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Hereditary Triangle Manga Review
Despite a middle act that flirts with melodrama, there’s a thoughtful maturity to much of this short series as its cast explores complex emotions and questions about grief, change, and regret.
― Hereditary Triangle is technically a two-volume series, but the Yen Press edition politely collects them into a single volume, allowing readers to sink fully into the world of this quiet but compelling drama....
Be My Worst Nightmare! Volume 1 Manga Review
This wouldn’t be my first recommendation for high school-set, moderately explicit BL, but I also wouldn’t universally tell you to steer clear.
― Don't you just hate it when your dreams might be telling you something you don't want to hear? That's what Sayo Hoshikawa is afraid is happening to him. Despite his surface-level anger at his classmate Mashiba for things like “being tall” and “girls confessi...
Hikaru in the Light! Manga Review
Even if you can see where Hikaru's plot is going five miles away, none feels hackneyed.
― At times, Hikaru in the Light felt like a season of American Idol to me. We feel the intensity of the competition through its characters' hopes and aspirations, the glow of the stage, and the harsh rules laid down by the competition's judges and producers. It requires the winning idols an extraordinary cut above...
Corpse Blade Volume 1 Manga Review
I desperately wanted to make a pun somewhere about how this volume just isn’t as fleshed out as it needs to be, but its problems run deeper than that.
― Do zombie apocalypse stories ever really go out of style? It's like a pendulum—usually spurred by one super-successful title, they'll go in full force for a while. Then maybe there's a brief lull when audiences start feeling sick of what's become an ...
Welcome to Ghost Mansion Manga Volume 1 Review
Welcome to Ghost Mansion has a promisingly spooky premise that could develop later on, but its first steps don’t have it hit the ground running like it should.
― There exists an interesting premise within the initial volume of Nebukuro's debut manga. As a story about a landlord who rents an apartment out to the undead, there is potential in making this an enveloping, spooky story about the things th...
The Revenge of My Youth Manga Review
This manga knows how to use its tried-and-true premise about redoing the past to its advantage, giving us a start of a story that makes for a leisurely read even if it comes off as cliche at times.
― There's no going through life without regret. And there's certainly no avoiding those moments where every mistake, error, goof, and flub comes rushing back through your cerebral cortex like a never-endin...
I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day Manga Review
This story is hard to recommend based on the first volume, but it really gets better after this point.
― I Want to Love You Till You're Dying Day feels like a small story with grand ambitions. It's very humble and almost quiet in its approach to storytelling. Not a lot happens throughout this first volume, but every few pages you'll see an image or a character make a comment alluding to something muc...
Fall in Love, You False Angels Volume 1 Manga Review
If there’s a theme to be traced in this volume, it’s the idea of when it’s okay to be two-faced.
― When is it safe to be yourself? That's maybe a more intense question than you'd expect from Fall in Love, You False Angels, which is unquestionably a romantic comedy. But that doesn't mean that it lacks any heavier subtext, and the story of Otogi and Toki can be read in such a way to facilitate discussi...
Helena and Mr. Big Bad Wolf Volume 1 Manga Review
Despite its title, this series has less in common with fairy tales and more with classic children’s literature, complete with plucky orphans, gruff-but-kind adults, and alarmingly tragic backstories.
― Despite its title, this Taiwanese manhua has less in common with fairy tales and more with classic English children's literature, where spunky kids befriend gruff-but-kind adults over a shared hobby or...
Hana-Kimi Exhibition Celebrates Hisaya Nakajo's 30th Career Anniversary
Revisit the iconic manga series before the new anime premieres!
― In 1996, the world of shōjo manga was introduced to Hisaya Nakajo's work Hana Zakari no Kimi-tachi e (Hana-Kimi). Following the fun-loving Mizuki Ashiya as she disguises herself as a boy to enroll in the all-boys Osaka Academy, the story and characters captured the hearts and minds of readers across Japan and, subsequently, the world. ...
A Look into Classic Shōjo Manga at Hideko Mizuno's Holiday Gallery
When Osamu Tezuka, the creator of seminal manga Astro Boy, saw the artwork of the then 15-year-old Hideko Mizuno, he told an editor, "She has talent."
― When Osamu Tezuka, the creator of seminal manga Astro Boy, saw the artwork of the then 15-year-old Hideko Mizuno, he told an editor, "She has talent." This event became the catalyst for Mizuno's career, and she went on to become one of the most famou...
Vagabond Definitive Edition Volume 1 Manga Review
Inoue’s art is startlingly good. His keen eye for composition and posing, already put to amazing use in Slam Dunk, almost makes the characters leap from the pages.
― At its core, this initial three-volume collection of Takehiko Inoue's (Slam Dunk) adaptation of Eiji Yoshikawa's fictionalized biographical novel Musashi is about the terrible life decisions made by two seventeen-year-old boys. Full of h...
