Archive for the Light Novel Category


I’m in Love With the Villainess, Volume 3

June 8th, 2021

As I said of the Japanese edition of  I’m in Love With the Villainess, Volume 3, “We’ve already established that all norms are off the table in this series, so the plot here is a little bit of everything – school drama, romance, socio-political drama, and some other things and then the demons arrive. From this point on the book is spinning plates and juggling balls and then an axe or two on a high-wire.”

And indeed, we are handwaved into an idyll that will be shattered, trod upon, and sliced and diced and none of it – not one word – hit me as hard as the final scene in a throwaway side story. (T_T)

Former daughter of the nobility and school villainess, Claire Francois and her wife, the supernaturally powerful and gifted protagonist of the game Revolution, Rae Taylor, are living a reasonably comfortable life. Given that this life was built in the ruins of a revolution to take down a monarchy, it’s a very sweet life. Their adopted daughters are energetic and precocious. They have jobs. Why would anyone give up all that they have carved out for themselves?

The answer is of course that Claire believes in her upbringing – that, as a (former) noble, she has standards  and serving her country is the core of her beliefs. That her country is, maybe less worthy than she hoped, is a given. Instead of rethinking society into a more equal structure, all the government wants to do is create a new kind of second-class citizen of women and queer folks. That’s only just about 100% likely.

But instead of wrestling with rich men’s refusal to share power, we head off to the Nur Kingdom. At which point, I would like to digress and discuss my personal interpretation of the country names. As I see it, they are as follows: Bauer is kind of Germany; Alpes is Austria; Sousse is Switzerland. That’s kind of straightforward.

Okay let’s do Nur. In Japanese its written as ナー, so more like “Naa”

What country might that be? Hm, I wonder what aggressive militaristic country is threatening to Japan right now. It’s not hard to see that Nur is China, and Rusha (Russia) is “north” of that.

I want to note that Frieda, who affects a fake French accent here is from Melica, or, as I think of it, ‘Merika. Because ‘Xico and Nacada (or something like that) will get a mention next book and there will be reasons. So, while this is my interpretation and not at ALL a criticism of the translation, I think of Frieda as a really annoying American. For reasons.

As I thought of all this, I realized that, in the smallest and most tedious way possible, I’m kind of in Rae’s position. I know what’s coming, but I don’t know how it might turn out, only how it has turned out, when it’s over.  So gosh, how irritating for Rae. ^_^;

In any case, as with Volume 1, Volume 3 is mostly introduction and set up and I will also say that not every question posed here will be answered in V4. Which is why I stare with longing at GL Bunko’s listings waiting for a V5 to be listed.  inori-sensei has also posted all the final chapters of this arc and her story from Claire’s perspective on pixiv fanbox and I hope that will bring up the page count enough for the next volume soon.

Now I will return to reading the manga for my fix. And waiting for V5 in Japanese or V4 in English, neither of which have a date as of yet. In the meantime, we may enjoy the sweet scenes of domestic bliss, holidays and celebrations and what will pass (for now, eff you new government) as their wedding. And that’s still not the queerest part of the book.

I mentioned that the emotional impact here for me was, rather than the childrens’ trials, the final chapter where Claire experiences a Rae who does not love her and how bereft her life becomes. That one got me in the gut.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 9
Characters – 10
Service – Kind of, but I’m alright with any and all of it.
Yuri – 10
Queer – 10

Overall – 10

There are STILL questions I have even after Volume 4. In the meantime, I have one question for you – what did you think of Dorothea? I adored her, as you might imagine and need a lot of fanart of her. ^_^ Sadly she’s too cool and competent (and adult /eyeroll/) for most fan artists, who seem to prefer Lily or Philene. Sigh. Poor me.





Girl’s Kingdom, Volume 2

April 6th, 2021

We met Misaki, a new student at Amanotsuka Girl’s School, when she unceremoniously climbed the wall to save some time and ran into Amanotsuka Himeko. Their meeting was kismet, because the girl who never wanted to become a maid and the girl who didn’t want a maid,  turn out to be an excellent mistress and maid combo. This was all detailed in Volume 1.

In Girl’s Kingdom, Volume 2, Misaki and the newest member of the Sky Salon, Misaki’s roomate Kirara, are roped into any number of impossible tasks in order to make their ladies’ lives better. Because this series is goofy and fun, they manage to accomplish them all, no matter how silly. And let me assure you they are varied and very silly tasks. From arranging a successful marketing relationship, to saving a restaurant, to becoming better maids, Misaki makes in-roads in all manner of issues at this unreal school, peopled by unreal people, in unreal situations.

