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Truly sorry to bother you, but would you happen to be able to post images of the Nisekoi bunko bonus comics in higher quality? Not a scan or anything, just something more legible. I would like to translate them. Totally fine if you can't or don't want to, though!

Sorry, I think its going too tricky to get good pictures of all the pages.

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Soaring Sky Precure and All Stars F Thoughts

The end of January is always a bittersweet time to be a Precure fan as the currently airing series comes to a close and the next series begins the following week at the first of February. I have been watching Precure on a weekly basis for 6 years ever since Hugtto in 2018 and I watched the entire backlog of episodes over roughly 2 years. I wanted to write a post about why All Stars F and Soaring Sky Precure were the perfect anniversary projects. The staple of any Precure milestone year is a new All Stars movie. They used to be yearly until there were simply too many characters to sustain the purpose of the format so now its saved for special occasions. I'll start by saying All Stars F was phenomenal! The action has never looked better and unlike Memories, it was almost completely in 2D. It's hard to miss when they distill the franchise into its purest form of magical girls beating monsters. The main point I want to focus on is the film's antagonist Cure Supreme.

(note the fake logo, Supreme is merely going through the motions) They are an unworldly existence who completely destroyed all the cures. Kind of like an end of series boss character. Yet on a whim Supreme wanted to learn more about where a Precure's strength comes from such as why did they try so hard. Supreme recreated earth, gave themselves a mascot, a ton of monsters to defeat including a boss figure, all to essentially live as the main character of a Precure series. It's a very cynical way of looking at the franchise with its repeatable formula. She sees all the parts as simply something they have. In the climax of the film Supreme is faced with Precure being more than the sum of its parts. They see the hardships, trials, moments of happiness, and the moments of sadness that have occurred in the history of the franchise. A Precure is someone who puts their best foot forward and looks to make a better tomorrow regardless of any obstacles. By splitting part of their power into a mascot and trying to imitate being a cure, Supreme has already taken the first step of their redemption story. In the end, All Stars F uses Supreme to show the audience why Precure is such a long lasting franchise. It might be a repeatable formula, it might appear silly, but ultimately what defines a Precure is someone giving it all their to improve themselves. That is something that can resonate and inspires an audience of all ages which even Supreme is not immune from. The film concludes with Supreme and they're mascot Puka realizing that perhaps together there is more to life when they share experiences.

(Manatsu grinning with happiness as her first encounter with Laura replays before their eyes. You can feel how proud she is of having a friend like Laura. It completely changed the trajectory of her life for the better) If All Stars F is a refresher of Precure's overarching themes, then Soaring Sky Precure is a throwback to the duo dynamic of the early days with a theme of Heroes. We have the central duo of Sora and Mashiro. Sora is an outsider and the team lead. She befriends Mashiro, the human character, who is a kind person who doesn't always have the best self confidence. Together they teach other how to exert themselves more. Both Mashiro and Sora come to learn how acts of kindness come in many forms. Similarly, Tsubasa (first male cure, aspiring knight) and Ageha (adult, nursery school teacher) form a secondary duo. They're mostly stuck in supporting roles for most of the series, but both show anyone can embody the qualities of a Precure in their life. Super heroes don't always wear fleshly capes after all. Elle is a somewhat of a throwback to Luminous as a supernatural entity in the group. She's mostly the insert character for Precure's young target demographic. By becoming Cure Noble it adds to the idea of people in supporting roles being heroes in their own right. Even if they are fallen nobility. Precure's don't let their past define them. This brings us to the main antagonist Kaiserin. If Sora finds positivity from those around her, then Kaiserin is her foil as someone who has a pure heart but became tainted by negative surrounding circumstances. Kaiserin had been told over and over that strength is everything. These ideals were forced upon her through fabricated events. At the climax with Kaiserin wavering, the dark power went into Sky because surely a hero with strong convictions would desire the ultimate power at all costs to save a friend. But turns out Sora's bond with Mashiro is even stronger than that. Power for powers sake can only go so far and Mashiro never stopped believing in Sora. They both push each other to new heights that senseless strength could never obtain. Kasarin sees this and rejects the power. Giving in to those desires has only stunted her ability to cultivate relationships. She can now get a second chance with her loyal followers now seeking to redeem themselves as well.