Mecha-Ude: Mechanical Arms Manga Review
Everything in Mecha-Ude Volume 1 is so close to the anime that, at times, it almost feels like reading through storyboards.
― During Fall 2024, here on ANN, I reviewed studio TriF's debut anime series Mecha-Ude as it aired weekly. Overall it was a great 12-episode show, densely packed with enough plot to fuel a series twice its length, elevated by wonderfully kinetic action animation heavily influenc...
Tokyo Alien Bros. Volume 1 Manga Review
By the end of the first book (of three), my initial interest had turned to boredom, and I couldn't see much of a point to what I'd read so far.
― Having read the first book of the Tokyo Alien Bros. manga, I confess I'm baffled, and not for the obvious reasons. The scenario isn't outlandishly way-out. Instead, it's very simple: two alien brothers living in modern Tokyo, posing as humans. Nor is the st...
Answerman - Are We At Risk for Censorship of LGBTQ+/Adult Material Because of U.S. 2025 Federal Policies?
The short answer to your question is yes. Of course, there is a risk of increased censorship of LGBQT+ and “adult material” in 2025 and beyond for those of you living in the United States.
― traverse390 asks: Are we at risk of censorship of LGBTQ+/adult material re: U.S. 2025 federal policies? The short answer to your question is yes. Of course, there is a risk of increased censorship of LGBQT+ and ...
Hiro Mashima Praises Fairy Tail 2 Video Game in New Interview
“The level of accuracy is high, and being able to walk to places that were actually in the manga is fantastic.”
― While video game adaptations of popular anime are now more than commonplace, few anime are as well suited to jump between the mediums as Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail. With its sprawling fantasy world, extensive cast of colorful characters, and focus on explosive action, it's no wonder there...
Love and the Highly Sensitive Person Manga Review
This is a sincere but not-too-sappy tale of love and acceptance, both for oneself and others.
― It's always refreshing to see romances that explore uncommon perspectives and relationships, telling love stories that don't often get told. It's even more refreshing when they do it with as much kindness and empathy as Love and the Highly Sensitive Person does. This one-shot, PG-rated BL follows the hairs...
Re-Living My Life with a Boyfriend Who Doesn't Remember Me Volumes 1-2 Manga Review
Even questionable execution can’t rob the plot of its key point: Oriana’s desperation to save Vincent’s life.
― Time loops are fickle things. As any reader of the isekai subgenre can tell you, most of them only grant memories to the person doing the looping – as far as everyone else knows, they're living their lives for the first time. For Oriana, the heroine of Re-Living My Life with a Boyfriend Who...
Living With Him Manga Review
If you want something a little less spicy and a little bit more wholesome, there’s plenty here to make your heart flutter as a smile creeps across your face.
― I've never been to Japan, so I can't comment on how its society at large views same-sex relationships. But there seems to be a consistent theme in these stories where people never seem to entertain the notion that two guys could be romanticall...
Hell is Dark with No Flowers Volume 1 Manga Review
Somewhere between xxxHoLiC and Hell Girl lies Hell is Dark with No Flowers.
― Somewhere between xxxHoLiC and Hell Girl lies Hell is Dark with No Flowers. If you think I've made that comparison before, you're right – Matsuri's Phantom Tales of the Night can also be described that way. But Hell is Dark with No Flowers, based on the novel of the same name by Yoru Michio, is the better use of the descrip...
A Chat with Lena Atanassova, Editor-in-Chief of TOKYOPOP
Rebecca Silverman talks to Atanassova about her history with TOKYOPOP, the publisher's LGBTQ+ imprints, and how they're trying to maintain readers' trust.
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As a manga publisher, TOKYOPOP has undergone some difficulties, a statement some readers may think is an understatement. But in its new incarnation, the publisher has made a lot of good changes with solid choices in titles and a dedication to pr...
Firefly Wedding Volume 1 Manga Review
It isn’t a perfect way to phrase it, but Firefly Wedding’s first volume feels like it lands somewhere in between Yakuza Fiancé and Yakuza Lover.
― It isn't a perfect way to phrase it, but Firefly Wedding's first volume feels like it lands somewhere between Yakuza Fiancé and Yakuza Lover. That's not because there's a yakuza element to the story, at least not in those terms; set during what appears to ...
The Shōjo Anime Renaissance
After a long dry spell, there's finally an increase in shōjo anime adaptations. Which ones are worth watching?
― Anime is not always there for shōjo fans. Not that there isn't any in a given season, but at times it can feel like every other show that comes out is either an adaptation of a Shonen Jump property, a male power fantasy light novel, or something else that isn't all that concerned with attr...
RuriDragon Volume 1 Manga Review
In spite, or perhaps because of how laid-back it is about Ruri’s seemingly bizarre circumstances, RuriDragon really feels like something special.
