#so when i say kaiju no. 8 is one of the only manga where i ENJOY the fights

[sanjipussyindulgence]

kaiju no. 8 is so so so good at creating high stakes without killing off a bunch of characters like other manga tend to do. theres only one main character death in the whole series so far. and, because it's the only one, that death holds a lot of weight. like i LOOOVE chainsaw man but side characters randomly dropping like flies in part 1 felt cheap and underwhelming. unless it was one of your faves, you didn't care when someone died.

whats especially impressive is that kaiju no. 8 manages this despite kafka being an EXTREMELY overpowered character. but the mangka successfully works around that by having clear repercussions for when kafka wins a fight.

even though he could theoretically handle pretty much 95% of the fights in this manga on his own, there's reasons why he can't. and every time he does have to deliver a finishing blow for someone else, it doesn't feel like a good thing.

every victory the protagonists have either comes with consequences or comes by the skin of their teeth. and the stakes never stop getting higher too.

so what makes the current kafka vs kaiju no. 9 fight so engaging is that this is the first time we've seen kafka actually struggle. and, after over a hundred chapters of him one-shoting every enemy, that makes no. 9 all the more threatening.

[biolumien]

Hiiii!!!! 😊👋 So I only just started Kaiju no. 8!!! New to the fandom and not a manga reader. Idk what’s going to happen in the next episode—all I know is that Hoshina better not d*e lol.

Anyways!!! Obviously I am a huge Hoshina fan/simp!!! I really like your blog and I have enjoyed your Hoshina fics!!!!!! 🥹 And since your requests are open, I wanted to know if I could perhaps make one??? 👉👈

If so, I was wondering if you could do something sort of related to your “say it!” fic??? Like where Hoshina (+ reader) somehow bumps into the ex from operations you mentioned in the fic??? And reader gets SUPERRRRR jealous (lord knows I would be especially if said ex was really beautiful and smart) and insecure. Maybe reader acts a bit distant/moody after the encounter but once Hoshina realizes what’s up he immediately reassures reader and let’s them know how much he loves/cares for them???

Sorry if this request is weird or doesn’t make sense to you, I’ve honestly just been thinking about a similar scenario ever since reading that fic of yours 😭😭 anyways thank you so much for your time 🫶❤️ and please never stop writing, your fics are beautiful 💖💕

notes: hihi; thank you so much for your request; i hope that this is okay; you sent this in before the most recent episode but hoshina's a fairly important character to the story of kaiju no 8 overall so he'll be alright... i combined this with a slightly different ask which also surrounded jealousy but with okonogi; it's very briefly mentioned though.

jealousy as the crux

soshiro hoshina x gn!reader no warnings should apply, i think. wc: 837

hoshina always maintained rather easy conversation with a lot of people—friendly conversation that sometimes got the better of your self esteem when he teasingly doted on okonogi or otherwise. 

you’d tried not to bring it up, to not bother him—because envy and jealousy like that was an ugly emotion, of course. it wouldn’t be right to burden hoshina with them–mostly because you weren’t even sure how he’d react. he was plenty envious on his own, you think–key point on think. but it might have been for more reasonable things, surely. like the envious desire to become stronger, or something noble like that.

nothing quite like yours. 

but stumbling on hoshina’s ex was never on your list of priorities at all. 

so the fact that she was here—was her name amaya?—only made you more uncomfortable. you barely knew anything about her other than the fact that okonogi spoke her name with strained reverence, cautious to never bring it up around hoshina. hoshina seemed to be uncaring of it all, even so–as if he couldn’t be bothered to remember. 

she was smoking indoors, her eyes tired and weary. 

hoshina didn’t seem to tense up when talking to her, which strangely irked you more. 

“hoshina,” amaya says, approaching hoshina with a raised eyebrow. she pats his shoulder, and he chuckles.

“you look well,” hoshina murmurs. 

“hm. well as i’ll ever be.” her eyes flit to you, her eyes narrowing. you felt uncomfortable under her gaze, as if you were some unique kind of insect to be pinned up in a collection. “this your new partner? they’re cute.”

“hm?” hoshina laughs. “aren’t they?”

the compliment doesn’t feel good, somehow, as it usually does.

“thought you said you wouldn’t date again,” amaya says, dusting off some ash off the tip of her cigarette, taking another breath before blowing it away from the two of you. “not that we really were.” she snorts. “you were too much of a coward last time.”

“hey,” hoshina says, sounding mock-hurt. “i figured we were better off as friends.”

“hm.” amaya exhales. “whatever you say.”

“i wish you’d sound more enthusiastic about this,” hoshina retorts, laughing again. it’s the same laugh he has when he talks to okonogi, that same doting laughter–but it also wasn’t anything special. it was the same kind of laughter he had when he talked to you, though perhaps it was tinged with more fondness when he spoke to you.

if there was anything hoshina was, it might’ve just been annoyingly consistent.

"it's hard to be enthusiastic surrounding you. your sarcastic energy exhausts me," amaya drawls.

you turn away from the conversation at this point–and yet you can feel amaya staring daggers into the back of your head. 

“i’ll let the two of you finish this up,” you say, and your voice sounds far more obviously strained than you’d like for it to be. 

hoshina was allowed to talk to other people. but why did amaya irk you so much? was it just the irreverent way she spoke, the way she seemed to be watching you so intently for no reason? what the hell was her problem? as you stormed off, your footsteps grew angrier as you continued to mull over it. no, seriously! what was her problem? 

but what was yours, being jealous in the first place? you were being irrational–worried because you wanted hoshina’s attention for yourself but of course it wasn’t right to worry this badly about it to the point that envy would turn your stomach like this, create the brittling sensation in your heart. it wasn’t right, and the fact that you knew it wasn’t right made the whirling sense of bad in you feel worse.

you rub your face roughly, trying to shock yourself into trying to just be fucking normal.

“hey.”

hoshina’s voice is quiet when you turn around, and his face is contemplative, brows furrowed in worry.

“are you done? talking to amaya?” you ask.

“for now,” he says. his eyes focus on your face, concerned now. “are you okay?”

“i’m…”

the words die in your throat.

“i don’t want to be jealous,” you say weakly. “of whatever’s going on. but, i–”

hoshina’s hands are on your face before you can even finish your sentence, squishing your cheeks together.

“mm, i see.” hoshina blinks, humming. “why didn’t you just say so earlier?”

you blink.

“you’re not… mad?” you ask.

“mad?” hoshina raises an eyebrow, cocking his head. it looks cute. “should i be?”

“no,” you say. “i–or, i don’t know. maybe? yes?”

“which is it?” hoshina asks, a teasing smile on his face before his brow furrows a bit. “if you would have just told me earlier i could have easily just told you that there’s nothing going on between me and anyone else but you. i chose you. don’t forget that, okay?”

you blink.

“and i love you,” hoshina says, completely straightforwardly, with sure honesty. “don’t forget that.”

you nod, and he squeezes your face, leaning in to kiss you on the lips.

[brucebocchi]

Ranking 2024 anime, Pt. 3: #30-21

hey, this post is also available on my ko-fi, so please check it out and consider tipping/donating as i do this for free and am currently between jobs. you can find part 1 of the list here and part 2 here. thanks!

We're chugging along. I'd say we're finally getting to the good stuff, and there is plenty of good at this point in the countdown, but I also just really like complaining.

Let's get it.

30. KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!, season 3

I have a tendency to refer to the more brainless and/or trashy anime I watch as “junk food.” You know the kind; the ones that don’t really add anything to your life and don’t stand up to the more fulfilling series, but still get the job done when you go into autopilot. I’ve found that, as a habitual (non-metaphorical) snacker, I tend to just reach for something when I’m bored so I have something to do. And looking at it objectively, I don’t tend to enjoy myself while doing it and I usually don’t feel good afterwards.

I feel much the same way about watching KonoSuba.

Not that I think it’s ontologically evil or anything, but KonoSuba often has just as much going against it as it does working in its favor. For every joke that hits, and some of them absolutely do hit, there’s another that makes me question why I’m even watching it. I’m not against dark or even occasionally offensive humor; I adore It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, a show to which KonoSuba often draws comparisons. The issue is that, at its worst, KonoSuba defaults to either “this person is a pervert,” “this person is a pedophile,” or “this man got sexually assaulted.” My issue isn’t with the subject matter so much as the fact that they rarely rise above the level of base shock value and that they keep happening like that. It almost feels perfunctory, like the writers had quotas to meet.

It’s not all bad, though. Even having only gotten into KonoSuba in early 2023, I still found myself lamenting its hiatus, and An Explosion on This Magical World somehow only made the heart grow fonder for the party members that weren’t Megumin. I appreciate that Darkness plays a pivotal role in the third season, because Darkness is hilarious and terrific. This season had a couple of the best jokes and goofy facials in the series. 

Overall, it’s a bit of a wash, but I can’t be too upset. It’s more KonoSuba, and it’s reached the point where that’s practically a value-neutral statement.

29. Wistoria: Wand and Sword

I don’t really have much new to say about Wistoria. It’s not the best magic school anime I watched this year and certainly not the best fantasy, but it looks terrific and it’s a fun enough time if you turn your brain off.

And turning your brain off is a necessity here because Wistoria’s story is as basic as it gets. It’s more or less Mashle if it wasn’t a comedy, and it’s such a transparent, dirt-simple power fantasy that it might as well be an isekai. Guy’s trying to keep a promise to his childhood friend, he sucks at the one thing everyone else does to the point of getting bullied left and right, but he’s super crazy strong in a his own special way. Actually, shit, I just described Kaiju No. 8.

Rule of cool wins out here, and this show does look phenomenal, but it might be better enjoyed via YouTube clips. I’m curious to see where the story goes from here, but I’m not completely sold yet.

28. Chained Soldier

Chained Soldier is horny isekai trash. Chained Soldier fucking rocks. We got big monsters, wild action sequences, unique and memorable character designs, casual femdom, solid comic relief, interesting (if predictable) twists, uncensored boobs, it’s got it all! 

It’s not the best-looking show in some parts, but that’s forgivable. The production values were fine, all things considered, and the action sequences in particular were terrific throughout, but I’m really glad this series is changing studios for the second season. I’ve read ahead in the manga (don’t judge) and Passione is gonna do a bang-up job as the action and shameless fanservice both ramp up.

It’s early in the story and a teensy bit shaky, but Chained Soldier is already a fun time. I have reason to believe it’ll only get better as it goes. And not just because of the boobs.

27. Suicide Squad Isekai

You wanted an isekai starring the Suicide Squad, and by God did you get one. This is a perfectly serviceable series by Suicide Squad standards and a pretty middling isekai otherwise. Nothing about the world in which this series is set is all that interesting or groundbreaking, but you’re here for anime Harley Quinn (and a few other DC villains I guess), and this show delivers.

Fluid, expressive character animation (when the studio wants it), a terrific Japanese voice cast, and entertaining hijinks among Batman’s infamous rogues’ gallery combine for a plenty fun time that ultimately doesn’t have much staying power. If you liked the James Gunn movie, you’ll have a decent time here. No more, no less.

Between Uzumaki’s disastrous production, Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim’s apparent mediocrity, and last year’s unwanted, execrable FLCL Grunge, I’m just glad that at least one recent anime production with Jason DeMarco’s fingerprints on it came out unscathed.

26. ‘Tis Time for “Torture,” Princess

I ended up watching so many discrete series during the winter season that it’s probably not a coincidence that my bottom four series on this ranking (and six of the bottom ten) all aired during that season. When you filter feed, you’re gonna take in a lot of garbage. Sometimes you need some stuff that’s “just fine” to clean the palate.

‘Tis Time for “Torture,” Princess is probably a bit better than even “just fine,” but it’s not gonna be a ready recommendation. The premise is pretty one-note on paper: Warrior princess got captured by demons, they try to coax intel out of her via temptation, she folds, the intel is worthless, and the cycle begins anew. But if a run of over 250 manga chapters and climbing is any indication, the series manages to keep it fresh. Time for “Torture” works because it isn’t beholden to its premise and instead decides to play hopscotch with its own framework. Gradually but noticeably, the unnamed princess and her inquisitors and “torturers” become friends, they all enjoy the spoils of her snitching together, and they really just keep it up because that’s how this stuff is supposed to go. 

Nine months later, I still don’t know why I liked this show so much. It’s just the right amount of silly to me, and it’s cute as hell where it counts. Not the best thing I watched this year but far from the worst. If you want something dumb and weirdly wholesome that’ll make you chuckle here and there, it’s a good pick.

25. Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night

This is one I’m still agonizing over a bit. Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night is a terrific show on so many levels, but I still felt let down by the end of its run. It wasn’t even in the same ballpark of disappointment as Uzumaki or Metallic Rouge, thankfully. Like Uzumaki, it couldn’t live up to the promise of its all-timer debut episode, but on the flip side, Jellyfish largely maintained its high production value. Like Metallic Rouge, it felt like the narrative largely spun its wheels until the writers realized they only had two episodes left, but Jellyfish didn’t leave me feeling like I’d just wasted four hours of my life.

This series already had massive shoes to fill if it was going to be the best showbiz anime produced by Doga Kobo airing this year (“I’d have two nickels” and so on and so forth), but Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night unfortunately ended up getting outclassed on several fronts by shows that just did almost every element better. It looks terrific, it has a memorable cast, the music’s great, and it’s a welcome entry in the “Girls Doing Things” anime canon, but it was outclassed in its own broadcast season by Train to the End of the World, Girls Band Cry, and Yuru Camp. The real shame is that it seemed to have designs on being a tremendous LGBT show if it played its cards right, and instead opted to throw those cards in the air and walk away by the end.

I’d still recommend this show if you temper your expectations of any real narrative punch. There were some tremendous original series that aired this year, but Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night just didn’t reach those higher levels. There’s a whole bunch of good in there, but they couldn’t quite piece it all together.

24. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, season 2, part 2

I’m gonna be real here: I’m sick of writing about this show. It’s exceptionally well-made and, on balance, easily one of the best anime of the decade so far, but the subject matter can touch such controversial and uncomfortable territory at parts that I can’t recommend it to anyone. 

The back half of Mushoku Tensei’s second season actually did a lot of work towards making up for a lot of the less-tolerable moments in the preceding ¾ of the show, even delivering a couple of the spring season’s best episodes, and then it gets weird again near the end. Not nearly as bad as it gets in the first season, nor in the worst moments of this season’s first half from 2023, but still off-putting, even for people who stuck with it for this long. I expect this to continue.

Mushoku Tensei is a great show. Don’t watch Mushoku Tensei.

23. Undead Unluck, second cour

David Production’s adaptation of one of Weekly Shonen Jump’s most inventive and ambitious action series continued into the start of 2024 as the story just continued ramping up and getting wilder.

Undead Unluck had an interesting, if occasionally uncomfortable start, with a fascinating power system and tons of secrets left to be revealed, and as it continued you could start to see the camera slowly pulling back. Midway through its second cour, shit completely hits the fan and any expectations you may have had fly out the window. Undead Unluck’s debut season was an amusing curiosity for most of its run, but the status quo is upended so effectively midway through the second cour that I was completely hooked. There were some infuriating pacing issues at those exact moments that were enough for me to dock it several spots on this list, but it’s still absolutely worth watching.

I decided to read the Undead Unluck manga a couple months ago and for as wildly as I thought the anime ramped up its scope by the end of this run, it turns out that the series as a whole goes to even crazier lengths than that. I’m completely sold now and cannot wait for more.

22. Kaiju No. 8

Counter to the series I just talked about, Kaiju No. 8 is one of Shueisha’s least​​​​ innovative battle shonen series. And that’s okay! Nothing wrong with wanting to see people fight giant monsters and one who can turn into a giant monster himself, and maybe you don’t want to have to deal with Attack on Titan’s incoherent politics to get there.

There is fundamentally nothing special about Kaiju No. 8, but I do appreciate that the protagonist is an out-of-shape thirtysomething desperately clinging to his hopes and dreams. No particular reason. There’s some interesting worldbuilding early in the story, and although it does lend itself to protag Kafka’s strengths in battle (non-”turning into a monster” category), it all falls to the wayside when it’s time for monsters, guns, and explosions. And I’m fine with that stuff, but I was hoping for a bit more of a hook.

All in all, this is a very well-made show, if a little muddy-looking at times. I wouldn’t have chosen YUNGBLUD and OneRepublic for the opening and closing themes, but it didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the show. I just like complaining about that stuff. Looks good, sounds good most of the time, and endearingly dumb. Can’t go wrong with that.

21. Mashle: Magic and Muscles, season 2

I ranked this show’s first season pretty low on my 2023 list, but I was willing to stick it out for another season, and I’m glad I did. Mashle really finds its footing during the Divine Visionary exam arc and irons out a lot of the issues I’d had with the first season, primarily how little the comedy initially landed for me.

A series that initially had my eyes either rolling or glazing over quickly recovered my attention early in the second season. Creepy Nuts OPs are a cheat code, I swear. Even putting the killer music aside, Mashle looks a lot better as well and has a much more engaging story in its second season. You can really feel it gaining its footing and finding a bit of swagger as the season goes on. The fight sequences are much more engaging this time out, and sometimes you get all the satisfaction you need out of seeing an emotionless weirdo punch the shit out of a mean nerd. A bunch of the jokes even land this time around!

I’m glad I stuck this out. Mashle is, at the end of the day, a hilariously blatant Harry Potter send-up, and frankly has no good reason to hit like it does, but I’m finally sold. At the rate it’s been going, Mashle seems to be set to adapt the entire manga, and I’m looking forward to seeing all of it.

[khunyuki]

"I've lived my life with blade and you always in my mind"

ᴍᴀɪɴ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ: 1. 𝙸 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞

Synopsis: Soshiro is extremely worried for his fiancee who called out to him in the middle of the night. He just wanted her to let her feelings out not knowing it would change the trajectory of their relationship. With feelings out in the open and confessions long due, they said those three words.

