Welcome back, manga fans! What a month this has been. Rightstuf got purchased by Sony/Crunchyroll and purged their 18+ stuff, Manga+ launched and was laughed out of the app store, and I’ve basically given up on trying to pick books that are released in the month I’m supposed to be highlighting. Half of them get delayed, half of them have dates that are so far out I have to believe it’s to underpromise and overproduce, and I have no guarantee either of these will reappear three/four months before they’re “supposed” to come out. Hell, a bunch of these are supposed to come out in October OR their next volumes are but those are not being solicited.
Anyway, that’s a roundabout way to say that’s why I did 11 this month. Maybe I should just retitle my section to Top 11 so I don’t have to keep making excuses. Oh, and if you missed it, I interviewed translator/essayist Ryan Holmberg last month. Go read it!
11. Jan 31, 2024
I really hate Previews World. It’s buggy, it’s incomplete, and it doesn’t even have the same release dates as everywhere else, instead opting for A YEAR AND CHANGE IN THE FUTURE. Yeah, you read that title right. According to Barnes & Nobles, the volume is actually supposed to drop on 02/21/2023. I dunno if that’s true either but I’m inclined to believe it more, seeing as how the other Kodansha comics have a solicit date around then. That said, I’m not even sure if it’s out in Japan! It’s all a big mess.
Anyway, even if it is a year and change out, “Land of the Lustrous” is worth the wait for answers. Especially because the narrative can be frustratingly light on details and exposition.
Land of the Lustrous, Vol. 12
Written and Illustrated by Haruko Ichikawa
Published by Kodansha Comics
On a far future Earth, humanity’s distant descendants live on in a small group of sexless crystalline beings who must fight off an invasion from the Moon. Two hundred years after a failed attack on the Lustrous, Phosphophyllite is reassembled and tries again to get Kongo to pray for the Lunarians. This attempt seems likely to succeed, and the Lunarians prepare to depart to nothingness, while the gemstones on the moon prepare to be left behind. Meanwhile, Euclase is awakened by the commotion between Phos and Kongo.
10. Sing Me a Song, You’re the Shonen Boy
I’m not a big sports manga fan but I am a HUGE weird, is-that-really-a-sport, sports manga fan, especially when it’s music related. “These Snow White Notes,” “Your Lie in April,” “March Comes in Like a Lion,” “Blue Giant,” “BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad,” all of these are favorites of mine. And yes I know “March” is Shogi. Shhhhh. That is to say, “Shonen Note” has all the makings of a series I think I’ll love with a concept that’s ripe with dramatic potential. It’s on its fourth volume so that’s enough to know if this is for you or not. Even if it isn’t, we can all appreciate the colors on the cover.
Shonen Note, Vol. 4
Written and Illustrated by Yuhki Kamatani
Published by Kodansha Comics
Yutaka Aoi is sweet, sensitive, and loves singing…so much so that he can’t help but be brought to tears whenever he listens to beautiful music. He also has a talent few boys have: he can sing soprano. So when Yukata overhears his middle school’s choir group perform, he can’t resist joining in. Inspired by the angelic sound of Yukata’s voice, the choir eagerly accepts him into their ranks. But when Yukata’s voice begins to change as he enters puberty, the journey ahead will be one of self-discovery and reflection for not only himself, but also for those around him.
9. Runaway Release Date
This entry is a mess. The solicit says it’s for volume 3. The image is of volume 1. And the release date of 2/23/2023 is for volume 2, at least according to everyone else. Kodansha! What’s up??? You lost spots because of this confusion.
Let’s pretend they meant it to be vol. 1 and go from there.
Continued belowWhat got me to put this on the list was how it’s a queer take on the end of The Graduate. Everything about the description makes me think this is a romantic drama rather than a cozy slice-of-life or a comedy, which is great. I want more dramas! I love drama. Layered, queer drama is even better. Run away with us, and let’s see where the series takes us.
