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One of Square Enix’s most recent releases is On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance, a slice-of-life manga series that explores identity and relationships while also celebrating people expressing themselves through fashion. It’s interesting from the outset, with the first volume both establishing how Akira Hanku and Sotaro Amata express themselves at work and at home and showing their possible relationship. They even respect each other completely, each appreciating the other’s style! It seems promising, but what I think I’m starting to appreciate most is Shinnosuke Kanazawa’s art.

Editor’s Note: There will be minor spoilers for volume 1 of the On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance manga. 2f2l58

The thing about On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance is that it is both a celebration of two people unabashedly embracing styles they like, dressing in ways that make them feel comfortable, and being proud of that in their personal lives. Because they each embrace a different aesthetic, it means Shinnosuke Kanazawa gets to go all out on Rococo style Lolita dresses and elaborate punk designs. 

We see Sotaro’s Lolita style first, and it’s handled with so much care in both the initial introduction and all ensuing ones. First, we get a shots of specific elements of an outfit, like the detailed heels with matching stockings, a bonnet with a pigtail hairstyle, and lace on the cuffs of a dress’ sleeves. When the full-body shot appears, there’s focus on every ruffle and insert s highlighting bows. Different angles are presented, so we can appreciate how the outfit is put together. And because Sotaro is shopping, we also get to see additional pieces. Even proper terminology and slang is used, with “Cha-Lolita” used for Classic Lolita during a daydream about a new look.

With Akira, it means the moment the character is off-work, we see how a put-together look masks someone who rocks a wolf cut, wears multiple piercings, and would look as comfortable in Vivienne Westwood, street punk styles as ska or skater attire. The first “look” emphasizes a fake neck tattoo, ear piercing with a chain that connects to one through a lower lip, a studded choker with chains dangling off of it, and multiple rings. There are rivets in the black, pinstripe pants, with a black belt with chains that match the necklace. There are deliberate tears in the pants and a white, oversized shirt. I could swear the shoes look like T.U.K.’s two-tone Viva Mondo Creepers. There are fingerless black gloves with zippers on them, and a oversized jacket with belts. Whenever Kanazawa draws the character, the art is clearly pulling from the progression of the fashion movement over the decades.

I even appreciate the care with which Shinnosuke Kanazawa depicts the professional attire for both Akira and Sotaro. That’s how we see each of them for the “work” sides of their lives. In each case, they also seem to perfectly suit them and still somehow seem as detailed as the clothes they’re most comfortable wearing. The first time we see Sotaro, he’s in a three-piece suit. Kanazawa used shading techniques that somehow make it look expensive, and the tie has a pinstripe pattern. Attention is called to accessories, such as what seems like it would be a gold watch with a black face that ends up being the focal point of some close-up s. Similar attention is paid to his loafers. He is designed to look the part of a professional, but there are hints at a bit of flashiness.

With Akira, we see how formal she looks in the On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance manga, but Shinnosuke Kanazawa’s artwork also emphasizes practicality for her. She wears black vest and pencil skirt with white button-up shirt. It’s impeccable, with every part in place. Her hair is tied back in a no-nonsense ponytail with a basic hair tie. Her shoes are black with a Cuban heel style, a short heel with a wide base designed for comfort instead of fashion. We can tell that she commits and is direct, making choices that emphasize that. In each case, these looks say a lot about the people.

I really appreciate the thought we can see Shinnosuke Kanazawa put into the design of the On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance characters, with the art in the manga looking extremely fashionable, realistic, and suited to each individuals. Their home life looks are incredible and intricate, showing elements of who they really are and how they feel comfortable. Their professional ones get the job done, but also offer hints at elements of their personalities even though they’re obviously following office dress codes. I can’t wait to see what each of them wear next.

Volume 1 of On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance is available now, and Square Enix will release volume 2 of the manga on September 16, 2025. 

The post I’m Captivated by the On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance Manga Art appeared first on Siliconera.

At MCM London Comic Con 2025, Yen Press announced it will release the Love Bullet manga in English and will release a Complete Box Set of Fruits Basket. The first volume of the yuri manga and box set will both appear in November 2025, though there’s no exact release date for either one yet. 

In the case of Love Bullet, it’s a series from inee about a young woman named Koharu. After she dies, following a confession from her best friend Aki, she becomes one of the Cupids who helps people fall in love. As they spread happiness, they might eventually be able to get a chance to become a human again. Koharu now works alongside Kanna, Chiyo, and Ena to spread love and solve problems with romance.

Inee shared the following image on social media to celebrate the English Love Bullet manga localization announcement.

As for the Yen Press Fruits Basket: The Complete Set release, that will feature all 23 volumes of the manga series. The announcement also confirmed lenticular cards will be included with it.

Two other manga were confirmed as part of the Yen Press MCM London Comic Con 2025 reveals. One is The Terrifying Students at Ghoul School. The anime for that is already appearing worldwide on Crunchyroll. The other is The Girl Past the Filters. Both will also appear in November 2025. 

The post Yen Press Picks Up Love Bullet and Fruits Basket Manga Box Set appeared first on Siliconera.

There are so many shojo manga about a young woman who might get to marry royalty, but endures so many challenges and develops so many enemies along the way. It’s frustrating! Especially when the heroine herself isn’t taking it well and sometimes gets down on herself or questions who she is. The 31st Consort seems, from the outside, like it could be such a story. It is about the underdog potential wife for a king competing against other consorts. However, the character of Felia and way she wins over those around her makes it feel a little fresher in the first volume.

Editor’s Note: There are minor spoilers for the first volume of The 31st Consort shojo manga below. 54j2v

Felia is a rather ordinary girl from Karodia province living with Ricarro, her oldest brother that is the area’s lord, and her other brother Garon. She’s a rather ordinary person who enjoys tending to the herbs that region is known for. However, because of her station, she ended up being picked as one of the king’s consorts. The thing is, she’s the 31st one. Which means she only sees him on months with 31 days, as that’s when he’ll see her. Because of that, and the fact that it’s the lowest ranked in of power, nobody else wanted the spot and it fell to her. Because this is a position that lasts for a year, her brothers basically talk her into it, so off she goes.

