#eri takahashi

[kanashimitwilight]

[zair4-0]

Espacio dedicado a Eri Aikawa!

Uno de los personajes más infravalorados de todo el anime y manga. Realmente amo a esta mujer desde el primer segundo en que la ví.

Pobrecita, tan ocupada :(

>:|

[tanakacchismile]

[crehador]

since i can't find one and need to know who to aim for...

list of reverse: 1999 jp dub cast (updated for 1.4)

210 - hirose daisuke 37 - iguchi yuka 6 - nakamura yuuichi

a knight - hayami show alien t - fukuhara anjou an-an lee - sakura ayane apple - hirakawa daisuke arcana - koshimizu ami

baby blue - suzaki aya balloon party - minase inori bette - kanzaki maki bkornblume - ueda reina blonney - saito shuka bunny bunny - ozawa ari

charlie - matsuda satsumi centurion - ikuta teru charlton - nomiya kazunori click - uchiyama kouki constantine - tanaka atsuko cristallo - aimi

darley clatter - yada kouhei diggers - tachibana shinnosuke dikke - kawasumi ayako door - shimizu sakuma druvis iii - ishikawa yui

eagle - noguchi ruriko enigma - umehara yuuichirou erick - tanaka chiemi eternity - fairouz ai

forget me not - suwabe junichi

horropedia - okitsu kazuyuki

isabella - kino hina

jessica - waki azumi john titor - konishi mai

kaalaa baunaa - ootsubo yuka kanjira - akasaki chinatsu kumar - fujitou chika

la source - yuzuki kazuka leilani - tachibana yuki lilya - kitamura eri lucy - suwa ayaka

matilda - itou ayasa medicine pocket - hanae natsuki melania - ueda kana mesmer jr. - kudou haruka mondlicht - tsumugi risa ms. moissan - kohara riko ms. new babel - uchida maaya ms. radio - odashima kazami

necrologist - wakayama shion nick bottom - satou fumiya

oliver fog - nagatsuka takuma onion - horikawa kaede

pavia - nozu pickles - saito soma poltergeist - maekawa ryouko

rabies - takagaki katsuhisa & mugiho anna regulus - yamamoto nozomi ring - sakakihara yuki

satsuki - touyama nao schneider - yuuki aoi shamane - yasumoto hiroki sonetto - uchida shu sophia - kobayashi yuu sotheby - itou miku sputnik - toba yuuko sweetheart - tanaka rie

tennant - takahashi chiaki the fool - nitta kyousuke tooth fairy - uesaka sumire ttt - sumi tomomi jiena twins sleep (lisa & louise) - kamitaka suzuka

vertin - takamori natsumi voyager - hondo kaede

x - toki shunichi

z - liyuu зима - totto

[neonscandal]

Thanks for answering my ask from a few weeks ago @neonscandal ..... If you don't mind me asking (again), what are your top 10 (or top 7) favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before....

Thank you for asking in the first place! ❤️

Not at all unique is the fact that, as soon as I get asked a question about my top faves, I immediately draw a blank on everything I've ever enjoyed or watched, ever. 😅 I'm sure that's not the first time you've heard that. No need to apologize, as you can probably tell from other asks, my answers change regularly. This is my anime/manga blog so without any regard for order:

Life Lessons with Uramichii-Oniisan (anime) - depending on how old you are, there's a cognitive dissonance that occurs when you're no longer younger than nor the same age as your favorite protagonists in the stories you grew up with. This is the anime that eases the blow of that like the ibuprofen you now keep at home, at work and in your purse. And it's hysterical.

Attack on Titan (anime/manga) - There is something to be said for the eloquence of the exposition in this story which, when you know Isayama spent years shopping his art around to no avail because of the roughness of his style, makes perfect sense. While refining his art, he had all this time to pore over the story, hide little easter eggs so there'd be one string that gathered up all seeming loose ends. Just an incredibly interesting story to unfold. It's the kind of thing you wish you could read again for the first time but that's laughable because, every time you read it, you notice something you hadn't the last time.

To Your Eternity (anime) - This is the Grey's Anatomy equivalent in anime. Like, oh. You're emotionally constipated and need a good cry? Pick an episode at random. Watch a whole season if you're really about that life.

Sasaki to Miyano (manga/anime) - TBH I tied between this or Horimiya. They are not the same story but hold similar places in my heart. What I love about Sasaki to Miyano is how delicate it is. Yea, slow burn, whatever. But no, it just kind of gives Miyano space to come to terms with himself and Sasaki is the safety net that accepts him in all forms. Can love be this sweet?

Goodbye, Eri (manga) - Fujimoto is off the wall. Chainsaw Man is an excellent representation of that. Seemingly unfocused and always good for some sort of shock factor. I've been wanting to write, for some time, about how Fujimoto is like a trickster of a genie but I'll shelve that for the time being. Goodbye, Eri's disjointed narrative as if told in photographs and the art style which shows movement despite its static medium. It's a really elegant piece with a plot twist you don't see coming because, of course you don't. That, in fact, is part of the whole message of the story, isn't it?

Ranma 1/2 (anime) - Nostalgia. This was the first anime I ever watched that I locked into. It started me on a path of drawing, it encouraged me to seek out other shows.. this series is what started it all wayyy back then (okay, not that far back then, this was in the 00's). Tsundere x tsundere, yes but also just the immediate identification with characters who couldn't authentically be themselves because they kept bending and breaking under external pressures. I could very much relate and empathize even if the chaos of their universe was too fanciful for my own. Also, pretty sure Rumiko Takahashi is the longest running mangaka with consistent chapters in Shonen Jump for the last 40+ years is wild.

Vinland Saga (anime) - I honestly don't even know what to say about this story. But I think my favorite observation is a post I saw someone make where they wrote "No one will know the violence it took to become this gentle" with a picture of Thorfinn. And they were so poignantly right. Phenomenally twisted revenge story that is not at all satisfying. 10/10.

Link Clink (donghua) - This show is a vibe. If it hasn't been on a recommendation list yet, it's coming. The music, the art, the unfurling back story of the main characters as they untangle the lives of others? It manages to be both gutting and cerebral at the same time. Like every time I watch I'm like... I need to read the source material because the complexity of the concurrent storylines makes it such a head scratcher as to the larger plot.