It’s challenging to find things to say about this volume that I haven’t already said in my review of Volume 1. It’s still absolutely mad as a porridge knife, full of pointlessly salacious nonsense, then covered by other pointless nonsense…but all the pointless nonsense is the plot, so one can’t really complain. And, might one think to complain, British transfer student Sarah would surely scold. After all, England is the place maids come from, we are assured, so clearly she will be better at this than anyone. Because being a maid can be learned by osmosis, apparently.  ^_^

More importantly, this novel is absolutely goofy; adapted ably by Philip Reuben and editor teiko, who keep both the fake humor and the real humor behind, it in this theater of the absurdly written. Illustrations that sometimes match the descriptions in the text are an added bonus. It’s a hoot and everyone deserves some off time for their brain. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8 Pretty, but why?
Story – 7 Even sillier than Volume 1
Characters – 8 Likeable and loopy
Service – 7 Underwear and baths, how revelatory.
Yuri – 4 Slowly getting there, amazingly. A whole half-step forward, at least

Overall – 7

If all this maidly and mistressly excitement isn’t enough for you, Volume 3 is coming your way in June! All three Girls Kingdom volumes are available from J-Novel Club on Amazon, Bookwalker Global and are on the Yuricon Store.





Girls Love of the Dead, Kioku no Kakera, Volume 2 (ガールズラブ・オブ・ザ・デッド〈記憶のかけら〉)

March 26th, 2021

In Girls Love of the Dead, Shi ga Futari wo Waka..tanai? we met Mitsuki, a young woman mourning the death of the girl she loves. In her attempt to leave her own life behind, she stumbles across a school for zombies, at which she finds her dearly departed Rin.

About 2 weeks after I reviewed Volume 1 of this phone novel, Manga Planet announced the license of several of the Yomuco/Parsola “super light” Yuri novels. I was – and am – delighted that they are giving releases to works like Between Two Guns, Lovely! along with Shodensha titles like It’s Personnel!, by leading some of the luminaries in Yuri right now. (In fact, subscribing to Manga Planet is next on my list. I just am so behind on reading that I haven’t had time. I’ll add it to our microgoals on Okazu.) When Manga Planet announced a new license – I can’t remember which one, I jokingly tweeted at them that they should license Girls Love of the Dead.

And so they have.

Yes, you will be able to read this delightfully screwy zombie Yuri love story in April! Ahh! So of course I wanted to get a jump on the story and catch up on the volumes I’ve bought on Global Bookwalker.

Which brings us to Girls Love of the Dead, Kioku no Kakera, Volume 2 (ガールズラブ・オブ・ザ・デッド〈記憶のかけら〉). Mitsuki has committed herself to attending school on her summer break. Zombie school, that is. Every night, she makes herself up as a zombie. She joins Rin’s class and proceeds to try to get Rin to remember her. Rin, who has no memory of her life, doesn’t remember Mitsuki. Mitsuki figures that, as Rin is dead, she’s got all the time in the world to achieve her goal.

Their homeroom teacher throws some cold water on this, when she explains that zombies only have a limited unlife span. After a while, Rin will not just not remember her life, she’ll move on entirely! Now Mitsuki has a deadline, oh no! We’re also presented with a bit of a mystery….how did Rin die? It seems unlikely in the extreme that she died the way they said she died, at the very least.

This series is a slightly goofy, but there are so many fun touches I can’t really single one out. Hoshii Nanao’s story movies quickly – it’s designed to be read on a cellphone, after all – and the illustrations by Morishima Akiko are charming and colorful, not at all what one might expect from a zombie story. I find it all loopy and fun (just finished Volume 3 last night, in fact!) and will happily look forward to it in English next month.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 7 Still goofy, but getting intriguing
Characters – 8 Some intriguing stuff is on the horizon for this, too
Service – 2 A little bathing suit service
Yuri – 7 Mitsuki’s love is true. ^_^

Overall – 8

 





Otherside Picnic, Volume 4

March 24th, 2021

At the end of Volume 3 our protagonists, Sorawo and Toriko have managed to free themselves from the clutches of an Otherside cult centered around the figure of Toriko’s mentor, Uruma Satsuki. In doing so, they uncover the cult headquarters, a remote building complex called The Farm.

Otherside Picnic, Volume 4 begins with Toriko and Sorawo accompanied by members of the DS and military contractors to clear the Farm of cult-built gates to the Otherside. This gives us a lot of space to encounter weird and threatening situations, and the general aura of not-rightness that contact with the Otherside brings. Sorawo asks DS to gift them the Farm, so they can manage it – and not incidentally, have a salary for doing so. She and Toriko provisionally get control of the Farm, and they hatch a plan.

