Re:Zero ~ Chapter 2 Vol. #04 Manga Review

If you pick up too much, you might end up dropping everything.

Creative Staff:

Art: Makoto Fuugetsu

Original Story: Tappei Nagatsuki

Character Design: Shinichirou Otsuka

Translation: ZephyrRZ

Lettering: Quintessenza

What They Say:

After a string of fatally wrong attempts, Subaru has finally figured out the true culprit behind the curse. Seeking to protect everyone dear to him, he rushes to the forest accompanied by Rem. Can Subaru overcome this challenge and survive, or will his own stubborn desire to do the right thing force the reset once again?

The Review:

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

Before we get into the bulk of this review, I believe it's important to point out exactly where in the timeline it is- seeing as the release schedule Yen Press laid out for Re:Zero is filled with more holes than freshly sliced swiss cheese. This might blow your mind here, but this book is the direct sequel to Chapter 2/Volume 3. The reason I point this out is that Chapter 3/Volume 1 actually came out before this particular installment for some strange, incomprehensible reason. Hell, there's still even one volume left in chapter 2 while chapter 3 is about to publish its fourth book. So not only does the release schedule make the series confusing for readers, it totally screwed with me when I went to review Chapter 3/Volume 1, thinking that it would be, you know, the next part of the damn manga instead of the sequel to something that hadn't even come out yet.

Anyway, all complaints aside, this installment of Re:Zero is meant to tie up the plotline of chapter two. When we last left off, Subaru had finally uncovered the entity responsible for several of his most recent deaths and had set out with Rem in an effort to track him down. Upon reaching the village, however, it appears that they may be too late. Both Subaru and everyone's favorite blue-haired maid take off into the woods, hoping for one last chance to slaughter a puppy- because what else is there to do in a parallel world. Soon after, they encounter a pack of demon beasts that go on to make both of their days significantly more challenging than they had already been. Subaru and Rem attempt to fight them off together but this ultimately ends in our protagonist becoming critically injured while Rem tries to shoulder the burden all on her own.

Instead of dying this time, Subaru wakes up in Roswaal Manor, mostly healed thanks to some aid from best girl (AKA Emilia). This solace is short-lived, however. Beatrice reveals to Subaru that he only has another day to live, at most, unless they uncover and kill all of the beasts that had cursed him. Removing a single curse is one thing but, according to the token loli, the number of curses he had taken on was borderline impossible to cure without some 'physical intervention.' 

And no, not that kind. This isn't Fate.

Regardless, Subaru sets off into the woods yet again, this time with Ram instead of Rem. With both of them dead set on finding her before she falls into peril, the level of urgency reaches an all-time peak as Rem could give into death's grasp any moment now. Well, at least that's what we're meant to think, but most of us already know that Rem isn't exactly what she seems. The book tails off into a brief recounting of her and her sister's childhood and how they were blessed with the power of demons at birth. However, somewhere along the line, Ram's powers were stripped, leaving Rem as the only one with immense combat capabilities. Soon enough, the three characters are reunited and Subaru disables Rem before she's able to burn herself out. Pleading with Ram to take her back to the village, he summons every ounce of strength in his body to defeat the leader of the demon beasts.

He doesn't. Fortunately for him, good ole' Roswaal himself shows up and torches the giant hellhound before it has a chance to kill Subaru for a...what is it now, fifteenth time? The day is ultimately saved and boom-  the seed of Rem's undying and unrequited love has finally been planted. With everything finally starting to calm down, maybe our protagonist will be able to take it easy for a little while? And if not...well, at least Emilia has finally decided to go on a date with him.

In Summary: 

The penultimate volume for Re:Zero's second chapter does an exemplary job of tying up the arc before moving onto additional (And likely fan service heavy) filler material in its final installment. Rem fans rejoice, as I know there are many of you out there, for she is the star of this book. With some of the best artwork Fugetsu has put out to date and an unblemished structure to back it, I'm sad to say goodbye to this section of Re:Zero's evergrowing timeline. I'm a bit skeptical going into the next chapter, as we must once again change artists, but I won't let it dissuade me from the interest brought on by this finale. I urge any of you already reading the series to continue on as well. If the following books are even a fragment as good as this one, Re:Zero will remain the must-read series it already is.

