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aliceinmangaland · 1 year

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First Impression: Sakura’s Dedication

Strap in, folks! Someone cut the brakes on this car and we are hurtling towards Loveville faster than you can say Daisuki desu!~

Sakura’s Dedication is about Sawa Hanasaki, a high school girl who has no luck with guys. She breaks up with her latest boyfriend after finding out he was cheating on her. Upon hearing the news, Yuma Sakura, a fellow classmate, confesses his feelings for Sawa and asks her to be his girlfriend. She rejects him, citing that he is not her type, but he continues to show his dedication to her by confessing over and over again. Is Sawa’s heart more open to Sakura than she had initially anticipated?

The first chapter of Sakura’s Dedication felt like reading a oneshot. We went from confession to relationship in less than the blink of an eye. It felt like I was experiencing whiplash (and a serious case of déjà vu).

I guess we are just in a new era of shoujo manga where relationships fully progress in one volume or less. Not that I enjoy watching things get dragged out past the point of eternity, but I get concerned about the potential longevity of series that move at such breakneck speeds.

In this case, it initially felt somewhat like a miss to me. Besides the fact that the two main characters barely interacted up until Sakura’s first confession, Sawa is fresh out of a relationship. It felt like she needed more time to heal from it before jumping into a new one with Sakura, and we are definitely seeing the repercussions of it in her insecurities.

But as volume one progressed, I began to warm up to it more. Sakura is very sweet to Sawa and treats her with respect. Hopefully he will be able to help Sawa in her journey of moving on and learning to not doubt herself so much. It was also nice to see them communicating with each other, as well as their lovey-dovey moments.

If you are looking for a soft and fluffy read this Valentine’s Day, then Sakura’s Dedication is worth checking out. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this review! I hope you will check out Alice in Mangaland for more manga reviews in the future! Arigato gozaimasu! Thank you!

#manga #sakura’s dedication #sakura wa watashi wo sukisugiru #manga review #manga recommendation #manga reviews #manga recommendations #shoujo #shojo #shoujo manga #shojo manga

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fruitdropss · 2 years

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SHOUJO MANGA DUMP !<33

-gifs and icon by me !

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papervine · 2 years

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#sakura wa watashi wo sukisugiru #comedy #romance #school life #shoujo

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beneaththetangles · 2 years

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Reader’s Corner: Sakamoto Days, Nighttime for Just Us Two, and Chainsaw Man (Vol. 10)

Bootsleg, Vol. 1

Bootsleg is built like the next big shounen series—all the stars are aligned in its plot: mystical and horrible creatures that steal away children’s family members (and half the hero’s leg); the teaming up of several young people whose powers are awakening; and its own system of powers and fighting, which involves a mysterious organization led by an elderly, wise leader, who outfits the team with soul-charged shoes charged that counter the enemy’s hands and gloves. Most of all, the drawings—the drawings! Suzuhito Yasuda is a master at art. His paneling is wonderful, his shadowing is near-perfect, and he draws his characters with vitality and strong lines. It is a stunning series, with volume one featuring a number of action-packed (and detailed) two-page spreads. No surprise, though, coming from a mangaka who has created his own manga (Yozakura Quartet) and also chosen to illustrate the Durarara and Danmachi light novels. However, despite the earlier mention of soul, there isn’t much of it in this initial volume. I liked all the major characters introduced, but didn’t feel a deep emotional connection to them and their sob stories. Underneath the unusual storyline and power system, and the incredible art, lays a flat story, nothing of particular note or to add to the genre. Still, the characters are fun and the artwork, again, undeniably attractive, so here’s hoping that the story will find its way and match these elements. ~ Twwk

Bootsleg is published by Kodansha.

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 2 (Manga)

The Apothecary Diaries was probably one of my least expected pickups from late last year; I was totally caught off guard by how much I enjoyed the first volume! Volume two was fun as well, though I may have not appreciated it quite as much as the first one (I know the strong focus on boobs in the first chapter was very off putting, even if the story itself featured a good, strong opening). Even if that’s the case, Maomao came back in all her sass and couldn’t help but think how she is probably one of the most unique female characters I’ve read! In this volume, a few secrets about her that were revealed, with one definitely being a good plot twist. We also got more Jinshi! I wouldn’t call myself his fangirl, but there were some excellent potential shipable moments that I absolutely fangirled over! A few more behind-the-scenes moments with him were portrayed, leaving me extremely curious as to what would happen next. Also portrayed is just how interesting things can be with Maomao when a food tasting goes awry…and unfortunately quite sensual. I think that was truly what I was most disappointed about. However, I really did enjoy the story once more, even if I’m a little nervous to start the next volume. ~ Laura A. Grace

The Apothecary Diaries is published by Square Enix.

