We’re heading into the end of February 2025 with a fresh batch of manga minis for you! It’s going to be a trio of continuing volumes, so if you wanted to check out more Rooster Figher antics or end of the recent JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure spinoff, now’s your chance!
Rooster Fighter Volume 7 (VIZ Media)
Sure, it’s the end of February 2025, but guess what? Happy Niwatori Day! It’s the return of the cluckin’ king with Rooster Fighter Volume 7 on shelves. With a climatic finish to the ongoing battle of devils, there’s a lot here to wrap up this arc!
The story for this volume is split into two different battles as Elizabeth tries to rescue Keiji and Keisuke’s father. In an aquatic battle with demonic kappa (and a time limit to Keiji’s father’s survival), how will Elizabeth shock the stage without shocking the elderly rooster?
Back to the main action, Keiji is at his limit trying to fight the powered-up devil Yukari. When all seems lost, he may have one more trick up his sleeve. However, will his newfound powers save the day, or will they cause something even more sinister to happen?
I appreciated how my concern last volume dissipated, with Elizabeth getting a separate fight rather than being sidelined. Chicken Little is temporarily down for the count, but at least her attempts at turning Morio back were successful. The end of the fight and subsequent flashbacks give some more context demons and devils, which causes for a more dynamic aspect of these enemies.
Finally, we get a little reprieve in the form of a popularity contest between the four friends. (It also includes a well-worn moral that’s goofy yet fits well with Keiji’s character.) It’s a welcome epilogue that feels well-deserved after all the fighting, and it highlights just how versatile Rooster Fighter is. It can juggle action scenes, dramatic flashbacks, and lighthearted comedy perfectly.
With the anime announced for this year, now’s a perfect time to pick up this perfect manga! Check it out now!
Rating: 5 out of 5 UwUs
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Shining Diamond’s Demonic Heartbreak Volume 3 (VIZ Media)
Now that we’re waiting for Steel Ball Run’s western debut, it’s great that we’re getting the spinoff JoJo material. This volume wraps up the story of Hol Horse and Josuke’s bizarre collaboration with an heartwarming end.
With Kazuki Karaiya, the true villain of this story, revealed, Josuke Higashikata tries to defeat Petsounds as well as apprehend the corrupt cop. Meanwhile, Hol Horse tries to find Ryoko Kakyoin to get Boingo’s book back, but needs to save her after she gets hit with Petsounds’ ability. With DIO coming back in a flashback, can Josuke and Hol Horse work together to save the day?
I like how this story sheds light about DIO’s former accomplices. We get more backstory in a flashback of chronic gambler Daniel J. D’Arby and his subsequent mental breakdown with DIO. I think these scenes are excellent as they provide more context to what the Stardust Crusaders gang was up against. We also get some closure with Ryoko’s past and guilt of losing her cousin, which finishes her arc nicely.
However, I feel like the team-up between Hol Horse and Josuke (arguably the main part of this manga) feels squandered. They don’t do much together here since they split up early on in the final battle. Not only that, Kazuki Karaiya as a villain feels generic and unnecessary. He gets dispatched quickly and doesn’t feel as menacing as he was brought up in his last volume introduction. The fact that an incorporeal villain in a flashback is more diabolical than you says something.
Shining Diamond’s Demonic Heartbreak is still a nice spinoff story for JoJo fans, but I just can’t wait to get back to the mainline releases soon.
Rating: 3 out of 5 UwUs
Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You Volume 3 (Square Enix Manga)
While I don’t smoke myself, I really appreciate how tactfully the subject gets depicted in Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You. This third volume introduces some new misunderstandings as Sasaki deals with some issues from his past.
This new batch of chapters mostly takes place during the Christmas/New Year season. As Sasaki wraps up work for the year, he gets Yamada/Tayama upset as she discovers he might be married! Sasaki must find out why Yamada gives him the cold shoulder while checking out at the store.
This miscommunication easily wraps itself up as we get introduced to another smoker in the mix: Chief of Produce Obata. He’s a shy yet productive worker that strikes up a conversation with Sasaki while Tayama is away from the usual spot. We also get some more depth with the store’s manager and why she is who she is. (Christmas brings the best out of everyone, after all.)
Sasaki also needs to revisit his past as he reconciles with boss from his previous job. Will Tayama giving him the cold shoulder (again) help him out of his shy funk?
This volume brings great balance with adding more characters while fleshing out the existing ones. It seems there are more flaws with both of our protagonists here, which is great because we can explore who they are now. It’s a slow burn that’s charming (even if some of the chapter premises feel like they’re only there to bring conflict to solve).
All in all, this is a great volume with some new characters added into the mix. Check it out when you can!
Rating: 4 out of 5 UwUs
That’s it for our End of February 2025 Manga Minis! Stay tuned for more anime and manga reviews here on Miso!
