Kiss & White Lily For My Dearest Girl Vol. #06 Manga Review

When you're happy, I'm happy. Even if it's not because of me.

Creative Staff:

Story & Art: Canno

Translation: Jocelyne Allen

Lettering: Alexis Eckerman

What They Say:

Yellow for gratitude. Pink for respect. Violet for apology. Red for love...This is the language of ribbons wrapped around flowers. What does it mean, though, when the person giving Izumi a flower wrapped in red is handing them out to multiple people - is it okay for Izumi to keep it, even though Chiharu is the only one for her? While Izumi grapples with this question, Chiharu has to decide what's important to her when the one who broke her heart, Hosino-senpai, pays a visit...

The Review:
Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

Love is in the air in the latest volume of Kiss & White Lily. Well, love is pretty much always in the air at Seiran, but this time it's justified. Thanks to yet another interesting Japanese holiday that may or may not be real (I honestly have no idea at this point), all of our school girls get to give out flowers to the classmates they admire, respect, or simply just want to shower with untarnished, brightly colored affection. The catch is that each girl is only allowed to give out one red-ribboned flower and, if you haven't guessed it by now, red symbolizes love. That being said, our first red ribbon is exchanged between a couple we haven't seen for several volumes now. 

Chiharu and Izumi have started dating following the rejection Chiharu faced earlier in the series (When she confessed to her senpai before going off to college). Despite being happily paired for roughly six months now, a bump in the road arises once good ole' senpai comes back to visit the school. Not fully understanding how to deal with the situation, Chiharu decides that the best course of action is to stay as far away from her as she can. And this works out perfectly fine until they accidentally cross paths while Chiharu is leaving school. We all know that first love spares no one, often leaving a path of destruction in its wake. So when Chiharu confronts this directly and tells her senpai that she's found happiness without her, it's a huge step toward independence that speaks volumes about her relationship with Izumi. At the end of the day, the couple withstands adversity and emerges stronger, now knowing that some challenges will be impossible to avoid.

And while we're on the topic of challenges, our next couple (Which can't even really be called a 'couple') faces quite an interesting combination of them. You see, instead of just two girls this time, we're dealing with three. Amane Asakura is a bubbly high school idol that captures the attention of plenty of girls. Just, in contradiction to how that normally goes, she's totally fine with being romantically involved with all of them. The other girls, however...not so much. I mean, we're smack dab in the middle of a school's worth of girls finding love for the first time. Anything that stands between them and the object of their affection is sure to drive them a little crazy.

The way it plays out is sort of like this: Ryou Hiruma develops a crush on Amane Asakura. Amane is already in a relationship with Nina Yuudai. Nina and Ryou are actually penpals online without knowing each other's true identities. They find out and also become pseudo- partners. Nina doesn't feel right having feelings for two girls. Amane is totally cool with everything. Ryou just has no idea what's even going on at this point.

Honestly, even I'm having a hard time figuring out the thought patterns of these girls. I'm not sure if it's just my disposition toward polygamy, in general, that's doing this or the fact that the greatest justification of Amane's thoughts presented in the volume is, "Why not?" Either way, Nina (Who becomes the true focus despite having the least screen time) comes to terms with her feelings and works on strengthening her pre-existing bond with Amane. The three girls then embark on their journey toward the purest threesome in the world, all while Ryou still has no idea what the hell is going on. The book proceeds to close out with a bonus chapter of the others couples we've met so far giving out their flowers as well. (This is also the only time Shiramine and Kurosawa show up, making this the least 'main' book in the series thus far).

In Summary:

Despite my obvious love for the series, the rate at which new couples are being introduced can be rather confusing for many readers. The relationships developed within are all unique, so the problem doesn't lie within the actual content but rather the pacing. With so many new girls being brought into Kiss & White Lily, it's getting hard to formulate a central plot. And while I understand the reasoning for telling the story in this manner, I can not wholeheartedly say that I endorse this method. It's overwhelmingly clear just how much more Kurosawa and Shiramine need to develop before reaching a satisfactory end. But at the rate things are going so far, I'm expecting nearly twenty different couples reaching conclusions before they do.