The franchise began as "Futari wa Precure" (We are Precure) for a reason. It's about how people can connect and push each other. Whether its someone from another world and a human on earth, an alien being destructive powers, or.... a dog and her pet owner? Sometimes the larger group dynamic and gimmick is more important in modern precures, but going back to those roots from Futari wa Precure every once in awhile is a good reminder of how it runs through every installment to this day. Tldr - I'm thinking way to hard about a children's television series whose main goal is selling toys. We're lucky it consistently has such strong character writing. I really like when the lead can shout their dream at every turn and grows to embody that ideal. We got spoiled by having a full 50 episode series this year. The power of 4 cour is amazing. Late night anime could only dream of having that much time.

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nisekoi content? onodera content? in the current year??

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Nisekoi Urabana Bunko Edition Volume 1 and 2 with art cards Each volume contained a new short story with a new illustration

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Back cover illustrations on Nisekoi Urabana Bunko Edition volume 1 and 2

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First Wonderful Precure Details

The series will start airing on Feb 4th and this is the main visual for it, featuring Cure Wonderful, Cure Friendy, Cure Nyami and Cure Lillian.

The motif is animals. The theme is "Animals and people, everyone can be friends!" The keyword is "Everyone is friends! Wonderful~!" This is the first preview for it!

The story is set in "Animal Town" where animals and people live in harmony. By caring for each other, humans and animals can become important partners and friends. The story depicts the deep bonds that are created between animals and humans, such as dogs and their owners, cats and their owners, etc.

Synopsis

[Animal Town] A town where animals and people live together. [Iroha] loves animals and is good friends with her dog [Komugi]!

One day, a mysterious creature, Gargal, goes on a rampage in the city! However, in order to protect Iroha, Komugi takes on a human form and transforms into Precure…! ? "I have to help the child who is feeling anxious…!" Let's work together to bring the animals back to Nico Garden!

Character Introductions

Cure Wonderful / Inukai Komugi (CV: Naganawa Maria) Iroha's pet dog Papillon. She takes on the human form and is excited to be able to talk to her beloved Iroha. Excellent motor skills. She loves walking and is very curious. Se is stubborn. Her catchphrase is imitating Iroha and saying "Wonderful!" She transforms into "Cure Wonderful"!

Cure Friendy / Inukai Iroha (CV: Tanezumi Atsumi) A second year junior high school girl who loves animals. Her daily routine is to take a morning walk with Komugi. She has many friends and animals also like her. She is a caring person and likes taking care of animals. She has an honest personality and is not good at lying. She is also good at sports. Her catchphrase is "Wonderful!" She transforms into "Cure Friendy"!

Cure Nyami (On the left, details unknown)

Cure Lillian (On the right, details unknown)

Toyama Satoru: A boy who is Iroha's classmate and owns a rabbit named Daifuku. He is good at studying and has a kind and gentle personality. He learns that Komugi and Iroha are Pretty Cure, and uses his extensive knowledge of animals to support them.

Nekoyashiki Mayu: A girl who recently moved to Animal Town.

Daifuku: A rabbit who lives with Satoru. A brave personality.

Yuki: A cat who lives with Mayu.

