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tanenigiri · 2 years

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Review #30: Seven Days

Japanese title: セブンデイズ (Sebun Deizu)

Story: Venio Tachibana

Art: Rihito Takarai

English publisher: SuBLime

Number of volumes: 2 (complete)

Ending this 30-day project with a story that talks about seven of them.

(This review contains story spoilers.)

Like I mentioned in my intro of this project, I was only introduced to BL manga earlier this year when I chanced upon the Given anime. This did mean that almost all of my exposure to BL so far has been very recent works, with a majority of the projects I’ve covered for this project being published or updated within the last few years. I’m a bit nervous to start delving into older works since I hear a lot of them have themes that I’m not really comfortable reading about, but I do want to find the ones that have the same vibe as the series I’m covering for this project. (That said, if you have any older titles that fit in with the series I’ve reviewed, I’m open to recommendations!)

One of the ones that I did find - and that I very much wanted to include this project - is Seven Days, which was published over a decade ago. When I read up on its premise - freshman student Seryo says yes to the first person who asks him out on a date on Monday morning then breaks up with them once the week ends, and this week’s person happens to be third-year student Shino - it was the same feeling I got when I read the premises of I Hear the Sunspot and Our Dining Table. It almost felt like it was mocking me with how interesting it was, and coupled with the praise I’ve seen for the story online, I decided to go ahead and get myself a copy. (The copy I got combined both volumes into one book.)

While Seryo is seen by the school as this player who treats his weekly habit as a game, the story surprisingly goes in the direction that this is all very serious to him. Seryo truly wants to find love, and for him, spending seven days with a person is already more than enough for him to decide. I thought this was gonna go the way of Seryo not taking it seriously and slowly realizing that he actually is falling in love, but I think the way the story handled it is much more interesting as it makes Seryo a lot more sympathetic from the start.

And true enough, Seryo already begins to realize that he’s falling for Shino halfway through the week, and I believe this revelation is where Volume 1 ends. But of course, Seryo is only half of the equation, as it turns out that Shino is the one who’s taking this seven-day date less seriously among the two. Since he already has a less-than-stellar idea of what Seryo’s about - both from his friend Koike, who was one of Seryo’s past seven-day dates, and from the fact that they’re both in the school’s archery club and Seryo rarely attends it - Shino initially thinks of this whole seven-day date as a joke that both of them are just taking a bit too far.

Very gradually, though, Shino’s view of this date shifts from being a joke he finds funny to one that he finds frustrating, as he doesn’t know how seriously he should take Seryo considering the circumstances. He asks Seryo about his previous seven-day dates several times, and each time Shino’s reminded of how he’ll just be one of them by the end of the week. While Seryo brings up that this isn’t necessarily just his decision - Shino has to say yes as much as Seryo does - the unique circumstances make it hard for Shino to actually take that leap and process these feelings the way he normally would.

(It's also worth noting that Shino is also coming into this seven-day date fresh from his own breakup, and a conversation in the first chapter makes it seem like it was because of Shino's personality. So Shino's view of love is also quite jaded by his past experiences, though not to the same extent as Seryo.)

It becomes even more complicated with the presence of one of Seryo’s ex-girlfriends, who also happens to be named Shino - which is why Seryo calls Shino by his first name, Yuzuru. Shino-the-ex seems to have been going out with Seryo’s brother, Natsuki, but she was fooling around with Seryo on the side. But Seryo distinctly describes this ex as “a woman [he] once cared about,” and I’m pretty sure that their past relationship has something to do with why Seryo’s acting quite desperately in order to find true love. This isn’t really explored that much, and I would’ve liked it if it were, but as it is I do think it’s an interesting conflict to add to Seryo’s character.

In any case, Shino finds himself feeling quite jealous of his namesake, as he quickly catches on that Seryo still has lingering feelings for her. It’s something that Seryo initially denied, but in later instances where this happens, you do get the sense that Seryo has truly gotten over his ex thanks to her namesake. But it’s these jealous moments that do make Shino realize that he might be taking this “game” a bit too seriously himself, and after some key conversations with Seryo - most notably the one where Seryo recognizes Shino’s flaws but says he likes him for it - he does realize what’s actually going on.

(I also wanted to note here that the story also features Shino slowly realizing that all of his initial impressions of Seryo were wrong. We get quite a lot of internal monologues from Shino where he highlights Seryo’s positive qualities.)

