Today’s Tub Manga: Kaze Hikaru (volume 25)

I WAIT ALL YEAR LONG FOR THIS ONE DAY! KAZE HIKARU RELEASE DAY!

If you haven’t read it and you’re looking at that “25” number…buy all 25 volumes now. It’s totally worth it. You’ll want to have them rather than starting with one or two and waiting for the rest to arrive.

If you have read it, rejoice: here is another blissfully wonderful volume of Kaze Hikaru. This volume picks up where 24 left off with Hijikata’s flashback to his youth and meeting Kondo. It’s fitting that this volume was released on 8/1 aka “Yaoi Day” because volume 25 gave us some really smirk-worthy but so sweet Hijikata/Kondo panels. (We’ve seen how flustered Hijikata gets when people stay stuff like this, though, so please don’t tell him I said he and Kondo are adorable together.) Later in the volume we have some financial shenanigans in the Shinsengumi and as usual, Sei is a bit too naive and straightforward. But that’s what makes her lovable, right? Just ask Soji… heh. (And Saito, wherever he’s presently lurking…)

I have been reading this manga for a long time and I attempted to learn Japanese JUST to read this manga because it’s only published ONE VOLUME PER YEAR in English. I had to laugh at the author’s note in the back of the volume, specifically: “After all, the story is gradually reaching a climax, so perhaps it’ll be ending by around volume 28..? Then again, I also have the feeling that this series is nowhere near its end (haha)!”

“Haha” indeed. Volume 40 was released in Japan in late May of this year. So at one [English] volume per year…I might spend the rest of my life reading Kaze Hikaru.

AND YOU SHOULD TOO.

Today’s Tub Manga: Haikyu!! (volume 13)

I LOVE HAIKYU!!.

Every volume I marvel at its tight-knit perfection. Every volume I open the cover with great anticipation just to read the author’s note at the beginning.

The Johzenji game takes up most of the volume with the last quarter of the book covering the beginning of the Wakutani game. (Volume 14 might be a bit rough; the Wakutani game makes me nervous every time I watch it.)

I think most volumes of Haikyu!! contain the same basic elements: Hinata doing something superhuman; Tanaka being goofy; Asahi busting out an awe-inspiring spike; Tsukishima smirking; the opposing team flashbacking to the words of their senpai; Kageyama being sassy; Noya getting a killer dig; Daichi lying crumpled on the court, dead…

Wait, wut? Hehe…Okay, so he’s not dead. But what a cliffhanger! If didn’t already know what happens from watching the anime, I’d be screaming.

Today’s Tub Manga: Oresama Teacher (volume 22)

I can’t believe we’re already to volume 22! Just when I was wondering if twenty-two was too many volumes, this one came along and just kicked ass. I hope this series gets an anime someday because some of the characters do look a bit similar and are easily confused and I think being animated would remedy that.

This is my favorite volume in a while because it felt like progress was made and a lot of things got cleared up (finally). At the same time, Izumi Tsubaki’s humorous style shone throughout.

It’s been a very goofy and somewhat meandering series but I still really like it and volume 22 reminded me of so many of the reasons why I kept with it for this many volumes. Also, this book has the subtitle: The Story of Miyabi Hanabusa…so enjoy!

Today’s Tub Manga: The Water Dragon’s Bride (volume 2)

I was already getting a bit tired of this series a couple pages into volume two. It suffers from the same issues as the author’s Dawn of the Arcana series–weird, randomly contrived things happen way too often. There also seems to be a lot of yelling and crying considering the main character can’t speak; I keep trying to remind myself that she’s a small child and that’s why she…acts like a small child. But it still gets tiring.

However, volume two did have some high points. When the Water Dragon God goes on his rampage, his monologue made me go, “Yes! This makes sense! This is what I want to read!” Though violent and angry, at least it sounded more reasoned-out and intellectual than how he’s usually idiotically portrayed. His thought process made sense, whereas usually he’s written to not have much thought process at all.

The other gods are spicing up the story as well. To me, they’re really the highlights and the saviors of a pretty dreary, yelling-and-crying-filled story. The author seems to like them so I’m hoping we see more of them in the next volume.

Because yes, after the final pages of volume two (I don’t want to spoil it for you!) I’m hoping volume three blows it wide open and this series finally takes off. *crosses fingers*

Today’s Tub Manga: Assassination Classroom (volume 16)

We’re on the downhill slide of Assassination Classroom yet hitting what I think is the best part. Volume 16 spends pretty much the whole volume covering Koro-sensei’s past as he relates to the kids how he became…what he is.

Even though I watched the anime and it’s over, I was still looking forward to reading the manga version of this flashback.

If you’ve already read volumes 1-15, I imagine you’re in it for the long haul so I don’t really need to encourage you to read this…and if you dropped this a long time ago, then nothing I say will make you pick it up again and read sixteen volumes…

But this was one of my favorite volumes. I love a good flashback and a juicy, tentacle-laden backstory.

Today’s Tub Manga: Yona of the Dawn (volume 6)

I might as well just get it out of the way: I love Hak and he is gorgeous.

Okay, so in volume 6, Yona meets the Green Dragon (who is my second favorite next to Hak) who doesn’t want to be the Green Dragon but she gets involved with his pirate crew to try to foil the wicked human trafficking plot of the local official.

This might actually be my favorite arc (which may not be the best thing to say because there’s a whole lot more Yona in the future) because we get:

• 1) Jaeha being Jaeha and I read everything he says in Junichi Suwabe’s voice;
• 2) Jaeha and Hak bantering, which is the best thing ever and totally makes the entire series better from here on out;
• 3) perhaps most importantly, major character growth for Yona.
• (And maybe 4: that infamous Honey Scene!).