First, I want to say that it’s a little off-putting that Felia is considered “old” at just over 22. I get this is supposed to be something of a period piece, but it shocked me a bit! I did read shojo series along similar lines with younger heroines, so it isn’t the most egregious case of that.

From there, we get to see Felia’s arrival and what life would be like for the 31st consort. Since she’s a country girl and their community is more humble, she arrives in her ordinary clothing, with her brother Ricarro bringing her to the castle in an ox cart. Rather than be captivated by the impressive palace, she’s more concerned with the soil, flowers, and composting possibilities. Her home ends up being the most, well, homely! She gets her own wooden house, a garden, and she’s not getting any maids since nobody wanted to live so humbly. Which she attests as fine, as she’s the type of person who didn’t want or need one. All she basically has is the Knight Commander Binz to help, and her only request ends up being farming tools.

Aside from the shock about her age, The 31st Consort ends up being quite pleasant from there on out. Binz and other of the knights’ fourth unit assigned to her end up making themselves at home and befriending her, in a better situation than other knights assigned to demanding or terrifying higher-ranked consorts. She had no issue standing up to an intimidating housekeeper who apparently usually leaves people cowed. It’s sweet to see her adapt so well and people genuinely appreciate her, as well as her make astute observations about the soil, area, country, and other consorts. So much so that people like Binz are willing to fight for her and other consorts’ knights escape to hang out at her place.

This all means once Felia meets King Macron after months, we’re also meeting him for the first time. And his feelings on marriage and the consort process feels like it mirrors hers. He doesn’t care for it. He doesn’t want to spend time with unpleasant people. He basically wants to do his job, and he’s counting down the days. We see what he goes through with them, the governmental process that involves whittling down candidates, and finally his first meeting with Felia. Even though the housekeeper delayed the king’s visit, due to her dislike of Felia. But when he does arrive, it’s genuinely satisfying and makes The 31st Consort seem like a shojo manga with some potential. 

While the initial introduction for this shojo manga might seem a bit awkward, I ended up really enjoying the first volume of The 31st Consort. Felia is such a down-to-earth, practical heroine. She savors what she has, appreciates a challenge, is incredibly competent, and always remains in character. It ends up being quite a delight, and I ended up rooting for the 31st consort to be picked by the end of the first volume too.

The first volume of The 31st Consort is now available, and Yen Press will release volume 2 on August 26, 2025. 

The post The 31st Consort Could Be a Promising Shojo Manga appeared first on Siliconera.

Throughout of the first volume of The Emperor’s Caretaker manga, we’re watching Linhua deal with familial obligations and a sudden opportunity to help raise a young emperor. Now that the second entry is here, there’s still some of that! However, what I also appreciate about this second volume of the manga is the focus on her new life at court. As she is the caretaker for the five-year-old Emperor Zhiyou, a larger part of her life revolves around him. And because of the execution of the Ichiha Hiiragi, Aya Shouoto, and Haruki Yoshimura story, there’s a fantastic focus on what this child deals with too.

Editor’s note: There are some light spoilers for volume 2 of The Emperor’s Caretaker manga below. 1v5gi

Emperor Zhiyou is in a rather unique situation in The Emperor’s Caretaker manga. His mother is no longer with him, as Empress Xuemei needed to return to her country of Quan to lead it. Because he’s completely alone, he’s reliant on caretakers like Linhua and people like the head of the court ladies Jingmei and his regent Lord Souren. As we learned in the first volume, Souren did take some actions to help protect him. That is, he’s still living safely in the inner palace instead of the main one while Souren handles things and Linhua was brought to to raise and care for him. 

What I love about this volume is how much we get to see of Zhiyou. He’s clearly a charming, innocent child. People around him, like Souren, Jingmei, and the guard Lixiao already care from him, and it’s clear between the first and second manga that Linhua is charmed by him as well. (Well, him and all cute children.) So some of these moments really highlight his innocence. From him showing affection already for Linhua and wanting to keep this new adult he’s forming a bond with by his side for one. We’re also seeing more childlike traits as he attempts to connect with Souren and interact with people.

However, The Emperor’s Caretaker manga doesn’t shy away from the harsher realities of Zhiyou’s life, which we start to see in volume 1 and continue in 2. He has no parents, due to his father’s death and his mother being in Quan. In the first volume and as the second begins, there is a divide between him and Souren too. Because he’s so isolated, it makes him a far more sympathetic character. I also feel it helps explain why he latches on to and connects with Linhua so swiftly. He doesn’t really have anyone else. She’s becoming his comforting parental figure in their absence.

The manga is also striking, as it doesn’t hide away from darker sides of Zhiyou’s life as a young ruler in The Emperor’s Caretaker. We saw of the Li family attempting to manipulate him at the end of the first volume, and we get hints of that faction’s influence in the first chapter of the second too. That first chapter also brings up a “special diet” that he’ll have to go through in order to strengthen him against enemy attacks, which leaves Linhua concerned. Plus there’s the reminder that poison could be anywhere when it comes to him getting something as simple as a kind of candy. 

I appreciate when manga about court life and dealing with royalty actually get into the realities of such things, and The Emperor’s Caretaker manga does a great job getting us invested in the life of not only Linhua, but her charge Emperor Zhiyou. Yes, this is clearly a shojo series. There’s absolutely some romance teased. But it’s also about her life and duties, and seeing how this child she’s coming to care for lives and grows is quite insightful.

The first and second volumes of The Emperor’s Caretaker manga are available now, and Square Enix will release volume 3 on July 8, 2025. 