― Honestly, the fact that I'm even here reviewing RuriDragon at all is something of a minor miracle. While the manga debuted in Shonen Jump to pretty much immediate success, it quickly ran into trouble when its author, Masaoki Shindo, started suffering from...
Galette Manga Magazine Volume 1 Review
This is not a one-for-one version of the original Japanese volume; it is an adapted edition for the English-reading audience.
― In the mid-2010s, the runs of two of the three existing quarterly yuri manga magazines, Pure Yuri Anthology Hirari published by Shinsokan and Tsubomi published by Hobunsha came to an end, leaving some yuri artists with unfinished series and no place to serialize them. Some o...
This Week in Anime - (Shonen) Jump Right In
Coop and Lucas browse the Shonen Jump app to sort out the good, the bad, and the Fujimoto-flavored.
― Coop and Lucas browse the Shonen Jump app to sort out the good, the bad, and the Fujimoto-flavored. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discussion of the series ahead. Chainsaw Man, Fire Punch, D...
ANN's Most-Read News and Interest Articles of 2024
These were the stories and events that shaped the anime community in 2024.
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2024 was a year for monsters, whether laying waste to the nearest metropolis or becoming a feast for dungeon crawlers. Anime News Network readers were hungry for new information about the King of Monsters; news articles focused on Godzilla ranked high as fans tracked Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Oscar-winner Godzilla...
Crescent Moon Marching Volumes 1-6 Manga Review
Crescent Moon Marching becomes a story of how young Mizuki understands what it means to be passionate about music and how crucial it is to improve yourself while understanding others.
― Originality is a tough thing to come by. The great Salvador Dali once said that those who imitate nothing produce nothing. Considering the infinite artists, musicians, writers, and other types of pen-wielders who have...
The Best Manga and Light Novels of 2024
Which manga and light novels kept you turning pages, chapter after chapter? If you haven't flipped through these titles yet, better late than never.
― Which manga and light novels kept you turning pages, chapter after chapter? Anime News Network's critics narrowed down their must-read lists to find the best series, both new and continuing, of the year. If you haven't flipped through these titles yet...
Ashita no Joe: Fighting For Tomorrow Volume 1 Manga Review
While it would be a lie to say that Ashita no Joe doesn’t show its age, it’s still a solid story, and one that’s very much worth reading.
― To call Ashita no Joe one of the most culturally significant works to ever exist within the realm of anime and manga would be a bit of an understatement. It served as the inspiration for many a boxing manga, and its anime adaptation is one of the most iconic work...
There's No Freaking Way I'll Be Your Lover! Unless... Volumes 1-6 Manga Review
If you're looking for a GL harem, this is a safe enough bet; just be aware of the dubious consent issues going in.
― Are you looking for a harem? A single, ordinary person surrounded by a bevy of beauties, all of whom want them? Typically, that ordinary person would be an unfortunate young man, dull as a potato, but There's No Freaking Way I'll Be Your Lover! Unless…, based on the light novels of the...
Scars Volume 1 Manga Review
Between Kyonosuke's past trauma, trouble at school, and zero support at home, Scars is a story about the world's worst coming-of-age.
― Based on the cute character designs, I didn't expect this comic to get so dark so fast. Between Kyonosuke's past trauma, trouble at school, and zero support at home, Scars is a story about the world's worst coming-of-age. The title refers to scars both physical and p...
The Best Anime of Fall 2024
It was another packed season of anime, but nothing could stop Science SARU's DAN DA DAN from rocketing to the top of critics and fans' lists.
― It was another packed season of anime, but nothing could stop Science Saru's DAN DA DAN from rocketing to the top of critics and fans' lists. Still, the series was in good company even if it dominated conversation. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Du...
Re:Anima Volume 1 Manga Review
Re:Anima tamps down any hope that it'll do much that's new with its familiar-feeling ideas. So far, it seems happy to be one more genre potboiler, to take or to leave.
― The kindest way to describe this science-fiction action manga is as competently average. It's a likable, lightweight read, with lively action scenes, but the first book is also laughably tropey and flimsy. The book has a note from cr...
Exploring How a Manga is Printed at the One Piece Only Exhibition
Rather than just a collection of art, this exhibit uses One Piece to both explore the history and art of printing and give an in-depth look at the process of creating modern manga.
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Recently, I was able to check out the "One Piece Only" art exhibition currently running in Tokyo. Rather than just a collection of art, the exhibit uses One Piece as a vehicle to both explore the history and art of prin...
What Happened After My Place Got So Humid It Grew Magic Mushrooms And I Ate Them And Got Super Horny! - Volumes 1-2 Manga Review (18+)
Sometimes, it doesn't matter how detailed or long the title is; you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
― Sometimes, it doesn't matter how detailed or long the title is; you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. A title like What Happened After My Place Got So Humid It Grew Magic Mushrooms And I Ate Them And Got Super Horny! prompts a lot of questions, and the answers are surprising. It sounds like o...