Pairing/s: Soshiro Hoshina x Fiancee!OC

Notes: This is originally meant to be angst and break up fic but Kagami said NO and I couldn't bring myself to say otherwise. This is the side stories' fault for showing how good their relationship is😭 I also changed the title to fit! Soshiro's eyes turn back to red to be the same as the manga~

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Fluff

Masterlist: TOC, Intro, Next

Future Wife: I want to see you now

Future Wife: Please

When Hoshina Soshiro's phone chimed a special tune, he knew he received a text message from his fiancee. His hands that had a mind of their own, took his phone and opened it to see something that bugged him. When he clicked on the message, it was already unsent and he couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding.

*Future Wife unsent a message*

*Future Wife unsent a message*

Kagami had never done this before so he could feel that something terrible must've happened.

Future Husband: What's wrong? Are you okay? Where are you?

He saw her reading his message and he waited for her to reply. He could see her typing then deleting it as if she's hesitating, but eventually she did tell him.

Future Wife: Ryunei Shrine

Ryunei Shrine? What was she doing there? Especially in the middle of the night when she should be at home resting? Did something happen at the Uzui household? Soshiro had many thoughts regarding this as he knew of the strained relationship between her and her family. She may have never told him anything but he knows.

This is why he asked her yesterday if she wanted him to come but she refused knowing that he already spent the night searching for that new kaiju, Kaiju no. 8. Until now, he's incredibly worried with that kaiju still around and not caught. He knew she's capable of protecting herself but still he couldn't help but worry.

Future Husband: Wait for me

Ignoring the mountains of paperwork in front of him, Soshiro left his office to go to his fiancee. Of course he didn't forget to tell his captain about his leave. He told her it's an emergency with his family and they need him ASAP. Of course Mina knows he's going to her but let him be as she saw his anxious face.

.

When Hoshina Soshiro arrived at Ryunei Shrine, it was already deep into the night. He tried to calm his breathing to not let her notice that he ran. Then he saw her crouched down and playing with a dandelion...

She wasn't looking at him but he knew she acknowledged his presence. Even from far away, he could see just how exhausted she looked. It is only her side profile that he could see but he felt like he was seeing a moon goddess. Her long black hair that was over her shoulder was glimmering under the moonlight and despite her eyes being empty and lips not smiling, she still looked ethereal to his eyes.

He slowly moved closer to her, as silent as possible, as to not disturb her. He removed his jacket and gently placed it on her shoulders as he crouched down beside her.

"I heard that if you blow on dandelions, your wish will come true"

Soshiro told her as he himself picked one and blowed on it. He wished that he and Kagami will be happy. They watched as the seeds flew away along with the wind.

"I think my wish won't come true even if I blew on it"

Kagami let out a weak chuckle, the smile on her face looked taunting, as if she's loathing something. It made Soshiro frown for he hates to see her like this. He had many questions but he wants to respect her silence.

"You won't know until you try"

After a moment of contemplation, Kagami blew on her dandelion. She watched it disappear into the night for a long time. Then she stood up and turned to face her fiance who did the same.

When Kagami looked at the man in front of her, she was reminded of the time they first met.

=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=

Back then, her father told her that he would be visiting a friend and that he wanted her to come with him to meet his children. Young and naive, the girl only wished to spend time with her father so she instantly agreed. Shy as she may be, the prospect of having a new friend also made her excited.

When they arrived at the Hoshina residence, they were immediately greeted and led inside. At the sight of unfamiliar adults and surroundings, [Y/N] hid behind her father.

Then they entered a tatami meeting room, quite similar to the one they had at home yet still different. She still hid behind her father's back even as they were seated on the cushions provided.

"Haha, pardon her, my daughter is quite shy towards people she just met."

Uzui Juzo chuckled as he tenderly pet his daughter head.

"It's no problem at all, in fact, it's quite adorable"

Hearing the stranger complement her, the child blushed and hid further. Only the two adults inside the room chuckled at the cute response.

As the adults have their conversation, she finally calmed and started to look around. It was then that she noticed the two children sitting beside the man. Surprised, she shrinked back but peeked out once more.

They were both looking at her, with the older one smiling kindly and the younger one just... staring. She saw a glimpse of his red eyes but when she blinked, his eyes were already closed. She tilted her head in confusion.

A chuckle from the man presumed to be the boys' father made her turn to look at him.

"It seems like there isn't any need for further discussion."

"I agree. It's settled then."

Seeing the two men agree on something, she thought it was finally over when...

"Kagami, introduce yourself."

Obeying her father, she fixed her position and bowed properly like she was taught.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Kagami, Uzui Kagami."

Before lifting her head, she heard the man encourage his son to reply.

"My name is Soshiro, Hoshina Soshiro. I am looking forward to knowing you, Kagami."

When she looked up, she once again saw the kid's eyes. But this time, he was smiling.

"From today onwards, the two of you are officially engaged."

Engaged? What does it mean again? Kagami thought as she once again stared at Soshiro in confusion. Sensing that, her father immediately explained.

"You are to become husband and wife in the future."

She tried to process it first before exploding red on the realization. She gazed at Soshiro in astonishment. The bowl-headed kid in front of her with narrow eyes striking red lenses was to be her husband? Husband and wife as in like her mother and father?? Someone who will be by her side forever???

Wow. Just wow. She couldn't be any happier.

=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=

She couldn't be any happier, she thought. Yes. It was true. That was one of the best moments in her life.

It was an arranged marriage for sure but she didn't mind. Being with someone for a long time, cherishing them, loving them... That's what she always wanted. It's what she wanted until now.

When she looked at the man in front of her, her heart ached yet it was racing so fast. Because she...

.

.

Because she loves him...

"Who did this to you?"

Soshiro opened his eyes to reveal his concern. His irises glanced at her swollen cheek that he couldn't see earlier as it was skillfully hidden from him. He hesitated first before caressing it, his heart filled with hatred at whoever had done this to her. His hand was cold which was what she needed at that moment as she desperately leaned on it.

"It's not important"

She closed her eyes to hide as it was the complete opposite of what she felt. It wasn't unimportant at all. She wanted to cry. She wanted to cry in his arms and have him comfort her.

"What do you mean it's not important? Someone hurt you and... I worry about you, Kagami"

Soshiro bit his tongue at the unspoken words he badly wanted to say towards the bastard who hurt her yet seeing the vulnerable look on her face, he just wanted her to feel safe.

He took her in his arms and cradled her. His left arm around her waist as his right hand was caressing her head.

"I'm here. I won't leave you. I love you"

He whispered words of assurance and sweet nothings while kissing her head. Just hearing him say I love you was enough to make her cry and sob in his arms as she finally wrapped her arms around him in a tight, desperate hug.

For years, she longed to hear those words come from his mouth. She never doubted him as he always showed her how important she is to him and how much he loves her. Rather it was herself that she doubted, she overthink things and deluded herself that he felt otherwise. After all, hearing it and feeling it were different, she wanted to hear it as much as she wanted to feel it.

"That's the first time I've heard you say that to me"

Kagami struggled to let those words out in between her hiccups. And Soshiro once again, widened his eyes in shock. He'd always been saying it on his mind and telling her about it when she's asleep. He blames himself for not telling her whenever she's awake, regretting it so much. This time he'll tell her properly.

"I love you, Kagami. I've loved you even before I met you"

He put both his hands on her cheeks and lifted her face tenderly, after of hurting her even further. He looked straight into her eyes and confessed.

"I love you too, Soshiro. From the moment I saw you until forever"

With the light returning to her eyes and bright smile on her face, Kagami confessed amidst her tears.

Soshiro's heart fluttered as this is also his first time hearing those words come from her mouth. He doesn't want to regret any further so he leaned down and placed her lips on top of hers.

It was gentle, as light as feather, but it ignited the fire in their hearts. It was a gentle first kiss, they regretted not doing it before. They've done it on every part of their faces but always hesitated on the lips. This time, there's no hesitation as they went for another, and another, and another. With every kiss getting deeper and deeper, not stopping as if they'd disappear if they did. They went at it for a long time, not even bothering that they were out of breath. They can never make up for the lost time but they sure can do it now, anytime they want.

.

When their high ended, they finally stopped and felt embarrassment. Despite their red faces, they did not let go of each other. There was still tension in the air and Kagami decided to break it by telling her what she thought of earlier.

"Earlier, I was thinking of the first time we met."

She looked up at him from her position, still leaning on his chest. Her ears listening to the fast beating of his heart. She smiled at him lovingly, placing her own hands atop his cold ones.

"Is that so?"

'Ah... His smile is so beautiful' She thought as she watched him chuckle at her reminiscing, placing his forehead on hers. She moved away a little to make it comfortable and placed his hands on her cheeks once more.

'This is bad. I'm falling in love all over again.'

"Yeah. I was so surprised back then, not knowing I'll be engaged."

"I knew about it though, my father told me about it first"

With a look of surprise, Kagami felt betrayed for being the only one who didn't know it back then.

"Well I also didn't think that i'll fall in love with the little girl who acted like a squirrel"

"Why a squirrel?"

With a blink, she tilted her head, earning a chuckle from him.

"Cause you kept hiding be it behind your father, or the wall. You were so fidgety and cute"

With a pout, she hit his chest and it only made him laugh harder.

"What about you, you were just acting cool the whole time. Soichiro-niisan used to tell me how you would always look for me when I wasn't there, then you'd whine cuz you kept losing in from of me because you didn't wa-ouch!"

Soshiro pinched her uninjured cheek to stop her from saying any further. The pout on his face telling her she succeeded in teasing him back.

"I never believed it back then but I do now!"

She tried to run away from him but failed as she still caged in his hold. She could only laugh at this moment, her laughter resonating with him as they look at each other with much love.

.

.

.

"Do you want to know why I asked you to come here?"

They just spend the time in each other's arms, knowing full well that they didn't want to leave yet. And that there's still something that needed to be addressed and he's just waiting for her to talk.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to"

Soshiro respects her decision as he knew thinking about it gives her pain. With much contemplation, Kagami finally spoke.

"My father..." Kagami bit her tongue.

"He wanted to break of our engagement"

Today must've been a day of surprises as his eyes widened for the nth time. He gently pushed Kagami away from him to look at her.

"I told him I didn't want to and..."

She touched her cheek, that was previously swollen but now only sported a bruise. Soshiro knew what that meant.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to"

"It's fine. I want to tell you"

She shook her head as she made up her mind to tell him the truth, the whole truth.

"It's long story. Will you listen?"

Soshiro nodded his head, giving him her full attention. But before that...

"Why don't we go somewhere else first. So you can do it comfortably?"

<- Previous Next ->

[princess-of-the-corner]

I had a Chloe centric idea based on my current favourite manga/anime, Kaiju No. 8. I only just started on it so here's what I've got as the general outline.

Chloe (post-season 5) is now living in New York, still struggling with her emotional issues (thanks Audrey!) when she gets infected by a strange creature, and gains the ability to transform into a humanoid human-sized kaiju (specifically a bee-esque one).

This doesn't really help her in the mental sense, though she has little time to dwell on it when a secret U.S. military unit approaches her. This unit has other members with abilities like the one Chloe has now, and fight similar monsters out of the public eye. They offer Chloe a spot in the unit, though Chloe isn't convinced, plus she's still a teen at this point.

The unit leader, being brutally honest, says that if Chloe doesn't join them, she's likely to wind up in some government black site in a remote part of the world. With few choices, and knowing Audrey won't really notice, Chloe accepts and joins.

Cut to a few years later, and Chloe is now a seasoned operator with multiple missions under her belt, and no longer hates her kaiju form (she even finds it liberating somewhat). Then comes a new mission. In Paris. Where Chloe's half sister and former classmates still are, along with Ladybug and co. Chloe is not very thrilled at this.

I have only seen a single scene from that series and it was not one that told me anything about the plot

But this idea is fantastic tbh.

[tumblezwei]

the "why do demographics even matter" discourse started up in shoujo twitter again because someone asked for shoujo recs and kept getting Apothecary Diaries, Witch Hat Atelier, and Skip and Loafer.

And it's so frustrating sometimes to see people brush off others getting mad bc "those are great series anyways so why does it matter if they're not actually shoujo"

Because that's not what they asked for, maybe??? Like even if demographics didn't matter, if the only qualifiers for shoujo were "has female lead, written by woman, no fanservice" why can you (average twitter weeb recommending something) only think of like, 5 series? And it's always the same fucking 5 series!!! Isn't that interesting? Isn't that weird?? That out of all of the manga in the whole wide world, the only ones that you can muster up for female-led and penned are the same shounen and seinen series that everyone already knows about??

And that's not me being all snobbish bc you don't know about some random niche shoujo manga from the 80s that I think deserves more attention or whatever the fuck, it's me saying THAT'S WHY DEMOS STILL MATTER!!! Because shoujo is not fucking popular in the west. it is not widespread enough for laymen to just come across new series in the wild as often as they will other demos.

There is a gigantic and diverse pool of stories that exists in the shoujo demographic. There are so many great fucking series from years ago and today that nobody knows about because you have to know to look for them. You just aren't going to be recommended shoujosei heavy hitters that are widely beloved by it's community like you are shounen or seinen. Like, if you ask for stuff to look out for in the coming seasons, you're going to get a lot more Kaiju No. 8 and Dandadan then you are Nina and the Starry Eyed Bride or Honey Lemon Soda. Odds are, out of those four, most people reading this probably only heard of the former.

And again that's not me trying to flex some weird superiority over knowing more "niche" series or whatever. I'm just trying to stress the point that it matters when people ask for shoujo. Because so often unless they go to it, so many of these incredible series will simply never get a good foothold in western audiences.

It matters because a twitter user asking for shoujo recs will absolutely come across twenty other people begging them to read Skip and Loafer. You do not need to be the lone soldier hoisting Skip and Loafer onto your shoulders on a post where OP did not ask. If you want to recommend a series but don't know if it's shoujo, it's very easy to just google it. If you don't have any to rec, then just leave it to others who do.

And maybe also take that as a sign that you can start looking too! Along with the most gentle reminder that demos are not genres. If you don't want romance stories, ask for something else. And just like someone will like one shounen (i.e. FMA) but not another (i.e. Rent-a-Girlfriend), you will come across shoujo series that you like and those that you don't.

[dropintomanga]

Kaiju No. 8 - The Beauty of a 32-Year Old Hero

When it comes to shonen manga, almost every protagonist is either a teenager or at most, a 20-something year old. However, in one shonen series, someone in their ‘30s is the main star. That manga is Naoya Matsumoto’s Kaiju No. 8 and its hero is a 32-year old man still trying to make his dreams come true.

Kafka Hibino, the protagonist, was once someone who aspired to be a member of the Defense Force to fight against kaiju. He has a childhood friend, Mina Ashiro, who had the same dream. Mina would achieve her dream by becoming a high-ranking Defense Force officer, while Kafka ended up becoming a kaiju disposal worker. One day at his job, Kafka meets a young, aspiring Defense Force member named Leno Ichikawa. The two formed a quick bond despite their age gap. Leno then tells Kafka that the age limit to be a Defense Force soldier was increased to 33. Kafka thought about chasing the dream again, but then he and Leno were attacked by a monster. Kafka saves Leno, but the monster somehow ends up inside Kafka’s body. Kafka suddenly gains the ability to become a very powerful kaiju as a result and decides to join the Defense Force with his newfound powers and catch up to Mina despite being the “enemy.”

It’s pretty cool to see this because there’s not enough middle-aged main heroes in shonen series worth highlighting. This is true in most Japanese media. Either they’re young or old. There’s no in-between. However, I will note that almost every shonen series is about chasing your dreams. Kafka is the same.

You can arguably say the important message from Kaiju No. 8 is that you’re never too old to still chase your dreams. Better late than never, right? I think of the people who have a lot of goals and dreams, only for them to stop chasing them or just be crushed by the weight of them. And then I remember something someone once said to me, “Sometimes, they were never given the opportunity to dream again or be able to chase it.” In Kafka’s case, meeting Leno and getting kaiju powers were those opportunities.

We’re all so bombarded with often mundane responsibilities that seek to limit our dream-seeking and our potential to help one another during times of great stress. We’re not built to be cogs for a world that won’t always think the best for us.

What shined for me with regards to Kaiju No. 8 is Kafka’s enthusiasm and the vulnerability that comes as a result of it. Because he is so ambitious about protecting people, Kafka has insecurities about what to do if he can’t protect anyone. There was a moment in the story where his kaiju powers were getting the best of him. While fighting a powerful kaiju, Kafka starts to become afraid of transforming out of fear of going berserk on his Defense Force comrades and hurting innocent people. One of Kafka’s fellow comrades, Kikoru Shinomiya, snaps him out of it by telling him not to think so little of those who are strong enough to handle themselves. Learn to trust others who can protect themselves.

I think the older we get, the more we tend to dislike a lot of people. It’s different in Kafka’s case, but I really like that this is a middle-aged character with a bunch of enthusiasm about helping people in need. I think Kafka is a timely character because we have a lot of anime/manga fans aging into their ‘30s and some still have that shonen mindset of wanting to make things happen.

While not giving up is always aspiring, the environment we’re placed in can sometimes make someone want to do so. That’s why I believe it’s important that institutions provide resources and opportunities to make middle-aged adults still feel like they matter. 4 years of college in your 20s’ should not be the end of learning and growing. I say this because ageism is still a huge problem in the world. There’s definitely cool people like Kafka out there, but sometimes, they just need a chance by others to prove themselves when they can’t find it themselves.

What’s interesting to me is that Kaiju No. 8 came off the heels of another property featuring a middle-aged hero in a genre that normally has young protagonists, Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The game starred a 40-year old former yakuza, Kasuga Ichiban, who falls out of luck with his triad family in Tokyo and tries to rebuild his life in Yokohama. It’s also a turn-based Japanese RPG, where middle-aged characters tend to be in the supporting roles. A lot of people (especially older adults) found this game refreshing because it’s about a group of middle-aged adults taking the stage to fight against a huge political conspiracy. The game’s sequel, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, continues this trend of older JRPG protagonists that are relatable to middle-aged adults.