Jujutsu Kaisen (anime/manga) - *Gestures vaguely to the rest of my blog.* We're still in the throes of how this story is going to play out which is nerve wracking and exciting for all its possibilities. I hold out a lot of hope that we'll see some stunning exposition in future chapters that we won't see coming.

Belle (anime) - It's just beautiful. 😘👌🏾 I talk a lot about my niece and nephew because I've turned them into my dorky little mini-me's. Also, being an aunt is like the best job. Belle is a movie that had them both gagged with the animation. If a show or series can get both of them to put their ipads, books, art supplies, etc. down, then I know I put them onto something special. Honestly, anything I enjoy with them makes it that much more special to me, personally.

This was lovely. I'll get back to posting lists soon, feel free to check out other recommendations!

[therealsophiependragon]

My Fics

Heyy, I'm therealsophiependragon on Ao3 or Pendragon as I go by on the dangerous seas of the internet. Here's a comprehensive list of everything I have written and put on Ao3!

Recent notable mentions include:

- The Moon Told Me Of You is at 300 kudos, which is absolutely mind-boggling to me!

- Moon Rabbit is at 500 hits ✨

- Listen To Me Love You has been given 25 kudos!

- Sidewalk Chalk reached 60 kudos!

Thank you very much!

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The Moon Told Me Of You

Cages are for monsters. Azula knew this well. Cages were deserved, by those singular enough to earn the watchfulness of others. And if that was true, then Azula was the queen of them, for hers was a very careful cage.

A careful cage for a monstrous girl.

Well, tonight they would see if it was careful enough.

Or,

A summoning-gone-wrong lands two princesses on a legendary quest to save the world that abandoned them both.

This fic includes:

Yuezula (Azula/Yue)

100k+ words, WIP multi-chapter

Dangerous quest

Obscene amount of liberties taken with the spirit world (the author admits to having only watched the first season of Korra... but I promise the liberties taken are kind of interesting?)

Annoyances-to-lovers with a sprinkle of grumpy/sunshine

Sun and Moon trope into oblivion

Moon Rabbit

“You think it was my destiny to be defeated by my pathetic excuse for a brother.”

“I think we write our own destinies.”

“Oh, for the love of Agni, go away.”

Or,

Yue visits Azula the night after the Agni Kai.

This fic includes:

Yuezula

4.8k words, complete one-shot

Sun and Moon trope

Musical inspiration (Moon Rabbit by Blackbird & Crow, very good song highly recommend also if you do give it a listen please consider writing out the lyrics and sending them to me because I have a very bad ear for lyrics and understand maybe half of what she's singing)

Yue Talking Sense Into Azula tm

Contains kneeling/subversion of hierarchal norms because love transcends all boundaries

My Hero Academia

Sidewalk Chalk

Toga does not know how to flirt, so naturally she stalks Uraraka for weeks before finally mustering the courage to ambush and invite her to participate in a sidewalk chalk challenge. As one does. Uraraka is unamused.

This fic includes:

Togachako (Toga Himiko/Uraraka Ochako)

2.4k words, complete one-shot

Toga being Toga

Improper usage of sidewalk chalk

An abundance of banter

Character study of the togachako relationship

Fun

Corporeal Levity

"I think my family is rotten."

"Yeah, welcome to the club, kid."

Or,

Hanako Takahashi used to have a family. Now, she's a villain, using her quirk to help the League of Villains find their leader, who they all know has to still be out there—before the rest of the world does. When a lead puts U.A. on their radar once again, Hanako must don a mask of morality and join the many wannabe heroes at the school to obtain information that could put the villains on top once more. And she might be able to pull it off, too... if her annoying new classmate would stop following her around like an overly-enthusiastic, opposite-of-stealthy puppy.

Eri Aizawa has a family, and a very nice one, but sometimes she feels... lost. When her dreams of heroism are put on hold by her wearily worried father, Eri knows she has to prove herself: by taking the U.A. exam anyway, and working her way up to being a hero everyone can be proud of. And if she can figure out her awesomely mysterious classmate while she's at it, well, that's just an added bonus.

This fic includes,

Not much actually because it's on indefinite hiatus after two chapters

12k words, incomplete

Found family

Teenage Eri Aizawa & LOV-child OC

Necromancy

Hopefully more once I decide I have time to write it

The Walking Dead

The Other Way

Sophia has always been a scared little girl in a world of monsters. The apocalypse didn’t change much.

But it did teach her one thing: there are lots of ways to turn.

This fic includes,

Zombies

A traumatized child

3.2k words (one-shot, complete)

Sophia Peletier character study

Is the brunt of all of my frustration that she died so early because DAMN if she had survived... ugh i wish

My pride and joy

It got hit with that kudos bot a while back too so now the kudos-to-hits ratio is obscene and makes me sad but whatever even the robots love me y'all

Harry Potter

Listen To Me Love You

Ginny and Luna are in love, they just don't know it yet.

Fortunately, all it takes to fix this is a nudge from Fate, and a little bit of bad luck.

This fic includes,

Linny (Ginny/Luna)

2.5k words, completed one-shot

Sun and Moon coded (kind of idk I say that but do I mean it nobody really knows)

Sad Ginny, Wise Luna

Set in Fifth Year (so Ginny's fourth year)

Actually beta-read, which is a first for me

[putschki1969]

Overseas travelers' ticket sales for Kaji Fes. 2023

Overseas travelers' tickets for the 30th Anniversary Yuki Kajiura LIVE vol.#19 -Kaji Fes.2023- will go on sale starting at noon on June 15th (JST). If you haven’t been able to secure a ticket yet, here’s your chance!