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Manga Portion below

Like last year I'm including a section about some of the manga I've read during the year. Two brand new legal manga apps appeared on the scene this year (launching on back to back days!), KManga from Kodansha and Viz Manga from Viz Manga. KManga is the worst manga service on the market right now. It is purposefully designed to make binge reading impossible while making you buy individual chapters. I would rather get the physical volumes. I've given up reading the current Kodansha series because I don't want to encourage that business model. It doesn’t help how stingy they are with free coins too. You can save enough coins to read 1 current chapter a week if you do the daily ads. In comparison, Viz Manga is a companion to Shonen Jump but for the Shogakugan titles. Seeing Shonen Snday series simlupublished is a dream come true. It follows the exact same model as the WSJ app. I’m aiming to catch up on several Sunday series in the coming year. On the Weekly Shonen Jump front, My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen will likely conclude in the coming year. That could potentially put Yozakura as the 2nd oldest title for a period of time. One Piece is the series I currently most look forward to every week. Oda is keeping the story super engaging with developments happening in Egghead and simultaneously around the world. Horikoshi's art is better than ever as My Hero Academia  inches ever closer to its climax. Undead Unluck and Yozakura both had performed protag switch ups quite seamlessly this year. Cipher Academy managed to survive for an entire year. My favorite new series of 2023 was Tenmaku Cinema as I already discussed here. Least favorite would be Nue’s Exorcist. Maybe I’m getting out of touch with younger readers. I also really like Martial Master Asumi and I hope Mamayuyu can find its audience before it's too late. Jump+ was a little more mixed in 2023. Yumeochi seemed like it had promise but feel off at 4 volumes with a dumb ending. Service Wars was one of my personal favorites for its chuunibyou energy and silly ideas, yet sadly failed to catch on. Beat & Motion has been a big surprise in terms of how it found its groove. Recent chapters have been especially good. PPPPPP’s Mapollo3 returned this year with an abstract Madoka inspired magical girl series. It’s certainly an interesting read. Mappollo is utilizing their unique style better than ever. I would say the best new series for me this year is Blooming Love. It's a rom-com following two creatives falling in love. Think a more mature version of Nagatoro. I fear for its long term future due to its rapid pacing lately, but I’ll enjoy it as long as I can. Kaijuu #8 might end in 2024 so that’s something to keep an eye on.

Looking ahead, there's plenty of exciting things on the horizon. I’ll be curious to see how the Blue Box anime performs. Akane Banashi is quickly aging up into anime announcement territory. Speaking of, I wonder what is taking Sakamoto Days so long to reveal its anime. That’s a series that will need the right team to be done justice. I hope the recent Nisekoi bunko editions is a sign of Komi Naoshi’s return in the coming year. Lastly, quick reviews of a few older titles I read this year. Spirit Circle - This manga comes from the famed Satoshi Mizukami who has published a wealth of manga. Spirit Circle is perhaps their most famous work next to Lucifer and The Biscuit Hammer. I just want to say this series is very worthy of the praise people give it. It was a rare pager turner for me. I wanted to see all of the main character's past lives and find out where this reincarnation story was going. It did not disappoint in the slightest. It's essentially like 6 mini stories about different characters who share a throughline with the plot. It came together so perfectly. Highly recommended! Urusei Yatsura - I don't think this manga has aged well, but Lum's legacy can not be understated. She is a revolutionary character whose dna lives on to this day. It was worth reading so I could say I did. If you can see the origins of modern harem/rom-com tropes then its worth a shot.

Flames of Recca - Unlike the last 2, Recca isn't a well known series on any level. However, sometimes it can be refreshing to read a by-the-books shonen from the 90s. Tournament arcs never fail to hook me. It was nice seeing what a popular shonen in a different magazine was like during that time period. Just a very solid series from start to finish. _______________________________________________________ I think 2024 is going to be a good year. Weekly Shonen Jump is on the verge of a generational change and there are numerous anime projects to look forward to. I hope Blue Box and  Magilumiere turn out well and I’ll be curious if the Kaijuu anime gives the manga a substantial sales boost. I’m not sure about 2024’s Precure based on the theming, but I can always be surprised.  Dragonball Daima in the fall will be interesting to see. There’s a lot to be excited about for 2024!

Mega’s Top 2023 Anime (and Manga) As another year comes to a close, its time to reflect on another batch of anime in the books. My year to year watching decline leveled off in 2023 due to a strong fall season. At the same time, manga is gradually going up with the increasing number of legal manga outlets. Below are my top 5 anime (and manga thoughts) for the year of 2023. There will be spoilers.

