distracting boobage thing going on/chest area, which for me is just like...
The manga takes inspiration from the Japanese legend "Momotaro", a Thumbelina-esque story about a boy born from a peach that an elderly couple find washed up via nearby river. A popular hero in Japanese folklore, Momotaro famously defeated a band of Oni (demons/ogres) along with some animal companions he met along the way.
The main character of this story, Saltherine (or, more easily, Sally), is a princess who yearns for adventure outside the fortified palace walls she lives within. While this is a fairly common trope, I thought Sally was adorably earnest in her desire to experience literally anything outside the norm. Everyone in the kingdom is fond of her jailbreak shenanigans, from the guards to the King himself .
The change she craves comes when she welcomes Mikoto, a young traveler, into the palace. Mikoto is actually the legendary demon slayer Momotaro, a friendly unassuming youth- until he starts chopping through invading Ogres like butter. Mikoto, with a slightly psychotic look, tells the reader her now enjoys monster slaying "a little too much".
After he leaves, Sally decides to finally make her way out into the world, complete with a dramatic haircut à la Mulan.
Right off the bat, she meets Frau, a rabbit demi-human (and finds out most villagers consider demi-humans on the same level as ogres and other monsters), who becomes her loyal travelling companion. Other cool sh!t happens, which I won't spoil, but Volume 1 ends with the important question- what if Momotaro wasn't the only peach child blessed with awesome monster-slaying powers?
The thing I like about this manga is that it has a lot of similar elements as say, Attack on Titan, Vol. 1, but it's much lighter and more positive- which makes it way more accessible to different ages. As a bookseller, I appreciate that- Attack on Titan has cool things like ogre-like Titans and killing monsters, but obviously it's very dark and gory. This gives you that same action, but with more humour and optimism.
I can't wait for Volume 2- there's so much more to learn! The creator has introduced a lot of interesting concepts that hopefully will be explored in future volumes. I also want to see more Frau and Hawthorn, as well as learn about the hierarchy of Ogres, etc.
My only gripe is Sally's design- she has the stereotypical overly large, super distracting boobage thing going on/chest area, which for me is just like...
November 10, 2022
Many of you will be familiar with the story of Momotarou, the Peach Boy. “Hatched” from a giant peach by a childless couple, he was raised by them. When he came of age, Momotarou set out to defeat the oni (demons/ogres) that were oppressing the land. With the aid of a dog, bird and monkey he befriended, the peach boy was able to find the island where the oni lived and wipe them out, giving their treasure to his beloved adoptive parents. This story presents a slightly different series of events.
Saltharine, princess of the relatively peaceful kingdom of Aldarake, is bored. She wants to go out and see the world, or at least beyond the castle town gates. During one of her attempts to shake off her guards, Saltharine meets a wanderer named Mikoto. Anxious to hear more about the outside world, Saltharine invites Mikoto to the palace, not realizing the visitor is not a flat-chested girl, but a feminine-looking boy.
Despite his frail appearance, Mikoto perks up when the kingdom is threatened by a small army of oni. He was, in fact, here anticipating their next strike. Mikoto turns out to be Momotarou, or perhaps that’s a Momotarou. He makes quick work of the army, which both terrifies and excites Saltharine. His work done, Mikoto and his dog leave.
A month later, the princess has made up her mind to follow Mikoto and learn more about him and the world. She chops her hair short, adopts practical traveling garb, and goes by “Sally.” Soon, she runs across a “harefolk” (humanoid with a rabbit head) named Frau who has collapsed from hunger. Sally feeds Frau, and earns a friend. This friendship is not appreciated by the next human village they come to, as humans are bigoted against demihumans and in most cases the feeling is reciprocated.
Frau proves to be a formidable warrior in her own right, and saves the village from a monster. That gets the pair arrested by the Knights of Rimdarl, but after a night in gaol, it’s established they’re the good guys and released by knight Hawthorn Grattor, who they guilt into a free meal.
Just in time for Rimdarl to get attacked by more oni, the strongest ones yet! All seems lost until Sally turns out to have her own secret…
This story was originally a webcomic by Coolkyousinnjya, which was popular enough to be turned into a manga with the art redone by Johanne. (Presumably these are both pen names.) It was also adapted as a short anime which didn’t do too well, at least partially because it was done in an anachronic episode order. The first volume also has a short “prequel” chapter entirely by the original creator in which Mikoto and Dog decide to leave their homeland.