Much like what the Like a Dragon games did for me, Kaiju No. 8 and Kafka show that adults can still do some great things despite some limitations. Sure, the other characters in the manga are great, but Kafka being the chosen hero at the age of 32 who can save everyone is what some readers and I are looking for. Naoya Matsumoto gave a great message about the manga’s appeal in that it’s for people dealing with the complexes of reality who are trying to create a future worth having. It’s not just about chasing dreams; it’s more about having some kind of realistic optimism for life and the people who are doing their best.

No matter what age we’re at, we should be given a chance to decide what we want to better ourselves and the world.

[justaloreaddict]

Thank you @sableglass for the tag!

I was humming "Getting To Know You" while reading here and then as I wrote.

Short Stories, Novels, Or Poems?

All of the above. I prefer more novel length stories, but sometimes I have only a few scenes or ideas to make a short story, and poetry is so much fun to make the word sounds and tempo echo the feelings in my head.

What genre do you prefer reading?

Fantasy Fiction, Sci-Fi, Space Opera, Historical Fiction…off the top of my head.

Are you a planner or write as I go person?

Write as I go. I might make a simple bullet plot point list to keep generally on-track, but if I have ideas for the future I just put them down near where they’d fit and then work towards fitting them in.

What music do you listen to while writing?

Whatever feels in-theme for either the story as a whole, a primary character who is around, or just the vibe of the scene regardless of any other factors. So I could be listening to dark dubstep while writing a fantasy scene, just because the vibes are good overbearing cosmic horror.

Favorite book/movies?

Okay, that’s a real can of worms. I will never not recommend the Dinotopia books, especially Journey to Chandara. I love the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld, and his Uglies series was also good. I love Wandering Star by Teri S. Wood, the first space opera I ever read and I think first book I ever shed tears over. The Last Dragon is another wonderful graphic novel, and so beautiful with the best story. Drifting Dragons, Kaiju No.8, Fullmetal Alchemist, Delicious in Dungeon, all good manga. I should stop here… Movie is Treasure Planet, followed by Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’hoole and Epic.

Any current WIPs?

Heh, yeah…all the titles are WIPs of varying attachment too.

Lay Your Weapons Down, Changelings and Scars, and CSD are my primary WIPs, and then V:TM v5 nonsense also gets added to here and there.

If someone were to make a cartoon out of you, what would be your standard outfit?

Jeans, work books, a flannel, and a furred hunter's cap with long flaps that cover the ears.

Create a character description of yourself:

A socially awkward beanpole who first seems mute until she suddenly says something. Then very loud and struggles to quiet down once comfortable.

Do you like incorporating actual people you know into your writing?

In what way? Like taking their personality or appearance copy-paste? No, I don’t. But some of the creative people I know have done intensive research and thought on things I never think about so I absolutely use their ideas when mine fail and it makes sense.

Are you kill happy with your characters?

No. I don’t like killing off any of my characters. Even if it is plot-important, I feel a bit bad.

Coffee or Tea while writing?

Tea, but only because it’s harder to make coffee that I like at home than tea.

Slow or fast writer?

Middling? When I’m going at it it is a flurry of words. When I’m not feeling it, takes ages.

Where/who/what do you draw inspiration from?

All over the place. Authors I like, manga/books/graphic novels I enjoy, my surroundings, aesthetics, music I listen to, concepts I stumble across once, shower thoughts, just about anything really.

If you were in a fantasy world, what would you be?

I would be an unexpected magical healer. Maybe a bit of a trickster too, but true to my word and fiercely loyal. I’d claim to be a cleric, but it’d be hard to pin down my deity. There would be many rumors about me, but I’d ignore them all.

Most favorite cliche:

Shallow characters who are actually very insightful.

Least favorite cliche:

Only one bed, or anything romance related really. Even meet-cutes.

Favorite scene to write?

Scenes that I feel powerfully. Could be a character embracing their potential, someone comforting a friend, a character being deeply pained but pushing through. If I feel like I am right there with the character when I write and reread a scene then it is my favorite scene.

Reason for writing?

For fun, and to get the thoughts out of my head so I can focus on other things 😅

[popontomarnie]

no you guys HEAR ME OUT

i saw these comments on mal that kaijuu no. 8 is a very typical shonen where a loser becomes a hero and setting is quite poor why don't they just build big robots and LET ME TELL YOU KAIJUU NO. 8 IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL SHONEN, IT'S GOOD AND REALISTIC

because why would you build big ass robots in japan where streets are narrow and it's almost impossible to relocate people completely, why would you build big ass robots that would just whip out whole districts? mottainai, how japanese people say, why do this if you can use lighter and more compact and easier to maintain weapons?? (and yeah, light and easier to maneuver is what valued a lot in millitary).

also, it's not about only one person becoming a hero and saving the day, it's about cooperation, look at all the structures working together to solve the problem, from evacuating people to cleaning the streets after, when was the last time we saw it somewhere? (in pacrim, i think).

and hibino kafka? is he an instant hero? does he use his power to save the day? no. he doesn't want to use it, reno doesn't want his senpai to use it. instead, kafka does what he does the best, he uses his knowledge and experience, and this is what i like the most about this anime: the idea that there's no absolute loser, everyone is good at something, and only if you unite you can win.

and yeah, finally it's not 13 y.o. who saves everybody, thank you very much.

(idk about in which direction manga goes, i'm planning to start it in summer, but so far i'm in love with kaiju no. 8)

[roydeezed]

Weekly Shonen Jump Manga Round-Up(2023-04-17)

Another week on this indifferent earth, but at least we’ve got some new chapters of some good manga. Including a new series that I have high hopes for! Where I’ll talk about any thoughts I’ve had on manga that were released this sunday. The ones which I care about and have extensive thoughts on will get their own sections while the others will be packaged into one section at the end. I also missed talking about Chainsaw Man, Kaiju No 8, and the Steam Ninja Scrolls, so I’ll throw those in here too. 

Chainsaw Man(Chapter 126)

There wasn’t much to talk about in this week’s chapter but the main reason it’s not it’s own thing is ‘cause I got lazy. The overall gist of the chapter was that Denji fought the falling devil and lost, someone gave him blood to power him back up, and the falling devil found Asa. But below that, there’s a few things. Obviously Denji calling Asa his Ex-Potential Girlfriend and lobotomizing himself were funny moments, but they show an interesting relationship between us as the reader and Denji. Denji’s not that smart. Not enough to crack jokes while taking on bad guys like say Spider-Man. But there’s humour in these scenes. That comes from the fact that humiliates himself with these things while there’s obvious pain behind them. This sounds obvious because dark humours always been a thing, but what it shows in a certain sense is how dulled Denji’s had to live his life. He quite literally did have a life he couldn’t imagine for a while, living with friends and having fun. And that was ripped away in a way that he couldn’t fully comprehend. That’s shown as the falling devil brings up Denji’s unresolved trauma with Power and Aki’s death’s. And now, having to deal with it, in everyday life, he actively lobotomizes himself by trying to ignore that the life he’s living isn’t that great. He’s poor, doesn’t have great hygiene, is used by classmates as footstools and mocked and degraded and he’s had to give up a lot of things for Nayuta. But then, what’s left? Why do we like him so much? He’s a lovable idiot, sure. But there’s something else, right? There has to be. And there is. It’s his persistence. His desire for a normal life. It’s why Pochita loved him as well. He wanted Denji to live out his dreams. But more and more they seem like nightmares. 

Kaiju No. 8(Chapter 84)

This manga often fluctuates between falling back on shounen crutches and exploring characters through a genuinely interesting setting. This chapter hits a nice balance between both of those. While starting off in a way that suggested the chapter was going to use willpower and the power of friendship as the answer to her problems(which, yeah they kinda did), it actually ended up taking a more nuanced route. While reading this for the first time, I legitimately laughed at the page with a tiny Shinomiya holding a giant axe only to turn the page and feel a wave of genuine emotion as she rushed the Kaiju and grew older as she did. It’s elementary visual storytelling but sometimes the basics can pack a serious punch. Kafka in a way represents the OPMC archetype, especially in the way that he started from nothing. But more than most he still retains the mentality from being as low as he was and it characterizes a lot of his decisions. Especially in the way he’s able to empathize and understand others, including understanding the fact that Shinomiya needs to have faith placed in her to grow up. This faith allows her to go from someone seeking approval to someone understanding that people count on them. 

Cipher Academy(Chapter 20)

This page goes so hard

Before getting into this week’s chapter, I want to mention that when Toshusai won all her chips, Ano only bet 1 while both Iroha and Yosaimura both bet 5. That said so much about her that I didn’t factor in. She’s not a risk taker. She’ll go in for the sure thing when she’s sure it’s a sure thing. Anyways, at the start of the chapter, Iroha goes through some massive PTSD from remembering his auditing session from chapter 11 and the game goes to a three-way tie between Yosaimura, Toshusai, and Ano at 13 chips and Iroha in last place with 6 chips. Both Yosaimura and Toshusai admire Iroha but they put all their chips on the line in one final gambit for two different reasons. For Toshusai I feel like it might be friendship but for Yosaimura I think it’s her pride, mixed in with how much she hates Ano and her cheating as well as a belief that fate will decide the best candidate. Yosaimura has been built up to fail but I don’t think that’s going to happen just yet. And it looks like Toshusai still has some important development left as both of these are eliminated when Ano switches out the cards and games the system itself. And this leaves Iroha to climb a massive mountain of 39 chips versus her 6. Iroha is broken out of his funk with the power of friendship and resolves to take on Ano with raw skills alone. On a side note, calling it Lasik Reading is just perfection. Hmm this just sent me on a thought spiral of wondering what the glasses represent. I wonder if the fact that Iroha is more about breaking down a person without any weapons of war, the glasses in this case, represent the fact the he achieves his answers through diplomacy? I might be reaching there, but there’s something here I think. Anyways, the fact is that the final battle is between someone unreadable who games the system and someone incredibly transparent who reads people in a game where the desperate play of cheating the system has already been made. I can see Iroha playing Ano at her own game and bluffing gaming the system. Though the fact Ano is so close with Kogoe makes me feel like anything could happen. 

The Elusive Samurai(Chapter 106)

106 Chapters! Yes!! I’m so happy to say that I am finally into this story. So many things came together so perfectly in the last few chapters that I am sure Yusei Matsui has been building to this point for a while. The entire atmosphere of the past while, where joy and excitement was to be found on the battlefield gets quickly turned on it’s head as Ashikaga Takauji enters the fray properly. What I just realized is that Takauji is basically like an Eldritch being, a lovecraftian monster, a cosmic horror. He’s so unknowable and undecipherable that he strikes true terror into not only the readers but Tokiyuki. This is such a genius turning of the tables, I’m at a loss for words. Not only were his forces decimated, but Tokiyuki was also betrayed and is now about to lose Yorishige. There is no way out of this. This doesn’t seem to be a setup telling us that he’ll somehow worm his way out of this. No, this is telling us to mourn. And it’s in these viscerally real moments that Assasination Classroom hid it’s heart and it’s here where we see Elusive Samurai’s as well. I am along for the ride now. 

Tenmaku Cinema(Chapter 2)

This continues the trajectory from last week's chapter but tones down the comedy. Which I don’t mind, because while it was very funny, the tradeoff gives us a lot more information and interesting character dynamics. Not only do I love this for the film references, but I love the attitude it takes with them. It’s reverent but also understands how fun it all is. Like it’s silly to get excited over surface level film references, but it’s so rare to see these two worlds that I love so dearly interact. And this does it so well, even diving a little deeper as we see later. I also want to talk about how dynamic the paneling is, it keeps all of the energy that food wars had but keeps it in check so it makes sense for the subject material. You know what I’m talking about. The female lead, Karakui is as dynamic a character as Hajime and Tenmaku are. She appears to be quite stoic and unphased but once she starts talking about what she loves, she opens up. This feels like a great companion piece to another manga I love that’s going on right now in Shonen Jump and that’s Beat and Motion. Both of the heroine’s are fiercely protective of the notion of dreams and art and the relationship between both pairs seems to be headed in the same way. Though in this, Tenmaku plays a third wheel but in the way Sai from hikaru No Go interacted with the plot, acting as a mentor. I also love the chemistry between Hajime and Karakui. That’s some film nerd shit. Especially the part where Hajime talks about awarding a crazy amount of points to Shawwshank, though usually it’s more like incomprehensible gibberish when you can’t find the words. But you get it cause the emotions make sense. And the emotions make sense here. I also wondered how they were going to shoot it but I totally forgot Hajime belonged to the film club. 

Kill Blue(Chapter 1)

Reading the description of this on the pop-up notification on my phone, I was ready to hate it. Cause who needs another hitman assassin manga? But then I read it. What’re the chances the past two manga Jump has released would both be good? Turns out, really good, cause Kill Blue slaps. It got me ya’ll, it got me. Especially with the plot faintly following my favourite Bollywood film. Oof, that was a cheap shot. But it’s also by the people that made Robot X Laserbeam, a manga who’s artstyle I loved and which probably could’ve been way better with a different sport since golf kinda just sucks. But more than anything, this manga has potential. In exploring Juzo’s past and his relationship with his wife. Why Kotatsu is doing this job at such an early age and willing to look after Juzo. The backstory behind the organization who made the wasp and why people are coming after the Assassin Boss’s daughter. And Juzo’s interaction with the Assassin boss’s daughter and his own daughter as a kid himself. But most importantly, Juzo being such a depressed loner while being really cool and falling in love with learning is such a wholesome character dynamic, that I can’t wait to see more. The art style is also wonderful for this, as Juzo’s precise moves go so well with the sharp and angular artwork. I have high hopes for this too.

THE LEFTOVERS

The best shounen manga are able to marry action and character development in a way that elevates both and Konoha’s Story: The Steam Ninja Scrolls(Chapter 13) pulled that off phenomenally well this chapter. Is it convenient that Mirai’s comes across a member of the cult that killed her father while on a coming of age journey? Yes, but what story isn’t? Stories are what happen when you’re walking along with a camera and you happen to capture something that’s so monumental and rare that outsider’s can only believe that it was planned. Mirai’s growth this chapter was not only through trusting her teammates but also stepping into her fathers shoes. In Naruto we didn’t get to see much of Asuma, but what Mirai pulls off here is exactly something he’d do. Witch Watch(Chapter 105) has Moi join Kanshi on a double date after Kiego refuses. Nico accidentally casts a joke on Moi that makes him crack jokes on top of the spell that had him acting honest so he starts blasting out jokes with no self awareness. A lot of the jokes flew over my head as I lacked the cultural context but it was still a pretty funny chapter. It made a definite point in advancing the plot as it brought up Moi’s feelings, the curse and set out to bring my new favourite character Fran back into the story. This week’s My Hero Academia(Chapter 385) reminded me why I appreciate One Piece’s geographic awareness. Because though it’s outlined in the beginning of the chapter, this climactic fight is all over the place not only geographically, but also emotionally. I’m not totally sure why character’s who’s inner struggles we’ve never seen, like Mt. Lady, are taking so much of the center stage in this final conflict. A fight like this is supposed to be a culmination of character arc’s, not a muddled emotional mess. Mission: Yozakura Family(Chapter 174) takes another interesting step with enrolling Alpha and Hifumi into a school run by Kyochiro. I am kinda digging this development. This feels like it fits the vibe of the story much better and focuses it on the duo rather than having to give the entire family their due each chapter.

Me & Roboco(Chapter 133) had a fun chapter about a Kendama competition to tie into some new merch. I love how shameless it’s about it because it’s such a Roboco attitude. Jiangshi X(Chapter 12) had a pretty great chapter that mourned the deaths of the fallen. I really appreciate when manga does this because the pace of manga is so fast these days there isn’t always time to do that. The fact that they mourn them while on the run also highlights the impact their deaths had on them. Ichigoki’s Under Control!!(Chapter 19) comes to an end with a wedding chapter! Fabricant 100(Chapter 18) actually gives Ashibe a proper training arc! I am an absolute sucker for training arcs and detailed dives into how characters learn their powers so I was very happy with this chapter. I was even happier with how Ashibe acknowledged that this was his first technique. It’s a verbal confirmation of things to come and I’m excited.

Somehow, in Mashle: Magic and Muscles(Chapter 152) the throwaway comic relief character continues to be the most interesting and emotional character in a series on flat duds. Maybe I’m taking my frustration of Ginka and Gluna being axed while this continues. The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins(Chapter 21) has been a little rocky of late, even most of this chapter feels at times rushed and unfocused, but it looks to be getting back on track with a good ol’ Taizan5 murder. I really hope this story gets to tell itself the way it wants to. Because Taizan5’s earned that with Takopi. Let the man cook. And just like with Takopi, I’m sure the future chapters will make the previous ones better on reflection. In Akane-Banashi(Chapter 58) we catch up with our characters after the competition and find out the winner’s as well as dive into Hikaru’s motivation a little bit more as well as learn that she still has tricks up her sleeve. The rest of the chapter is spent emphasizing Akane’s need to find her strengths and her style. At the end of the chapter she’s left with a difficult choice. Blue Box(Chapter 97) continues from where it left off and quickly makes things wonderfully second-guessy. I love these characters quite a bit now so it’s cute to see them fumble through all of this. But Yumeka quickly becomes my favourite character because she just straight up calls Taiki on it, and not only that, which his friends and rivals have already done, but also challenges him to act on it. Just like how Taiki meddled in her life and improved it, Yumeka is trying to return the favour. 

Uh… the battle continues in Black Clover(Chapter 357).

Fuuko’s acting like such a leader in this week’s Undead Unluck(Chapter 155). This chapter also brings Gina and Sean back into focus. Whereas Nico has been Fuuko’s right hand, Gina can be seen as her left. Gina is such a great character because she’s literally the perfect encapsulation of  “If we’d met under different circumstances maybe we could’ve been friends”. There’s a heartbreaking connection holding the two together, representing Fuuko’s first real regret. They all owe her for changing their lives for the better but Gina’s got a connection with Fuuko unlike any other. I’m also really glad these two joined them because not only is it better to have more options, but I always love seeing the negators bounce off of each other. Also Sean and Gina make such a great duo, they have one brain cell pinging in between the two of them. Apes together stupid. Sakamoto Days(Chapter 115) delivers another dope action sequence and makes clear what the stakes really are. I’m really liking this slow ratchet up in tension. Kei almost gets caught and his motivation clearly reveals him as a good person as does his refusal to hurt the chairman’s wife and kids. Spy X Family (Chapter 78.1) somehow delivers a better chapter in two pages than the entirety of this week’s Mashle. Yes I am now admitting to being a Mashle hater. Jujutsu Kaisen(Chapter 220) feels like it’s gearing up for a final climactic showdown.

