manga time so what are you reading now? (Links may be NSFW)

[Matti]

Check Hidive for it, it was part of their Beta launch portfolio.

Oh, I may have seen something about that. Isn't available for Finland >:(

[Wrangler]

Chapter 148 for UQ Holder came recently. The chapter reveals the big mystery about the how the timeline of original manga split from current one and what really tragically went down.

[Wrangler]

Just discovered a new manga i've caught up on, "So I'm a spider, what about it?"

As the name translate, it suggests this is another world/reborn Isekai comedy.  It's not quite comedy.
It's about a loner teenage girl who finds herself reborn after something accruing in school that killed her and her classmates.

She reborn as a Demon Spider, not a human.  Where it's survival of the fitness in the dark depths of continent like dungeon of monsters.
Where forced to survive by wit and skills, where she does get some game like skills coming up once in a while and nearly dying many times.

I've enjoyed it despite it being another reborn/another world Isekai book (which is something I've enjoyed since sci-fi / space operas are dead essentially).

[Matti]

(which is something I've enjoyed since sci-fi / space operas are dead essentially).

Did you know, there is anime reboot of Legend of the Galactic Heroes?

[Wrangler]

Did you know, there is anime reboot of Legend of the Galactic Heroes?

Original contents, i wasn't talking about reboots.

[iamfanboy]

So I got to about Volume 5 of Detective Conan, and I made a bet with myself: That I can skip ten volumes and it'll be almost completely unchanged. I mean, yeah, it's kind of the point, that's how it's gone on for what, 60 volumes, but man it's kinda... well... samey.

So instead I started reading Aho Girl. And stopped because my asthma is acting up and it's very, very dangerous to laugh - last year the treasure coin gag in Dungeon Meshi almost killed me.

So now I'm at loose ends. Can't read funny stuff, not really in a mood for serious stuff, and I'm caught up in the shonen action that I was following (UQ Holder).

[Matti]

Original contents, i wasn't talking about reboots.

Darling in the Franxx

[Baldur Mekorig]

Just finished Emma by Kaoru Mori. Already following Otoyomegatari from the same author.

[Matti]

Just finished Emma by Kaoru Mori. Already following Otoyomegatari from the same author.

Do you read it in Japanese? You can find it in English as A Bride's Story. Has been translated to Finnish as Aron morsiamet. A good one.

[Baldur Mekorig]

Do you read it in Japanese? You can find it in English as A Bride's Story. Has been translated to Finnish as Aron morsiamet. A good one.

Reading both online. Yep, its translated as A Bride's Story, but i like how its sound in the original. Sadly, i can not read a japanese. I barely know how to read english or spanish  ;D.

PD: Loved the "enhaced" ending for Emma.

[Matti]

Man, last arc (still on-going?) in Goblin Slayer was intense fight after another. Newest chapter (#24) is all about recovering and what comes with it. Also some signs of romance.

[Wrangler]

I started reading manga named Raisekamika. It's interesting one, art is fantastic.  People who were are powerful being reborn and rediscoverying themselves as well teenager.

[Baldur Mekorig]

Just found another work of Kaoru Mori, Shirley. Very beautiful history. But to feel a little manlier after that, and get the Marian in me, i just began to read Thermae Romae by Mari Yamazaki. Very funny comic, and recomended for those who like Roman history. Will try to get the live action movie someday.

[Wrangler]

I started reading a semi-old manga called, Seiten Taisen Flieder Bug. It was published in 1999 and it's classified as a Shounen/Kaijiu/SuperRobot manga.

Set in the future where resources have become scariest, but not in mad max sort of way.  Where there is battle for domination of the remaining resources, key part turns out to be number titan like super robots.  It's pretty cool, if you can find it.

[Ruger]

Picked up Captain Harlock: The Classic Collection 1 today in hardcover...

Ruger

[Wrangler]

I've been reading first couple chapters of Material Collector's Another World Travels. I know the name doesn't sound promising but art is fantastic, the guys been given role try alter the course of a world so it can break the repetitive failure of civilization getting anywhere.

[Baldur Mekorig]

Just found Golden Kamui, and i enjoyed it. I have to admit that i like food mangas, and it better if they have an interesting history and are well adapted in its historical timeframe.

[Dies Irae]

Well... Hataraku Saibou BLACK is legit a thing.

While Hataraku Saibou (Cells at Work) is a wholesome educational kids basic biology masquerading as a Shonen action manga, Hataraku Saibou BLACK is just straight up bleak. Also adult as all heck. Where Hataraku Saibou covered the basic processes of a normal functioning body, BLACK is set in the body of an overweight, overworked male slowly keeling over from stress, and just from the symptoms alone, we can clearly see they drown themselves in cigarettes, gluttony, alcohol and... prostitutes.