Looming over both of their minds, though, is the very real possibility that the other is only waiting for the seventh day to come and go. While this was initially Shino’s worry, the story does a good job in showing that Seryo begins to share this very same sentiment later on in the week, as he is the one that seems to be certain about his feelings between the two of them. But since Shino keeps bringing up both Seryo’s ex and the fact that their whole relationship so far has been based on a seven-day game, it keeps Seryo on edge, even if by this point Shino doesn’t want those seven days to end at all. It plays into that all-too-familiar but always welcome trope of unrequited love that’s actually requited, and it’s of course exacerbated by the strange situation that led to their meeting.

They finally get all of the clarity they need on Sunday, which of course features the confession. I initially didn’t think much of this scene - I thought it was cute but just moved on, like most of the other confession and response scenes across the series I’ve reviewed - but when I reread it, I appreciated it a lot more. Early on in the story, Shino finds out that Seryo seems to have a spiel already memorized for when he breaks up with the “girl of the week,” and he seems to have been dreading to be on the receiving end of that spiel for pretty much the entire week - or at least from the point when he realizes that he’s fallen for Seryo.

But instead of that spiel, what Shino does get from Seryo is how he wants to hang out with him more, even if it was just occasionally walking home together. Since Seryo himself is going into this conversation expecting rejection, he says this with the idea - or rather the hope - that they could at least stay friends. This is meant to be a stark contrast to how Shino has treated all of the previous “players” of this seven-day game so far, as he makes the effort to avoid them and even delete their contact information. Shino seems to realize immediately what’s going on, and after rejecting Seryo’s offer, he takes the opportunity to be the one to properly confess and ask Seryo out on a proper date. I really like how this scene built itself up, as you get the impression that both of them are thinking a mile a minute. But when they finally get that sense of clarity, you can see how overwhelmed they both are, especially Seryo.

A lot of the talk I’ve seen about Seven Days online recommends it as an entrypoint to BL, and I can definitely see why. It has a lot of the (healthier) tropes and presents them very earnestly, and it’s a pretty simple story that makes it easy for a reader to fall in love with its characters. And, of course, it has a killer premise that’s executed very well - I don’t think any of the other couples I’ve covered for this project have had a more interesting seven days than these two.

Random thoughts that I couldn’t fit elsewhere:

There was this whole plot arc about two tickets to a movie screening that was happening the following Sunday, which of course made both Shino and Seryo confused - did they both want this to continue past the seventh day? I wanted to talk about it above, but I’m still admittedly at a loss with how this plot arc ends - during a confrontation on Saturday, Shino asks for the ticket and tears it up, saying that he’s “made up his mind.” This leads the reader to believe that he wants all of this to end by the following day, but of course the next chapter sees the exact opposite happening. So by the end, I’m left wondering why Shino tore up those tickets? Is it because it came into their lives in the context of their “game” of a relationship? Is it because he wanted to buy those tickets so that they treated it as an actual date? Is it because he didn’t want it looming over his mind while he was thinking if he should pursue the relationship? I’m honestly not sure, and I’m definitely missing something here.

Two other minor characters introduced in the story are Koike and Utsumi, both of whom are Shino’s friends. Like I mentioned briefly above, Koike was one of the women that went on a seven-day date with Seryo, so quite a lot of Shino’s initial impressions of the freshman came from her. She also calls Shino out on how he acts, saying that he would never find his true love because of it - which is why when Seryo points out those same things as something he likes, Shino is taken aback. Utsumi doesn’t get nearly as much to do as Koike does, but the movie screening ticket I mentioned above came from him. What both of them do that made me laugh, though, was how they both individually catch on that Shino has fallen for someone, and Koike even entertains the idea of that someone being Seryo. By the epilogue though, it doesn’t really say if they know about Shino and Seryo - I’m leaning toward no.

I haven’t mentioned anything about the archery scenes yet, and that’s mainly because I don’t really know anything about archery so I couldn’t fully appreciate them. I did want to note that in quite a number of instances, Seryo notes how “beautiful” Shino looks while he’s holding a bow, and the story gives the impression that he’s had this thought way before the events of this story. That said, everyone in the archery club seems to share this opinion, but I can’t help but wonder if Seryo already felt attracted to Shino before their seven-day date, even if it was just superficial.

Thanks for reading! I always knew from when I started this project that I was gonna end it with Seven Days, as even if it’s the oldest of the manga I’ve covered, it has a certain charm to it that’s hard to find elsewhere.