Content Grade: B

Art Grade: A-

Packaging Grade: A-

Text/Translation Grade: A-

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: June 5, 2018

MSRP: $12.99

Horimiya Vol. #11 Manga Review

I don't understand my girlfriend.

Creative Staff:

Art: Daisuke Hagiwara

Story: Hero

Translation: Taylor Engel

Lettering: Alexis Eckerman

What They Say: 

Not everyone is as quick on the draw as Hori and Miyamura when it comes to love. Ever the trustworthy friend, Ishikawa has seen the couple through thick and thin, but his own heart seems to be taking a more meandering road to romance. Having realized that he and Yoshikawa might be more than "just friends," Ishikawa is now stuck attempting to navigate the murky waters between friendship and love. But one thing he does know is that the time he spends with Yoshikawa, however mystifying, is special in its own right...

The Review:
Content:(Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

Following a rather side character-centric installment in volume ten, the latest addition to the Horimiya franchise throws us back into the fray of Hori and Miyamura's lives. While the earlier chapters in this book do a shine a light, albeit a rather dim one, on the development of Tooru and Yuki's 'situation,' the focal point quickly transitions to some more of the minor hardships that our primary characters face. The first of these comes in the form of Miyamura's need to hide his tattoos from Sengoku.

The last several volumes have shown an interesting boom in both comedic and serious homosexual content and, once again, it makes itself known here. You see, instead of outright asking Miyamura about his incessant need to hide his skin, Sengoku takes it upon himself to try and strip him while he sleeps -- a completely normal thing that guys do at sleepovers which is in no way weird whatsoever. Regardless, the plan fails and we move on to our next borderline yaoi development.

As Hori has noticed in previous volumes, Miyamura isn't only popular with girls. In fact, one of the guys in his class (Some glasses-kun dude named Watabe) has a rather intense crush on him. It's actually so intense that he straight-up films Miyamura throughout the day and makes no attempt to hide it. But hey, Miyamura seems cool with that kind of stuff. There shouldn't be any problem at all as long as he doesn't change sexualities to cheat on his girlfriend. Well, at least that's what the rational reader would think. Hori seems to disagree.

In traditional Hori-fashion, she makes it known that she's put off by Miyamura's increased Watabe-time ratio as of late. This prompts Miyamura to go around sniffing everyone and I am not going to explain why because I'm mean and I want you to be confused. Either way, this ultimately ushers in the final arc of the volume, which also happens to be the only one with some actual conflict rather than nonsensical slice-of-life filler.

It's common knowledge at this point that our main couple gets involved in a lot of unneeded and overly dramatic arguments -- normally ones that spark from Hori getting overly jealous or something. Well, that happens again. But this time, Miyamura is determined to not back down and let things resolve in his favor for once. Used to her boyfriend apologizing immediately, Hori spirals into a fit of panic and despair as she contemplates the future of their relationship. Instead of acting on these negative emotions, however, Hori gives in and allows Miyamura to find her once again. The two make up but, in a stroke of actual change for Hori, she apologizes and states directly that everything is always her fault when the two of them get into a fight. And while this seems like the normal thing to do, it's actually a rather big step for her and it's great to see these characters still changing so far into the series.

In Summary:

Despite focusing mainly on Miyamura and Hori, volume eleven is actually rather uneventful. As always, the comedy is well-written and there isn't a single dull moment, but it isn't until the very last chapter or two where any actual weight is brought into the picture. Either way, Horimiya remains as consistent and ever and I honestly feel that, at this point, it would be near impossible to stop enjoying the series. I've been with the franchise for long enough that all of the characters are closer to friends at this point. And who says no to hanging out with their friends? Read Horimiya.

Content Grade: B

Art Grade: A

Packaging Grade: B+

Text/Translation Grade: A-

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: June 26, 2018

MSRP: $12.99

Scum's Wish Vol. #07 Manga Review

I'll do my best to forget you.