Dracula's On the Night Shift Manga Review
Despite ostensibly being a manga about a vampire working a night shift, DotNS isn’t the What We Do in the Shadows-esque comedy/slice-of-life series you might expect at first glance—because it’s not really a comedy/slice-of-life series at all.
― There's plenty of anime and manga about vampires trying to blend into human society out there, but not as many of them are terribly concerned with how their v...
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Shining Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak Vol. 1 Manga Review
This manga strives to answer the burning question I'm sure some fans were asking: Whatever happened to Hol Horse?
― The shifting, generation-crossing story setup of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure pretty well lends itself to spin-offs and crossovers with itself. Part 4, Diamond is Unbreakable had a better part of its plot driven by characters returning from Stardust Crusaders (and earlier!) to ostensibly co...
The Teen Exorcist Volume 1 Manga Review
This volume is, as happens with introductory books, mostly set up for Masahiro’s eventual understanding of himself.
― Due to the vagaries of English localization, you may not immediately associate this with its parent series: The Teen Exorcist is a manga reworking of the light novel series Shonen Onmyoji, which clocks in at an impressive fifty-six volumes. The light novels have never been officially ...
WEBTOON and A New Era of Digital Comics
Anime News Network spoke with David Lee, Head of U.S. WEBTOON, and Aron Levitz, president of Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, to discuss the platform's creative process, what makes webtoons distinct as a medium, and the company's upcoming projects.
― WEBTOON is a global storytelling platform that features the work of creators from all over the world. Whether it's through their mobile app or through physical...
Praise Me When I'm a Good Boy Manga Review
It genuinely makes me happy when I come across a story that treats BDSM dynamics with the reverence they deserve!
― I chose to review a lot of stories dealing with different types of sexual proclivities because I'm always curious about how these types of dynamics are portrayed in media. BDSM (relationship dynamics revolving around bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, etc.) in particula...
My Classmate Ren-kun is Kinda Scary Manga Review
My Classmate Ren-kun is Kinda Scary is, in a word, frothy.
― The narrator of this story isn't the romantic lead. That's probably the most interesting aspect of the book – it's narrated by a mostly nameless girl (we learn her name in the author's afterword, but never in the story proper) as she observes the boys on either side of her in class. It works fairly well as a framing device, particularly sin...
Our Aimless Nights Manga Review
By no means is this a deep, page-turning tale of love and lust, and it's not really meant to be.
― The risk in naming your manga Our Aimless Nights is that the adjective is already giving too much away. This two-volume manga has its narrative meandering around in certain areas, although this serves as a good thing. Teenage romances with all of their awkward tendencies are never exactly straightforwar...
Who is DAN DA DAN Heartthrob Ken Takakura?
The '60s-'70s era action film star stole Momo Ayase's heart. Here's why he should steal yours, too.
― “I am an awkward fellow, after all.” These are the words that make Momo Ayase's heart swoon in Yukinobu Tatsu's romantic paranormal phenomenon Dan Da Dan. Originally uttered by the man of her dreams, classic film actor Ken Takakura, these words eventually catch her off-guard when repeated by her UFO-...
This Week in Anime - Libraries are Fun!
Coop and Steve discover the wonderful world of libraries and all of the anime and manga goodness they give you access to.
― Coop and Steve discover the wonderful world of libraries and all of the anime and manga goodness they give you access to. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discussion of t...
The Importance of 'Blue' in Blue Period: Interview with Tsubasa Yamaguchi
At the Kodansha House pop-up venue in New York City, Tsubasa Yamaguchi made her U.S. fan event debut and revealed her own experience in fine art.
― Regardless of when you start or how much talent you have, there are always hurdles to creating art that can truly speak to people. The Blue Period manga has managed to speak to many readers, myself included, as a story that lays bare all of the trials and...
Kowloon Generic Romance Volumes 7-8 Manga Review
With both anime and live-action drama adaptations promised for 2025, now is unquestionably the right time to discover your Absolute Self and read the original first.
― Later volumes of After the Rain's Jun Mayuzuki's masterful sci-fi mystery romance are impossible to review without massively spoiling earlier volumes, so if you've not read the first few installments of Kowloon Generic Romance, be warn...
Yokai: The Art of Shigeru Mizuki Artbook Review
Although nominally an artbook, this might be just as easily described as a collection of folklore.
― “Shigeru Mizuki,” translator and scholar Zack Davisson says in his introductory essay, “lived in a vibrant fantasy world where every tree, every blade of grass was infused with spiritual energy.” If any one thing comes through in this collection of Mizuki's artwork, it is this – there's a deeply roote...
How Witch Hat Atelier's Manga Creator Made Magic for Everyone
We spoke with Kamome Shirahama at Kodansha House in NYC to discuss disability representation in her work, her art studies, and, of course, Qifrey.
