It may be basketball season for some, but here at Miso we’re celebrating March Madness 2026 Manga Minis! We’ve got a series debut with Titan Manga’s Gizmo Riser, plus a few more manga and light novel reviews featuring Square Enix Manga and Yen Press. Let’s continue with our March Madness 2026 Manga Minis, shall we?
Bride of the Death God Volume 2 (Square Enix Manga)
Bride of the Death God is a weird series for me, since I want to like it more, but I see how flawed a lot of its execution is. This second volume changes it up a little but causes a few more problems in the narrative.
As the unnamed Shinigami tries to protect Aibi from mysterious creatures attracted to her, Aibi continues to be infatuated with her fellow god of death. Aibi’s classmate Matsuba is interested in her (as well as destroying the death god who accompanies her). However, Aibi wants to go on a date with her deadly protector, which causes a few new potential love interests to appear. It seems ANOTHER death god Kei wants her and her bouquet syndrome for malicious purposes. Can Aibi’s Shinigami swallow his pride to work with another fellow death god Inia and his rival Matsuba in order to save her from Kei?
I feel like this volume amps up its dark romance themes and highlights more action sequences. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but with the introduction of an actual villain and another potential love interest, it feels pretty bloated. The contrast between romance and action doesn’t blend too well, and I’d rather the story focus on one character conflict. The fact that three Shinigami are now interested in Aibi over the course of about four chapters is jarring and we don’t even know the scale of Aibi’s powers yet.
As it stands, I’m still giving this series a chance, but it just feels like we’re rushing into a lot of things at once. The action is glossed over fairly quickly, and there’s not enough screentime between Aibi and the Shinigami to warrant all of this quarreling.
Rating: 2 out of 5 UwUs
Gizmo Riser Volume 1 (Titan Manga)
Sometimes you just want a by-the-books shonen series to keep you company. Gizmo Riser scratches the action itch serviceably with a neat premise that’s intriguing, if not a bit familiar.
In the island state of Ulnaria lies a multitude of people living in vertical levels. The wealthy live at the top while the laborers who are forced to work to death are below. In Haden, a place filled with stones and despair, resides Claw. After this 13th birthday, his uncle passes down a Gizmo, a legendary tool that will allow him to journey to the top. However, when a botched escape causes his uncle’s demise, Claw resolves to get to the top of his world to gain his freedom. With the Gazer Claw in his possession, he begins his expedition fraught with dangerous enemies.
While he’s met with opposition (as authorities deem “Risers” illegal and to be captured or killed), Claw does meet some allies along the way. Key to his plan is former Riser Hunter Hopper, who has a Gizmo of his own (even though he captured Risers prior to meeting Claw). As the two head to level two of this seemingly inescapable fortress, they’re met with increasingly sadistic (if a little silly) adversaries who want to keep the status quo in check. What awaits our hot-blooded heroes who just want a taste of freedom?
If there’s something in which Gizmo Riser excels, it’s the artwork. A fun blend of visceral action (especially the emphasis on verticality and motion), make this a fun read when looking through how to traverse a rather cramped space. I do enjoy a tower climb as much as the next guy, and the mangaka really knows how to convey the speed of the characters.
That said, I can’t say the same for the story. It follows predictable character archetypes and beats, down to the first chapter tropes (younger-than-usual perky boy protagonist, wiser figure that bites it by the end of the prologue, overpowered weapon that protagonist uses, etc.). It’s nothing I haven’t seen done a ton in recent years, but it does get the job done. I’ll try to read more to see how the story develops, and if you’re looking for another shonen series to check out, this is a good bet!
Rating: 3 out of 5 UwUs
Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table Volume 5 (Yen Press)
Now that the anime is out, I’m hating how long I must wait for future volumes of Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table. The story consistently hits a lot of narrative beats that I love, and it continues to delve further into the twisted world where Yuki continues towards her goal to clear 99 death games.
Continuing from last volume’s conclusion, Yuki reluctantly takes the transformed Tamamo under her wing as a protégé. While uncomfortable about the arrangement, Yuki believes this could help her as a player, as she wants to be a great mentor like Hakushi before her.
Unfortunately, the scars of Yuki’s ninth game are catching up to her as she slowly loses vision in her right eye. Nervous about what the handicap could entail in the future, she and Tamamo visit Rinrin after getting intel of a player who completed death games while blind. Rinrin puts up a fight between her and the duo as the three of them battle it out on a secluded island. Will Yuki be able to know the secret of playing death games with impaired vision before the Royal Palace game overwhelms her?
To put it simply, this volume of the series made me the most uncomfortable. While the author continues to make a social commentary on the state of violence in entertainment such as this, the way Yuki’s eyesight worsens is done in a deliberately unsettling manner. I think this description of suddenly losing vision was terrifying and painted a picture on how deadly these games are. So much so that Yuki’s struggles with her physical handicap were much more engrossing than the Royal Palace game itself. It’s an uncomfortable experience, but one that amplifies the light novel’s themes.
If you watched the Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table anime and still want more after its finished season, you can’t go wrong with the current light novel releases. The only problem is I must wait a few more months for the next one!
Rating: 5 out of 5 UwUs
On and Off Work Life Imbalance Volume 3 (Square Enix Manga)
Sotaro Amata (as the Kanade) realizes that Akira Hanku is Aki. He confronts her about this revelation as it puts into question the dynamic of the two coworkers; how will they react to their off personalities being outed? Will their friendship blossom into something much more? And once that happens, how will their “normal” lives continue?
Looking back, the arc regarding Amata’s anxiety with revealing himself to Hanku seems heartwarming but a bit confusing. It seems to be wrapped up quickly, and the buildup feels unneeded. However, I did appreciate how both Amata and Hanku react to their office selves as they continue to work as colleagues. It’s a natural reaction when information like this is revealed, and I wanted to see more of this than the other conflict that takes up half the volume.
The volume does end on a cliffhanger like the first volume, which feels like we’re retreading ground yet again. However, I’m interested in seeing new faces and finding out about how to enjoy the things we all love, even if they are unusual to society.
Rating: 3 out of 5 UwUs
And that’s our March Madness 2026 Manga Minis! We might have some more reviews in the coming days, but as always, stay tuned for more manga news here on Miso!
