Ian Wolf Comic Reviews

A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow is certain a good manga. The only thing that really needs clearing up is an explanation of the title. No snow appears in the first volume and Im not sure if there is a phrase or saying it relates to.

The manga has already attracted praise, being nominated for a Kodansha Manga Award. It is also establishing other characters and rivalries. The end of the first volume sees Kei auditioning for a Battle Royale-style film in which the main talent from Stars, a woman named Chiyoko Momoshiro, is also starring. Thus we can expect growing tension, at least between Arisa and Sumiji and possibly between Kei and Chiyoko too. It will be interesting to see where it goes from here.

But having read the manga, it did make me laugh a lot, and I look forward to the anime as well.

This opening volume sets up plenty of tantalising treats as to what comes next, and it should make for a thrilling read.

The action of the manga is simply superb, with the fights completely engaging, and featuring a range of characters with different proportions. The match between Joe and tiny Aoyama is enthralling, as you think you know which way it is going, only for things to turn on its head.

Our review copy from Vertical Books was supplied by Turnaround Comics (Turnaround Publisher Services).

Our review copy from Kodansha (Vertical Books) was supplied by Turnaround Comics (Turnaround Publisher Services).

The introduction of Motorball and the change in the relationship between Alita and Ido have made this second volume of the new edition an improvement on the first, and hopefully will create more intrigue as the story progresses.

Issues of production aside, Battle Angel Alita still remains one of the key works in cyberpunk manga. It is not the most famous, but it is still one that those interested in the genre should read.

As it stands however, Blood on the Tracks has been thrilling reading so far, and it will be interesting to see where Oshimi takes the story.

There are several elements of Bomba! which are difficult to deal with, but much of the story does provide some shocking thrills.

This opening volume comes with a fair number of extras: colour pages, an interview with an author, translation notes and a lengthy acknowledgements section from the editor. It is clear that Kodansha are going for this series in a big way. Hopefully it will become a success.

Things in Catch These Hands! may well get better in the second volume, but Im unsure if it will.

It is hard to know how fans of the original series will feel about reading this. Code Black is much darker in tone, it feels rather conflicting in the way it treats certain subjects, and the fan service might put people off, but it for those who want to know about some of the bad things we do to ourselves it is worth a read. After all, if this is what we do to ourselves when we live badly, it might make us improve our lifestyle and live better lives as a result.

Chainsaw Man has some things going for it and hopefully may well build up from a promising start.

For these reasons, Im less keen on this second volume. Hopefully the developing plot with the Gun Devil will improve things in future releases.

You should also be familiar with Arawis wonderful art style, and with the translation, which is still using Jenny McKeon, the original nichijou translator in this work. There are some bits of the translation that have been made to simplify things for English readers though. For example, the police officer is never properly named in the manga, so in the Japanese version he is called Honkan, meaning Officer; while in English, he is just Officer or sometimes Mr. Officer. There is also a difference in presentation between the two books in that CITYis printed in a slightly larger format.

This volume ends on a cliff-hanger moment with lives in danger, and given the mysterious nature of the story, it should be worth looking into more.

Overall however, this manga is still worth a read for fans of the games and has been a long while coming. Hopefully the manga for V3 may eventually come soon too.

While Chiaki Nanami's Goodbye Despair Quest does at first bring back some nostalgic pangs and a desire to play the game again, ultimately this new spin-off feels despairingly pointless to those new to it.

So, if you havent familiarised yourself with the earlier titles, it's best to do so before reading Another Episode, but this is still a fun edition to the series.

Volume 2 has been pretty entertaining. Just a shame that Volume 3 will be another long wait.

Generally, this volume is a decent enough opening, and I am intrigued to see how things actually progress as we get deeper into the story itself.

Dead Rock continues to be enjoyable, and will hopefully keep up the good work so far.

Given that Dead Rock is able to pull some surprises when it comes to what happens to its characters, it will still be interesting to see how the story continues to progress.