[mrsmarymorstan]

Manga Recommendations!

I've been asked a few times to recommend manga for people, so this is my Master List for Recs! The basic rules are that I have to have read at least 3 available volumes before recommending it, unless there are less than that available in English. I've included any major content warnings, but I will miss some stuff. I've differentiated between Romance, BL/GL and Queer Positive mostly because of vibes and the fact that I figured if you wanted to pick out Queer Stories then it was easier to jump to that section than scoot through romance! And also I didn't want people to think that just because I'm recommending a BL/GL series doesn't mean I think it's good Gay Rep! But as they say, I support Gay Wrongs AS WELL as Gay Rights.

If the series has a * it means it's available on the Shonen Jump App/Viz Media Website as part of their subscription service.

Action Adventure

Blue Exorcist* by Kazue Kato (159+ chapters, ongoing, final arc)

Rin Okumura appears to be an ordinary, somewhat troublesome teenager—that is until one day he is ambushed by demons. His world turns upside down when he discovers that he is in fact the very son of Satan and that his demon father kills his adoptive father with the aim of possessing Rin so he can conquer Assiah. Whilst the other Exorcists decide the solution is to kill Rin, he persuades them to let him train to become an exorcist himself under the tutelage of all those at True Cross Academy. Including his younger twin brother Yukio!

Another one to add to the list of "Good Shonen Written By Women".

Cardcaptor Sakura by CLAMP 9 Volumes, complete.

Quintesential Magical Girl series! Sakura Kinomoto is a normal ten year-old girl until she accidentally releases the mystical clow cards! Now with the help of Keros -- the Guaradian of the cards -- she must locate and capture all the escaped cards before they cause more mayhem on her home town! She's not the only one looking to become master of the clow though, and soon Sakura is making new rivals as well as new friends.

CW: This series was written in th 90s and it shows. There are multiple positive depictions of Student/Teacher relationships including one between a ten year old and her homeroom teacher. These are deemed as okay because they are soulmates.

Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui (14 Volumes, Complete)

What do you get when you cross dungeon adventures and food manga? You get Delicious in Dungeon, where we find our troupe of adventurers on a mission to save their lost team member while figuring out how to survive on the food that the dungeon provides. When young adventurer Laios and his company are attacked and soundly thrashed by a dragon deep in a dungeon, the party loses all its money and provisions. They're eager to get right back to it, but there's just one problem: if they set out with no food or coin to speak of, they're sure to eat it on the way! But Laios comes up with a brilliant idea: "Let's eat the monsters!" Slimes, basilisks, mimics, and even dragons…none are safe from the appetites of these dungeon-crawling gourmands!

Demon Slayer* by Koyoharu Gotouge 23 Volume, complete.

Returning home one day, 14 year old Tanjiro discovers that his whol family has been killed by a demon. The only survivor is his younger sister Nezuko, who has instead been turned into a demon herself. He must now join the Demon Slayer Core in order to find the demon who killed his family and find a way to turn Nezuko back into a human!

CW: Graphic depictions of violence. Implied sexual assult. Implied child sex workers. Child death. A character must repeatedly cut their throat in order to escape a dream world.

Kaiju No. 8* by Naoya Matumoto (ongoing)

"Kafka hopes to one day keep his pact with his childhood friend Mina to join the Japan Defense Force and fight by her side. But while she’s out neutralizing kaiju as Third Division captain, Kafka is stuck cleaning up the aftermath of her battles. When a sudden rule change makes Kafka eligible for the Defense Force, he decides to try out for the squad once more. There’s just one problem—he’s made the Defense Force’s neutralization list under the code name Kaiju No. 8."

What to do when you want to battle Kaiju but you yourself are also a Kaiju.

Magical Girl Dandelion by Kaeru Mizuho (7+ Chapters)

A teenage girl who's had a powerful bodyguard ever since she was a child: a monster lurking in the shadows. But one day, the girl is asked to become a magical girl to fight the villainous creatures who threaten mankind. Monsters similar to her loyal companion. But despite the complicated situation, he can't help but keep protecting her.

My Hero Academia Vigilantes* by Hideyuki Furuhashi ad Betten Court 126 chapters (complete)

"Koichi Haimawari couldn’t make the cut to become an official hero, so he uses his modest Quirk to do good deeds in his spare time. Then one day a fateful encounter with some local thugs leads him to team up with two other unlikely heroes. None of them really know what they’re doing, but they’ve got the courage—or foolishness—to try. But they soon discover fighting evil takes more than just being brave…"

Okay, hear me out. This one is for the Superhero fans wanting to get into manga. This is the Batman to mainline's Shazam, but without all the women in refridgerators. It's digs deeper on the more adult aspects of hero society, with a more anti-cop, anti-establishment appraoch. It's also facinating to see Koichi become LESS synical as the series goes on.

This series also made Midnight one of my favourite characters and now it's really awkward when people assume I just mean mainline Midnight and not Midnight who was allowed to have depth and development.

CW: Implied sexual assult

Prince Freya by Keiko Ishihara (10+ Vols available in English, ongoing)

"The powerful kingdom of Sigurd has slowly been conquering all the lands that share its borders, and now it has turned its voracious attention to the small, resource-rich kingdom of Tyr. Tyr cannot hope to match Sigurd in strength, so in order to survive it must rely on the intelligence, skill, and cunning of its prince and his loyal knights. But when the prince is poisoned, a young village maiden named Freya, who bears a shocking resemblance to the fallen prince, must step into his place to save them all."

CW: Non-Graphic Sexual Assault, sexual themes, Non-Con Kissing, Heavy Violence, Decapitation, Trauma, PTSD

The King's Beast by Rei Toma (14+ available in English, ongoing)

Rangetsu is an Ajin, a person with animal features, mystical abilities and a second class citizen. Female Ajin are forced into sex work and male Ajin are forced into the millitary. If they are lucky, they might be taken away as a Beast Servant for one of the King's children. That's what happend to Rangetsu's twin brother, Sogetsu until he was suddenly murdered in a political assasination. Rangetsu swears revenge, and diguises herself as a man in order to become the Prince's new Beast Servant. Yet when the time comes to kill him, can she actually do it?

CW: There is an underlining Master X Servant (Slave) relationship but this is depicted as knowingly problematic and messy, although still inherently romantic. A slave class is depicted as animalistic. Attempted Sexual Assualt. Sexual Assualt. Attempted child sexual assult. Forced Prostitution. Cannibalism. Mental Illness.

Tokyo Mew Mew by Reiko Yoshida and Mia Ikumi (3 Omnibus Volumes, complete)

"Momomiya Ichigo was just trying to enjoy a date with the boy she liked, Aoyama Masaya. Instead, she ended up conscripted into a struggle against aliens intent on wiping humanity from the earth! The Mew Project has infused five young girls with the DNA of endangered creatures, and given them special powers to fight chimera anima, earth animals transformed into monsters by alien parasites. Somehow, Ichigo has to get her teammates to work together, battle chimera anima, and fend off the attacks (and advances?) of the aliens themselves. And that's in addition to keeping her identity secret and improving her relationship with Masaya. Not to mention, just who is that mysterious Blue Knight anyway?"

Witch Hat Atelier by Kamone Shiramama (12+ Volumes available in English, ongoing)

"In a world where everyone takes wonders like magic spells and dragons for granted, Coco is a girl with a simple dream: She wants to be a witch. But everybody knows magicians are born, not made, and Coco was not born with the gift for magic. She's resigned to her un-magical life, until a traveling magician passes through her village, and Coco learns what what everybody "knows" might not be the truth."

Yona of the Dawn by Mizuho Kusanagi 40+ Volumes ongoing

"Princess Yona lived a happy life with her peace-loving father, King Il. Surrounded by attentive servants and protected by her smart-mouthed bodyguard, Hak, Yona's only difficulties in life were her unruly red hair and trying to convince her father to let her marry her cousin, Soo-wan. Then one day a betrayal in the palace causes Yona to lose everything, turning her into an exile with no one left but Hak to defend her. Yona is determined to become strong in her own right and defeat those who wronged her, and an ancient legend involving the Crimson Dragon King and his four Dragon Warriors may be her key to reclaiming her kingdom."  CW: Violence, murder, drug abuse, threats of sexual violence

Boy Love/Girl Love

5 Seconds Before a Witch Falls in Love by Zeniko Sumiya (One Shot)

The lone witch Meg has one-upped the witch hunter Lilith by turning her into a cat. The spell can be broken, if Lilith kisses the one who cast the spell upon her…

10 Dance by Inoue Satou (Lime) 6+ Volumes Ongoing

"Shinya Sugiki, the dashing lord of Standard Ballroom, and Shinya Suzuki, passionate king of Latin Dance: The two share more than just a first name and a love of the sport. They each want to become champion of the 10-Dance Competition, which means they'll need to learn the other's specialty dances, and who better to learn from than the best? But old rivalries die hard, and things get complicated even further when they realize there might be more between them than an uneasy partnership..."

CW: Internalised homophobia/biphobia, Casual Xenophobia/Racism (treated negatively)

A Beast's Love is Like the Moon by Guri Nojiro (One Shot)

Tired of the fast-paced city life, Izuki has agreed to take care of his uncle's house in the mountains, which are said to be "visited by yokai." Izuki, dismissive of the superstition, goes exploring — only to be attacked by a yokai in the woods. He's saved by a beautiful man named Haku, who claims to be the incarnation of a komainu guardian dog. He pledges himself to Izuki and begs him to be his master. Izuki refuses at first, wanting to return to the city as quickly as possible, but is swayed by Haku's lonely eyes and brings him back to the house. Gradually, he falls into a comfortable rhythm with the pushy but devoted Haku while living under the same roof, and Izuki wonders if he really wants to return to the city as he thought. However, Haku harbors a secret that could put Izuki's life at risk. Will Izuki and Haku come together in the end, or will Haku succumb to the loneliness that he's held at bay for centuries…?

Birds of Shangri-la by Ranmaru Zariya (Lemon) 2+ Volumes (ongoing)

"A paradise of sensuality, Shangri-La is a male brothel celebrating the glories of gay sex. Newly hired Apollo is in charge of getting the men ready for clients, but as a straight man, he’s a bit naive. Phi, one of the brothel’s most sought-after prostitutes, is tasked with getting him up to speed, but not before toying with him a bit. Too bad the rules of the brothel are clear—no orgasms, no penetration, and no falling in love!"

CW: Flashbacks to Child Sexual Assault/Child Prostitution, graphic depictions of violence, blackmail.

Overall it has a Positive depiction of Sex Work, but YMMV

Catch These Hands by murata (4/4 vols available in English)

"Back in the day, Takebe was a tough-as-nails delinquent who could throw hands with anyone. But right when she finally decides to leave her old ways behind, Takebe has a surprise reunion with her old rival, the “Bloody Cardigan” Soramori. After all these years, she still wants a piece of Takebe—but not in the way anyone expected! Her proposal: If Soramori can beat Takebe in a fight, they have to start dating?!"

Cherry Magic! 30 Years of Virginity can make you a Wizard?! by Yuu Toyota (Light Lime) 12+ Volumes (ongoing)

"It's complicated: A thirty-year-old virgin gets more than he bargained for when his newfound magical power reveals he's the object of his male coworker's affections! Adachi, a thirty-year-old virgin, discovers he has the magical power to read the minds of people he touches. Unfortunately, the ability just makes him miserable since he doesn't know how to use it well! And to make matters worse, when he accidentally reads the mind of his very competent, handsome colleague, Adachi discovers the guy has a raging crush on none other than Adachi himself! Things are about to get very awkward!"

Coyote by Ranmaru Zariya (Lemon) 4+ Volumes (ongoing)

"In order to conceal that he’s a werewolf, Coyote avoids getting too involved with humans. But Marleen, a pianist at a bar he frequents, is interested in him and just won’t take no for an answer. When Coyote unexpectedly goes into heat for the first time, Marleen catches him while he’s unable to maintain his human form and offers up a tempting invitation. Coyote wants to resist, but can he?" CW: Violence, Murder

Delinquent Daddy and Tender Teacher by Tama Mizuki (lime) (4+ Volumes, Ongoing)

In high school, studious Hitsuji had a secret crush on one of his guy friends–a friendly delinquent named Hatoyama–but never confessed. Years later, Hitsuji is a slightly anxious but responsible adult who found his calling as an elementary school teacher. One of his young students is upset with a sloppy and nonconformist dad–who turns out to be Hatoyama! When Hitsuji learns that Hatoyama is struggling to raise his son as a single parent, Hitsuji helps him out, first as a teacher and then as a friend who can teach Hatoyama how to clean his home and cook actual vegetables. As the men grow closer, some of Hitsuji’s anxieties begin to melt around the welcoming (and grateful) Hatoyama. What will become of the feelings Hitsuji used to harbor for his first love?

Dick Fight Island by Reibun Ike (Lemon) 2 Volumes (complete)

Every Four Years the Mighty Wyrm tournament takes place on the island of Pulau Yang Indah between the eight clans to choose the next king! The rules? He who comes first, looses. This year, Harto represents the diamond clan and has been doing important research in the outside world, where he has discovered a special technique that he hopes will lead his clan to victory! It involves a previously unknown spot hidden deep within the warrior's mighty arse: The Prostate.

CW: DubCon but in the same way that fighting tournaments are. You don't exactly WANT the person to punch you in the face, but you agreed to the terms when you stepped in the ring and can tap out whenever you want.

The Dragon's Betrothed by Meguru Hinohara (Lemon) 2+ Volumes, ongoing

"Troubled writer Chiharu Izunome reluctantly returns to his rural hometown, hoping some R & R will refresh his creative juices. Instead of finding respite, he’s quickly entangled by an old promise to wed a local god! Rin, the water dragon god to whom Chiharu has been betrothed, can be disarmingly friendly and charming, but inside lurks an animalistic ferocity. Knowing that he can’t escape Rin’s protective embrace, can Chiharu make himself fall in love with the god instead?" CW: Dubious consent that becomes explicit consent

Go for it Nakamura! by Syundei 2 volumes (Complete)

Nakamura has a huge crush on Hirose and is convinced he has it in him to become friends! Now if only he could actually say a few words in front of him?

The answer to "What if Rumiko Takahashi wrote a wholesome, unproblematic Boy Love?"

Goodbye, My Rose Garden by Dr. Pepperco (3 Volumes, Complete)

England, the early 1900s. Alice, a young noblewoman, has a Japanese maid named Hanako working in her household. The two have a fairly typical relationship… until the day Alice begs Hanako to kill her. As Hanako tries to figure out why her mistress would make such a terrible request, she and Alice grow closer until an entirely new feeling begins to blossom between them. CW: Suicidal Ideation, Racism, Homophobia, Misogyny

I Got Reincarnated in a (BL) World of Big (Man) Boobs by Tsukiji Nao (3 Omnibus Volumes)

"I just... wanted to... touch boobies..." Nagare Otokawa was an otaku loser obsessed with breasts. He tragically died never knowing the feel of the sweet, sweet bosoms he'd craved all his life. Little does he know, his wish is about to be granted in a way he never would have expected. Nagare gets reincarnated as a handsome guy and quickly realizes that he’s living in a (BL) world full of sexy (male) beauties. Even so, he sets out to find and squeeze the bust of his dreams. He does, in fact, end up with his face planted deeply in some luscious cleavage, but to his dismay, it's the magnificent pecs of the super-muscular class delinquent, Ryuji Onizuka! Now Nagare must try to dodge his way past the barrage of BL scenarios that hurtle into his path. Will he persevere and get the busty girlfriend of his dreams, or will he end up falling for the all-man—yet temptingly bodacious—Ryuji?

I Hear the Sunspot by Yuki Fumino, 4 Parts, 6+ Volumes (ongoing)

"Because of a hearing disability, Kohei is often misunderstood and has trouble integrating into life on campus, so he learns to keep his distance. That is until he meets the outspoken and cheerful Taichi. He tells Kohei that his hearing loss is not his fault. Taichi's words cut through Kohei's usual defense mechanisms and open his heart. More than friends, less than lovers, their relationship changes Kohei forever." CW: Ableism, Internalised Ableism (all treated negatively)

Marriage to Kitsune-Sama by Homerun Ken (Oneshot) (Lime)

Every few decades, the town of Hokutochou sends a human up the mountain to marry one of the fox spirits who reside above them–and Inaho has always longed for that role. When he comes of age, he ascends to his new home and meets his handsome new husband: a kitsune lord named Subaru. Subaru has been watching Inaho for a long time and is pleased to receive his new spouse. But before this supernatural marriage can enter its honeymoon stage, Inaho learns that Subaru is stuck with an unfortunate curse. This fox spirit wants to eat up his beloved: literally! Can Inaho and Subaru find a way to break the curse and save their relationship?

