Disclaimer: I am the Managing Editor for Manga Mavericks and am working as Editor on two of these books. Yes, this is shameless self-promotion. On my blog.  ^_^ 

This weekend at Anime Boston, Manga Mavericks announced two new titles, and have one more title that I really want everyone to read. So I thought I would just blatantly put on the sandwich board and ring the bell for these titles. 

Horon of the Closed Country, Volume 1 by Sen

“It is believed that whatever the Guardian Deity takes will never return….

There is a power that hides and protects an ancient land from foreign enemies, but sacrifices must be made. In recent times, the Harbingers of that Deity have been encroaching on humankind and only people with special powers, Quietists, are able to drive them back. An unlikely trio, each of whom has lost something dear to them, find themselves journeying to unravel the secrets of the Deity and the Quietists. Little do they know that what they have lost, the frequent appearance of the Harbingers, and the need for sacrifices are all connected.”

This story of loss and gain and a god losing it’s grip, and found family is just so lovely.  One of the main characters is agender and another is nonbinary and this is part, but not the point of, the story. Horon is a beautiful and haunting manga by Sen. I hope you all love this as much as I do! Horon, Volume 1 is available now in digital format. If you buy directly from Manga Mavericks, you’ll get a download of a PDF and CBZ files. 

I’m editing this, so can recommend it with my whole heart. <3

Next up, this is the first of the license announcements from this past weekend: 

Oni & Dawn: Bakumatsu High School Girls, Volume 1, by Hana Ikuta

“Somewhere in Japan, very special students have gathered at Koharu Girls’ High School. What makes them special, you ask?

Sakamoto, Takasugi, Katsura, Katsu, Hijikata, Okita, Kondo…

All these girls possess the souls of the great samurai from the Bakumatsu period! Living as teenage girls with their memories intact, they must navigate modern society, deal with messy historical baggage, and fight for love in a school that forbids romance.”

I told you this was Ikuta-sensei’s year! This story is, as one commenter on social media said, simultaneously L, G, B and T, as the souls of fighters during the Bakumatsu Period are transmuted into high school girls in our present day. And, although romance is not allowed, old feelings linger and new ones form.

I’m not editing this one, but am fannishly delighted, as I really enjoy this series and have reviewed it here on Okazu. All three volumes of this main series are on the way.

Last up, I hope you’ll all run out and get: 

Ball & Chain Omnibus, Volume 1 (Volumes 1-2) by Minami Q-ta

“Maybe I could have chosen something different…”

Keito is a late-20s company employee who’s planning to get married as a “woman,” despite not feeling cemented into a specific gender or sexuality.

Meanwhile, Aya is a married woman in her 50s who continues playing out the role of “wife” despite being in a marriage that’s long since gone cold.

They both struggle with a gender that was decided upon birth and the “wife” role that became nothing more than a pantomime at some point.

This is a story of two queer people who harbor doubts about how they’ve been treated and shoved into a “normalized” box, and try to take back their true selves.”

I’m editing this manga and holy crow is it relatable. Sexuality and gender are complicated and Minami Q-ta-sensei does a fantastic job of expressing how hard, sometimes, it is to explain to ourselves, much less other people. In their note, Minami-sensei comments that both Aya and Keito are non-binary, which I think becomes clear as the story evolves.

I think this title will be of serious interest to Okazu readers. This is very much a “queer in the real world” story.

Not Yuri, but: 

FISHGOD, Volume 1  another title I’ve edited is wacky and fun and…did I say wacky? It’s a great urban fantasy in an alt-now. It’s not queer, but I love it. Laugh out loud silly sometimes, Chlona-sensei has fantastic pacing and character sense. 

Lastly, Sinbad, Volume 1 is an action-fantasy inspired by The 1001 Arabian Nights’ tales of Sinbad the Sailor. It’s a great rollicking tale and often quite funny…and sometimes old man funny.(-_-)

I will end this with one important pre-announcement: A very big deal is coming our way. Keep your eyes on Manga Mavericks, and grab some of these extraordinary books asap!