― A packed room of enthusiastic fans gathered in the hall at the Kodansha House pop-up in NYC for the chance to have a live Q&A session with the mangaka of Witch Hat Atelier, Kamome Shirahama. The session began by introducing the moderator and local librar...
Miki Yamamoto, Creator of A Smart and Courageous Child Manga
Her single-volume book explores a couple's first pregnancy and their emotional trajectories as they go from thrilled to fearful, examining the role of news and how the written word impacts people.
― Miki Yamamoto's work isn't what most people think of when they hear the word "manga." Eschewing a typical manga style, the creator and picture book scholar has a deft hand with telling stories that rely e...
The Fall 2024 Manga Guide
Come get your fill of October releases, featuring fan-favorite yuri, horror for Halloween, and plenty of [pumpkin] spice!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2024 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writes up each new anime television premiere as it airs at the beginning of a season. Now, doing something like that for manga is tricky ...
My Sister Took My Fiance and Now I'm Being Courted by a Beastly Prince Volumes 1 & 2 Manga Review
My Sister Took My Fiancé and Now I'm Being Courted by a Beastly Prince is off to a solid start. It may not be wholly innovative, but Cordelia is a good heroine and nobody's fool, except when it comes to herself, and she's wholly cognizant of that.
― Life is not easy for Cordelia. The daughter of a noble in the kingdom of Liobern, Cordelia isn't so much unremarkable as she is less outwardly beautiful ...
My Journey to Her Manga Review
Unlike a lot of similar narratives, this isn't about the anguish, coming out, or transphobia. That's not to say those things aren't present, but they aren't the point.
― There are so many falsehoods perpetrated about what it means to be transgender, so many scare tactics employed by people who fear those who are different, that it's important to highlight any authentic own-voices narratives that are ...
The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity Volumes 1-3 Manga Review
Author Saka Mikami 's main theme is the exploration of how uninformed judgments of others, especially when fuelled by humanity's innate tribalism, lead to unfair treatment and social ostracization.
― The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignityis one of those heart-warming romance manga where if you're not grinning with delight by the end of the first volume, there's probably something broken in your soul...
The Fall 2024 Manga Guide
The manga guide continues with a fan-favorite yuri series, a recent anime adaptation, and plenty of horror!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2024 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writes up each new anime television premiere as it airs at the beginning of a season. Now, doing something like that for manga is tricky - there's no e...
Fist of the North Star Volume 14 Manga Review
Can you recreate the magic of the relationship between Kenshiro, Raoh, Toki, and Jagi?
― Fist of the North Star Volume 14 provides Kenshiro with the most interesting set of villains of the post-Raoh era by digging into a familiar bag of tricks. This volume, almost more than any other, has me split on how to feel about the events. It is equal parts novel ideas and the same old, familiar, and unique. T...
Korea's WEBTOON Entertainment In Midst of Labor Dispute
WEBTOON Entertainment's labor union is requesting fair compensation after its CEO was awarded an eye-popping $30 million in cash and stock options.
― Since going public on the U.S. stock market, WEBTOON Entertainment, the world's leading platform for Korean webcomics, has been battling a series of escalating crises. The company's stock price has plummeted by 50%, and disgruntled stockholders have fil...
Magical Girl and The Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies Manga Review
The late Cocoa Fujiwara never got to finish this story. Even if you don’t love the series, that’s a tragedy, and for readers, it means knowing that you’re embarking on a journey without a finish.
― The late Cocoa Fujiwara never got to finish this story. Even if you don't love the series, that's a tragedy, and for readers, it means knowing that you're embarking on a journey without a finish – when the...
The Fall 2024 Manga Guide
Check out the latest additions to the Manga Guide with gyaru, fantasy adventures, and more spicy series!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2024 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writes up each new anime television premiere as it airs at the beginning of a season. Now, doing something like that for manga is tricky - there's no equi...
Fist of the North Star Volume 13 Manga Review
Fist of the North Star Volume 13 is a strong package, but at the same time I wouldn't blame someone for feeling like there are diminishing returns in this latter era of the run.
― Volume 13 is an odd mixture of elements and novel concepts that dazzle visually while being all right otherwise. I hate to sound like a broken record, but many of the same strengths and weaknesses seen here have been with t...
The Real Yokai of DAN DA DAN
We asked yokai expert Zack Davisson to give us a lesson in the real origins of Turbo Granny, Serpos aliens, and more from the hit series DAN DA DAN!
― I was just at AnimeNYC, and as usual, after my yokai panel I had people curious about their favorite series, asking “Is this a real yokai?” I get that question all the time and the answer is always “Yes.” Because all yokai are real to the same extent ...
Blood on the Tracks Manga Creator Shūzō Oshimi Can't Help But Get Personal
We met with Oshimi at the Kodansha House pop-up in NYC to look back at Flowers of Evil, gender themes in his work, and what might come next.