The series takes some elements from Japanese folklore and drops them into a “generic” medieval European fantasy setting. Don’t expect any deep dives into how the geography or economy work. The most intriguing idea is that “peach boy” isn’t a one-off hero name, but a category of beings that have special abilities for fighting ogres and demons. However, it seems that those powers only awaken when fighting that kind of opponent, which allows the less impressive members of the party to remain relevant, as sometimes you’re fighting ordinary human bandits.
The writing is so-so in this first volume; perhaps it picks up as it goes along.
Content note: gory violence, fantastic racism.
I can see where this might have grabbed me at a much younger age, but I’m not feeling it. Recommended to fantasy-loving teens.
Saltharine, princess of the relatively peaceful kingdom of Aldarake, is bored. She wants to go out and see the world, or at least beyond the castle town gates. During one of her attempts to shake off her guards, Saltharine meets a wanderer named Mikoto. Anxious to hear more about the outside world, Saltharine invites Mikoto to the palace, not realizing the visitor is not a flat-chested girl, but a feminine-looking boy.
Despite his frail appearance, Mikoto perks up when the kingdom is threatened by a small army of oni. He was, in fact, here anticipating their next strike. Mikoto turns out to be Momotarou, or perhaps that’s a Momotarou. He makes quick work of the army, which both terrifies and excites Saltharine. His work done, Mikoto and his dog leave.
A month later, the princess has made up her mind to follow Mikoto and learn more about him and the world. She chops her hair short, adopts practical traveling garb, and goes by “Sally.” Soon, she runs across a “harefolk” (humanoid with a rabbit head) named Frau who has collapsed from hunger. Sally feeds Frau, and earns a friend. This friendship is not appreciated by the next human village they come to, as humans are bigoted against demihumans and in most cases the feeling is reciprocated.
Frau proves to be a formidable warrior in her own right, and saves the village from a monster. That gets the pair arrested by the Knights of Rimdarl, but after a night in gaol, it’s established they’re the good guys and released by knight Hawthorn Grattor, who they guilt into a free meal.
Just in time for Rimdarl to get attacked by more oni, the strongest ones yet! All seems lost until Sally turns out to have her own secret…
This story was originally a webcomic by Coolkyousinnjya, which was popular enough to be turned into a manga with the art redone by Johanne. (Presumably these are both pen names.) It was also adapted as a short anime which didn’t do too well, at least partially because it was done in an anachronic episode order. The first volume also has a short “prequel” chapter entirely by the original creator in which Mikoto and Dog decide to leave their homeland.
The series takes some elements from Japanese folklore and drops them into a “generic” medieval European fantasy setting. Don’t expect any deep dives into how the geography or economy work. The most intriguing idea is that “peach boy” isn’t a one-off hero name, but a category of beings that have special abilities for fighting ogres and demons. However, it seems that those powers only awaken when fighting that kind of opponent, which allows the less impressive members of the party to remain relevant, as sometimes you’re fighting ordinary human bandits.
The writing is so-so in this first volume; perhaps it picks up as it goes along.
Content note: gory violence, fantastic racism.
I can see where this might have grabbed me at a much younger age, but I’m not feeling it. Recommended to fantasy-loving teens.
August 21, 2021
Firstly, I would like to thank Netgalley and Kodansha for providing me with an e-arc of the book.
This review is based on my personal opinion and enjoyment of the book.
Rating: 3.8/5 stars
The story follows princess of Kingdom of Aldarake, Princess Saltherine (Sally) who wants to travel the world outside of her palace with the high walls surrounded her kingdom. This is because monsters and ogres roamed outside of the kingdom so the high walls acted as barrier and protection to the place. But she encountered a traveler named Mikoto by chance when she was on a run from palace guards and unexpectedly witnessed this traveler slayed ogres in front of her. Turned out Mikoto is a demon slayer with amazing ability known as Momotaro . However, instead of feels terrified by the gore scene of ogres being slayed, she found the strength to step out of the palace to pursue the journey of travelling the world and find the mysterious boy.