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Shueisha announced its newest Shonen Jump Plus manga series is Magical Girl and Narco Wars from Yu Nomiya and Meijimerou. It is available worldwide, with the English localization available via MangaPlus. The first chapter is available online to read for free. Note that this is a mature series with graphic elements, and it’s one of the darker new stories from Shueisha.

The title of Magical Girl and Narco Wars is pretty self-explanatory, as the manga follows a magical girl named Riri Hoshina who ends up helping an undercover officer named Akira Susui deal with a new drug epidemic that hit Japan. Things begin with Riri chasing down and defeating someone dealing Candy, a new drug that consists of some of the same ingredients as the treat and is packaged in that way to help slip under the radar. While undercover with the Fuyugiri Family in the Jinsei Clan, Akira attends a funeral and finds out many yakuza are being murdered in a mysterious manner by an unknown assailant. After a chance encounter, we learn that Riri is aware of him, and the two team up to go after Candy’s manufacturer and end that menace.

Shueisha frequently adds new manga series to the Shonen Jump lineup. For example, one of the last ones to appear ahead of this one was Nice Prison. As of May 5, 2025, that is the 11th most popular series in the MangaPlus “hottest” list. Another series that’s fairly new is Love is Overkill. The first volume of that just launched in Japan in May 2025. 

The first chapter of the new Shonen Jump manga Magical Girl and Narco Wars is available worldwide, and chapter 2 will debut on May 12, 2025. 

The post New Shonen Jump Manga Is Magical Girl and Narco Wars appeared first on Siliconera.

In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name is an isekai shojo manga series that relies upon both love and betrayal. After all, Ichika ended up being something of a chosen one who could communicate with another world through a mirror, she told her sister Karen about it, her sister ended up disappearing there, and when Ichika does wind up spirited away she learns her sister stole her identity. There are some serious secrets and mysteries. Now with the second volume, even more are coming up and suspicious behavior is pretty rampant, but Ichika doesn’t seem to be catching on in the same way us readers likely are.

Editor’s Note: There will be spoilers for volume 1 and light spoilers for volume 2 of the In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name manga below. 1h313h

As a quick reminder, the way mechanics worked in In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name means that there was a time difference between the magic mirror tying the worlds together. Ichika talked to a young prince named Cecil through it. When her sister Karen disappeared, she appeared in that kingdom, became grown-up Cecil’s fiance, and is a Saint due to possessing remarkable light magic. When Ichika came through the portal, she learned Karen claimed to be her and is going by “Ichika” there. She declared the real Ichika “Karen.” This means Ichika is now betrothed to the prince’s younger brother Noah, and he seems quite displeased about things. 

The end of the first volume of revealed plots are afoot. Someone targeted Ichika with a curse. Noah sensed it and got in the way. Ichika, as befitting the actual chosen one, used an incredible amount of light magic to save him and is now acknowledged as a second Saint.

This means that now so many suspicious and shady dealings are coming up in In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name, but I find it a bit frustrating that Ichika doesn’t seem to realize it. Noah is clearly hiding something, and as the volume goes on it is obvious he either knows or realized facts critical to Ichika and her situation. Since he’s her fiance and they spend an extended period of time together in these chapters, it’s a little frustrating that she’s not figuring out something is awry. I suppose you could use the excuse that she’s figuring out her magic powers and on her first Saint assignment, but still.

What’s going on with people around Ichika, Noah, and Cecil is equally obvious. Something is absolutely awry with Karen. It’s clear from the first volume. However, Ichika isn’t doing any sort of investigation. We see some of it begin to pop up here, now that they’re in close proximity and Ichika is a second Saint. But I’d have loved more awareness from our main heroine. Also, the only person who seems suspicious of the queen is Noah, even with some rather notable scenes in both volumes, and I’m surprised there isn’t more investigation into the curse directed at Ichika and Noah. 

The scenario Kotoko constructed is interesting for a reader. Because of the narrative decisions, we’re aware of all these webs, pitfalls, and machinations. However, I find it leaves me a little frustrated because I am seeing them, but Ichika isn’t. Instead, by the end of the volume, I get the impression she’s more upset by the fact that things are tense between Cecil and Karen, Karen and her, Noah and her, Noah and Cecil, and just… everyone. When really, I’m thinking, “Why aren’t you more concerned about your sister’s identity theft, the possible sabotage, and the attempted murder?”

To be honest, I’m still not sure how I feel about a series where the female lead is so clueless that she’s not able to see how suspicious everyone around her is acting. What’s keeping me reading the In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name manga is more of a desire to see everything blow up and issions come out, rather than watch Ichika get her happy ending. Because it’s clear there are some revelations that Kotoko is incredibly close to sharing, but the author is just building a little more anticipation in the meantime. 

Volume 2 of In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name is available now, and Yen Press will release volume 3 of the manga on July 22, 2025. 

The post In Another World, My Sister Stole My Name Keeps Piling on Suspicious Situations appeared first on Siliconera.

In many cases, slice of life anime and manga series are as much about setting the stage and building up our notion of what life would be like in a place as they are about the actual characters. It happened with Aria, for example. The same happens in Wash It All Away, the Mitsuru Hattori manga Square Enix picked up. By the time the first volume is finished, we not only get a sense of who heroine Wakana Kinme is, but also the town of Atami and its residents too.

Editor’s Note: There will be some minor spoilers for the first volume of the Wash It All Away manga below. 4k3d6j

Hattori sets up the manga Wash It All Away both as a slice-of-life series and mystery from the very start. Wakana Kinme runes Kinme Cleaning, a wet laundry service that is quaint, takes on smaller and specialized orders, and offers the sorts of personal touches like pick-up and delivery and preservation. However, while she’s incredibly experienced and acquired the necessary requisites to offer those services, she doesn’t who she is. She doesn’t anything past the last two years. However, that doesn’t stop her from getting absorbed in things she loves (laundry and hot springs) and connecting with people around her. As a result, we also get a chance to see what the community is like as well.