― “Have you ever read a comic that crept up on you? A story that lingers long after you put the book down? You turn off the lights and get ready to sleep, and then, from the darkness, this story reaches out and grabs your ankle? Congratulations, you've just read...
Creating a Multi-Volume Rom-Com Manga from a One-Shot
According to series creator Yūki Kanamaru, More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers was originally only supposed to be three chapters long!
― More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers certainly caught me by surprise when it aired back in 2022. Within its unique premise is a story about love and looking past our preconceptions about each other. At Anime Expo 2024, Anime News Network sat down and s...
Manga Biographies: Charles M. Schulz Manga Review
Big fan of the Peanuts gang? Discover how Snoopy’s creator, Charles M. Schulz’s love for art at a young age led to his career drawing a comic strip known by every American household.
― Despite growing up with the Peanuts comic strip and owning a minimum of five pieces of Snoopy merchandise, I admittedly knew very little about Charles M. Schulz prior to reading this manga biography. During San Diego C...
Fist of the North Star Volume 11-12 Manga Review
Fist of the North Star volumes 11 and 12 usher in a new era for the series, which is more divisive than previous arcs but still of incredibly high quality.
― Fist of the North Star volumes 11 and 12 usher in a new era for the series which is more divisive than previous arcs but still of incredibly high quality. As I said in the last review, we have been to the mountaintop of the series and are now be...
Sister and Giant: A Young Lady Is Reborn in Another World Volumes 1-2 Manga Review
Sister and Giant has moments of being better than it ought to be, but on the whole, it is a bit schlocky.
― You all know the story: a Japanese schoolgirl is killed by some form of transportation and ends up getting to live out the rest of her life in a fantasy world, often with magical RPG-inspired power. Along the way, she finds love and friendship, and even though she's dead in one world, it's in t...
Shangri-La Frontier Cheat Codes: How Its Creators Built Its Video Game World
Before Sunraku returns in season two, ANN spoke with light novel author Katarina and manga creator Ryōsuke Fuji on fleshing out its VR world.
― Shangri-La Frontier is an exciting action anime showcasing the fun exploits of our main character Sunraku. With a shoebill bird mask and an assortment of daggers by his side, Sunraku seeks to overcome challenges and learn more about the god-tier game Shangri...
Reimagining A World-Famous Monster: #DRCL Manga Creator Shin'ichi Sakamoto
Shin'ichi Sakamoto gives us a deeper look at his award-winning title's LGBTQ+ themes and how hie draws "with an awareness of beauty."
― Shin'ichi Sakamoto's storied manga has at last begun coming stateside, with English releases of Innocent and #DRCL midnight children now several volumes in, and The Climber announced to be coming soon. #DRCL, a dramatic reimagining of Bram Stoker's Dracula, was nomin...
SPY×FAMILY Volumes 11-12 Manga Review
While most of Anya's schemes go hilariously sideways, now is her time to shine.
― It's hard to go wrong with an Anya-centric storyline. As wonderful as it's been to get Loid's difficult past and to see Yor steal the spotlight, Anya remains one of Spy x Family's most endearing characters, as well as the one it's easiest to get an entertaining plot out of. She's the ultimate wild card, a little kid who...
Pupposites Attract Volume 1 Manga Review
This is the dog-person equivalent to many of the cat-person manga out there.
― For whatever reason, there's much more of a history of cat manga in English translation than dog manga. That doesn't mean that there aren't any—Doomsday With My Dog and Inubaka: Crazy for Dogs both have English editions, and that's not even counting series like Yuzu the Pet Vet with its periphery focus on canines. (We perh...
Riviere and the Land of Prayer Manga Volume 1 Review
It feels like it's supposed to be an episodic series where our leads go out and solve problems—but it's hard to do that when the story doesn't establish the rules of its world.
― Despite being raised Catholic and going to a Catholic high school, I don't consider myself a very religious person. The idea of praying for a better life can be found throughout multiple religions and there is a certain leve...
This Week in Anime - So Your Favorite Manga is Ending...
With the recent end of My Hero Academia and impending conclusion of Jujutsu Kaisen, Nick and Lucas spoiler-tastically talk all about manga endings—the good, the bad, and the utterly insane.
― With the recent end of My Hero Academia and impending conclusion of Jujutsu Kaisen, Nick and Lucas spoiler-tastically talk all about manga endings—the good, the bad, and the utterly insane. Disclaimer: The view...
Empathizing with Pregnancy: An Interview with My Girlfriend's Child Manga Creator Mamoru Aoi
"I thought about what I could do as a woman, as a mother, and as a shojo manga artist."
― Shojo manga artist Mamoru Aoi has been busy this summer completing her highly recognized manga, My Girlfriend's Child. Also known as Ano Ko no Kodomo, the romantic drama was nominated for an Eisner award under Best Publication for Teens. In addition, the live-action TV drama based on the manga began broadcasting...