[Title] “30th Anniversary Yuki Kajiura LIVE vol.#19 -Kaji Fes.2023-“ [Schedule] December 8th, 2023 (Friday) Open 5 PM / Start 6 PM December 9th, 2023 (Saturday) Open 3 PM / Start 4 PM [Venue] Nippon Budokan https://www.nipponbudokan.or.jp/ [Performers] Yuki Kajiura/FictionJunction (Piano/Chorus) Vocals: KAORI, KEIKO, YURIKO KAIDA, Joelle, rito, and LINO LEIA Musicians: FRONT BAND MEMBERS (Koichi Korenaga on guitar, Kyoichi Sato on drums, Tomoharu “Jr.” Takahashi on bass, Konno Strings, Rie Akagi on flute, Obawo Nakajima on percussions, Yoshiaki Sato on accordion, Naoki Nakahara on uilleann pipes, and Yoshio Ohira on manipulator) [Guest Performers] Day 1: Aimer, Yuri Kasahara, Revo, and Remi Day 2: ASCA, Eri Ito, KOKIA, Hanae Tomaru, JUNNA, Hikaru, and Aira Yuuki [Pricing] All tickets issued with assigned seating: JPY 10,890 (incl tax/service fee) [Sales Period] June 15th ~ June 25th [Link] https://ib.eplus.jp/kajifes2023 *Children under the age of five are not permitted to enter *You can purchase tickets once per performance date *You can buy up to four tickets per performance *Tickets are sold on a first-come-first-served basis *Tickets purchased need to be picked up on the day of the performance at the venue’s box offices

KOKIA Announced as Guest Vocalist for Day 2

KOKIA will be joining the guest vocalist lineup for DAY 2 of Kaji Fes. 2023! Please look forward to it!

Homepage: https://fictionjunction.com/kajifes2023/

[kaitookuya]

Wait, uh, I should've asked about who the other prisoners in Rhodagram with you are? May I ask about them? Unless that's a little too personal, then!

Ah, that’s alright! I don’t mind!! I’ll start in the ascending order then.

[ ALL TRIAL 1 DESIGNS ARE BY @/FIMIKORU AND ANGELSTR ON DISCORD ]

Hm.. prisoner number 1 would be Hoshida (Kanato)! He’s from what I know a pretty anti-social person with that gloomy aura, usually coops up in his cell all day to nap while Chesya tries to get him outta there..

The second would be Kasumi (Shibata), she’s really nice especially towards Minato! I really appreciate that considering he’s kind of shy.

Third would be me, so let’s skip! Then Natsumi (Shoji). Well, I don’t like her honestly. She just.. gives me the ick — plus she’s really annoying too. I don’t like her attitude towards Minato.

Rin (Nan)! Sometimes I wonder what he did to end up here… he’s only 10! He’s usually quiet but he talks sometimes, I think he likes to draw a lot though.

Fuji (Saori), she’s pretty chill! Nothing much I suppose, cool to hang around with though.

And Minato (Okuya)! My twin brother, I love him so much. He was really anxious and kept hiding behind me at first when Rhodagram was foreign to us.. but he’s gotten better! And I’m proud of him for that.

Then Eri (Takahashi), she’s also really caring like Kasumi too! She sometimes bakes stuff for us too, and they’re really yummy.

Ninth, Chesya (Ikeda)! He plays with me and Minato sometimes but mostly plays with Hoshida instead, wonder why… It was as if ermm, interest at first sight!

Finally, Yuna (Makino)! I’ve tried to interact with her sometimes but she seems to constantly busy herself with studying, so it didn’t work out…

Either way, I hope you know more about them now!

[heroesvow]

muse list ( mobile friendly version )

ASSASSIN'S CREED - Ezio Auditore ( Faceclaim: Michele Morrone ) - Jacob Frye

BALDUR'S GATE 3 - Silas / Fighter ( Faceclaim: Charlie Hunnam )

DRAGON AGE - Alistair Theirin ( Faceclaim: Jesse Williams ) - Carver Hawke ( Faceclaim: Julian Morris ) - Eren Hawke / Mage ( Faceclaim: Oliver Jackson-Cohen ) - Eris Hawke / Mage ( Faceclaim: Anya Chalotra ) - Isabela - Jaina Trevelyan / Mage ( Faceclaim: Meghann Fahy ) - Nikolai Trevelyan / Rogue ( Faceclaim: Luke Thompson ) - Tarot Surana / Mage ( Faceclaim: Simone Ashley )

FALLOUT - Paladin Danse

FINAL FANTASY - Cidolfus Telamon ( XVI ) - Clive Rosfield ( XVI ) - Tifa Lockhart ( VII )

FIRE EMBLEM - Chrom ( Awakening ) - Diamant ( Engage ) - Dorothea Arnault ( Three Houses ) - Hector ( Blazing Blade ) - Ike ( Path of Radiance / Radiant Dawn ) - Micaiah ( Path of Radiance / Radiant Dawn ) - Nephenee ( Path of Radiance / Radiant Dawn ) - Saber ( Echoes ) - Xander ( Fates )

KINGDOM HEARTS - Luxord

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS - Garen Crownguard - Jayce Tallis - Malcolm Graves - Sarah Fortune

MASS EFFECT - Aisha Shepard ( Faceclaim: Tessa Thompson ) - John Shepard ( Faceclaim: Theo James ) - Kaidan Alenko - Miranda Lawson - Stefan Ryder ( Faceclaim: Luke Mitchell )

MORTAL KOMBAT - Johnny Cage ( Faceclaim: Lou Ferrigno Jr ) - Kitana - Kenshi Takahashi

POKEMON - Archie

STAR WARS ( KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC ) - Bastila Shan

UNCHARTED - Chloe Frazer - Nathan Drake ( Faceclaim: Colin Donnell )

THE WITCHER - Vesemir

[imasallstars]

THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS UNIT LIVE TOUR ConnecTrip!

Further information regarding the CINDERELLA GIRLS UNIT TOUR live has been revealed! The tour will span a mini live once a month from JANUARY 2024 until JUNE 2024. Each stop will feature three units performing.