Creative Staff:

Story & Art: Mengo Yokoyari

Translation: David Rowe-Caplan & Megan Denton

Lettering: Abigail Blackman

What They Say:

After Hanabi is heartbroken, she goes to Karuizawa with Ebato. This journey is guiding the two towards an end to their relationship. Elsewhere, even after Mugi conveyed all of his feelings to Akane, the free-spirited girl didn't reply in kind. Who is the one that holds the keys to her heart?

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

With only two volumes left after this one, Scum's Wish has begun to wrap each of its toxic romances up. Well, at least it's trying to. But with so many emotions flooding not only our two protagonists but everyone wrapped up with them, there is no clean way to bring everything to a definitive conclusion. The first section of this particular volume does an exemplary job of detailing just that.

When we last left off, Hanabi had decided to accompany Ecchan to her family's vacation home smack-dab in the middle of Karuizawa's luscious forests. And while this seemed like some sort of rebound-trip meant to give Hanabi a break from her unrequited love's untimely demise, Ecchan had other things in mind. For her, this was the only way to solidify and obtain a few precious memories with Hanabi before ending their relationship once and for all. But when Ecchan spills these feelings over to the object of her affections, Hanabi's response isn't exactly what she was hoping for. In perhaps the most emotional scene in the entirety of the series (And this isn't me solely speaking as Ecchan's number-one fan), Hanabi frantically pleads with the red-haired wonder for the chance to stay friends. And, if you've ever been on Ecchan's side of things, this is significantly harder than it sounds.

The two girls crumble in the arms of one another, leaving the conclusion of their relationship open-ended if it can even be considered a conclusion at all. It's clear that Ebato is immensely pained by even the thought of being 'just friends' with Hanabi but, for the first time, it seems like Hanabi is actually terrified of losing something. Then again, this could just be an emotional side-effect of having lost pretty much everything else already. Either way, we bid farewell to this couple for the time being as the book tails off into focusing on the most...unique character of the series -- Akane Minagawa.

Interpreting the actions of Akane is perhaps the most difficult part of reviewing this series. I'm unsure of whether or not this can be attributed to my lack of empathy, or even understanding of her actions or if it's simply due to the fact that nothing she does really makes sense. It's like Akane is the physical manifestation of emotionless sex and that her sole purpose is to provide some sort of motivation for Mugi. And now that Mugi has actually "landed" her, she's only become even more confusing.

Despite his best efforts, Mugi is incapable of persuading Akane to ease up on her unjustified lasciviousness. And while this idea would eat most men or women alive, he accepts it because he's not sure what else to do. Mugi has been under her spell for so long that, even when she admits to him that she'll continue to be with other men, he accepts it- albeit reluctantly. And, just like that, she moves on to her next victim.

We find out in the final arc of the volume that Akane and Kanai have continued seeing each other, but haven't really 'done anything' since their first date. And yeah, this would seem pretty normal for most couples, but it's actually the most confusing part of the entire series. You see, the fact that Akane has continued to see Kanai despite all this completely contradicts everything her character stands for. It makes no sense why her relationship with him would continue even though he has failed to live up to her expectations on every single occasion thus far. The final few pages of the volume address her confusion directly in the form of an internal monologue, showing that even Akane herself doesn't understand why she hasn't ditched this guy. In the midst of this nonsense, the book screeches to an abrupt halt and we're left asking ourselves, "Just who is this girl, anyway?"

In Summary:

Despite holding the most emotional scene in the entire series within its depths, volume seven feels a bit wobbly in determining its pacing. The Ecchan x Hanabi story comes to a relatively satisfactory conclusion, but it's over in the blink of an eye. This section of the Scum's Wish timeline is really just the Akane Minagawa story. But the thing about her character is that even when you spend more than half of a book trying to explain why she acts the way she does, her actions just become all the more confusing. With no motivation or even a suitable backstory for her behavior, Akane seems like more of an excuse to be radical and sexual than an actual developed character. And for a series so character-centric, you can almost consider this a thorn in the side of Scum's Wish.

Content Grade: B

Art Grade: B+

Packaging Grade: B-

Text/Translation Grade: A-

Age Rating: 16+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: May 22, 2018

MSRP: $14.99

Scum's Wish Vol. #06 Manga Review

It's Hell, but who cares?

