Last month, I debuted the Manga Marching Orders feature, in which I invite readers to help me decide what to read next. The results were very close, but, in the end, Antique Bakery came out on top. On the surface, Antique Bakery is the story of four men who work together at a bakery, providing delicious cakes for their customers. What that simplified summary fails to mention, … [Read more...] about Antique Bakery 1-4 by Fumi Yoshinaga: A
Digital Manga Publishing
Millennium Prime Minister 1 by Eiki Eiki: C
The premise of Millennium Prime Minister is so ridiculous it almost sounds fun. Minori Nagashima, a sixteen-year-old schoolgirl and video game aficionado, ditches school one day and ends up at an arcade, where she takes on and defeats an opponent who’s been trouncing the other patrons. Initially angry, the young man changes his tune when he sees Minori, and declares, “You can … [Read more...] about Millennium Prime Minister 1 by Eiki Eiki: C
A Strange and Mystifying Story 2 by Tsuta Suzuki: C+
Akio’s family is cursed with illness, but they also have a protective guardian beast who will appear if summoned and grant a wish. Akio summons the beast—an amorous, wolfish sort whom he names Setsu—and wishes to be cured. After Setsu accomplishes this with his own brand of sexual healing, Akio finds he doesn’t want Setsu to disappear, so wishes for him to stick around. Now … [Read more...] about A Strange and Mystifying Story 2 by Tsuta Suzuki: C+
A Strange and Mystifying Story 1 by Tsuta Suzuki: B-
From the back cover: Akio's family is tragically cursed. His bloodline has fallen prey to a mysterious, fatal disease. When Akio's own health starts failing, he desperately summons the spirit of a strange, protective beast... or is he a ravenous wolf-man? In order to survive, Akio must trust his very life to a monster who enjoys nothing more than feasting on poisoned blood... … [Read more...] about A Strange and Mystifying Story 1 by Tsuta Suzuki: B-
Il Gatto Sul G. 3 by Tooko Miyagi: B+
Ever since taking in the wounded boy he found on his doorstep, nice guy Atsushi Ikeda has been emotionally involved with Riya Narukawa, a high school student and genius violinist who suffers from multiple personality disorder brought on by childhood abuse. One personality, called White, is in love with a cruel upperclassman while the other, dubbed Black, is attached to Atsushi. … [Read more...] about Il Gatto Sul G. 3 by Tooko Miyagi: B+