#fujimaki i was rooting for you

[hotmess-exe]

hi! I saw u in the notes of a post abt male writers getting mad when their audience is largely female & u mentioned racism and homophobia in knb. I totally believe it given how toxic the "aLpHa MaLe" side of the fandom especially can be toward non-straight,non-male fans & the accidentally-queerbaity vibe of the show in general. but I'd appreciate it if you could elaborate bc Idk much abt the author if thats what u meant. if you'd rather not though, feel free to ignore this. have a good one :)

ohh man, it’s been literal years since I was into the fandom like that, but I’ll try to summarize as accurately as I can. (post anon is referring to) and I speak from the perspective of someone who

does not speak or read Japanese

LOVES fictional media with complex and interesting characters and

shipped Midorima and Takao like fucking Fed-Ex.

i don’t use twitter or other social media so i’ve genuinely never interacted with any potentially toxic male portion of the fandom. literally gonna tag my bestie @lia-nikiforov for help on this as i’m sure she’ll be able to fill in the blanks of my memory and recounting. (if you're so inclined, friend 😌) and y’know what?

let me lay this out as a timeline of disillusionment.

2012 - I get into KnB the anime. cool character designs and development, i actually know enough about basketball to enjoy the sports perspective (and how ridiculously camp it is), and it’s my first foray into fandom. Can’t wait for the second season so I get caught up on the manga. I fall so in love with my pairing that I start writing fanfiction for the first time in my life. Make online friends. etc etc me love basketball anime

Then this shit happened:

I’m not going to claim to know what this was entirely about, but it really just seems like some homophobic domestic terrorist trying to malign the yaoi fangirls that were quickly flocking to the IP after the anime came out? for some reason??? [x]

Was that the yaoi fandom’s fault? Nope. Can I see Fujimaki, a cis straight dude trying to write a manly basketball manga, being exhausted, annoyed, and possibly resentful of them for it anyway? Yeah, i can see it. so next...

Hyuuga (Fujimaki’s expy) calling Reo (a fucking angel) a gay/trans slur

this post summarizes that shit from when the chapter came out... i remember being very, very disappointed and rocked

https://akashiseijuros.tumblr.com/post/70004569298/how-can-i-summarize-the-knb-debacle-to-a-friend-of-mine

and this dissects the actual scenes of the manga (left out by the anime because god knows the studios wanted to keep raking in fujoshi cash uninhibited)

https://icecreambat.tumblr.com/post/80582483128/waaait-hyuuga-is-homophobic

this is coming in a manga where the author is well aware, perhaps overly aware of how much gay shipping goes on in his fandom. i mean, i don’t think it’s far off to say KnB set the modern roadmap for how marketing would utilize queer-baiting to the MAX for shows like Free in the future (but correct me if i’m wrong). this garbage was an intentional message to readers and no one will convince me otherwise. specifically since he chose Hyuuga to say this, who Fujimaki said in past interviews (and in the manga itself I wanna say??) that this was the character he most identified with.

Extra Game/Last Game: featuring the Scary Black Savages Antagonists™

this was my final straw—the Americans in Extra Game. I never watched Last Game. the love was gone by then. not only are these literally the only Black characters of any importance in the entire series... they are fucking morons, violent, cheaters, and mindless minions of their white, blond team captain.... like.... wow man WOW. Fujimaki’s greatest talent as a writer, in my opinion, is his character design, writing, and development.

So, at best, these Black characters were either lazily depicted as savages or purposely depicted as savages.

it also didn’t escape my attention, as a Black writer, how Fujimaki further establishes the Americans as villains by having them call the Generation of Miracles “monkeys”....... while depicting the only Black characters like THIS:

I can’t even fight this description because it’s fucking accurate:

this creepy fucking panel featuring a naked Jason Silver, in reference to his natural “Exceptionally Strong Body” skill 😒 🤢

Upon his intro, he’s immediately the most repulsive kind of villain, literally coming after a Japanese woman in the way all anti-Black racists are terrified of

Having these trash Black characters call the Japanese main characters “monkeys” is kind of like giving your own racist ass a pass.... a pass to depict them as barely human, dark-skinned thugs. And I DO mean this in the context of the rest of Fujimaki’s character designs and his general art style—these characters were supposed to all be in the same age group as the Generation of Miracles!! He even made fucking Hanamiya (a certifiable psycho lbR) look like a recognizable, interesting human being, so why the fuck did these Black Americans get smacked with the ogre stick?? It’s also a (barely) subtle way to give any readers who might already be INCLINED to call Black people monkeys the pass to say something along the lines of, oh, idk, “Oh, THEY’RE calling our faves monkeys??!?” and this is not just an assumption, I definitely came across some liberal usage of the n-word while looking up the stupid shit for this post (fuuuuuunnn)

I’m supposed to believe the Black people are calling the Japanese people monkeys. the only fucking Black people that aren’t fucking NBA players. (oh, excuse me, with the exception of the one African character who’s entire personality was a “funny” name and being an arrogant, lazy simpleton with no skill beyond being tall as fuck.) If he wanted to make the American antagonists racist against Japanese people, that is totally his right as a Japanese writer. i’m not, at all, the type to defend the US or Americans just for the sake of defending the US and Americans. If you wanna have racist, ignorant Americans be your antagonists in a story, I got no issue with that. I don’t even care that the Black characters are villains—that’s obviously completely fine because they were always going to be the antagonists to our mains, the protagonists. Make them villains! There are infinite cool ways to do that shit!

But not like this. Jfc not like this. The Black Americans calling the Japanese characters monkeys. Monkeys. MONKEYS of all things and I’m supposed to read that and be like oH OK YEA THAT'S BELIEVABLE

do i think it was all intentional? i’d honestly be shocked if it was. does that make it ok or acceptable for me to sign off on and ignore? lmao fuck no?? I have too much self respect???

ugh to end this unpleasant trip down memory lane

so clearly someone like me (queer, into queer relationships, Black American, African) was never meant to consume this dude’s fucking basketball manga. which y'know, eventually i had to be like fine, whatever. you win, dude, i literally can't even enjoy your IP anymore. guess that’s what you wanted, good for you, gg. if others in the English-speaking fandom had recognized and said any one fucking thing about it, I might have stuck around longer? but a lot of people fell off during and after Extra Game just cause it sucked and the people who stuck with it just... didn't care. either didn't notice or didn't care. which isn't surprising! English anime audiences ignore the fuck out of racist depictions in anime all the fucking time.

it wasn’t an unpopular opinion at the time that Fujimaki had written himself into several corners (at one point he confessed he'd made Akashi overpowered and wasn’t sure how he could be beaten)—which I don’t blame him for! I can't imagine how much external pressure there is when your IP becomes this wildly popular so quickly and in a way you did not at all intend or expect. and before you're even close to finishing it. that's fucking difficult. I can also imagine there were times where it felt like it no longer belonged to him, god only knows how many directions he was being pulled in while writing the final volumes. But considering how much Fujimaki clearly couldn’t stand how gay his fandom was, very little of what I described up there was unpredictable, unfortunately. I do feel it firmly fits into the category of male creators resenting and punishing their female fandom.