READ: The Apothecary Diaries, Volume 2 Review

Mashle, Vol. 4

While Mashle is an effective comedy and parody of Harry Potter, volume four demonstrates that it is equally an action series as well. In fact, I do believe it surpasses the source of its parody in that department, with Mash’s muscle-bound, magic-less battle in this volume against the powerful magical student, Abel, drawing far more excitement than any duel I can remember in the Potter series. Yet, as the fight and inevitable shonen contextual flashback pours forth, mangaka Hajime Komoto continues to flex his writing muscles, frequently dropping in humor, which helps to keep the series balanced and from tottering too much toward a less interesting, typically-shounen end. What an addictive series, and what a fine conclusion —ending with a thrilling cliffhanger—to this early arc of the manga. ~ Twwk

Mashle is published by Viz Media.

Sakura’s Dedication, Vol. 1

Hanasaki seems to attract the worst kind for boyfriends, but her luck might be changing. Sakura, a class genius who’s barely ever talked to her, just confessed, and though she declined, he explains to her that he refuses to give up. While Sakura’s insistence could come across as stalker-ish, the first volume of Sakura’s Dedication makes the smart choice of moving these two into a relationship fairly quickly and making his “dedication” more about an unrelenting love toward Hanasaki, who struggles on the surface to react well to his “embarrassing” and honest words, but more deeply with feelings of low self-worth, owed much in part to how her ex-boyfriends viewed and treated her (and in fact, the way they still speak to her). This leads to plenty of cute and lovely moments, as Sakura remains very forward with Hanasaki, who can’t seem to do anything but blush and run away, until she decides that he’s worth changing for. A cute, fun, charming work, volume one of Sakura’s Dedication is the kind of read that reminds you of how warm love should be. ~ Twwk

Sakura’s Dedication is published by Kodansha.

Sakamoto Days, Vol. 1

Sakamoto Days has the dubious distinction of being the second-best “retired hitman comedy manga” published by Viz—though that doesn’t mean it’s bad by any means. Though the titular character has also left a life of crime, like The Way of the Househusband’s Tatsu, the latter is more absurdist and gag-oriented, while this series is a traditional Shonen Jump title, with Sakamoto spending his days running a convenience store, though the story picks up with him once again on the yakuza’s radar. His former associates want him dead for leaving the criminal life, which he did after falling in love and deciding to start a family. The action scenes are fairly good (especially a roller coaster fight late in the volume), with the nigh-invincible (if now overweight) Sakamoto teaming with a young protege, the mind-reader Shin, to fight off other hitmen while preserving his treasured family life. Humor and feels are all included at no extra charge. It’s a fine shonen series, though with the exception of Sakamoto’s character design, volume one, at least, remains indistinct from the rest of Shonen Jump‘s fare. ~ Twwk

Sakamoto Days is published by Viz Media.

Lightning and Romance, Vol. 1

What happens when a shoujo manga an older, bad boy type (Reo, age 20, nicknamed “Lightning” by the student body) with a sheltered but sweet girl (Sumire)? The answer is a very typical romance manga—though not that that’s an entirely bad thing. Volume one of Lightning and Romance lives mostly in Sumire’s mind as readers get the sense of her home life (led by a father who is kind but overprotective—to later be revealed for good reason?) and her social life, which is mostly about friendships until she starts interacting with classmate Reo, who is attending school for some mysterious reason even though he’s no longer a teenager. There’s mystery and probably tragedy invovled, but in volume one, most of the mystery remains on the level of Sumire trying to unravel who the “true” Reo is. There’s nothing here that’s particularly inspired, and the artwork is often flat, but the characterization is nice, and it’s easy to fall for the leads and become lost in the cute love story—with hints of depth to be revealed—that’s quickly forming, especially for fans of shoujo series in general. Count me as part of that flock, and as eager to see how this romance develops. ~ Twwk

Lightning and Romance is published by Kodansha.