Creative Staff:

Story & Art: Mengo Yokoyari

Translation: David Rowe-Caplan & Megan Denton

Lettering: Xian Michele Lee

What They Say:

After a summer of love lost, Hanabi and Mugi agree to confess their true feelings before school resumes. Though rejection seems certain for both, love never is. Somewhere along the line, their twisted relationship yielded genuine emotions, but how will those feelings settle into the mix of unrequited love and desire that so entangled their hearts?

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

With its last volume focusing much of its time on the relationship between Moka and Mugi, volume six kicks off exactly where we left off -- the middle of a sex scene. So with this already-great opening laid out (Both literally and figuratively), the book gets off to an intimate and interesting start immediately. Moka, flooded by a dangerous mix of emotions, is more than willing to give herself over to the guy she's fawned over since childhood. Mugi, however, is able to stave off his desire in the name of keeping Moka "pure." The way she perceives this action is actually rather spot-on when you really think about it. Moka realizes that she's sort of a trophy for Mugi -- a pure symbol of unrequited love and the living embodiment of admiration toward him. This is something he realizes that he's likely to never receive from anyone else. Sullying her sanctity would only prove to taint that trophy.

And so the sex scene comes to an abrupt end. Mugi and Moka part ways and Moka is never seen again. Well, at least for the rest of the volume. But the reason for that is that both Mugi and Hanabi have decided to tackle the main plotline head-on this time. Realizing that their summer will be coming to an end before they know it, the two of them agree to finally confess their feelings to the objects of their affection. But this comes with the added difficulty of giving each other up. Throughout the last book or two, it's become evident that our protagonists have begun to see each other as more than just replacements. This becomes even clearer when Mugi straight-up says this Hanabi right before they part ways.

The actual process of having their hearts broken goes about the way both the reader and the characters themselves expected it to. Well, for Hanabi at least. Mugi winds up going to a love hotel with Akane and willingly plunges himself deeper (Pun not intended) into a hole (Still not intended) that he can never crawl out of. He admits to Akane that he knows all about her tendencies to "eat men" and how she'll accept anyone willing to give her affection. But he also admits that he wants to be the person to change her. Unfortunately, Akane doesn't seem like the type to be influenced by others all that easily. The rest of the volume then tails off to Hanabi's side, leaving the conclusion of this pair in the dark for the time being.

Hanabi's confession, as mentioned earlier, is a bit more on the standard side of things. Kanai is surprised, but completely understanding of her feelings and embraces her while she breaks into a hysterical fit. And while the scene does possess a good amount of emotional intensity, it comes to an end relatively quickly. But that's totally fine because the next part brings the goddess, Ecchan, back into the picture!

Needing a retreat from pretty much everything, Hanabi decides to go on a trip to Ebato's family-cottage in Karuizawa. Now miles from home, Hanabi gives herself over to the one person who has shown her unconditional love for as long as she can remember in an effort to feel wanted again. And, I'm sure she'd feel exponentially more wanted if the worst character in the whole damn series didn't show up to ruin everything. You see, Ecchan has a cousin who is suspiciously obsessed with her. He's only going to be in this volume and the next, but that's more than enough time to insert himself (Figuratively, thankfully) between our destined yuri pairing. Now, with a major roadblock in the way, Ecchan must figure out how to step up her relationship with Hanabi or face losing everything for good.

In Summary:

In book five, we saw action sidelined in favor of ramping up emotional intensity and character development. This time, those tables are turned. For the first time in quite a while, Hanabi and Mugi make a few moves that will heavily and directly impact their future. In some ways, volume six can even be considered the "point of no return." Now that everything is laid out on the table, the only things our characters need to worry about is persevering and not succumbing to inevitable heartbreak. Everything in Scum's Wish has been destined to fail from the beginning, but seeing how Mugi and Hanabi tackle this endeavor is what we've all been waiting for. It's finally here.

Content Grade: A-

Art Grade: A-

Packaging Grade: A

Text/Translation Grade: A-

Age Rating: 16+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: February 27, 2017

MSRP: $14.99