Because of Wakana’s openness and range, we get to peek in at the lives at quite a few different people. While her first two customers in the series are two elderly ladies, Asami Yagara is a fashionable younger woman about the same age as her who brought in her husband’s suits. There’s also a sense of friendship there, as she brought a souvenir with for Wakana. High schooler Kyu Ishimochi and his mom Koshimi bring not only their own laundry, but that from their small inn. Nairo and her mother are clearly travelers and seem to not be from around Atami, with the grade schooler Nairo initially being hesitant about going into Kinme, but she quickly becomes fascinated by Wakana’s processes and as enthusiastic about it as the young woman. So we’re seeing people of different ages and from different groups and getting peeks at what their lives are like in Atami as well.

The background art is also quite helpful in setting the stage and helping us understand Atami. As Wakana runs around town performing deliveries, Hattori shares a lot of art that sets the scene. We know exactly what the town looks like, as well as get some glimpses of the sea and shore. An impression of it being bustling is given, seeing as how groups will talk to her as she exercises and she’s giving folks from out of town directions in another shot. In one of the earliest sections, as she’s heading back to Kinme Cleaning, fireworks are going on in the background, highlighting the sorts of festivals happening during warmer seasons. It’s immersive, in its own way.

I also love the balance between showcasing Atami as a place where people generally live and as a possible tourist hotspot. We see how popular Nairo’s grandmother’s store, which sells local specialties and fish to tourists, is. However, it retains its personality and history, as evidenced by Wakana’s task there being to clean and help preserve Nairo’s grandfather’s flag. We catch glimpses of how important the Atami Marine Firework Festival is to the town, both via the business it brings to Kyu’s family’s inn and when Wakana actually watches the show from the roof of Kinme Cleaning. But even with the crowds and scenes that show this is clearly a busy place, people like Wakana still work at their own pace and make time for each other and simple pleasures like hot springs and baths.

As a result, I feel like there are two reasons I’d keep reading the Wash It All Away manga, and finding out the mystery behind Wakana’s past and amnesia is only a small part of it. I love the setting. Atami seems like a quaint, peaceful town that, despite being a tourist attraction, retains its sense of community and personality. The people around Wakana, their lives, and the pace of life in this place feels just as important as the star.

Volume 1 of Wash It All Away is available via Square Enix now, and volume 2 of the manga will debut on June 17, 2025. 

The post Wash It All Away Manga Builds Up a Community appeared first on Siliconera.

I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World is one of those manga series that might give someone pause at first glance, even though it is a shojo series that is a lot of fun. Nunnally Hel wants to be a receptionist at the adventurer’s guild Harre. However, in this world that’s a very coveted position that requires someone to essentially have top marks at school and be quite magically gifted as well. The pacing in the first volume is great, since it covers her education and getting started, but it doesn’t really help us understand why it is necessary. Now that we’re already up to volume 6, the series makes much more sense and is more enjoyable as a result. 

Editor’s Note: There will be some very light plot references for I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World manga volumes below. 2w304z

So in the very first volume of I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World, we see Nunnally attending the prestigious Kingdom of Doran Magic Academy, even though she isn’t nobility. This is because of natural talent and a drive to become a receptionist at the Harre’s adventurer assisting organization. That’s a place that helps with investigations, assignments, and other things associated with quests. There, she develops as an individuals, ends up with the rare ice magic Blood Type, and grows as an individual. It also sets up a rivalry with Alweiss Rockmann, an actual noble and love interest who is equally magically inclined and gunning for a role with the kingdom’s knights.

It’s only once we get past that initial volume that Harre’s demand makes sense. This is because, while I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World is a shojo manga, there’s also a bit of adventure to it. As a newcomer, a lot of Nunnally’s time at the job involves learning practical skills. While some of that is typical paperwork, it also shows that insight into what explorers will deal with is a necessity. While figuring out new assignments and taking requests from common people for the knights and other experienced warriors, they’ll need to figure out what’s going on. Maybe identify a creature involved in a situation. This requires them to be strong enough to do some light exploration on their own for investigations for the assignment. Basically, they need to know what they’re talking about, and have a wide range of immediately familiarity and information to pull from due to everything Harre handles. We see Nunnally do some tracking and use a memory detection on folks with requests about incidents to help properly figure out what’s going on and pair them with folks who can help.

Another element that suddenly makes it believable that a “simple” receptionist would need to be so experienced and skilled is the adaptability. Part of I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World heading to different locations in the manga does feel designed to offer more backstory and insight into Nunnally and her family’s past and offer more sorts of shojo setups for interactions with her friends and Rockmann. However, part of it also shows the range of the individuals working for Harre. One of her assignments takes her outside the one major location in Doran to other branches. So a part of that sends her to the south to Solieu. So since she does need to go around the kingdom, it reasons someone would need to be strong enough to travel and handle themself in any situation, regardless of environment.

Two of the more recent examples as to why Harre needs such talented and strong employees is hinted at in the sixth volume of the manga, leading into the events of the seventh. The first involves a major event and competition called Walhelnus. Harre sends representatives to compete alongside other sorcerers. Nunnally isn’t participating that year, due to her being relatively new. However, part of Harre’s tasks involves also assisting with running it, which she’ll be doing. That involves even more magical assistance than her daily job. The other teaser suggests now she is experienced enough to work the night shift. This again involves more danger and critical situations, as well as doing so without senior staff around.

It basically feels like every volume of I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World gradually showcases more and more why Nunnally needed to be such a talented sorceress to work there. When the manga began, it didn’t properly show or tell why what is essentially an adventurer’s guild would need top-of-their-class students as employees. However, as the series continues, it’s doing a much better job of laying that out. I really appreciate it!

Volume 6 of the I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World manga is available now, and Yen Press hasn’t noted when it will release volume 7 yet. 

The post I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World Manga Gradually Makes More Sense appeared first on Siliconera.