Chainsaw Man, Vol. 10

Chainsaw Man is full of graphic content, some of which has been famously censored, which makes it easy to dismiss the series as a simple gorefest. Those who’ve followed along all these volumes, though, realize the genius of the manga, on full display here with Kobeni tripping at the family burger restaurant not once, but twice, and then forced to play DDR; the uncomfortable scene with the dogs licking Denji and Makima while literally speaking; and the despondence that starts the volume, with Denji trying to find a way to recover from his killing of Aki when another sudden death—the most painful in the entire series by my estimation—occurs, kicking off the final confrontation between Denji and Makima. But as much as I couldn’t look away from the goings-on, volume ten exposes the problems that all shounen face, including having to top itself over and over again, especially during the final fight. These arcs are often uninspired, which part of the reason I found the Fourth Shinobi War Arc in Naruto, which has more than a passing semblance to this arc, uninteresting, and they sometimes border on extravagant, which happens here, the last few pages so extreme that they’re even ridiculous. Come back down to earth, Chainsaw Man, and stay grounded in that little tread territory of horror shounen genius. ~ Twwk

Chainsaw Man is published by Viz Media.

Nighttime for Just Us Two, Vol. 1

How do you find a way to reinvent the love triangle, with the comely but relatable girl choosing between the good guy and the bad boy? Well, you could make the boys one in the same, and add a body sharing alien in for good measure. That’s the premise of Nighttime for Just the Two of Us, in which the practically invisible Nikaido serendipitously meets her popular classmate, Koga, during the middle of the night, except he isn’t Koga—this is “Chiro-chan,” a friendly and bright (literally) alien who is able to take control and express himself when Koga is fast asleep. The ridiculousness of the plot is so much fun, a throwback to shoujo of years past and even to the 1980s fascination with aliens in western culture (Mork and Mindy? Starman?). It’s firmly in shoujo territory, best expressed by the mean-but-is-he-really Koga, and a hilarious lead in Nikaido, who is strange and awkward without being cringey. The combination of all this ensures that volume one rushes to an excellent, humorous, and heartfelt start. I see continued gobs of humor and romance in the future, and probably a heartbreaking ending as well, and I’m eager to experience it all. Nanu nanu. ~ Twwk

Nighttime for Just Us Two is published by Kodansha. Volume releases on April 12th.

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Reader’s Corner is our way of embracing the wonderful world of manga, light novels, and visual novels, creative works intimately related to anime but with a magic all their own. Each week, our writers provide their thoughts on the works their reading—both those recently released as we keep you informed of newly published works and older titles that you might find as magical (or in some cases, reprehensible) as we do.

#Manga #Bootsleg #The Apothecary Diaries #Kusuriya no Hitorigoto #Articles #Mashle: Magic and Muscles #MASHLE #Sakura’s Dedication #Sakura wa Watashi wo Sukisugiru #SAKAMOTO DAYS #Lightning and Romance #Inazuma to Romance #CHAINSAW MAN #Nighttime for Just Us Two #Yoru no Shita de Machiawase #Reader's Corner #Author: TWWK #Author: Laura A. Grace

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recentanimenews · 2 years

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Manga the Week of 2/23/22

SEAN: STUFF! Just a whole ton of it. As always.

ASH: Yes, indeed!

ANNA: I’m always amazed.

SEAN: Airship, in print, has I’m in Love with the Villainess 4 and She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man 3, while we get early digital volumes for The Haunted Bookstore – Gateway to a Parallel Universe 2 and The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent 6.

ASH: Which reminds me that I need to read the first volume of The Haunted Bookstore; it seems like a series tailor-made for me.

SEAN: Dark Horse has a 5th volume of their Blade of the Immortal Deluxe series.

ASH: I am absolutely double-dipping for this edition.

SEAN: Ghost Ship debuts The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You (Kimi no Koto ga Dai Dai Dai Dai Daisuki na 100-nin no Kanojo), a Weekly Young Jump series about a guy with horrible romantic karma who now gets 100 soulmates. Unfortunately, he needs to make them ALL happy – or they’ll die!

ASH: I’ve actually heard some pretty good things about this series, so I plan on giving it a try.

SEAN: Ghost Ship also has World’s End Harem: Fantasia 6.

J-Novel Heart has a digital debut, and one I’ve wanted to read (legally) for years. Prison Life is Easy for a Villainess (Konyaku Haki kara Hajimaru Akuyaku Reijou no Kangoku Slow Life) does not involve anyone getting reincarnated into otome games or sent back in time to fix their future. Rachel is perfectly happy with her present, thank you… and happy to sit in prison while she watches her ex-fiance suffer.

