It’s spooky season, which means time for October 2024 Manga Minis! We’re still running a bit of a backlog with some of our manga reviews, but don’t worry, we’re going full speed ahead on our manga review coverage! To keep things a bit scary this time around, we’ve got a horror-survival debut from Ablaze Manga, with a couple of continuing volumes of Square Enix Manga titles I’ve enjoyed throughout the past months. Grab some candy (and maybe a costume) and check out these titles below!
Happyland Volume 1 (Ablaze Manga)
For better or for worse, Happyland made me appreciate what I like about survival manga. It’s a title that had me curious about what it means to have everything about your life exposed, but at the end left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
What was supposed to be a fun trip for the Komiya family turns into a deadly struggle for survival. After the family makes an unexpected detour, father Kenji, mother Misa, son Ritsu and daughter Rin are whisked away to the titular theme park. A disturbingly anthropomorphic rabbit welcomes them as they and a variety of other families are locked inside. Forced into sadistic attractions, the Komiya family members have to bare all their secrets to see another day.
I think the main reason I love stories like Alice in Borderland and Battle Royale is that there’s still hope within the main characters. Even with the crazy events going on, there’s still an optimistic gleam in the characters’ eyes. With Happyland, it doesn’t feel like I want to root for any of the characters. Not because they have some mindblowing secrets to reveal, but because it seems they don’t really like each other.
In addition, the inclusion of gore feels way too gratuitous and extreme. I understand it’s a mature rated series, but heads and guts spill out way too much for me to care. It’s desensitizing, and doesn’t advance the plot, which is strange considering the genre.
That said, I’m intrigued at how shocking the premise is, and because it’s a short story, it’ll probably end next volume. The art (when it’s not basking in its gorefest), is quite good as well. It’s got potential, but there’s still some glaring issues that need to be fixed by story’s end to get a recommendation.
Rating: 2 out of 5 UwUs
Tokyo Aliens Volume 7 (Square Enix Manga)
I can’t believe how much I’m loving Tokyo Aliens nowadays, so much so I’m sad that this series releases more sporadically here. This new volume brings the team’s battle with Ririka to a close and introduces a former romantic interest from Natsuki Hyogo’s past.
After surviving the barrage from Ririka’s attacks, Sho Tenkubashi goes on the offense as Toya and Harold try to fight off Raika and Akira Gunji. The action sequences are some of the best in the series, and we get to see some of Sho’s full powerset here.
After the battle, Akira also needs to study due to his low grades, so Sho and fellow alien-classmate Masato Kizaki come to assist him. The trio have a fun slice-of-life story, which is a great breather considering the arc preceding AND proceeding it. Meanwhile, Natsuki Hyogo happens to come across an old flame, Chizuru Sato, who is in Tokyo to submit a manga for publication. However, a new foe threatens this blossoming romance as a new type of alien gets revealed.
I enjoyed how this volume deftly transitions from a climactic arc into the beginning of a new one. The resolution between Raika and Ririka’s sisterly relationship was bittersweet but helped with Raika’s character development. The power scaling with new enemies seems like a logical step up for this series, and it’s always interesting to see another facet of Sho. It feels like Akira gets put on the backburner this time around, which is honestly fine since we get a lot of great backstory from the supporting cast.
This volume has a great progression that near perfectly sets up a very enjoyable shonen manga, and I’m desperately waiting for the next volume! Here’s hoping this series gets an anime announcement soon, it’s something that I hope for every day.
Rating: 4 out of 5 UwUs
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten Volume 2 (Square Enix Manga)
I’m warming up to cutesy romance series, and to finish our October 2024 Manga Minis, we’ve got an adorable one! The second volume of this budding romantic series continues the adventures of the reserved yet efficient Mahiru and the cold but endearing Amane.
After agreeing to cook and clean for Amane, Mahiru starts to spend more time at his place. All the while, the duo’s friends start to get a bit suspicious about what’s going on. The conflict comes to a head when Amane’s mother unexpectedly visits him while Mahiru is still inside the house! What will definite their relationship, and will they grow closer while deflecting their feelings for each other?
This volume does a great job in amping up the romantic tension between the two main characters; they don’t want to put a label on anything, but they do enjoy each other’s presence. Amane wants to take Mahiru out of her comfort zone while also growing as a person, and the two become more intimate with one another. I do enjoy how both people are starting to warm up to the concept of getting to know someone, and their social lives are starting to blossom. The next volume hints at some Christmas antics with Amane’s friends, so who knows if they will keep up the nonchalant charade!
I do appreciate a straightforward romance story, and this one may dissuade veterans of the genre with its basic plot conventions, but I think it uses those elements well. I also think their warm moments feel natural rather than rushed, which helps with the pacing of these chapters.
Rating: 4 out of 5 UwUs
And that’s a wrap for our October 2024 Manga Minis! Stay tuned for more manga reviews here on Miso!