When a mangaka behind a major series becomes famous, we’ll often get to see their early work thanks to publishers picking those up to capitalize on their popularity. It happened with Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto. Viz Media started to do that with Spy x Family star Tatsuya Endo and Tista. Now it followed that up with The Four Lives Remain: Tatsuya Endo Before Spy x Family, and I feel like this manga collection shows a lot of progress and hints as to what Endo eventually would accomplish.

Editor’s Note: There will be some mild spoilers regarding the four stories in the The Four Lives Remain: Tatsuya Endo Before Spy x Family manga below. 6sm31

The Four Lives Remain: Tatsuya Endo Before Spy x Family begins with “Western Game.” Ellena Fiscuff is a young woman who just ing the Third National Bounty Hunting Academy to deal with wild west-life in a world where things went to hell. Her childhood neighbor, who she affectionately knows as Uncle Holiday, is a teacher there. However, this rough-around-the-edges student proves she belongs there by immediately standing up to a bull named Kiel Kranston who tries to suggest she’d look better as a lady without a gun. It gets her suspended, but it also gets her a friend in the process. This is his debut work, but we already see the idea of a strong heroine who is working off of a bounty/mission system and is incredibly adept at fighting even without the use of any weapons. Likewise, this one-shot features a number of fights along the lines of ones in Spy x Family, so we’re already seeing the sort of framework and staging Endo was capable early on. 

From there, we move on to “Blade of the Moon Princess.” It pairs science fiction with an imperial and samurai sort of tale. Kaguya Crescentheart is the Imperial Empress who, as she’s about to ascend to the throne, is forced into exile. She and her father Nagi flee via escape pods, taking the sword signifying her position with them. He sends her to safety on the earth below, buying her time to escape and hone her skills with the blade in Hinomoto with local followers who moved there decades before the coup. We get to see her kindness and strength, some fun fight swordfighting scenes, and an unexpected mix of elements from different time periods. It feels the start of something fun and with political elements as Kaguya would fight back against the coup, and sure enough Endo eventually did create a Blade of the Moon Princess series! Viz picked that up as well, and it's great to compare this one shot and that full story.

After that, the The Four Lives Remain: Tatsuya Endo Before Spy x Family manga gets into the story “Witch Craze.” As the title suggests, it’s about witches, with a pair of witch hunters named Nei and Morgana taking on the latest case. It gives us a sense of a power-couple duo like Loid and Yor could be. However, this is actually my least favorite story in the collection. It obscures too much for too long and then, by the time it gets going, I feel like Endo already assumes we know how the world works in this one shot. It feels like a chapter of a story you’d read after following a manga for at least a full volume, not an isolated piece.. So even though Nei and Morgana’s relationship and dynamic seems interesting, it isn’t well explained.

Finally, everything wraps up with “PMG-0,” which is my favorite manga in The Four Lives Remain: Tatsuya Endo Before Spy x Family. I felt like this story seemed a bit closer in structure to Spy x Family, given the concept of an established agency. Heroine Tania is an unarmed Frencelle Republic Polo Musketeer Guard Group 0 unit whose goal is to step in during shady or dangerous situations to save people’s lives. It honestly sort of reminded me of Loid’s more altruistic goal behind his work as a spy. However, as this is more of a comedy, she’s not as disciplined as Loid or Yor, as she knocks out the very hostages she was sent to save in the introduction’s mission. Here we’re getting an idea behind a structured organization, such as the one Loid belongs to in Spy x Family. We’re seeing what life is like for one of these types of agents outside of work. We watch her interact with coworkers and deal with assignments. In the postscript, Endo compared it to “Western Game,” and I see the similarities, but I also feel like it is similar to “Blade of the Moon Princess,” in that it could still easily be picked up even now and turned into something more.

It’s fascinating to revisit a mangaka’s past work, and the four manga in The Four Lives Remain: Tatsuya Endo Before Spy x Family are quite telling. Three of them feel like they could have been their own series, given the chance, rather than one shots. I especially liked the execution, characters, and stories told in “Blade of the Moon Princess” and “PMG-0!” But in all of them, we see already Endo’s foundations. There are strong female characters. The fight scenes seem well choreographed, though they do get better as the volume goes on. There’s worldbuilding here that comes across as fascinating, and even a look at some political intrigue or handling of corruption. It’s a great look back at this creator’s start.  

The Four Lives Remain: Tatsuya Endo Before Spy x Family manga compilation is available via Viz Media. It also handles Spy x Family outside Japan, while Crunchyroll handles the anime adaptation.

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Viz Media picking up Kazuyoshi Seto’s Minecraft: The Manga is interesting! In many situations, manga adaptations of games can offer different vibes or approaches to stories. They may even offer a chance to spend more time with certain subjects. However, the design direction and narrative decisions mean that this feels like a shonen series with a bit of Minecraft flavor, rather than a tale that could only be told in the game’s universe.

Editor’s Note: There will be some minor spoilers for the first volume of Minecraft: The Manga below. 2f441b

Rather than following Steve or Alex, Minecraft: The Manga goes with an original character and standard sort of shonen storyline. Nico White is a crafter who wants to become an adventurer like his father. Everyone in the White family has a mark on their hands signifying their Mod power. This allows them to make things nobody else can, all without a crafting table. When heading to the mines to work for the first time when ten, zombies appear and overwhelm his group. The power to mod shines through, he crafts a much needed sword. He saves the day! However, that awakened ability means he can’t stay home any longer, so he sets out on an adventure to reach the end of the world.

Here’s the thing. While there are references to certain uniqueenemies and gameplay elements, such as Creepers, crafting, and mining, Minecraft: The Manga generally feels like any typical shonen manga geared toward kids. The age range is right, with Nico heading out at about the same age as kids would in the Pokemon series. There are gag elements, like with the Animal Crossing adaptation. A lot of it is more about reaching the end of the world, which isn’t uncommon in these types of adventure stories. The allies, such as Gray the human with a mod curse mark that makes him look like a zombie and Yamabuki the failed ninja journeying to redeem himself. If it wasn’t for the aesthetic, it wouldn’t necessarily feel very “Minecraft.”

