#(I miss seeing friends in person and cosplay shenanigans and traveling)

[morethanaprincess-a]

@galaxybeginnings​ said:  ✨Effervescent

Pretty Word Asks (Please specify if this is for the mun or muse! Otherwise, it’ll be answered by the mun for Munday)

✨Effervescent: What would make you happy right now?

I really had to think about this, but the small things that would make me happy all kind of revolve around a bigger thing: finding a vaccine for COVID-19 and opening up the world again.

I’m not really excited to go back to working in an office (I’m much more productive at home, I’m an extroverted introvert, I’m very blunt when colleagues don’t do things the right/best way), but everything else? I’m really missing right now.

I miss seeing my RL friends, I miss going to conventions and traveling, I miss being able to plan my courthouse wedding with my fiancé (and the honeymoon, which is the real draw besides just being married to each other. Neither of us are wedding people), I miss doing cosplay and fashion photoshoots (especially now that I’m feeling much better, emotionally and physically). But all of those are contingent on a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, really. 

So I guess in the short-term, having all of my recent cosplay purchases arrive would be wonderful. I’m waiting on a new ballgown that I’m so eager to embellish for an upcoming con, as well as the corresponding wig, and starting to work out props I can carry as well. My RP hobby crosses over into my cosplay hobby, because why not just write the muse when you can dress as them too? Not that I know when I’m going to wear my upcoming outfits next, but I’ve had cosplay groups for Danganronpa, Castlevania, and Mobile Suit Gundam put on hold for over a year now and that just makes me sad. I’d also be thrilled to finally attend some cons out of my city/area for the first time in years. I love my local events, but in the past I’ve been to Otakon, Anime Central, Anime St. Louis, and some other now-defunct events. I’d like to say I’ve attended Katsucon at least once in my life (and likely have to drive to it, because flying with all of my outfits is near-impossible. So many skirts). 

And Christmas cheer. I love Christmas RP threads, terrible Christmas romcom movies (and recycling such plots over here), decorations, music, presents, staying cozy and comfortable. 

Instead, I’m just taking advantage of all the weekend sales and trying to ignore the temptation to do IG stories unboxings.

[nalufever]

Memes

‘Since Forever’ Nalufluffweek 2017: read on FF.net - ch 1   ch2   ch3   ch4   ch5   ch6   ch7   ch8   ch9  (don’t be afraid to leave reviews - the lifeblood of every writer ever)

Prompt: Memes. Success! Kind of. Confession articulated - and now to see if Lucy understands. Is she going to accept? Now, if Natsu can just stop rambling - that would be great. Lucy's about to write herself a note giving herself permission to do whatever she wants - and right now, it's to kiss Natsu silent. Win - win.

Lucy feared her heart would break free of her ribs. Had she ever felt so nervous before? Why was she standing still like this? Shouldn't she say or do something?

"Lucy, this is something I never expected to find or even want - a person who means more to me than anything else." Natsu nodded slowly, his chest rose and settled with a deep breath. "I want us to be more than friends. But if you don't feel the same, I'd learn to accept it." He shoved his hands into his pockets, swaying a bit side to side, eyes trained with intense focus on Lucy.

Aware Natsu was waiting for a response, Lucy gulped. She stared back at Natsu, the cold railing against her back at best a mild distraction. "Why'd you call me fat?" Aghast at the involuntary question, Lucy clapped her hands over her mouth.

"You still on that?" Natsu laughed. "How long ago was that? And I didn't say you were fat - I said it was a good thing you weren't too skinny! That costume on our last mission would never have fit you right if you were a bone-rack." He pulled his hands free, dislodging Mira's letter. It fell unnoticed at their feet. Natsu made an exaggerated hour-glass shape motion and then gave Lucy a wink and thumbs up sign.

"Too skinny?" Lucy felt colour rise higher on her cheeks. "So you don't think I'm fat?"

"Even if you were - which you aren't -" Natsu stepped close, breath tickling Lucy's bare collar. "- I fell in love with the girl who wants to be a writer. A person who battles beside her spirits, who trusts deeply and has learned to forgive. My partner, who happens to have a brilliant mind. Lucy, I love you."