That ludicrous moment aside however, most of the manga is good, and like the best sports manga, it should appeal to those both new to the sport and those who are already fans of it.

As we have not entered the main body of the story, it is too early to say how big a hit Dr. Stone will be, if at all, but the early signs are promising.

Going into this manga, I wasn't expecting much. It was hard to imagine what new information could be extracted, it being a prequel, that would be vital to the main story. When Rei is first introduced, it seems a bit gimmicky and it feels odd that this robot was not mentioned in the original Dr. Stone manga. Things change though when Byakuya and Rei become separated. Rei's continued efforts to keep everything going are at times thrilling, at times funny, and at times moving.

The best way to comment on this series is that if you are a fan of Fairy Tail, then Edens Zero should also be right down your street. It is hard to tell what will come next. We havent even seen the actual Edens Zero yet, and the manga itself is very new. The second collected volume was only released in Japan a few weeks ago (it will come out in English in February), although individual chapters are available electronically every week. While I personally doubt it will become as successful as Fairy Tail, it is still worth a read, and I, for one, plan to look into some later chapters.

When it comes to manga serial killers, Ruwanda Bailey is unlikely to be as remembered when compared with Death Note‘s Light Yagami, CLAMP's Seishiro Sakurazuka or Danganronpa‘s Monokuma. While the action is mildly entertaining, I doubt there is much in From the Red Fog that will keep me reading.

While personally I doubt that Gachiakuta is going to become the next big thing shonen-wise, as there are many series in a similar style, and being a Weekly Shonen Magazine title it has a disadvantage in terms of profile, compared to series in Shonen Jump, it is a series that clearly has a lot of potential. It has already reached ten print volumes in Japan during its two-year-run, and it will be interesting to see how the story unfolds.

In terms of an overall reaction, while the story is enough to make me want to review the second volume, there are other titles I would probably want to spend my money on first before returning to this.

So far, it is an interesting read, and it will be good to see in what way the story progresses.

The story is again slowly building its world as the characters continue to find themselves in even greater peril. For these people due to be executed, there really is no peace for the wicked.

As we move forward, it certainly looks like there will still be more action to come as the gang continue in their quest, and face more dangers in their attempt to find the elixir. As to what the dangers are and how they will overcome them, that is to come.

It does feel that the story is becoming a bit less entrancing as it is relying more on the sex and violence rather than the plot to move things forward. Hopefully things might pick up again in Volume 5.

Many of the stories follow the same basic structure of someone with magical abilities fighting off some wrongdoer, and thus they eventually become a bit predictable. While the Fairy Tail pilot is the main draw for most people, for me it was his earliest works, Magician and Bad Boys Song, that were the most interesting: Magician as it demonstrates what would be his signature style of storytelling, and Bad Boys Song for being drastically different to everything else in the collection.

It will be interesting to see how it progresses, with the end of this volume revealing what appears to be an antagonist, but at the same time this is going to be tinged with the feeling that this series is not going to live up the full potential the author was probably hoping for.

This side story is both moving as well as entertaining, and in fact feels better than most of the rest of the content of this second volume. Hopefully, Volume Three will actually start to go deeper into the sinister plot.

Is the Order a Rabbit? makes for pleasant reading, and I for one now wish to go back and revisit the anime at some point.

With the anime series returning, fans may want to start getting these first two opening volumes now as a refresher. I for one will certainly plan to watch the new run if it becomes available to stream over here.

As someone who likes this music, this is certainly a manga I plan to return to. Those who might be hesitant to read this because it is isekai may be missing out on something unexpectedly enjoyable.

Obviously, with these collections, certain stories are better than others. My personal favourite is Library Vision, because it has a more psychological bent to the horror. There are spirits involved in this one as well, but there is the element of the victim's own paranoia taking hold which adds an extra layer to the plot. Meanwhile, I don't think that the haunted house stories needed to be a three-part tale. Those stories may have been more engaging as separate from each other because the characters lack a bit of depth to them.

Venus in the Blind Spot is still a thrilling, gripping read, if your stomach can stand some of the more grizzly aspects of Itos horror.