#Seven Days #Sebun Deizu #Venio Tachibana #Rihito Takarai #Shino Yuzuru #Seryo Toji #BL manga #manga review #manga

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johnnyraine · 2 years

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It was Obvious - Toji Seryo x Male Reader (Seven Days (Movies))

Words: 486

13th of March, 2022

~~~

But, as you gaze into his eyes, you can’t help thinking it was obvious.

Two Weeks Ago

You were walking to school, beating your fist against your palm as you took calming breaths.

“Okay, calm down Y/n, you still got time, you still got time,” You murmur to yourself.

Today you’d decided to finally ask out your crush, Toji Seryo. Unfortunately, every Monday someone new asks him out, luckily, however, by the next week, they would be broken up.

As you got closer to school, you saw the cause of your panic standing beside the gate… and a group of girls walking towards him. Now, thinking rationally you realize they could just be heading inside the school, so naturally, you calmly raise your hand to get his attention an-

“SERYO!” You scream, your voice breaking.

It certainly got his attention, along with everyone else’s attention. Feeling their eyes on you, you stare down at the ground with a deadpan face and just sort of shut down.

‘AHHHH!’ You scream internally.

So another week of waiting passed, bringing you to your next attempt. Thankfully this time, you and Seryo are able to have a conversation. You apologize for previously yelling at him, to which he accepts and all seems alright, though from the way he’s smiling he could be thinking about how funny your embarrassment was.

‘No, I think it’s just a part of his look,’ You thought, staring at his lips for a moment. A moment too long, it seems, as your conversation gets interrupted by two girls.

“Seryo,” One of the girls says shyly. “Would you go out with me?”

“Eh?”

Three sets of eyes focus on you as you realize, you made that sound, and by the way the girl’s friend was glaring at you, you may have made a face as well, though what kind, you’ll never know.

“Okay,” Seryo says, much to the girl’s pleasure and your displeasure.

“EH?!”

Yet another week passed.

Walking to school, you dejectedly say to yourself, "What's wrong with me?"

Getting closer, you see two people at the gate, Seryo, and some brown-haired guy, and despite your depressed state, you had to try again.

“Seryo!” You shout, your weak determination beginning to radiate from you.

“Wou-” You cut yourself off as you see the guy opening his mouth and your past experience causes you to panic; your mouth feels dry mouth; your eyes widen and your mind races.

‘Not again!’

“Do you wanna go out with me, Y/n?” Seryo asks, stunning you and ceasing all thoughts.

As the shock wears off and you look at him, you wonder when or even if he notices your feelings for him. But, as you gaze into his eyes, you can’t help thinking it was obvious.

“Y-yes,” You stutter.

When he smiles at that, you can’t help but hope beyond anything, that when next Monday comes, you’ll still be together.

#Toji Seryo x Male Reader #seven days #male reader #male!reader #x male reader #seven days x male reader #I didn't reread this #I don't like it much either but I haven't written in a month

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mgsdays · 3 years

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do u know any other comics/BLs like 19days? #🥪

Hey dear!

Ohh that's a good question. I don't know any quite like 19 days, an ongoing story that is ultra slow burn. I have read some other amazing BLs though. Here's some that I like:

Totally Captivated

• Complete | 49 chapters plus some extras

• General vibe: humor, romance

If you like the mafia background of 19 days, an amazing manhwa is Totally Captivated. Lighthearted, fun and very hot 🔥 One character gives me strong He Tian vibes, both in appearance and in attitude. Plus, the main couple has some fantastic chemistry.

Summary: Jung Ewon has always let his curiosity get the best of him, but even he could not have predicted that his latest venture would lead to him working for the mafia.

After cheating on his boyfriend and consequently being dumped, Ewon longs for the two of them to reconcile. However, his ex's new boyfriend, the handsome Eun Mookyul, begins to take an interest in him. Finding Ewon intriguing, Mookyul, a mafia boss, decides that he wants Ewon to become his underling—and that's just the start of Ewon's problems.

As the new errand boy in Mookyul's gang, Ewon must now learn to navigate the dangerous world of the mafia all while resisting the advances of his ex-boyfriend's new lover. Should he give in to his desires, he will risk more than just another heartbreak.