1) Soaring Sky Precure More often than not Precure always makes my list for top 5 anime of the year. It makes a huge difference for character growth and telling a complete story when there are 46-50 episodes to work with. Soaring Sky Precure marked the 20th anniversary entry for the franchise. In order to celebrate they did a number of "firsts'' to shake up the traditional set-up. To start with, blue and pink (Sora and Mashiro) had reversed roles this year. Blue was the lead who was also the outsider coming into the human world. Yellow (Tsubasa) was the first male cure to be featured in the main group. Ageha was the first adult cure. While Elle was the first baby character to attain cure status. The story this year was about the Undergu Empire trying to invade and destroy Skyland with the overarching theme being Heroes. Soaring Sky shows how heroes come in many forms and do not necessarily wear capes. Unfortunately, I think it's lacking somewhat in character writing. Ageha especially suffers from not having much to contribute. She’s simply there to say you are never too old to be precure (while being Elle’s babysitter). Similarly, Tsubasa seeing himself as a knight to Elle prevents the group from being equals. I think they wanted the central focus to be Sora and Mashiro as a callback to the original series. In terms of plot pacing, Soaring Sky really dropped the ball after cour 2 with Battamonda. There was a little arc for Elle to become a precure. Otherwise it saved the rest of the plot for the end. It was spinning its wheels through cour 3 and most of cour 4. (I swear this happens in precure all the time where there's a lot of dead space between getting the last member and the final battle). I think it was more noticeable here due to the absence of character arcs between plot beats. However, the likable characters make the individual episodes very enjoyable. The villains even got little characters arc through their battles with the cures. That’s something we don’t get every year. A bonus “first” was a handful of episodes without monsters. There was an adult sequel for the Yes 5 series this year as well, Plus another for Mahoutsukai in 2024. It’s a good time to be a Precure fan! 2) Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 In 2021 I wrote "We are in for a treat if they maintain this quality during the Shibuya arc. As a manga reader I can only say its the moment that changes everything.", and I am pleased to report Studio Mappa not only exceeded my expectations but week after week blew them through the sky with a barrage of non-stop high energy sakuga fests. The Shibuya arc is the first major story climax of Jujutsu Kaisen. It's a Togashi inspired storyline that begins with the sealing of Satoru Gojo and the never ending unraveling of the status quo afterwards. Akutami provides minute by minute detail of how characters are constantly changing locations around Shibuya station. My favorite episode was Itadori vs. Choso for its use of color and grounded location that made the fight take full advantage of its location. Akutami sure isn’t afraid to break their characters. Without Gojo present, there was nobody to stop Sakuna from rampaging across Shibuya. Then Yuji only suffered more and more when Nanami and Nobora were killed by Mahito. I also can't forget to mention how the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death arc was presented like a 5 episode movie in tv anime form. What an incredible season from start to finish! Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the extremely rare anime that I consider better than its original manga. Not to dismiss Akutami's art or anything, it's just the animators bring it to life so vividly. They increase the spectacle of every single moment. I feel like I can understand the deeper plot of the series through the anime. Next up is the Culling Game where Akutami doubles down on the Togashi inspirations and the manga hits peak creativity. I can’t wait to see it animated.

3) Oshi no Ko

Idols are a core part of Japanese entertainment culture. There are more idol groups in the underground scene than you can imagine. It's no wonder idol concepts found their way into anime. However, Oshi no Ko is not here for a positive look at the industry. The manga comes from the unlikely combination of Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari. Akasaka series are usually very cynical by nature as seen in Kaguya-sama with exaggerated daily occurrences that happen to potential lovers. At the same time Mengo's specialty is getting into the weeds of a character's complex emotions through facial expressions. Together this series aims to provide commentary to the idol business and Japanese entertainment industry through the lens of a murder mystery drama. The 90 minute premiere episode was a brilliant way to kick off the anime. Oshi no Ko has a unique start due to the extended prologue. Rather than hoping fans would watch through episode 3 to get the full story, they opted to present it one go. From there the anime covered the first 4 volumes up to Ruby’s first performance. I really like when the ED overlaps the final few seconds of an episode. That never fails to hype up a scene for me. The animation team brought out the best in the manga. Next is the stage play arc where the series takes everything to a new level. I hope the production values will be able to keep up.

