Archive for the English Manga Category


When the Villainess Seduces the Main Heroine, Volume 1

December 4th, 2024

A busty blonde woman in low-cut red dress is embraced by a smiling black-haired beauty in a low-cut dress and corset as they lay in a plush bed.Guest review by Paul S. Enns

When the Villainess Seduces the Main Heroine, Volume 1 by Kasai Fujii, is a ridiculous bit of fluff, ending with an equally ridiculous story.

It’s about the Villainess, Akuya Krei Jou, seducing the Heroine, Sei Hi Roin, away from the Prince, San Punkan. All of which happens in the prologue, a whole four pages.

After the prologue, the next hundred pages are 90% lovey-dovey day-to-day activities of two women deeply in love with each other and the other 10% what Yaaba (Akuya’s housekeeper and instructor) and Stray (the stray cat that loves watching lesbian love) think of that.

Then it goes dark.

That’s where story happens, and it really changes the mood. It’s where Sei shows that she can get out of trouble and not just depend on her partner to rescue her. It’s where Akuya gets to show off how villainous she can be to protect Sei. It’s where… No. I’m not going to spoil it. But it did induce some squick in me.

While there is plenty of service, there’s no actual genitalia shown. Breasts and discussion of what Akuya will do to Sei and Sei’s reactions cover it.

As a whole, I enjoyed the fluff of the beginning. The story felt like it was from a different writer writing in the first half’s style. The jarring difference was too much. If it made up its mind and was one or the other, it would work better. I say “first half”, but the story part is half as long. Still sticks in my memory better than the fluff.

My favorite short would have to be the one that deals with consent. It’s an important topic to me.

The translation feels solid. Every gesture and sound is given a translation. Nothing jarring in the text to signal problems. Another stellar job by Yen Press.

Looking at the original review of the Japanese version, I must sadly say that none of the punny names come through in English.

Ratings:

Art: 7 Better like long eyelashes.
Story: What story? But I’ll give the story part a 3.
Characters: 7 No denying that Akuya and Sei are lovely together. Stray gets some good humor, too.
Service: 7 I’ll not rate higher without genitalia shown.
Yuri: 9.5 To be 10 there wouldn’t be any sex with men, right?

Overall: 5

It should have been just the shorts, but would this be Volume 1 without the story? It does end with “To be continued…”. I don’t know which would be better: more shorts or more story. It doesn’t leave me optimistic. We’ll find out when Volume 2 arrives in the new year.





Otherside Picnic, Volume 11

November 27th, 2024

Two women stand holding their ears, as if against some noise. One with long, blonde hair in a green jacket and one with medium-length dark hair in a plaid coat. Looking large behind them is a schoolgirl with silver hair done up in plaits, coquettishly touching her open mouth.by Sandy Ferguson, Guest Reviewer

Having dealt with the mystery of Kanno Sanuki in Volume 10, Otherside Picnic, Volume 11 consists entirely of “The Whisper Is At-Your-Own-Risk”, and it is a delightfully exhausting read.

We start with Sorawo being locked up by Runa Urumi and her fan club. Sorawo assesses her situation and considering that she is being held by a cult led by one of Satsuki’s devotees, it is not looking good. This leads to Sorawo reflecting on her past as someone who managed to escape a cult, and in doing so we are introduced to Sorawo’s ‘coping personality’.  We then follow Sorawo, as she uses her experiences from the past to do what is necessary to escape Runa and her fan club, using a skill set and mental attitudes that combine the Otherside and MacGyver.

As we hear later from Kozakura, this ‘coping personality’ can change how people perceive Sorawo as they indirectly receive an intense glimpse into the trauma that has shaped Sorawo’s life.  But later we witness Sorawo reflecting on the nature of this ‘coping personality’ and how it compares with Sorawo as we now know her, someone who is evolving as a person through letting people into her life, much to her chagrin.

