December 31 is here, which means it’s time for Miso’s End of 2025 Manga Minis! We have a huge slate of reviews to get through this month, with highlight anticipated releases Love Bullet and Maid to Skate out now! We also have an advance review of Kodama’s Smile! and some other recent volume 1s. Check them out below!
Love Bullet Volume 1 (Yen Press)
One of manga’s comeback stories this year was Love Bullet. The series, which was slated for an early cancellation, got a ton of support from the western fanbase with one volume alone, and it’s currently back on the serialization route.
In the world of Love Bullet, those who meet and untimely end without finding love turn into cupids. Being reborn under this condition means they act as matchmakers for those who are on the cusp of a relationship. Koharu is a newly minted cupid who suddenly dies before her crush admits her feelings. As someone who matched her classmates in a former life, will Koharu take the mantle of being a heavenly cupid proficiently?
In this volume, we get to see her embark on two missions to set her targets up with a potential love interest. In both missions, Koharu is joined by her superiors, the reasonable Kanna and the recklessly hot-blooded Chiyo as they show her the ropes. It’s an oddly fun action-romance series where discussions on who should match with whom are settled with flashy gunfights.
I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes banter between the cupid soldiers, and the dynamic Koharu has with both Kanna and Chiyo works well here. While the first chapter establishes the premise, it does end predictably. Thankfully, the rest of the volume (which is a flashback to Koharu’s first mission) picks up the pace.
If you’re looking for something unique this holiday season, Love Bullet should be on your radar!
Rating: 4 out of 5 UwUs
Maid to Skate (VIZ Media)
On the other side of “highly anticipated projects” we have Suzushiro’s Maid to Skate, which gets a release here next week. It’s a fun little story that’s a one-and-done volume. I’ve been reading through the Josei manga Sketchy and the background on the world of female skaters is an interesting one. Similarly, Maid to Skate also highlights how cool the sport is!
In this story, up-and-coming maid Benihana works in a small village during an anachronistic period, where middle-ages architecture has skateboards for some reason. This one-shot dives into a brief overview of skateboarding while teaching some basic tricks and showcasing the maids’ killer moves (while also highlighting their cleaning skills)!
Honestly, there’s not much to go off of once the novelty wears off, but the story is finished before that feeling overwhelms the story. Benihana herself isn’t a dynamic character, often relegating more of the narrative strengths to the support cast of maids. However, I did enjoy how in-depth the skating terminology can get with the short page count. Even though some of the action and backgrounds are hastily made to focus on the skateboard choreography, the art style flows well here.
For those looking for a short and sweet one-shot narrative with an interesting premise, Maid to Skate is up your alley! Just make sure you don’t wipe out if you plan on reading this!
Rating: 3 out of 5 UwUs
Little Mega Man Volume 2 (Udon Entertainment)
One surprise I’ve had this year was the appearance of a couple of Mega Man manga in the west. I was impressed with Mr. Mega Man (a narrative with an adult Rock navigating through a world post-robot rampage), but I thought Little Mega Man showed some potential. This gag series had a fun, if flawed, first volume, but it’s improved with this installment.
This second volume concludes the The Men’s Six arc, where Mega Man having to quell the dastardly(?) efforts of Dr. Light’s former colleagues. Of course, this continuity’s good doctor is anything but, so hijinks ensue. The ending to this arc does end on a rather… weird note, but I appreciate the lighthearted jokes and references the last chapters provide.
After a few fun scenarios featuring European Bad Box Art Mega Man and even some malfunctioning prototypes, the story begins a very loose adaptation of the Japan-only game Super Rockman Adventure, where Mega Man needs to defeat the resurrected Robot Masters who are under control by Ra Moon. Teaming up with Bass (and Visual Kei Man!), the trio need to work together… if only they could!
The jokes this time around land much better near the second half. It’s strange, but this series works better when it’s lampooning its own games rather than making original material. There was one bit where Mega Man and Bass need to work together to defeat a foe and must use the power of friendship. Mega Man effortlessly charges up his shot while Bass struggles to strengthen his own attacks. It’s a fun parody that will reward fans of the earlier titles.
Little Mega Man surprised me this time around, and I’m glad it’s continuing to get a Mega laugh out of me!
Rating: 4 out of 5 UwUs
Dragon and Chameleon Volume 5 (Square Enix Manga)
Ikki Fugaku and Garyo Hanagami (body swapped as Shinobu Miyama) begin their competition between new series debuting in Weekly Orochi. Fugaku’s Vajra pits up against Hanagami’s Blue Sky Brigade as both series compete for reader votes on their first, third, and seventh chapters. Whoever remains on top will win this competition, which means both teams will be giving it their all.
Dragon and Chameleon consistently continues to impress me with its marvelous artwork within the series. The fact that it must convey two more manga styles (since it depicts both Vajra and Blue Sky Brigade) means the mangaka’s working overtime to make distinct styles for the story.
I enjoyed the visual interpretation of Fugaku’s veteran experience leaving an influence on his readers, as they have ogre masks implanted on them metaphorically. It’s a nice touch when we can see how the situation feels like to the average person. There is always something going on in Dragon and Chameleon, and the story and art do a wonderful job with making readers engaged in even the most mundane parts of the manga industry.