4) The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You I am someone who is very well versed in anime harem, and let me tell you this takes everything you've ever known about the genre and dials it up to the extreme. 100 GFs is about exactly what it says on the title. It follows a typical harem mc who unfortunately has been told that he has 100 soulmates waiting for him. Rentarou must accept the love of each and every one of them or the rest die. The early GFs filed out the standard archetypes you see in harems such as the tsundere, kuudere, loli, and the overly horny type. However, it's the 6th girlfriend being Hakari's mother where the series fully cements itself to the mission of its premise. You never truly know who might become one of Rentaro's girlfriends. I think the anime did a great job of bringing the gags to life. They even changed a few to better suit the animation medium, I’ll need to read the manga eventually. There’s no way the anime will ever cover this entire story. (Its currently over 150 chapters in and they’ve only reached girlfriend 27)

5) Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury This is only the second Gundam Series I have seen (IBO was the first, Gundam Seed the third), and personally I would say G-Witch is my favorite so far. The plot loosely follows a similar plot structure to Utena in the first half before turning into a more typical Gundam in the back half. The main pairing Suletta and Miorine got a complete story that ended with them getting married. In terms of sheer enjoyment, I think this is up as one of the best this year due to cliffhangers every single episodes. It was one of those where the characters feel like they're half a step away from something very bad happening. And of course since it's a Gundam, very bad things do happen constantly. The cour 1 cliffhanger fully cemented the turn in tone of the series. My biggest complaint is I wish the show was longer. They really crammed the story progression in those last few episodes. Another season could have gone a long way in fleshing out everything. I remember wishing Suellta had a face-to-face confrontation with her mom rather than seemingly resolving their animosity remotely.

Honorable Mention: The Eminence in Shadow (Season 1 + Season 2) I didn't watch season 1 while it aired, but it still finished this year and season 2 aired during the fall season. The Eminence in Shadow is another one of those isekai anime that plague the anime airwaves these days, but this one something special. It's stupid and writes itself around that stupidly. The main character Cid is the ultimate self-indulgent chuunibyou. He aims to bring the edgy version of himself to life This story works so well on paper because while Cid is living out his fantasy dreams, all of his actions have real world effects. He says overly flamboyant things and the key terms are things that exist. The harem of ladies who surround him actually think Cid is being insightful which stirs them into action. So while Cid is having the time of his life, a world-shaking plot unfolds in the background which feeds back into what actions Cid chooses to take to embody the “Eminence in Shadow” persona. My favorite part was Cid planned his way through a tournament so he could wow the audience with a flashy final battle. It was a perfect tournament arc template being crafted in real ways. The lengths Cid will go to for achieving that cool pose or fight is hilarious. I think the biggest weakness is the plot being kept purposefully vague and Cid acting adjacent to the story sort of handicaps the potential what it could be. Overall, It’s still a brilliant series that embraces the absurdity of the characters and scenarios. The anime looks way better than you'd expect for something like this. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Biggest Disappointment of the Year: Jigokuraku: This wasn't a "bad" series but more so disappointed by how it was a low priority for Studio Mappa. After the first few episodes the production quality was left in the dust. I suppose it doesn't help either that the first third of the story is mostly exposition. However, compared to the output of other Mappa shows and given its manga popularity, you would think the final result would be better. I’m not holding my breath for future seasons to improve substantially. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Best Openings/Ending of 2023: 1. Undead Unluck Opening 1 - Visually this is the closest I've seen to a modern day Shaft anime. I love the metaphors that allude to events during the first cour. 2. Oshi no Ko Opening - Possibly the best opening of the entire year. Visually simple but the lyrics hit hard with Ai's thoughts and feelings. It only ages better as the story goes on. 3. Oshi no Ko Ending - A very visually striking ED that I think has also aged better as the manga gets deeper into the story. Not many EDs can be memorable like this. 4. Jigokuraku Opening - It's unfair when the opening looks way better the actual series. At least it makes a great case for the strong points of this series. 5. Spy x Family Season 2 Opening - Ado x Yuasa is a combination I didn’t realize I needed in my life. Its a very fun song with amusing animation to back it up which captures the status quo vibes of the series.

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Is there a new chapter and who is Kosaki's husband?

Kosaki's husband is unknown :( There isn't a new chapter, but each bunko volume contained a 2 page story showing what everyone is up to

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Illustration cards and bonus pages in Nisekoi Bunko Edition volume 13 and 14

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Back cover illustrations on Nisekoi Bunko Edition volume 13 and 14

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Nisekoi Urabana volume 1 and 2 Bunko Edition

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Nisekoi Bunko Edition Volume 13 and 14 Covers

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Kosaki Onodera in Nisekoi Fes 2 Bonus Chapter - Weekly Shonen Jump Issue 45, 2015

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Illustration cards and bonus pages in Nisekoi Bunko Edition volume 11 and 12

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Edit (11/12) - Ice-Head Gill review below Blue Box has an announcement next week which could push the new serialization round to December since I'm not sure if they would start the round in issue 52.

