Mangaversity: February 2025
February is the month of love, or so they tell me. I don’t really know if love can be contained within a singular month. Certainly not if you believe the manga release schedules. There, love blooms eternal and sometimes undead.
Welcome one, welcome all, to Mangaversity! This is my attempt to continue my contribution to the Soliciting Multiversity column while messing with the format to make it my own. Special thanks once again to Zack Davisson for pointing out this should’ve been my choice for the title from the get go.
February is the month of love, or so they tell me. I don’t really know if love can be contained within a singular month. Certainly not if you believe the manga release schedules. There, love blooms eternal and sometimes undead.
Perennial Favorites:
My love for these titles are very well documented and you will not go wrong reading them, though some titles that get featured here come with more caveats than others (“Berserk,” for instance, gets my full endorsement, but is certainly not for everyone.)
Akane Banashi, Vol. 10
Written by Yuki Suenaga
Illustrated by Takamasa Moue
Published by Viz
Akane takes on the world of rakugo to avenge her father!
Shinta Arakawa wants nothing more than to pass his shin’uchi exam—the test that would make him a top-rank headliner and master storyteller in the traditional Japanese art of rakugo. Akane Osaki, his daughter and biggest fan, spies on him while he practices and learns his routines for herself. When rakugo master Issho Arakawa expels everyone after the exam with no explanation, a fire is lit inside Akane. From that day forth, she has had one goal—to avenge her father and prove his art was worthy of the title of shin’uchi.
After watching Chocho perform, Akane starts to see a path to becoming the kind of rakugoka she wants to be. She eagerly asks him to take her under his wing, but with Chocho everything is a gamble. Meanwhile, one of Chocho’s apprentices, Akane’s friend Asagao, is ready to be promoted to futatsume. Chocho tasks him with a final test—filling a performance venue with a series of trial performances. Asagao asks Akane and Karashi to help him, and the three of them struggle to find a way to meet Chocho’s demands. But then Akane comes up with an idea that may just be crazy enough to work…
Dandadan Vol. 11
Written and Illustrated by Yukinobu Tatsu
Published by Viz
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?
A nerd must fight powerful spirits and aliens all vying for the secret power of his “family jewel,” so who better to fight alongside him than his high school crush and a spirit granny?!
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!
Momo struggles to counter a sudden attack by alien clones, but through a temporary truce with her sworn enemy, the alien Serpo, she is able to persevere. However, her troubles are far from over—it’s now after 10 p.m.! In order to avoid the slit-mouthed woman Reiko Kashima, who is still very much on the hunt for her, Momo and Serpo must hide out overnight in a manga cafe. And when Momo finally returns home in the morning, she finds her friends are gravely injured and being treated by none other than Mr. Shrimp!
March Comes in Like a Lion, Vol. 4
Written and Illustrated by Chika Umino
Published by Denpa
I really, really hope this one comes out on time.
Shimada 8-dan challenges Soya Meijin for the Shishioh Tournament. Concerned about Shimada's poor health, Kiriyama heads for Kyoto to pick up the challenger's spirits. A tender love story that moves along like a flowing river.
Deluxe Den:
Every so often, there’s a new deluxe edition of a beloved manga that I think is worth shouting out but not at the expense of another item on the list. Usually this is the case for interstitial volumes, like the ones this month.
Vinland Saga Deluxe Book 6
Written and Illustrated by Makoto Yukimura
Published by Kodansha Comics
She yearns for the excitement of the open sea. But all the men in her life have always told her that women can’t be sailors. Can Gudrid find a way to freedom? Or will she waste away like a bird in chains? The violent and complex action epic that inspired the hit anime returns, in premium, 3-in-1, collector’s hardcovers!
Includes volumes 16-18 of the Japanese edition of Vinland Saga and new bonus content.
Since she was a child, Gudrid has been entranced by the wide world beyond the sea, stowing away on Leif Ericson's ship every chance she got...only to be dragged back home and told that a good Norse girl must protect the home and raise a family. Now a widow at 19, she is all of an hour into her second marriage when she absentmindedly stabs her new husband in the leg in their wedding bed. Gudrid flees to Thorfinn and Leif's ship, but they have a risky voyage ahead to fund their ambitions in Vinland. With success (and even survival) uncertain, is there room on the ship for an inexperienced girl, just married to the son of a ruthless landlord?