At the End of the Road

• Complete | 57 chapters plus extras

• General vibe: dark themes, romance, plot heavy

The summary makes this one sound pretty complicated so I procrastinated checking it out for a bit. When I finally read it I was blown away. The plot is incredible, the romantic interest is ugh so good. The entire story leaves me with a warm feeling of destiny and serendipity. It gets dark and it demands quite a bit of attention but it is definitely worthwhile.

Summary: After a car accident, Taemin finds himself in the body of Siwon, a victim of bullying at school. No longer a pushover, he starts standing up for himself but then meets Woojin, an old friend from the past. Somehow, Woojin immediately picks up Taemin's 'scent' from Siwon. What happened between these two in the past and how will it affect their future?

Walk on Water

• Complete | 62 chapters

• General vibe: romance, hot sex

Ok, this one is a delight to read. It's another one of those "straight guy goes gay for the right guy" kind of plot, but it's beautifully done. The characters' progress feels authentic. You're on the edge of your seat rooting for them. Plus, the art is amazing?? I'd stop reading sometimes just to admire it. @ the artist you didn't have to go this hard and yet you did dude!! Fantstic job.

Plus the sex scenes are just on fire. Phew 🥵

Explicit sex so don't check it out if you're under 18, stay safe, yadda, yadda.

Summary: To earn money, Ed decided to enter the pornographic industry. Secretly, he begins working under the alias of "Tommy". One day, it was suddenly decided that he would be filming as a bottom instead of a top and he's doing it with the famous Glen McQueen as his partner?

No. 6

• Complete | 9 books or 9 mangas (I read the books actually, but the manga is the same story)

• General vibe: social commentary, romance, plot heavy

My all time favorite on the list might be No. 6. No. 6 reads more like 'social political commentary ft. a couple that happens to be boys', rather than a boys love story per see. The plot doesn't revolve around their romance, their romance is also happening in the midst of the chaos. And it is beautiful to watch.

Story wise, No. 6 is a dystopic tale, and it brings up themes of consumption under capitalism, outsourcing of labor, outsorcing of inequalities and goverment control. It's not recent so you might have read it already - if you haven't I can't recommend it enough.

A PERFECT LIFE, IN A PERFECT CITY

For Shion, an elite student in the technologically sophisticated city No. 6, life is carefully choreographed. School, study, and the occasional visit with his friend and classmate Safu. One fateful day, however, he takes a misstep, sheltering an injured boy his age from a typhoon. Known only as Rat, this boy is a VC – a fugitive living outside the computerized tapestry of city control – and helping him will throw Shion’s life into chaos and start him down a path to discovering the appalling secrets behind the superficial perfection of No. 6.

Seven Days

• Complete | 2 volumes

• General vibe: school life, romance

No way you haven't read this, but just in case: seven days!! Go check out seven days!! Seven Days is the BL. School life plots peaked with this one haha It's just two volumes and the story is beautifully done. I re-read from time to time when I want a pick me up.

Summary: On a whim, high school third-year Yuzuru Shino asks out first-year Toji Seryo, who is notorious for being a weeklong lover—he’ll date the first girl to ask him out Monday morning and then promptly dump her by the following Monday! The boys start dating, and by Tuesday, the first inklings of attraction hit. Can these two put words to their feelings before Monday comes, or are old habits too hard to break?

Blue Sky Complex

• Complete | 23 chapters

• General vibe: school life, humor, romance

Another school life story for the list. Blue Sky Complex has some truly hilarious moments, with teenage fumblings that ache with how true to life they are. Zero drama, zero outside interference, just the two main characters slowly (but surely) figuring things out.

Summary: Narasaki only wanted a place where he could sit and read books in peace, but was blackmailed by his teacher into supervising a delinquent called Terashima while working at the school library.

As they spend their days in silent but close proximity, they begin to feel drawn to each other. And then...

Doukyuusei

• Complete | 2 volumes (second is called Sotsugyousey)

• General vibe: lightehearted fun

Fun fact: I went to Japan once and I wanted to buy a book in Japanese just to have it, you know? I don't speak Japanese, I just wanted a book as a souvenir. I bought Doukyuusei. Clearly I'm biased towards this story in particular haha