This is an interesting mix of fantasy with classic folklore. Momotaro, a japanese folklore of a boy born from peach found by an elderly couple. The settings of this story is in old era of the past which have similar vibes to Attack on Titan but less subtle and less gore. We have diverse creatures, ogres, monsters and demi-humans which appeared during Sally's journey. So far, the story is building into an epic adventure but for now, in this volume we didn't get much information about the world building.
The characters are a mixed bag to me. I think Sally is an independent character, she's not afraid of anything, she's resourceful despite living in the castle her whole life , also she's very helpful to others. She help Frau, a demi-human with a rabbit head and Frau is such a loyal creature. Her loyalty to Sally is everything, she's definitely my favourite character. Mikoto is obviously very strong and well known as a demon slayer as most monsters are afraid of him but we didn't get to see of him much so there are still so may questions on his background and his traits as a character.
The storyline moved fast and we get to see the village outside of the palace. The story is packed with action and fight scenes. However, so many things are still left unanswered and this is because its first volume so we are still not familiar with the world yet, why there are monsters, why human hates demi-human so much, how does Momotaro's power works?
Also, at the end of this volume there is a twist and its definitely gets interesting so I'm looking forward to read the next installment. Highly recommended to those who enjoy action-packed manga
This review is based on my personal opinion and enjoyment of the book.
Rating: 3.8/5 stars
The story follows princess of Kingdom of Aldarake, Princess Saltherine (Sally) who wants to travel the world outside of her palace with the high walls surrounded her kingdom. This is because monsters and ogres roamed outside of the kingdom so the high walls acted as barrier and protection to the place. But she encountered a traveler named Mikoto by chance when she was on a run from palace guards and unexpectedly witnessed this traveler slayed ogres in front of her. Turned out Mikoto is a demon slayer with amazing ability known as Momotaro . However, instead of feels terrified by the gore scene of ogres being slayed, she found the strength to step out of the palace to pursue the journey of travelling the world and find the mysterious boy.
This is an interesting mix of fantasy with classic folklore. Momotaro, a japanese folklore of a boy born from peach found by an elderly couple. The settings of this story is in old era of the past which have similar vibes to Attack on Titan but less subtle and less gore. We have diverse creatures, ogres, monsters and demi-humans which appeared during Sally's journey. So far, the story is building into an epic adventure but for now, in this volume we didn't get much information about the world building.
The characters are a mixed bag to me. I think Sally is an independent character, she's not afraid of anything, she's resourceful despite living in the castle her whole life , also she's very helpful to others. She help Frau, a demi-human with a rabbit head and Frau is such a loyal creature. Her loyalty to Sally is everything, she's definitely my favourite character. Mikoto is obviously very strong and well known as a demon slayer as most monsters are afraid of him but we didn't get to see of him much so there are still so may questions on his background and his traits as a character.
The storyline moved fast and we get to see the village outside of the palace. The story is packed with action and fight scenes. However, so many things are still left unanswered and this is because its first volume so we are still not familiar with the world yet, why there are monsters, why human hates demi-human so much, how does Momotaro's power works?
Also, at the end of this volume there is a twist and its definitely gets interesting so I'm looking forward to read the next installment. Highly recommended to those who enjoy action-packed manga
August 30, 2021
Peach Boy Riverside, Vol. 1 is the start of a new series, written by coolkyousinnjya and illustrated by Johanne. It's also one of the odder and more entertaining series I've read recently, with several surprises mixed in.
Sartrienne Aldriac is a princess who desperately wants to get out of her kingdom and explore the world. She almost got her chance when a bunch of monsters came to destroy her kingdom, as her father would rather she run than face what was to come.
Instead of losing her family and kingdom, she watched as an odd sort of hero stepped up to face the monsters. Only, Momomtaro may not have the most altruistic intentions in mind.
Peach Boy Riverside, Vol. 1 is not a series afraid of gore – I can tell you that much. Part of the premise (or so it felt to me) was the line between hero and monster. The hero in this tale revels in all things blood and gore – though thankfully, he keeps his bloodlust focused on monsters (for the moment).
This tale is apparently inspired by classic Japanese folklore, in which a boy is born from a peach, only to rise up and battle ogres. You can see the connection in the title and a bit in Momotaro's origin.
But honestly? It mostly feels like its own being. I feel like it's important to emphasize the 'inspired' part of that description because it certainly doesn't follow the same path. Or focus.
There's a surprise third character introduced into this mix. I won't spoil her introduction or any of that. But I will say that I surprised myself by enjoying her presence far more than I expected.
