Alphabetical Index of Kodansha Manga Reviews

My Lovesick Life as a ’90s Otaku Volume 1

I loved the idea of My Lovesick Life as a ’90s Otaku as soon as I heard about it. Nico Nicholson gives us the story of Megumi, a 40-something divorced mother who can’t believe she’s now living in a world where being an otaku isn’t something to be embarrassed about. Anime and manga fans can be open about their likes; heck, they’re even sought after as customers worldwide. Her daughter Sakura takes full advantage with buttons and charms and an […]

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Sue & Tai-Chan Volume 1

The author of the popular Chi’s Sweet Home, Konami Kanata, returns with another cute cat manga. Sue & Tai-Chan is full-color, printed left to right, for maximum English-speaking audience appeal. Sue is an elderly cat, set in her ways, when her owner takes in the kitten Tai-chan. The older feline is drawn with simple lines, while Tai-chan is fuzzy, with huge eyes, capturing his youth. Sue sleeps most of the time, while Tai-chan explores the world. The short chapters allow […]

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Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku Volume 6

Volume 6 concludes the series Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku. And this final volume is everything a fan could want. It’s half the size, as the other English volumes each had two books’ worth of content, and this is just one. But there are color pages and an adorable flashback to the lead couple’s first meeting as school kids and character pinups and an afterword where the author, Fujita, has a few thoughts on the characters’ futures. I didn’t […]

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Sue & Tai-Chan Volume 3

One expects a cat manga to be adorable, and Sue & Tai-Chan volume 3 does not disappoint. It’s by Konami Kanata, after all, who’s well-known here for Chi’s Sweet Home, also about a kitten. This series doesn’t have the melancholy notes of a youngster missing mom that that one did, though. Instead, it’s all about how cats behave and how fun they are to watch. It’s also printed left to right and published in soft, relaxing color, to better appeal […]

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Perfect World Volume 1

Perfect World volume 1 by Rie Aruga is the story of how Tsugumi learns to love a man in a wheelchair, and how she learns, as a result, what life is like for someone who has a spinal cord injury. Tsugumi had a crush on Itsuki when they were in school together, but she had lost touch with him. A work meeting brings them back into contact, but he’s since had an accident and is paralyzed. In this first volume, […]

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Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku Volume 5

It’s been a while since I’ve talked about Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku. It’s not a manga series that inspires a lot of “must read now” emotion in me, but it’s probably the one that I can most relate to, as it’s about a small group of adult friends being geeky and fannish. Hirotaka and Narumi began by pretending to date, as she was afraid no guy would be able to tolerate her fandom behavior. By now, though, they’re […]

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Saving Sweets for After-Hours Volume 1

Saving Sweets for After-Hours has an intriguing premise that tries to pack in too much and retreats to the conventional. It’s by Kanae Sato and released digital-only by Kodansha. Reika looks like a model and runs a department at a company that makes desserts. She is feared by her staff because of her bossy personality and gossip that she’s into S&M… but secretly, she’s a 32-year-old virgin. Who also writes a popular blog featuring sex stories. One of her subordinates […]

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Mr. Bride Volume 1

Mr. Bride volume 1 by Natsumi Shiba establishes a simple premise as a way of getting two people together in an “opposites attract” situation. Hayami is a successful career woman who’s a slob at home. Co-worker Yamamoto discovers the mess and cleans up for her. The two end up rooming together, complicated by their feelings for each other. She needs someone to take care of her, and he appreciates being allowed in her presence (and benefits from her greater earning […]

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