Trigun Maximum Deluxe Vol. 4
Written and Illustrated by Yasuhiro Nightow
Translated by Justin Burns
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Yasuhiro Nightow’s Trigun is an international hit, and this edition collects volumes 10, 11, and 12 of the sequel series Trigun Maximum, in a deluxe hardcover format featuring nearly 700 pages of Nightow’s signature creation at the original serialized size!
While Vash the Stampede fights to stop his evil brother, Knives, from exterminating humanity on planet Gunsmoke, a fleet of Earth starships arrives to rescue their long-lost human brethren. Can they avert genocide if Vash fails, or will Knives ramrod the last roundup?
Gravitation Collector’s Edition, Vol. 4
Written and Illustrated by Maki Murakami
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
I just miss this art style, OK?
HAS SHUICHI’S LUCK RUN OUT?
Bad Luck shoots to the top of the charts, Shuichi and Yuki’s relationship heats up, and Yuki’s popularity booms! Shuichi is on cloud nine, but not all is well in rock and roll paradise. When stress starts affecting Yuki’s health, Seguchi Toma tries to remove the cause of the problem—Shuichi himself!
My Name Is Shingo - the Perfect Edition 4: Perfect Edition
Written and Illustrated by Kazuo Umezz
Published by Viz
RIP Kazuo Umezz. Your stuff is weird as hell and we’re all the better for it.
The classic science fiction–horror manga from the mind of Kazuo Umezz, creator of The Drifting Classroom, Orochi, and Cat-Eyed Boy!
When an industrial robot named Monroe begins to work at his father’s factory, Satoru is fascinated. As he and his friend Marin spend more time with Monroe, they start to suspect there’s much more to the machine than anyone else realizes. But neither children nor adults are prepared for Monroe’s violent awakening into consciousness.
The robot may be separated from Satoru and Marin, but his consciousness and personality continue to flourish. Now taking the name Shingo, he encounters new potential friends…and some diabolical enemies intent on capturing and harnessing the secrets behind his awakening.
Caught My Eye:
A very scattershot list this time around, as they usually are. I’m trying out having short, capsule comments on most of the volumes. Let me know if you like them.
- Battle Angel Alita Mars Chronicle, Vol. 10
- I cannot believe this series is still going. Not a knock. Just a shock.
- Eden of Witches, Vol. 2
- I gotta check out volume 1 soon. That cover looks SICK.
- The Fable Omnibus, Vol. 6
- I shouldn’t feel wistful, pastoral melancholy from this series! But I do???
- Farewell, My Odin, Vol. 1
- Not usually my cup of tea but “Vinland Saga’s” Makoto Yukimura gave his thumbs up so I’ll give it a whirl.
- Frieren - Beyond Journey's End, Vol. 12
- My every few month reminder to actually read the dang thing.
- The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All, Vol. 2
- I’m sorry! I haven’t read volume 1 yet! It’s on backorder at the libraryyyyyyy.
- Hirayasumi, Vol. 4
- Another one where I know I’ll love it but I haven’t had the time to see how much I’ll love it.
- Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Shining Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak, Vol. 2
- For the title’s length alone, I cannot overlook this.
- Kaiju 8, Vol. 12
- Solid series that I am way too far behind on.
- My Hero Academia, Vol. 40
- Second verse, same as the first. Two more volumes to go!
- Oshi No Ko, Vol. 9
- I will wait for the anime but for those who can’t…
- Queen's Quality, Vol. 21
- I read the series that preceded this and quite liked it, though I wouldn’t rave about it. But I can’t overlook “Will this Queen with mind-control powers incite good or evil?” I GOTTA know.
- Sketchy, Vol. 5
- This series gives me Taiyo Matsumoto vibes and I’m down for that.
- You and I Are Polar Opposites, Vol. 4
- Purely on the “groovy” aesthetic of this volume’s cover. Otherwise, it seems pretty mid.
WTF is this:
A corollary to the Caught My Eye subset are the comics I don’t actually think are potentially worth a read - or at least don’t strike me list worthy - but have a certain je ne sais quoi that are absolutely worth pointing out and gawking at.
- Detroit: Become Human - Tokyo Stories, Vol. 2
- Detroit: Become Manga, apparently.
- Rooster Fighter, Vol. 7
- I’ve only heard good things about this one but the idea is so ludicrous, I can’t take it seriously. Prove me wrong you funky chicken!
