#but dagnabbit I haven’t missed a week yet and I’m not starting now

[mischievousspooks]

Ramen-tello

[surfacolyte]

Diary of Norelle Rhia, part X

Dear Diary,

It's weird being here in the warp. Not my first time nor my last but I have this feeling like my reflection and my shadow are acting up even more than usual. Oh, did I mention my shadow does weird things as well? I can't remember if I did. It has been like this for couple of weeks now, so I'm getting used to it. Me and my twin in the mirror don't always see eye to eye, literally, but sometimes...sometimes she stays and acts like I do. Perhaps I can convince her...me?...to work with me.

Yi has been training, Deynor has been up to something or other... now that he's yet again bulking with all sorts of muscles, he hasn't been very talkative. Maybe that's all for good. Chiro and the little servoskulls Divy and... what's-it's-name have been roaming around places. I wonder if I will become an addition to Chiro's servoskull collection. If they go by my will, he will have three skulls soon enough. I hope that soon is a long long way from this moment.

Arzali on the other hand has been getting used to us. He has seen some of our...curiosities already, I'm pretty sure of that, but he seems to be fine. For a void born travelling like this must be quite normal. James in his turn has been taking flying lessons...from himself. From what I hear, he can actually fly pretty well with them. Chiro has been very kind and masked them to look like machine wings, with a ”working” motor and everything.

And me... little old me has been training, drinking, praying...writing. I have had a lot of time for my thoughts lately and I'm not sure if it is necessarily a good thing.

I find it very...lonely. I know I have my team but the ones that I could actually open up to seem to be busy and I don't want to bother them. I'm happy to see them in, well, if not high spirits, feeling a bit better. It makes me smile. Besides, I don't think the guys would want to speak about Qiang.

I haven't seen the man in couple of months...three perhaps? I'm not sure anymore. The distance and the lack of contact we have ways heavy on my heart but it is a lot safer this way. We need to keep low profile, as Inquisitor Nalini said, and make the most of the time we have together. I wonder how many other acolytes have such...inquisitor approved yet conditioned relationships. Oh how I envy Nanami and Riyaansh. They're on the same team and even if they actually don't share anything else with each others than sex, they at least see each other on regular basis.

I shouldn't miss him. It's not safe to miss my darling smuggler but I can't help it... what is it me and smugglers? Perhaps it's the inquisition but they seem to be very nice people. Oh Qiang, I miss your purple eyes, your awesome coat, they way you smile when I explain something new I've seen. I haven't even been able to tell you yet that I saw my first snow just under two months ago. It was so beautiful, so pure and white...kinda reminded me of your pale complexion and ivory hair. My Emperor, perhaps the lessons in High Gothic have helped me to spread my vocabulary. Dad would be so proud of that. Ivory... well, that's the word that comes to mind when I think of his hair. He seems to be more...what's the word...sophisticated in his behaviour and words. Perhaps that's why I'm starting to use such fancy words. Oh Qiang, what do you ever see in a country bumpkin like me?

Sometimes I wonder if it is right to keep him shackled to me. If he worries half as much as me I know that I'm making him uncomfortable. He hasn't even seen all the horrible things that I've become. Yi said to me that if I would love him no matter what, he'd most likely do that too... I'd like to hope so. But... but is it right that he should worry...I mean, I have been collecting enemies' ears, had a problem with stopping the killing...all them before the curing light of some holy relic. What if I lose it like Rhaban? What if I turn into a monster inwardly or outwardly... Is it right to keep you tied to me, my love? Perhaps I...

Dagnabbit, hold that thought, we're coming out of the warp. They've found the exit point of the ship. I still can't believe that this has been going so well. Perhaps we'll get to know a little more about this piracy thing.

- Norelle

[recentanimenews]

Manga the Week of 8/30/17

SEAN: STUFF!

ASH: Lots of stuff!!

SEAN: J-Novel Club starts us off, with a second volume of color-coded heroine series Demon King Daimaou.

And also a second volume of Infinite Dendrogram, which seems to be… just about a gamer in a VR world. What, he’s not trapped or anything? Pff.