Lucy felt like she and Natsu were in a suspended cocoon. This intimate moment was insulated from reality. Just inches away the real world threatened to intrude. The lights floating on the water continued to bob and spiral into new patterns. Lights across the harbour flickered on and off. Pockets of noise; conversations from other balconies in the hotel and music could be faintly heard. The stars watched in silence and the wind brought fresh scents of the sea.

Now that the moment was here - the moment Lucy had daydreamed about for untold years - she didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to think, where to look. Didn't know if she could trust her voice to work - was she going to laugh or cry? And in that desperate instant, Lucy cast her eyes down and spied the dislodged paper from Natsu's pocket.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

Crouching down and picking up the letter was the work of an instant. Rather than answer Natsu, Lucy flipped the pages open.

Before she could read, Natsu caught her wrist. "I'd rather you didn't."

"I don't know what to think." Lucy gave a longing look to the letter before turning her gaze back to an anxious Natsu. "You're asking me to be your girlfriend, but before we left on this vacation,” Lucy gulped and forced herself to keep speaking. "You said you didn't consider yourself boyfriend material."

Natsu have a half-hearted chuckle. "No, what I said was that I'm not hung up on labels - meaning 'boyfriend' isn't enough to describe what I feel for you." He took the rustling papers from Lucy. Jamming them into a pocket, he placed her now empty hand over his thumping heart. "Feel my shirt - it's totally made out of boyfriend material!"

She ignored his feeble joke. "Why ask me to be your girlfriend now?"

"Because I've finally figured out that's what you want - and I want the same thing." Natsu took encouragement from Lucy's hand - still on his chest and gently rubbing. "Yeah, I asked for help. I needed it - there's no shame there. I'd ask a thousand people for help if it meant you saying yes."

Lucy felt the heat radiating from Natsu surge and drop. "Are you nervous?"

"Duh."

For Lucy, at that moment, Natsu seemed like his usual dorky self. Casual. At ease with himself and any situation, even if he'd just admitted to being nervous. Lucy ran her tongue over her drying lips. Interesting. Natsu seemed truly tense now. This was very important to him. No room for pretending or evading how she felt. "I'm nervous too."

"Y-you are?"

"I like you too. I've been scared to admit exactly how much." Lucy edged closer. Her hand still pressed over Natsu's heart, the rhythmic thumping soothing. "I don't care what we call this new stage in our relationship - but I want you to know I'm always gonna be yours."

"Is this a yes?"

Lucy smiled wide - lips stretching with a burn. "Yes."

"So, this means you do want me to be your boyfriend!" Natsu almost crowed, jubilant and relieved in equal measure. "Ice Princess can suck it!"

"..." Lucy gave Natsu a gimlet stare.

Slightly shamed, Natsu shrugged. "I went to Mira for help after Gray said I was out of my depth. Stupid bastard is gonna eat his words when we get back to the guild."

Lucy wet her lips again, raised her eyebrows slightly and tried her best to hand Natsu a telepathic clue - time to kiss.

Natsu leaned closer to Lucy, his breath tickling. "A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he confesses and kisses his Lucy exactly when he means to."

"Yes?" Lucy couldn't help her involuntary reaction - fluttering her eyelashes, trying to say wordlessly 'kiss me!'

"I need to go over there to see and hear for myself exactly what they're doing!" Mira tossed down her binoculars. "Let go!"

Laxus held Mira tight and shook his head. "Let the two idiots figure it out for themselves."

The she-devil almost twisted free, hissing at Laxus, "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

"Damn girl." He grinned at Mira. "Let's go work off some of your passion."

"Let me check on them later?"

Laxus winked. "Do you really think I'm gonna not give you my all? If you're able to walk later - that's gonna be surprising."

Mira giggled and clapped her hands. "I happened to bring a few new toys with me."

"I have all the time we need for that."

Natsu slid one arm around Lucy's waist and the other around her shoulders, his hand plunging into her hair. His voice was low but steady, "Lucy, you're -"

Lucy closed the distance between them - giving or was it taking - Natsu her first kiss. Lips slid over lips, mouths opened in exploration and tongues played without reserve. Passion rose, wild - like fire. Hot insistent desire made the two mages press their bodies closer.

Out of breath, they ceased their lip-lock. Natsu grinned foolishly - as did Lucy.