This isn’t to say an effort isn’t made by Seto to bring in those elements from the game. Nico uses equipment like pickaxes and swords. Blocks come up quite a bit. We see references to the hearts used to track HP in a dire situation, and a sense of starvation kicks off the second chapter. All of the enemies are also pulled from the game, as are animals and terrain types.

However, the idea of maintaining the themes also isn’t tried and true. The character designs are a good example. Everyone’s head is shaped like a cube in Minecraft: The Manga, just as in the game. However, their bodies look… pretty normal and not angular. Also, facial features end up veering into more traditional manga expressions and designs, rather than blocky ones from the game. Gray is an exception, but the extremely expressive Nico is a good example of just going with designs that you’d expect in any shonen manga geared toward kids.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean that Minecraft: The Manga feels like any young shonen series that just so happens to take place in the world of the game. The adventure ends up sometimes feeling a bit generic as a result. Every once in a while, they’ll be a reference to gameplay or an element pulled from the title. But it doesn’t really shape the story. Instead, it’s just another coming of age tale about a young kid trying to become a hero. For its target audience, this could be all someone needs, but I don’t think it would hold the attention of anyone older or more experienced with similar stories.

Volume 1 of the Minecraft: The Manga is available now, and Viz Media will release volume 2 on June 10, 2025. The original game is available on the New 3DS, Switch, PS3, PS4, PS5, Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices. 

The post Minecraft: The Manga Feels Like Any Shonen Series for Kids appeared first on Siliconera.

There are so many takes on gods living in modern times in manga. Kamisama Kiss and Ah My Goddess both spring to mind. We could consider Death Note one as well. Yen Press’ The Failure at God School, from The Apothecary Diaries author Natsu Hyuuga, is another take on the concept that not only involves gods in everyday life, but gets into the training for such deities.

Editor’s Note: There will be minor spoilers for first volume of The Failure at God School manga below. 5w312a

Much like The Apothecary Diaries, the star of The Failure at God School manga is a young woman named Nagi. Her family tends the Hibiya Shrine, and her deceased grandmother used to be its god. After her ing, that leaves them looking for a replacement Himiko with powers who can live there and assist the town. While her twin brother Takeru is a Himiko with abilities, he won’t take up the role due to personal trauma, so there’s been nobody who can properly serve the community and fill the role for five years. She’s tried to push him into taking the government god exam, but he won’t. 

When the town’s butcher’s grandson, a young boy who had been certified as a Himiko, is spirited away, this spurs Nagi into action. When taking a shortcut to get to school, she starts to realize the area is one where a child could be lost. After ing a shrine, the world shifts and she finds the missing kid. As she starts to carry him out, she feels some entity pulling them back. Somehow, she is able to sever the connection and get them both back to freedom. This catches the attention of a Himiko named Tsukuyomi who is in town for the city hall inauguration, as she managed to overcome an “evil presence.” He and his manager then find Nagi and the boy and aid them, recognizing something special about her in the process. As a result, she gets accepted into Kannagara Academy, a school for Himiko who can become gods.

From there, The Failure at God School starts to feel a bit like a typical high school manga in which an underdog with incredible potential is involved. Nagi still isn’t totally aware of herself and her powers. As such, she’s considered the titular “failure.” Some of that teasing almost seems a bit good natured, as while Monaka can come across harsh, Sagami seems more lighthearted. So even if they’re critical, we can see there’s still a friendship there and affection. As a result, the segment in which we’re learning about how her power is “unidentified” comes across as more funny than traumatic. There are also similarly funny moments with a certain teacher determined to use her as a test subject and find out more about her potential. 

I do appreciate the moments we do get glimpses of what Nagi is capable of in the The Failure at God School manga. Because in those sections, it can be both impressive and incredibly funny. After all, she ends up with the nickname “Grizzly Killer.” This could have felt like a fairly typical story of a high schooler who’s underestimated and gets a chance to make good. But the humor behind it, as well as the possible potential and “identity” of Nagi, really helps set this story apart. Even though some of the steps to get to places might feel similar, the dynamics are engaging. Especially since Nagi’s personality is quite endearing.

The Failure at God School can feel like other manga series about young adults who are coming to with powers and training them, especially since the star is someone with possibly incredible potential who is completely underestimated. It’s the execution that makes it stand out sometimes. Nagi’s demeanor, her reactions to the situations she’s in, and the way others behave mean it can often feel both fascinating and quite funny. I would dare say it’s promising in the same way Hyuuga’s The Apothecary Diaries is.

Volume 1 of The Failure at God School is available now, and Yen Press will release the second volume of the manga on July 22, 2025.

The post The Failure at God School Manga Takes ‘Deities’ to School appeared first on Siliconera.

When I first heard about Assassin & Cinderella, someone told me the manga was like a sexier take on the Spy x Family formula. While I can see that, it wasn’t my first response after finishing the first volume. Rather, it’s more like an idealized fantasy with cute characters who probably don’t get to enjoy ordinary life getting a chance to actually experience romance and fall in love. 

I mean, it’s absolutely still sexy. 

But I just didn’t expect it to also be so sweet.

Assassin & Cinderella doesn’t begin with build up or any stage setting. Rather, we’re immediately dropped into a scene in which a couple named “Mi” and “Ri” are reuniting. Mi is actually Neneko, a spy who is investigating an assassin and pretending to be an innocent, ordinary girl who becomes his girlfriend to do so. Except “Ri,” whose real name is Omi, already worked that out. Her cover blown, she fears he’ll kill her, because of course an assassin would do that to an enemy, right? Wrong. He actually fell in love with her, the real her he saw shining through during her “mission.” 

