Welcome back, manga fans! As you can tell by the title, I made up for not cheating the system from last month by cheating so hard, it would feel disingenuous not to make it clear right away. I also saved those special bottom two slots for books that, I think, are worth mentioning but skirt the line for my usual inclusion criteria so, you know, it’s less egregious than usual? I won’t promise this will not happen again but I’ll try my best.
12. Cat Thor is best Thor
While I think this would have a better place in the Marvel column, especially because it was originally published as an Instagram comic on Marvel’s official Insta, I doubt it’s gonna show up there so I have an obligation, nay, a sacred duty, to scream about this book to the high heavens. It’s Chewie and Marvel! It’s adorable cat antics drawn in a pop art style! What’s not to love and fawn over? Nothing. That’s what.
Marvel Meow
Written and Illustrated by Nao Fuji
Published by Viz. LLC
Join Captain Marvel’s pet, Chewie, as she wreaks havoc in the lives of Marvel’s most popular characters!Gain a new perspective on beloved favorites such as Spider-Man and Iron Man, formidable villains including Thanos and Galactus, and antiheroes like Deadpool, as they all become the playthings of this capricious “cat” creature.
Originally shared on Marvel’s official Instagram, these comic strips have been collected with all-new content into a gift book that will delight Marvel and cat enthusiasts alike!
11. You’re Walking in Your House/There’s No One Around and Your Phone is Dead/Out of the Corner of Your Eye You Spot Him/Junji Ito
That’s right. More cats. If you have never read Junji Ito because his work is too scary, I don’t blame you. If you saw this book and thought “I don’t want to read about scary cats,” I also cannot blame you. I am here, instead, to tell you that “Yon and Mu” is one of the funniest books you will ever read. Bar none it will have you gasping for air on every page, not out of fear but joy. I put it this far down because this is just a hardcover re-release of the original with a new cover and a new interview. While it is worth it for new readers, I’d be more hard-pressed to recommend this release for those who have the paperback unless you, like me, need that cover.
Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu
Written and Illustrated by Junji Ito
Published by Kodansha Comics
Reigning king of horror manga Junji Ito presents a series of hiss-terical tales chronicling his real-life trials and tribulations of becoming a cat owner. Junji Ito, as J-kun, has recently built a new house and has invited his financée, A-ko, to live with him. Little did he know his blushing bride-to-be has some unexpected company in tow-Yon, a ghastly-looking family cat, and Mu, an adorable Norwegian forest cat. Despite being a dog person, J-kun finds himself purr-suaded by their odd cuteness and thus begins his comedic struggle to gain the affection of his new feline friends. This comedic graphic memoir about becoming a cat owner is reissued in a deluxe hardcover featuring an exclusive interview with Ito and a new cover illustration by the author that glows in the dark!
10. Learning with Comics
We’re really, really, really bad at sex ed in this country. Like, it’s kind of amazing how bad it is. We’re getting better at it! But it’s pretty patchwork so edutainment books like these – that make it fun, informative, and inclusive – remain invaluable, especially when they touch on sex adjacent topics like dating, societal expectations, and hygeine.
Continued belowSex Education 120%, Vol. 2
Written by Kikiki Tataki
Illustrated by Hotomura
Published by Yen Press
Sexuality, gender, and sex. If you read this, your empathy levels go 120% up!
“When you’re the one propositioning, what are your responsibilities?” “What is the truth about false phimosis?” “Is dressing up something you do for the opposite sex?” “Are pads not the only sanitary product?” From consent to anatomy of the opposite sex to the topic of gender roles, the rebellious gym teacher Tsuji is ready to tackle her students’ toughest questions!
9. It’s Like the Hyborian Age but With Even More Scantily Clad People
Ero Ninja Scrolls Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Haruki
Published by Ghost Ship
In this manga series by the creator of Cat in a Hot Girls’ Dorm, journey to the fictional “Ero” period of Japanese history, where sexy ninja battles await! This adult action comedy takes place during Japan’s Ero period, where the arts of love and war hold equal sway! A diverse cast of ninja warriors both male and female must outwit, outlast, and out-maneuver the competition, or else suffer the sexy consequences!
8. Zombie Apocalypse, but with a Go Pro
I’m not a big fan of Zombie media but every now and then there’s an angle that intrigues me and a man and a rescue cat with the promise of seeing things from the cat’s perspective at least a little bit has me intrigued. The solicit seems to have a lot of faith in it too so I expect it’ll be more “The Road” and less “Zombieland” and, honestly, that’s exactly the kind of story I’m here for. I do have to wonder why it’s described as a “volume 1” when the solicit makes it pretty clear it’s an omnibus. Eh, as long as there’s more cat antics, I don’t really care.
Walking Cat View of Zombie Apocalypse, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Tomo Kitaoka
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
Civilization is dead. Zombies roam the earth. When Jin, a young man trying to survive the chaos of this new reality, rescues a cat from certain death, the pair sets off on a quest to find Jin’s wife, who may yet be alive. Originally published as three volumes in Japan, this engrossing and surprising seinen tale will be available in English for the first time in one oversized omnibus.
7. Yor and Lloyd: Tennis Superstars
Last time I talked about “Spy X Family,” I recommended it on the strength of the cover doggo alone. I have since read it and I can tell you that not only is the whole series excellent, this volume in particular is hilarious. It’s spies playing underground tennis! What’s not to love. Nothing, that’s what.