Thanks to Kodansha Comics and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Sartrienne Aldriac is a princess who desperately wants to get out of her kingdom and explore the world. She almost got her chance when a bunch of monsters came to destroy her kingdom, as her father would rather she run than face what was to come.
Instead of losing her family and kingdom, she watched as an odd sort of hero stepped up to face the monsters. Only, Momomtaro may not have the most altruistic intentions in mind.
Peach Boy Riverside, Vol. 1 is not a series afraid of gore – I can tell you that much. Part of the premise (or so it felt to me) was the line between hero and monster. The hero in this tale revels in all things blood and gore – though thankfully, he keeps his bloodlust focused on monsters (for the moment).
This tale is apparently inspired by classic Japanese folklore, in which a boy is born from a peach, only to rise up and battle ogres. You can see the connection in the title and a bit in Momotaro's origin.
But honestly? It mostly feels like its own being. I feel like it's important to emphasize the 'inspired' part of that description because it certainly doesn't follow the same path. Or focus.
There's a surprise third character introduced into this mix. I won't spoil her introduction or any of that. But I will say that I surprised myself by enjoying her presence far more than I expected.
Thanks to Kodansha Comics and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
September 28, 2022
Peach Boy Riverside is about a princess from a Kingdom called Aldraic named Sartrienne, she dreams of traveling the world but that dream has a harsh reality due to the Monsters that roam the countryside which causes the humans to hide behind high and strong walls (Now I feel like we randomly walked into a different story description.. No, sorry I must be thinking of another story that people take refuge behind strong walls..) But she meets a young man named Mikoto who changes her world completely and gives her hope to continue living the dream! Until she learns that the man is none other than Momotaro, ruthless demon-slayer. Though horrified by the gore Momotaro leaves behind, Sartrienne is convinced more than ever that she needs to learn about the world beyond her walls, and journeys out… following the steps of the mysterious, charismatic, terrifying boy she met that day.
This take on the classical Japanese Folktale has a fantasy spin, the art style is vastly different from what I’ve gotten used to in reading from coolkyousinnjya, but with this story that the writer is trying to tell, this was is a good fit. The pacing is fast for a first volume but when dealing with either television pilots or first volumes it’s forgivable, while it may have some similar elements to Attack on Titan this gives the reader similar action when it comes to battling monsters, ogres, but with more humor and optimism to it. The characters are designed well but do offer fan service but unlike most stories that have fan service, this focused more on the story and its premise thankfully. One thing is recommended when checking out this series is that you need to be familiar with this folktale to get a good grasp on the manga’s premise.
This take on the classical Japanese Folktale has a fantasy spin, the art style is vastly different from what I’ve gotten used to in reading from coolkyousinnjya, but with this story that the writer is trying to tell, this was is a good fit. The pacing is fast for a first volume but when dealing with either television pilots or first volumes it’s forgivable, while it may have some similar elements to Attack on Titan this gives the reader similar action when it comes to battling monsters, ogres, but with more humor and optimism to it. The characters are designed well but do offer fan service but unlike most stories that have fan service, this focused more on the story and its premise thankfully. One thing is recommended when checking out this series is that you need to be familiar with this folktale to get a good grasp on the manga’s premise.
August 8, 2021
A competent action-adventure style fantasy with a fun lead in Sally, the princess who wants to see the world. But the book seems to suffer from a real need to be familiar with the Momotaro legend to be able to understand it. There's a point where the story begins to be told in the comic, but is then abruptly skipped over until its referenced again at the end of the volume as if the reader should definitely be aware of the folklore behind the story.
So - after some researching of what Peach Boy meant - the book did make a lot more sense. The name Momotaro is used once in the story exposition for Mikoto but in a way that if you are not familiar it wouldn't necessarily immediately be clear.
Confusion out of the way though - I do like a lot of what this book did. The wide variation of 'ogres' that we see, the cast between Mikoto, Sally and Frau are all interesting and well designed. I think that the basis for the adventure highlighting both the danger of the world but also human superstition and bigotry in the first volume is well set up for future adventures. And it ends on a good sort of cliffhanger moment.
Also - I've got to give the artist credit for leaving me pretty fooled thinking this was an all female cast, which is referenced in the first chapter, that Mikoto is actually a guy. The cover definitely had me thinking something else.