Megumi and Tsugumi by Mitsuru SI (6+ Volumes) (Lemon)

Tsugumi is a delinquent who hates all alphas for how they treat omegas like him, so when some alphas from an elite school attack another omega, Tsugumi beats ’em to a pulp! Megumi, the son of the elite school’s chairman, takes it upon himself to avenge his pummeled friends, but when the time comes, all he finds is a fired-up Tsugumi reeking of pheromones and insisting he can control his heat through sheer willpower! Faced with a different kind of battle, Megumi goes from attacker to savior, whisking Tsugumi to safety and leaving the cranky omega reconsidering everything he’s ever thought about alphas. CW: MPreg, DubCon, Attempted Sexual Assault

The Moon on a Rainy Night by Kuzushiro (6+ Volumes)

One day, while rushing to a piano lesson, a girl named Saki collides with someone on the street. As Saki collects herself, the stranger picks up the sheet music Saki dropped, hands it to Saki together with a band-aid, and continues on her way—all without saying a word. Saki is left wondering about the identity of the tall, lovely stranger, only to discover the next day that she is one of her classmates at her new high school. The girl’s name is Kanon, and though she is hearing impaired, she refuses any kind of support or “special treatment” from her teachers or classmates. Over the course of the year, Saki slowly grows closer to Kanon and begins to chip away at her cold exterior. CW: Bullying, Ableism, Internalised Ableism, Homophobia

Old Fashioned Cupcake by Sagan Sagan, Lime (2 Volumes, complete)

"The daily grind both soothes and troubles older salaryman Nozue, until an unexpected visit to a pancake shop with his blunt younger coworker shakes things up! At 39 years old, Nozue lives a routine, if not melancholic, life of sleep and work. Togawa, his younger subordinate, finds it troubling and takes it upon himself to shake up Nozue’s routine. During a lunch outing, the two go to a pancake shop full of exuberant young ladies to “do what girls do,” and it’s just the thing to breathe life into Nozue. The two men start an unlikely friendship—and perhaps something a little sweeter!"

The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter by Kazuki Irodori, Wakatsu Yatsuki, Kikka Ohashi 4+ Volumes, ongoing

"Seiichiro's always pulled his own weight, all day every day, for almost thirty years. Even when he gets stuck in a fantasy world because of some strange Saint-Summoning Ritual, he keeps on keeping on. It isn't until he meets the Aresh, the Captain of the Knights, that realizes he may possibly want more out of life than his job. Can Seiichiro melt the heart of the infamous Ice Nobleman—or is he destined to be married to his work…forever?!" CW: Dubious Consent

Run Away With Me, Girl by Battan, (Light Lime) 3 Volumes Complete

"A wistful romance between two women about how, sometimes, you need to run away in order to find where you truly belong. Midori was Maki’s first love and high school sweetheart—that is, until Midori broke up with Maki at graduation, saying they were now “too old” to be “fooling around” dating girls. Ten years later, will running away be the key to lead the two women back into each other’s arms? " CW: Domestic Abuse, Homophobia

She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat by Yuzaki Sakaomi (5+ Volumes)

Cooking is how Nomoto de-stresses, but one day, she finds herself making way more than she can eat by herself. And so, she invites her neighbor Kasuga, who also lives alone. What will come out of this impromptu dinner invitation…? CW: Disordered Eating, Parental Neglect, Misogyny, Homophobia

Therapy Game by Meguru Hinohara (2 Volumes, complete) Lemon

"Shizuma only drank that night to forget his heartbreak. He didn’t intend to also forget Minato, the one-night stand who soothed his broken heart. And since Minato’s not one to be forgotten, he hatches a plan of seduction…and revenge! Recently dumped and very straight, Shizuma tries to drink his sorrow away, only to wake up being spooned by a man! When he explains to Minato, his drunken fling, that he doesn’t remember a thing about their night together, Minato secretly vows to seduce him again—and then dump him as revenge! But even the best-laid plans can go awry when Cupid has his way."

CW: Suicide of a Character from the Past, Biphobia (treated negatively)

The Titan's Bride by ITKZ (VERY LEMON) 5+ Volumes, ongoing

"Kouichi Mizuki has just graduated high school and is looking forward to the future, but after his last day at school, he finds himself summoned to Eustil, a world of titans! His summoner, Prince Caius, has brought him to the kingdom of Tildant to become his bride and fulfill a prophecy, but their considerable size difference makes Kouichi worry that he might not survive being penetrated by his huge new "husband". Caius agrees to send Kouichi home after a month if he is truly unhappy; yet as time goes by, Kouichi finds himself getting used to being a "dwarf" in a land of giants. And in spite of his protests, Caius's nightly ministrations on his body fill him with unimaginable pleasure..." CW: Attempted Sexual Assault, Violence, Abduction,

The Yearning Fox Lies in Wait by Nmura (OneShot)

In 1920s Tokyo, prodigy Kiyo has finally made it to university, only to find himself in a tough spot. He happens upon Ozaki, who invites him to live in his mansion. But is Ozaki just an eccentric recluse, or something far stranger? And what kind of relationship did he have with Kiyo’s grandfather?

Comedy

A Man and His Cat by Umi Sakurai 12+ Volumes, ongoing

"Fukumaru is a big, unusual-looking cat who has spent a long time sitting in the pet store waiting for a home. He's almost a year old, and the shop's customers only seem to want tiny kittens. Then one day a miracle happens - an older man comes along and takes him home! Thus begins the heartwarming everyday life of a cat who only wants to be loved and a lonely man who is delighted to give him the love and happiness he deserves."

Spy X Family* by Tatsuya Endo (137+ chapters, ongoing)

Not one to depend on others, Twilight has his work cut out for him procuring both a wife and a child for his mission to infiltrate an elite private school. What he doesn’t know is that the wife he’s chosen is an assassin and the child he’s adopted is a telepath!

The Emperor and I* by Mato (38 chapters, complete)

"One day something emerges from high school girl Kaho’s refrigerator—an emperor penguin, the largest of all penguins! When this emperor joins the household, fun and wacky antics with family and friends ensue!"

The Way of the Househusband by Kousuke Oono (8+ Volumes, Ongoing)

"He was the fiercest member of the yakuza, a man who left countless underworld legends in his wake. They called him “the Immortal Dragon.” But one day he walked away from it all to travel another path—the path of the househusband!"

I'll be honest, I have only read up to Vol 5 because as a gag manga it doesn't exactly GO anywhere but it's still super fun and funny! So worth reading if you haven't yet =)

CW: Positive depiction of the Yakuza/mob

The Yakuza's Guide To Babysitting by Tsukiya (5+ Volumes, ongoing)

Kirishima is a vicious demon of the Sakura Family, yet his vicious streak is starting to cause more problems than solutions and so in order to tame him the head of the family gives him the most important task: becoming the babysitter to his 7 year old daughter.

Cue adorableness, character growth and DILFs.

CW: Positive depiction of the Yakuza/mob. There is a recurring canonically gay character who is a bit of a stereotype but is overall portrayed favourably.

Disabled Narratives (Fictional)

Blade Girl by Narumi Shigematsu (3 volumes, complete)

"One year after losing her leg, 16-year-old Rin is tired—tired of the painful physical therapy, tired of being treated differently, and tired of her stupid, heavy, awkward prosthetic leg. All that changes when she encounters the Blade Runners, a group of one-legged athletes who run with “blades”—carbon fiber prosthetics specialized for competitive running-made by their gifted prosthetist, Kazami. The blades are light, flexible, and formidably difficult to control—Rin can barely walk with one, much less sprint. But as she tumbles to the ground again and again, she rediscovers many of the things that she’d forgotten, and finds a new goal: to compete in the Paralympics." CW: Internalised Ableism

Run on Your New Legs by Wataru Midori (5 Volumes, Complete)

"After the loss of his leg, Kikuzato’s dream of becoming a soccer ace comes to an end. But with use of a prosthetic leg, he finds a new goal -- to become a track star and win gold at the Tokyo Paralympics!" CW: COVID-19, Internalised Ableism, Ableism

Drama

Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga li by Asuka Konishi (7+ volumes available in English, ongoing)

"Yoshino grew up as the yakuza princess of the Osaka Somei crime family. Everyone left her alone due to her sharp gaze and mobster ties. But when her grandfather signs a truce with the Tokyo-based Miyama crime family, she’s offered for betrothal to the Miyama leader’s grandson, Kirishima. At first, Kirishima seems amiable and polite–but when he shows his dark side, he proves to be more disturbing than any gangster Yoshino has ever met. This engagement is sure to be a wild ride for a tough yakuza princess and her twisted yakuza prince!"

CW: Violence, Blood Shed, Sexual Themes, Emotional Manipulation, Everyone Is A Walking Red Flag But God Is Red Such A Pretty Colour Sometimes!

Non-Fiction/Informative

The Bride Was A Boy by Chii (One shot)

"Drawn in the style of diary comics with an upbeat, adorable flair, this is a charming tale about Chii, a woman assigned male at birth. Her story starts with her childhood and follows the ups and downs of exploring her sexuality, gender, and transition–as well as falling in love with a man who’s head over heels for her. Now they want to get married, so Chii’s about to embark on a new adventure: becoming a bride!"

CW: Societal Transphobia and Homophobia

Cells at Work! Lady by Shigemitsu Harada (Author), Akari Otokawa (Artist)

Life as a lady can be tough, but life IN a lady is that much tougher. From periods to pregnancies, it can be an emotional ride…especially when you’re the size of a cell. Thankfully, Macrophage, Killer T, Helper T, and White Blood Cell are joined by a host of hard-working allies equipped to deal with the daily struggles of lady life. CW: Cis-Normative, Miscarriage, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Difficulties, Diet Culture

Embrace Your Size: My Own Body Positivity by hara

A love letter to those who dream of being fashionable but consider their weight as an obstacle, this uplifting comic essay by a plus-sized author chronicles her own journey with body positivity and learning to love herself as she is. CW: Disordered Eating, Fatphobia

The Girl That Can't Get a Girlfriend by Mieri Hiranashi (One Shot)

Mieri is an awkward, nerdy college student with no dating experience, and her previous crushes on fellow butch women have all ended in disaster. That all changes when she meets Ash and has her feelings returned for the first time—but when first love turns to first heartbreak, Mieri will do everything possible to win Ash back. Based on true events, this is a hilarious and heart-wrenching story about love, loneliness, and the true meaning of finding one’s own happy ending.

I'm a Terminal Cancer Patient, but I'm Fine by Hilnama

At 38 years old, Hilnama, a manga artist, is diagnosed with colon cancer. Never one to lose hope or give in to despair, she begins cancer treatments despite the deadly diagnosis. But when going through such a grueling process, it can be difficult to keep a positive outlook… When faced with the struggles and trials of life, Hilnama turns to what she knows: writing and creating manga again, drawing herself as a rabbit in a world of humans and hospitals. This poignant and down-to-earth account of diagnosis, treatment, and living with terminal disease will be a reference for positivity and perseverance for years to come. CW: Medical Debt, Cancer, Medical Treatment, Past-Domestic Abuse. Note: Hilnama-sensei died shortly before the English publication of this work.

The Life Changing Manga Of Tidying Up by Mari Kondo

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up, but in Manga form! With a heteronormative romantic subplot and everything. Useful if you're like me and want to learn to declutter your room but don't have the brain worms to read the actual book.

My Brain Is Different by MONZUSU (One Shot)

"Anthology following the true stories of nine people (including the illustrator) navigating life with developmental disorders and disabilities.

This intimate manga collection follows nine adults with developmental disorders as they outline their struggles and triumphs. Experience the stories of a high school dropout’s new path to education; a person seeing the world through new eyes thanks to their medication; a father and daughter learning to thrive together, and more. This manga illustrates diverse anxieties but also self-empowerment in learning to navigate a world not built with everyone in mind."

CW: Domestic Abuse (violence and emotional), Ableism, Suicidal Ideation

My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness by Nagata Kabi (Lime) (One Shot with Follow Ups)

"A hugely popular comic on Pixiv, My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness offers readers an honest and heartfelt look at one young woman’s exploration of her sexuality, mental well-being, and growing up in our modern age."

CW: Depression, Anxiety, A Homophobic Society

Sex Ed 120% by Writer Kikiki Takaki and Artist Hotomura (3 Volumes, complete)

Gym teacher Tsuji-sensei has one mission: help with Japan’s terrible modern sex education standards. The problem is, her students barely know their birds from their bees! CW: Frank and honest discussions about sex and gender in important detail.

Until I meet my Husband by Ryousuke Nanasaki, Yoshi Tsukizuki One Shot

"From school crushes to awkward dating sites to finding a community, this collection of stories recounts the author’s “firsts” as a young gay man searching for love. Dating isn’t ever easy, but that goes doubly so for Ryousuke, whose journey is full of unrequited love and many speed bumps. But perseverance and time heals all wounds, even those of the heart." CW: Toxic/Unhealthy Relationships, Dubious Consent, Homophobia

Occult

Be Very Afraid of Kanako Inuki! by Kanako Inuki (Collection of One Shots)

From the mind of Japan's "queen of horror manga" comes a short story collection sure to put a grin on your face and send a chill down your spine. For more than 30 years, Inuki Kananko has been terrorizing girls and boys with twisted catch-22s and ghoulish monsters. Discover one of the best-kept secrets of global horror with this selection of some of Inuki's most popular short comics. The six hair-raising stories feature an array of unnerving characters and scenarios brought to life in Inuki's signature art style, in the tradition of Junji Ito, Kazuo Umezu, Shintaro Kago, and Junko Mizuno.

Dandadan* by Yukinobu Tatsu, 181+ Chapters (ongoing)

Momo Ayase and Okarun are on opposite sides of the paranormal spectrum regarding what they’ll believe in and what they won’t. Their quest to prove each other wrong leads them down a path of secret crushes and paranormal battles they’ll have to participate in to believe! CW: Sexual Assault in the context of Alien Abductions and Yokai Attacks, Nudity, Crude Humour

Goodbye Eri* by Tatsuki Fujimoto (One Shot)

"With his mother dying, Yuta attempts to capture her last days on his phone. After her death, Yuta heads to the roof of the hospital to commit suicide, but a meeting with a strange girl leads him on the path to making a movie."

CW: Character Deaths from Long Term Unspecified Illness, grief, mourning, bullying, emotional abuse

Sadako at the end of the World by Koma Natsumi (One Shot)

"In a world torn apart by an apocalypse, two lonely little girls chance upon a strange video. To their surprise and joy, a girl with long black hair named Sadako climbs out of the TV...But little do they know that Sadako is a vengeful ghost who will kill them in a week! In order to help their new friend, these two sweet, innocent girls begin a journey to the end of the world to look for more victims friends. Can their bond with Sadako help her find peace and finally break the curse? Or will this tale have a tragic ending...?"

The answer to "What if Studio Ghibli made a Ring movie?

CW: Character Death, I mean it's the Ring Girl what were you expecting? Of course she's gonna kill people.

Hell's Paradise* by Yuuji Kaku 13 Volumes, complete

"Gabimaru the Hollow is one of the most vicious ninja assassins ever to come out of the village of Iwagakure. He’s ruthlessly efficient, but a betrayal results in him being handed a death sentence. There is only one hope: travel to a long-hidden island and recover an elixir that will make the shogun immortal and he will regain his freedom. Failure is not an option—on this island, Heaven and Hell are a hair’s breadth away." CW: Extreme Violence, Sexual Content, Nudity

Hiraeth: The End of the Journey by Yuhki Kamatani (3 Volumes complete)

"After the death of her best friend, Mika is determined to follow her into the grave. But her suicide attempt introduces her to a world unlike any she's ever seen...full of gods and spirits and entities of which she could never have dreamed. But even with this world of wonder, can she find a way out of her sorrow?"

CW: Attempted Suicide, Suicidal Ideation, Grief, Mourning

The Demon Prince of Momochi House by Aya Shouoto (16 Volumes Complete)

"On her sixteenth birthday, orphan Himari Momochi inherits her ancestral estate that she’s never seen. Momochi House exists on the barrier between the human and spiritual realms, and Himari is meant to act as guardian between the two worlds. But on the day she moves in, she finds three handsome squatters already living in the house, and one seems to have already taken over her role!"

Historical

The Apothecary Diaries by Natsu Hyuuga, Nekokurage, Touko Shino 13+ Volumes (ongoing)

"Maomao, a young woman trained in the art of herbal medicine, is forced to work as a lowly servant in the inner palace. Though she yearns for life outside its perfumed halls, she isn’t long for a life of drudgery! Using her wits to break a “curse” afflicting the imperial heirs, Maomao attracts the attentions of the handsome eunuch Jinshi and is promoted to attendant food taster. But Jinshi has other plans for the erstwhile apothecary, and soon Maomao is back to brewing potions and…solving mysteries?!"

Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom by Nao Iwamoto, (One Shot)

"Once upon a time, two countries who shared a border wouldn’t stop squabbling over petty issues. Their spats eventually escalated into war…over an incident involving dog poop. Finally, the gods declared that both nations had to call a truce. The most beautiful girl in the Gold Kingdom would marry the smartest man in the Water Kingdom, paving the way to a new era of peace! When Sarah, a princess from the Gold Kingdom, meets a charming man named Naranbayar from the Water Kingdom, they decide to do what it takes to stop more pointless conflict between their countries–by pretending to be in love. Will their plan work? And what if real romantic feelings blossom between them?" CW: Xenophobia (fictional nations)

Ōoku: The Inner Chambers by Fumi Yoshinaga 19 Volumes (Complete)

"In the Tokugawa era, the dreaded redface pox is devastating the country's population of young men, and after a few generations, the gender ratio has fallen to roughly one male for every four females. Since sons rarely survive to adulthood, family trades are now passed from mother to daughter, and women hold even important governmental positions. In order to prevent the rest of the world from discovering this state of affairs, Japan institutes a strict isolationist policy, and female officials adopt masculine names so that even the official records don't reveal what's happening. Though the outside word is suffering from a shortage of marriageable men, the inner chambers of Edo castle are a lavish place, filled with hundreds of men who serve both as an emergency standing army, and also as the personal harem for the new shogun - a woman named Yoshimune who is determined to fix the rampant inequality and wastefulness of her country." CW: Sexual Assault, Rape, Domestic Abuse, Violence, Pandemic, Homophobia, Abuse of Power, Ableism, Sex

The Rose of Versailles, by Riyoko Ikeda 5 Omnibus editions of 14 Volumes (Complete)

"Since General de Jarjayes of France’s Royal Guard always wanted a son, he brings up his only daughter Oscar to dress, fight, and behave like a man. When Oscar’s excellent swordsmanship wins her the honored position as bodyguard to Louis XVI’s new bride, Marie Antoinette, the Jarjayes household believes it can finally be proud. However, what nobody realizes is the pit of thorns the royal court in Versailles has become – with all its excessive opulence, it attracts not just those with status and wealth, but also those with ruthless ambition. To confound matters, Marie Antoinette turns out to be an airhead whose selfish actions are turning the starving population against her. Amidst the sordid schemes and terrible tragedies, and with the tide of history sweeping against the nobles, can Oscar protect her new King and Queen whilst upholding justice for the oppressed peasants of France?"