Coping Personality Sorawo escapes from her confinement and picks up Kozakura. They discover that Runa has been collecting Fourth Kind contactees, drawn in such a way that reminds us how lucky Sorawo and Toriko are in how they have been touched by the Otherside.

Their escape is brief as Runa’s fan club recapture them, which gives Runa an opportunity to share with Sorawo and Kozakura her plans. Then Runa leaves Sorawo behind in what becomes a dangerous situation. It is at this point Toriko enters the story kicking arse, ably supported by Migawa from the DS Lab.

More excitement ensues as Sorawo, Toriko and Migawa follow Runa and her fan club to the DS lab.  When they arrive the decision is made, due to concerns over Runa’s use of the voice, that Sorawo and Toriko will confront Runa. And then the volume ends with a ‘wow’ moment that sets us up for an intense climax to this story in the next volume.

From this volume we learn more about Runa, how a young girl hoping for internet attention is changed by the touch of the Otherside, or she prefers to call it, the Blue World. Is she a cult leader? Or an idol with a devoted fan club? Is she just looking for some awesome friends?

And throughout the volume we witness Sorawo’s frustration over the fact that ‘Everyone Loves Satsuki’ with Runa the latest more extreme addition to the Satsuki Fan Club. And although jealousy is a critical part of Sorawo’s response, we the reader can’t ignore the fact that Sorawo is right about Satsuki being an iffy person and we can appreciate Sorawo’s desire to shake Toriko and all the others while yelling ‘am I the only one who sees that Satsuki is up to no good?”

What I appreciated most about ‘A Whisper in the Dead of Night’ is Kozakura giving us some candid insights into her challenges in defining her relationships with Toriko and Sorawo and how she struggles with the aftermath of her relationship with Satsuki.

Ratings:

Story– 9
Artwork– 9 Exciting artwork that draws us into the excitement of this volume, covering action in this world as well as the presence of the Otherside.
Character– 9 An interesting piece of self-analysis by Sorawo as she reflects on the fact that throughout all her escapades with Toriko she never needed her ‘coping personality’. And later Sorawo discovers how her relationship with Toriko has led to her taking her first steps on developing empathy for other people.
Service– 8 Warning, intense hugging action! It looked like Sorawo needed a warning…
Yuri – 8, Yuri Otherside Picnic style as Sorawo gushes over the image of Toriko in full action hero mode, while being jealous that Migawa had witnessed such awesomeness.

Overall – 9

The story continues in Volume 12, which will be here in Spring 2025!





Assorted Entanglements, Volume 6

November 20th, 2024

A woman in a business suit with short dark hair, holding a beer, hugs her younger sister in a white blouse and dark blue skirt her black hair in pigtails.

by Matt Marcus, Staff Writer

Last we left our ragtag crew of sapphics, dates were “enjoyed”, feelings were revealed, emotional wounds were bonded over. We were left just short of a handful of plot payoffs: will Kujou give in to Sugimoto’s trial date idea? Will Heke-sensei be able to game hard enough to earn the right to date her boss? Will Shizuku and Saori just hook up already?

In Assorted Entanglements Volume 6, three of our four pairings arrive at significant inflection points. One couple is embarking on a new adventure as a couple, one is pretending to do the same, and the third…well that one is about to get complicated.

For Saori and Shizuku, the twin-tailed “normie” decides to sneak out of the house at night for doughnuts and deadpans her way into Shizuku’s apartment (this time choosing to be let in through the door instead of smashing the window. Character growth!!). She continues to find herself drawn to the delinquent, and has begun to see through some of Shizuku’s self-loathing. While escorting Saori back to her house, Shizuku recognizes a woman from her past. This is setting up a Shizuku character arc, and I’m surprisingly here for it. Never would’ve thought I’d say that about Shizuku of all characters, but here we are.