So - if you are familiar with Japanese folklore already or you are willing to put in the work, this can be a fun and competent fantasy read.
'
So - after some researching of what Peach Boy meant - the book did make a lot more sense. The name Momotaro is used once in the story exposition for Mikoto but in a way that if you are not familiar it wouldn't necessarily immediately be clear.
Confusion out of the way though - I do like a lot of what this book did. The wide variation of 'ogres' that we see, the cast between Mikoto, Sally and Frau are all interesting and well designed. I think that the basis for the adventure highlighting both the danger of the world but also human superstition and bigotry in the first volume is well set up for future adventures. And it ends on a good sort of cliffhanger moment.
Also - I've got to give the artist credit for leaving me pretty fooled thinking this was an all female cast, which is referenced in the first chapter, that Mikoto is actually a guy. The cover definitely had me thinking something else.
So - if you are familiar with Japanese folklore already or you are willing to put in the work, this can be a fun and competent fantasy read.
'
August 26, 2021
Saltherine is a princess who dreams of going on an adventure. Her father won’t let her leave because their kingdom is filled with dangerous monsters. A traveller, Mikoto, enters the kingdom and becomes friends with Saltherine. After monsters attack and Mikoto manages to stop them all single-handedly, he leaves. Saltherine decides to stand up to her father, and rejecting her title goes off on an adventure of her own.
I really enjoyed this manga. The story flows so nicely and I ended up reading the first volume in one sitting. It feels a little like One Piece with Aladdin mixed in. The art style is really nice and clear. As usual with this genre of manga, there’s a lot of humour and it’s very charming.
The characters are great. When Saltherine’s journey starts she meets a demi-human, Frau, who is half-human and half-hare. They’re a fun combination and it’s entertaining to see them go on an adventure together and bond.
The manga feels very short, even though it is the usual 200ish page length. It flies by and before you know it, the first volume is over. I’m glad volume 2 is close to release so I can pick that up as soon as possible. It’s a charming and feel good adventure.
Peach Boy Riverside may not be the best manga off all time, it’s not breaking any new ground, but it’s definitely a good read. It’s full of great imagination, characters and the story flows nicely. I’m looking forward to reading more of this.
I really enjoyed this manga. The story flows so nicely and I ended up reading the first volume in one sitting. It feels a little like One Piece with Aladdin mixed in. The art style is really nice and clear. As usual with this genre of manga, there’s a lot of humour and it’s very charming.
The characters are great. When Saltherine’s journey starts she meets a demi-human, Frau, who is half-human and half-hare. They’re a fun combination and it’s entertaining to see them go on an adventure together and bond.
The manga feels very short, even though it is the usual 200ish page length. It flies by and before you know it, the first volume is over. I’m glad volume 2 is close to release so I can pick that up as soon as possible. It’s a charming and feel good adventure.
Peach Boy Riverside may not be the best manga off all time, it’s not breaking any new ground, but it’s definitely a good read. It’s full of great imagination, characters and the story flows nicely. I’m looking forward to reading more of this.
September 7, 2021
Peach Boy Riverside, Volume 1, by Coolkyousinnjya is a manga style graphic novel. Saltherine, princess of the Kingdom of Aldarake, dreams of traveling the world, a dangerous dream in a land where monsters roam the countryside! A chance meeting with a wanderer named Mikoto gives her hope that she might still find excitement in her life. But then she discovers the wanderer’s true identity: Momotaro the Peach Boy, demon slayer of legend! Though terrified by his bloody profession, Sally feels driven to follow Momotaro and learn more. But is this curiosity, or a magical connection that goes deeper than either of them realize?
Peach Boy Riverside is an interesting and entertaining graphic novel. I liked the introduction to the characters and the way world building was woven through the story without feeling overwhelming or like it was missing something. I thought the art style matched the story ad mood very well, and that everything came together quite nicely. I really enjoyed getting to know Saltherne and the characters around her, and I felt like I got a good amount of action and character development in this volume while still wanting more. There was a good balance here- leaving me very eager to figure out how everything will all be revealed and what the next adventure will look like.