When Old Work Reaches New Audiences: An Interview with Bubblegum Crisis' Kenichi Sonoda
Seasoned manga creator and character designer Kenichi Sonoda discusses reinvigorating retro art and Rally Vincent's updated ride.
― Kenichi Sonoda, Japanese manga artist and character designer for Bubblegum Crisis, returned to the US for his appearance at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. Udon Entertainment brought him as a guest in celebration of Bubblegum Crisis Complete Archive, which includes an extensi...
In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name Volume 1 Manga Review
In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name is a nice twist to the typical isekai villainess story.
― It's an old saying that you can choose your friends but not your family. But what do you do when your family steals your friends? That's the situation Ichika finds herself in as part of her isekai experience, and not necessarily in the way you're thinking. (Or would be thinking, had you not read the ti...
Visualizing Lovecraft: An Interview with Manga Creator Gou Tanabe
The Eisner-nominated horror manga creator shares his experience adapting Lovecraft's darkest stories.
― Japanese artist Gou Tanabe made his first appearance at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. Known for his manga adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft's novels, Tanabe first started with the publication of The Outsider in 2007 and has continued his work to now. His take on The Shadow Over Innsmouth was nominated for ...
Mermaid Prince Manga Review
Ozaki's take on the aquatic beings is a fascinating blend of horror and fantasy imagery. The mermaid is equally beautiful and terrifying, and that sums up Mugi's feelings about his new situation and the creature.
― There's a bittersweet quality to most of Kaori Ozaki's works, at least those translated into English – Immortal Rain, The Gods Lie, and The Golden Sheep – and Mermaid Prince is no exceptio...
Excellent Property, Rejects for Residents Manga Volume 1 Review
From the creator of Heaven's Lost Property comes another story about a young man having a chance encounter with an angel-like being!
― From the creator of Heaven's Lost Property comes another story about a young man having a chance encounter with an angel-like being! However, unlike Heaven's Lost Property, we seem to have dialed back on the fan service in exchange for having more comedy and potential...
Aria of the Beech Forest Volume 1 Manga Review
It's clear that Yugiri Aika researched traditional Irish culture or cuisine – if you've ever wanted a very simple recipe for colcannon, this book has it.
― Witches, who practice herbal magic and wear pointed black hats, are often relegated to the realms of folklore, trotted out once a year on Halloween. Then they ride their broomsticks across the sky, cavort with black cat familiars, and lay traps fo...
Father, I Don't Want This Marriage Volume 1 Manhwa Review
If you enjoy a villainess-good tale filled with lovely art of a royal fantasy world, try this.
― Like Not Sew Wicked Stepmother's release before it, Father, I Don't Want This Marriage's source novels were translated and previously published by WordExcerpt. For unexplained reasons, this Korean novel translation outfit has ceased to make its books available outside of the serialized format available on...
Making Monsters Delicious with Delicious in Dungeon Manga Creator Ryoko Kui
We spoke with Delicious in Dungeon manga creator Ryōko Kui to discuss the community of food, why Senshi is so sexy, seeing neurodivergence in Laios, and more.
― Hot off the heels of its season one finale, Delicious in Dungeon captivated audiences with its ensemble cast's humorous chemistry, appetizing meals, and impressive world-building. It's impressive to imagine everything from the series' magica...
This Reincarnated Cross-Dressing Princess Won't Be Looking for a Fiancé Manga Review
The single greatest flaw here is that the story would have worked better spread out over two volumes.
― Even though we are all ostensibly accustomed to the trend of light novels and their adaptations revealing the entire premise and half the plot in their titles, it still feels like this one is determined to toss as many buzzwords as possible into its own. We have a princess who is reincarnated, both...
GOGOGOGO-GO-GHOST! Manga Volume 1 Review
It's hard to read this first volume and not feel yourself rooting for Akechi and Masako and they pursue petty and supernatural revenge.
― GOGOGOGO-GO-GHOST! ("What you hear when your Danny Phantom DVD has a smudge," said my partner, chuckling upon seeing the title) has a fascinating introduction. In the first chapter, we're introduced to our main character, an office worker named Ushiro Akechi, who g...
Alley: Junji Ito Story Collection Manga Review
One of Ito's trademarks is how unsettling he's able to make ideas that sound simple on paper, and the stories of Alley are no different.
― By now, Junji Ito's name is so ubiquitous not just in manga but in horror overall that it almost feels pointless to explain who he is. The four-time Eisner Award winner has created iconic horror manga after iconic horror manga. His latest work to get an English re...
The Poetry of Ran Volumes 1-2 Manga Review
This manga is unimpactful, and if not for the beautiful, meticulously detailed art, I’d say nothing about it stands out at all, either for better or for worse.