Ice-Head Gill - 20 Chapters/2 Volumes Every once in awhile there comes a WSJ series that is so unremarkable that I have very little to say about it. Ice-Head Gill is an adventure series staring the titular Gill who goes on a quest to kill all the liches and redeem his father's name along the way. The only unique aspect is using Norse mythology as the base for the story. There was nothing noteworthy in the story progression, especially for a cancelled series. It did attempt to wrap up the story, but it holds little meaning with how rushed and devoid of long-term plot there is backing it. The art was extremely weak. Small panels didn't do any favors with trying to show the scale of the world nor the uninspired layouts. However, the occasional spread page showed glimpses of creativity. I think this is one of those cancelled series that will be mostly forgotten. While it missed the "U-19" mark, 20 chapters in 2 volumes is effectively the same. Gill wasn't kidding when he said nobody beats him when it comes to axes. Ichigoki was the only other series in recent years with the 2 volume treatment. Ikuo Hachiya has a long ways to go. I wouldn't mind seeing them again if they can discover a voice and display more confidence in their next concept. Final Score: 3/10

WSJ November Serialization Round

While we wait for the next batch to be announced, the first of likely 2 series has ended. The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins review below (contains spoilers)

The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins - 48 chapters/6 volumes From the famed Taizan5 of Takopii's Original Sin came a new series following a dysfunctional family stuck in a looping dream world for unknown reasons. His previous manga was known for its short but shocking run with twist after twist to keep the audience on their toes. Takopii is best described as Doreamon gone wrong. However, while this format worked quite well for a title that was designed to be short, it becomes very challenging in Jump's long running serialized template. Can the constant string of mind blowing cliffhangers keep the audiences attention in the long term? The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins begins with the entire family waking up to learning everyone has amnesia after a car accident. They return home to discover each of them is probably hiding a dark side from the rest of the family. During the series we learn about each problem: - Tsubasa (the main character) - bullying at school - Shiori (little sister) - seeing older men - Minako & Kakeru (Parents) - Insecurities and cheating - Sachie (Grandmother) - Alzheimers' - Kozo (Grandmother) - Dream research, Coma - Sota (Older Brother) - Ignored The thing to worry about in looping stories is how the character development can become irrelevant due to the resets. It can look like characters are only progressing because the story itself is moving. Effective time loop stories allow the main characters to remember previous loops or provide a strong narrative reason for memory resets. The actions from previous loops carry over in some manner or at least build up to a major all or nothing moment. Ichinose is not only on the weaker end of the spectrum, but actively undermines sustained development through trying to have twists every cliffhanger. Its further compounded by needing to explore the issues of each family family. Tsubasa starts off as the main character until he's overshadowed by everything else. He quickly became just someone an observer who drives the plot forward at each stage. For better or worse, The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins is a family drama disguised as a mystery thriller. Several of the early plot points such as Tsubasa's bullying, Shiori seeing older men, and the grandmother's alzheimers all become pointless in the grand scheme. Even the grandfather's research quickly gets side tracked. Taizen5 sure seems fascinated by what a Camera can capture. It was the biggest plot device in both Ichinose and Takopii. An item that can capture positive moments in time yet can also be the center of such malicious actions. That was also quickly forgotten and didn't matter that much in the end. The family members individual rooms also stopped mattering at some point in the middle. We never got to see into Souta's room either. About halfway the focus shifts almost completely to the older brother Souta and how the family had a falling out from being unable to relate to or support his dream of being a photographer. There's an entire arc where we get to compare the dysfunctional Ichinose family to Souta's "fake" family of similarly outcasted people. The change in focus also brings more attention to the father Kakeru since he is culprit behind the dream world. His motives were driven by insecurities from his upbringing and seeing Souta seemingly get praise with ease from the grandfather.

