Since we had a Manga Minis so early in the month, it’s time to have an End of April 2026 Manga Minis column! We checked out three interesting debut volumes, with two of them coming out in May! Read our reviews below.
Stella Must Die Volume 1 (Kodansha) – End of April 2026 Manga Minis Advance Review
I love some goofy manga premises, especially if they’re off the wall. Stella Must Die aims to mix silly fantasy conflicts with some queasy body horror, with some surprising results.
In a faraway kingdom, a king dies. With no male heir to the throne, his daughter Stella is next in line to inherit it. However, Stella’s stepsiblings Illusia and Saizel begin plotting Stella’s tragic demise so they can rule instead. However, a complication arises when a strange parasitic being develops into Stella’s body. Realizing he can only live if his host does, the organism (later named Gutty), develops a symbiotic relationship with the naïve yet kindhearted girl. Will the two unlikely allies be able to survive a barrage of assassination attempts from Stella’s family?
Stella Must Die feels like a fantasy version of Parasyte, for better or for worse. It has a contrast of dark comedy mixed with some surprisingly gory scenes. It’s an interesting mix, but for some reason it feels like the comedic elements hamper the body horror ones at this point in the story. Stella feels a little too naïve, and her stepsiblings are too cartoonishly evil to be taken seriously.
However, when the story finds its footing, it really hits its stride. Stella’s parasite Gutty does a great job being an indifferent character only out for survival yet relatable enough to sympathize with Stella’s current conflict. The way foes are dispatched here works remarkably well with its shock value, and I find his struggles much more endearing. Again, I hope this ends up veering more into the darker side of things but having a pinch or two of humor wouldn’t be too bad.
Rating: 3 out of 5 UwUs
Kirio Fan Club Volume 1 (Kodansha)
Manga rivalries are nothing new, but it’s always interesting to see the competition bond with each other so well. Kirio Fan Club is a slice-of-life comedy between two girls who vie for the love of the same guy. What transpires is a premise that, although has potential, runs its course by the time the volume ends.
Aimi and Nami are two schoolgirls who are infatuated with Kirio, a boy in their class. While they constantly compete over who will win Kirio’s affection, they also become friendly with each other, supporting each other’s fantasies about who Kirio will choose. (They also become clingy when other girls pop into the picture.) It’s a comedy of errors, and these two characters are madly delusional.
What I do appreciate about Kirio Fan Club is how Seinfeldian the conversations between the main duo are. Both Aimi and Nami are silly in their own ways, and can make a hypothetical conversation out of mere observations. From Kirio’s farts to picking his nose, it’s a crude but charming way these random dialogues occur. (It’s even more funny that they’re crushing on a generic guy, and we never see his face fully.)
That said, the premise loses steam quickly and after the first few chapters, the status quo narrative gets tiresome. It doesn’t help that Aimi and Nami end up being a bit unlikeable during the middle part of the volume, and I ended up being more interested in Kirio and his friend group reacting to the situations instead. Thankfully, the story picks up with a cliffhanger at the end that could threaten the dynamic between the two lovesick besties.
This is a series I might continue up in the future, but it does show some potential.
Rating: 2 out of 5 UwUs
Reform With No Wasted Draws: The Legend of Koizumi Volume 1 (Mahjong Pros) – End of April 2026 Manga Minis Advance Review
After reading Billy Bat, I was sure I would be set with alternate historical fiction manga featuring strange parallel political figures. Turns out I was wrong, however, with Mahjong Pros coming out with one of their debut releases next week. Reform With No Wasted Draws: The Legend of Koizumi answers the question, “What if all the world leaders in the turn of the millennium settled world-ending affairs with mahjong?”
In an alternate universe, political leaders from across the globe settle highly sensitive political matters in high-stakes mahjong matches. One of the best players in Japan, former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, helps the nation as he ruthlessly defends his honor in the highly respected Chinese game. His first match in the series: President George W. Bush Jr?!? And then his father?
Wait. What?
And the absurdity of the situation gets cranked up to unseen levels as the volume continues, with opponents ranging from Vladimir Putin to Kim Jong Il himself. (Margaret Thatcher makes an appearance too.) These political cameos are hilariously out of place as they are interesting, and it’s fun to see how Koizumi gets the upper hand in his matches.
However, that’s where the praise for this work ends. I can see the crazy lengths Reform With No Wasted Draws wants to go, but it feels like it wants to add things for its cool factor. Mahjong Pros is… well, a mahjong company, so the game is lovingly crafted within each chapter. The scoring and tiles themselves are detailed, with the match components drawn with remarkable detail.
However, as someone who has no clue how the game operates, I felt lost with each play and strategy the characters would execute. It doesn’t help that there are no real localization notes within the manga itself (only a glossary of terms at the end of the volume). It’s a shame because the young Japanese Diet member Taizo Sugimura is present with most of the matches and acts as an audience surrogate. Utilizing his naivete and youth would have been perfect for explaining more intricate details of the mahjong plays. Mahjong fans will definitely get a kick out of the matches, but even that gets dashed as Koizumi resorts to a tried and true strategy for most of his games: cheating.
It’s a weird premise that constantly fights with itself; I can see the ridiculousness shine with its cast, but also it feels like characters and events are there just to be there. The art style is a bit rough as well, and most of the supporting cast gets drawn off-model throughout the earlier chapters.
That said, I had a good time chuckling at how serious mahjong is in this world; it also helps that the manga does a great job at lampooning prominent political figures. As it stands, Reform With No Wasted Draws: The Legend of Koizumi is an interesting time capsule of the 2000s, with potential to be a wackier version of Billy Bat or Baki. However, this is a rough start and might need a couple more volumes to find its momentum.
Rating: 2 out of 5 UwUs
And that’s our End of April 2026 Manga Minis! Stay tuned for more anime and manga news and reviews here on Miso!