The main leads are genderflipped versions of the Hataraku Saibou cast, with an overworked, exhausted male red corpuscle and a female white blood cell with a shredded uniform and a thousand yard stare. The manga's tone is likewise grim in nature, featuring red blood cells fleeing to avoid being smothered by nicotine, piles of dead cells building up pus in abscesses as a broken, despairing macrophage goes through the motions of clearing them as bodies arrive faster than she can remove them, cytotoxic T-cells turning on the body due to stress creating spot baldness (and having a nervous breakdown), alcohol poisoning wrecking the liver and STDs.

Yes, STDs. Specifically gonorrhea. (The artist plainly wanted to drawn a hentai scene with the white corpuscles and clearly jumped at the fact that gonorrhea aggressively invaded leukocytes.)

Hataraku Saibou BLACK is a bitter look on a body well along the highway to hell with an almost post-apocalyptic tone and a despairingly black (no pun intended) sense of humor. It's not something I'd recommend casually to anyone, with it's casual nudity, adult subject matter and overly grim tone, but it's like a trainwreck that I can't look away from.

For an officially licensed spinoff, it's great, in an absolutely horrible way and more than able to stand on it's own feet with a fresh, if downright depressing take on the anthropomorphic biology genre.

[Matti]

The main leads are genderflipped versions of the Hataraku Saibou cast, with an overworked, exhausted male red corpuscle and a female white blood cell with a shredded uniform and a thousand yard stare. The manga's tone is likewise grim in nature, featuring red blood cells fleeing to avoid being smothered by nicotine, piles of dead cells building up pus in abscesses as a broken, despairing macrophage goes through the motions of clearing them as bodies arrive faster than she can remove them, cytotoxic T-cells turning on the body due to stress creating spot baldness (and having a nervous breakdown), alcohol poisoning wrecking the liver and STDs.

Reminds me about a certain episode in Once upon a time... Life. Except without STD and cells don't wear clothes.

[Dies Irae]

Reminds me about a certain episode in Once upon a time... Life. Except without STD and cells don't wear clothes.

Imagine a hyper-violent post apocalyptic hybrid of Once Upon A Time... Life and Osmosis Jones if Bill Murray's character was a Japanese Salaryman who was a slave to his vices.

The original manga plays the whole bright happy 'anthropomorphic cell' trope entirely straight and is currently screening an anime adaptation.

BLACK on the other hand just cranks the whole thing up to 11.

[Matti]

I've been enjoying of Domestic Girlfriend (Domestic na Kanojo). It is about love-triangle between normal people. Clearly NOT aimed for otaku. I have paid my respect and bought the Kindle versions :thumbsup:

[Matti]

Reading newest chapter of Goblin Slayer: Dust EXPLO-SION!
Couldn't resist it ;D

[HobbesHurlbut]

Reading newest chapter of Goblin Slayer: Dust EXPLO-SION!
Couldn't resist it ;D

yeah saw that coming. Light Novel, official English edition.  :D

[Wrangler]

Just read nice twist in the Isekai (Another World) theme manga, Class ga Isekai Shoukan sareta Naka Ore dake Nokotta n desu ga
Essentially, A god of a different world had abruptly appeared in Kamiya Yato's classroom and forcibly summoned the entire class to his world... except for him  So he's running around with OP powers of Fantasy hero in the Real world, however something going wrong with real world as elements of that fantasy world is bleeding into it.

[Matti]

In this week I have binged through Gunota ga Mahou Sekai ni Tensei shitara, Gendai Heiki de Guntai Harem wo Tsukucchaimashita!? It's a mouthful, so let's call it Gunota for short. Isekai story of reincarnation variety with few interesting twists. So Japanese guy is stabbed to death and he is reborn in a fantasy world ruled by magicians (does this sound familiar?). He makes firearms and recruits number of monster girls to wield them. There are a number of cliches and tropes you'd expect, but good number of them are averted and subverted. This guy even has interest for romance and he proposes to #1 girl! And she befriends with other girls close to the guy! You didn't see that coming, did you?

Even though he has some magical assets to work with, making of guns isn't that easy: his first gun (S&M M10) explodes when fired and perfecting assault rifle (AK47) takes him several years. Gun fights are comparable to Black Lagoon: equally ridiculous. Racial traits are used to good extent: loli vampire with a rifle (Remington Model 700P) in high ground is VERY bad news. As one beastman words it:

We're stuck.
If we move even an inch...
We become a target.
It's just limbs for now,
But we don't know when she'll decide to start shooting to kill.
A chill, just like the Grim Reaper brushing his hand by your cheek...
And that Reaper is...
Just like...
an angel
The mistress has no talent?
Bullshit! She's worse than the master!

This may not be equal to The familiar of Zero, but certainly is above the average in isekai genre. Recommended!

WARNING!
Contains gun porn!

[Wrangler]

This one i ran into. Art not so great, but it's funny.  I think the Isekai (another world) thing come to a finish.

This manga is called Isekai Transporter, it's comedy of duo of truck driver and supernatural girl teamed as part of a delivery service send needed heros to another worlds who are questing help. 