Everything by this author is gold. Their art style flows, the characters have a certain lightness to them that makes them almost dance in the pages. The author usually draw at least one of the leads with long hair and the hair is so well done, GOD. I could gush about the hair all day.

Perhaps one of the most realistic ones of the list, Doukyuusei is a school life story about when you meet someone at just the right time.

Summary: "A boy boy met a boy. They were in the flush of youth. They were in love that felt like a dream, like sparkling soda pop."

High school students Hiraku Kusakabe and Rihito Sajou are as different as day and night. But opposites attract and before they know it, they've embarked on a journey neither one can quite define but which anyone with eyes can see is "Love."

Mo Dao Zu Shi

• Complete | 126 chapters

• General vibe: slow burn, historical, epic romance

At the risk of being very cliche here: if you haven't read Mo Dao Zu Shi, you're wasting time. Go. This one isn't a manga, but it a fantastic book. It became uber famous for a reason, you know? All the attention is very much deserved. I can't emphasize enough how good it is.

You can watch the TV show The Untamed as well (and the acting is fantastic) but, to me, the experience is just not the same. The TV show removes all explicit romance references from the story, in order to comply with China's censorship. The book leaves nothing out. It is very much a romance, through and through, and it's an epic one. There's slow burn, pining, misunderstandings, fighting everything and everyone for your loved one and coming out stronger on the other side. Truly worth the read.

As the grandmaster who founded the Demonic Path, Wei Wuxian roamed the world in his wanton ways, hated by millions for the chaos he created. In the end, he was backstabbed by his brother and killed by powerful clans that combined to overpower him. He incarnates into the body of a lunatic who was abandoned by his clam and is later, unwillingly, taken away by a famous cultivator among the clans — Lan Wanji. This marks the start of a thrilling yet hilarious journey of attacking monsters, solving mysteries, and raising children. From the mutual flirtation along the way, Wei Wuxian slowly realizes that Lan Wangji, a seemingly haughty and indifferent poker-face, holds more feelings for Wei Wuxian than he is letting on.

#19 days #ask box #anon 🥪#hope you're doing good anon!#let me know if you read any of these 👀

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lgbtqmanga · 4 years

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Seven Days

by Venio Tachibana and Rihito Takarai

On a whim, high school third-year Yuzuru Shino asks out first-year Toji Seryo, who is notorious for being a weeklong lover—he’ll date the first girl to ask him out Monday morning and then promptly dump her by the following Monday! The boys start dating, and by Tuesday, the first inklings of attraction hit. Can Seryo put words to his feelings before Monday comes, or are old dating habits too hard to break?

#seven days #venio tachibana #rihito takarai #lgbt manga #manga #gay #bisexual

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tell-me-im-your-favorite · 2 years

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Names:

Yuzuru Shino

Toji Seryo

Manga : 7 Days

Authors:

Venio Tachibana

Rihito Takarai

Place: Amazon

I haven't read this Manga it literally years and it made me so happy 🥺

#yuzurushino #tojiseryo #veniotachibana #rigitotakarai #yaoi #gay #belove #romance #7days #manga #comfortmanga

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atthequillsmercy · 4 years

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Lenni Reviews: "Seven Days: Monday–Sunday" by Venio Tachibana & Rihito Takarai

Lenni Reviews: “Seven Days: Monday–Sunday” by Venio Tachibana & Rihito Takarai

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

On a whim, high school third-year Yuzuru Shino asks out first-year Toji Seryo, who is notorious for only dating girls for one week then breaking up with them. But as the end of their deal draws near, they realize seven days may not be enough.

I like this manga. Simple, straightforward, happy ending, nice art, and not too…

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#graphic novel #graphic novel review #graphic novels #LGBT #LGBT romance #LGBTQ #m/m #M/M Romance #manga #manga review #manga reviews #review #reviews #Rihito Takarai #Seven Days: Monday–Sunday #Venio Tachibana

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awesome-envy · 5 years

