by Asuka Izumi; story by K-Ske Hasegawa You may know the term “shinigami” from the popular Death Note series, where the death god is black and goth and scary. Ballad of a Shinigami, based on a light novel series (translated in the U.S. by Seven Seas) and later anime, turns that concept on its ear by featuring a young girl, all in white, as the messenger of death. Except few people actually die in this book — instead, they’re affected […]

While the main Emma series concluded with volume 7, this volume continues visiting Kaoru Mori’s Victorian world, telling tales of some of the supporting characters. The first two chapters are a flashback to Kelly and Doug Stowner as young marrieds. (Kelly was, later in her life, Emma’s employer.) They’re debating visiting the Great Exhibition, for which the Crystal Palace was built, but the expense will be difficult for them to manage. She’s harshly practical, but the way the two of […]

Chouko’s feeling lonely because Kei has locked himself away, writing. So she joins up with an odd little college reading club in The Name of the Flower volume 2 by Ken Saito. They’re all astounded by how pretty she is, so they instantly go out drinking, and various club members tend to grab at her to keep her from leaving. The behaviors in this volume, unlike the first, reinforced for me that this story took place in a different country […]