Of course, her life would still be in danger, because she failed. But Omi has a solution for that too. He suggests a marriage of convenience. He gets to spend time with a woman he adores. She gets the safety of staying alive and not being held able to her organization via strategic information “leaks.” And even if something went wrong otherwise, Omi points out he’s strong enough to help her stay alive if the truth is ever exposed.

Which means the rest of the first volume of the Assassin & Cinderella manga gets to be mostly dedicated to actually watching them fall in love. Omi, due to his awareness of the situation, is already in that place, romantically. He caught on to what Neneko was up to. So we get to enjoy seeing her adjust to something of a normal life and as regular a relationship some people in such dangerous jobs can enjoy. He makes her breakfast. They go shopping together. They get married. He surprises her with a dessert gift for the first time. She meets his coworkers. 

Yes, this also means that the elephant in the room is addressed. After all, Omi is still an assassin and Neneko is a spy. However, the latter half of the volume starts to bring up how such situations could begin to be handled by first introducing more people from Omi’s organization. By gradually bringing in the faction, we’re getting this reminder of what the series is about while maintaining the romantic (and yes, sometimes sexy) elements of the story.

The only issue I came across in the first volume of the Assassin & Cinderella manga is that Omi is nowhere near as well developed as Neneko. As such, his responses do really feel like they come out of nowhere. Since we’re coming into the story in medias res, we don’t see how she inspired such adoration and affection. I suppose in a way, it is to our benefit. We’re caught off guard just as much and often as Neneko is. But I would have liked a bit more development on his part since he is the male lead. 

In general though, the premise of Assassin & Cinderella is a fun one, and it does stand out among the many other shojo and josei romance manga out there. It’s heavy on the wish fulfillment fantasy of a dangerous, yet also shockingly attentive and kind man suddenly adores a potential partner. 

The first volume of Assassin & Cinderella is available now, and Square Enix will release the second volume of the manga on September 2, 2025. 

The post Assassin & Cinderella Manga Follows a Cute High-risk Romance appeared first on Siliconera.

Listen, I don’t know if a lot of other people feel this way, but I still get genuinely sad about SINoALICE shutting down. I thought the concept for the Square Enix mobile game ended up being great. It was fun to play! Some of the SINoALICE characters turned out to be equal parts fascinating and heartbreaking. I kept up with the manga from Yoko Taro, Takuto Aoki, Himiko, and Jino, as it felt like a way to still the series and go through a story with folks I (virtually) rooted for. Now that the final volume of the SINoALICE manga is here, it’s a bittersweet experience that brings back heartbreak, though volume 6 still offers a new sense of resolution and closure.

Editor’s Note: There will be spoilers for the events of the SINoALICE manga leading up to the final volume. 381f5o

If you are coming in to the SINoALICE manga with this as your first volume, turn right back around. It’s completely impossible. So much important context and events are brought up prior to this. If you did follow along, well, then it’s just the ultimate conclusion of all the people who were fighting in the hopes of getting what they want possibly making a dream come true. Things begin with Parrah and Noya telling the Game Master Gretel that there would be no winner in this death game, there’s no master, and that basically the two of them would be the only thing coming close to a “winner.” Gretel refuses to accept that. Which means right away, we’re dealing with the aftermath of people’s lives being toyed with.

But before we can even digest that, there’s the other consequences of the death game’s actions. Alice, Snow White, Dorothy, and Cinderella all managed to survive and defeat Red Riding Hood. But, there’s no rest, as she’s essentially become a black hole because of her desire. And while some of these figures are “safe,” we see Sleeping Beauty on the verge of being a casualty and Pinocchio ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of her and Snow. But even though people could be fleeing or turning on each other, we’re seeing everyone come together. They’re trying to do all they can to survive, even perhaps for the sake of others if not themselves. So even if people had negative traits prior to this, they’re getting a chance at redemption.

Which means when Gretel unites with the other SINoALICE characters, we get this grand “boss fight.” There’s this opportunity to really settle things. It isn’t like when the game ended. It feels more like it’s on the proper . Like the manga is really addressing the situation in the right way and more definitively closing out the story. Plus by bringing Alice, Snow, Cinderella, Dorothy, and Gretel together for this final push against Red, it’s like destiny is being taken into their own hands. 

I also appreciated how the closing of the SINoALICE manga brings everything back to both “reality” and the Act of Impulse characters who started it all. Dorothy aside, we’re really back to the core “heroes” of Alice, Snow White, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, and Gretel again. We’re coming full circle. So when the actual end arrives, I felt like the conclusion and winner felt especially appropriate and poignant. 

Getting through the SINoALICE manga is satisfying, even though this tale and fates of characters can be as tragic as the outcomes in the game. However, it’s heartening too! We get to see these people fight back. They take their destinies into their own hands. They don’t just accept the outcome of a possible death game, and they move forward. Not to mention, it’s nice to have something tangible to the series by. It’s well worth following along and finishing this saga.

The final volume of the SINoALICE manga is available via Square Enix, and all previous five volumes are also available via the company. 

The post The SINoALICE Manga Final Volume Brings Characters Together appeared first on Siliconera.

We often see manga with similar trends start to all appear at once when one ends up being successful. Visit any social media platform that tracked your interest or publisher site, and I’m sure you noticed one trend in shojo stories is a young woman with a sudden fiance or arranged marriage that miraculously works out. While The Emperor’s Caretaker might seem like that at a glanced, the new Square Enix manga is instead an approach to the idea of an arranged marriage story that is instead very focused on interpersonal relationships, politics, hierarchy, and people growing beyond or maybe even challenging their expected roles over time. Volume one only just starts to get into things, but it steps the stage quite well.

Editor’s Note: There will be mild spoilers for volume 1 of The Emperor’s Caretaker manga below. 193k5d

The new emperor is only five years old. However, that doesn’t matter in the world of politics. People want his marriage arranged, and his older brother Regent Souren and him will be meeting potential prospects. Girls from each of the major families are being sent. However, one of them isn’t really a “girl,” and is actually a 17-year-old young woman named Linhua. Her chancellor father and head of the Liu family presented her with three options. She attends that ceremony to be considered, she tries to marry the possible womanizer Souren, or she marries Rui from the Li family. Her and her brother Xiuying are both opposed to that, so it’s the selection process for her.

