Review: A Bride’s Story Vol. 3

Serialized in Harta (2008-Present)

Published in the U.S. by YEN Press (2011-Present)

Story & Art by Kaoru Mori

Summary: A Bride’s Story tells the tale of a beautiful young bride in nineteenth-century Asia. At the age of twenty, Amir is sent to a neighboring town to be wed. But her surprise at learning her new husband, Karluk, is eight years younger than her is quickly replaced by a deep affection for the boy and his family. Though she hails from just beyond the mountains, Amir’s clan had very different customs, foods, and clothes from what Karluk is used to. As the two of them learn more about each other through their day-to-day lives, the bond of respect and love grows stronger. [YEN Press]

Review: Let’s Lagoon Ch. 52-53

Young Magazine (2007-Present)

Written and Illustrated by Takeshi Okazaki

Summary: Yamada wakes up on an uninhabited island after falling off the cruise ship his class was on in the middle of the ocean during a thick fog. Alone, he begins building a raft and finding ways to survive until he discovers a female classmate has washed ashore as well. The two learn to survive together until one of their teachers washes ashore and generates animosity between the three of them. After nearly two weeks of living on this island Yamada is swept up by a fog only to regain consciousness while being rescued in the middle of the ocean 15 minutes after he had originally fallen overboard. What is this new reality Yamada finds himself in? No one believes him about the island he stayed upon with his classmate Imaise Chika and their teacher Shibata. But when Shibata shows up unscathed and with no memories of what happened it’s now up to Yamada to discover the truth for himself and find the missing Imaise.

Review: Something Wikkid This Way Comes: The Manga

Published by Yen Press (2012)

Originally created by Nicole Peeler, Adapted  -story and art- by Cassandra Jean

Summary: Capitola, Moo, and Shar are the halfling ladies of Triptych: supernatural private investigators who get paid to clean up paranormal messes. Normally Cappie doesn’t take human classes, but who can resist a priest, missing Catholic school girls, and a creature that may or may not be the Prince of Darkness? Enjoy Cassandra Jean’s manga adaptation of Nicole Peeler’s hilarious short story originally published by Orbit! [Official Synopsis]

Review: Sword Art Online Vol. 1

Serialized by Dengeki Bunko (2009-Present)

Serialized in the U.S. by Yen Press (2014-Present)

Story by Reki Kawahara, Art by abec

Summary: In the year 2022, gamers rejoice as Sword Art Online-a VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) like no other-opens its virtual doors, allowing players to take full advantage of the ultimate in gaming technology: NerveGear, a system that allows users to completely immerse themselves in the game world by manipulating their brain waves to create a wholly realistic gaming experience. But when the game goes live, the elation of the players quickly turns to horror as they discover that, for all its amazing features, SAO is missing one of the most basic functions of any MMORPG-a log-out button. Now trapped in the virtual world of Aincrad, their bodies held captive by NerveGear in the real world, users are issued a chilling ultimatum: conquer all one hundred floors of Aincrad to regain your freedom. But in the warped world of SAO, “game over” means certain death-both virtual and real… [Yen Press]

Review: Seraphim 266613336 Wing

Serialized in Animage (1994-1996)

Published in the U.S. by Dark Horse Comics (2015)

Story by Mamoru Oshii, Art by Satoshi Kon

Summary: The signs were there, if anyone had read them. By the time they noticed, it was too late.

It began on the cusp of the twenty-first century. An unknown disease appeared from deep inside Eurasia, then spread uncontrollably until it decimated the continent.