Content Grade: A-

Art Grade: A

Packaging Grade: A

Text/Translation Grade: A-

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: December 19, 2017

MSRP: $12.99

Kiss & White Lily For My Dearest Girl Vol. #04 Manga Review

It's okay to cry...I'm the only one watching.

Creative Staff:

Story & Art: Canno

Translation: Jocelyne Allen

Lettering: Alexis Ecerkman

What They Say:

Ayaka Shiramine and Yurine Kurosawa have started a new year at school as second years and are classmates once again. Yurine is practically assaulting the gardening club so she can join. Meanwhile, the rest club struggles valiantly to ensure the survival of the rose garden. Amidst this, they meet Yukina Ooshiro and Towako Mita. The story of kissing girls continues--!

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

Remember in my last review where I praised Kiss & White Lily for getting back to its main couple instead of dwelling too much on establishing side characters and subplots? Well, this volume really hammers it in that the alternating-formula, which has become increasingly popular in the yuri genre, is going to be the same one this story follows for the most part. That being said, you can expect a heavy dose of side characters this time around. Unlike my qualms with issue two, however, this fourth installment breaks away from my initial distaste for the formula by proving the subplots, too, can harbor emotional weight. In fact, this might be the most well-constructed book in the series thus far- and it's in no way thanks to either of the main characters.

Volume four brings us back to what I believe was the first side-couple we were introduced to- way back in the first book. Mizuki and Moe, track star and manager respectively, are approaching the end of their high school careers. With that, they're obviously on the brink of saying goodbye to track forever as well. It's already been established at this point that these girls are interested in each other, so the bulk of this volume elects to focus on their personal issues rather than romantic ones. Mizuki, faced with her final race of...well, pretty much forever, has only managed to achieve success because she's been "running for Moe." But when Moe reaches out to her and says that she needs to learn to run for herself, it creates a rift between them that tears at their psyches to the point of breakdown. Mizuki, now alone and confused, must discover what it is that attracted her to running in the first place. Moe, on the other hand, must battle with questions of self-importance and exactly what role she's supposed to have in Mizuki's life.

While Mizuki's battle may have been hard fought, it ultimately ends in failure. However, sometimes failure leads to great things. Even though she had lost her last race ever, she grew strong enough to mend the broken bond with the girl she loves. The rift turns into a spark and, for the rest of the volume, the girls remain head over heels for one another. This continues sporadically throughout the volume and culminates with a beautifully executed kissing seen under the cover of fireworks.

While Mizuki and Moe were clearly the focus of this book, it does not mean the other characters went completely unnoticed. Kurosawa sees a fair share of screen time, though it is in result of yet another character introduction -- Kaoru Machida. Apparently, Shiramine isn't the only girl with feelings for the school's top student. Kaoru has actually been watching Kurosawa since middle school. After transferring out for several years, though, she had all but given up the idea of pursuing her. Well, at least until high school rolled around and she was placed in her class again. Now, Kaoru must find it within herself to overcome her introversion in order to get close to the one girl no one can get close to.

There are two central themes that volume four hones in on- looking toward the future and remedying the problems found within oneself. These ideas, when executed correctly (And I assure you that is the case for this installment), go hand in hand with one another in a multitude of ways. Book-four is not only interesting and engaging, it's a heartfelt injection into self-struggle and perseverance. From a sheer thematic standpoint, this book may just be the best in the series so far.

In Summary:

The jump back to a side character-centric formula may seem off-putting at first, but book four quickly regains its footing thanks to the excellent characterization and chemistry of both Mizuki and Moe. The gap in terms of time between the first and fourth volumes may cause a bit of confusion for some readers, but the fact that we've already been introduced to these two easily aids the continuation of their story. With a heavy thematic focus and some of the most gorgeous artwork the series has seen, Kiss & White Lily remains just as enchanting as always and reminds us, once again, that Seven Seas isn't the only group who can publish yuri.