Run Away With Me, Girl, Vol. 3
Written and Illustrated by Battan
Published by Kodansha Comics
Maki’s first love was her high school classmate, a girl named Midori. But Midori broke up with Maki at graduation, saying they were now “too old to be fooling around dating girls.” Ten years later, Maki still can’t get Midori off her mind, and when the two women reconnect after a chance encounter, Maki realizes that while her feelings haven’t changed, Midori’s life has turned upside down-she’s engaged and pregnant. But the more Maki hears Midori talk about her soon-to-be-husband, the more red flags she notices. Before Maki can stop herself, she asks Midori to run away with her. Will this impromptu escape be the key that leads the two women to a fuller understanding of themselves, and back into each other’s arms?
8. Final Gender XIII-2: Lightning Returns
Another queer drama, this time focusing on a cross-section of society rather than on one particular relationship. The choice of a bar setting is perfect for an anthology like tale, anchored by the bartenders and the recurring patrons. I’m not sure if that’s where this is going but with the promise of “as many sexualities as there are people,” I suspect I’m not too far off.
I don’t love the way the solicit text is written, which gives me pause. Like, “A transgender bisexual” feels reductive, but in a way that seems unintentional since solicits often drop as many words as they can so I’m not gonna hold that against a work that I think should get more attention for its inclusivity and dramatic potential.
Last Gender, Vol. 2
Written and Illustrated by Rei Taki
Published by Vertical Comics
Welcome to “BAR California,” a place where people with different genders, propensities, and sexual orientations gather to find a certain “something.” A transgender bisexual who has been hurt by the voices of others, a pansexual looking for true love, and a person who identities as both male and female. There are as many sexualities as there are people.
7. Pop Goes the Classics
I’ve never read or watched “K-On!” I do know its reputation and that’s more than enough to celebrate a full omnibus release of the original manga. 4-panel manga are often a hard sell here in the states without some serious caché behind it and “K-On!” certainly has that caché, so let’s rock out and enjoy this classic comedy series.
K-On! Complete Omnibus
Written and Illustrated by Kakifly
Published by Yen Press
Enjoy the full story of K-ON! in this stunning new omnibus edition!When their high school’s pop-music club is about to be disbanded due to lack of interest, four girls step up to fill the membership quota. Unfortunately, lead guitarist Yui Hirasawa has never played an instrument in her life. Although she likes the idea of being in a band, she’s got a lot of work ahead of her before she can play. But this motley crew is determined to rock out, and with their spunk and motivation cranked to 11, anything is possible!
6. Did You Expect Anything Less?
Only reason this isn’t #1 is the series is kinda slow, both in terms of pacing and volume release. The months wait between volumes is killing me. This is what I get for reading volume to volume of an Urasawa work. It’s so good! But so slow.
Continued belowAsadora!, Vol. 6
Written and Illustrated by Naoki Urasawa
Published by Viz Media, LLC
After driving away “that thing” that appeared off the coast of Japan, Asa returns home to questions and speculation from her siblings and friends and a warning from Kinuyo-no more dangerous flying! Meanwhile, Jissoji goes to the hospital to visit the prime minister, who not only knows about Asa-he believes the fate of Japan rests on her shoulders! At the prime minster’s insistence, Asa is told to be ready to spring into action at any time.
5. Contender for Haikyuu Successor
This series has been sitting on my Shonen Jump to read pile since chapter 1 dropped. Everyone says it’s a really damn good romance story couched in a badminton comic. Badminton! I talked about not loving sports manga but I think this one might change my mind and, from the way people are talking about it, you’ll want to get in on the ground floor too.
Blue Box, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Kouji Miura
Published by Viz Media
Taiki would have done anything to get closer to his crush, Chinatsu. But now that they are living under the same roof, he may have gotten more than he bargained for. How will he be able to focus on badminton when the girl of his dreams is only a room away?