Spy x Family, Vol. 6
Written and Illustrated by Tatsuya Endo
Published by Viz. LLC
Nightfall and Twilight enter an underground tennis tournament, looking for clues to the whereabouts of a secret intelligence document that could very well bring the world to the brink of war! But will their mission be compromised by Nightfall’s secret crush on her mentor Twilight?!
For older teen audiences.
6. 3am Ghost Stories
I try not to pick volumes that have been re-solicited but now that this cover is being published in the spooky month, I just had to. You’ve already heard me gush about “Wave” so I’ll keep it brief. *ahem* READ THIS SERIES. WATCH LATE NIGHT DISASTER MINARE KODA LEARN TO BE A RADIO HOST. DO IT. DOOOO IIIIITTTTTTTT.
Wave Listen to Me, Vol. 7
Written and Illustrated by Hiroaki Samura
Published by Kodansha Comics
Minare thought she was just venting to a stranger when she told a guy at a bar about her man troubles. It turns out that man works at a radio station, and the next day she’s shocked to hear her grumbling broadcast on the air! She storms the station in a rage, only to be duped into joining a talk show, and her acid tongue makes her into an instant star!
5. Gone Too Soon
It’s always a tragedy when someone dies. It’s even more a tragedy when they die young. Such was the case with “Boy Meets Maria” creator PEYO. This is their debut work and it looks to be a beautifully illustrated, compassionate, and meaningful tale of love and queerness in high school. I will be reading it and I hope you will too.
Continued belowBoy Meets Maria
Written and Illustrated by PEYO
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
An LGBT+ manga exploring love and gender at a high school drama club. Taiga dreams of becoming an actor, so the first thing he does upon entering high school is join the drama club. There, he meets the beautiful, enigmatic Maria and immediately falls in love with her. Not long after, Taiga is told that she is actually a boy – but is that all there is to Maria’s story? This beautifully illustrated one-volume tale, the debut work of creator PEYO before their untimely passing in 2020, explores the layered nature of personal expression and the fluidity of the power of love.
4. Soft Forests and Whimsy Are Sorely Lacking in Today’s Fantasy
I get the feeling that “Nicola” does not have very high stakes but I am entranced by this series anyway. That cover reminds me of “Witch Hat Atelier” and the cover of many of LeGuin or Wynne Jones’ novels and I am a sucker for that kind of fantasy. Give me a bit of danger in a world that has a sense of earnest, rather than ironic or erratic, humor and you’ve got a winner. Plus, any comparison to “The Moomins” and “Hilda” is a good one.
Nicola Traveling Around the Demon World, Vol. 4
Written and Illustrated by Asaya Miyanaga
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
In a land populated by demons, Nicola stands out: she’s a human girl traveling with her demon friend Simon. The spirited Nicola often gets in over her head, but she’s got her own magic powers to help her out when things get tough! This beautifully drawn manga has a unique art style reminiscent of a European children’s book, and features an enchanting atmosphere like well-known tales The Moomins and Hilda.
3. If You Can Make it There/You Can Make it Anywhere
We’re getting more and more classic yuri and yaoi manga, many of which are set in New York interestingly enough, and I’m really glad we’re getting to see them. While they’re often messy and wear their age on their sleeve, it’s a reminder that looking back to the past is a valuable and meaningful experience.
New York, New York, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Marimo Ragawa
Published by Yen Press
New York police officer, Cain, while hiding that he’s gay, goes out every night in Manhattan in want of a one night stand. But when he meets his ideal man, Mel, he finds the love of his life… An ambitious work which depicts love and humanism with gay themes!
2. You Knew This Was Coming
I may have skipped volume 3 but I couldn’t do that for two volumes in a row, especially since I’ve since gotten a chance to read “Asadora” and oh man, this thing is so good. It’s a historical piece AND a kaiju drama AND centers around single-flyer planes??? As a huge Porco Rosso fan, and knowing Urasawa’s excellent grasp of dramatic tension, you know I have to recommend this.
Asadora, Vol. 4
Written and Illustrated by Naoki Urasawa
Published by Viz LLC
Asa reluctantly agrees to accompany Yone to an audition at an entertainment agency. However, before they can leave, Mr. Jissoji shows up with news-the mysterious creature has been spotted! With Kasuga nowhere to be found, Asa prepares to take flight to identify the creature. But before she can, Nakaido runs in claiming to have found its weakness, earning himself a seat in Asa’s plane as they take to the skies.For older teen audiences.
1. Break Out the Tissues…Again
Yoshitoki Oima is currently experiencing a moment thanks to the success of the adaptation of her current work, “To Your Eternity,” which I have repped before. This time, however, I’m here to tell you to get the first of two hardcover collections for her first series “A Silent Voice.” This is a series near and dear to my heart and to see it getting a hardcover, in a larger size too, makes me so happy. I’m also curious as to what this “new content” is. I’d guess it’s sketchbook stuff but who knows. Maybe it’ll be new pages of story! If you’ve never read it, there’s no better time than now.
Continued belowSilent Voice Complete Collection, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Yoshitoki Oima
Published by Kodansha Comics
The award-winning modern classic about a girl who can’t hear and her bully, which inspired the acclaimed anime film from Kyoto Animation, returns in a beautiful, two-volume collector’s edition. Each extra-large, deluxe hardcover contains about 700 pages of manga on crisp, premium paper, and more than fifty pages of new content. This deluxe, large-sized hardcover includes the first half of the story of “A Silent Voice,” from Volume 1 through half of Volume 4.
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Anything I missed? What are YOU looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!