However, you could also sense the artist/writer’s fatigue in the way plots were developed and loose ends were tied up, in the interviews toward the end... and the fact that his next project was slated to be a golf manga in a far more realistic style that the KnB fandom wasn’t at all interested in. on the one hand, I think it makes complete sense for him to do something totally different from KnB after such a ridiculously intense bout of success and attention like that, both from a creative and like mental health standpoint, but, again—there’s a lingering sense of resentment.

and to reiterate

i don’t know anything about the non-shipping parts of the fandom. nothing at all. I also can't claim to have been that into the fandom (I ignored and avoided drama and getting super into the voice actors, musical projects, etc). All I can really speak to is my personal connection to the show, manga, and characters, my initial personal respect and admiration for Fujimaki as a writer, and the feeling of both of those things slipping away. Slowly at first, then all at once; and strictly because of Fujimaki’s creative decisions. this isn’t even getting into the fact that Extra Game genuinely was crap from a perspective of character consistency and development on several fronts. again, it felt like a writer who had already fallen out of love with his own work adding this on because there just was the expectation of one... Final Game 🙄

Kuroko no Basuke just makes me feel sad and cold now when I think about it. but at least I made some friends through it, yknow? well, i fell out of touch with most of them. maybe i should tag them here? i stick by what i said here but i’m curious what others who were in the fandom at its peak think.

will you recognize me guys? you still there? i came back to tumblr i don’t watch animes no more lol

@yokofujioka @shunnaoaddict @leona-dracontis

[szivtalan]

character ask: kagami, momoi, alex and himuro 👀👀👀

!!! omg thank u Ceru! u might be one of my favorite mutuals <33 (putting this under a read more just so I can speak at lengths about each individual character)

Why I like Kagami: this is where I sarcastically ask “why DON’T i like him” but that’s literally the next question so; he’s everything i want to be and more. He has the determination and the willpower to make his own dreams come true, he’s gay as shit, he’s tall and buff and well-adjusted, mature enough to live on his own at an annoyingly young age, he’s funny and dumb and a total himbo as well as an excellent advisor bc of how grounded he is.

Why I don’t: I’m... not really good with explosive people. Violent men with loud voices especially scare me, and I’d think I’d flinch around him a lot and that would make me rlly anxious.

Favorite episode: it’s a toss-up between the Seirin fam visiting his place for the first time (is it where Kuroko confesses his love to him and then passes out in his arms? idk), and the onsen episode. I also loved all his plays against Kise and Aomine. AND the training camp w him running a lot in the sand.

Favorite season/movie: season 2 probably because he’s not a jerk anymore, but he’s still on his way to shed off any asshole behavior stuck to him. And I actually liked Last Game?

Favorite line: “There’s no such thing as useless effort.” and “This is our drama and we write the plot.” because he’s so ridiculous.

Favorite outfit: all of his casual fits... comfy but manly is my Jam

OTP: AoKaga....they’re truly soulmates, star-crossed lovers, canonically brought together by fate.

Brotp/otp no. 2: KagaKuro, I love them

Head Canon: I have several collections because I think too much about this boy, but here’s something I think about his family: he doesn’t know what happened to his mom. He never asked, because it wasn’t relevant, and he didn’t want to inconvenience his dad by questioning him. Occasionally, as a kid he felt like he was missing out on something (seeing other kids with their moms, feeling like they’re being treated with much more gentle care because they have moms), but as he grew older he realized that nurturing behavior shouldn’t have been limited to only a mother, and that he was just straight up neglected without any regards to missing a parent in his life.

Unpopular opinion: I never realized this was an unpopular opinion but I’m glad he went back to America at the end of Last Game. Obviously, it’s sad that he had to separate from the others, but I felt like Japanese basketball has always been just a stepping point to him, and now that he’d beat the best of them, it was time to move on. And it also warms my heart that him getting scouted in the US gave Aomine hope to aim big, too. I felt like both of them would’ve felt trapped in Japan with their skill sets.

A wish: I want him to be happy and gay and to confront Himuro and tell him how hurt he was by how he treated him and probably do the same to his dad too

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: ....whatever I’d say Shinsun has probably written it/will write it, but I don’t want him to forget about the GoM just because he becomes a world-famous athlete.

5 words to best describe them: sweet child with anger issues

My nickname for them: not mine (it’s Sypha’s) but “Kags”, Kagami, Tigerboy, Kagababe, Baby

Why I like Momoi: she is SO nurturing and sweet and she cares so much about her boys!! I’m sorry it always turns into “how they remind me of myself” but actually I get feeling like a background character and being the moral/emotional/physical support of those who are more talented or in any way better than you. I feel a strange kind of kinship with her and also,,, feminine girls make my heart stop, and it doesn’t get more feminine than Momoi. Added: Aomine aside, the Touou team wouldn’t worth shit without her skills tbh, and she’s not in any way less than the GoM. Also, I appreciate her being the one person to try to keep their friend group together.

Why I don’t: Analytical People Scare me like!! how do u know stuff people are Unknowable!! I usually am also irked by her pointing out Riko’s breast size but I can just pretend that’s in a gay way (maybe Momoi likes girls with small boobs and she’s just bad at flirting) (also I don’t exactly liked her calling Aomine a “ganguro” but I have too little knowledge on the use of this word to say exactly why)

Favorite episode (scene if movie): uh the one where Aomine made her cry? It really came through how much love she actually has for her friends at that one.

Favorite season/movie: she was great in all of them!!

Favorite line: I can’t remember the exact quote and Google isn’t really helpful either but the one where she made Kuroko promise they’ll always play together or something? Or that they’re gonna beat Aomine?? idk?

Favorite outfit: I like all of them but mostly I just appreciate her wearing so many hoodies, she looks so cute in them

OTP / Brotp: it’s both AoMomo. I feel like the have the most special and strongest bond in the entire series.

Head Canon: She’s never been shown to do, but I feel like she wears Aomine’s clothes a Lot. Also, they definitely have sleepovers To This Day.

Unpopular opinion: Momoi is good at basketball and she loves playing!!! But try being successful in it when ur opponents are Giants and Way More Buff than you are

A wish: I wish people appreciated her more!! Both in fandom and in canon. She’s an amazing person and she has her own skills and strengths that are rarely explored or even mentioned anywhere.