Peach Boy Riverside is an interesting and entertaining graphic novel. I liked the introduction to the characters and the way world building was woven through the story without feeling overwhelming or like it was missing something. I thought the art style matched the story ad mood very well, and that everything came together quite nicely. I really enjoyed getting to know Saltherne and the characters around her, and I felt like I got a good amount of action and character development in this volume while still wanting more. There was a good balance here- leaving me very eager to figure out how everything will all be revealed and what the next adventure will look like.
September 3, 2021
Dear Readers, Aliens and Creatures, enter this world of animal demi-humans, terrible ogres and children with peachish bloodlust.
Mikoto and Slatherine = forced friendship at its best. At least he is honest.
▪️
A princess meets a stranger after running wild in her kingdom and lusting to explore the world. She is apparently unsatisfied by kind people, abundant food, splendid buildings and peace. Nope, this princess wants EXCITEMENT, so, naturally, her kingdom is attacked by ogres and naturally, they are saved by Mikoto.
But Slath (Sally) still wants an adventure and she is willing to abandon all she knows, including her ‘womanhood’ by cutting off her hair, to go see it. As she sets off on her adventure to discover the world, she will walk into other villages, towns and kingdoms, meet beings very different from any she has seen, discover her hidden abilities and find the boy who promised to share a dumpling with her.
▪️
The anime is also out, so you can check out either one to see if this story appeals to you. There is originality here and it would be interesting to see where it goes.
It os great if you love medieval adventure stories, monsters, blood, big boobs and minor ecchi moments.
Mikoto and Slatherine = forced friendship at its best. At least he is honest.
▪️
A princess meets a stranger after running wild in her kingdom and lusting to explore the world. She is apparently unsatisfied by kind people, abundant food, splendid buildings and peace. Nope, this princess wants EXCITEMENT, so, naturally, her kingdom is attacked by ogres and naturally, they are saved by Mikoto.
But Slath (Sally) still wants an adventure and she is willing to abandon all she knows, including her ‘womanhood’ by cutting off her hair, to go see it. As she sets off on her adventure to discover the world, she will walk into other villages, towns and kingdoms, meet beings very different from any she has seen, discover her hidden abilities and find the boy who promised to share a dumpling with her.
▪️
The anime is also out, so you can check out either one to see if this story appeals to you. There is originality here and it would be interesting to see where it goes.
It os great if you love medieval adventure stories, monsters, blood, big boobs and minor ecchi moments.
October 5, 2021
I really should have known! It was pretty obvious from the title but I must have been suffering from brain freeze not to have noticed that "Peach Boy Riverside" volume 1 by Coolkyousinnjya and Johanne was a Momotaro story!
Momotaro is a really popular Japanese folk tale about a boy birthed from a giant peach with the ability to slay ogres (or Oni). There is a bit more to it than that but for the purposes of Peach Boy Riverside, those elements seem to be the only relevant ones in volume 1. The setting is a bit weird, kind of medieval, maybe on the mainland of the asian continent but definitely a fantasy land. The main character seems to be a pretty boy Momotaro character, Mikoto, who kills the ogres who besiege a castle town, but is in fact a female character called Sally who lived in the town that was saved and decides to go on an adventure to be an ogre killer, too, and the friends she meets along the way!
It was a slow and confusing start and when it finally got going and got interesting, volume 1 finished, so now I want to know what happen next! The art style was not to my taste at the start but I liked it by the end. It is a good solid start to a manga series - I liked it more than I thought I would!
It does have an anime tie-in so go check that out, too!
Momotaro is a really popular Japanese folk tale about a boy birthed from a giant peach with the ability to slay ogres (or Oni). There is a bit more to it than that but for the purposes of Peach Boy Riverside, those elements seem to be the only relevant ones in volume 1. The setting is a bit weird, kind of medieval, maybe on the mainland of the asian continent but definitely a fantasy land. The main character seems to be a pretty boy Momotaro character, Mikoto, who kills the ogres who besiege a castle town, but is in fact a female character called Sally who lived in the town that was saved and decides to go on an adventure to be an ogre killer, too, and the friends she meets along the way!
It was a slow and confusing start and when it finally got going and got interesting, volume 1 finished, so now I want to know what happen next! The art style was not to my taste at the start but I liked it by the end. It is a good solid start to a manga series - I liked it more than I thought I would!
It does have an anime tie-in so go check that out, too!