The voice actresses participating in this stop are as follows:

ISHIKAWA. 2024.06.16. HONDAMORI HOKUDEN HALL

Hagoromo Komachi [Rika Tachibana (Sae Kobayakawa), Ru Thing (Syuko Shiomi)], Atarayoduki [Masumi Tazawa (Ayame Hamaguchi), Misa Kayama (Tamami Wakiyama), Hiyori Nitta (Karin Domyoji)], Kakuriyogatari [Yuuki Takada (Yoshino Yorita), Chiyo Ousaki (Koume Shirasaka)]

YAMAGATA. 2024.02.03. YAMAGI KENMIN HALL

Dea Aurora [Yuko Iida (Kanade Hayami), Aya Suzaki (Minami Nitta)], Lazy Lazy [Kotomi Aihara (Shiki Ichinose), Asami Takano (Frederica Miyamoto)], Ruby Countess [Maki Kawase (Tsukasa Kiryu), Nanami Yamashita (Yui Ohtsuki), Yui Ninomiya (Makino Yagami)]

IWATE. 2024.03.10. TOSAI CLASSIC HALL

One Steps [Saya Aizawa (Hiromi Seki), Satomi Amano (Hotaru Shiragiku), Karin Takahashi (Nono Morikubo)], Fairy Tale＊My Tale [Minami Tsuda (Miho Kohinata), Minori Suzuki (Hajime Fujiwara)], Sola-iris [Rika Nagae (Hayate Hisakawa), Yuki Nakashima (Yuuki Otokura)]

OSAKA. 2024.04.06. ZEPP OSAKA BAYSIDE

Triad Primus [Ayaka Fukuhara (Rin Shibuya), Eriko Matsui (Nao Kamiya), Mai Fuchigami (Karen Hojo)], Dark Illuminate [Maaya Uchida (Ranko Kanzaki), Shiki Aoki (Asuka Ninomiya)], VelvetRose [Kaoru Sakura (Chitose Kurosaki), Risa Sekiguchi (Chiyo Shirayuki)]

FUKUOKA. 2024.05.19. ZEPP FUKUOKA

Sexy Guilty [Eri Suzuki (Yuko Hori), Azumi Waki (Sanae Katagiri), Yuri Noguchi (Shizuku Oikawa)], Hero Versus [Sayaka Kamitani (Hikaru Nanjo), Yuki Nagano (Reina Koseki)], Beat Shooter [Makoto Koichi (Haru Yuuki), Hana Tamegai (Risa Matoba)]

TOKYO. 2024.06.01. ZEPP DIVERCITY TOKYO

Positive Passion [Sayuri Hara (Mio Honda), Chinatsu Akasaki (Akane Hino), Yuuki Kaneko (Aiko Takamori)], Seiten Tennyo ✦NEW✦ [Ｍ・Ａ・Ｏ (Fumika Sagisawa), Rana Morishita (Kako Takafuji)], #UNICUS [Megu Umezawa (Akari Tsujino), Miyu Tomita (Akira Sunazuka), Seena Hoshiki (Riamu Yumemi)]

[kanashimitwilight]

[beneaththetangles]

As manga continues to become more and more accessible through legal means, English-reading audiences are being exposed to the wide variety of series (and one-shots) being created. While our top ten and honorable mentions this year feature traditional fare, they also include manga about grieving and no less than three series featuring a protagonist with a disability.

This variety also applies to the publishers. Although none of the newer firms releasing manga made our top ten—they’ll surely break through soon though!—the full range of old reliable publishers (Kodansha, Seven Seas, VIZ, and Yen Press) are all featured on our list, which features only volumes receiving English-language releases this year.

Here they are, in alphabetical order (because any other order is too hard to decide!):

Akane-Banashi • The Comiq • Drifting Dragons (Typhon Arc Conclusion) • Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End • A Galaxy Next Door • Goodbye, Eri • Kaguya-sama: Love is War • Laid-back Camp • Play it Cool, Guys • A Sign of Affection

– Honorable Mention –

Akane-Banashi

Like the punchline to a great joke, this Shonen Jump manga about a teenage girl striving to become a professional rakugo performer came out of nowhere, but landed perfectly. Headlining Akane-Banashi is Osaki Akane, a lovably brash tomboy who balances her frank and confrontational streak with a genuinely humble willingness to learn from whoever has wisdom and skills to share. Add in Takamasa Moue’s lively art style, which includes a rare amount of detail for a weekly series, and we have a real winner. When discussing and analyzing manga, there is a tendency to focus on how emotional, exciting, or intellectually complex it is—all valid points—but sometimes the pure enjoyment of it can be overlooked. Akane-Banashi is certainly a straightforward series, but it’s an incredibly fun read, which has kept me waiting eagerly for the next chapter ever since it debuted. ~ WacOtaku

Akane-Banashi is published by VIZ Media.

The Comiq

The Comiq comes from Yu-Gi-Oh creator Kazuki Takahashi, but is absolutely nothing like it. Instead, this short series is about mangaka Ryota Sakamaki, who discovers that his art assistant—whom he’d never met in person—is actually in prison. Ryota begins to notice patterns in his assistant Baba’s art that point back to the case that landed him in jail. The series reads like a detective story where every detail and the manner in which they are presented is significant, like the pieces of a puzzle. The art style is unlike anything previously seen from Takahashi, making use of an old fashioned, more simplistic aesthetic that serves to emphasize the plot really well. This story of a mangaka turned criminal investigator is an absolute gem that may have been overlooked among the flashy action-heavy series released this year, including Takahashi’s Marvel work. However, I highly recommend checking this out and am so glad it finally got an English language release, but I just wish it had been before Takahashi’s passing, earlier this year. ~ MDMRN

The Comiq is published by VIZ Media.

Drifting Dragons (Typhon Arc Conclusion)

Taku Kuwabara’s series chronicling the adventures of the crew of the airship Quin Zaza has always centered on breathtakingly gorgeous illustrations and a well-written ensemble cast. But this year, Drifting Dragons surpassed itself, proving beyond doubt that it can handle titanic action set-pieces. December’s Chapter 77 wrapped up the series’ longest arc to date, a 32-chapter storyline that started back in 2020 when Quin Zaza was ambushed and nearly destroyed by the legendary dragon “Typhon The Storm-Caller”. The crew has had other entertaining adventures along the way, but everything for the last two and a half years (irl time) has been building up to this rematch with Typhon. The final showdown pays off in spades as Takita, Giraud, Mika, Vannabelle, and all their shipmates fight for their lives against a terrifying dragon that seems closer to some ancient storm god than a mortal creature, and all during a raging typhoon no less. Drifting Dragons is often compared to Studio Ghibli’s work because of its setting and aesthetics, and in the spirit of that comparison, then this arc is the series’ Princess Mononoke: the installment that is significantly more intense and violent than what has come before, but which is able to execute that tone shift magnificently. ~ WacOtaku

Drifting Dragons is published by Kodansha.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Frieren makes the unexpected decision to feature a main character whose arc has already been completed by the start of the series. Making frequent use of flashbacks, Frieren shows us how daily acts of kindness, played out in the context of meaningful and consistent friendship, can fully change the course of one’s life. Yes, Frieren, the titular elf, is sloppy, selfish, and obsessive, but in actual fact she has already come a long way! Her new comrades would not recognize the cold, lonely, lost soul she once was. The sad thing is, though, that they do not see how much care she has for her party. Yet, hope remains: just as Frieren was reshaped by the accumulation of her old friends’ goodness, so too is that goodness now rubbing off on the young adventurers who are drawn to her. And it’s rubbing off on us, too. ~ Twwk

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is published by VIZ Media.

