What manga are you reading now?

Last night I read the first volume of Ran and the Grey World and all I can say is wow, I loved it!! So charming and fun with beautiful artwork. The characters are so likeable too, I can't wait to see where the plot takes them next!
Fantasy can be... hit or miss for me, but this was completely marvelous. I was in awe at it.
 
BL Metamorphosis Volume 5 (Complete) - A lovely way to end the series without going any of the sadder routes some readers theorised it could take.

In the Clear Moonlit Dusk Volume 2 - Continues to be an enjoyable read and I have to say I still love the androgynous or gender neutral design of the female protagonist, it's something we don't see a lot of in manga (especially presented as well as this one does).

Ran the Peerless Beauty Volume 10 (Complete) - A suitably cute end for the series that ties up the loose ends well.

My Next Life as a Villainess All Routes Lead to Doom! Volume 10 (LN)

Taishou Renai Katsudou Volume 1 (JP) - An okay shoujo read. I admit I'm not as taken with it as I hoped to be, so I might not continue this one. Especially given reading in Japanese takes me a lot more time than English, so I'm less likely to spend the time on so-so series. 😅

We Swore to Meet in the Next Life and That's When Things Got Weird! Volume 3 (Complete) - Again a cute and satisfying end to the series, although I wish we had gotten to see the proposal happen.

You're My Cutie Volume 1 - A fairly by the books shoujo that's not doing anything unique but has cute art and interesting enough characters. Unsure if I'll continue but I probably will knowing me...
 
Syrup: A Yuri Anthology Vol 1
This volume is all about the coming together because of work be it directly or indirectly, these include working at the same place like OLs, teachers, and even porn actresses! Customer/server relationships including combini, florist and cake shop, and a few where work wasn't involved much (or at all in 1 case not at all) like an OL home late and a hostess before going to work meeting at a launderette late at night.
There were also variations in the type of relationship from plutonic endings to marriage with some being a bit more one sided and a few were a bit more raunchy than others.
They also ranged in seriousness including one pretty comedic one to a couple of fairly dramatic ones. My favourite was probably First Grown-up Love by Ito Hachi. The art and the story were both cute:
Screenshot_20210923-152305.jpg
My reasoning for getting a few anthologies was to find some authors, but most don't have anything else available on Bookwalker. That was the case for Ito Hachi, but according to their MAL page they have a chapter in the Bloom into You Anthology which is out next Tuesday on Bookwalker (I guess not every artist is listed yet):
global.bookwalker.jp

BOOK☆WALKER Global:Bloom Into You Anthology Vol. 1 (Yagate Kimi ni Naru) - Manga - BOOK☆WALKER

Read the official Bloom Into You Anthology Vol. 1 (Manga) in English online or offline! Author: Nakatani Nio/Moke. Free trial (preview) available on BOOK☆WALKER - eBook store & app for Manga/Light Novel fans.
global.bookwalker.jp global.bookwalker.jp
*Affiliate link
 
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Syrup: A Yuri Anthology Vol 2
A much darker theme for this volume. That of forbidden love, most were about affairs of one kind or another. Other darker ones dealt with jealousy, obsession and, the darkest, slavery! That last one was by the same artist who drew my favourite from the first volume, but despite the art being easily the best again that **** was way too dark!
My favourite this time was also by a returning artist, At What Point? By Morinaga Milk in which a married woman who works in a restaurant confides in a much younger colleague that her husband might be cheating on her. Together they play amateur detectives and in spending more time together fall in love themselves. It was probably the one with the best outcome and the art is quite nice.
 
Syrup: A Yuri Anthology Vol 3
This volume was all about the first time! Given the subject matter it's definitely the raunchiest of the 3, although it did mean there wasn't as much variation. The circumstances of how it happened were slightly different though: first night after marriage, a drunken fumble between two women who got together because of their terrible husbands, a friend helping to distract from a break-up and master and servant. Some were more comedic than others, but they all ended up with the couples doing it.
My favourite was Spare Key by Iwami Kiyoko where a last night as housemates turns into a night of passion. The girls were both cute and so was the story with plenty of banter between them before it gets serious.
That's this series done for now, but there's another volume out next January.
 
D1tchd1gger said:
Syrup: A Yuri Anthology Vol 1
This volume is all about the coming together because of work be it directly or indirectly, these include working at the same place like OLs, teachers, and even porn actresses! Customer/server relationships including combini, florist and cake shop, and a few where work wasn't involved much (or at all in 1 case not at all) like an OL home late and a hostess before going to work meeting at a launderette late at night.
There were also variations in the type of relationship from plutonic endings to marriage with some being a bit more one sided and a few were a bit more raunchy than others.
They also ranged in seriousness including one pretty comedic one to a couple of fairly dramatic ones. My favourite was probably First Grown-up Love by Ito Hachi. The art and the story were both cute:
View attachment 21043
My reasoning for getting a few anthologies was to find some authors, but most don't have anything else available on Bookwalker. That was the case for Oto Hachi, but according to their MAL page they have a chapter in the Bloom into You Anthology which is out next Tuesday on Bookwalker (I guess not every artist is listed yet):
global.bookwalker.jp