Review: A Bride’s Story Vol. 2

Serialized in Harta (2008-Present)

Published in the U.S. by YEN Press (2011-Present)

Story & Art by Kaoru Mori

Summary: A Bride’s Story tells the tale of a beautiful young bride in nineteenth-century Asia. At the age of twenty, Amir is sent to a neighboring town to be wed. But her surprise at learning her new husband, Karluk, is eight years younger than her is quickly replaced by a deep affection for the boy and his family. Though she hails from just beyond the mountains, Amir’s clan had very different customs, foods, and clothes from what Karluk is used to. As the two of them learn more about each other through their day-to-day lives, the bond of respect and love grows stronger. [YEN Press]

Review: A Bride’s Story Vol. 1

Serialized in Harta (2008-Present)

Published in the U.S. by YEN Press (2011-Present)

Story & Art by Kaoru Mori

Summary: A Bride’s Story tells the tale of a beautiful young bride in nineteenth-century Asia. At the age of twenty, Amir is sent to a neighboring town to be wed. But her surprise at learning her new husband, Karluk, is eight years younger than her is quickly replaced by a deep affection for the boy and his family. Though she hails from just beyond the mountains, Amir’s clan had very different customs, foods, and clothes from what Karluk is used to. As the two of them learn more about each other through their day-to-day lives, the bond of respect and love grows stronger. [YEN Press]

Review: Shadow Star Vol. 2

Serialized in Afternoon (1998-2003)

Story & Art by Mohiro Kitoh

Published in the U.S. by Dark Horse Comics (2001-2005; Incomplete Run)

Summary: “From a dying planet shall come the children of light…”

While on vacation on a small island, young Shiina Tamai dives under the water near an old shrine and discovers an unearthly starfish-like creature. She nearly drowns but is rescued by the silent, wide-eyed little animal, who Shiina befriends and names Hoshimaru. To Shiina’s surprise and delight, the creature changes shape, lets Shiina stand on him, and the two fly off into the clouds. But what looks to be a young girl’s ultimate fantasy soon takes a darker turn as Shiina and Hoshimaru become entangled in a struggle between rival extraterrestrial factions who battle in the skies upon huge alien beasts called Shadow Dragons, with the fate of Earth hanging in the balance. [Dark Horse]

Review: Jaco The Galactic Patrolman – The Complete Series

Serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump (2013)

Published in U.S. by VIZ Media (2015)

Story and Art by Akira Toriyama

Summary: Retired scientist Omori lives alone on a deserted island while continuing his research into time-travel. His quiet life is interrupted when galactic patrolman Jaco crash-lands and decides to move in with him. This agent from space claims to be an elite, but sometimes it can be a little hard to believe. Can Jaco get along with the old man long enough to save the Earth from a dangerous threat? [From the back of the book.]

Review: Shadow Star Vol. 1

Serialized in Afternoon (1998-2003)

Story & Art by Mohiro Kitoh

Published in the U.S. by Dark Horse Comics (2001-2005; Incomplete Run)

Summary: “From a dying planet shall come the children of light…”

While on vacation on a small island, young Shiina Tamai dives under the water near an old shrine and discovers an unearthly starfish-like creature. She nearly drowns but is rescued by the silent, wide-eyed little animal, who Shiina befriends and names Hoshimaru.

Review: The Ocean Meets the Sky

Serialization in Tsubomi (2011)

Story and Art by Keito Koume

Summary: A girl stumbles upon and accidentally awakens a robot that has been asleep for 15 years. [MyAnimeList.net]

Review: The Ocean Meets the Sky is a fantastical little one-shot that isn’t very long but manages to pack quite the punch in its 30-odd pages of story. It focuses on Tanako Umi, a 15-year old girl who discovers a robot that also looks like a 15 year old girl and has been hidden away in a school and asleep for the last 15 years.

Review: Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign Vol. 1

Serialized in Japan in Shonen Jump SQ (2012-Present)

Story by Takaya Kagami; Art by Yamato Yamamoto

Published in U.S. in VIZ Media, Serialized Digitally in Weekly Shonen Jump (2013-Present)

Summary:

Review: Seraph of the End is quite the peculiar title. On the outset it looks really intriguing. The characters look cool, the military outfits look really cool, and then you add in vampires and demons and I’m sold. The premise is very similar to Attack on Titan, mankind has fallen and has been backed into a single city guarded by an elite military in order to keep the evil beasts out.