"Wow."

Natsu echoed Lucy's sentiments and then said, "Why'd we wait so long?"

"Not sure." Lucy looked dazed, but somewhat coherent. "We should make up for lost time."

"Hells yeah." Natsu kissed Lucy again - never more glad he'd admitted he needed help.

Mira's Letter:

Natsu, you need to read ALL of this letter - no skimming or you'll miss important information! Don't you shake your head and say, 'yeah, yeah!' You came to me for expert advice - so LISTEN!

You want to confess to Lucy your feelings - and that's a good thing - but just saying 'I like you' isn't enough. Girls like romance and emotions. Do you even know about all the different kinds of love a person can feel?

Physical Love (that would be insert tab A into slot B or whatever orifice works for the both of you) ~ Love of the mind (brotherly or platonic) ~ Playful love ~ Longstanding love ~ Love of the soul ~ Love of the self (fyi - not masturbation)~ Love of the child (you and Lucy should have 30 babies!)

You can have more than one type of love feeling for another person - and you don't have to nail down exactly to what degree it exists - admit it like a responsible adult and consult Lucy on how she feels.

Ooh! Here's an important definition! Soul mate: kindred soul, a person with whom one has a strong affinity, shared values and tastes, and often a romantic bond. That's what all the smart people are betting on. Do not make me lose my bet.

Affection can be giving thoughtful gifts at the right time - especially when your significant other isn't expecting anything. (Let's face it, for a long time I thought you were asexual - then I thought maybe you liked guys (nothing wrong with that!) and then Lucy showed up and you couldn't leave her alone - but let's not assume heteronormativity - the world is a large place and there's no call to discriminate.)

I think Lucy'd look great in frilly undies - she might like edible body paint, (I know a place that sells spicy chocolate flavour!) or some new bras (If in the heat of the moment, you burn off the one she's wearing - then she'd already have a replacement!) - ooh, and candy 3 There's a saying, 'candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker' - alcohol lowers resistance - but it might leave one or the other of you with regret. Keep a clear head and save drunken shenanigans for after you break each other in.

Natsu, tell Lucy how you feel. Give her the information she needs to sort her own emotions - wait for an answer and accept it graciously. Though I tell you what, if she runs away, I'll have Laxus send me over there through his lightning travel magic and 'talk' some sense into her.

You need her consent for any decent fun things you two can do once you confess. I know you have a cosplay kink - or else you wouldn't have held onto that maid outfit from Everlue Mansion. Matter of fact, I know the perfect little boutique that has silk scarves, feather dusters, padded handcuffs and all the gadgets take the same kind of batteries! Saves on keeping five kinds on hand!

You and Lucy have been best friends for a loooooong time. I expect some pretty vanilla sex between you two. (At the right time of course - but it's inevitable!) You're lucky you came to me, Erza would either have murdered you for daring to want to besmirch Lucy - or - forced you to read some of her favourite erotic novels. But just say the word, I can get you a near mint copy of the Kama Sutra.

Let Lucy know all the little things she does that you enjoy ~ and later you'll get to enjoy how bendy she is. Don't be afraid to try new positions and actually TALK about what feels good and be honest about what doesn't. Neither of you are mind readers - ooh, and don't ever ask Warren about what's on Lucy's mind (or anyone else for that matter) - he'll take great delight in telling you in horrific detail all the things you NEVER wanted to know - and there won't be enough bleach to wipe your mind clean.

So if you wanna show Lucy affection, be sure to compliment her lots and lots. Tell her she's pretty - say you like her outfit - admire her smarts - bring up something she did on a job you two did and say exactly what she did that you thought was awesome! Don't skimp on the details - those are what prove you pay attention.

Confess! After Lucy admits she loves you too - give her a big smooch! Try not to slobber - but a judicious amount of tongue is to be expected. No groping unless she touches you first! And I know I said you two should have 30 babies - you might want to give yourselves some time to enjoy running around your house naked. ^^ So for now, you should keep a stash of birth control with you at all times. You never know when you might get the urge.