BOOK☆WALKER Global:Bloom Into You Anthology Vol. 1 (Yagate Kimi ni Naru) - Manga - BOOK☆WALKER

Read the official Bloom Into You Anthology Vol. 1 (Manga) in English online or offline! Author: Nakatani Nio/Moke. Free trial (preview) available on BOOK☆WALKER - eBook store & app for Manga/Light Novel fans.
global.bookwalker.jp global.bookwalker.jp
*Affiliate link
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing! I may have mentioned that I'm not a huge fan of anthologies, since I prefer a longer developing story, but from what you described I really like the sound of this volume. Maybe less so the others... but... that's okay! I'll give it a try perhaps if I get chance.
 
setokaiba said:
longer developing story
Click to expand...
I know I said this:
D1tchd1gger said:
most don't have anything else available on Bookwalker.
Click to expand...
But I realised that the artists names are written the Japanese way around, but if you search for them in the Western manner some stuff does show up, such as:
global.bookwalker.jp

BOOK☆WALKER Global:Milk Morinaga | Sort by Popularity | BOOK☆WALKER - Digital Manga & Light Novels

Read official eBooks by Milk Morinaga on BOOK☆WALKER - eBook store & app for Manga/Light Novel fans. Free eBooks and trials (previews) available on store. (Sort by Popularity).
global.bookwalker.jp global.bookwalker.jp
And
global.bookwalker.jp

BOOK☆WALKER Global:Takashi Ikeda | Sort by Popularity | BOOK☆WALKER - Digital Manga & Light Novels

Read official eBooks by Takashi Ikeda on BOOK☆WALKER - eBook store & app for Manga/Light Novel fans. Free eBooks and trials (previews) available on store. (Sort by Popularity).
global.bookwalker.jp global.bookwalker.jp
*Affiliate links
 
D1tchd1gger said:
I know I said this:

But I realised that the artists names are written the Japanese way around, but if you search for them in the Western manner some stuff does show up, such as:
global.bookwalker.jp

BOOK☆WALKER Global:Milk Morinaga | Sort by Popularity | BOOK☆WALKER - Digital Manga & Light Novels

Read official eBooks by Milk Morinaga on BOOK☆WALKER - eBook store & app for Manga/Light Novel fans. Free eBooks and trials (previews) available on store. (Sort by Popularity).
global.bookwalker.jp global.bookwalker.jp
And
global.bookwalker.jp

BOOK☆WALKER Global:Takashi Ikeda | Sort by Popularity | BOOK☆WALKER - Digital Manga & Light Novels

Read official eBooks by Takashi Ikeda on BOOK☆WALKER - eBook store & app for Manga/Light Novel fans. Free eBooks and trials (previews) available on store. (Sort by Popularity).
global.bookwalker.jp global.bookwalker.jp
*Affiliate links
Click to expand...
Wonderful, thank you!
 
Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest ch 191

Karakai Jouzu no (Moto) Takagi-san ch 198 - 200

Seitokai Yakuindomo ch 615 - 632

The Princess Knight is a Classmate! ch 42

Youkai Shoujo - Monsuga ch 144
 
Éclair Vol 1
Another yuri anthology! There wasn't any particular theme, although most seemed to involve first feelings with some not leading to a relationship and others stopping at the first moments of one and others not really being about romantic feelings at all.
None of them really stood out, mostly because they were all fairly short, but also because of the above they never got to the meat of a relationship. If I had pick a favourite I would probably say the first chapter, Happiness in the Shape of a Scar by Nio Nakatani (mangaka of Bloom into You), which, although it had slightly dark undertones, was quite sweet overall. Hachi Ito was at it again with some lovely art and the final chapter was by Auri Hirao whose artwork I recognised from If My Favourite Pop Idol Made it to the Budokan, I Would Die (I looked through the first chapter available on the Japanese Bookwalker site), and also involved idols!
 
Classroom of the Elite Volume 4.5 (LN) - Short story collection which is a pretty good read, but I'm eager to get back to the main plot.

I Won't Fall in Love with My Sex Friend (Complete)

I Want to Hold Aono-kun So Badly I Could Die Volume 1 (Dropped) - Not a huge fan of the artwork in this one, nor how the characters handled the situation so not fussed for continuing further.

How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom Volume 14 (LN)

100 Million Man (Complete)

Mapping: The Trash-Tier Skill That Got Me Into a Top-Tier Party Volume 7 (LN) - This series continues to have good and bad volumes, but the good ones are definitely worth sticking around for.

We're On Our Own From Here (Complete) - a real delight to read and I like how it handled the fact only one of the two main characters is sure of their sexuality and open about it, leading to some frank and honest discussions with the other; as well as exploring the usual realistic fears that come with a relationship. I do wish we'd seen a little bit more of the female rival since she only really exists for one scene and then we never see again and rarely saw before that.