A Galaxy Next Door

This is a series dressed up as a complicated romcom mixing together aliens, mangaka, and orphans, traversing cultures and engaging themes of parenting and family. But it’s actually much simpler than all that. A Galaxy Next Door is about two people finding love with one another when everything else in the world (and beyond) would keep them apart. Goshiki is an alien princess: beautiful, talented, and diligently guarded by her island kingdom. Kuga is caring for his younger siblings while balancing his role as guardian with a career in manga. And somehow, the two connect with each other across barriers both distant (world, country, culture—“a galaxy”) and near (as flatmates, co-workers, and eventually lovers—“next door”) in a romance that is as cute and sweet as it is insightful and meaningful. Goshiki and Kuga aren’t perfect, but they’re perfect for each other and their story gives us hope that a match “written made in the stars”, can move beyond infatuation and become permanent and lasting when pursued with understanding and commitment, no matter how unearthly the obstacles are that may get in the way. ~ Twwk

A Galaxy Next Door is published by Kodansha.

Goodbye, Eri

For a while, it looked like Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto was on a quest to give everyone anything except for the second part of Chainsaw Man. Goodbye, Eri was one of the one shots he released during the break from his main series, and what an unusual and thought provoking one-shot. Goodbye, Eri is aggressively weird, heart-felt, and cold all at the same time. The story begins with teenager Yuta Ito trying to process his mother’s death after making a movie documenting the end of her life. Ito is filled with a mix of anger, sorrow, and confusion, which is only intensified after the film is presented at his school to widespread mockery. He considers suicide before being stopped by the titular Eri, who becomes his new obsession as he seeks to make the perfect movie about her. Goodbye, Eri is an amazing character study of an incredibly flawed protagonist who processes grief through his art. In an unexpected way that ties it back to Fujimoto’s magnum opus which also has a similarly flawed young man struggling to meet his needs in a broken world. However, while Denji becomes entangled in an action-heavy world of demons just to get by, Ito wraps himself in the world of his art to process the many people he lost throughout his life. To me, what makes this one-shot all the more fascinating is how it forces the reader to constantly question the story on the page, never truly knowing what is Ito’s fantasy and what is his reality. I already pre-ordered the physical release coming in 2023 and look forward to reliving this weirdness all over again. ~ MDMRN

Goodbye, Eri is published by VIZ Media.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War

Aka Akasaka may have recently retired from drawing manga, but the English releases of Kaguya-sama: Love Is War press on, as does Kaguya and Miyuki’s relationship. And to address the elephant in the room, yes, they did it. Though, just like all the other romantic tropes this series interacts with, the subject is breached with humor, charm, and emotional clarity. Sex isn’t just another step in the Manga Relationship Formula; it’s a way to discuss and to celebrate the most intimate parts of human relationships. After all, love is only one kind of war; there’s a thousand other battles that we humans wage around the world as we struggle to understand, relate to, and live alongside one another. It’s truly a testament to Akasaka’s depth as a writer that he’s able to write characters that embody these relational difficulties in a way that feels all too familiar. “Each character has their own principles, personality and background,” Akasaka muses in the afterword of volume 22, and that’s exactly what makes this manga such a joy to read. And as the story advances towards a grand conclusion for Kaguya, Miyuki, and the other members of the Shuchiin student council, I’m confident it’ll stay that way. ~ sleepminusminus

Kaguya-sama: Love is War is published by VIZ Media.

Laid-Back Camp

When Laid-Back Camp debuted in 2015, seemingly just another entry in a long line of “Cute Girls Doing Cute Things” titles, could anyone have predicted that it would soon become one of the most beloved slice-of-life series of the decade? And yet, at the end of 2022, with twelve volumes and popular anime and film adaptations to its name, that’s exactly where we stand. Laid-Back Camp pairs the bright and spirited Nadeshiko with the reserved and offbeat Shimarin in the lead roles, adds in a whole cast of memorable characters, and takes them all on delightful camping excursions where they encounter chirping pinecones, the thousand faces of Mt Fuji, and most importantly, delicious-looking camp grub. Of volumes 11 and 12, released this year, the former focuses on a solo camp for Nadeshiko and a camping venture for Rin and Aya, while the latter finds the remainder of the girls on their own trek. Together, these volumes demonstrate what makes this series so special: its rare combination of consistency and innovation. This year, Volume 11 is the more experimental, placing Nadeshiko and Rin in situations that push them to grow in new ways, while also affirming how far they’ve already come. Meanwhile, Volume 12 is Laid-Back Camp at its most iconic: full of cuteness, charm, and hilarity. Both are a reminder that it takes serious skill to create a manga this comfy and cozy while continuing to push forward in a creative and emotionally fulfilling way. In 2022, Laid-Back Camp proved it still has plenty up its sleeve—and here’s hoping that those sleeves are plenty long, with many more volumes still to go. ~ Twwk

Laid-back Camp is published by Yen Press.

Play it Cool, Guys

Episodic stories tend to be hit or miss for many readers. They can lack the overarching growth of characters who embark on life-changing adventures as they instead give a mini slice-of-life adventure within every chapter that doesn’t necessarily flow, one into the next. But Play It Cool, Guys is a series that excels at doing both! It centers on four—or rather, with this year’s Volume 3, now five!—appropriately cool and handsome guys that may seem aloof, but in actuality are super clumsy in their everyday lives. The charm and individuality of the characters, each clumsy in his own way, make this series so relatable! From rereading the same lines in a book over and over, to going to the store for an item that someone else forgot, only to end up forgetting it as well—it is these small moments that make this series so engaging. Added to this, the art style and especially its strategic use of color are just as engaging as the unexpectedly humorous lives these guys live. ~ Laura A. Grace

Play it Cool, Guys is published by Yen Press.