But first, there some stuff going on that they have no idea what to do with, so they are avoiding what is happening to them…and what is happening between them. First and most pressing, it has been more and more obvious to me and to Sorawo, that the Otherside is targeting her, personally. Originally, she thought it was because of Satsuki, but she’s gone and it hasn’t gotten better. More phenomena are directed at Sorawo, specifically, and it’s clearly linked to her past. Every moment we get more of Sorawo’s backstory, everything about her makes more and more sense. And holy shit.

The second matter is no less pressing. As Sorawo and Toriko relax at a hot spring resort, they get very close to addressing what is building between then, but an Otherside phenomena occurs – a scene which is in my opinion, one of the very best in the books to date. Great use of everyday creepyness to create the Otherside’s signature threatening aura.

At last it is time to put their plan into action – Toriko and Sorawao plan an overnight trip on the Otherside. The preparations were actually quite interesting; soothingly banal, which was was a perfect setup for the final scene of this book in which all of the many issues mentioned here collide in an eerie grand finale. With the sole exception of Japanese writers’ newest grotesque body fetish – which I can live without ever encountering ever again – this ending was as least as least as strong as the Kotoribako and, like that ending, will undoubtedly send us into a whole new direction with the story. Miyazawa’s narrative arcs are tight here. shirakaba’s art in this book is way less goofy and much more moody…I like it. Translator Sean McCann and editor Krys Loh do a fantastic job of communicating unreal, not-things in a way that are the right kind of inexplicable. 

Ratings:

Story – 9
Character – 9
Service – 7 – Onsen bathing and /spoilers./
Yuri – 7

Overall – 9

Now this story is really ready to begin. Otherside Picnic is a beguiling tale of personal trauma intertwined with paranormal horror.

Otherside Picnic is available on Kindle, Global Bookwalker and wherever J-Novel Club books are sold. ^_^





Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou. Volume 4 (私の推しは悪役令嬢。)

March 15th, 2021

Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou., Volume 4 (私の推しは悪役令嬢。) is a wild ride of a novel that has more twists and turns than the newest roller coaster at your local amusement park. It was awesome.

At the end of Volume 3, we left Rae and Claire in the Nur Kindgom, having made a heck of an impression on the despotic rule of Nur, Queen Dorothea, in a battle against the Demon Rulers. They also made an impression on the Demons.  Both of these are understood to be ambiguous in nature and will surely come to a head. But first, we have some much more important stuff to deal with….

…including an Iron Chef-like cooking contest between the greatest chefs of Nur, and Rae and Claire’s 6-year old daughter Aleah. And a formal ball. Also a act of incredible magical skill handled by their other 6-year old daughter, Mei. Rae and Claire help foment rebellion, change the diet of the entire army, solve a murder mystery and three other mysteries, only one of which was in the least predictable. Then a kidnapping. And then, about 2/3 of the way through this book, the story slams down on us with a vengeance.

Inori carefully weaves their way through the various plotlines and pulls out exactly the right ending for the book. It could not have been handled better without making concessions to what we knew of everyone.

This felt like a long book, and we had a number of new characters, several of which are undoubtedly going to be key in Volume 5. It was no surprise that I like Hilde, the hyper-competent bureaucrat with a monocle, but almost despite myself, I also like Frida, the Princess’s “Merikan” friend.  This story still remains wholly queer and deeply rooted in social and political activism. This volume takes some time to get there, but when it does, it does.

Every single one of my questions from Volume 3 were answered, save one, and that clearly is going to be a plot in Volume 5. There are a lot of loose ends yet to be tied up. I’m constantly fighting with myself whether to read the chapters on inori’s Pixiv Fanbox or not but I have chosen to not do so, and hope you will respect that by not spoiling anything for me, as I have tried to not overly spoil this for others. Thank you. ^_^ I still have hope that two of the things left undone will be done by the end of the series and one other new thing also gets followed through with, but I admit that this last is simply because I really like Dorothea and want to see more of her.

The art was the best so far of the series. I’ll never adore moe-fication of characters like Dorothea, but I felt that everything in this book was way more finished and solid than in previous books and a few of these were extra lovely. (I did mention the formal ball, yes?) ^_^

Volume 3 is slated for a July release in English, which feels so far away, and Volume 5 is not yet listed in Japan, but I remind you that Volume 3 and Volume 4 are available in Japanese on US Kindle. They are so worth it.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 10
Service – Yes. Still perfectly okay.
Yuri – 10
Queer – 10

Overall – 10

Oh, the boot I kept waiting to drop in V3? It dropped in V4. And it wasn’t a main plot point, just one more crazy arc that lead somewhere else entirely and was even worse and better than I imagined.

If you’d like spoilers or have read it and want to shout with me about it, please join me on the Okazu Discord. ^_^