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: her falling out with her boys ;-; I do not want that

5 words to best describe them: strawberry sweetheart to steal ur heart

My nickname for them: Satsuki :> I feel like it’s a little too much to call characters on their first names sometimes but hers is so cute I can’t

Why I like Alex: yet again another woman with an extensive skill set. I love her persistence and again I appreciate getting disillusioned and finding your way back to the thing you love. Also it’s just sweet that she did that by teaching (again, something I can relate to)

Why I don’t: the whole “kissing children” thing rubbed me the wrong way but again, just like Momoi’s obsession with comparing breast sizes, it’s just bad/sexist writing from Fujimaki probably

Favorite episode (scene if movie): adshg any and all where she expressed that Himuro and Kagami are equally important to her <33 that shit makes my heart burst

Favorite season/movie: she only appears towards the end of s2 and in s3 so... I guess s3?

Favorite line: its so Bad that u literally can’t find the iconic quotes of these iconic ladies anywhere but... her story on finding her passion again through teaching kids, and anytime she mentions her fondness of Kagami and Himuro.

Favorite outfit: her iconic olive green coat with the short red shorts... wtf was that I loved it.

OTP: she doesn’t really interact with people her age but I’ve heard she’s shipped with Masako Araki and I’ve seen some seriously good fanarts and like... Yes Good I’d Love To See It

Brotp: I feel like her and Himuro would be that sassy pair that Kagami tries and fails to contain and they get into all sorts of weird, absurd situations asdjs what I’m trying to say is Kagami has to bail them out of jail from time to time

Head Canon: fck me if I’m wrong but she’s the lesbian single mom of the two gay kids she reluctantly adopted from the streets

Unpopular opinion: it’s more like another headcanon, but she can dunk and she taught Kagami how to do it.

A wish: I’d love her to coach the Seirin fam more!! Pls let her be part of her children’s lives (she could also judge streetball games between the goms it would be fun)

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: anything about her being romantically involved with her pupils makes me.................no

5 words to best describe them: Beautiful Beach Blonde Basketball....goddess

My nickname for them: Alex!! sometimes An Icon

Why I like Himuro: em dash Asdgsdj I’m joking, I’m becoming more and more fond of the boy. Once I realized that he shouldn’t have been the “bigger person” in that situation and one year doesn’t really mean much when you’re that young and that hurt, I realized he’s actually a good and hard-working kid and I’m sorry for giving him so much shade. Also I really like his snark and sass, but that might not even be canon at this point tbh

Why I don’t: I’m still sort of irked by him beating down on Kagami because he was envious/mad, but I realized the aspect of that situation that Really got to me was how devoted Kagami still was to him after all that. That devotion was what felt toxic, nothing that Himuro actually did to him.

Favorite episode (scene if movie): the time they met up w Kagami just to exchange a dramatic socially distancing bro fist and a few encouraging words.... gays be Like That

Favorite season/movie: I really didn’t mind s3 Himuro

Favorite line: apparently he’s said some iconic stuff that I don’t remember (and my sources don’t seem really legit) but I’m gonna say “let’s see you become number 1, bro” because again, that’s just so ridiculous and endearing. On one hand he really went from loathing Kagami to rooting for him and wanting him to reach his full potential and on the other, honey ur  like 17 stop speaking like That

Favorite outfit: his knitted V-neck sweaters and the black coat with the white fur.... boy’s got all the fashion sense that’s missing from Kagami

OTP: can I say.....AoHimu asdfh I ship 3/4 of these characters with Aomine what does that say about me

Brotp: KagaHimu. They can be sweet, but I’ve only ever seen Jake write them really well

Head Canon: I’ve been entertaining the idea of....trans Himuro.....

Unpopular opinion: everyone thinks that Kagami is the violent kid and Himuro is the chill, sweet child who’s somehow wound up with this mess of a fiery tiger, but it’s actually Himuro who taught Kagami how to fight and Kagami learned quite a lot of aggression from him

A wish: I feel like Himuro should’ve gotten a separate episode to explore his thoughts, feelings and past. He had so much potential as a character Is2g

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: him quitting basketball would fucking destroy me. I’d be devastated for others too, but it would really pull on my heartstrings if he just dropped the only thing he’s been so passionate about.

5 words to best describe them: gender-non-conforming emo child

My nickname for them: Himu, Tatsuya, Tatsu

[xianglingslesbian]

[ID: screenshot of a reply to a Tumblr post by user @.taigainside. it reads, “I’ll choose...... Izuki :3”. End ID]

as requested by the lovely vee~ IT’S IZUKI HOURS IN THIS HOUSE TONIGHT (ok lbr when is it not izuki hours but. extra izuki hours? extra izuki hours)!!!

a quick bit of praise for our mangaka here -- when you come to character development in fujimaki’s story, even the most minor of players or the villains are never 2D cutouts or caricatures. they all have distinctive personalities and overcome roadblocks in their thinking. for example, despite the severe mishandling of his mental illness by the story, akashi is shown to have struggled and suffered -- he is a person you can feel sorry for, while still rooting for him to be beaten. you can dislike his character, the way i do, and still sympathise. we also get super relatable stories of minor characters like kawahara, who does his best on the court despite being naturally sickly! 

(it’s another thing entirely that he focuses a little too hard on his main characters and doesn’t give enough screentime to side characters who when delved into can be just as interesting, but the fact that he manages to make the side characters so full of life is amazing.)

finally coming to the main point of this post: izuki, and what all the previous waffle was about, aka his character and the development he undergoes. not just on-screen, but what’s implied in his backstory. i’m also probably gonna end up meandering into headcanon territory a bit so bear with me.

rest under a cut bc this. got. long.

[ID: picture of 8-year-old Izuki Shun. He’s running on a basketball court, about to make a turn with one leg lifted off the ground. His right hand is thrown forward for balance and he’s holding the ball in his left. He’s looking to the left, his face determined and mouth open. He’s wearing a yellow practice jersey with the number ‘7′, a white shirt and dark blue shorts. End ID]

izuki began playing basketball in the second grade, at around 7 or 8 -- i’m gonna say 7, because he’s an october birthday and the cutoff for the japanese school year is by april 1st of the following year. so... he started out pretty young, and had lots of time to practice, which is mainly why his technique is so clean -- if you are a die-hard izuki fan like me, you’d notice that he rarely wastes movements or does unnecessary shit on court. even his puns have a purpose: they take the heat off the team in charged moments. i’ve been in these sorts of high-pressure situations a lot, and had a friend who would keep firing off jokes. at the time we would all snap at her, but in the long run that snapping helped because it made us just a bit less stressed. and that bit did so much!