In the end, I thought this manga would end with a moral about how a family can come to an understanding but I guess not. All they learned was that living in this dysfunctional family is just a fact of life. It's not the worst manga by any means, but the ending is weak for a series that ran for an entire year. I got some enjoyment out of the week to week cliffhangers, but there's little re-read value here. Its not that complicated upon a quick review of the plot. Taizan5 should stick to shorter stories if he wants continue with this writing style. I think they work better in 2-3 volume formats where there's less meandering in getting from point A to point B. Definitely an unusual series for Weekly Shonen Jump. The only author who successfully made the leap from Jump+ to WSJ is Tatsuki Fujimoto. tldr - Not a deep mystery or compelling drama but its fine for a 1 time read, Takopii is a good series I promise. Long live Cipher Academy, the sole survivor of the batch of 4 from late last year! Final Score: 4/10

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Nisekoi Bunko Volume 11 and 12 front/back cover illustrations

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WSJ November Serialization Round

While we wait for the next batch to be announced, the first of likely 2 series has ended. The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins review below (contains spoilers)

The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins - 48 chapters/6 volumes From the famed Taizan5 of Takopii's Original Sin came a new series following a dysfunctional family stuck in a looping dream world for unknown reasons. His previous manga was known for its short but shocking run with twist after twist to keep the audience on their toes. Takopii is best described as Doreamon gone wrong. However, while this format worked quite well for a title that was designed to be short, it becomes very challenging in Jump's long running serialized template. Can the constant string of mind blowing cliffhangers keep the audiences attention in the long term? The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins begins with the entire family waking up to learning everyone has amnesia after a car accident. They return home to discover each of them is probably hiding a dark side from the rest of the family. During the series we learn about each problem: - Tsubasa (the main character) - bullying at school - Shiori (little sister) - seeing older men - Minako & Kakeru (Parents) - Insecurities and cheating - Sachie (Grandmother) - Alzheimers' - Kozo (Grandmother) - Dream research, Coma - Sota (Older Brother) - Ignored The thing to worry about in looping stories is how the character development can become irrelevant due to the resets. It can look like characters are only progressing because the story itself is moving. Effective time loop stories allow the main characters to remember previous loops or provide a strong narrative reason for memory resets. The actions from previous loops carry over in some manner or at least build up to a major all or nothing moment. Ichinose is not only on the weaker end of the spectrum, but actively undermines sustained development through trying to have twists every cliffhanger. Its further compounded by needing to explore the issues of each family family. Tsubasa starts off as the main character until he's overshadowed by everything else. He quickly became just someone an observer who drives the plot forward at each stage. For better or worse, The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins is a family drama disguised as a mystery thriller. Several of the early plot points such as Tsubasa's bullying, Shiori seeing older men, and the grandmother's alzheimers all become pointless in the grand scheme. Even the grandfather's research quickly gets side tracked. Taizen5 sure seems fascinated by what a Camera can capture. It was the biggest plot device in both Ichinose and Takopii. An item that can capture positive moments in time yet can also be the center of such malicious actions. That was also quickly forgotten and didn't matter that much in the end. The family members individual rooms also stopped mattering at some point in the middle. We never got to see into Souta's room either. About halfway the focus shifts almost completely to the older brother Souta and how the family had a falling out from being unable to relate to or support his dream of being a photographer. There's an entire arc where we get to compare the dysfunctional Ichinose family to Souta's "fake" family of similarly outcasted people. The change in focus also brings more attention to the father Kakeru since he is culprit behind the dream world. His motives were driven by insecurities from his upbringing and seeing Souta seemingly get praise with ease from the grandfather.

In the end, I thought this manga would end with a moral about how a family can come to an understanding but I guess not. All they learned was that living in this dysfunctional family is just a fact of life. It's not the worst manga by any means, but the ending is weak for a series that ran for an entire year. I got some enjoyment out of the week to week cliffhangers, but there's little re-read value here. Its not that complicated upon a quick review of the plot. Taizan5 should stick to shorter stories if he wants continue with this writing style. I think they work better in 2-3 volume formats where there's less meandering in getting from point A to point B. Definitely an unusual series for Weekly Shonen Jump. The only author who successfully made the leap from Jump+ to WSJ is Tatsuki Fujimoto. tldr - Not a deep mystery or compelling drama but its fine for a 1 time read, Takopii is a good series I promise. Long live Cipher Academy, the sole survivor of the batch of 4 from late last year! Final Score: 4/10