4. More Jiro Taniguchi
While I’m still waiting to read “The Summit of the Gods”, I’m always down for more Jiro Taniguchi. His work is quiet and contemplative and you can get lost in his simple but elegant panels. I’ve already gushed about> his many other works before so I’ll leave it at that.
Furari
Written and Illustrated by Jiro Taniguchi
Published by Fanfare presents Ponent Mon
“Furari” could be translated as “aimlessly,” “at random,” or “go with the flow.” But our stroller this time leaves nothing to chance. Six times Eisner Award nominee Jiro Taniguchi returns with this delightful and insightful tale of life in a Japan long forgotten. Inspired by an historical figure, Tadataka Ino (1745 – 1818), Taniguchi invites us to join this unnamed but appealing and picturesque figure as he strolls through the various districts of Edo, the ancient Tokyo, with its thousand little pleasures. Taniguchi slips easily into the heart and mind of this early cartographer and reveals his world to us in full graphic detail so we may fully perceive and understand.
3. Literary Heavyweight Championship
The basic premise of “Bungo Stray Dogs” is that everyone is modeled after famous literary figures with powers named after, and thematically related to, their works. It took me until this year to finally read the dang thing after loving the anime and I have to say, they’re right in the middle of the most exciting arc thus far. Things are INTENSE and you owe it to yourselves to read this wild series for yourselves, if only to see Edgar Allen Poe go up against Edogawa Ranpo in a murder mystery off TWICE.
Bungo Stray Dogs, Vol. 22
Written by Kafka Asagiri
Illustrated by Sango Harukawa
Published by Yen Press
The fate of the Armed Detective Agency-and the entire world-falls upon Aya’s shoulders as she makes her escape. Meanwhile, deep within the Meursault prison, Gogol sets the stage for Dazai and Dostoyevsky to compete in a deadly jailbreak game. Which prisoner will be the one to prevail?
2. I Will Not Stop Gushing About This Series
You can’t make me. Unless a month is way too overfull, I will be including this wonderful, warm, tearful, funny, meaningful series on every list as high as I can. There’s nothing more to say I haven’t said before. And because it’s in print, go read it without worry of knee censorship.
A Man and His Cat, Vol. 7
Written and Illustrated by Umi Sakurai
Published by Square Enix Manga
Thanks to his gentle nature (and also his cat), Mr. Kanda has had a successful record in winning over antagonists like rival Hibino. But he has yet to meet Geoffroy Lambert, a brilliant pianist with a chip on his shoulder. Bitter that his beloved father will acknowledge no one but Mr. Kanda-not even his own son-Geoffroy arrives in Japan with the sole objective of taking Mr. Kanda down! Captive to his long-held obsession and hatred, he gets it in his head to steal Mr. Kanda’s talent and become Mr. Kanda himself! Will Mr. Kanda’s kindness (and Fukumaru’s charms) be enough to dissuade a fellow pianist who’s out for blood?
1. Cat-atstrophy
It’s a zombie series but instead of zombies, everyone is becoming a cat. What a clever concept! And the cover is appropriately cute and horrifying. I have no notes, except to point out the actual stylization of the title seems to be Nya-ight of the Living Cat. I think that perfectly sums up this series’ tone and why it’s tailor made for me and, probably, you too.
Continued belowNight of the Living Cat, Vol. 1
Written by Makoto Fukami
Illustrated by Seigo Tokiya
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
A new horror/comedy about adorable threats in a post-apocalyptic world! In the near future, a unique disease has swept across the planet: a virus that transforms humans into cats! And the horde is expanding, since if these adorable kitties snuggle with a human, the human is transformed into yet another cat. A small group of cat-loving survivors is trying to escape the madness, but how can you defend yourself against a threat you just want to cuddle and pet?! This wild new take on a post-apocalyptic survival tale will make you roll over and purr with delight!
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Anything I missed? What are YOU looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!