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The List:
12. I Wanna Be The Very Best
“Pokemon Adventures” has the dubious honor of being one of the very few manga I have “half-read.” It’s a small list, mostly full of stuff I started reading back in high school and my *ahem* method of reading was sporadically updated and often incomplete, but was (or has since) finished its run.
Technically, “Pokemon Adventures” ended with volume 29 (here in the US) and every arc since is its own thing. Also technically it hasn’t ended and it continues here! That’s really all I have to say. Finally, there’s a manga that’s almost half as complicated as anything the Big 2 put out.
Pokémon: Scarlet & Violet, Vol. 1
Written by Hidenori Kusaka
Illustrated by Satoshi Yamamoto
Published by Viz
Adventures inspired by the best-selling video games.
Violet Lang and Scarlet Kioto attend an academy in the Paldea region and embark on their first big assignments, finding treasures that will help them become amazing Trainers with even more powerful Pokémon!
Violet Lang calls himself the Prince of Speed and races across the Paldea region in search of the Herba Mystica that will give his Pokémon ultimate speed. Meanwhile, Scarlet Koito is a Treasure Hunter in search of the Treasures of Ruin. As the two travel the Paldea region, a new adventure begins!
Are you ready for the Treasure Hunt?!
11. Shine On, You Crazy Diamond
I do love a good battle-style romance manga. The tension is fun and if done right - looking at you “Kaguya” - it can sustain a truly ridiculous level of escalation and drama. But it also has the chance to go horribly, disastrously wrong. I wonder which one this will be?
Love that art style too.
Fall in Love, You False Angels, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Coco Uzuki
Published by Kodansha Comics
The Japanese hit manga rom-com comes to print! The sweet smiles across the faces of the "perfect" student council duo hide secret, tough-as-nails personalities. These two-faced angels vie for dominance while keeping up their flawless act...but how long will it take for contention to give way to attraction?
This modern spin for fans of classics like Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances and Kaguya-sama: Love Is War is already a best-seller in Japan!
All sugar, no spice, and everything nice...that's the impression the beautiful first-year high schooler and class president Otogi gives to those around her. One look from the school's "heartthrob angel" is all it takes to sweep countless admirers off their feet. But the real Otogi Katsura is no angel: She's calculating, ruthless, and sharp-tongued. When Otogi slips up and exposes her inner baddie in front of the class's other paragon, Toki, he counters by revealing an unexpected side of his own and declaring her his "partner in crime." With cupid's arrow at her back, can the "heartthrob angel" maintain her perfect act and regain the upper hand, or will she be the one swept off her feet by a fellow false angel?!
10. One Winged Angle
I am on record as being a frustrated “Tokyo Ghoul” reader. Sui Ishida has a unique approach to manga that is captivating and utterly baffling at the same time. His fight scenes are unintelligible and his dialog and plotting is often opaque and disjointed. I tried to read “Tokyo Ghoul: re” and “Choujin X” chapter by chapter. I really did. I couldn’t. I had to stop…but then, just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in. I love the way his weird worlds work and dammit if I don’t also love his characters, even if I can’t always tell who is who half the time.
I fell off “Choujin X” mostly because of its erratic release schedule; a schedule that’s actually a point in its favor because it being allowed 88-page chapters randomly dropped once every couple weeks and then regular 22-pagers for weeks and then nothing for a couple months means someone trusts in the process. With an eighth volume out, even if I don’t understand a lick of what’s going on, I think it’s time to get back on the ride and see where this off-the-rails train is heading. Choo choo!
Choujin X, Vol. 8
Written and Illustrated by Sui Ishida
Published by Viz
Dark humor and quirky horror unite in this tale of clashing heroes and monsters from the creator of Tokyo Ghoul and Tokyo Ghoul: re!
Best friends Tokio and Azuma do everything together, even if most of the time it feels like Tokio is just stumbling along in Azuma’s cooler, more talented footsteps. But when they’re attacked one night by a superhuman mutant called a choujin, Tokio finally has a chance to shine—by turning into a choujin himself!
Operation Old Market, the drug bust Tokio and his friends are attempting to pull off on a tight deadline, is going just as badly as everyone at Yamato Mori expected. In the midst of a high-speed foot chase that could be their big break, Tokio hears a sudden choujin call. He knows he doesn’t have time to be distracted, but can he afford to ignore this strange clarion?
9. Getting the Junji Ito Treatment
Another gem from Vertical that I’m sure won’t do any lasting damage to my already fragile psyche. Nope. Not at all. I’ll gladly read this at 3 am.