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Combo Seven Days (Trọn Bộ 2 Tập) = 51.800 ₫

Công ty phát hành IPM Tác giả Venio Tachibana Ngày xuất bản 04-2015 Kích thước 13 x 18 cm Nhà xuất bản Nhà Xuất Bản Hội Nhà Văn Loại bìa Bìa mềm Số trang 360 SKU 2519728566197

Combo Seven Days (Trọn Bộ 2 Tập)

“Hẹn với tôi đi, Seryo.”

Câu chuyện khởi đầu bằng cuộc gặp gỡ giữa cậu nam sinh năm ba cao trung Shino Yuzuru và người đàn em câu lạc bộ bắn cung Seryo Toji tại cổng trường vào một buổi sáng thứ Hai. Seryo là anh chàng được nữ sinh trong trường vô cùng mến mộ bất kể mọi khối lớp, nổi tiếng với tin đồn nhất định sẽ hẹn hò cùng người tỏ tình đầu tiên hôm thứ Hai, nhưng chia tay ngay lúc cuối tuần.

Thời hạn một tuần để làm người yêu của nhau… Chỉ bằng câu nói buột ra trong phút nông nổi của Yuzuru, đã kéo cả hai vào bảy ngày vờ như hò hẹn, vậy nhưng…

* Giá sản phẩm trên Tiki đã bao gồm thuế theo luật hiện hành. Tuy nhiên tuỳ vào từng loại sản phẩm hoặc phương thức, địa chỉ giao hàng mà có thể phát sinh thêm chi phí khác như phí vận chuyển, phụ phí hàng cồng kềnh, ..

from Chuyên gia đào tạo, khóa học online https://ift.tt/2Y9rwkY via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Chuyên gia đào tạo #khóa học online

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johnnyraine · 4 years

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Master list - 19 works

Red Text means Smut!

* means On Hold

Alice in Borderland: 4

- Chishiya Shuntarō

After a Game

Smut Drabbles

- Niragi Suguru

My Crazy Roommates

Next to Me: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Smut Drabbles

Blade of the Immortal (Movie): One-Shot

- Anotsu Kagehisa

Dimming Sun

Blood of Zeus: 1

- Apollo

Smut Microfics

Boyfriend Dungeon: 1

- Seven

Silk Sonic

Death Note (Drama): 1

- Touta Matsuda

Birthday Note

Enhypen (K-Pop): One-Shot

- Park Sunghoon

Kissing Eternity

Final Fantasy VII (Remake): 1*

- Cloud Strife

Smut Microfics

Game of Thrones: 3

- Daenerys Targaryen

The Princess and The Sea

- Margaery Tyrell

Smut Drabbles

Together

Girl from Nowhere: One-Shot

- Nanno

Smut Microfics

Heathers (movie): 5*

- J.D.

Croquet

Late Night Greetings, part 2

Seeing Red

Smut Drabbles

- Veronica Sawyer

Late Night Greetings Part 2

Seeing Red

Hocus Pocus: One-Shot

- Sarah Sanderson

I Put A Spell On You

Marvel Cinematic Universe: 2

- Peter Parker

Smut Drabbles

- Wanda Maximoff

Smut Microfics

Merlin: 1

- Morgana

Smut Microfics

My Beautiful Man/Utsukushii Kare: 2*

- Kazunari Hira

Let Us Adore Him (Hira Worship)

Smut Drabbles

- So Kiyoi

Let Us Adore Him (Hira Worship)

Smut Drabbles

Seven Days (Movies): One-Shot

- Toji Seryo

It was Obvious

Squid Game: 1

- Kang Sae-byeok

Smut Drabbles

The Untamed/Chén Qíng Lìng: 4*

- Lán Wàngjī / Lán Zhàn

Smut Microfics

- Wèi Wúxiàn / Wèi Yīng

Smut Drabbles

- Xuē Yáng

My Crazy Roommates

Tied Up

Todome no Kiss: One-Shot

Dojima Otaro/Eight

Kiss to Achieve

#master list #masterlist #male reader

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uniquestream · 5 years

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Seven Days: Friday – Sunday 2015 Toji Seryo is a popular first year high school student. It's well known that Toji Seryo will date anyone that confesses their affection for him on a Monday, but he will break up with that person by Sunday.

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recentanimenews · 4 years

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Bookshelf Briefs 12/29/19

As Miss Beelzebub Likes, Vol. 8 | By Matoba | Yen Press -Aside from the cute slice-of-life aspects of the series, much of it revolves around the fact that everyone seems to have a crush on someone in the cast, but it’s either the wrong person or they’re too shy/tsundere/unable to see it to do anything. I was reminded of that in this volume, which literally has Beelzebub and Mullin going on a date to the aquarium… but they’re still not actually a couple, even if they are treated as an eventual one. We see this again with a mixer that Mullin is forced to go to, where we see a girl who a) is so cute she even gets Mullin’s brain briefly off his boss for a bit, and b) has a great meet cute scene with Samyaza… who it turns out has a crush on Eurydice, the shotacon. Sigh. That’s the manga. – Sean Gaffney

Komi Can’t Communicate, Vol. 4 | By Tomohito Oda | Viz Media – One thing I really like about this series is that, while Komi has trouble communicating and is trying to improve, the series never shows it as a bad thing per se, and never really judges her for it. Her family is the same way, with the exception of her talkative mother, who we get more of here. A bulk of the story is devoted to the athletic festival, where, as you might expect, both Komi and Tadano are in a position to save the day and win for their group. There’s a bit of selfishness, mostly courtesy of Yamai, who is still around, but for the most part the series really runs on sweet kids doing their best, and also finds the time to be funny. I admire that. – Sean Gaffney