all this being said, developing his ability probably didn’t come easy, especially with his relatively average physical skill. yet izuki relies 99% on his technique as opposed to any sort of ‘power’ or even his eagle eye (i’m gonna call it e-e through the rest of this post). e-e is pretty much just an addition, albeit a very useful one, to izuki’s prowess on the court. like this boy really just stood on the b-ball court with these crazy geniuses and said, “fuck you all i deserve to be here too” and he does deserve it. like the amount of work he puts into bball is just... beautiful. 

now here is where we go into headcanon territory. izuki definitely had a meltdown moment or two -- there’s no way even someone like him can always be cool and collected. (see: kirisaki daiichi match). i’m 90% sure that at least once he sat down and went, “what’s the point?” but he picks himself up after this and he just keeps fucking going. in middle school he also went through the same thing as hyuuga -- repeated loss to more talented people. i agree that hyuuga took more responsibility as he was the captain, but izuki definitely took all the responsibility for hyuuga. you can’t tell me there weren’t nights that this boy sat up thinking, maybe if he’d just worked harder, been stronger or faster or better, hyuuga wouldn’t have quit. 

also see: dedication to his friends. izuki, a boy who worked at basketball since he was 8, just coolly gave it up to follow hyuuga to seirin bc hyuuga needed a friend. he chose a friend over smth that was basically another limb to him and thats just beautiful isn’t it? he’s hardworking and so so resilient and thats amazing????

these are just a few of the reasons i love izuki. his character is made of truly different stuff -- and he has a quirk that actually just shows off how smart he is. like i challenge you to say 100 puns in a row. nothing but puns. if you can do it, you have my respect <3

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 6/25/18

Astra: Lost in Space, Vol. 3 | By Kenta Shinohara | Viz Media – Two things are the most notable about this volume of Astra, which otherwise sees our heroes going to more alien worlds and slowly firming up into the obvious romantic couples. The first is the big reveal that Luca is intersex, which comes out after a confrontation with Ulgar over Luca’s father, the senator. We’ve seen intersex characters in manga before, but it doesn’t usually hit Jump titles. The other reveal is back with the parents discussing their kids, who have now been missing for a month. It’s clear that there is some sort of big conspiracy going on here. That said, I’m not sure I’d really be continuing with this if I didn’t know the next volume was the last. I look forward to it ending, but also want to see the end. – Sean Gaffney

Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle, Vol. 2 | By Yukito Kishiro | Kodansha Comics – Having recently started reading and enjoying the original Battle Angel Alita, I was naturally curious about Mars Chronicle. While the first volume of Mars Chronicle served as a prequel to Battle Angel Alita, taking place during Alita’s childhood as a war orphan on Mars, the second volume is a sequel set after the events of the Last Order series. Tying the volumes together are the characters and the Martian landscape. Alita finds herself caught up in a dramatic battle with Erica, her childhood friend and another expert martial artist, while larger efforts to establish a unified Mars are in danger of collapsing, Alita herself framed for an assassination attempt of the emerging leader. For the most part, Mars Chronicle is a fairly accessible series even for those who haven’t read the earlier manga, although some basic familiarity with the franchise can still be useful. – Ash Brown

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 24 | By Yuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki | Viz Media – One of the more iconic things about Food Wars! are the images that are drawn by the artist summing up the preparation of food. Sometimes, when it involves the judges eating, it’s pure fanservice, but not always. There’s two terrific portraits here of the different types of cooking that two of the teams do—the one with Gin, Takumi and Megumi is shown as a sort of cocktail jazz band, while the one with Soma, his dad and Erina is shown to be avant-garde Jackson-Pollock style painters. It’s great stuff, and helps get us into the big final matches, which start with Soma immediately having rotten luck destroy him, as he’s challenging a soba expert and the meal they’re doing is soba. Ah well, he’s the hero, I’m sure he’ll come up with something. – Sean Gaffney

Ghost in the Shell README: 1995-2017 | By Takuma Shindo | Kodansha Comics – Despite being subtitled 1995-2017, the recent Hollywood live-action Ghost in the Shell film is oddly the first incarnation of Shirow Masamune’s manga to be addressed by the README guide and artbook. The rest of the volume is devoted to the various anime films and series by Mamoru Oshii, Kenji Kamiyama and, most recently, Kazuchika Kise. Each of the adaptations is given a chapter of its own which includes general information, story summaries, character, mechanical, and landscape designs, an abundance of full-color artwork, and more. For me the most interesting parts of README were the essays, the interview with Atsuko Tanaka and Maaya Sakamoto (the voices of “The Major,” Motoko Kusanagi), and the roundtable featuring all of the Ghost in the Shell anime directors in conversation with one another. README will likely appeal most to established fans of the franchise, but it provides a terrific overview and general introduction, too. – Ash Brown

Horimiya, Vol. 11 | By Hero and Daisuke Hagiwara | Yen Press – It really is impressive how the author of Horimiya is just not letting go of the fact that Hori really gets turned on by being dominated/struck, and that this really seems to bother Miyamura. It’s one reason, perhaps, why the volume ends with a short chapter that shows that, though they love each other, they still have tremendous difficulty figuring out how the other thinks. And there’s also Hori’s rage issues, which they at least acknowledge but don’t really deal with. As for the other couples, well, Ishikawa and Yoshikawa (Ishiyoshi?) are still struggling a bit, mostly due to embarrassment and embarrassing family. Horimiya isn’t as fantastic as it once was, but it’s still fun. – Sean Gaffney

Kuroko’s Basketball, Vols. 23-24 | By Tadatoshi Fujimaki | VIZ Media – We begin with the conclusion of the Winter Cup semifinal game, during which Seirin manages to defeat Kaijo by a one-point margin. It’s tense and exciting and there is a lot of manly crying. Rather than move right into the finals, however, the story diverges into flashback mode, with Kuroko telling the story of his time at Teiko Middle. This arc is fabulous and I’m a little bummed we didn’t have it earlier, as it would’ve informed so many of Kuroko’s interactions with his former teammates. However, putting it before his big matchup against Akashi makes sense, since Akashi was the one who sensed his potential to develop a unique style in the first place. In particular, I wasn’t expecting to come out of the arc loving Aomine so much. It’s nice knowing he finally did find someone who could defeat him. One of the best volumes in a while! – Michelle Smith

Kuroko’s Basketball, Vols. 23-24 | By Tadatoshi Fujimaki | Viz Media – As you might expect, Kuroko solves things, and is even allowed to make the winning shot—something that stuns him a bit. We’re clearly getting near to the end of the series, which means it’s now time for a biiiig flashback showing how the Generation of Miracles actually came to be. As you might imagine given everyone we’ve seen, it was not free and easy. Kuroko is almost put off the team a few times and the others barely work together at all. (It’s also cute seeing a middle-school, pre-sexy knockout Momoi falling for Kuroko.) I’m glad that this flashback is coming now, as we’ve come to know all the leads, and it also gives us a break from the tournament while still being filled with basketball. – Sean Gaffney