ASH: Interesting!

ANNA: This does sound interesting.

SEAN: J-Novel Club also has My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S-Rank Adventurer 3, the 8th manga volume of I Shall Survive Using Potions!, and The Master of Ragnarok & Blesser of Einherjar 19.

Kodansha’s print debut is The Best of Attack on Titan: In Color. It is what it is.

ASH: Huh. I can only assume this is aimed at devotees of the series; seems like it could make a rough entry point for a newcomer.

SEAN: Also in print: Bakemonogatari 12, Blood on the Tracks 8, Eden’s Zero 15, Flying Witch 10, Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan 3, Real Account 15-17, The Seven Deadly Sins Omnibus 2, Star⇄Crossed!! 4 (the final volume), With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day is Fun 6, and Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches 25-26. Boat finally make it through the Suez Canal, then?

ASH: Ha!

MICHELLE: This will be the volume I finally check out Star⇄Crossed!!!

SEAN: Digitally our debuut is Sakura’s Dedication (Sakura wa Watashi wo Sukisugiru), a shoujo title that’s been in both Betsufure and Palcy (titles move more easily these days). A girl who just broke up with her cheating boyfriend is suddenly confessed to by an earnest young man. Sadly, he’s not her type. But that’s not stopping him from confessing over… and over… and over again. OK, this is just embarrassing!

MICHELLE: Yeah, not sure what to think about this. That behavior is not great.

SEAN: They’ve also got Back When You Called Us Devils 10, Harem Marriage 14, His Extra-Large, Ever-So-Lovely… 2, Living-Room Matsunaga-san 11 (the final volume), Nina the Starry Bride 6, Saving Sweets for After-Hours 2, Space Brothers 40, and Tesla Note 3.

Two new series from Seven Seas. I’m a Wolf, but My Boss is a Sheep! (Ookami Buka-kun to Hitsuji Joushi-san), a Comic Bunch title about a mattress company consisting of all sheep employees… and one lone wolf. He tries to keep to himself, but his boss is so adorable! Gonna be honest, this looks cute.

ASH: It really does.

SEAN: We also get Monologue Woven For You (Kimi ni Tsumugu Bouhaku), a yuri title from Takeshobo about two drama majors whose paths cross. It’s in full color!

ASH: Oh, ho!

ANNA: Is full color manga now a thing?

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas, Creepy Cat 2, Hitomi-chan is Shy With Strangers 3, Kiruru Kill Me 2, The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today 3, and semelparous 2.

ASH: A good week for curious cat manga, then.

SEAN: Square Enix has Soul Eater Perfect Edition 6.

Tokyopop has the 2nd volume of Our Not-So-Lonely Planet Travel Guide.

Generally I tend to skip Viz’s digital-only Jump releases, which come out at the end of the month. But the debut this month is one of my favorite current series, WITCH WATCH. The creator did comedy Sket Dance for years, and also Astra: Lost in Space. This new series has a teenage witch move into the house of her childhood friend and ogre, in the hopes of making him her familiar… and perhaps more? It’s hilarious.

ASH: That’s a solid recommendation.

ANNA: I enjoy witchy manga.

SEAN: Yen On has 86–EIGHTY-SIX 9, Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside 5, The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy 5, I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss 2, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- 18, and The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat 4.

The debut from Yen Press is From the Red Fog (Akai Kiri no Naka kara), a GFantasy title (attn: Melinda) that can best be described as ‘historical horror’. A young boy who has been kept in a basement for years grows up, leaves and moves into a nursing home. Except… bad things keep trailing after him. And honestly, given that cover art, he looks OK with that.

ASH: I am likewise intrigued!

MELINDA: You called? Oooooohhhhh, you DID call. Okay. Yes. YESSSSSSSSSSSSS. I NEED IT.

Yen also have Cheeky Brat 2, Cirque Du Freak: The Manga Omnibus 5, Love at Fourteen 11, Love of Kill 6, Mama Akuma 2, Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Wraith Arc 2, the 6th and final volume of RaW Hero, Reign of the Seven Spellblades 2, and Spirits & Cat Ears 10.

What manga would you read in prison?

By: Sean Gaffney

#Anime #News #Manga Bookshelf

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