― Consisting of a whopping two volumes from start to finish, The Poetry of Ran is a bite-sized high-fantasy manga about a warrior called Ran. To be more specific, the manga begins with Ran arriving in a small village. Per the request of the vi...
Occult Detective Club: Graveyard of the Death Dolls Manga Review
This is a solid work of 1986 horror, with art that mimics the basic shoujo manga style of the period, twisted just so to make it upsetting.
― There is one abiding rule that horror stories need to follow: do not pull your punches. That goes for whatever demographic you're writing for, and in my opinion, nothing will ruin a horror story faster than an ending that wraps everything up too neatly. Sadly, ...
EXCLUSIVE: Preview Atsushi Kaneko's Search and Destroy, Reimagining of Dororo Manga
Fantagraphics debuted the award-nominated Search and Destroy manga on Tuesday
― Fantagraphics debuted the award-nominated Search and Destroy manga on Tuesday, and Anime News Network can exclusively share a four-page preview. IMG search-and-destory_preview_pg-39.jpg
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IMG search-and-destory_preview_pg-42.jpg Images ©Atsush...
Small-town Horror: Interview with The Summer Hikaru Died Creator Mokumokuren
Recently tapped for an anime adaptation and selling almost a quarter million copies, we spoke with Mokumokuren about their manga, body-horror, adolescence, and more.
― Manga creator Mokumokuren is having a good year. Their debut manga The Summer Hikaru Died was recently tapped for an anime adaptation, but not before making multiple entries on top manga lists, in the U.S. and Japan. Dripping with the...
Playing the Long Game - The Story of Slam Dunk in North America
Slam Dunk has been wildly popular across Asia—first in the 90s and once again with the release of The First Slam Dunk last year. But in North America, this hasn’t exactly been the case.
― Just before I flew out to D.C. for Otakon last year, I started hearing a low but persistent rumbling around a little movie about to hit theaters—The First Slam Dunk. While I missed my chance to see the film on the ...
Just Like Mona Lisa Volume 1 Manga Review
Tsumuji Yoshimura's romance drama centers on non-binary Hinase, a teen who has no gender in a world where most people choose by age 12.
― My ex once described gender as soup—it's fluid, can swirl all over the place, and can be enjoyed at one's leisure. However, depending on how you approach it, it can also be exceedingly messy. We unfortunately live in a world where many people fail to understand wha...
Gannibal Manga Volume 1 Review
This rollercoaster of a horror manga is a genuinely exciting page-turner by the last stretch of the volume
― A gruesome horror series whose English release was originally funded via Kickstarter, Gannibal is the definition of "niche." That's the sort of specially targeted appeal that's looked forward to by fans of any good gore. However, the pacing of horror is also paramount to paying it off in execu...
My Hero Academia's Mamoru Miyano, Daiki Yamashita Discuss Manga's Imminent Conclusion
'I'm sure Horikoshi-sensei is burning his soul, like One For All, and he's going to deplete his soul like All Might after he finishes drawing the final episode.'
― While discourse around My Hero Academia has focused on the manga's imminent ending as of late, you wouldn't have thought the franchise was running out of gas based on the MY HERO ACADEMIA SPECIAL EVENT at this year's Anime Expo. Filling t...
My Name Is Shingo Perfect Edition Volumes 1-2 Manga Review
This science fiction horror story from the early days of computers and robotics is fascinating, even as it takes its time getting to where it's going.
― If you're only familiar with Kazuo Umezz's previously released titles from Viz's current Perfect Edition run, My Name is Shingo may surprise you. That's not because it's more science fiction than horror or features a central romance, but because this...
Read 30 Pages of Tezuka-Reimagining Comic, Unico: Awakening
Based on the classic manga series comes a colorful story from artists Gurihiru and writer Samuel Sattin.
― Publisher Scholastic and writer-artist team Samuel Sattin (The Essential Anime Guide) and Gurihiru ((Superman Smashes the Klan, It's Jeff) are set to release Unico: Awakening, their 210-page comic based on Osamu Tezuka's classic series on August 6. Anime News Network is sharing the first 30 pag...
Let's Do It Already! Volume 1 Manga Review
Let's Do It Already's first volume is frothy, but this still reads like a fluffy shoujo romance. It's less of a sexy comedy than its copy implies, but it's still a fun read if you're a genre fan.
― Ah, high school love – when some teens begin navigating the waters of relationships and their physical components, eager to learn what their bodies can do and do it with the people they're crushing on. The...
This Monster Wants to Eat Me Volume 1 Manga Review
Is Shiori a friend, foe, love interest, or some combination of all three? With the sexual meaning of “eat” also present in the text, it's hard to know.
― Yuri mermaid horror. That's not word salad, it's the genre identifiers for Sai Naekawa's manga This Monster Wants to Eat Me, a dark literary folktale about a high school girl and the mermaid who's protecting her until she reaches the perfect stage o...
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