A Sign of Affection

When it comes to shoujosei titles, A Sign of Affection easily stands out as the best of this year. Yuki’s continuing story as a young deaf woman falling in love while attending college, is both captivating and breathtaking. Her story is written and illustrated with such care that it makes you appreciate every word and expression. Shojo manga as a whole is already known for its distinct art style with a special focus on blushing cheeks and wide, sparkling eyes, but A Sign of Affection takes it one step further by highlighting Yuki’s expressions without words, sometimes for several pages at a time and in large panels to help the reader take in every detail. And as if that was not enough, the handsome Itusomi makes you want to swoon over the care he takes to get to know Yuki more on a personal level, even learning sign language as they continue to grow closer as a couple. The preciousness and thoughtfulness that is displayed in their relationship leave a deep impression of how wonderful it is to not only read about first love in this fulfilling genre, but even more to read and be captivated by the softness that leaves your heart going ba-bump in a series that is so well-named and well-loved. ~ Laura A. Grace

A Sign of Affection is published by Kodansha.

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Honorable Mention

Being tasked with selecting the ten best manga series this year is unenviable work. We each ended up leaving out some of our favorite series of the year. Our honorable mention manga, given below in alphabetical order, are mere ticks away from being listed above this line with the top ten. We recommend them all highly.

Asadora! (VIZ Media)

Chainsaw Man, Part 2 (VIZ Media)

Daily Report About My Witch Senpai (Seven Seas Entertainment)

I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss (Yen Press)

Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (Yen Press)

Kowloon Generic Romance (Yen Press)

The Savior’s Book Cafe (Seven Seas Entertainment)

The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes: Ultramarine (Seven Seas Entertainment)

Wandance (Kodansha)

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Check out our Reader’s Corner column, where each week we dive into the world of manga and light novels with reviews of both the latest releases and some older volumes as well!

[lukefonfabre]

kamen rider REVIEW!!!

i was gonna do this on twitter but twitter is dead now. anyway i decided when i finished ryuki i would review every kr i’ve watched so far so here it is. no spoilers (i think) but it is fucking long. 

build - i can’t believe it’s been 5 years since i watched build… i miss her so bad every day… but also build had a lot things that i couldn’t stand. however the yaoi was really fucking good. also build is pretty strong overall despite it all. we need that energy back for kamen rider so bad but all they do now is try to sell toys. i really like sento as a protagonist because he’s so funny and quirky but also not like the usual kr protagonist who is stupid. i mean he is still stupid but in a different way. banjou is more like the protagonist type but he is actually just sento’s boyfriend. love wins. my thing about build is that i didnt care about kazumi or gentoku or katsuragi or any of the other men (evolt can stay #sexy). so sometimes i was sitting there like oh my god. enough. also the way they nerfed sawa and misora pissed me off. but that final episode hit hard enough that i forgave all the shit the last 10 or so episodes put me through. which is true of a lot of kamen riders like if they hit that ending it’s like all is forgiven baby!!! but anyway i love build. i miss her. i love her. 

ooo - i got so obsessed with ooo that 5 years ago i was in a college english class and they asked me what my favorite tv show was and i said kamen rider ooo. right there in front of everyone. ms. kobayashi really got me with that one! everyone has already said this but the relationship between ankh and eiji is so interesting both on a yaoi level and a psychological level… the human won’t let himself want anything and the monster whose existence is all about wanting things. and they’re in love. wow! the whole ooo cast is great though and i think it’s so cute that the actors still interact 10+ years later. i love hina so much… i love gotou and date and satonaka. i miss them. i’m sorry that ooo 10th was like that but i will forgive them. i guess. i think ooo’s one weakness is that the monster of the week episodes were kinda boring. like bro i don’t care about this guy getting back into wrestling what about ankh’s existential crisis!!!! but it’s ok we all have our flaws. i love you ooo. 

ex-aid - i THINK i watched ex-aid after ooo but honestly i don’t remember? wild that i went from ooo to ex-aid actually. ex-aid is a deeply controversial work because it sucks so bad but it’s also really fucking funny. but also sometimes it really is unwatchable like i tried to watch a couple of the first few episodes with eri and i was like this is horrible i’m being tortured but then when i think about parad i get hysterical. the duality of ex-aid. I think a lot of ex-aid is not very good. and yet it has something… some kind of power that makes me tell people to watch it and then they’re like this sucks and i’m like yeah! (this has happened 2 times.) but i do like ex-aid despite the fact that it’s really loud and annoying and the camera angles are weird and the belt noises are insufferable. it’s funny. i think the idea of gamer doctors fighting to the death(?) is hilarious. it definitely impacted me that’s for sure. there’ll never be another one like it… despite takahashi doing multiple krs since then (mistake). ex-aid is the demon that haunts me.

w - i think i’ve actually forgotten a good chunk of what actually happened in w but it was good. it was solid. philip and shotaro and akiko found family baby!!! and w made me tolerate a cop so that’s something. i really have nothing else to say here. ok actually w totally fell apart when it killed off the sonozakis and brought in that weird-ass doctor and that random villain who showed up at the end but philip and shotaro carried it… for me. and akiko of course she was everything to me. also again the final episode made me forgive everything because it was like they’re reunited!!! (sobbing and screaming and crying) 

fourze - for a while i didn’t hype up fourze that much because of the american high school aesthetic, which is actually really funny but not exactly my taste. but gentaro truly is a wonderful good boy. he loves his friends PERIOD. also ryusei was really funny because everyone else was like some kind of american teen drama trope (the goth girl, the jock, the cheerleader, etc.) and then there was ryusei who was like two-faced bitch alert! i love that. also kengo and gentaro were in love so there was #yaoi. that one episode where kengo was mad bc ryusei and gentaro were getting along and he was so jealous i cried. i would give anything for another kr as good as fourze tbh. 

den-o - when i first started kamen rider i was like i’m not watching that old shit (pre-neo heisei) but then i was like ok i will give den-o a chance because it was written by ms. kobayashi… and it was good. it was really fucking good. like there’s not a lot of crazy shit it’s mostly just funny shenanigans with the imagins and ryoutarou’s hard knock life but you still feel emotional about it all… ms. kobayashi’s genius. her range. even though the plot makes absolutely no fucking sense i think it’s fine. it’s about the feelings. the bonds. and also trains. 