This is perhaps the biggest problem with Shuffle: being a spin-off, it is always going to be in the shadow of the original. The fact that the cameo of the original characters feels like the best moment in this first volume is a worrying sign. However, once the manga is able to find its own feet, it may well develop into something more unique. The fact that Shuffle does follow primarily an entirely new set of characters means it can be enjoyed in its own right without having to read the original K-On!, but it will take time to see how good it will be in comparison to the original.

The biggest problem though remains the fact that this spin-off can never get out of the originals shadow. This isnt exactly helped by the long gap there has been between volumes, with this second volume taking a year to come since the first. Most K-On! fans will still remember the original cast, but trying to remember the details of the new one may be harder, especially if you have not gone back to read it since you first did all that time ago. Regardless, in some ways Shuffle still has its own ways to entertain.

Knights of Sidonia is a series that has attracted acclaim from other people in the world of anime, and the story itself is certainly entertaining. This complete collection will be pretty expensive, but there is plenty going for it.

The artwork though might put off some readers. It is not the traditional, standard manga look, with Land of the Lustrous being more sketchy and often having very simplistic backgrounds. Sometimes there are no backgrounds at all. You get feeling however that if you read this manga in colour, and noticed how shiny and colourful the gems actually are, it would work better. The cover and introductory colour pages look great. Land of the Lustrous therefore might be one of those cases where the anime adaptation might be better than the original manga.

It is certainly a jolly title and it already has built a fan base. There is currently an anime adaptation of the series in the works, so watch out for more.

These are however, minor quibbles. Mostly the manga is entertaining and fun. The second volume is out on March 20th.

The battle between Mob and Teru is not over by the end of this book, so we will have to wait until Volume 3 to see how it progresses.

Mono is certainly a nice, heart-warming manga in its own right, and also makes me want to dive into Afros back catalogue and investigate their most famous work. Laid-Back Camp is also released by Yen Press, and the anime is streamed via Crunchyroll. Mono has its own anime coming out in 2025.

With these chapters soon to appear in the anime series, it will be good to see how the introduction of all of these new elements is handled.

Moteki is a nice fun read, and it will be interesting to see how the story will finally conclude.

Many of Urasawas works are pretty lengthy, and so new readers might be put off by most of them. Thus, if you are new to him, then this short work may well tempt you into examining more. Of course, this title also has the ability to make you want to learn more about Osomatsu-kun. The latter is certainly true in my case.

If you can get past the fan-service and pile of fonts, you can see the relationship between Wakana and Marin is one that will probably expand and develop as the story continues.

Ultimately, this manga feels like it is mainly for fans of Morikawas other work. It does feel as if Mr. Villains Day Off would make for a better introduction however, whether it be via the manga or from its recent anime adaptation. My Gemini feels a bit dull. Fortunately, as it is just a one-off volume, it is something to easily dip in and out of. For Morikawas fans, it will no doubt make for an interesting diversion into a more dramatic storytelling style. Overall however, this manga does seem to be easily forgettable.

My Lovesick Life as a 90s Otaku is only four volumes long, so it wont be long for us to discover how Megumi will finally come to terms with everything in her life. It will hopefully be a fun ride as we progress.

This second volume marks the half-way point in My Lovesick Life as a 90s Otaku, and it will be interesting to see how the story progresses. For one thing, if modern-day Megumi is catching up with her old friends, does that mean we will also meet the adult Masamune too?

As we approach the final volume, it's important to remember this story is told in flashback. Just how Megumi ended up at the point that she too became a single mother, but with an anime-loving daughter, is still to be revealed.

Of course, any art form will have its share of controversy, problems, and detractors, and it is right to challenge things that are certainly a problem, whether it be trying to get acceptance from others, or having to confront what, if anything, should be off-limits in what can be depicted. However, when it comes to this particular series, My Lovesick Life as a 90s Otaku is more than just a nostalgia-fest. It is primarily about acceptance, whether it be from friends, family, culture or society in general and when it comes to love, it can blossom in all sorts of different ways, as the grand finale of this story demonstrates.