Much of this first volume deals with the political notions surrounding that competition. It really helps accentuate the fact that, while The Emperor’s Caretaker starts out as manga about a possible arranged marriage, it quickly deviates from that to give Linhua an opportunity for a different type of future. Especially since its one that might better suit someone as clever and outspoken as her. When around the children who are attempting to be picked as a bride, she’s just overwhelmed by how cute they all are. She wants to comfort and them. Which, in turn, catches people’s attention in a different way. So we see her tactfully managing little ones she’s just met, showing her kindness and innate way with people. 

We also see her intelligence at play. She knows this is all a political game, and that as such she needs to be very cautious about her behavior. When a little girl from the Li family accidentally breaks her erhu, she knows she can’t make a big deal about it and needs to fix it, lest the relationship between the two families get even worse. She also does need to find one ASAP, and does, because it would cause offense to the emperor and his regent. So she’s savvy enough to understand situations and search for practical, intelligent solutions that offer the best outcome for everyone.

But it’s especially satisfying to see her forward nature and willful personality come through. Linhua, though a possible bride in a royal arranged marriage, constantly speaks her mind in The Emperor’s Caretaker manga. We see how she “ran” off another potential suitor, which her older brother teases her about. More importantly, when it is her turn to perform in front of the emperor, she tactfully chooses a song with multiple meanings. While one is romantic and about stepping away from relationship, another is more familial and again about wishing a child well as they grow and go. So she’s defying her father and signaling her intent to not be considered. 

It is because of all this that a new path opens for Linhua. She’s offered the option to become the titular The Emperor’s Caretaker and help raise him as a court lady, forgoing any sort of arranged marriage in the manga. It’s incredibly satisfying and helps set a fantastic tone going forward. Yes, there’s still the option of romance with Souren. Yes, Rui from the Li family is still in the wings. Yes, she’s still in this world of political intrigue. And yes, we still get to see an adorable little kid be cute and (hopefully) happy. 

The first volume of The Emperor’s Caretaker manga is really all about setting the stage. We’re finding out who Linhua is, getting a sense of what Souren is like, and learning about some of the other major players who will appear in the series. It’s establishing a foundation for a story that seems like it could be a strong one. Especially since it seems to emphasize that it will be as much about court life and a fight between ruling families for dominance as it is about a relationship between Linhua and Souren. I’m hoping it continues on this strong path. 

Volume 1 of The Emperor’s Caretaker is available via Square Enix, and volume 2 of the manga will debut on May 6, 2025. 

The post The Emperor’s Caretaker Manga Offers a Different Take on an Arranged Marriage Tale appeared first on Siliconera.

I love when we get anime and manga series where the lead couple is surrounded by folks who them and their relationship. The Otaku Love Connection is a manga that takes that concept and makes those side cast the focus right from its first volume. …Then it kicks it up to the extreme for the sake of comedy. But still, the fact is that we get to see some happy and healthy relationships, alongside some potentially unhealthy obsession, and it’s just so fun to ready.

Editor’s Note: There will be minor spoilers for volume 1 of The Otaku Love Connection manga below. b269

Yuzuru Kakoi and Chihiro Kawai are the high school power couple. The two have been together for years. They’re both absolutely adorable individuals. They also seem like genuinely good people with a healthy relationship dynamic. How do we know all these things? Because the actual star of this The Otaku Love Connection manga is Wataru Otonari, a classmate who sits next to Yuzuru and is a huge fan of the couple. He thinks they’re wonderful, he fully s their relationship, and just getting to see them being happy makes his day. 

Of course, the unhealthy part of this is that he is so over-the-top about this. So much so that he’ll talk with his friend and fellow classmate about it. Also, he’s pretty obvious about his gawking. So we have the juxtaposition of him being completely ive, but also an incredibly outspoken member of the crowd that ires the two. Because of course, Yuzuru and Chihiro are so captivating that others notice their antics. So much so that the person who is captivated by Wataru also knows and references that he’s a “stalker.”

Said additional person is Mashiro Tomaki, and her inclusion helps enhance this dynamic. Because while she isn’t crazy about Yuzuru or Chihiro, she is a huge fan of Wataru. Because he’s actually gorgeous too, and his “otaku” tendencies get in the way of that. Since she’s captivated by him and the fact that he is a good person deep down, as well as her thinking Yuzuru and Chihiro are cute together, she s and bonds with him over his “hobby.” And because she can be more open and herself around Wataru and fangirl over the main couple, she goes from being someone who’s just in the background to another individual that’s incredibly adorable. 

Which leads to already a fun sort of situation in the first volume of The Otaku Love Connection manga. Due to Wataru and Mashiro hanging out together to people watch and see what  Yuzuru and Chihiro are up to, folks get the impression the two of them are together too. As such, they become their own sort of “draw.” So much so that the two of them together attract the attention of Yuzuru, and then Chihiro too. 

It’s a series that could have been really awkward! It could have been creepy to watch Wataru constantly stalking Yuzuru and Chihiro’s private moments. But the addition of Mashiro tempers that. Especially since the two of them together have their own sort of chemistry. Plus, it highlights the fact that while these two are the ing cast of the main couple’s story, they’re actually the star of their own story, deserving of and getting their own degree of attention.

Like many first volumes of a new manga series, The Otaku Love Connection is initially about establishing characterizations and relationships. However, the dynamics here really do come into play pretty fast. That pace means that we can hopefully see the rest of the story focus on the fun dynamics that comes from the one OTP shipping the other, and then vice versa. 

Volume 1 of The Otaku Love Connection is available now through Square Enix, and volume 2 will debut on June 10, 2025. 

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