ryuki - so after not watching kamen rider for 4-5 years i started watching ryuki with lain because they put it on tokushoutsu. and wow was i not prepared for whatever that was! i don’t think there is a way to prepare yourself for ryuki actually. but i will say that ms. kobayashi once again impacted me with her talent. her ability to create so many weird and mentally ill men… i’m obsessed. also i love shinji so much he is just an silly little dogboy who is being forced to confront the trolley problem and also fight to the death. why did she do all that to him? also why did she give kitaoka a beautiful and perfect malewife? why did she make asakura so sexy? why did she make tojo like that? why can’t ren be nice to shinji just a little? i have a lot of questions and no answers. there was never a dull moment with ryuki bc there was always some shit going on. every single guy was fascinating except the ones that were meant to be annoying as hell. and the ensemble cast of yui and ore journal and aunt sanako… love them. they are all so funny and iconic. i wish i could say more but i would spoil it. ms. kobayashi’s wild ride. as you can see ryuki has left me incoherent. i will not recover from what ryuki did to me. gen urobuchi you will never be her. 

blade - i started watching blade while also watching ryuki to prevent myself from looking up spoilers but it didn’t work. anyway the point is i watched all of blade while also watching ryuki with lain. it was interesting to watch them at the same time bc toward the end blade started copying ryuki so hard with the battle royale shit it was like ok girl i guess! blade is interesting bc a lot of krs have a strong start and then go off the fucking rails but blade is the opposite. it starts off like what the fuck is all this now then at the very end it’s like ohhh it’s about how the love was there all along. bring out the yaoi. i think at least 30 episodes of blade are complete nonsense like you will be sitting there like um okay i guess? but it’s worth it for the shakespearean gay tragedy of kenzaki/hajime. i can’t say i really liked mutsuki or tachibana but toward the end i started finding them really funny like i couldn’t really be mad because tachibana is so pathetic you just have to chuckle and mutuski has teenager disease. although it was tiring watching them both be assholes to their beautiful girlfriends for so long like ok can we get back to how in love kenzaki is with hajime PLEASE. but oh well. we can’t have everything!

if you actually read all of this thank you. i have so much to say and yet my brain is very small… i will continue making my poor quality videos to show my respect however. kamen rider the world. 

[tanakacchismile]

[hotarutranslations]

"Morning Musume '23" 25th Anniversary! What Traditions Do You Want To Carry On & What Seniors Do You "Oshi"? All Member Interview Part 2

Please Tell Us Of Your Past Oshi’s, and Seniors You Admire.

Fukumura Mizuki: Kamei Eri-san. I was attracted to the way Kamei-san sang like she was the main character; I've always wanted to be like Kamei-san. Watching videos, I love my senior so much that I’ll end up crying watching them! I respect everything about her performances and personality, she is my eternal idol that makes me forever dream.

Ikuta Erina: Niigaki Risa-san. She is a senior that taught me to be conscious towards my work. I used to be a cry baby and would cry whenever I was frustrated or happy but, Niigaki-san sent me a message of “Tears are to be shed when it matters. Don’t shed them easily,”. Until then I thought tears were natural but I've realized people who are watching are moved by the tears that I’ve held back that still overflow, and my attitude towards work changed a lot. I’m still in contact with her now, she has the presence of being like an older sister to me. She’s a senior I’ll love forever.

Ishida Ayumi: Michishige Sayumi-san. Since joining Morning Musume myself, Michishige-san was the leader during that period when I experienced a lot of work for the first time, so I learned a lot of things from her. How to prepare when going on variety, adding personality in your talks, and also her skill in words that will please the fans! She is someone I fell in love with as we were active together.

Oda Sakura: There are a lot of juniors and seniors that I like and admire, but I’ve stopped identifying them because I’ll end up going into their space. I admire each and every one of them and they each have their own wonderful space!

Nonaka Miki: Tsuji Nozomi-san, Sayashi Riho-san. “Mini Moni” Tsuji-san was cute, when I was young I admired her with all my might. I love Sayasih-san’s sharp, cool performances and kind personality. I respect them!

Makino Maria: Michishige Sayumi-san. She is the cutest and kindest senior in the world and the universe. Something that was like a dream happened a bit ago! Somehow the 2 of us went to Disney Land. Michishige-san said, “Lets ride whatever Maria-chan wants to ride,” and we went on various attractions. We wore headbands together, we ate popcorn, it really is the land of dreams♡.

Haga Akane: Tanaka Reina-san, Kudou Haruka-san. Tanaka-san is really good at using her body, its really amazing how she is able to perform with such stability throughout a live! I love Kudou-san’s cute-like looks, I’ve been a fan of her before I joined, and after I joined she treated me kindly, she was the one who made the “bridge” between the juniors and seniors. I admire that aspect of hers as well.

Yokoyama Reina: Oda Sakura-san. When I would watch as a fan, of course in addition to her performances, her atmosphere and appearance are so many things that are the perfect idol to me so, I haven’t stopped admiring her like, “Everything is perfect! I want to become an idol like Oda-chan–!”. Now, I’m very happy to be active together with Oda-san!

Kitagawa Rio: Takahashi Ai-san. Everything about her is cool, in any case! I wonder how many tens of billions of years of effort it would take to reach her point of singing and dancing. I’ve had the opportunity to go out and eat with her many times and she has listened to all of my ambitions and fluffy thoughts and has given me advice. I’m also thankful that she is always caring for the current members, I also want to become like this!

Okamura Homare: Sato Masaki-san. The gap between her speaking normally and performing is amazing! I was a fan before I joined and, Sato-san is said to be a genius who practices a lot on her own, and as her junior, I have seen that she never fails to make these efforts. I respect that is always looking out for others, not just herself, I’ll always love her.

Yamazaki Mei: Oda Sakura-san. She is always shining, I’ve admired her as a senior since I was a trainee. She’s really good at singing, furthermore, she is a songstress, she always performs to match the song, her expressions are amazing. While she is dancing sharply, it's really amazing how she is able to sing along with the rhythm, she is kind and cute, she is a wonderful senior.

Sakurai Rio: Sato Masaki-san, Kitagawa Rio-san. Sato-san's expressions during performances are so wonderful. I’ve referred to her performances again and again and I'm practicing them so I can acquire an expressive power in my own way. Kitagawa-san’s atmosphere of singing and dancing is always pretty! Even after I joined, I've continued to admire and want to become like Kitagawa-san someday. 