While it may take some getting used to once again following the six-year absence, it is nice to see that Nichijou is still able to produce some funny, unexpected laughs. It was worth waiting for to see the old gang again.

The series has been adapted into an anime which began airing in Japan earlier this month. It is not currently available on any English-language streaming websites, but you can watch the original Japanese episodes on the shows official YouTube channel. The second volume (of three so far) is due out in September from Yen Press.

If you can handle some of the more grisly aspects of the story, Ode to Kirihito is certainly a title that is worth investigation, dealing with all kinds of ideas that still speak to us today.

Our review copy from Square Enix Manga was supplied by Turnaround Comics (Turnaround Publisher Services).

One More Step, Come Stand by My Side thus makes for an entertaining collection of stories that are likely to grip the reader. If you want something a bit out of the ordinary, then it is something to dip into.

Overall, though, you suspect the main elements in the arc are coming in the next volume of the story, which appears to be nearing its conclusion.

So far, the first edition of Penguindrum is a mixed bag, but the way the story is being told does tempt me into reading at least the next volume, especially given Ikuhara's previous work.

If you are into sports anime but are looking for something a bit different, then Ping Pong is a title to seek out.

It will be interesting to see how the story will now develop, as the first volume ends with Freya coming to the rescue of a kidnapped soldier. Let's hope for some added intrigue appears as the story progresses.

Overall, this edition is a somewhat impressive release, and one that makes the prospect of the next volume a highly anticipated one. However, some of the ways the story deals with the disguise of Freya are starting to seem a bit thin.

Remina will appeal to fans of Ito, and this unusual venture into a more sci-fi driven tale sees the author working in different styles, while remaining true to the horror-driven work that has made him popular.

The series continues to be gripping, but the most disturbing part of the story is still to come. Given that this is all based, admittedly loosely, on historical fact, the next volume deals with the most contentious part of the entire story of Richard III. In unlucky Volume 13, we will begin to see what is in store for the Princes in the Tower.

One thing that deserves to be brought up is the coronation scene. Given the nature of the person, in both real life and in Shakespeares play upon which the manga is loosely based, it is perhaps only fitting that Richard III takes to the throne in the unlucky 13th volume. There is also the design of the crown which Richard wears in the coronation, which we also see on the front cover of this manga. This black, horned crown along with his heterochromic eyes all add to gothic, demonic vibe that adds to the tone of menace that is to come. Whether we witness how Kanno deals with the fate of the Princes in the Tower in the next volume or not is something that I am keen to find out.

Robo Sapiens stands out as different in terms of look and writing, and its themes will appeal to those interested in a more esoteric work. If you are looking for something beyond the mainstream isekai fantasies, then it will appeal to you.

It has to be said that Sensor is perhaps a bit below par in comparison to some of Itos other works, but even then Itos work is still clearly creation that stand out from the crowd.

Sex Ed 120% continues to be entertaining. It still also has the one big problem why have Yen Press given it a Mature '18' rating, when an Older Teen 15-16 rating would be more useful?

Sex Ed 120% has been a fun read and it is a shame it only had a short run. It has been one of my favourite manga of recent months and one I would wholeheartedly recommend.

This series does seem to have the potential to become a hit, especially when the anime adaptation debuts. It will be worth keeping an eye on this.

Each of the stories comes with a commentary from Urasawa himself, and it is also nice to see two of these stories being coloured entirely. John Werry also appears to have no problems with his translation. For this and many other reasons, Sneeze is one of the best short story manga collections I have come across.

It seems the manga is thus better than the light novel and out of the two, it seems that this version of The Eminence in Shadow is the one to go for. Having said that however, the series is to be adapted into an anime as well by Nexus. If the visuals are the key to what makes this series good, perhaps the best adaptation is yet to come.