I didn’t really give it much thought before but watching Yona undergo her trial made me like her more/all over again as a protagonist. Seeing her cry even as she insisted on completing her task made her more…real. She’s not some badass. She’s not a superhuman that went from being a pampered princess to a martial arts master overnight. She’s still very much an inexperienced girl trying to just do her best for the people she cares about. And while that sounds very trope-y as I type it, I actually really liked how her weakness and her strength was showcased simultaneously.

 

Today’s Tub Manga: Golden Kamuy (volume 1)

READ THIS! TRUST ME!

I’d preordered this quite a while ago and was pretty excited about it. I’ll admit, I don’t hesitate to judge a protagonist by his facial scars. So “Golden Kamuy” looked super promising.

And volume 1 was phenomenal. I loved the shit out of it. I kind of worried I was too stoked about it and had set the bar too high but that was ultimately not the case. Volume 1 is exciting and clever and violent and beautiful. I read it way too fast because I just couldn’t stop. I love how the premise seems quite straightforward (looking for gold in Hokkaido) but is made tricky (tattoo map, anyone?).

I also really enjoy what Asirpa brings to the table; I love her practicality and feistiness as well as the flavor her Ainu heritage imparts to the story. I feel like I’m seeing something new. Along with that newness, I felt like we saw a more “wild brutality” in this manga compared to others. Growing up in the mountains, I kind of appreciated that “shit out here in the wilderness can kill you” feeling that this manga does very well.

Lastly, I freaked out at the final pages. I don’t think I blinked. I had a tiny suspicion at the line “old political prisoner” and then I read “Battle of Hakodate” and I was thinking, “No. Fucking. WAYYYYYYY…” and when I turned the page–

well, if I screamed and did a small fist pump of victory, thankfully I was in the tub where I didn’t bother anyone.

Today’s Tub Manga: Black Clover (volume 7)

I’ve loved “Black Clover” (and Yami, ahem) since the beginning. Every time I read it, whether it’s the paperback or by weekly chapter in Jump, I think, “This is the most shonen, shoneny, shoneniest thing EVER.” And I mean that in the best of ways.

Volume 7 opens not with an Author’s Note but a note instead from the author’s dog. So you know this is going to be an amazing volume. It’s worth buying just for that. We have some ominous political intrigue directly offset by Yami’s non-shit-giving nature and Asta’s endearing enthusiasm. Then it’s a beach scene (you really can’t beat that) and if Noelle can get a handle on her magic (spoiler: she does) they’ll end up at the bottom of the ocean in a magical ocean kingdom for a crazy battle royale.

So, it’s par for the course for “Black Clover.” Battles, crazy characters, battles, magic, Yami being Yami, battles, and hilarity.

I’ve said this about a lot of series but again, this is one worth buying just for the goofy little author’s notes and bonus story. “Black Clover” is just incredibly fun.

Today’s Tub Manga: Haikyu!! (volume 12)

I LOVE “Haikyu!!”. I totally have a soft spot for sports manga but I especially have a cozy place in my heart for great sports manga. I don’t think I’ve converted a single person but I keep preaching, trying to get people to read “Haikyu!!”.

Volume 12 takes us to the Miyagi prelims where those Karasuno boys have to win, win, and win some more. (The anime is ahead of the English version of the manga at this point, so you can probably guess the outcome.)

In the prelims we get more of what “Haikyu!!” does so well–fleshing out the opposing team, building a quick but touching backstory, and making us feel maybe just a little bad that we’re rooting for them to lose. But then it does that other thing it does so well–those moments of ramped up intensity where Karasuno’s fire is lit and their victory feels like your victory.

“Haikyu!!” is one of the tightest, purest, most perfectly distilled sports anime/manga I’ve ever seen. It’s all the best aspects of sports action combined with unique but lovable characters and the perfect ratio of humor to drama.

Also: the bonus story at the end of volume 12 was perfect and wonderful and Asahi’s panel just made me want to hug him and Noya both.

Today’s Tub Manga: Kamisama Kiss (volume 24)

I absolutely loved “Kamisama Kiss” when I first started reading it, back in the good old days. However, in the last several volumes I’ve had this persistent feeling that…it’s just gone on too long.

Which is okay, because the next volume is the final one.

In volume 24, we get some kind of weak resolution with Akura-oh and Yatori. Maybe there really was more significant buildup to this conclusion and I’ve just forgotten because it’s dragged on for too many volumes, but it felt kind of watery to me. Like the author finally got bored of it and decided to wrap it up. I hate that I feel so meh about the series now because I loved it so much in the beginning.

The rest of volume 24 deals with– **IF YOU HAVEN’T READ KAMISAMA KISS AND PLAN ON IT, DON’T READ ANY FURTHER, SPOILING THE SHIT OUT OF STUFF HERE**

 

–Tomoe’s decision to become human and live with Nanami as normal boring people. I feel like while this is the reasonable, predictable ending, it still irritates me. It’s not that I’m fluffy and want them to live happily ever after; it’s more that I look at Nanami’s situation and I think, “Your ‘normal life’ before really sucked. You were given this amazing opportunity and your life has been changed for the better because of it. It’s like you won the lottery. So whyyyyy are you throwing that away, disconnecting all these bonds you made, and insisting on going back to living a life of struggle?” Though apparently by the end of volume 24 it won’t be a life of struggle because Tomoe will just take care of everything..? And on that note, I think about Tomoe, who’s been alive for how many hundreds of years, becoming human. How freakin’ hard is that adjustment going to be? No more flying. Magic. Fox ears. Transformations. Crossing into other worlds. So on and so forth. Because you’re a borrrrrring old human now.

I’m a little put off by my own distaste for the direction the series is heading, but I can’t help it. Maybe I’ve just never been a fan of the “normal route.”