Mushroom Girls in Love | By Kei Murayama | Seven Seas – If it weren’t for the length, this could easily have fit right into the middle of A Centaur’s Life, a series that seems to enjoy randomly wandering off into whatever the hell for a few chapters on end. Instead of animal-human hybrids, this time it’s fungi-human hybrids, as our heroines try to stay married and in love despite root rot, royalty trying to break them up, and evading gunfire and the world seemingly being against them. As with A Centaur’s Life, this is not so much comedic or dramatic as just plain weird. And then there’s the girls riding tarantulas like horses… I guess what I mean to say is that if you like A Centaur’s Life and wish that the lesbians were the main characters, give this a shot. – Sean Gaffney

Princess Jellyfish, Vol. 9 | By Akiko Higashimura | Kodansha Comics – In many respects, this is a satisfying finale. Jelly Fish is back in business and it’s great to see the girls, particularly Jiji, finally able to don fancy clothes without hesitation in order to help Tsukimi’s visions become reality. In fact, I pretty much cried straight through from that point on. Reveals and reunions occur, but when one looks closer, one sees that several things remain unsettled. Amamizukan is still owned by Kai Fish, we don’t know whether Jelly Fish will actually be a success, and we don’t know how Tsukimi feels about Kuranosuke being in love with her (though I do love that he recognizes she doesn’t need a man right now). The feeling is all very optimistic, though, and perhaps it’s for the best that we just imagine a happy outcome without worrying about the details. It’s hard to believe it’s over! – Michelle Smith

Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku, Vol. 2 | By Fujita | Kodansha Comics – If you enjoyed the first volume of Wotakoi, this second one gives you more of what you enjoyed. The four leads are still all otaku types, but realistic and not caricatured. We get to see how Hanako and Taro met, which temporarily turns Wotakoi into Haikyu!! for a bit, and also see the couples accidentally getting swapped thanks to a haunted roller coaster. And there’s a new character, introduced (I thought) to be a gay love interest to Naoya, but no, she’s just a shy girl who dresses like a schlub. Still, there’s some comedy to be mined from hiding this from Naoya for the time being. As an anime and manga geek, reading Wotakoi is both fun and heartwarming, and I like it a lot. – Sean Gaffney

Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku, Vol. 2 | By Fujita | Kodansha Comics – I really liked the first Wotakoi omnibus, but I flatout loved this one. All of the characters are so great and so vivid, and there was an interesting structure to the two volumes included here. In the first, the continuing story of Hirotaka and Narumi’s first real date is interspersed with short vignettes and the story of how Naoya makes a friend. I came away with a much stronger idea of why Hirotaka loves Narumi, and how he feels like an inferior adult compared to her. In the second volume, the continuing story is an amazing flashback to Kabakura and Koyanagi in high school, with all the tsundere goodness one could wish for. Ordinarily, characters who bicker this much would bother me, but these two are the exception. This is a fabulous series that everyone should be reading. Get on it! – Michelle Smith

Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, Vol. 2 | By Tadahiro Miura | Seven Seas – If nothing else, Yuuna is proving to be a slightly better ecchi Jump title than To-Love-Ru has, possibly as there’s slightly less emphasis on falling into everyone’s breasts all the time. Only slightly, though, and Yuuna still positions itself for one type of reader and one alone—the horny teenage boy. But if I were a horny teenage boy, I’d like this—Kogarashi is a bit less hapless than the typical ecchi protagonist, the girls are for the most part fun (I was amused that the drunken Kitsune wannabe is a manga artist), and there is the occasional sweet romantic tease. Still, if you’re expecting romance, read Nisekoi. If you want boobs, this is the book for you. – Sean Gaffney

By: Michelle Smith

[t4194]

Around Escape

Kuroko No Basuke— Tadatoshi Fujimaki

Around Escape — t41g4

Please understand, if : Character in this fanfic could be very OOC, my grammar is very bad, errors of writing everywhere, plot is not clear and confusing, and various other mistakes.

..

Taiga rubbed his eyes as he heard a rustling from outside his window.

Him forehead creased, he free hands clasped a blanket.

"W ... who ..." he whispered softly. The inside of his cheek he bite hard. Every moment was so tense. The room with the dimly lit room light made him curl up like a feather ball on a mattress.

The sound of rustling came close, making the boy with the red-and-black hair shrink in fear.

"W ... who is there?" He asked again, louder. The cute boy named Taiga is now covering his entire body with a blanket. His shoulders shook with fear.

"It's me," the outside replied, before a low whistle sounded, making Taiga almost squeal like a little girl. Whatever it is out there, it is now being on the balcony of him room, and Taiga is too afraid to call him mother or father.

Taiga listen a 'tok' tok 'sounds from the tapped glass.

"Taiga! Taiga! "The call was heard again. "It's me, Daiki," he continued.

"Eh? Daiki ?! "

After knowing who was knocking on his window, Taiga rushed down from his bed. He almost stumbled over the blanket he threw away in a hurry.

"What are you doing in the middle of the night?" Taiga asks with a sullen face after opening the window of his room.

"I ran away from home."

Taiga's eyes flickered after hearing Daiki's remark. "You ... what?"

Daiki rolled his eyes, before grabbing into Taiga's room.

"What do you want to do?" Taiga asks with an annoyed look when he sees Daiki deftly pulling his backpack out of the bookcase.

"Did not I tell you, I ran away from home," Daiki replied lightly.

"What's that got to do with this ?!"

Daiki rolled his eyes again "Is not it obvious, you must go with me too!"

Taiga was amazed to hear Daiki's explanation.

"But-"

"Nothing but we're going now," Daiki decided unilaterally while carrying a backpack Taiga to the balcony of his room.

..

Taiga first got to know Daiki while he was in elementary school. At that time, he was just a new transfer boy from America. Striking hair, red eyes, eyebrows, tan skin, speech is not fluent. Complete already everything that can be used for someone to bullying him. In reality, however, he was treated like an artist, and so did Daiki treat it.

The boy named Aomine Daiki was once a cheerful boy, his daily life in addition to fishing in the river is hunting beetles in the forest near our village. However, everything has changed since the company where his father worked was threatened with bankruptcy. Her mother turned crazy enough to beat a ten-year-old child with a wooden block.

So, Taiga was not at all surprised when Daiki invited him to flee from the house, the only thing that surprised him was the fact that they would pass through the jungle just by being illuminated by the flashlight at night.

Taiga rubbed his hands hurriedly, his steps fast and tight, following Daiki.

"Is it still long?" He asked nervously, some naughty mosquitoes perched on his nose and cheeks, making him even more frown.

"In a few minutes I think ..." Daiki replied—full of uncertainty.