As for our mangaka/editor duo, Heke-sensei finally achieves her level goal in the online FPS game, putting her on “even footing” with her gaming oshi. This means she can finally ask Shinohara out! However, she nearly chickens out after spending the day together on a date. Heke-san clutches out the “win” and the two finally come together as a couple. I’m satisfied that this didn’t get dragged out for another who-knows-how-many volume. Now, the real question left is will Heke-sensei be more capable of hitting deadlines now that her editor is her girlfriend?

And for our third major turning point, Kujou and Sugimoto go on the long-threatened trial date. Naturally, it’s at the most sapphic of date destinations: the aquarium! Sugimoto continuously props up Kujou in the face of her gym teacher’s unrelenting defeatism and emotional self-sabotage, which is, honestly, kind of sweet. Sugimoto isn’t actively putting the moves on her teacher (in fact, she doesn’t seem to recognize her long-growing feelings), but by the end of the date, Kujou has the realization that the two of them have gotten too close for their own good. I was starting to worry that Kujou would remain oblivious for a good while longer.

…Also Iori and Minami are there. There’s a silly miscommunication that gets blown out of proportion, complete with the obligatory punch (on panel this time!), but it ends with a sweet moment together. At this point for me, these two are mostly here as supporting cast for the Saori x Shizuku storyline.

Again, I have to say I’m impressed with the improvement of the storytelling from the early volumes. It’s a direct result of the shift to longer chapters allowing the characters more space to interact and to make something resembling plot progress. Hell, it’s making me invested in Shizuku’s backstory, and how the past’s resurfacing will affect her relationship with Saori in the present. A deep character drama this ain’t, but it has become much more than the series of gag strips it began as.

Ratings:

Art – 7 Continues to be solid
Story – 8 We’re actually starting to cook here, with each of the three “active” plot arcs developing
Characters – 8 There is the right amount of angst injected with the humor, allowing for good chemistry
Service – 4 For a real payoff for our Best Couple
Yuri – 8 / LGBTQ – 8 Aquarium date!

Overall – 8 Would invite this volume to go on a shopping date to Yodob*shi 

Volume 7 of this ensemble story of sapphic misfits is coming our way in February.

Matt Marcus is a cohost of various projects on the Pitch Drop Podcast Network, as well as the writer for the blog Oh My God, They Were Bandmates analyzing How Do We Relationship in greater depth.





Throw Away The Suit Together, Volume 2

November 13th, 2024

A woman with pinkish collar length hair wearing denim shorts and a green tee shirt, holds up a can of beer, while next to her a woman with long black hair, wearing running shorts and a white tank top sucks on an ice pop, as she takes their selfie in front of a deeply blue ocean.

by Matt Marcus, Staff Writer

In the first volume of Throw Away The Suit Together, college students and partners Haru and Hinoto decide to ditch the city and the pressures of job hunting and escape to Hinoto’s aunt’s island summer home. Sure, it was an impulsive decision, but they can certainly make a new life here with no degree, no employment, and no money. Right?

Throw Away The Suit Together, Volume 2 opens as the girls finish writing up a marriage contract. It would be a feel-good moment if either of them had any plan on how they will make a marriage work. Haru immediately says they need to make a lot of money to afford a wedding, but even before that, they are nearly flat broke and need to make some money now.

Luckily, they had met local dive instructor Naruko via lost scooter. She offers them part-time work, and the girls feel like they’ve been thrown a little bit of a lifeline. Sure, they are literally living paycheck-to-paycheck each day, but it’s a start.

We spend a lot of time with Haru and Hinoto as they anxiously kill time between shifts. They do laundry at the local laundromat. They sleep in late on a day off. They go to a diner. They have plenty of conversations, except for the one they really need to have: what is their backup plan. Each of them is harboring doubts.

However, even before they can think long-term, Naruko mentions that they only have about three weeks of work left in the busy season. What that leads to is…going back on the job hunt. Given their remote location and high expectations of what kind of job they think they qualify for, options seem nil. In a hail Mary shot, Hinoto again uses her aunt, who has a connection to someone high up in a medium-sized company. This does not pan out, since the job requirements include a college degree. The volume ends with Hinoto calling her college about reenrollment, with Haru eavesdropping.

