December’s in full swing, and so are our Christmas Manga Minis! Since it’s the holiday season coming up, we thought it would be nice to review a few volume 1 releases. That way, you can purchase these picks if you waited to the last minute to buy a gift…
Always a Catch: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince Volume 1 (Square Enix Manga)
I really need to read more shojo manga. I’m a fan of cute things, and some of these series can be super adorable at times. Always a Catch: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince is a cozy romance with an unlikely protagonist.
Maria Annovazzi is not like her sisters; born the youngest daughter of a duke in Muro, she was raised to be the heir of his kingdom. As such, she was trained in self-defense rather than etiquette. However, when the next child is a boy, she is thrown into a world of which she is unfamiliar: Trying to be a catch for a lucky boy!
Visiting her cousin Aida in another nation, Maria is shocked to hear that the lovely Prince Renato is annulling his engagement with her. After giving Renato a piece of her mind, Maria understands the truth of this situation. Getting caught in a brief skirmish allows the prince to witness her combat prowess, and the two start a budding relationship as she improves on her ladylike abilities in order to become Renato’s lover.
I appreciate Maria’s irreverent nature as she works to balance her two sides. From her upbringing as a defender to a more vulnerable ladylike princess, it’s fun seeing how she tries to impress Renato’s family with talents from both aspects of her life.
The setup for this relationship was absurdly hilarious, and while Maria can be dense, the supporting cast is there to reel her back to reality. I also enjoyed how not everyone is a flat character, as each person is impressed by Maria in different ways. It sometimes feels like winning the hearts of the royal family is a bit too easy for this setup, but I’m willing to see what happens in the next chapters.
If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted romance, Always a Catch is a great debut to follow!
Rating: 4 out of 5 UwUs
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Shining Diamond’s Demonic Heartbreak Volume 1 (VIZ Media)
While I covered most Golden Wind releases on this very column, I think my favorite JoJo arc is Diamond is Unbreakable. It’s mainly because of Josuke’s hilarious delinquent personality, and I’m glad I get to see more of it in this spinoff! Teaming up with lovable lackey Hol Horse from Stardust Crusaders, the duo (alongside some new and familiar faces) tackle a devious stand in this interquel story.
Taking place a decade after the events of Stardust Crusaders (and a little before Diamond is Unbreakable), Hol Horse lives a peaceful life alongside the survivors of those who were controlled by DIO. A request from the mother of Pet Shop’s owner (the deadly icy falcon) leads Hol Horse to find another animal. When it’s revealed that the animal is the Stand user Petsounds, he heads to Morioh to investigate. He bumps into Josuke Higashikata, protagonist of Diamond is Unbreakable, as the two butt heads and try to figure out the deadly Stand user’s power. Meanwhile, Ryoko Kakyoin, the cousin of deceased Part 3 deuteragonist Noriaki Kakyoin gets the gift of Boingo’s Stand and gets involved with Hol Horse’s search.
Since this spinoff is a recent release, the artstyle mimics the modern artstyle of later series arcs. It might take some time to get used to if you go immediately from Parts 3 and 4, but I think it works well here. I also appreciate how this story explores how the former antagonists are processing their grief. I like how characters like Mariah and Boingo are still kicking and working through the aftermath and pain of DIO’s cruel grip. It shows that a lot of the enemy Stand users are regular people and how power can corrupt. The series also adds a new character that is a believable and likeable addition to the cast, so I’m excited to see how they use her in the rest of the chapters.
I’m ready to revisit the world of Stardust Crusaders and Diamond is Unbreakable once again!
Rating: 4 out of 5 UwUs
Trillion Game Volume 1 (VIZ Media)
Every time I get to read new manga titles, I’m surprised at how many cool titles are out there. While I try not to gush at every solid volume 1, I have to say Trillion Game is one of the best debuts this year. With a pair of likeable protagonists and an irresistible premise, this is a series for the discerning reader.
Gaku and Haru have been buddies since middle school. The former is a computer genius while the latter is a master communicator Haru’s goal is to start a company that will net him and his best friend a cool 100 trillion yen, which seems like a strange goal. Haru quits his first day from his job at the lucrative Dragon Bank, to the shock of Gaku. After getting on board director Kirika Kokuryū’s radar, this trillion-maker idea might not seem as far-fetched after all…
The strongest aspect of Trillion Game is perhaps the natural chemistry of the protagonists. Gaku and Haru are perfect foils for each other, and both complement themselves in terms of personality and flaws. Gaku grounds the lofty Haru while Haru forces Gaku to get out of his comfort zone. This is apparent from the first couple chapters when Haru creates a killer strategy to entice investors to assist their fledging startup.
The psychological mind games in the whole volume kept me hooked from start to finish, and I felt like the story went by at a perfect pace. Kirika Kokuryū, nicknamed Kirihime by Haru, is an interesting antagonist for the current arc, as she lights a fire on the duo. The art is excellent as well, and while it’s not an action manga, feels well-suited to be a fast-paced drama.
If you’re looking for something new and exciting, Trillion Game checks the right boxes.
Rating: 5 out of 5 UwUs
Manhole (Kana)
To end our Christmas manga minis, we got another solid classic title in our midst. In our last column, I reviewed the first volume of Leviathan, which was one of the first releases of Abrams Books’ Kana imprint. Also in that batch was the western release of 2005’s Manhole, a biological warfare thriller feels eerily relevant now.
The manga follows detective Ken Mizoguchi and assistant Nao Inoue as they try and investigate a strange event. A naked man randomly walks the streets, bites a university student, and then dies. This go from bad to worse when they find out the man may be involved in a pandemic involving filariasis. As more people become intertwined into the story, the disease may bloom into something that no one can expect… or survive.
Admittedly, a lot of what kickstarts the plot feels contrived. For example, the infected man just so happens to get the one guy who has sex with his girlfriend. This causes the infection to move onto her, and it just so happens they have an aquarium with humid conditions, which is a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.
That said, once those elements wrap up, the story pulls off all the stops and becomes an engrossing thriller. The art contributes to the horrific and tense atmosphere in the more dire scenes (specifically a sequence where Nao heads into a manhole and nearly encounters an infected person). There’s also a ton of philosophical discussions on what the disease is, and how society might benefit from this biological terrorism.
A wonderfully slick thriller wrapped up in satisfying horror elements, Manhole is a manga that will grab your attention from start to finish.
Rating: 4 out of 5 UwUs
And that’s it for our Christmas Manga Minis! Stay tuned for more manga reviews here on Miso!