Honestly, I keep forgetting that the main conflict between Miyama and Hanagami is still there (though there are reminders of the body-swapped prodigy near the end), but this is still a wonderful story to continue. I wish this series well for the next year and can’t wait to eat up the next volumes soon!
Rating: 5 out of 5 UwUs
A Little Step Volume 1 (Nakama Press)
Nakama Press has been an interesting mixed bag for me since its recent debut this year. I appreciate how the publisher is giving a lot of smaller works a chance at publication, even if a lot of them are flawed. A Little Step is a recent release from the imprint, and one that I would love to see get another chance soon.
A Little Step follows Lau Yu Kiu, a budding artist who wants to study abroad but is too shy to draw publicly in fear of harsh critique. While getting art block in the art room one day, she happens across a wonderful acoustic sound and realizes her classmate, Lee Hou Yuet, is playing it. Feeling inspired, Lau Yu Kiu wishes to hear Lee Hou Yuet’s guitar in order to make art; however, with his mother and stepfather vehemently against his dream to play, will the two find a way to make their dreams flourish?
Overall, I think there’s room for improvement with this title. The whole plot feels a tad generic, and the characters themselves don’t seem to develop into wholly dynamic personalities by the end of the volume. There is some genuine conflict with Lee Hou Yuet’s situation and backstory, which gives him a sympathetic edge over Lau Yu Kiu.
I believe the main issue is with the overall translation of this work in English. Much like with Indigo, the dialogue feels wooden and stilted, with characters sounding dull and uninterested. However, the full-color artwork does have potential and it’s something that carves out an identity for this graphic novel.
With some tighter dialogue edits and some more character building moments with the main characters, I think A Little Step has potential to get up there with some classic titles. As it stands, however, it’s not quite there yet.
Rating: 2 out of 5 UwUs
Smile! Volume 1 (Kodama Press) – End of 2025 Manga Minis Advance Review!
We’re almost finished with our End of 2025 Manga Minis list! To start your new year with a scare, Kodama Press will release its next manga title very soon! (Depending on when you read this, it could be available right now!) Mittei Hattori’s Smile! delves into one man’s journey of truth as he tries to infiltrate an innocuous cult that wants nothing more but to have its followers overcome trials through… smiling? (Perhaps a smiling friend? Just kidding. Hopefully.) It’s a wild ride that will have you gripped from the very first page.
Yuushi Kamome is a struggling freelance journalist who hasn’t been the same since his daughter passed away in an accident. After his wife leaves him, he suddenly gets interested in her whereabouts after he sees her on a flyer for the Smiling Hearts Society. This small but dedicated group wishes to use its religious grip to evangelize the joy of smiling through the worries.
After getting pushback from his superiors and his police friend, Yuushi decides to enter the cult himself to find answers. However, with a strange brand of crime featuring some grisly murders, he may be in over his head as he tries to not let the Smiling Hearts Society get the best of him.
I’ve been recently intrigued by 20th Century Boys again, and I feel like Smile! has similar themes with that series and something like Gannibal. The pacing is a bit strange, since Yuushi’s infiltration and firsthand experience of the horrors of the Smiling Hearts Society can feel rushed. However, for the most part it nails the dread and urgency of the situation well, and the horrific art style is unnerving yet compelling. I eagerly devoured the rest of the volume, and it’s something that will have readers in shock and awe throughout their time with the manga.
Smile! begins Kodama’s 2026 release lineup with a bang and is perfect for those who might need more smiles… erm, scares in their lives.
Rating: 4 out of 5 UwUs
Magical Midlifer Volume 1 (Yen Press)
Finally, to get a little palette cleanser from my previous review, I decided to check out Magical Midlifer from Yen Press. It’s a goofy series that shows a lot of heart with a unique premise, and is a funny lighthearted look at the business side of the magical girl world.
In Magical Midlifer, the lives of magical girls are commoditized entertainment as well as a life-endangering career. While magical girls dispose of witches quite regularly in this world, the witches’ familiars are much more formidable.
In fact, when something gets too tricky for the average magical girl, the support squad comes in to finish the job. One such person is Tanaka, a middle-aged man who is well-versed in the world of magical girls and has some tricks up his sleeve. Whether it’s improving the morale of those in distress or managing budgets of weaponry, Tanaka runs a thankless job but loves what he does. (It also helps that he can also transform into a pretty boy guardian if needed.)
Magical Midlifer isn’t an exceptionally drawn series, and a lot of the backgrounds can be basic. However, the action sequences are great, and the fights with familiars look detailed with some great enemy designs. What I do appreciate about this series is how unique the setting is. It’s reminiscent of Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. but with the main character being a middle-aged man. However, while Tanaka is portrayed as a flat character, he’s such a loveable and proficient goofball that the simplicity of his character design works perfectly. It’s a nice blend that has some rough edges but overall is a comedic treat to behold.
Magical Midlifer is a breath of fresh air in the world of magical girls, and I would highly recommend it for those that want a less cynical and just plain goofy look at this genre.
Rating: 4 out of 5 UwUs
And there you have it for our End of 2025 Manga Minis! Wrapping up our coverage for 2025, we hope you have a wonderful new year with your family and friends and let us know what you want to see for manga mini reviews in 2026! Stay tuned for more manga and anime reviews here on Miso!
