May 08, 2018
From Our TBR Pile Manga & Light Novels

Review – Overlord, Vol 5: The Men of the Kingdom Part 1 by Kugane Maruyama

Overlord, Vol 5: The Men of the Kingdom Part 1
By: Kugane Maruyama
Illustrator: so-bin
Translator: Emily Balistrieri
Release Date: (Original) December 28, 2013; (English) September 19, 2017
Publisher: Yen Press
Series: Overlord
Rating:


Well, here we are with another volume of Overlord. This light novel series has gone interesting places, and I’m always pleasantly surprised by what happens next. Overlord, Volume 5: The Men of the Kingdom Part 1 by Kugane Maruyama is the start to an interesting new arc in the series focusing more on Sebas and several human characters.

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Apr 26, 2018
0 Article Manga & Light Novels

#ReadManga18 Reading Challenge Update 1

It took longer than I expected, but I’ve filled in all of the challenges I’ve completed so far this year. While this wasn’t difficult, it was a little time consuming. Several of the manga I’ve read could potentially fill more than one challenge, but I wanted to limit it to one right now. For completions sake I might use one manga for multiple categories, but I wanted to see what I managed without relying on grouping challenges together first.

More …

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Mar 17, 2018
From Our TBR Pile Manga & Light Novels

Review – Outbreak Company: Volume 1 by Ichiro Sakaki

Outbreak Company: Volume 1
By: Ichiro Sakaki
Illustrator: Yugen
Translator: Kevin Steinbach
Release Date: November 17, 2017; (Original) December 2, 2011
Publisher: J-Novel Club
Series: Outbreak Company #1
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


I am always on the hunt for new isekai (that’s ‘trapped in another world’ for those who don’t know) light novels. Somehow I’d missed the anime Outbreak Company when it first aired, so I jumped at the chance to read the light novel. Outbreak Company Vol. 1 by Ichiro Sakaki, author of Chaika: The Coffin Princess among others, is a light novel that is both fun, but unafraid to delve into the more serious aspects of politics and the issues that arise when transporting pop culture to another world.

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Dec 23, 2017
Manga & Light Novels New & Upcoming Releases

Review – Record of Lodoss War: The Grey Witch by Ryo Mizuno

Record of Lodoss War: The Grey Witch
By: Ryo Mizuno; Hitoshi Yasuda (original concept)
Illustrator: Yutaka Izubuchi
Translator: Lillian Olsen
Release Date: December 19, 2017; (original) 19
Publisher: Seven Seas
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


There is nothing I appreciate more than a rerelease of an older title, especially when those of us in the US may have missed out on a translation the first time around. These are the light novels and manga of my youth, before my youth, the ones that have formed the genres and tropes we know today. Record of Lodoss War: The Grey Witch by Ryo Mizuno was first published when the concept of light novels was still new. Now, thirty years later, it is brought to the US for the first time.

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Dec 10, 2017
Manga & Light Novels New & Upcoming Releases

Review – Zodiac War by NisiOisin

Zodiac War
By: NisiOisin
Illustrator: Hikaru Nakamura
Translator: Nathan A. Collins
Release Date: October 10, 2017
Publisher: VIZ Media
Rating:


I can’t believe I’ve never read a book by NisiOisin before. Not only that, I’ve only just started watching Bakemonogatari. Finally I can say that I’ve read something by this author! I happened to come across an absolutely beautiful copy of Zodiac War by NisiOisin in my local bookstore not too long ago and immediately picked up a copy.

This book is about the Zodiac War, a battle that occurs every twelve years between fighters which represent each of the twelve zodiacs. What you see is pretty much what you get here. The story opens with the introduction of this year’s Zodiac War by the overseer of the event before following each of the combatants as they utilize everything they possibly can in order to secure victory.

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Oct 07, 2017
From Our TBR Pile Manga & Light Novels

Review – Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody Vol. 1

Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody Vol. 1
By: Hiro Ainana
Illustrator: Ayamegumo
Translator: Jenny McKeon
Release Date: March 17th 2014; January 31st 2017
Publisher: Yen On
Series: Death March Rhapsody to the Parallel World #1
Rating:


I have read a lot of stuck in another world type fantasy. High fantasy, light novels, manga, stuck in a video game, or fallen through a wardrobe – I read them all. Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody by Hiro Ainana is one of my all-time favorites within the genre. While bearing a different sort of humor and extremely different main characters, Death March is just as excellent a deconstruction of the genre the light novel Konosuba. It is a light novel I highly recommend, and an anime I highly anticipate within the coming year.

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Aug 15, 2017
From Our TBR Pile Manga & Light Novels New & Upcoming Releases

Review – Overlord, Vol. 4: The Lizardmen Heroes by Kugane Maruyama

Overlord, Vol. 4: The Lizardmen Heroes
By: Hajime Kanzaka
Illustrator: So-bin
Translator: Emily Balistrieri
Release Date: (Original) July 31, 2013; (English) May 23, 2017
Publisher: Yen On
Series: Overlord #4
Rating:


Moving is hard. We’ve all done it and we’ve all hated it. It’s stressful, it takes up all of your free time, and all of your books get stuck in boxes. Including the brand new, released-two-days-before-moving-day copy of one of your favorite fantasy light novels. But the boxes are finally empty and Overlord, Vol 4 has been read! Overlord, Vol 4: The Lizardmen Heroes by Kugane Maruyama is a high fantasy adventure following characters who, in another story, would probably be bad guys.

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Aug 03, 2017
From Our TBR Pile Manga & Light Novels Throwback Thursday

#ThrowbackThursday Review – Slayers: The Ghost of Sairaag by Hajime Kanzaka

Slayers: The Ghost of Sairaag
By: Hajime Kanzaka
Release Date: (Original Japanese 1991); (English Translation) March 8, 2005
Publisher: TokyoPop
Series: Slayers #3
Rating:


I really wish these books were still being translated. The series is a lot of fun, and the books don’t disappoint. This is actually the second time I’ve read The Ghost of Sairaag by Hajime Kanzaka in only a few months. I’d originally started it less than a week before moving, so of course the book got packed away in a box I couldn’t find upon move in, the last chapter still unread. At this point I figured I may as well read the whole thing over again, something I’m never against when it’s one of my favorite series.

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Aug 01, 2017
From Our TBR Pile Manga & Light Novels New & Upcoming Releases

Review – your name. by Matoko Shinkai

your name.
By: Matoko Shinkai
Illustrator: Ranmaru Kotone
Translator: Taylor Engel
Website: http://shinkaimakoto.jp/
Release Date: (Original Japanese) June 18 2016; (English Translation) May 23, 2017
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating:


I almost always read the book before I watch the movie. In this case it happened purely on accident. I wound up picking up a copy of your name. by Makoto Shinkai from Barnes and Noble during a buy two get one free sale.

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Jul 09, 2017
From Our TBR Pile Manga & Light Novels

Review – Konosuba: God’s Blessings on This Wondrous World!, Vol. 1 by Natsume Akatsuki

Konosuba: God's Blessings on This Wondrous World!, Vol. 1
By: Natsume Akatsuki
Illustrator: Kurone Mishima
Translator: Kevin Steinbach
Release Date: November 22, 2016
Publisher: Yen On
Series: Konosuba #1
Rating:


I love everything fantasy. Fantasy novels. Fantasy light novels. Fantasy manga. High fantasy. Low fantasy. Magical realism. All of it. I’ve seen all the tropes, all the clichés, and format specific tendencies. Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!, Vol. 1 by Natsume Akatsuki takes every single one of those, plays with it, and turns it on its head.

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