Profiles:

Fukumura Mizuki: Born October 30th, 1996. 9th generation member & leader. Member color hot pink. ■Song I like to sing→ Happy Summer Wedding. “When I was around 3 or 4, I properly remember the song coming on TV when my parents were out and my grandma was taking care of me. You can’t normally express gratitude towards your parents like you can in this song, I love it.” ■ Song that is fun to perform live→ Romance ni Mezasumeru Mousou Joshiko no Uta. ``It makes me smile because of all the cute displeasures and fantasies that fly around the head of a girl in love, it's fun how the members are interacting and lively (lol).”

Ikuta Erina: Born July 7th, 1997. 9th generation member & subleader. Member color light green. ■ Song I like to sing→ Aisaresugiru Koto wa Nai no yo. “The fans enjoy it when we sing this song, it's a song that makes you happy”.  ■Song that is fun to perform live→ Naichau Kamo. “It has a fun backtrack the whole time and I personally love it. The sense of unity when the fans join in with their penlights to the backtrack is fun.”

Ishida Ayumi: Born January 7th, 1997. 10th generation member &  subleader. Member color royal blue. ■ Song I like to sing→Waraenai Hanashi. “Originally it was with Sayashi Riho-san, and now I have fun during the duet parts with Oda. I’m happy that I got this part in this song originally, it's a nice thing that makes it feel good to sing (lol).” ■ Song that is fun to perform live→Utakata Saturday Night. “At festivals where there are lots of people who don’t know us, I was impressed when we change the choreography in the last chorus to a side arm movement and the whole audience waved their arms in the air. I’ve realized it's a song that the current members can liven up the stage with our power, it's a song that's like an ally for us.”

Oda Sakura: Born March 12th, 1999. 11th generation member. Member color lavender. ■ Song I like to sing→Egao YES Nude. “The song has a difficult rhythm, but it's fun to sing while thinking about how to get into it. It's like using your own skills to play into the rhythm as much as possible, it's such a cool song for an idol to sing that's unique to Morning Musume!” ■ Song that is fun to perform live→ CHO DAI. “The body moves nonstop from the beginning to the end, especially in the chorus, it's really fun that before you realize it, the dancing is over.”

Nonaka Miki: Born October 7th, 1999. 12th generation member. Member color purple. ■ Song I like to sing→Jinsei Blues. “I like songs where the more you listen to it the more you’re drawn into the melody and point of view! I get energy from the lyrics, and it's fun to sing.” ■ Song that is fun to perform live→ Jealousy Jealousy. “When singing the rap part, it's fun to have the feeling of freedom during the live. The moment we perform this song live is when I feel the most “alive!’.”

Makino Maria: Born February 2nd, 2001. 12th generation member. Member color pink. ■ Song I like to sing→ The☆Peace! “It's my favorite song in the world! I love Ishikawa Rika-san’s cute monologue part and I’m really happy I get to sing it now.” ■ Song that is fun to perform live→ Dokka~n Capriccio. “It's so much fun to jump a lot! I think the jumping is the best part so I jump as high as I can. Since I like baseball, I like the lyrics “table-turning, game-ending home run”, and we do a pretend throw and swing of a bat.”

Haga Akane: Born March 7th, 2002. 12th generation member. Member color orange. ■ Song I like to sing→What is Love? “I love its speedy feeling and the togetherness that seems to be created throughout the entire venue. It's a classic song for lives but I think it's good every time we perform it.” ■ Song that is fun to perform live→Love & Peace! HERO ga Yattekita. “All the members are interacting and lively around while singing, it's really fun. In the A and B melody it's almost entirely free dancing, it's a bit of a rare song.”

Yokoyama Reina: Born February 22nd, 2001. 13th generation member. Member color golden yellow. ■ Song I like to sing→What’s Up?~Ai wa Dou na no yo~. “Before auditioning I have memories of watching the videos repeatedly and practicing! With those memories, I’m very happy I’ve been able to sing this song, I love it.” ■ Song that is fun to perform live→Dokka~n Capriccio. “We get to jump together with the fans, since we get to raise our voices and make it exciting, it's really fun. It's a song I want to perform first once cheering is allowed.”

Kitagawa Rio: Born March 16th, 2004. 15th generation member. Member color sea blue. ■ Song I like to sing→ Kanashimi Twilight. “I really like the melody. The song progresses in a key that's easy for me, I sing it everytime I go to karaoke.” ■ Song that is fun to perform live→Shabondama. “This song is the best way to experience a really hard Morning Musume live! There isn’t a lot of unison in the song split, the solo parts gradually connect, and there is a monologue, it really feels like “Morning Musume”.”

Okamura Homare: Born May 9th, 2005. 15th generation member. Member color daisy. ■ Song I like to sing→ Kanashimi Twilight. “I love Takahashi Ai-san’s really cool parts. I’m working hard so I can put my own emotions into it.” ■ Song that is fun to perform live→Ambitious! Yashinteki de ii jan! “Every song is so much fun but these are the 2 songs I’m having the most fun with lately.”

Yamazaki Mei: Born June 28th, 2005. 15th generation member. Member color bright green. ■ Song I like to sing→ The Matenrou Show. “I like the song's funky melody. I don’t really have any of the song splits but, even when I’m not on the mic I’m humming!” ■ Song that is fun to perform live→Tsuyoki de Ikouze! “There is an air guitar part in the interlude, it's an exciting song in any case! I want to make it exciting with all our might together with the fans.” 

Sakurai Rio: Born October 11th, 2005. 16th generation member. Member color milk tea.  ■ Song I like to sing→ Renai Destiny ~Honne wo Ronjitai~. “The lyrics and the dance are really fun, I want to enjoy this song with lots of variations in expression.” ■ Song that is fun to perform live→Are you Happy? “It's a song where the choreography gets into the beat and you can dance with all your might. The beat is also really cool!”

A 25th anniversary celebration from VOCE too♡

At the end of the shoot, VOCE celebrated with member color bouquets and cakes. The special collaboration will be out 6 weeks from today. The next release is schedule for May 26th (Fri)! Look forward to an interview with the 3 in 15th generation and the YouTube video! VOCE official SNS will continue to provide short videos and offshots. Follow so you don’t miss it!