August 10, 2021
Peach Boy Riverside is another solid adventure shounen! Saltherine is a princess of the Kingdom of Aldarake and her biggest dream is to travel around the world and not stay in her boring village. Suddenly ogres attack the village and a traveler passes by and saves everyone. Mikoto looks like a girl, but is a boy and loves slaying ogres and demons. Saltherine wants to follow him, but isn't brave enough and when she is, she needs to find the guy and starts her journey with a demihuman. The plot is interesting, although this first part is more like your "enemy of the week" type of situation and we don't really get to know the characters enough to care about them. Also, the powers aren't explained or the world, which is a bummer. Somehow the title is weird too and not really explained and thus three stars.
The art looks good, nothing spectacular, but works with the plot well. I do hope we get more answers along the way and not just fights though. Otherwise this is just your basic shounen. I also want Saltherine to become a true hero and that it would take time to meet Mikoto again. That would be interesting to boot!
The art looks good, nothing spectacular, but works with the plot well. I do hope we get more answers along the way and not just fights though. Otherwise this is just your basic shounen. I also want Saltherine to become a true hero and that it would take time to meet Mikoto again. That would be interesting to boot!
May 1, 2022
Un début prometteur
Mots Clés: manga, shonen, fantasy, aventure, violence
J’ai longtemps remis cette lecture au lendemain mais finalement, j’ai plutôt bien aimé. Je ne suis pas 100% fan des dessins mais l’histoire est prometteuse.
On suit Sarutorine, une jeune princesse qui veut partir à l’aventure hors des murs de son royaume. Un jour, elle rencontre Mikoto qui va lui donner l’inspiration dont elle manquait et lui montrer la violence du monde exterieur. Un mois après cette rencontre, elle partira enfin. J’ai beaucoup aimé les personnages, surtout l’amie que se fait Sarutorine une fois partie à l’aventure. Cela me donne envie de continuer à suivre leurs aventures. De plus, il y a pas mal de mystère autour de cette jeune princesse et de Mikoto. J’ai hâte d’avoir des réponses à mes questions. Je suis sûre que la suite serra encore mieux.
Je recommande à ceux qui cherchent de l’action, de l’aventure et des combats
3.5/5
Merci Netgalley pour cette eCopie en échange de mon honnête opinion
Mots Clés: manga, shonen, fantasy, aventure, violence
J’ai longtemps remis cette lecture au lendemain mais finalement, j’ai plutôt bien aimé. Je ne suis pas 100% fan des dessins mais l’histoire est prometteuse.
On suit Sarutorine, une jeune princesse qui veut partir à l’aventure hors des murs de son royaume. Un jour, elle rencontre Mikoto qui va lui donner l’inspiration dont elle manquait et lui montrer la violence du monde exterieur. Un mois après cette rencontre, elle partira enfin. J’ai beaucoup aimé les personnages, surtout l’amie que se fait Sarutorine une fois partie à l’aventure. Cela me donne envie de continuer à suivre leurs aventures. De plus, il y a pas mal de mystère autour de cette jeune princesse et de Mikoto. J’ai hâte d’avoir des réponses à mes questions. Je suis sûre que la suite serra encore mieux.
Je recommande à ceux qui cherchent de l’action, de l’aventure et des combats
3.5/5
Merci Netgalley pour cette eCopie en échange de mon honnête opinion
August 17, 2021
Um what? I need the next volume what's even going on?
So it started with a restless princess whose been wanting to travel and before an attempted break out meets a traveler who pretty much stirs up more of her restless spirit. Outside of the safety of the village is monster, ogres and demi humans and unsafe for any one to roam. Traveler leaves quiet a bloody impression and she ends up leaving to travel on her own.
This book has such an eventful start. Pretty random at times but interesting none the less. It defiantly peaked my interest in wanting to see more of it. I mean I thought the princess was a bit of a brat at first and can see she just needed to get out of her very boring world it was interesting seeing her navigate the world as a new traveler and what happens on her journey. Thing is what the heck was that ending? Like what is going on. I'll defiantly be fallowing along more cause I'm curious what's in store for the next volume!
So it started with a restless princess whose been wanting to travel and before an attempted break out meets a traveler who pretty much stirs up more of her restless spirit. Outside of the safety of the village is monster, ogres and demi humans and unsafe for any one to roam. Traveler leaves quiet a bloody impression and she ends up leaving to travel on her own.