Taiga step closer to the boy in front of "Do ... do not say if we get lost." His teeth chatter while his body shivering. One thick piece of jacket can not keep the cold air around.

"No, we're fine," Aomine said, trying to calm down.

The strange sound listn from above the tree, made Taiga tiptoe, his hand naturally holding Daiki's arm tightly.

He 'hiii ~' slowly before saying, "Can not we leave at dawn? Let's go back to the house first. "

Daiki sighed at Taiga's complaint. "And you think, where are we going?"

"Tree House! We can spend the night there first," he suggested.

"No, my mother might find me if I were there. I don't want."

Taiga scowled. "But I'm afraid stupid!"

Daiki did not answer he was more cool poked around with a flashlight he was carrying.

"Daiki! Daiki! "

"What?"

"I'm afraid!"

Daiki sigh. "I'm afraid, too, so be quiet, so we'll hurry up."

"But ..."

"Well, what I said, do not be 'but' again. Shut up or I'll leave you here. "

Taiga whines again. "But I swear to see someone following us behind!"

Hearing Taiga's words, Daiki immediately dragged him to run.

Their tiny legs break through the ground and the uneven roots of the forest. Several times also their clothes stuck with tree twigs, their faces and hands did not escape the scratches of sharp thorns.

Fortunately a 24-hour shop at the end of the forest is beginning to show up.

..

"Hey, boys! What are you doing? "The bearded old man of the shop owner came and questioned them. His white eyebrows went up and down before his mouth spoke, "You run away from home."

In contrast to Taiga who looked surprised and scared, Daiki himself did not care.

"It's good you stayed last night. Traveling at night is dangerous. "

"It's none of your business, old man!" Cried Daiki loudly.

The old chapel just chuckled before getting back into his shop.

"Daiki ... I'm afraid ..." Taiga muttered as he chewed him lips. His face was restless and his hands were sweaty. Some of the cuts have been treated and bandaged.

Daiki chuckled "What the hell are you afraid of? He will not report. "

"Then ... why are we here, later when he calls our parents, how?"

Daiki cleared his throat, he always knew if Taiga to do something violating like this is quite troublesome—because he is so easy to panic.

"We're here to find a ride, we'll go to my grandmother's house, everything will be fine, calm down."

And luckily it worked. Little by little Taiga was calm.

..

Taiga sat quietly in front of the shop holding a large cola bottle. Want to drink anyway, but Daiki said the money is limited, so they have to save whatever they have up to his grandmother's house.

Not far from him, Daiki was busy talking to a fat man. It seems that Daiki is really serious about what he says about it.

Taiga exhaled tired breath.

Actually he did not really want to leave home.

That is, he did not have so much trouble at home. His father is rich, his mother is good, and his family is quite happy—even though his father rarely goes home. But it was impossible to let Daiki go alone. After all they've talked about this before—at school.

And Taiga understands that Daiki's reason for going away makes so much sense.

So there was nothing wrong with him, yet he had never been to a place far away without the supervision of an older man before.

"Hello ~" an adult voice makes Taiga look up.

Gray eyes blurred without pupils saw it from above.

"Ha ... hello too ..." Taiga replied timidly. His grip on the cola bottle grew tighter.

"Are you lost?" The man who was all pale gray skin asked in a strange cold voice.

"No ..." Taiga shook his head as he shifted his position to move away from the strange man.

"Hoi, what is this ?!" Daiki's voice makes Taiga then turn, making Taiga call his name silently.

"Hello, my name is Cihihiro, I see this kid alone, so I think he needs help."

Daiki was silent for a moment, while his eyes highlighted his appearance.

"Indeed ... what are you up to?"

The man smiled, weird and cold-according to Taiga. "We brought the van."

"We?" Taiga suddenly asked loudly. Make Daiki look at him in confusion.

"Yes, we are. Inside the van there's me and my twin brother. "

"That sounds good," Daiki replied. "Can we ride up to the station at the other end of town? We plan to go up after that. "

The man smiled—once again strangely, according to Taiga. Her lips seemed to be pulled on each side.

"Sure, why not."

..

Taiga kept shifting uncomfortably.

They are inside a narrow van.

While Daiki sits in the front seat with Cihihiro, Taiga sits behind with his two siblings. Behind Taiga himself there was a pile of odd plastic plastics that always rustled every time the car moved.

The two of them—Chihihiro's little brother—did not say much, but still they were strange and gratifying—according to Taiga. Their eyes were empty, his eyes very cold, almost like ice. But it was a little bit advantageous, since Taiga sat beside the window, so he could see the dark forest scene out there from the strange atmosphere inside the van.

Daiki himself did not say much, except to answer some questions asked by Cihihiro, the rest only the sound of a humming radio channel controlling the whole little van.

Too bored, Taiga decided to divert the view to the two twins, but apparently the two had been staring at him all along.

"Wa ... what?"

Both shook their heads together, before staring back at him.

Taiga wants to whine at Daiki about his decision, before a strange debater sounds as Cihihiro drives across the cobbled streets.

Taiga turned back, a vast spot visible which previously had lots of plastic piled up.

"That," he pointed out, "What is it?"

"It's nothing," replied the light blue.

"But it seemed to fall."

"It's okay," replied the different eyed.

Then both silent, looking straight at Taiga.

..

Several hours passed, and it felt really awful for Taiga.

The twins had slept comfortably, so did Daiki. While Taiga himself is too afraid to close his eyes.

He wanted to go home, but he knew Daiki would be angry and leave him if he said that.

"Taiga-kun is not sleeping?"

Taiga gulped bitterly gently before shaking his head.

"If you need anything, wake up Seijurou and Tetsuya," he said.

"Thank you ..." Taiga replied with difficulty.

Taiga plays the tip of his T-shirt, while his legs are raised, trying to disturb Daiki's sleep by pushing his chair.

While the radio kept spinning the old songs that accompanied their journey, it did not take another hour at four in the morning.

And the bad news is that Taiga still can not sleep. Taiga thought that would not be a problem, he could sleep later on the train. So he chose to take his drink.

As he did so, his fingers felt something small, soft, plentiful, and wriggled at the end.

"Ci ... Cihihiro-san ..."

"Yes, Taiga-kun. What is wrong?"

"Can we stop ... I want to pee ..."

..

"Why should I take you anyway! You're big, "Daiki grumbled, rubbing his eyelids.

Taiga did not bother about it.

"Hey, where are we going?" Daiki asked in confusion as Taiga dragged deeper into the forest.

"Shut up!" Taiga hissed horribly as his hand gripped on Daiki increasingly cocked.

Taiga knows where he is going. Slightly into the forest and straight up north.

Eventually they ran with haste, until finally Daiki jerked his hand.

"What's wrong ?!" he asked with emotion.

"We have to go, I swear we have to run !"