Sex is a great headache cure btw ~ orgasms release endorphins. So if you're driving Lucy batty, all you have to do is seduce her pain away. Also! Lube! This will benefit the both of you. Make sure your lube and condoms are compatible. Don't be embarrassed to experiment. Don't be embarrassed to talk about safe words before getting your freak on.

I'm proud of you for reading all this, Natsu. :D It takes a mature person to admit when they need help. And face it, I'm the best help there is. Last, but not least - my best tip: ask Lucy with confidence - don't waffle. Wear your big boy pants and put all your best effort into showing her your sincerity. Tell her you like her. I know it's scary. Admit it's grown stronger the more you've gotten to know her - all sides of her. The good and the bad. You like her because she's Lucy.

The whole guild knows how you feel about her. You've managed to clue us in before you realized it for yourself - and now you've got to convince your partner. Ganbatte!

P.S. I call godmother once you and Lucy start popping out babies.

xoxo Mirajane 3

Thanks to everyone who's put in the time to read all these chapters - Don't be too shy to comment on what you'd like to see for the nalulovefest coming up - I'm not sure if people would like to see more high school shenanigans or if I should revisit my Officer Dragneel and Journalist Heartfilia AU? Comments, suggestions, critiques and reviews are extremely welcomed. My special thanks to @impracticaldemon for urging me to write for the fluff week. Without her, this story would not exist (or the title ~ lol). Go and check out her writing - it's excellent. Also, a warm thanks to @eliz1369  and @shell-senji  - also both excellent writers and active in the Hakouki and FT fandoms. I have deeply appreciated your reviews.

Tag Squad!! Just say the word - I can add or drop you from the list, no worries!

@rocktqueen @unashamed-shipper @ftfanfics @fic-writer-appreciation @celestialgeekmage @soprana-snap @celestialspiritqueen @nalu-fluff-week

[voicesofchaos]

The Yugioh Fandom at ACen 2017 was amazing!

I have been going to ACen since 2005 and it is really what I look forward to most every year. It fills me with immeasurable happiness. After 12 years of going I am pretty sure this was the best year ever! At least half if not more of that was because of the Yugioh fandom! So much sappyness below!

Thank you @homura-bakura so much for helping me with the Yugioh panel. You did a great job and your input just made it so much more enjoyable! I feel like the audience really enjoyed the panel this year and I know a large part of that was because of your shining personality in it. More about the future of that panel down below. But I also want to mention that I really enjoyed hanging out with you and your friends on Sunday as well. Typically Sunday is the worst day of the con and just the day I go home without doing much but chilling with @yusei-fudo, @amaethia, and @rin-amazing!

In fact I stayed later on Sunday than I ever had in 12 years because @lily-liegh stayed late and I got to duel a lot which made me really happy! You have become such a strong duelist in such a short time it amazes me. I can tell you really try super hard to improve yourself which is so admirable. Durbe would be proud of you Star Seraph deck! Getting to meet you in person was awesome! You were there for me and supported during a dark depressing period of my life when I honestly I probably didn’t deserve the help. I was really happy to make you a 3D Winged Kuriboh (remember when I asked your favorite Kuriboh a really long time ago?) to repay a fraction of your kindness. But you got me a way cooler gift and a super sweet letter than I am going to treasure and save forever! Also it was cool meeting @imgettingtoooldforthisship! I cannot believe how far away you both traveled from to come to my hometown anime conventions!

Also really loved hanging out with @precioussorakaibashun! I’m sad you missed all the Yugioh shenanigans on Friday but I am so glad you supported the Dangan Ronpa panel and we got to catch up on that fandom. Plus we got to duel and not pay enough attention to My Hero Academia LOL I’m glad you got your Kuriboh back that you almost lost! Watching you duel Lily-liegh was a ton of fun. You are the same way as someone who really pulled me back into the light when I was drowning in darkness so I will always cherish your friendship and feel in debt to you! I hope we can hang out more!

Another precious friend I saw who I wish I saw more than once a year was @justyourbelowaverageartist! I really wish I got to hang out with you more! We need to plan something next year. Even though you live fairly far away I really do wish we could hang out before next ACen. You are so cool, awesome, and just understanding of me. Your Aigami cosplay was awesome and I wish I saw the return of Shingo!