Romance

A Sign of Affection by suu Morishita (10+ Volumes, ongoing)

"Yuki is a typical college student, whose world revolves around her friends, social media, and the latest sales. But when a chance encounter on a train leads to her meeting friend-of-a-friend and fellow student Itsuomi-san, her world starts to widen. But even though Itsuomi-kun can speak three languages, sign language isn't one of them. Can the two learn to communicate the budding feelings between them?"

Very, incredibly shojo and yet all the tropes feel completely relevant and earned! There is also a huge focus on consent and communication throughout which I am a very big fan of. Also the use of lettering to inform storytelling is SO DAMN GOOD it makes me want to scream. Also hands. So many beautiful pictures of hands. We also need more stories with disabled protagonists in this world <3

Changes of Heart by Kujira (9 Volumes, complete) (Lime)

"After being dumped by her boyfriend, Koyori went to her longtime friend Hijiri's house to drink away her sorrow…and ended up spending the night with him! Not only that, he tells her he loves her—and she's not sure how to reconcile the new development with someone she's known since they were kids. After all, the stakes are high—if things don't work out, she'll hurt one of her closest friends. And to make matters worse, her ex wants to patch things up…? Koyori needs to figure out what she wants, before she loses it all."

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya, 23 Volumes (complete) Available in English as 12 Volume Collector's editions from YenPress

What starts off a story of an orphan high school girl who discovers that a bunch of pretty boys will turn into Chinese Zodiac Animals if she hugs them quickly becomes a heartfelt and moving story about escaping the cycle of abuse. It quickly becomes clear that the actual curse the Sohma Clan are under is nothing to do with turning into animals, but rather the suffering they endure under an unending cycle of abuse encouraged by all those around them.

It covers themes such as learning the importance of self love, allowing yourself to put you first for a change and being brave enough to ask for help when needed. The series is open and honest about the complexity of forgiveness, and how everyone deserves a chance to change and become a better person no matter how impossible that may seem-- yet at the same time does not demand that victims forgive them or accept their attempts at recompanse.

This series requires you to think and contemplate. I have read it numerous times over the years, and each time I come away with something new. This series shaped me as a person, and if you can put up with the late 90s/early 00s Shojo Nonsense then it's absolutely worth a read!

CW: Domestic Abuse (physical and emotional), Child Abuse, Cult Behaviour, Gender Essentialism, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Exagerated Female-on-Male Violence for Humour's sake, Adult/Minor romantic relationships including one between a Middle School Pupil and her Student Teacher.

Home Office Romance by Kintetsu Yamada (One Volume Complete)

Nokoru is finally afforded the chance to telework at home due to the pandemic lockdown. Rediscovering old passions and new hobbies, Nokoru is allured by his next-door neighbor, Natsu. CW: Covid-19, Mild Sexual Content

Horimiya by HERO and Daisuke Hagiwara (16 volumes, complete)

"At school, Kyouko Hori is known for being smart, attractive, and popular. On the other hand, her classmate, the boring, gloomy Izumi Miyamura tends to get painted as a "loser fanboy." But when a liberally pierced and tattooed (not to mention downright gorgeous) Miyamura appears unexpectedly on the doorstep of secretly plain-Jane homebody Hori, these two similarly dissimilar teenagers discover that there are multiple sides to every story...and person!"

CW: Mild Biphobia for humour's sake

In The Clear Moonlit Dusk by Mika Yamamori (5+ Volumes, ongoing)

"Yoi Takiguchi has long legs, a deep voice, and a handsome face…in other words, Yoi is such a good-looking guy that most people don't notice or care that she is, in fact, a girl. Indeed, she's had the nickname "Prince" as long as she can remember. That is, until she met Ichimura-senpai…the only person who's really seemed to see her for herself. To her surprise, she's not sure how to handle this new relationship, especially when her newfound friend is a prince himself (and a guy prince, at that). The story of the two high school princes starts here!"

Knight of the Ice by Yayoi Ogawa (11 volumes, complete)

"A rom-com manga on ice, perfect for fans of Princess Jellyfish and Wotakoi! Kokoro is the talk of the figure-skating world, winning trophies and hearts. But little do they know … he’s actually a huge nerd! From the beloved creator of You’re My Pet (a.k.a. Tramps Like Us)!

Chitose is a serious young woman, working for the health magazine SASSO. Or at least, she would be, if she wasn’t constantly getting distracted by her childhood friend, international figure skating star Kokoro Kijinami! In the public eye and on the ice, Kokoro is a gallant, flawless knight, but behind his glittery costumes and breathtaking spins lies a secret: he’s actually a hopeless romantic otaku, who can only land his quad jumps when Chitose is on hand to recite a spell from his favorite magical girl anime!"

Koigakubo-kun Stole My First Time by Rin Miasa (Lime) 6+ Volumes ongoing

Eiko Kagehara truly loves one thing in this world: the MMO she's played with her friends for the last 15 years, in which she leads a fantasy life as a sought-after blacksmith. But when her friends start leaving to, of all things, get married, have kids, find new jobs...she's thrown for a loop. So much so, in fact, that she drunkenly shares her gamer ID with her super-hot new colleague...who just happens to have been helped by her in-game in the past, and who wants to repay her by teaching her how to love?!

Ladies On Top by Nejiganameta, 6 Volumes, Complete, (Lemon)

"Mizuki seems like an ordinary office lady–tidy, cute, quiet, and looking for Mr. Right–but while she yearns for love, she’s left cold by traditional romances where men take the lead. Then, at the age of 24, Mizuki discovers Shinomiya, a seemingly perfect guy at the office who likes aggressive women, and something awakens within her. Together, Mizuki and Shinomiya learn that reversing traditional gender roles can be both liberating and exciting, especially in bed!"

CW: A character's stated rejection of sexual advances is initially repeatedly ignored

Love's In Sight by Uoyama 8 volumes, complete

"Morio Kurokawa is the toughest-looking tough guy around. Yukiko Akaza is a self-possessed girl with a vision impairment attending a school for the blind. The whole city fears Morio, but Yukiko sees the real him—he’s a soft sweetheart who’s just searching for his place in the world! Morio the Black Panther has won over a hundred fights. He’s beloved by his goons and feared by the public. But now, he faces his biggest challenge yet when he meets Yukiko...and falls in love at first sight! Can Morio outgrow his delinquent roots and turn over a new leaf for his unexpected love?" CW: Discusses ableism in a plethora of forms, including a scene where a visually impaired person is violently attacked with hot water. Homophobia and ageism are also discussed.

My Happy Marriage by Rito Kousaka, Akumi Agitogi, Tsukiho Tsukioka 5+ Volumes, ongoing

"A browbeaten and mistreated daughter is cast out of her family home and sent to audition as a bridal candidate for the heir to one of the most powerful families in the land. Considered nigh worthless for having failed to inherit the superhuman powers of the bloodlines into which she was born, Miyo Saimori lives her days unwanted and unloved. She is treated as a servant by her half-sister who, unlike Miyo, is blessed with unusual powers, while her step-mother and very own father have little time or love for their eldest daughter. Ultimately seen as nothing more than a nuisance and a drain on the family wealth, Miyo is packed off to the Kudo house as a bridal candidate for its heir, Kyoka Kudo. But whispers abound about the Kudo clan, the most powerful in all the land. Still, will the allegedly cold and cruel house into which Miyo aims to marry prove much warmer than the family she left behind?" CW: Domestic Abuse, Physical Abuse, Emotional/Mental Abuse

Our Torsos Align: Human X Monster Love by Ryo Sumiyoshi (One Omnibus Volume)

"This manga collection of stories about beastly love is from the point of view of the devourers and the devoured. Mermaids bring luck, but drag you into the depths. A woman’s bird-like rescuer expresses his love in a language she doesn’t understand. An extraterrestrial angel with no limbs learns to feel. Enjoy these tales of monstrous and, at times, haunting romance in this beautifully illustrated collection that’s sure to thrill."

CW: Sexual Themes, A story starts out as a romance and is revealed to be a psychological horror

Snow White With The Red Hair by Sorata Akiduki (26+ Volumes, ongoing)

A fairytale inspired Shojo Drama! Shirayuki is a young herbalist famed for her skills and beautiful red hair. When the Prince of Tanburun hears about her, he demands she become his concubine. Seeing no other option, Shirayuki runs away from Tanburun and heads to Clariness where her real story begins! Full of healthy fairytale romance, STEM, Swords and so much queer coding it might as well be canon, this is an all ages series I'd recommend to any Shojo Fan!

Something's Wrong With Us by Natsumi Ando (Lime) (15/16 volumes available in English)

"A spine-chilling and steamy romance between a Japanese sweets maker and the man who framed her mother for murder—Something’s Wrong with Us is the dark, psychological, sexy shojo series readers have been waiting for!

Following in her mother’s footsteps, Nao became a traditional Japanese sweets maker, and at 21, she’s about to take the industry by storm. With unparalleled artistry and a bright attitude, she gets an offer to work at a world-class confectionary company. But when she meets the young, handsome owner, she recognizes his cold stare … It’s none other than Tsubaki, her childhood friend and first crush-the same boy who stood over his father’s bloodied body 15 years ago, and framed Nao’s mother for the murder. As the only witness of that fateful night, Nao is eager to chase down the truth and confirm her suspicions. Since Tsubaki has no clue who she is, she seizes her chance to get close to him, but instead of finding any answers, she begins falling deeper for Tsubaki’s allure …"

CW: As the title implies, this is a deliberately toxic relationship. She's gasligting him, he's possessive and aggressive. Contains references to PTSD.

Sweat and Soap by Kintetsu Yamada (Lime) (11 Volumes, complete)

"Don’t miss a romcom manga like no other! In an office romance, there’s a fine line between sexy and awkward … and that line is where Asako—a woman who sweats copiusly—met Koutarou—a perfume developer who can’t get enough of Asako’s, er, scent.

Asako’s living her dream, working at the toiletry maker Lilia Drop. Little do her coworkers know, the reason she loves the company so much is that she’s ashamed of her body odor, and their soap is the only thing that does the trick. So when the company’s lead product developer, a perfuming genius, approaches her in the lobby and wonders what “that smell” is, she’s terrified … but could it be … that he likes it? And, even more surprising to Yae … does she like him?

The hilarious ups and downs of an office romance at a personal care products company are the subject of this sexy, strange romp. Sweat and Soap combines the odd-couple chemistry of Wotakoi, the “too real!” workplace comedy of Aggretsuko, and a heavy dollop of office steaminess!"

If you were looking for an adult romance story that deals with healthy communication and kink negotation than this is the series for you!

Tamon's B-Side by Yuki Shiwau (5+ Volumes, ongoing)

"High schooler Utage Kinoshita works part-time as a housekeeper so that she can afford her fangirl obsession with Tamon Fukuhara, her favorite member of boy band F/ACE. When work serendipitously sends her to the home of her idol, she discovers that the real Tamon couldn’t be more different from his wild and sexy onstage persona! Tamon is an insecure mess in real life, and what’s worse, he’s threatening to quit! Utage refuses to let anyone stand in Tamon’s way—least of all himself. What’s a fangirl to do but roll up her sleeves and support her favorite singer with everything she’s got?" CW: Suicide Threats, Mental Health Disorders, Emotional Manipulation, Teens making mistakes and learning from them

The Invisible Man and his Soon-to-Be Wife by Neko Iwatobi (4+ Volumes, ongoing)

"Yakou Shizuka, a quiet and bashful woman, works at a detective agency. Her boss Tounome, who owns the company, is the gentlemanly type, kind and dapper, though he has an extra talent—he’s invisible! His special ability is perfect for detective work, but he quickly comes to find it doesn’t work on Yakou, who is blind and always knows if he’s near. Charmed, Tounome is determined to get her to date him and isn’t against using his many skills. Yakou’s quirky coworkers, a contrarian human man and a sisterly beastwoman, kindly watch over her as she stumbles and blushes through the uncharted waters of office romance." CW: Fantasy Racial Discrimination, Disability Discrimination, "Dark Elves" with Black Skin and "Light Elves" with White Skin

Slice of Life

Akane Banashi* by Yuki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue, 141+ chapters (Ongoing)

"Rakugo--the ultimate form of storytelling, where everything in a story is expressed with just your body and words. Shinta and his daughter Akane have been seduced by this wonderful form of classical entertainment. Having observed her father strive to pass the shin'uchi rakugo test, Akane will take her own steps into this unique world!"

My Girlfriend's Child by Mamoru Aoi (5/9 Volumes on English)

Sachi and her boyfriend Takara are a young couple in high school. They go to school together, hang out, and even engage in the more intimate side of dating. However, after a recent evening of sex, Sachi gets the feeling that something isn’t right and buys a pregnancy test. Later, in the bathroom of a family restaurant far from her home, she sees the two red lines that will change her life forever. CW: Teen Pregnancy, Abortion Discussion, Pro-Choice. Parental Pressure, Parental Discrimination

BL Metamorphosis by Kaori Tsurutani (5 volumes, complete)

"Ichinoi, a 75-year-old woman living a peaceful life, unwittingly buys a Boy’s Love manga one day…and is fascinated by what she finds inside. When she returns to the bookstore to buy the next volume, the high school girl working there–Urara, a seasoned BL fan–notices a budding fangirl when she sees one. When Urara offers to help Ichinoi explore this whole new world of fiction, the two dive into BL fandom together, and form an unlikely friendship along the way."

Look Back* by Tatsuki Fujimoto (One Shot)

"The overly confident Fujino and the shut-in Kyomoto couldn’t be more different, but a love of drawing manga brings these two small-town girls together. A poignant story of growing up and moving forward that only Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of Chainsaw Man, could have crafted."

CW: This series was inspired by/created in response to the attack on KyoAni studios, and as such depicts violence, grief and mourning.

Silver Spoon by Hiromu Arakawa (15 Volumes, complete)

"Defying the expectations of family and teachers, Yuugo Hachiken chooses to leave the city and enroll at Ooezo Agricultural High School. Having always been at the top of his class, Yuugo assumes a rural school will be a breeze, but mucking out stables, gathering eggs, and chasing errant calves takes a lot out of him-and fills him with something he's never experienced before. Surrounded by endless fields and fresh air, Yuugo discovers a new connection to the land and to life...Springtime begins at Ezo AG!!"

CW: Animal Death, but in a farming way. You know?

Queer Positive (fiction)

Blue Flag* by KAITO (8 Volumes Complete)

"An unexpected love quadrangle with a dash of unrequited love as two classmates, a boy and a girl, begin to fall for each other when each of their best friends have already fallen for them.

Love is already hard enough, but it becomes an unnavigable maze for unassuming high school student Taichi Ichinose and his shy classmate Futaba Kuze when they begin to fall for each other after their same-sex best friends have already fallen for them.

For some reason, Taichi Ichinose just can't stand Futaba Kuze. But at the start of his third year in high school, he finds himself in the same homeroom as her, along with his childhood friend Toma Mita, a star athlete. But one day, Futaba opens up to Taichi and admits she has a crush on Toma. She then asks for his help in confessing to him! There's just one problem-Toma seems to already have a secret crush on someone else"

Boys Run The Riot by Keito Gaku (4 Volumes, complete)

"A transgender teen named Ryo finds an escape from the expectations and anxieties of his daily life in the world of street fashion. This personal, heartfelt, fictional story from a transgender manga creator made waves in Japan and will inspire readers all over the world!"

This series is completely Own Voices, from the Mangaka to the Translator to the Letterer to the Editor!

CW: Transphobia (like, duh), forced outing on social media

He's Expecting by Eri Sakai (4 Volumes, complete)

When career-minded Kentaro Hiyama finds out that he’s pregnant, it will change the course of more than just his own life. In the Japan of Eri Sakai’s thought experiment, ten years have passed since the male sex has spontaneously gained the ability to get pregnant, and society has struggled to adjust. Kentaro isn’t sure at first who the mother might be, and quickly finds himself butting up against regressive attitudes and discriminatory policies—most of which long precede male pregnancy. In his previous life, he’d never given any of it a second thought—he may have even held the same views. But through his encounters with other pregnant people, and galvanized by his new perspective, Kentaro turns his skills in business and marketing to effecting social change. CW: MPreg, Misogyny, Gender Discrimination, Parental Discrimination

I Think Our Son is Gay by Okura, 5 Volumes (complete)

Despite belonging to a family of four, the Aoyama residence is typically home to three due to father Akiyoshi's job. While he's away at work, mom Tomoko and her two beloved sons Hiroki and Yuri go about their everyday lives—going to school, making dinner, doing homework, etc. But now that Hiroki's in his first year of high school, his thoughts are turning ever so slightly to sex and romance…and his mom can't help but notice his slips of the tongue when he's talking about who he likes. Supportive Tomoko has an inkling Hiroki might be gay, but she's going to let him figure it out for himself. Unfortunately, Hiroki has little talent for keeping his "secret," so he might die of embarassment before all is said and done! CW: Casual Homophobia

I want to be a wall by Honami Shirono (3 Volumes, complete)

"Any love story aficionado will say that the key to a successful couple is intense desire for one another—but what if the characters in question are an asexual woman with a passion for Boys Love stories and a gay man whose heart forever belongs to his oblivious childhood friend? Although romance will never be in the cards for newlyweds Yuriko and Gakurouta, the bond blossoming between them promises to be a wonderful relationship—the likes of which neither has ever experienced before…"

Is Love The Answer? by Uta Isaki (One Shot)

"When it comes to love, high schooler Chika wonders if she might be an alien. She's never fallen for or even had a crush on anyone, and she has no desire for physical intimacy. Her friends tell her that she just "hasn't met the one yet," but Chika has doubts... It's only when Chika enters college and meets peers like herself that she realizes there's a word for what she feels inside--asexual--and she's not the only one. After years of wondering if love was the answer, Chika realizes that the answer she long sought may not exist at all--and that that's perfectly normal."