This book has such an eventful start. Pretty random at times but interesting none the less. It defiantly peaked my interest in wanting to see more of it. I mean I thought the princess was a bit of a brat at first and can see she just needed to get out of her very boring world it was interesting seeing her navigate the world as a new traveler and what happens on her journey. Thing is what the heck was that ending? Like what is going on. I'll defiantly be fallowing along more cause I'm curious what's in store for the next volume!
February 7, 2023
Art: 2/5 (very sloppy anatomy: people's top and bottom halves aren't properly connected, feet are tiny and weirdly floppy, the female lead has weird water-balloon breasts, legs are emphasized but look weirdly wrong, movement is drawn in a very uncoordinated-looking way [how does this girl RUN???], the demihuman is drawn in a jarringly different style than everyone else...)
Story: 1/5, I started skimming very early. No-one seems overly bothered by the princess constantly trying to run away, then suddenly for no reason she's allowed to leave without escort or argument. It might have been more interesting to focus more of Mikoto with the hints of hidden darkness in his personality, but he has very little on-page time in this volume. And then the big reveal at the end had zero foreshadowing that would have helped it to make any sense. Feels like the plot was written by a 10-year-old, so maybe a 10-year-old would enjoy this, but for some reason it was categorized as Adult in my library ,:/
Story: 1/5, I started skimming very early. No-one seems overly bothered by the princess constantly trying to run away, then suddenly for no reason she's allowed to leave without escort or argument. It might have been more interesting to focus more of Mikoto with the hints of hidden darkness in his personality, but he has very little on-page time in this volume. And then the big reveal at the end had zero foreshadowing that would have helped it to make any sense. Feels like the plot was written by a 10-year-old, so maybe a 10-year-old would enjoy this, but for some reason it was categorized as Adult in my library ,:/
August 9, 2021
ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This new adventure manga from the creator of Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid draws on the famous tale of the peach boy, Momotaro, creating a world where Momotaro (now Mikoto) crossed the sea to satisfy his thirst for ogre blood. He meets a princess, Saltherine, who wishes to see the world, and when she sets off to travel she learns that not all monsters are evil... and not all humans are what they seem— including herself!
This was a nice start to what I hope will be an action-packed, violently fun series. I wasn't the biggest fan of the art style and the pacing, in the beginning, seemed rush, but I did like a few of the tropes enough to finish! I love a good supportive dad and a nice but violent stranger, and I'm looking forward to Sally exploring the world and herself.
❧ 3 ★
This new adventure manga from the creator of Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid draws on the famous tale of the peach boy, Momotaro, creating a world where Momotaro (now Mikoto) crossed the sea to satisfy his thirst for ogre blood. He meets a princess, Saltherine, who wishes to see the world, and when she sets off to travel she learns that not all monsters are evil... and not all humans are what they seem— including herself!
This was a nice start to what I hope will be an action-packed, violently fun series. I wasn't the biggest fan of the art style and the pacing, in the beginning, seemed rush, but I did like a few of the tropes enough to finish! I love a good supportive dad and a nice but violent stranger, and I'm looking forward to Sally exploring the world and herself.
❧ 3 ★
August 10, 2021
"Long, Long ago there lived an old man and an old woman. One Day, The old man went to the mountains to gather firewood and the old woman went to the river to do the washing... Skipping Ahead! He finally defeated the Ogres..."
I want to say that Peach Boy Riverside is an incredibly weird title, but with a character named "Saltherine Aladarake" it is hard to consider it the weirdest name in this series.
Both oddities are easily set aside as you dive into this book, as you are immediately thrown into a world that has so much to tell you and it is honestly almost nonstop action through this volume.
I will be continuing because 1. this is so out there I need to know more 2. wholesome kickass bunnygirl 3.I have to see if Mikoto and Sally get together because they set it up like their soulmates and I can't pass that up.
I want to say that Peach Boy Riverside is an incredibly weird title, but with a character named "Saltherine Aladarake" it is hard to consider it the weirdest name in this series.
Both oddities are easily set aside as you dive into this book, as you are immediately thrown into a world that has so much to tell you and it is honestly almost nonstop action through this volume.
I will be continuing because 1. this is so out there I need to know more 2. wholesome kickass bunnygirl 3.I have to see if Mikoto and Sally get together because they set it up like their soulmates and I can't pass that up.
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