Of course I need to give a shoutout to my idols of cosplay, @sailoranime and her entire group like @viewtifulfox, @indyexploits, @daevaofsunflowers, and probably some more people I am missing. You are all always so on-point! Your cosplays blow me away and make my jar drop! For a few years I was going through a cosplay slump where I just wasn’t inspired to make new cosplays. Then I got a spark and got really active making cosplays again for a short time but have been dying back down again. SCREW THAT! Seeing how beautiful all of you are really gets me hyped to start working hard and trying my best to make cosplays again! Don’t get the wrong idea, not trying to compete with any of it nor am I jealous. I know we are all part of the same team. I just feel motivated to pull more of my weight on the team! Now I am going to burn my Kaito cosplay I hate LOL jk

Should also mention that @darkrebellionyuto looked amazing as Zarc! Not even a huge fan of the character but she just looked so badass in it! My favorite pictures from the photoshoot were the ones with both you and Homura-Bakura as the rivalry between your characters just oozed through! You are one the many people I often think secretly hates me (yeah I am too paranoid sometimes) but you were really friendly and nice! I am really glad that you also got to promote your stream during the panel. 

Oh also @dumb-and-dumblr was there! Met her years ago at ACen and she hasn’t been able to come the past few years so that is an awesome surprise to see you! Rio cosplay really looks great!

@witchsblackrose the pictures of you just always look amazing. You just have this aura around you that personifies Aki. Also I like that you use a Rose Tentacles card, I love little touches likes that.

I really loved @arcadecryptid’s Cathy cosplay! I could tell that you were really getting into the poses! That spirit and enthusiasm is so cool!

I know she will probably never see it but just wanted to say that Blooming-Blooming’s Kotori cosplay was also really awesome and cool! I really loved the Ita bag with all the Yuma merchandise! I want that that bag LOL

When on the Facebook event somebody said they were going as the Arclight Brothers I totally didn’t believe it but there really was a III. a IV, and a V! I believe the IV is @arminizewithme. My favorite touch though was that the III had a sword! Absolutely perfect!

There was even a Yusaku cosplayers, totally called it!

One last awesome shoutout to everyone that came to the panel! Your enthusiasm and love for the series fills me with so much joy! i hope everyone that won a raffle prize or got a Star Pack through trivia is enjoying what they got. I know that the photoshoot was a little messy and not as organized as it should have been. I was made a co-host of the photoshoot (even though I didn’t want to be) so I do feel guilty that I wasn’t able to do more to manage it and bring order to it. The size of the Yugioh photoshoot has been drastically increasing (you can see the history of it here) and it just has its share of growing pains as it tries to adjust to the larger capacity. I will be talking with GingerFish55 about making some big changes for the 2018 photoshoot as we both want everybody to get as many awesome pictures of their cosplay as possible.

Speaking of 2018. I highly considered making this the last year running the Yugioh panel. I had a LOT of drama setting it up this year. Many people got hurt and upset over it. It was really stressful and sickening. Despite the hardship though many people really enjoyed it and had a lot of fun. I want to continue that. I really feel a responsibility to the fandom to give them a great panel where we can express our passion for the fandom with fellow fans. As I said above the fandom has grown and evolved so much in the past several years. I have been trying to make changes to the panel to keep up but I think I am being too tame. To really serve the fandom best I am planning big changes to it for 2018 so stay tune when I announce the details of that in a few months.

Just one last thank you to the fandom as I try to hold tears back. The past few years have really been a rollercoaster for me. Lots of good times but sadly of horrible bad times too. I’ve made terrible mistakes that hurt the people I care most about. Even when at my low point though I could always rely on the Yugioh fandom (even more so than the anime or game itself) to pick me back up. This weekend felt like such a critical mass of all that. Now that my life feels more on track and I am really happy again I really wanted to give back to the Yugioh fandom like it always gives to me. I hope I can continue to keep serving the fandom weekly and make next year even better. Our Symbols Of Friendship won’t fade with time or distance, our bonds are stronger than that.

Kattobingu!

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 9/2/20

Yay! Sean’s back!