CW: Casual Acephobia and Homophobia (treated negatively)

Kageki Shojo!! by Kumiko Saiki (11+ Volumes available, ongoing)

"Ever since she was a little girl, Sarasa has wanted to play the role of Oscar as part of the Kouka Acting Troupe, an all-female acting troupe similar to the Takarazuka Revue. But before she can do that, she has to attend two years at the Kouka School of Musical and Theatrical Arts. As Sarasa practices singing, dancing, and acting, she grows closer to the other girls in her year, including her roommate, the stoic former J-idol, Ai. Though Sarasa is great at making friends, her outspoken nature and grand ambitions earn her lots of enemies as well. Can Sarasa keep her upbeat attitude and achieve her dream of stardom?"

CW: Past Child Sexual Assault, Bulimia, PTSD

Mine-kun is Asexual by Uta Isaki (One Shot)

"Mine-kun is Asexual. He doesn't like sexual intimacy in a relationship. He can kiss a girl, but it's not something he wants to do if he can help it. But Murai loves him so much that she's willing to overlook the fact that she can't hold his hand; that she can't cuddle up next to him when they watch movies together; that she can't fall in love with him the way that she hopes to be loved in return. In the eyes of those around them, is this even a relationship that's meant to last, or is it a train wreck just waiting to happen?" CW: Acephobia, homophobia,

My Brother's Husband by Gengoroh Tagame (2 Volumes, complete)

"Yaichi Origuchi's uneventful day is interrupted by a big, burly foreigner who shows up at his front door and begins to hug him. The man introduces himself as Mike Flanagan, and Yaichi quickly discovers that Mike is the widower of Ryouji, his younger twin brother. Since Ryouji left for Canada a decade ago, Yaichi heard nothing about him other than he married a foreigner and passed away the month before.

While Yaichi is apprehensive about the whole situation, his young daughter Kana is absolutely thrilled at the idea of having a gay Canadian uncle. Kana's lack of understanding of Japanese societal views on homosexuality cause Yaichi to reflect on his own preconceived notions. And as Mike continues to stay with the family, Yaichi gradually learns more about his brother-in-law, and he recalls his own past with Ryouji"

My Love Mix Up! by Wataru Hinekura (story) and Aruko (art) (9 volumes, complete)

"Aoki has a crush on Hashimoto, the girl in the seat next to him in class. But he despairs when he borrows her eraser and sees she’s written the name of another boy—Ida—on it. To make matters more confusing, Ida sees Aoki holding that very eraser and thinks Aoki has a crush on him!"

The more Aoki gets to know Ida, the more he understands why Hashimoto has a crush on him....

Perfect for the Shojo Comedy Fan looking for some more queer content!

Our Dreams At Dusk by Yuhki Kamatani (4 Volumes, complete)

"Not only is high schooler Tasuku Kaname the new kid in town, he’s also terrified that he’s been outed as gay. Just as he’s contemplating doing the unthinkable, Tasuku meets a mysterious woman who leads him to a group of people dealing with problems not so different from his own. In this realistic, heartfelt depiction of LGBT+ characters from different backgrounds finding their place in the world, a search for inner peace proves to be the most universal experience of all."

This is one of those MUST READ series, and I alway describe it as the definition of "It Gets Better". This is a series by us, for us.

CW: Suicidal Ideation, Homophobia, Transphobia

O Maidens In Your Savage Season by Mari Okada and Nao Emoto (8 Volumes, complete)

"As a teen, how do you start thinking about sex? This debut manga from anime legend Mari Okada (Maquia) follows five girls and their five moving, funny, and mortifying answers. Join their bittersweet (and a little spicy) journey from girlhood to … whatever comes next! One of Japan’s top female screenwriters, Okada hones her knack for aching drama and wry humor that became her trademark with anime like anohana and Maquia. Amid an explosion of graphic novels about girls’ teenage years, like Lumberjanes and That One Summer, O Maidens brings a diverse, fresh, and hilarious perspective on how it feels to leave childhood behind. Anime coming soon!

Kazusa’s first high school literature club meeting starts with five girls being asked, “What’s one thing you want to do before you die?” When one of them blurts out, “Sex,” it launches these new friends down a raucous, embarrassing, all-too-relatable path."

CW: Sexual Assault, Child Grooming, Negative Depiction of a sexually inappropriate Student & Teacher relationship

Princess Knight by Osamu Tezuka, One Omnibus Volume, complete

From his heavenly perch, God distributes girl and boy hearts to babies about to be born. But a prank by the mischievous angel Tink leaves Princess Sapphire of Silverland with both a male and female heart! Due to an old-fashioned law preventing a woman from ruling, Sapphire must disguise herself as a prince to prevent the scheming Duke Duralumin from coming to power. The plan goes fairly well until a fencing tournament goes awry and the girl is stripped of her royal title. Now, in order to get her old life back, Sapphire must escape from jail, battle dragons, and even get transformed into a swan! Can the girl brawl and charm her way to true happiness? CW: Misogyny, death, written in the 1950s without the intention of writing a Non-Binary Character, that just happened and it's neat!

My Senpai is an Otokonoko by Pomu (100 chapter webtoon, complete)

Can true love really overcome any obstacles? Saki, a high school student, confesses her feelings to Makoto. Taken aback, Makoto reveals his secret, but the sudden discovery doesn’t seem to bother Saki who is already head over heels for him. After being rejected, Saki asks Ryuji, Makoto’s childhood friend, for some advice on how to win his heart. A love triangle unfolds when Ryuji realizes that he might also have some feelings for his old friend. CW: Transphobia, Homophobia, Queerphobia, Parental Neglect

Silkscreen by Isaki Uta, 0neshot

A girl falls in love and devotes herself to them, but they don't conform to her expectations, perhaps because she looks at them through a blurry curtain. CW: Transphobia

The Gay Who Turned Kaiju by Kazuki Minamoto (One Volume Complete)

"Bullied for being gay, teenager Takashi Arashiro wishes he could just be somebody else—but who could predict he’d morph into a giant-headed sci-fi creature?! Takashi’s tumultuous emotions become the catalyst for personal and social exploration of the LGBTQ experience in this quirky, profound manga from prolific BL author Kazuki Minamoto."

CW: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Colourism (all treated as negative), Verbal and Physical Bullying, Suicidal Ideation, Sexual Assault as a means of revenge that is later regretted.

To Strip the Flesh by Oto Toda, One Shot

Chiaki Ogawa has never doubted who he is, although the rest of the world hasn’t been as kind. Bound by his mother’s dying wish, Chiaki tries to be a good daughter to his ailing father. But when the burden becomes too great, Chiaki sets out to remake himself in his own image and discovers more than just personal freedom in his transition—he finds understanding from the people who matter most. CW: Transphobia, misogyny

[chernobog13]

MOONLIGHT MASK

Starman, aka Super Giant, was Japan’s answer to Superman, appearing in theaters in a 9 films between 1957 and 1959.  He was also Japan’s first superhero on film.

During that time, Japan’s answer to Batman or The Shadow appeared on Japanese television.  Gekko Kamen, aka Moonlight Mask in English (also Moon Mask Rider), was the very first tokusatsu, live-action superhero on Japanese television.

Moonlight Mask fought crime, carried two snub-nosed .38 revolvers, rode around on a motorcycle, and usually could be heard singing his theme song (I ain’t making this up!) before he appeared out of the darkness.  He had no super-powers except the ability to never run out of bullets, and never get his cape caught in his motorcycle’s spokes.

As for his choice of weapons, he couldn’t have picked worse.  .38 caliber revolvers were standard issue for many police forces at the time.  However, the .38s were notorious for terrible penetrating and stopping power; there have been documented instances of the bullets bouncing off someone just wearing a nylon windbreaker!  And generally, the longer a handgun barrel is the more accurate it will be.  The only reason anyone wore snub-nosed.38s was because they were easily concealable underneath jackets or other clothes.  But for 99% of users they were only effective at point-blank range.

Japanese DVD cover for episodes 47-58 of the television series, part of the Skull Mask storyline.

Moonlight Mask was always coming to the aid of Police Inspector Matsuda, usually when some bizarre, diabolical villain was involved.  No one knew who Moonlight Mask was, and his secret identity was never revealed.  In the cast credits Moonlight Mask was always played by a question mark (”?”).  However, even the dullest of audience members could figure that Moonlight Mask was very probably private detective Juro Iwai, played by actor Ose Koichi, because the two characters are never, ever seen at the same time.

Cover to the Japanese DVD for the film Moonlight Mask - The Monster Kong.  Gotta say, this Kong isn’t as impressive as the television version.

Moonlight Mask debuted on Japanese television in February 1958 and ran for a total of 131 episodes, ending in July 1959.  The episodes were run serial-style, with each episode picking up right where the previous one ended (usually with a cliff hanger of sorts).

The episodes were organized into 5 stories.  The first story, Skull Mask, ran the first 72 episodes.  The second story, The Secret of the Paradai Kingdom, ran 21 episodes.  Mammoth Kong, the third story, was 11 episodes long, and featured the first television kaiju.  Story number four, The Ghost Party Strikes Back, was 13 episodes long.  And the final story of the series, Don’t Turn Your Hand to Revenge, ran for 14 episodes.

Mammoth Kong as he appears in the television series.  He’s a fearsome looking brute!

 I was only able to find available for sale in the USA the first four chapters of Mammoth Kong.  Above is the cover of the DVD that I purchased from Amazon.  The episodes are subtitled in English, but appear to have been lifted from Youtube. 

Despite being an early television show, with a very limited budget, I was very entertained by these episodes.  Mammoth Kong is a mutant giant ape, approximately 45-50 feet tall.  The scale model building for the Mammoth Kong scenes, while not up to Eiji Tsuburaya’s standards, were convincing enough.  And instead of using an expensive optical process to put humans in the same scene as the Mammoth Kong, they used marionettes instead.  It sounds goofy, but it was actually pretty effective.

In addition to the television series, Toei Films produced six Moonlight Mask films during the same time period.  There films were released in 1958, and the second three films were released in 1959.

That’s the diabolical Skull Mask and his gang of eyeball minions threatening Moonlight Mask.

The films were Moonlight Mask, Moonlight Mask - Duel to the Death in Dangerous Waters, Moonlight Mask - The Claws of Satan, Moonlight Mask - The Monster Kong, Moonlight Mask - The Ghost Party Strikes Back, and Moonlight Mask - The Last of the Devil.

The films were adaptations of the stories from the television series. with Skull Mask - the longest story - getting divided into two films.    They were filmed in 2.35:1 aspect (”Toei Scope”) and had slightly better production value.  Also, Moonlight Mask and Detective Juro Iwai (if they really are the same person) is played by actor Fumitake Omura.

Japanese DVD cover for the film Moonlight Mask - The Claws of Satan.

Think about how neat it was to be kid in Japan back then: not only could you see Moonlight Mask on TV every week, but you could go to the movie theatre and see him at the same time!  The equivalent today would be watching Superman and Lois on TV at home, and having a new Superman film showing up at your local multiplex (anybody remember those?) every 4 months.

The television series and films were quite popular and doing well.  Unfortunately, a young Japanese boy died imitating one of Moonlight Mask’s stunts.  This led to the cancellation of the television series and the films coming to an end.

(A similar incident led to director Teruo Ishii, who directed several of the early Starman/Super Giant films, to leave the series after a young boy had been hurt imitating Starman.)

An early soft vinyl (sofubi) Moonlight Mask figure. 

A manga of Moonlight Mask made the scene a few months after the television series started.  Much of the artwork in the manga was by Jiro Kuwata, the creator of 8 Man.  He is better known in the West as the artist of the Batman manga from the 1960s, which were collected and released by DC Comics a few years ago.

The Marmit 1:6-scale Moonlight Mask action figure.  He has automatics here, which he never used in the television series, so thes may be based on the film version. (Yeah, I know he needs to be touched-up with a Tide Pen.  You try keeping your white costume clean when you’re tussling with bad guys!)

Moonlight Mask would return in 1972 for a 39-episode anime series.  He had an updated costume, with a motorcycle helmet instead of a turban.  He was also sporting two .357 Magnum revolvers, which in real life would be only slightly more accurate than his old snub-nosed .38s, but with a heck of a lot more stopping power.

The Medicom Real Action Heroes (RAH) 1:6-scale action figure of the anime version of Moonlight Mask.

The anime series was apparently very popular in Latin America, where it is known as Centella.

The anime was broken into three 13-part story arcs: The Claw of Satan, The Mammoth Kong, and The Dragon’s Fang.  I’ve never seen the anime, but based on the titles alone I’m assuming the fist two stories are based on the original series.

There was also a gag anime, We know You, Moonlight Mask-kun, which had 25 episodes broadcast between October 1999 and March 2000.  I know next-to-nothing about this series.

That brings us to 1981, and the most embarrassing point on Moonlight Mask’s career:

The Moonlight Mask movie, known in English as Moon Mask Rider.

This movie was an attempt to update Moonlight Mask for the 1980s, complete with giving him a suped-up motorcycle.  I’ve only seen clips from this film, and I was not impressed.  The kindest review of the film of several I’ve read describes it as dull; not bad, but not good.

None of the original series’ characters return, and Moonlight Mask even has a new secret identity!  The actor who played Moonlight Mask, Daisuke Kuwahara, was never seen in films again after this movie bombed big time at the box office.

The 1981 movie version of the Moonlight Mask costume, which seems to incorporate elements from both the television and anime versions.

Sadly, that was the last time Moonlight Mask was attempted in live action, and he hasn’t been seen in anime in over 20 years. Unfortunately, only Japanese versions of the Toei films, and a few chapters from the television series, are available for sale in the USA.  The DVD covers shown above are all from Amazon’s site.

Some random episodes of the television and first anime series are available on YouTube, but I couldn’t find any subtitled in English.

One of the Toei films - I think it’s Moonlight Mask - The Claws of Satan - is available in its entirety on YouTube, but it is not subtitled either.

I’m hoping one day someone will subtitle the original television series and films and distribute them to the USA.  I’m dying to see how Moonlight Mask manages to defeat Mammoth Kong and the evil gang controlling him.

[franeridart]

Anon said: Hey!! I wanna ask, how do you feel about the ship Rap//Gum (rappa and fatgum) and would you consider drawing or talking about them? They’re such a rare pair and I love their dynamic so much!

I don’t mind it, but I can’t say I’m invested enough to ever make something with it ngl T-T sorry!

Anon said: Heya! I was just looking through your art and I absolutely adore it! I was wondering, have you ever drawn Toga before?

Thank you!! And I haven’t, and probably won’t in the future either!

Anon said: I love your art! Keep going! Also, i love very much your Bokuroo art!! You're the best!

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!! You keep going too, anon!!!!!

Anon said: MY STICKERS CAME!! I really wish Redbubble gave artists more for the stuff they sell there, because I love buying your stuff, when I can, but it feels like I'm ripping you off, because you get so little for everything. But, I love the stickers I got! I finally got Octopus Team, and Tamaki, which I've been wanting for AGES.i have no clue where I'll stick them, so I'll probably pin then to my wall, until I figure something out lol Stay sweet. ✌💜

AHHHHHHHH I’m so glad you like them!!!!!!!! And thank you so so much for the feeling and concern, but considering how they make them and ship them I feel like the amount I get isn’t too bad! I could technically earn more from them, but that’d raise the price more than I’d be comfortable with..........haha

Anon said: I will say this absolutely with no hesitation, I love your art style so much.

GOSH thank you so much!!!

Anon said: I'm absolutely in love with your art, it's so pretty, especially the way you draw Kirishima!

Thank you!!!!! He’s a lot of fun to draw so I’m glad you like him!!!! <3

Anon said: Your most resent piece (the blood cape Kiri) is MMMMM SO DELICIOUS!!! That boy can WORK IT!! Also,,,,,, I’m probably the only one that saw this, but the design in the blood cape looks like two abstract Iidas screaming at each other....... sorry I’m weird and that’s the second thing I noticed..... and sorry cuz this isn’t really an ask but YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW GOOOODDD THAT PIECE IS!!!! (It’s perrrrrrrfecccttt)

I!!!!!!!!!! can’t say I see it sorry!!!!!! But I’m super happy to hear you liked it, thank you so much!!!!!! <3

Anon said: Hiya!!! I really love ur art and the way you draw characters, so I wanted to ask you a question. :00 do you break down bodies into basic shapes when you draw?? If so, what're some general shapes you use for the torso??

To be fair it’s sort of random and based on the character I have to draw/the pose/ what they’re wearing haha...........don’t be like me this is why my anatomy is often questionable - if I had to give you a model tho, do you know those wooden models for artists? the very basic ones you can get for cheap anywhere, I mostly break up my bodies following the way it’s broken down on those lil dudes!

Anon said: Hnnnhhhgggg Garo is a sexy man and me.exe has stopped working

tbh that’s!!!! a big!!!!!!!!!! Mood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love my kaiju boy

Anon said: I really dislike BNHA, I think it's boring. Your art however? It's wonderful. I love your comics because they're so funny and sweet, they always make me smile when I see them. Your lineart is also really curved and soft looking, like it's made out of friendship. Thank you for sharing your art, it makes me and others so happy!

Glad I can make you enjoy something you usually don’t like, anon! <3 thank you!!

Anon said: I sooo wish manga Bakugo was like yours ç_ç By which I do not mean that yours is out of character, just that you depict his more human side and draw BEAUTIFUL scenes of him interacting with others as his peers rather than them being just props for him... and, well, your KiriBaku slays me and I love you for all of it

To be fair I like manga Bakugou better than my own haha I find him deeper, but that’s to be expected from one of my favorite characters after all! I’m glad you like mine that much, tho! Thank you!