Like with the first volume, the book ends with a bonus story with a bit of spice, but it’s honestly pretty off-putting. I could do without ever seeing a bit where a partner gets jealous and so decides to cover their lover’s body with hickies so that they are forced to cover up. It’s never been a good trope.

I had some concerns with this story in volume one. Most of it focused on the nagging feeling that this whole plan is a house of cards, ready to fall with the slightest gust of wind. It made for very anxious reading, and it seems now that the feeling was the intended experience. But worse, I’m not sure what the story is really driving at. Sometimes love is not enough? There’s no escape from capitalism? That college degrees are important? I feel like I’m watching slow-motion Yuri Uncut Gems, with the girls gambling with their future.

The other thing that is bothering me is that we don’t get any view into Haru and Hinoto’s life before the story begins. Had they fought through adversity before? Are there any shared memories that they hold dear? Do they, uh, like things in common?? They clearly know each other well enough to give (loving) critiques on their personal quirks, but Keyyang-sensei’s got to give me something more to hold on to here.

The art also somehow seems worse this volume. The characters just look sloppily drawn to begin with, and then there are wild swings in style used for humor that causes even further whiplash. The one drawing I would say really hit for me was a full page spread of the girls job searching on their phones while sitting in the dark living room (which raises the question: how are they paying for their phone service?).

By the end of this volume, I am bracing for disaster. The girls are one missed paycheck away from ruin, and yet they seem to leave those envelopes of money lying around without much concern. The island dream may be over soon, but will a new dream follow it?

Ratings:

Art – 5 It’s getting more distracting as it goes
Story – 6 Things don’t appear to be getting better, but to what end?
Characters – 6 Haru and Hinoto continue to make bad choices
Service – 3 Only for the bonus story
Yuri – 9 / LGBTQ – 5 Gonna leave this here

Overall – 6 Would possibly be put on a PIP, if they even had a job

The third and final volume of this island “escape” story hits shelves in February.

Matt Marcus is a cohost of various projects on the Pitch Drop Podcast Network, as well as the writer for the blog Oh My God, They Were Bandmates analyzing How Do We Relationship in greater depth.





I Can’t Say No to the Lonely Girl, Volume 4

November 11th, 2024

A girl in a salmon pink jacket over a white tee, with long dark hair and a girl in a denim jacket over a white tee with blonde hair are seen from above as they embrace.In Volume 3, Ayaka stood up and protected Sora from a neglectful and selfish mother. With Sora no longer dealing with an unkind parent, Ayaka and Sora are free to figure out who they want to be as people, and what kind of partnership they want. This could very well have been the end of the series, but instead, we turn to our newest member of the friend group, Wakana.

It was pretty obvious that Wakana’s gaydar was sensitive enough to pick up on Sora and Ayaka’s relationship. And the way she watched over them felt like a story. In I Can’t Say No to the Lonely Girl, Volume 4 we learn that story.

Wakana’s past was only a little sad and, amazingly, her new friends make it possible to patch things up with her old friend. And that, in a nutshell, is what I like best about this series. Friends are as important here as lovers. Good friends give each other room to grow and accept their friends as they are. Sora and Ayaka are flying because their friends have lent them wings. In return Ayaka and Sora have opened up – to each other, to their friends, and to themselves.

The next hurdle is going to a tough hurdle – Ayaka has exams that will separate her from Sora, even as they both are thinking about moving forward in their physical relationship.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story –8
Characters – 8
Service – 1
Yuri – 8

Overall – 8

Kashykaze’s art is gentle and swooshy, everyone is maturing little by little, the rough edges of the plot are almost all smoothed out. There’s no doubt that the climax of this story will be happily-ever-after-…or will it?  Volume 5 will be out in December from Kodansha.