Ningyo Ouji (Complete, JP read) - A short story collection from the author of The Gods Lie and The Golden Sheep. A delightful read filled with the creators' usual sensitive storytelling and captivating artwork. Hopefully the fact its only a single book will make it appealing to Kodansha and it'll get licensed so more people can enjoy it. :)
 
Éclair (vol 2) Blanche
Even more yuri. I would say I enjoyed this one more than volume 1. 2 chapters were actually continuations of chapters from volume one, but those weren't my favourites from that volume. My favourite this time was Though Summer Won't Come Again by Kabocha about a girl with an inferiority complex about her older sister, the girl who she met and fell in love with had a crush on a senpai which turns out to be the older sister. Her complex leads to misunderstanding, but the girl chooses the younger sister in a moment that I found really sweet. Honourable mentions go to the chapters by Fly, Musshu, Nio Nakatani, Tamamushi Oku, and Kagekichi Tadano.
 
Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games Vol 1
Fight!
Aya hopes to become an 'elegant young lady' by enrolling in prestigious academy for girls, there she meets Shirayuri who exudes an aura of elegance and all the other girls idolise her and use the honorific -sama when addressing her. But she has a secret, bet you can't work it out from the title 😜 Turns out Aya used to play fighting games and Shirayuri challenges her to a game and just so happens to have a second fighting pad which is all a bit too coincidental. But it has its amusing moments and Aya's frustration at trying to work out Shirayuri is interesting to see. The romance hasn't gone beyond the bait stage yet, with only a couple of near kisses so far.
The art is quite nice. Never thought to actually check out the mangaka (Eri Ejima) before purchasing, but turns they had a chapter in the volume of Éclair I read yesterday!
There are quite a few double page spreads, so being a digital reader I had to rotate the screen a few times:
received_705630187064038.jpg
I think I'll continue with it.
 
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Ascendance of a Bookworm volume 15 (LN)

Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway volume 1

The Greatest Magicmaster's Retirement Plan volume 11 (LN)

That's My Atypical Girl volume 2

Mr. Bride volume 2

Days on Fes volume 3
 
Éclair (vol 3) Bleue
Probably somewhere in between the first 2. The 2 stories from the first volume that continued into the second continue here, probably the best chapter in both. But my favourite was Unfinished Prologue by Aya Fumio in which a high schooler runs away and meets an older woman who has also run away. My second favourite was Blue Line by U35, with the rest being an OK bunch of varied stories.
 
Currently reading through Honey Hunt and absolutely loving it. I picked the full set (6 volumes) up used for around £21. (1-5 for £18 together and then 6 for £3)
The plot, characters and artwork are all captivating me. I'm really cheering on the main girl and her goal, I feel for her. If you like shoujo romance with love triangles, I highly recommend this and you can pick it up for cheap too. I see some volumes on eBay for £3-4 each.
 
Triage X vol16-21
More sexy violence.

Nisemonogatari part 2 LN
Better than part 1 and introduces Yotsugi so plus points for that. Its remarkable how often the writer has to have Araragi go "I'm not attracted to my sisters/Hajikuji" in the Nise books. They know its unacceptably written.

Nekomonogatari (Black) LN
Prequel filling in gaps in the Hanekawa story. That's season 1 of Monogatari down. I'll have a bit of a break before starting s2. But s2of the anime was way better so looking forward to it.
 
Éclair (vol 4) Rouge
Not the best of the 4 so far. Seems some of the chapters have been cut from the Japanese version. At the back of the volume there are comments from the authors and there was one extra, so I tried to find a scanlation to see what I was missing and all I found was uploads of the English version, but I did find an article reviewing the volume and they had also read the Japanese version and said the author of the missing chapter was Ito Hachi, now they seem to like doing something called Onee-Loli, so maybe this one wasn't as platonic as the one from volume 1! As they weren't the one whose comment is the extra one in this volume I then checked the back of previous volumes and the exact same comment from the "extra" author was in the second volume, so just a printing error after all that.
My favourite was Nice to See You, It’s Been A While by Kabocha (again!) in which two friends who vowed to be friends forever in elementary school get separated when going to different middle schools, now in high school they bump into one another and slowly rekindle their friendship.
 
Éclair (vol 5) Orange
The final, for now, volume in this series of Yuri anthologies. I would say the one I enjoyed the most as after most of the chapters I said to myself "that was sweet" or "that was enjoyable". I would say my favourite was Song of a Heat Haze by Kumiko Takeba, which wasn't either of those actually, but a different emotion. A girl is haunted by her dead best friend whose last question was "do you like me?", but can't tell her the answer because it would mean she would pass on 😭
Others I liked were by Nio Nakatani, Miyako Miyahara, Ira Arata, Aya Fumio and Haruka Kiriyama.
 
Whisper Me a Love Song vol 1
On Himari's first day at high school she sees a band performing and is stunned by the performance of the lead singer, Yori. She just has to tell her what she thinks and her friend just-so-happens to be the younger sister of the bassist for the group, what will happen when they meet...
Loved it. All the characters so far are great, maybe Himari's a little bit hyper, but she's a fun character in other ways.
 
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