Content Grade: A

Art Grade: A

Packaging Grade: A-

Text/Translation Grade: A-

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: November 14, 2017

MSRP: $12.99

The Asterisk War Vol. #05 Manga Review (Series Finale)

Burst into bloom.

Creative Staff:

Art: Ningen

Original Story: Yuu Miyazaki

Character Design: okiura

Translation: Melissa Tanaka

Lettering: Phil Christie

What They Say: 

After a string of dominant wins, Ayato and Julis find themselves up against sisters Irene and Priscilla Urzaiz! Irene is the wielder of the Gravisheath, an Orga Lux that has the power to manipulate gravity, but its user must pay a high price: their life energy! Once the battle begins, it quickly becomes two-on-one -- and Priscilla's on the sidelines! What sort of secret power could she be hiding?...

The Review: 

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

Welp, it's been a decent run but, unfortunately, Asterisk War's manga has reached its end. Actually, I wouldn't go as far as saying 'unfortunately,' if we're going to be totally honest. I mean, the fact that the creators decided to bid farewell to this adaptation in pretty much the strangest spot possible is pretty indicative of their affinity for it. Regardless, it's not like the journey was entirely unenjoyable. In fact, there were actually several pretty enjoyable moments throughout the series. This final installment is no different.

When we last left off, Julis and Ayato had decided to team up for the Phoenix Fest. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the series (Or just need a refresher), the Phoenix Festa is pretty much the biggest competition in all of Asterisk War. Something crazy like 100 teams or something are placed into a bracket, with only 32 of them reaching the final round. In addition to Ayato and Julis, Saya and Kirin have also decided to team up- and we spend a small portion of this finale learning a bit more about them. 

While it may seem like Saya and Kirin were paired up simply due to the fact that they are two largest supporting characters the series has to offer, the 'real' reason lies in the fact that Saya appreciated Kirin's sword skills. According to her, her combat style is very similar to Ayato's and, considering she's spent her whole damn life admiring him, she knows how to work with that. The only thing this duo lacks is a proper rapport. So, with that in mind, they decide to go out shopping- you know, exactly what every other team of fierce combatants does. At the end of the day, they advance the final 32 teams. Ayato and Julis follow soon after.

The main problem here is that a new duo has been introduced, and they're pretty darn terrifying. The face of this new team is the incredibly badass Irene Urzaiz- an orphan who fled her home with her sister and has been protecting her sense. Irene possesses a Lux called the Gravisheath, which seems like a pretty big deal at first. But considering she only had a few panels to show it off before Ayato smashes it into pieces, I'd say that it didn't really live up to the hype. The book comes to a close shortly after, with Ayato and Julis heading into the final 16 teams with Team Saya's next match to follow suit.

The only thing is, the series ends right here. There are no prior mentions or even foreshadowings of any true finale. In fact, this book didn't even close out the first half of the anime's second season. It just stops in the middle of nowhere in what is probably the least natural ending to a manga I've ever read. It turns the entire five-book series into nothing more than an excuse to buy the light novels. Something like this is a slap in the face to any reader who was actually enjoying the manga. And, to be fair, it really wasn't bad. It's a loyal adaptation that just falls into nonexistence before any sort of payoff.

In Summary:

While The Asterisk War may be a solid five-book series in terms of content and characters, its sporadic abandonment after this particular volume really downplays the rest of the series. With no update in the foreseeable future or even an explanation as to why publication was halted, Asterisk War's final installment leaves readers unsatisfied and without closure. If you're able to see past this, the five books that did reach the light of day are easily accessible to fans of shonen action-harems. For readers who aren't into this genre, however, the series leaves much to be desired.

Content Grade: C+

Art Grade: B+

Packaging Grade: B

Text/Translation Grade: B-

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: September 19, 2017

MSRP: $12.99