Lissa Pattillo
April 30, 2013 
Happy May, everyone! Have you gotten some spring weather yet? I think I saw some sun here this past weekend, and just in time, too. While this week’s manga supply may be a bit sparse, comic readers will still have lots to look forward to as this Saturday is Free Comic Book Day! Viz Media will have a book among the freebies with samplers of Dragon Ball and their new Rurouni Kenshin series.
Kodansha Comics is this week’s sole provider of volumes but has a few new volumes of their on-going series to satisfy readers and mark the end of a fan-favorite.
First up is Bloody Monday (Vol.10), which is the second to last volume of the series. We may not need to wait the additional volume to finally learn what the real meaning of ‘Bloody Monday’ is, though, as the volume synopsis teases us with the reveal. Any thoughts of peace and understanding are short-lived, however, because with the step forward comes a new terrorist leader known only as K. And with that new twist, who can help but give kudos to Kodansha Comics for their cheeky tagline, “Every kill begins with K”?
Meanwhile, in the chaperone lacking land of Fairy Tail (Vol.25), the cast continues their hands-on examination to prove themselves worthy of being called S class. But while they have their hands full with the islands’ trials and their own eccentricities, one wizard is there with only one thing on his mind and that’s to kill Natsu. Plus there’s someone plotting a war against the Guilds and another wizard is manipulating the minds of its members. No big deal when trying to focus on an exam, right?
And then in the slightly more conventional student setting of Negima (Vol.38), it’s the last volume of Ken Akamatsu’s magical harem story! With the battles behind them, the girls of Class 3-A have their sights set on uncovering the last remaining piece of the Negi puzzle – who in the class does he favor most? I think they may have their work cut out for them, especially with so many to choose from, a fact that this volume’s cover, overflowing with characters, reminds us. Wow!
KODANSHA COMICS
• Bloody Monday (Vol.10), ($10.99/US, $11.99/CAN)
• Fairy Tail (Vol.25), ($10.99/US, $11.99/CAN)
• Negima! (Vol.38), ($10.99/US, $11.99/CAN)
That does it for this week’s On The Shelf – what on the list are you most eager to buy? Any must-have recommendations? Share your thoughts in our handy comment area for all our readers to see!
* All dates are based on distributor listings and may not necessarily reflect exact release dates. Some books may ship prior to or after the date listed above varying by location and availability.