Anon said: In one of your comics you reference Sharkboy and Lavagirl, right? Did you see the film in the theaters? You might be the only other Italian I know who has XD

I didn’t !!!!! sadly it took me reaching my twenties before I started regularly going to the movies and I was a kid when sb&lg came out ;;;;;; *sad violin music*

Anon said: BEAUTIFUL PERSON AWARD! Once you are given this award, you're supposed to paste it in the ask of 8 people who deserve it. If you break the chain nothing will happen, but it's sweet to know someone thinks you’re beautiful inside and out! 💞

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!! <3<3

Anon said: Is there any ships that make you uncomfortable or you just don’t agree with?

Oh there’s a lot, I can be extremely peculiar with what I ship and what I don’t! I try to keep my mind and my dash/tl as empty of those ships as I can tho uwu *whispers* self-care

[ogcassiopeia]

M+M Answers Kpop Questions

1.     Which group have you thought about stanning, but never seem to get around to it? 

I’ve essentially only ever stanned TVXQ and never deviated from that but I could totally see myself stanning Shinee or Monsta X.

2.     Do you have any irl friends that like kpop?

It depends on what you mean by irl. As of right now, I only have one irl friend, who lives in Canada, that enjoys kpop as much as I do. We met back in the early 2000s when both her and I were massively into TVXQ. She moved on to stanning BTS after TVXQ broke up but she still loves TVXQ and we talk about kpop and other life happenings often. The kpop friend I had here physically in my town with me eventually moved to a different city and we lost contact a few years ago. I am not even sure if she still enjoys kpop or not.

3.     How old were you when you first got into kpop?

Oh gosh…I think I was 13 at the time.

4.     What song(s) took you a while to warm up to? 

A lot of f(x)’s earlier stuff like Nu Abo and Chu as at the time when they came out I found them to be grating and irritating. Most girl group songs take me a while to get into since I am more of a boy group kind of kpop fan.

5.     Have you ever disliked a group/idol? If so, why? (You don’t have to say who it is if you’re scared of getting hate).  

I wouldn’t say I dislike or hate a lot of kpop singers/groups but I would say I am either just not a fan of their personalities and/or their work. For girl groups, I especially am not a fan of BlackPink, Red Velvet or Girls Generation. I like one of two of their songs, but I find their voices irritating and feel like their talents are limited. I do feel this way about some boy bands too…but the one I do not care for is one that I may regret speaking ill of due to their fanbase.  

6.     What annoys you the most about kpop?   

As of right now, it would be the fans. There seems to be constant harassment of people, celebrities or other fans who have differing opinions.  Just let people like who they like and hate who they hate. What does it matter if they don’t agree with you? If you like the boy group/girl group/solo singer GREAT...leave it at that. You don’t need to harass or bully someone else into liking your faves.

7.     What do you love the most about kpop?  

The music. It brings diversity and color into my consumed media and it’s just generally enjoyable pop music fluff that I do not get from American media.

8.     Do you only listen to kpop? 

Nope. I listen to all kinds of music outside of kpop.

9.     Who are you favorite western artists (if you have any)?   

Paperwhite, The Band CAMINO, The 1975, Bad Suns, Lennon Stella, LEON, ASTR, Ralph, The Midnight

10.  How long have you been into kpop? 

Since 2003…so it’s been a while…17 years or so. (P.S. I am old and boring.)

11.  What music did you used to listen to before getting into kpop? 

Mostly American pop music, J-pop, J-rock and indie-pop.

12.  What fandom(s) were you in before getting into kpop? Are you still in them?

I was super into anime and manga back then…I was a part of the Sailor Moon fandom and I still love me some Sailor Moon. I also really loved the Backstreet Boys and still do…I am going to their concert in August (as long as it doesn’t get cancelled due to coronavirus)!

13.  Which group did you used to think was overrated but ended up loving?   

Shinee

14.  Is there a kpop song that annoys you? If so, which one?  

Uhm…there are a lot of them. Some of the songs I find annoying are: I’ve Got A Boy + Oh! + Kissing You – Girls Generation, I Don’t Know What To Do – BlackPink, Everyday – WINNER, Snapping – Chungha, Dog and Cat – TXT, Seventh Sense - NCT  (I am sorry to all of you who may love those songs)

15.  What aspects of kpop make you cringe/feel secondhand embarrassment?  

The Aegyo and overly cutesy, child-like concepts that girl groups always seem to have to participate in. Even though I know it comes from cultural differences in sexual attractiveness (I lived in Japan for years...I’ve seen it first hand), it still just creeps me out. I don’t like it in J-pop either, btw.

16.  Which concepts do you love?  

I LOVE dark, sexy, horror-like concepts that have been used by groups like VIXX and Dreamcatcher. I also love slick, retro themed songs based in the swing/jazz age (Something or Spellbound – TVXQ) or 80s nostalgia (I Feel You – The Wonder Girls).

17.  Which concepts do you hate?   

Anything overly aegyo or cutesy.

18.  If you could trade places with an idol, who would it be?  

I would totally love to be in Shim Changmin’s shoes….being part of an idol group considered gods in the kpop realm.

19.  What do you look for in a bias?  

(1) Intelligence, (2) Sassy/Funny, (3) Honest, (4) Hardworking, (5) Talented, (6) Humble

20.  Which kpop company do you hate the most?  

Cube or Pledis

21.  What are you opinions on shipping?

It’s fine as long as fans don’t push participation of it onto the idols they’re shipping.

22.  How did you get into kpop?  

I saw a Kpop Countdown show on cable TV back in 2003 where they showed BoA and TVXQ and I was hooked instantly.

23.  Has anyone ever made fun of you or looked at you weird for liking kpop?  

I mean, yes…1000x yes, I was made fun of for loving kpop all the time. Once again, I got into kpop in 2003 y’all….which was before the internet was easily accessible in my home so I felt like the only person in America who liked kpop at the time. Not even my closest friends were into it and they felt like I was just a massive weirdo for loving it as much as I did. Thankfully, I found a community online of international kpop enthusiasts like myself to talk to in around 2005 (since I finally was able to save up for a bulky ass laptop) and that helped me feel less alone and bullied.

24.  What is the cringiest thing you did when you were starting to get into kpop? 

By the time kpop came into my life, I was already a set up Weeaboo, so…really I just became a deeper version of that…I was like an embarrassing kaiju cultural appropriation combo of Weeaboo and Koreaboo. I would make my own tshirts for TVXQ and just wear them out and about. They were SO BADLY MADE because I had no idea what I was doing but I thought I was so smart and stylish at the time. I also made CDs of Jpop and Kpop for people around school to hand out at lunch...I cringe just thinking about it.

25.  How long does it take you to learn the names of each member in a group?

I’ve stopped learning members names nowadays LOL…I am too old for that shit and just don’t care enough anymore. (For past reference though, it took me about one week to remember all of TVXQ.)

26.  Are you a gg, bg, or middle/coed stan? 

Boy group stan

27.  If you could hang out with one idol, who would you hang out with? 

Shim Changmin of TVXQ….he’s my forever bias and I wanna hang out with his puppies and have a meal with him...ask him what he wants to do with the rest of his life once idol-dom is over.

28.  Who is the bias to your third favorite group? 

I guess that would be Monsta X so…uhm…it was Wonho but apparently, he isn’t in the group anymore…

29.  What name from your native language would you give your ult bias? 

What would I name Changmin in English? He already has a stage name that’s in English, which is Max. I am not sure what this question is asking LOL  (also, who the fuck still calls Changmin, Max? I thought we dropped that shit back in 2006.)

30.  Thought on fanfiction/AUs/etc?  

I think it is great and gets fans to think more creatively and figure out where their talents lay! I used to write a lot of JaeMin and HoMin fanfiction back in the day…now I write mostly Destiel (Dean and Castiel from Supernatural) fanfiction.

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

SSSS.Gridman 3 - 4 | Double Decker 5 - 6 | Golden Kamuy 15 - 16 | Zombieland Saga 4 - 5 | Merc Storia 3 - 4

Gridman 3

Samurai Calibur is literally what pulled me back into the show – after all, he’s an indicator that despite this show’s serious demeanour, it is campy at heart. So it’s great to see him have a big role, even if he has to look stupid to do so.

Uh…by the way, kaiju (Anti?). What’s so cool about Wolverine blades? I mean, Wolverine himself has healing factor to back that up, but you’re just a kaiju…

That star explosion! There’s the Trigger we know and love!

“A kaiju that eats breakfast with me.”

I always love how anime deal with isolation through framing and other visual techniques. In this case, it’s Utsumi and Rikka in two mirrors of different shapes.

“…over, right?” I thought, as Utsumi said, “…disbanded.” – Close enough.

Literally everyone in this show has blue eyes. It’s striking, but it’s a bit much…? I personally like a mix of eye colours for characters, especially those eyes which seem to have flecks of different colours in them. Not that I’ve ever had an excuse to give any character I’ve created eyes like that (since it’s easier to describe single-coloured eyes), but it would be nice to have an opportunity to. Update: Apparently it’s a homage to something. A Transformers thing, actually.

This ED…hmm, it kinda looks like the Sarazanmai ads I’ve seen around lately. Just without the stylised background people and with Akane and Rikka.

Double Decker 5

“The Derick Special!” – Welp, aside from forgetting the E in “potatoes”, they got the spelling right, LOL.

I wonder if Kirill’s sister looks anything like him?

…Hmm. I noticed the license plate on that blue car has BNY. Maybe it stands for “bunny” or “Barnaby”?

*Kirill headbutts Doug* - Well…uh, that’s one way to use your head…

“My first partner died.” – Wait, but if that’s (Doug’s first partner) not Derick…then who is it??? The one before Derick? Update: Yep, I was right.

I just realised the motorbike (? car?) Max rides has her name on the license plate. At least in the ED it does.

It seems like the next episode is a breather ep…hmm.

Golden Kamuy 15

Kibushi is number 8 on this page.

“Bat man”…? Like the superhero?

I can’t believe I actually don’t mind the Blingee fire at this moment in the season…urgh. Why did I just say that? I might regret it later…

Oh my gosh…woodcock birds are adorable!

Inkarmat likes Cikapasi’s cover story? Even the bit about…boob-grabbing…?

I like the technique where it appears Nagakura and Toshizou have deaged. It really gives the scene emotional impact and emphasises the fact this episode is called “Let’s Talk About the Past”.

Zombieland Saga 4

I always imagine Lily’s voice to be extremely high pitched. So high pitched, it’s almost silly…but maybe that’s just what happens when I turn off the volume and try to imagine their voices that way.

Chatsumi means “tea picking”. As in picking tea leaves.

Bikubiku just means Junko is trembling from fear. She probably has a fear of heights…

Hey wait, I thought slapping Saganship Z on people who aren’t zombies is called “administering medicine”…

The CGI…I don’t think it’s entirely hideous, but it’s still vaguely obvious.

Marutchi/Tamatchi -> Yes, it’s another Tamagotchi joke from Saki.

Merc Storia 3

Oh my goodness…this (the queen) is the fairy I got hyped for way back when this show first had its ED showcased! She’s basically the anime version of a Shirley Barber fairy! She’s gorgeous!

Princess, didn’t the tale of Excalibur teach you not to pull swords from stones?

There are a lot of princesses in this, to the point where it makes me feel like a kid again. Then again, all good anime makes me giggly like a kid. Not to mention this actually is aimed at kids…

Who’s a healer, Merc? Jamo? (Yeah, yeah, I’m kidding, but seriously, get Merc to do a better indication of who she’s talking about.)

Oh, how did I not think of this? Yuu’s name is Yuu because he’s you, geddit? The player character?...Okay, stop booing…

Seriously, all the fairies, regardless of their gender, are gorgeous…! Except the bartender and the butler. The bartender looks like Tank from Brave Beats and the butler’s just an old guy. The background characters are only decent looking, too, but I’m talking about (most of) the main characters here. The princess is kinda cute, but not enough to awaken a moe instinct in me, y’know?

I didn’t notice this until now, but Paristos has pointy ears…hmm.

Wait, that was a dude fairy??? The black one, i.e. “one that knows the land”??? Update: Sorry. I listened to his voice and then realised…that is a dude. Sorry. He even kind of sounds like Ume…Update 2: A-hah! That’s why The One That Knows the Land (that is literally what he’s credited as) sounded familiar. It was Junichi Suwabe! Update 3: His name is in the next ep, it’s Zephrodai.

SSSS.Gridman 4

I noticed Akane has a Surume card. It’s probably a pun on Suika (Watermelon) cards. Apparently the pun is that tapping the card on and off is like water swishing (sui sui), hence the name. Update: It would be also nice to say they were a pun on Hong Kong’s Octopus cards, but the visuals on the cards are all wrong…

See? They’re (Namiko and Hass) using their phones like normal kids. So why didn’t Rikka remember to use her phone last ep?

Rumour has it Borr is a dude, which makes the fact he’s questioning why girls like older guys make a lot more sense. Then again, you could just headcanon him as a lesbian instead. I’m not going to stop you from thinking that way if you do.

Honest to stars above, this feels like Kiznaiver Round 2. I didn’t mind Kiznaiver but though it could be better. The drama felt a little too…melodramatic, y’know?

See? This episode just proves Calibur is best boi…until further notice, when they introduce that other Neon Genesis bishonen for real.

So if Borr -> Buster Borr, Max -> Tracto Max and Samurai Calibur -> Calibur, then Sky Vitter…either Sky or Vit. I already know the answer is “Vit” because I saw it on the wiki, but it makes a bit more sense now. Anyways, I was wondering…what happened to the 3 dudes from Arcadia? Max is the strongest, eh? So many questions, not enough time, y’know???

Double Decker! 6

“Good Noodles”, LOL.

The line that appears when the subs say “Let’s take this to our car” actually says something along the lines of, “For the moment, let’s take this to our car, shall we?”

Interestingly, the word “guinea pig” (as in, the “we’re being tested on” sort) translates directly – you can read the word morumotto (guinea pig) in the text.

Maybe I’m not familiar with terms aside from keiji/keibu etc. for policemen, but I’ve never seen a policeman being referred to as “omeguri-san”…

If we’re talking about noticing things…a post for this episode already spoilt for me that “Kirill now has a brother”, although I don’t know whether that comment was made in jest/deception or not. Also, that “sister” sure didn’t have any…er, secondary reproductive characteristics on the torso, to put it lightly.

Reminder, dear cowatchers: Doug is…kind of…an asshole.

*Milla’s disappearance involves getting on one of those double decker buses you see around Lisvaletta* - Welp, that puts another meaning to the name “Double Decker”, eh?

Apple Bieber (LOL) is so tsundere when people actually call him “Doctor”, haha.

Holy sisters, Batman! Milla even sounds like a man. I may be terrible at identifying voice actors from their voices alone, but heck if I can’t tell this “Milla” is a man! (The voice of “Milla” sounds familiar…who is it, though? I’ll skip forward and check. Update: Okay, it’s a name I don’t recognise, but it is a dude! The VA’s name is Yuki Fujiwara. But now that that’s established…I like Valery (sic…?) already. He’s definitely my type~.)

Soooooooooo…yeah. Kirill really does have a brother. Sorry for the spoilers.

Golden Kamuy 16

…Wait, so he’s (Shiraishi) actually getting captured this time?

I find it interesting there is a Japanese equivalent to “Kamuy” which means “residence of the gods”, to translate it somewhat loosely.

Shiraishi had such stupid faces in everyone’s heads…LOL.

I find Tsurumi wearing a proper outfit coloured like the 7th division (albeit more Chinese-looking) kinda strange. Tsurumi suits red more, methinks.

Opium, eh? I assume this talk about poppies and England has something to do with the Opium Wars.

Arisaka’s probably as bad as Brook from One Piece…at least, when it comes to skull jokes in the OP manga. Or like a group of dads having a meeting.

Nikaidou’s so petty…LOL. But it is a good idea to weaponise a fake leg – I mean, Toshizou could have the same advantage if he put a sword in his cane…but I think Toshizou thinks too highly of his Izuminokami Kanesada to do such a thing.

I laughed pretty hard when I learnt Ogata is meant to be part of the 27th. Probably because it wasn’t much of a coincidence in the first place.

Zombieland Saga 5

Wowee, what just happened to Tatsumi’s leg??? “The second you let your guard down, it can all fall apart!” – I think he was talking more about his leg rather than competitive baseball…Update: I swore the ball went through his leg. If you didn’t interpret it the same way, then…sorry.

So I heard you like KFC. Well, we’ll just grab Saga’s equivalent to KFC so you can have chicken in your anime while you eat chicken…or something like that…?

Shouldn’t that be “principles of Drive-In Tori”?

The fish eyecatch seems to involve a Karatsu-kun-chi…according to the banner in the back.

Google Translate tells me “Bonjour, Saga jeune” means something to the effect of “Hello, Saga youngster.”

They really like their live-action segments on this show, huh?

Seriously, which of these girls does Ookoba-san remember??? Is he the driver from episode 1’s Truck-kun? Update: It’s Junko, so that makes sense. If it were Policeman A recognising Junko, Ai or Sakura…we’d be in trouble.

I forgot why they were panicking, but then I remembered…they didn’t have their makeup on. Ah.

Eh? You’re kidding…the Gatalympics is legit!

Yugiri literally poledanced on that rope! Yipe, that’s stiff competition…

What is Tae eating in these in-between scenes, anyway…?

I believe I cannnnnn…*music cuts immediately* Fall…So much for the “I Believe I Can Fly” parody…

Merc Storia 4

Gah, that necklace looks like a Sims gem…

Okay, if I figured out what the next country is it won’t be so interesting. It’s the “country of the clan of few people”.

You can see Salodeah in the ED…and Fruedling (sp???)…but there are some other characters you don’t see in these fairy episodes. Now I’d like to meet the lady riding the spider and the blonde guy (you see them in the same screenshot). You can also see the dog girl from the animal in the ED (I forgot her name though, LOL). I’d also like to see the angel country…

I just realised the next ep previews are called Merc Yokoku (Next Ep Preview) Storia…hmm.