Barakamon, Vol. 18 + 1 | By Satsuki Yoshino | Yen Press – I had thought this was something like an epilogue to the series, but it ends up being more of a hodgepodge—there’s a number of 4-koma strips, there’s interviews and yes, there is a short “years later” mini-chapter that assiduously avoids showing us Naru looking older, though it teases it. Instead, the majority of the book is an artbook, showing off color illustrations. And that’s the reason to get it as well, as you’re reminded that the art was also a big strength with this series. The pieces are very character oriented, showing Handa and company in a variety of poses and places, and it adds to the overall peaceful feel that we got from this series. I’ll miss it. Also, show us teenage Naru, you cowards. – Sean Gaffney

Goodbye, My Rose Garden, Vol. 2 | By Dr. Pepperco | Seven Seas – I never actually reviewed the first volume of this series—it came out in the height of COVID isolation, and I was bogged down in other things. It’s quite good, though, being a fairly tortured yuri drama without quite tipping over the edge into melodrama, although the reason it reads so well is that it balances on that edge quite nicely. Here we learn the story of Alice and how she became everyone’s favorite suspicious person, as well as the tie that binds her past with Hanako’s. As for the two of them as a couple, we aren’t there yet, and may not ever get there—it’s unclear if there’s a happy ending coming here. Nevertheless, you hope for one—these two need some good things happening to them. – Sean Gaffney

Goodbye, My Rose Garden, Vol. 2 | By Dr. Pepperco | Seven Seas – I really wish I liked this more. I like the setting—England in 1900—and two heroines who love books (and talk about Oscar Wilde and Sherlock Holmes!) and want to thwart society’s expectations of women while still being constrained by them. But everything just moves so fast! I found myself wishing this was a romance novel instead so it could have a little time to just breathe. They love each other, they find out secrets, Alice’s mom and fiancé conspire to get Hanako sent away, Alice finds her, more secrets are revealed. Nothing really lands with any emotional impact because it’s cruising right along and, in fact, comes to an end in the next volume. I will probably see it through to its conclusion but am overall kinda disappointed. – Michelle Smith

Horimiya, Vol. 14 | By Hero and Daisuke Hagiwara | Yen Press – This is the manga that never ends. It goes on and on, my friends. Given that the writer and publisher seem dedicated to avoiding the original ending of the webcomic, there’s not really much that can be done here except ‘everyday high school life’ shenanigans,’ to the point where I was for once reasonably pleased when Hori’s sadist/masochist tendencies come to the fore again, as she spreads a childish nickname for Miyamura just so that he’ll get mad at her. That said, despite the two being a seemingly close couple, at the end of the day Hori is still a horribly flawed character who needs constant validation and can’t trust her own feelings. She’s the most annoying and most interesting part of this. – Sean Gaffney

I Don’t Know How to Give Birth! | By Ayami Kazama| Yen Press – This is an excellent combination of biography, information, and comedy, as the author and her husband take us through the steps they took in order for her to have a child—more steps than you’d expect, as they eventually need in-vitro fertilization—and how she felt as she went through the process, ranging from “why am I doing this? My husband is the one who really wanted kids” to “I am getting in touch with my inner animal!” Scattered throughout are facts about preparing for nursing your child, Japan apparently not teaching expectant mothers how to push, and the lack of meds in their non-Tokyo hospital. All this is done in a fun way, with the author’s self-portrait having an arrow in her head. – Sean Gaffney

An Incurable Case of Love, Vol. 4 | By Maki Enjoji | Viz Media – Should you sacrifice your dream for love? Well, not if you’re in a romance manga, but it’s a question that’s thought about long and hard in this volume, as Nanase discovers that Dr. Tendo is getting an offer to study abroad so he can research a condition that killed someone he knew in his past. He is seemingly fine with abandoning it and staying with Nanase, but another patient with the same condition shows that he’s not as cool and collected as you’d expect. As with previous volumes, this strikes a good equal balance between the medicine and the romance, and there is also some lightness of tone, such as Nanase mistaking her lovesickness for a heart condition after the two spend the night together. – Sean Gaffney