My Father Is a Unicorn | By Monaka Suzuki | Seven Seas – Sometimes you get a book that falls between two stools, and it can be even more disappointing than if it was too much of one thing or the other. This wants to be a funny comedy about a guy trying to live with his out-of-touch stepfather who is really a unicorn, bad at transforming at the worst of times, and also a big flake. This also wants to be a series about found family and giving new people a chance when they mean well and are trying. Unfortunately, too often it tries to do both at once, and the tone is wrong. There’s also a number of times when, even for the broad comedy this is sometimes going for, the characters are so stupid they beggar belief. If you like silly monster “guy” manga you may like it, but… eh. – Sean Gaffney

One-Punch Man, Vol. 18 | By ONE and Yusuke Murata | Viz Media – Another volume that is very funny when it’s trying to be, but isn’t trying 3/4 of the time anymore, so it’s just serious fighting stuff. The best bits were the restaurant and the dining and dashing, which felt a lot like the OPM of old. We’re also making Garo into less of a villain by having him do more protecting of a kid, which is fine but does remind you that everything about this world is absolutely terrible—in the end, the kid even ends up captured anyway. Now, arguably you could call this a pastiche of the tendency in modern comics, especially superhero comics, for “grim and gritty,” but this isn’t a parody anymore—it’s just a lot of serious fighting with more gore. My Hero Academia is looking better by the day. – Sean Gaffney

Saint Young Men, Vol. 1 | By Hikaru Nakamura | Kodansha Comics – It’s a Christmas miracle! Despite great interest in the series, Saint Young Men has been unlicensable in North America for years, at least in part due to concerns over how more conservative Christian groups in the United States might react to the manga’s blatantly irreverent humor. The premise is simple enough—Jesus and Buddha are taking a break from their heavenly duties and are sharing an apartment together in Japan. Hilarity ensues as they live their day-to-day lives while trying to keep their identities a secret. Readers who already have some familiarity with Christianity and Buddhism—and to to some extent Japanese culture, as well—will likely appreciate and get the most out of the series, but Kodansha has included plenty of notes after each chapter of this release to help along those who aren’t. Personally, Saint Young Men brings me great joy and laughter; I’m thrilled it’s being translated. – Ash Brown

Seven Days: Monday→Sunday | By Venio Tachibana and Rihito Takarai | SuBLime – Handsome Toji Seryo has a reputation for agreeing to go out with the first girl to ask him on Monday morning and then breaking up with her on Sunday evening, saying, “I’m sorry I couldn’t fall for you.” Impulsively, Yuzuru Shino (also popular with girls due to his looks) asks Seryo out and is surprised when he agrees. From there, their week as a couple unfolds, during which each guy develops feelings for the other, with Seryo convinced that Yuzuru is not going to seriously return his feelings and Yuzuru convinced that what’s happening between them has also happened with all the other girls Seryo has dated. It’s sweet and angsty and features some poor communication, and I enjoyed it a lot. They each finally found someone who loves them for who they really am and I am totally happy for these fictional boys. Strongly recommended. – Michelle Smith

Yuri Is My Job!, Vol. 5 | By miman | Kodansha Comics – Despite the events of the last volume, this one is devoted to showing us that nothing is really solved. Hime is trying a bit harder but is still too much of a flake to really be a good waitress (though she’s better as a schweister), Kanoko is still really in love with Hime, a situation not helped by them going out on a shopping “date” and Hime giving Kanoko a special present. Most importantly, Mitsuki is still tortured and tormented, and it’s coming out by her lashing out at Hime whether she deserves it or not. This is a good story in a tortured sort of way, but I have to admit this specific volume was not so much “fun to read” as “crawling across broken glass.” But the glass *is* very pretty and shiny, and there is hope things will get better. – Sean Gaffney

By: Ash Brown

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