Review: Let’s Lagoon Ch.51

(Young Magazine 2007-Present)

Written and Illustrated by Takeshi Okazaki

Summary: Yamada wakes up on an uninhabited island after falling off the cruise ship his class was on in the middle of the ocean during a thick fog. Alone, he begins building a raft and finding ways to survive until he discovers a female classmate has washed ashore as well. The two learn to survive together until one of their teachers washes ashore and generates animosity between the three of them. After nearly two weeks of living on this island Yamada is swept up by a fog only to regain consciousness while being rescued in the middle of the ocean 15 minutes after he had originally fallen overboard. What is this new reality Yamada finds himself in? No one believes him about the island he stayed upon with his classmate Imaise Chika and their teacher Shibata. But when Shibata shows up unscathed and with no memories of what happened it’s now up to Yamada to discover the truth for himself and find the missing Imaise.

Review: Monster Musume Ch. 46

(Seven Seas – 2012)

Story & Art by Okayado

Storyline Ongoing

Summary: It’s every day life with Monster Girls in this ecchi comedy, telling the harrowing tale of a young man named Kimihito Kurusu who builds a harem of young, attractive girls with animalistic features. From a Lamia (half-snake, half human) to a Centaur (half-horse, half-human) and more.

Review: Attack on Titan Ch. 86

(Kodansha 2009)

Story & Art by Hajime Isayama

Storyline Ongoing

Summary: In an alternate telling of the history of the world, mankind has been pushed back behind walls where for the last 100 years they’ve been protected from monsters known as Titans. One day these Titans appeared again and brought one of those walls crashing down – the result almost sent humanity into extinction. This is the story of the last remnants of mankind.

Review: Red Sprite Ch. 1

Shonen Jump (2016)

Story and Art by Tomohiro Yagi

Summary: Tatsu Frampt is a young boy living in an orphanage along with a score of other kids who’ve been isolated from society for a unique illness that only they have. With metal growing out of their hands, these children are overseen by a man named Duran who suffers from the same illness. All that comes crashing down in a barrage of bullets when the orphanage is attacked and soldiers come looking for the children. Tatsu’s world is changed forever when he learns the truth of his illness and the reasons behind the military’s hunt for his friends…

Review: Love Rush Ch. 1

Shonen Jump (2016)

Story and Art by Ryohei Yamamoto

Summary: Reiji Hakuba is your normal, everyday average high school senior.. except for one tiny detail. He’s been diagnosed with an excessively rare genetic disorder called the ‘ubermale gene’. Which causes girls in droves to see him as a super stud rather than what he really is by creating an optical illusion around his body. So while Reiji only has eyes for one girl all other girls have eyes for him. How will Reiji pull himself out of this one?

Review: The Promised Neverland – Chapters 2-3

Shonen Jump (2016)

Written by Kaiu Shirai; Art by Posuka Demizu

Summary: Emma and her friends have a pretty good life at the orphanage they grew up in. Though the rules may be strict, the caretaker is kind. But why are the children forbidden from ever leaving…? [VIZ Media]

Review: The Promised Neverland Ch. 1

Shonen Jump (2016)

Written by Kaiu Shirai; Art by Posuka Demizu

Summary: Emma and her friends have a pretty good life at the orphanage they grew up in. Though the rules may be strict, the caretaker is kind. But why are the children forbidden from ever leaving…? [VIZ Media]

Review: Toppu GP Ch. 1-6

(Kodansha Comics – 2016)

Story and Art by Kousuke Fujishima

Summary: Toppu Uno loves watching his neighbor, best friend, and crush Myne-chan race the tracks in professional Motorcycle Racing. He’s also incredibly smart and can easily time her racing without the use of a timer and can memorize and accurately re-create anything he sees. One day after Myne-chan eggs him on to try racing for himself Toppu begins his own journey into the world of professional Motorcycle Racing.