Manga Reviews

Juni Taisen: Zodiac War [Review]

Based on Nisioisin’s light novel and with a tip of the hat to Graphinica’s anime adaptation, Juni Taisen: Zodiac War is now a manga as well. Akira Akatsuki, the artist best suited for the job, once again collaborates with the prolific author five years after …Read more »

Black Torch [Review]

September 23, 2018

Che Gilson

Ninjas, mononoke, and shady intelligence agencies get an action-packed mash-up in Black Torch. Street tough Jiro Azuma might look like a petty criminal, but he uses his ninja training to defend helpless animals, which he can talk to. This unique ability leads him to rescue …Read more »

Coyote [Review]

September 23, 2018

Che Gilson

Romeo and Juliet get a supernatural makeover in Coyote. Yes, it’s werewolves vs. gangsters in this scorching male/male romance. Coyote is a member of a werewolf clan that’s been hiding its presence from humanity for the last 70 years. The reason for this is the …Read more »

Hinamatsuri Vol. 1 [Review]

September 21, 2018

Danica Davidson

What makes big, bad yakuza member Nitta scared? A little girl. To be fair, Hina isn’t just any little girl. She falls out of the sky in a giant, oval, egg-shaped object, landing squarely on Nitta’s head. At first just her face is visible through …Read more »

Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba [Review]

September 19, 2018

Che Gilson

Young Tanjiro and his family make a living selling charcoal. One cold winter he goes down the mountain to the village to sell his wares and returns home to a scene from a nightmare. His mother and siblings have been slaughtered by a demon and …Read more »

One Week Friends [Review]

September 8, 2018

Brittany Vincent

Making friends is tough as it is, but imagine if all the memories you made with someone on the road to friendship just disappeared every week. That’s how things go for the determined Yuuki Hase and reserved Kaori Fujimiya in One Week Friends, a touching …Read more »

The Bride was a Boy

September 5, 2018

Jason Bradley Thompson

In the 1990s and 2000s, an American manga reader might get the impression Japan was more progressive on LGBT issues than the US: American mainstream comics were aggressively straight, while manga was filled with genderqueer characters, sex-swapping, and gay romance. But in 2018, Japanese politics …Read more »

Hungry for You: Endo Yasuko Stalks the Night [Review]

August 26, 2018

Che Gilson

Billed primarily as a story of friendship, Hungry for You is closer to horror comedy, with an emphasis on the comedy. Dreary Yomai Town is the site of mysterious disappearances. Three teenage girls have vanished, and the culprit seems to be Endo Yasuko, a girl …Read more »

Monster Tamer Girls [Review]

August 25, 2018

David Estrella

If read too quickly, the title Monster Tamer Girls could be misread as Monster Girl Tamers and no one would blink an eye. Lately, we’ve seen so many permutations on monsters and girls in schools, dungeons, offices, et cetera that it feels like there’s nothing …Read more »

Claudine [Review]

August 18, 2018

Austin Price

Claudine seems like a missed opportunity on all fronts. Author and artist Riyoko Ikeda is one of the most important manga creators of the latter half of the 20th century; few titles can claim the level of influence and the critical acclaim her 1970s classic …Read more »

Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle [Review]

August 18, 2018

Che Gilson

When the Demon Kingdom kidnaps the Princess of Goodereste, it’s the demons who get more than they bargained for. Princess Syalis’s reign of terror begins during her first night as a captive in the demon palace. The pillow is rough and lumpy and even noisy. …Read more »

Magical Girl Raising Project [Review]

August 10, 2018

Brittany Vincent

Becoming a magical girl would be a dream come true for many. Transforming with an awesome talisman or locket? A cute dress? It looks like a fantastic profession, except for all the monsters and evil and general nastiness to fight. Things get even worse for …Read more »

Val x Love [Review]

August 7, 2018

Brittany Vincent

What if every kiss, every moment of handholding, and every date counted toward your girlfriend “leveling up” so she could fight demons as a powerful Valkyrie? Welcome to Takuma Akutsu’s world in Val x Love. Takuma is used to being alone because he’s so tough …Read more »

Crisis Girls [Review]

August 3, 2018

Che Gilson

The aptly named Crisis City is protected from all manner of evil by The Undertaker: Grave Digger Kaede! This intimidating moniker belongs to an adorable little girl with a ton of power. Kaede is one of several children, dubbed the Crisis Girls, born with cursed …Read more »

Pokemon Sun and Moon [Manga Review]

July 25, 2018

Brittany Vincent

Whether you’re a new Pokemon Master in the making or a wizened expert, there’s plenty to love about the latest round of the Pokemon Adventures manga, adapting the Sun and Moon games with a brand-new roster of characters and Pokemon-themed hijinks. Pokemon Sun and Moon …Read more »