July is here, which means sweltering Summer Manga Minis for all! We’ve got three reviews to get through today, from a new Square Enix Manga debut to new installments of two of my favorite series. Let’s check them out below!
A Man & His Cat Volume 11 (Square Enix Manga)
At this point, I’m trying to look for reasons not to like A Man & His Cat, and every volume proves me wrong. I’m not sure how the mangaka does it, but Umi Sakurai always brings in many plot threads organically that pile onto the story without bogging it down. This volume is no different, excellently exploring familial hurt and healing through the kindness of kitties.
The main storyline in this volume follows Kanda as he takes Fukumaru to visit his father-in-law. During the journey, he reminisces on his late wife Suzune (who makes a flashback appearance throughout these chapters). However, he’s also visited by the apparition of his mother, whose cold demeanor has traumatized Kanda ever since he was a boy. It takes time to unlearn the hurt his mother inflicted, and it still haunts Kanda to this day.
However, his shining light remains in the form of his late wife, and meeting his father-in-law is a bright spot. Charming and supportive, Suzune’s dad helps Kanda find some relief in his crazy life so far. It’s a touching journey that highlights how a healthy family relationship should be and emphasizes how much it helps. I also enjoyed how Fukumaru becomes crucial in convincing four stray cats to warm up to Kanda and his father-in-law. Being abused themselves, they also need time to process healing, and it’s great that Fukumaru can use his cute charms to save the day.
This volume marks a pivotal point in the story as it uses Kanda’s inspirations to help him continue living. It’s one of the most important volumes of the series so far, and I’m interested to see where the narrative goes from here!
Rating: 5 out of 5 UwUs
Just Like Mona Lisa Volume 1 (Square Enix Manga)
Manga isn’t shy when it comes to delving into sensitive topics, and Just Like Mona Lisa is one such story. With an interesting exploration about gender expression, this has the potential to be a great drama series, with some hiccups for the debut volume.
In an alternate world, children grow up without gender. Around their teenage years, they decide to develop and will choose one, with everything that comes with it following suit. However, Hinase is quite unique in that they still haven’t decided on their gender. It’s quite literally a medical marvel, as they are one of the longest living people to do this.
There are growing pains with coming of age, as Hinase’s friends Ritsu and Shiori confess their love. Both want Hinase to conform to their attraction (Ritsu wants Hinase to become a guy while Shiori wants Hinase to become a girl). However, Hinase continues to battle with inner thoughts, and it’s apparent that the trio’s relationship may become strained. What will Hinase choose, and what will happen to the three high school friends?
While I enjoyed the main protagonist’s struggles, I can’t say the same for the two supporting characters. They act like potential love interests, but only look out for themselves when it comes to Hinase. I enjoyed that Hinase could confide in Shiori’s brother Azusa (who acts Hinase’s doctor). I feel like the manga has the potential to explore a lot of ideas regarding gender, attraction, and inner self-worth in the future. However, a lot of the story feels oddly paced and doesn’t know whether it wants to be a sweet romantic slice-of-life, or an introspective thriller. The revelations at the end point to the latter, but it feels a bit too urgent to place those stakes on a high school character.
On a side note, I did enjoy how the story utilizes teal throughout the volume (complete with panels that highlight teal with the black and white manga page). It emphasizes the struggle Hinase is going through, and it’s a nice creative choice.
I’m going to stick with it and see where this journey takes us, it seems like an interesting ride so far, even with its uncertain direction.
Rating: 3 out of 5 UwUs
Rooster Fighter Volume 6 (VIZ Media)
As I’ve said time and time again, Rooster Fighter is peak shonen. While it comes off as a parody of battle manga (everything is very intense… with chickens), it comes from a place of genuine love for the action genre. This volume ups the ante and provides much needed backstory for Keiji’s brother, Keisuke.
This volume continues Chicken Little’s fight to save Morio, the demon controlled by devils Yuji and Hikari. While she gets possessed by an unknown figure, she finds inner strength and awakens a new power. We don’t get to see much of it, however, as these next chapters focus on the rooster brothers versus the devils.
It seems that Elizabeth isn’t as useful as she was in the previous volume, but then again this is a fight for Keiji and Keisuke. For those wondering about Keiji’s brother, we get an extended flashback with Keisuke and the Goshikidori legacy. Namely, Keisuke has the latent Righteous Egg power, which unleashes new techniques. However, can he go beyond his limits to fight his enemies, or will he and his brother succumb to the raw strength of their new foes?
This volume amps up the action with great art; the devils and special attacks get some cool upgrades. The Righteous Egg plot thread also feels like Rock Lee’s Eight Gates in Naruto, and all parties are pushed to the extreme. Everyone gets a chance to shine, from the heroes to the villains (even Morio gets a cool action sequence near the end). I love the power scaling of these abilities as they continue to ramp up. It’s not at a level that feels unattainable for the supporting cast. However, I can see Elizabeth and Chicken Little getting sidelined for the rest of the arc. (Then again, Chicken Little’s inner strength seems to have a sinister origin, but we’ll see what happens there.)
All in all, with Rooster Fighter now reaching the VIZ Media subscription service, this is a perfect time to crack your talons into one of the best action manga out right now!
Rating: 5 out of 5 UwUs
And there’s your sweltering summer manga minis! Stay tuned for more manga reviews here on Miso!