Daiki shook his head to see Taiga sobbing.

"What the hell do you really want ?!" snapped Daiki again as he clucked his waist, "Oh, God! I should know that asking you is a bad idea. "Daiki closed his eyes with his palms, his shoulders slumped.

"No! You're wrong about that! "

Taiga's reply made Daiki a little confused.

"You mean?"

"Do you remember when I said I thought we were being followed by someone in the woods?"

..

They ran inside the pine forest so quickly. Some branches of the tree wounded them again, and made some of the previous scratches open again, but they did not try to quit.

Taiga's shoulder bag rocked gently. Luckily Daiki's bag is united in a large bag, so they do not load too much.

Some dead trees they jump over quickly. While Daiki looked at his watch, it was half past six in the morning.

The fog began to appear and blurred the view, but the light of the sky with a yellow-orange tinge that began to light was already visible.

Daiki did not dare to pass the same route he told Cihihiro. So, he chose to go to the nearest village, as he had planned at the beginning of their escape.

Both did not dare to look back. They just keep quiet while running.

Until they reach the outer freeway to the next village.

As Daiki stepped out of the forest, Taiga's hand swiftly restrained him.

"I heard something," he whispered, dragging Daiki toward the overgrown area.

A few minutes later they heard the sound of the engine roar approaching. It made them silent while holding their breath.

Taiga was frightened, his hands were sweaty, and his face was pale, Daiki was just as bad.

And not long after, a large truck passes at a moderate pace.

"That's it!" Taiga shouted.

"What are you waiting for! Let's go! "

Taiga nodded and followed Daiki behind him.

Both of them ran while shouting, hoping the fat guy who was driving the truck would stop.

Fortunately their efforts are not in vain.

The fat man stopped when he saw them from the rearview mirror.

"Hey, boy. What happened? "He asked after Daiki and Taiga forced his way into his truck.

"Please do not ask now, we're really tired of running for over an hour," Daiki replied.

Taiga who sat on the end of the corner suddenly jerked.

"Sir ... I think you should start driving, because I hear the same old machine roar we rode yesterday on."

"Hah?"

"Yes! A strange van driven by a freak and we rode last night until we got here, "Daiki explained.

The fat man did not say anything, but the truck they rode slowly faster.

..

The fat man drove them all the way to the platform, he also gave them two burgers as a farewell before they left.

"Hey, you know. The reason why I decided to continue my journey when it was early morning was because the forest was not an ordinary forest. Something as bad and mysterious as it surrounds there. "He took a breath before continuing," When I was your age, there was a group of teenagers from out of town who decided to camp there, they never came back. And I saw him while staying at the store with my dad to deliver the goods. A strange figure like a shadow stood watching. The only reason they did not attack the shop was because of some amulets that old shopkeeper put up. "

"Actually I do not know what you are going through, but whatever it is, I believe in what happened to you," he continued. "Here, a talisman for you. Remember! Never lose or forget, it's to protect you are. "

"Then what about you?" Taiga asked with an anxious face.

"Do not worry, I have a lot in the car."

"After this, be a good boy," the message before their train departs.

..

Fin

..

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 2/19/18

Assassination Classroom, Vol. 20 | By Yusei Matsui | Viz Media – So in the end there is no easy way out, and no happily ever after. Oh, the kids survive, though it’s a bit touch-and-go for Kayano, who tries to protect Koro-sensei and gets impaled for her troubles. But no, what it means is that, despite Koro-sensei taking care of the bad guys, with one very satisfying death, he still has to be killed—and, given the entire premise of the series, the kids have to kill him. We’re at the climax of the series, which is apparently rather awkward in volume format—expect a lot of padding in the final volume. Still, for fans of this series, this may be a bit of a tear-jerker, but it feels right, and will also make you smile. (Though please stop with the “Kayano has a small chest” jokes, please.) – Sean Gaffney

Behind the Scenes!!, Vol. 5 | By Bisco Hatori | Viz Media – This was a much stronger volume of the series, though I admit that sometimes I have trouble remembering who is who—this is what happens when you catch up to Japan so quickly. Here we see the pain of unrequited love, and how for the most part there can be very little you can do about it other than pine, especially when you love is pining for someone else. That said, the core of this series is still its special effects, which branch out here into scene design as our heroes run into a school with a lot of ideas but no idea how to convey those with an actual budget. The end design was quite clever, showing off the desperation that frequently drives genius when pushed to a deadline. Solid. – Sean Gaffney

Black Clover, Vol. 10 | By Yuki Tabata | Viz Media – As it turns out, permanent damage is pretty easy to heal when you live in a world of magic and you’re also the main character. Black Clover is never going to win any originality awards, and will likely never rise above “good.” But it also doesn’t plumb the depths of some series—it’s pacy, knows how long to do an arc for, and is also not afraid to bring in characters introduced in the light novels when it wants to, which might be a bit of a wrench for North American readers who know Viz doesn’t really license Jump light novels unless they’re Naruto. Meanwhile, Noelle levels up, and Asta tries to solve things by talking rather than punching (shame it doesn’t work out). Black Clover is fun if you’re a teen who’s never read Jump manga before. – Sean Gaffney

Dokudami Tenement, Vol. 1 | By Takashi Fukutani | Black Hook Press – Thanks to the efforts of Black Hook Press, a niche publisher based out of Tokyo currently focusing on gekiga and more obscure manga, the beginning of Fukutani’s most popular and successful series Dokudami Tenement is now available in English. The first volume includes the manga’s prologue and three stories—”Sun Is Shining,” “The Fetishist’s Lament,” and “Midnight Mover”—in addition to an introduction by Mitsuhiro Asakawa, a short biography, and a list of Fukutani’s publications. Dokudami Tenement began serialization in 1979, Fukutani incorporating semi-autobiographical elements into his stories about Yoshio Hori, an unemployed twenty-six year old living in a decrepit apartment building in Tokyo. It’s a funny and entertaining series, although at times admittedly lewd and crass; the characters somehow manage to be both appalling and sympathetic while the manga explores social and economic issues of the time period with a biting sense of humor. – Ash Brown

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 22 | By Yuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki | VIZ Media – The advancement exams in Hokkaido continue and the resisters have survived until round three, when they must go up against members of the Council of Ten. Yukihira is having a rematch against Hayama, who defeated him in the Fall Classic, and their theme ingredient is bear. Despite a lot of focus on how the boys manage to overcome the stinky attributes of bear and create delicious dishes, I have to say I’m still not particularly keen to try it. We get the typical fanservice of clothes being blown off by flavor, but I could’ve done without the really awkward explanation for why the Nakiri family has this reaction. It was still entertaining, though, and I really liked that Yukihira acknowledged that he’s a better chef now because Hayama defeated him in the past. Beyond that, I remain “meh” about this Central arc. – Michelle Smith

Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends, Vol. 15 | By Yomi Hirasaka and Itachi | Seven Seas – The first half of this volume continues the giant high from the second half of the last one—these are probably the best scenes in the series. After getting his ass kicked by Rika, Kodaka finally stops ignoring Sena and tells her the truth—he loves her, and wants to do lots of naughty things to her, which… sort of pleases her, ish. But he won’t date her, because it would ruin the Friendship Club. Which, honestly, is getting pretty ruined even without dating, as Yozora has finally sunk into deep depression and run away, all the way to… Kodaka’s house. The manga says—possibly to stop readers abandoning ship—it will have a different ending than the polarizing light novel. We’ll see how that develops next time. – Sean Gaffney

Haikyu!!, Vol. 20 | By Haruichi Furudate | VIZ Media – Karasuno is engaged in their first five-set match against formidable opponent Shiratorizawa and they’re approaching the limits of their endurance. Kageyama’s accuracy is suffering, and though Tsukishima (who has apparently become my favorite character) continues to make some awesome moves, he ends up injured and in the infirmary for the beginning of the fifth and final set. Can the team pull off victory without him? Well, it’s not surprise that we don’t know the answer to that yet, since Haikyu!! is always pulling off excruciating cliffhangers, but once a rested-up Kageyama returns to the court, it certainly seems possible, as he and Hinata execute a spectular quick set that narrows Shiratorizawa’s lead to one point. As exciting as ever! – Michelle Smith

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders, Vol. 6 | By Hirohiko Araki | Viz Media We’ve finally gotten to Egypt, but alas, Dio still eludes us, as we continue instead to plow through a series of mooks trying to stop our heroes getting there in time to save Holly (who long-time readers may have totally forgotten about, to be honest). There is some very amusing comedy, as our heroes’ new ally is a Stand User who’s a dog—a very eccentric, unlikeable dog. The dog manages to do something that hasn’t happened the entire series, which is briefly make Jotaro interesting. But be it Youssou N’Dour, Oingo Boingo or Chaka Khan, no amount of unsubtle 80s music references can stop our heroes. Will we finally see Dio next time? Probably not, but hey. JoJo’s fans will want to read this. – Sean Gaffney

Kase-san and an Apron | By Hiromi Takashima | Seven Seas – The physicality of Yamada and Kase-san’s relationship is dialed back in this new volume, possibly due to being serialized in a magazine, Wings, which is slightly less OK with it. The yuri cuteness is still there, though, and this remains probably the best of our ongoing “girls in high school like each other and start dating” series. There are few surprises—the fact that Kase-san hadn’t dated her sempai seemed fairly obvious to me—but the emotions seem real, the girls are both sweethearts, and you root for them. I had thought this was the final volume, but apparently it is continuing on an occasional basis, so we may see a new volume. A must-read for yuri fans. – Sean Gaffney

Kuroko’s Basketball, Vols. 19-20 | By Tadatoshi Fujimaki | VIZ Media – It’s the Winter Cup quarterfinals, and Seirin is up against Yosen. Most of the first part of the volume is Kagami suddenly evolving amazingly in response to Yosen’s strength, entering “the zone” in a way that is visible to the audience and demonstrating an ability to replicate moves belonging to the Miracle Generation. It’s over-the-top but still an exhilarating finish as Seirin manages to win by one point. After meeting Shogo Haizaki, a former Miracle Generation member who lost his position to Kise, we progress to the first semifinal game, between Akashi’s Rakuzan and Midorima’s Shutoku. Turns out, Midorima and his teammate Takao have a sort of Hinata/Kageyama (from Haikyu!!) past and even a quick set equivalent! It’s pretty spiffy, but is it enough to beat Akashi? Stay tuned! – Michelle Smith

Kuroko’s Basketball, Vols. 19-20 | By Tadatoshi Fujimaki | Viz Media – As you might expect, loving basketball is better than not loving basketball, and therefore those with passion—particularly in a sports manga—will always beat those who have talent but little drive. And so our heroes advance, and get the rest of the volume to watch the competition. I admit I wasn’t wild about the section in the middle, though at least Alex freed herself on her own, and Shogo made a particularly unpleasant antagonist. But now we’re on to the other semifinal, with our old friend Midorima, who is not going to win because we have already seen Seirin play them, but it’s a nice thought. Two-thirds of the way through the series, and it’s still exciting, though it does make me realize that the final game could indeed be stretched a lot. – Sean Gaffney

Nameless Asterism, Vol. 1 | By Kina Kobayashi | Seven Seas – My interest in Nameless Asterism was piqued when I heard that the series includes both yuri and boys’ love elements. Turns out there’s cross-dressing involved, too, which also holds some appeal. The story revolves around Shiratori, Washio, and Kotooka, three young women who have become particularly close. They’re not all aware of it, but Shiratori has fallen for Washio, Washio has fallen for Kotooka, and Kotooka has fallen for Shiratori. On top of that, there are boys they like and who like them, too. It’s not so much a love triangle as it is an increasingly complex love ouroboros with feelings of friendship and romance in delicate balance. Nameless Asterism is a slowly paced but sweet manga with characters who genuinely care for one another. Future volumes of the series promise to reveal even more complications as the various relationships continue to evolve. I’m curious to see how it unfolds. – Ash Brown

Sword Art Online: Progressive, Vol. 6 | By Kiseki Himura and Reki Kawahara | Yen Press – I’m enjoying the fact that Himura, the artist of this manga, is being allowed to do his own thing a bit more. We’re curling back to the book plot, as Kirito runs up against a smiling villain named Morte who has a plan to sow discord. The manga has always felt more like Asuna’s story, with Kirito acting as a Greek Chorus, and we continue that here. Also, Argo is back, which makes me very happy, as I love Argo. Most adaptations of light novels don’t really need to be read if you’ve already read the prose, but this is an exception. And there’s also quite a bit of fanservice for those who like that. Great stuff for SAO fans. – Sean Gaffney

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 10 | By Mizuho Kusanagi | VIZ Media – Man, Mizuho Kusanagi could teach a masterclass in how to not only redeem a former antagonist but make you love him fiercely. Yona and friends have been masquerading as bandits to protect poor villages in Fire Tribe lands from exorbitant taxes. Tae-jun is sent to deal with them and, after many comical reactions whilst in disguise, his genuine relief upon learning Yona is alive is massively endearing. This whole volume is about his gradual rehabilitation; initially, he cares only about Yona and can’t see the suffering around him, but eventually his eyes are opened and he spearheads a campaign to bring much-needed government support to the people. Yes, he still cares a lot about what Yona thinks of him, but he’s also truly changed, earning the loyalty of his troops in the process. I may have shed a few tears. – Michelle Smith

By: Michelle Smith