When you compare The Wallflower to other similar series such as Ouran High School Host Club, which debuted two years later and brilliantly parodied the harem genre, you can see how things have changed. Ouran is for me one of the best comedy manga series made. The Wallflower was admittedly a big deal in its day, with anime and live-action adaptations, and the manga having run longer than Ouran, but it just doesnt feel as good, and the series these days seems forgotten. While this edition does come with some nice extras like useful translator notes and an (untranslated) preview of the second volume, I doubt this is a manga I will be returning to.

Overall, it is hard to say what Thunder 3 feels like at this early stage. With most of the plot taken up with explaining the premise of the story, we cant really tell how good or bad it is until we read deeper. However, the contrasting styles of artwork do mean that you should at least get something a bit more unique that most isekai stories.

Hopefully the third volume (due out in March) will concentrate more on our main characters, who will no doubt get involved with Teiichis group.

While Im slightly disappointed by the lack of involvement from the Small Three once again in this third volume, it is still an improvement on the last edition, and hopefully the forces of this trio and Rebellion will combine soon in Volume 4.

However, the general vibe coming from this fourth volume is that it is just padding. The Small Three are only just joining the fight; more characters are crossing over which will hopefully make things more interesting as we progress. Indeed, a preview given of the fifth volume seems to indicate the crossing of worlds is only going to escalate. Lets see if this will improve things.

This volume has been an improvement on the story and development of past releases, and hopefully it will keep this standard up moving on.

I would sum it up by saying that I do still plan to continue reviewing the series, partly in the hope of a general improvement, but I do admit that if I was buying these volumes with my own money, I probably would have stopped forking out for Thunder 3 a while ago.

Overall, while the drama in this volume is good, the technology in this particular volume still makes it feel dated, and thus it just doesnt quite have the same universal connection as the social themes of the first two volumes. However, as for the relationship between the main characters, the plot continues to thicken.

Aside from the possibility of maybe changing the age rating due to the graphic content in this and later volumes, the production and the original quality of CLAMPs work still make Tokyo Babylon an engaging read.

The main thing to take away from this volume is that following its conclusion, we know that things are going to get even darker for the trio at the heart of the story. While on the surface this story looks rather colourful and the special covers for this reissue help to seemingly cement that feeling with this edition featuring Subaru and Seishiro in regal, military outfits things are only going to get worse for Subaru.

All of this material is building up to what is the finally volume in this series. It has so far been highly enjoyable to relive Tokyo Babylon, and it is a shame it will soon end… or at least this part does.

Having finally finished re-reading this classic series, part of me hopes that we might see more CLAMP re-releases in the future, especially X for those who want to see what happens to Subaru and Seishiro next. I hope to see the new xxxHolic: Rei chapters get published in English too. However, my biggest hope is that having reviewed all seven volumes, and gone over them in detail, that despite what some people might still think, and despite the fact that ultimately Seishiro rejected Subaru, there can be no doubt whatsoever that Subaru Sumeragi and Seishiro Sakurazuka are very definitely, beyond any shadow of a doubt, gay!!! They are so gay! Nothing the doubters can say will persuade me otherwise: Subaru and Seishiro are 100% gay. Happy pride month!

Touring After the Apocalypse makes for an interesting read, combing elements of the sweet and tranquil with the dark and disturbing. It will be nice to see where Youko and Airi go next on their travels along provided that is, that they are alone…

However, the outdated phone technology is only a minor detail. In terms of the story, it is a nice tale of long-distance lovers, separated by light years. In terms of the plot concerning the effects of time dilation between two people, Distant Star is by no means the first to deal with it. Hideaki Annos Gunbuster dealt with similar ideas back in the 1980s, but Distant Staris more concerned with the relationship between Mikako and Noboru. It is a charming, and sometimes tragic tale about two people whom you worry will never be able to meet each other again.

If you are after something a bit more unusual when it comes to romance manga, this is a quick, diverting read that mixes comedy, drama and teenage angst and is recommended.

Yotsuba&! is still as fun and entertaining as it has always been. If absence does make the heart grow fonder, then the three years the series has been away help to prove this statement although a shorter absence for Volume 16 would be welcome.