A Man and His Cat, Vol. 2 | By Umi Sakurai | Square Enix – The more we see of Kanda’s late wife, the more we see how much her death has devastated him, and we are grateful for Fukumaru for being there. That said, Fukumaru is a big, awkward, untrained cat, so this inevitably leads to events like the cat breaking precious pictures and the like. The cat is also somewhat jealous of anything that gets in between him and his master. So it’s a nice mix of cute ‘the cat is destroying the house and acting like a cat’ antics and ‘the cat is basically the one thing keeping his owner away from despair.’ Kanda’s utter adoration of Fukumaru’s cuteness (made funnier by the fact that, to most everyone else, Fukumaru’s pretty goofy-looking) may be the best part of this. – Sean Gaffney

My Dress-Up Darling, Vol. 1 | By Shinichi Fukuda | Square Enix – Wakana has an unusual hobby—he admires and creates traditional Japanese dolls. In part because of this, he’s become a loner, but that changes after his popular high school classmate Marin discovers his talent with a sewing machine and convinces him to help her make a (sexy) cosplay outfit. Marin is passionate but not a skilled seamstress, so she hopes Wakana’s experience making doll clothing will be of some use. My Dress-Up Darling is rated “mature.” The first volume does include some risqué images and topics of conversation; however, it’s not overly explicit. Later volumes might become more so, but right now the story itself is surprisingly wholesome and the characters endearing. I’m really looking forward to reading more of the series and seeing Wakana and Marin’s relationship develop. But perhaps even more, I’m hoping to see Wakana follow Marin’s example and become more confident in himself and his interests. – Ash Brown

My Hero Academia SMASH!!, Vol. 5 | By Hirofumi Neda| Viz Media – The last volume of this series really does not stray from its mandate of ‘gags.’ We see 1-A and 1-B team up for a rescue exercise, the highlight of which is seeing that even the SMASH!! author thinks that Itsuka is a better Momo than Momo is. There’s some of Deku being such a hero fanboy that it’s hilariously creepy, and everyone participating in comedy training. (I was not prepared for Uraraka’s fantastic Aizawa impression.) There’s tanabata festivals, held back by a personality change in Bakugou (this actually comes up TWICE). And we end with a “years in the future” that isn’t really, with only Deku left to be the straight man. I’m happy this is ending now, but it was also a good deal of fun while it lasted. – Sean Gaffney

Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 8 | By Sorata Akiduki | Viz Media – As expected, ‘making the relationship public’ gets put on the back burner, mostly as reality is far too complicated for things like that to go smoothly. Instead we spend much of this volume transitioning into a new arc, featuring Shirayuki and Ryu going up north to snow country to study as herbalists there… with the added addition of Izana, who is traveling there incognito to annoy his brother and to study Shirayuki further. In between these things we get a story looking deeper into Obi, who I sometimes get the feeling the author would be more happy making the lead character. It adds up to a good solid volume of the series, though I suspect the next volume will set a better pace. – Sean Gaffney

Teasing Master Takagi-san, Vol. 9 | By Soichiro Yamamoto | Yen Press – The rule of thumb in this series is that Takagi is more readily able to admit her own feelings to herself than Nishitaka is to himself. His embarrassment and wariness of any action that he’s goaded to by Takagi leading to a “ha ha, so you like me!” moment drives whatever he does, and the moment he gets over this the series ends. (Mostly—the unlicensed next-gen series shows he never quite gets over it.) Takagi CAN occasionally be embarrassed—my favorite chapter in this volume, where they’re sending texts to each other, ends with her blushing—but for the most part is content to tease him every day and patiently lead him to a point where they can be a couple. It’s not happening anytime soon. – Sean Gaffney

To Be Next to You, Vol. 8 | By Atsuko Namba | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – On paper, To Be Next to You looks like standard shoujo fare. Nina Uemura is in love with her next-door neighbor, Kyosuke Tachibana, and to try to forget him, she started going out with a classmate. But when Kyosuke collapses with a fever on Christmas Eve, she bails on her boyfriend (Miyake-kun) to take care of him. Miyake-kun realizes that whatever happiness they can achieve together will always be vulnerable to being swept aside in an instant, and breaks off their relationship. What I love is how skillfully Namba-sensei has shown Nina’s maturation process throughout this series—she’s definitely not the same oblivious girl we encountered in volume one—and that we get little moments like Miyake-kun telling his friends what happened and them crying on his behalf. Between this and That Blue Summer, I have become a true Namba fan. I hope we get more from her soon! – Michelle Smith

By: Ash Brown