…did someone ring my doorbell?
Hauntress
Written and Illustrated by Minetaro Mochizuki
Published by Vertical Inc
A seminal work of horror from 1993, this classic from the author of Dragon Head is finally appearing in English for the first time. Incorporating elements of psychological horror and urban legend, and credited with introducing the idea of stalking to Japan, Mochizuki's early masterpiece remains just as terrifying as it was when it first appeared over 30 years ago.
Hiroshi Mori is an ordinary college student leading an unremarkable life, until one day the doorbell rings…
8. Believe it! Wait…Wrong Franchise.
Do I finally start “Hunter x Hunter” or do I continue waiting for it to be complete? Choices, choices. For anyone not stuck in my situation and looking for a nice, cheap way to start the renowned Shonen series, these 3-in-1 volumes from Viz have you covered. This isn’t for the collector - trust me, these things are flimsy - but they are an amazing value.
Hunter x Hunter, 3-in-1 Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi
Published by Viz
Plucky Gon’s quest to find his dad leads him into a whole world of crazy adventure.
Hunters dedicate their lives to tracking down treasures, magical beasts, and even other people. But such pursuits require a license, and less than one in a hundred thousand can pass the grueling qualification exam. Those who do pass earn the right to call themselves Hunters.
When country boy Gon decides to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a legendary Hunter, he embarks across the perilous sea to take the Hunter Exam. After he finally finds the elusive Exam Hall, the other Hunter hopefuls prove deadly serious, and the tests are wild and wicked. Will Gon’s plucky spirit and courageous heart be enough to carry him closer to his dream?
7. Penguindrum!
I only know Penguindrum from its reputation. I missed it’s original airing and it has been wiped from the face of the streaming landscape, this time NOT by Aniplex (Baccano! My beloved…) Apparently it also never got an English home video release. That’s all preface to say, I picked this solely on that connection and the very cute cover. I did learn it’s on indefinite hiatus so Lily can take care of her kid (a good reason to pause!) so…start the series with that in mind.
Kigurumi Guardians, Vol. 4
Written and Illustrated by Lily Hoshino
Published by Kodansha Comics
Lily Hoshino, the beloved artist behind Mawaru Penguindrum, offers her cute and twisted take on the magical girl genre. You probably never thought Sailor Moon needed more hot older guys in full-body mascot costumes, but Kigurumi Guardians will bring you around!
Hakka's second year of middle school was dull as it could be, until a suspicious cow mascot ("kigurumi") shows up in her room, holding a sign that reads, "My Name Is Ginger." But this isn't (just?) a stalker, it's a magical being that's come to convince Hakka (and her friends) to become Guardians, and save the world! Hakka is understandably confused, until she's suddenly attacked, and a beautiful young man leaps in to save her. Can this handsome knight and the weird kigurumi be... one and the same?
6. Writing on the Chalkboard: I will not make a fart joke. I will not make a fart joke. I will not make a fart joke.
I honestly thought this was a breakdancing manga for the longest time. Maybe that’s “Wandance?” Whatever the case, I’m surprisingly a mark for delinquent manga so sign me up for that! Plus, look how stylish the characters look in their wind breakers.
Wind Breaker, Vol. 9
Written and Illustrated by Satoru Nii
Published by Kodansha Comics
An adrenaline-filled manga set in a high school for delinquents who are now heroes protecting their town. A fierce, new student arrives at the school determined to fight his way to the top and become the strongest of them all. This edgy, action-packed manga is guaranteed to excite fans of Tokyo Revengers and other stories about high school delinquents.
In the Limelight
Tsubakino, one of Furin High School’s Four Kings, invites Haruka Sakura and his new group of friends to the entertainment district—an electrifying place illuminated by neon lights. Emotions quickly run high after they bump into a group of vigilantes, hell-bent on protecting their territory in the same way Sakura and his friends protect their town. As he’s drawn into another furious fight, will Sakura finally be able to turn to his friends for help against this new threat?!
5. Little Scop. Little Scop of Horrors.
Another blast from the past rescued and re-released by Seven Seas in a nice Collector’s Edition. Truly, they are doing good work. “Pet Shop of Horrors” has a fun set-up. Each chapter is an EC-comic morality play with an overarching story with pets as the vector for said play. It’s a nice use of the form to tell smaller stories nestled in a more propulsive narrative. Or, I think it’s propulsive. Early-2000s horror can be, uh, clunky..