Another Del Rey rescue bites the dust with the 21st and final volume of Alive.

ASH: It’s been a long time since I’ve read the beginning of Alive. Now that the series has been completed, maybe it’s time I revisit it.

SEAN: Aho Girl was amazingly stupid but amusing, so I look forward to Volume 2.

On the digital front, Altair: A Record of Battles has a 3rd volume.

And on the Michelle front, there’s a 4th DAYS.

MICHELLE: Heh, you know it! Also, I really do need to read Altair.

ASH: Same!

ANNA: I haven’t read the first volume of Altair yet, but I will!

SEAN: The title that nobody remembers (even Amazon, who hasn’t listed it), we get a 3rd DEATHTOPIA from the creator of Cage of Eden.

More Michelle volumes with a 5th Giant Killing.

MICHELLE: Seinen sports manga is such fun!

ASH: I want this series in print so, so much! The anime adaptation was great, too.

SEAN: House of the Sun got of to a fast start but slowed down after that. Here’s a 6th book.

MICHELLE: I’ve started this series but struggled to connect with the characters. I haven’t given up, though.

SEAN: Briefly back to print for a debut. Kigurumi Guardians is a shoujo title from Nakayoshi, but its creator, Lily Hoshino, is better known for her BL titles. No surprise then that this manga has a lot of pretty boys.

MICHELLE: I’m hoping this is fun.

ASH: Hoshino’s manga can be a little hit-or-miss for me, but I’m definitely curious.

ANNA: Hmm, I am curious too!

SEAN: Another forgotten by Amazon digital title, B&N lists a 29th Space Brothers volume. Apologies for forgetting to mention the first 28 or so. It’s a great series.

ASH: Yes!

SEAN: Seven Seas has a sea of titles next week, including three debuts. The first is Absolute Duo. It’s based on a light novel. It’s from Comic Alive. It takes place at an academy filled with fighting. My lineface can possibly be seen from space, but I’ll add it just in case. :|

MICHELLE: Heehee.

SEAN: Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor is another debut this week. It’s based on a light novel. It’s from Shonen Ace. It takes place at an academy filled with fighting. :|

MICHELLE: *snerk*

SEAN: A Certain Scientific Accelerator has hit its 6th volume, and despite ALSO being a spinoff of a light novel title that runs in an otaku-oriented magazine and taking place at an academy filled with fighting, I quite enjoy it.

Theoretically, Don’t Meddle with My Daughter should get points for at least NOT being based off a light novel or taking place at an academy of fighting students. However, it runs in Young King and apparently has two doujinshi sequels by the author that are actual porn, so let’s just say my hopes are not high. It’s about a retired superhero mom who returns to action to protect her daughter, who is now taking over the family business, so to speak. Oh yes, it’s also by the creator of Dance in the Vampire Bund. It’s almost the perfect anti-Manga Bookshelf title.

MICHELLE: Sounds like it.

ANNA: It could be the Manga Bookshelf Kryptonite.

SEAN: And along the same lines, we have a 12th Monster Musume, which can be very ecchi. And not only that, but…

Yes, we’ve hit the trifecta of vaguely H titles, an 8th Pandora in the Crimson Shell! BINGO!

On the Vertical front, there is a 9th Cardfight!! Vanguard, which has fights… with cards! (Yeah, yeah, shut up.)

Vertical also has the 2nd Nisemonogatari novel, Tsukihi Phoenix, which features the youngest of the Araragi siblings, though honestly Karen’s toothbrushing scene will likely get all the attention. Also, are fans still going to be dagnabbit mad? Probably.

Yen has some digital titles, with new Corpse Princess (12), Gesellschaft Blume (2), IM: Great Priest Imhotep (2), and Saki (12). Something for everybody.

ASH: Saki!

SEAN: And of course there’s always a Yen straggler, and next week it’s Dimension W’s 7th volume. Why they always delay one or two books to the next week, I dunno. It’s one of those manga mysteries.

As you can see, there is much to choose from, though my colleagues may be staring at this and saying “Yeah, um…” So what are you getting?

By: Sean Gaffney