Pet Shop of Horrors Collector’s Edition, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Matsuri Akino
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
The cult hit classic returns in a beautiful new Collector’s Edition with an all-new translation!
In the depths of Chinatown lies a curious pet shop. There, it’s said you can find any animal you desire, no matter how fantastical...or dangerous. The city is plagued with strange accidents, and somehow, pets from that shop always seem to be involved. Detective Leon Orcot is determined to pin the blame on Count D, the shop's caretaker. But the beautiful man is just as enigmatic as his pets—and he certainly isn't talking.
4. Love Me, Love Me. Say That You Love Me.
Lesbian drama about two former salarywomen who run away to an island and try to live together but life and capitalism conspire against them? Where do I start reading asap?
Throw Away the Suit Together, Vol. 3
Written and Illustrated by
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
A CHOICE ACROSS THE SEA
Summer has come to the island, and with it, the reality is that everything has not gone to plan. Tormented by things they have failed again, Haru and Hii-chan together have to confront their choices. Between job hunting, living expenses, part-time work and school, the pair are face with many new paths before them. Before they decide which road they will walk, they stand before the sea they crossed and choose their future.
3. Be Prepared to Feel Absolutely Awful
Inio Asano is rightly praised as a mangaka. I also cannot stand his work. I don’t like how I feel after reading any of them and, honestly, struggle to recommend them because they’re just that dark. I still haven’t finished “Dead Dead Demon’s Dededededestruction,” and will not watch it, because of that. Also I had a hard time following the story and telling characters apart. Too much tracing, my dude!
I suspect that will happen here too. Doesn’t matter. A new Asano work is worthy of attention. I just hope this one has a little more to hold onto. I can only handle so much nihilism and pinpoint accurate, bleak satire.
Mujina into the Deep, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Inio Asano
Published by Viz
No life but the one you make, no rights but the ones you take!
In the near future, human rights aren’t guaranteed, but they are for sale. Without your rights, you’re just a mujina, with no place to call your own and no laws to protect you. But if the laws don’t apply to you, you can do anything you want. You just need the skills to back it up. And if you’re really good, you can really make a killing.
Terumi Morgan bitterly accepts that he shouldn’t expect a lot from life. He just wants to meet his deadlines at work and watch his porn in peace. But then an unexpected sick day sends him on a collision course with two people who will change his world forever—a runaway kid and a thirtysomething mujina assassin. Suddenly life is expecting a lot from him.
2. Farm to Table Manga
I often miss highlighting small, indie manga publishers, mostly because they don’t sell through my usual sources, but also because they don’t put out books on the same regular-ish schedule. Glacier Bay Books is one such publisher. I’m pleased that they have a book slated for February, especially because it’s from Tomohiro Tsugawa! I adored “Mermaid Town.” It’s an odd duck of a book that’s cohesively dreamlike, featuring our banged, eyeless main character trudging through the stories. Since this is a sort-of-sequel, I’m expecting more and better. Plus, doesn’t that title make you grin just a little?
D’Artagnan’s Horse
Written and Illustrated by Tomohiro Tsugawa
Published by Glacier Bay Books
The second volume of Tsugawa’s comic “dream journal”. Building off of ‘Mermaid Town’ yet an entirely self-contained work, D’Artagnan’s Horse expands on the narrative and stylistic variety of the first collection bringing an even wider array of polished surreal dreamlike short stories. Includes 16 short comics in a startling variety of tones & settings, as well as the author’s detailed commentary essay, preface, and an afterword / bonus comic.
1. Eat or Be Eaten. That is the Question.
Psycho-sexual BL manga from Nagabe? No questions needed. Let’s go.
Eat
Written and Illustrated by Nagabe
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
From bestselling creator Nagabe (The Girl From the Other Side) comes an anthropomorphic Boys’ Love manga about dark, unspoken desires and the delicious temptation to give in.
Professor Lufria has a secret: he finds pleasure in watching others eat. As a strict and intimidating law professor, this wolf hides his unusual obsession behind a stern demeanor. But when one of his students dares to bite him, it awakens a hunger deep inside him. This time, it’s not just about food—it’s about passion, intimacy, and the thrill of being devoured. Will Lufria give in to his primal desires, or will he be left endlessly craving for more?
Elias Rosner
Elias Rosner
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