[Wrangler]

I started reading odd ball manga called, Maou-jou de Oyasumi also known as the Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle.

This is comedy/fantasy.  Where this princess is kidnapped by demon king's forces and being held as hostage.
However Princess isn't interested in being rescued, she interested in sleeping. She does what she wants at the comical expense of the demons, who seem to be unable stop her rampaging across the castle for her needs.

If you want laugh, this is good one to with.

[iamfanboy]

I started reading odd ball manga called, Maou-jou de Oyasumi also known as the Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle.

This is comedy/fantasy.  Where this princess is kidnapped by demon king's forces and being held as hostage.
However Princess isn't interested in being rescued, she interested in sleeping. She does what she wants at the comical expense of the demons, who seem to be unable stop her rampaging across the castle for her needs.

If you want laugh, this is good one to with.

Oh yes, this one is GREAT. I especially love how she keeps stealing the things that the Hero 'needs' in order to rescue her!

But this next one... sorry, Matti.

In this week I have binged through Gunota ga Mahou Sekai ni Tensei shitara, Gendai Heiki de Guntai Harem wo Tsukucchaimashita!? It's a mouthful, so let's call it Gunota for short. Isekai story of reincarnation variety with few interesting twists.

That sounded really interesting up until the point where you started talking about exact copies of modern guns.

Is he a master chemist, a master gunsmith, AND teleports over to his new world with a fully fledged machine shop that has a specialization in firearms?

*reads the first volume* Hmmm, just as I suspected, it's magic! Yay, magic solves all problems!

Feh. *closes manga*

For a much more realistic view of guns in fantasy isekai, about 30 years ago there was an American book series called, uh... Defenders of the Flame? Guardians? Some college students transferred into their not-D&D characters. Through a series of events one guy re-enters the world not as his character but as HIMSELF and brings a bunch of books, one of which allows him to make guns... flintlocks with black powder, because they lacked the technology to make the technology to refine the technology to MAKE better guns.

I would have been far, FAR more interested in an isekai story that went along those lines. An experienced gunsmith enters and is continually frustrated by the fact that he can only make crude muskets and basic flintlocks, while everyone around him is in awe that a barely-trained soldier can fell a knight or ogre with a single shot - the power of a mage's Magic Missile in the hands of every Joe Blow, which is the real 'magic' of guns.

Instead it's just fanservice all the way instead of being a possibly interesting look at the evolution of firearms. Sorry, Matti, not interested, and I hate sounding so negative but... I wanted to explain why I was disappointed.


I've been reading Fire Emblem: Genealogy of The Holy War, which is a straight retelling of the old SNES game but better because you don't actually have to PLAY it to get the story - which was the best part of Genealogy anyway. It's one of those 'classic' games - like the NES Metroid or Castlevania - which inspired a lot of great ideas and nostalgia, but if you play it now it only reminds you of how much it pissed you off.

I really hope they remake it, but in the meantime the manga is an okay substitute, especially with how Ethlynn stands in for all the shippers marrying characters off in the game and adding comedy to the rather serious plot. The flowery mid-90s shojo style really suits it, too; reminds me of... gods, what was the name of that manga, where the protagonist is the sister of the 'fated hero' who died, and she's pretending to be him as they overthrow the evil overlord?

[ANS Kamas P81]

I would have been far, FAR more interested in an isekai story that went along those lines. An experienced gunsmith enters and is continually frustrated by the fact that he can only make crude muskets and basic flintlocks, while everyone around him is in awe that a barely-trained soldier can fell a knight or ogre with a single shot - the power of a mage's Magic Missile in the hands of every Joe Blow, which is the real 'magic' of guns.

Try Drifters.  Some of the characters are indeed firearms experts for their era and go through a host of problems creating the infrastructure for basic matchlocks - sourcing acids, nitrates, metals, production, wood, all of it.  The hero(ish) types end up turning the oppressed elves into an army that way, at least up to the point I'd read.

[Matti]

About Gunota:

That sounded really interesting up until the point where you started talking about exact copies of modern guns.

Is he a master chemist, a master gunsmith, AND teleports over to his new world with a fully fledged machine shop that has a specialization in firearms?

*reads the first volume* Hmmm, just as I suspected, it's magic! Yay, magic solves all problems!

Feh. *closes manga*

Did I say something about magical assets? Yes I did. And it takes him more than little magic to get the guns done. Like several years of experiments.

Instead it's just fanservice all the way instead of being a possibly interesting look at the evolution of firearms. Sorry, Matti, not interested, and I hate sounding so negative but... I wanted to explain why I was disappointed.

I agree with fan service. Still provides some interesting trivia about guns I didn't know before, though to lesser extent than Web novel (manga has pictures though). Gunpowder substitute is total magic phlebotinum though. It's still fun to see fantasy monsters getting pwned by modern firearms. And some of the artwork is really good.

[edit]
Also male lead gets married with several girls and they sleep together (manga isn't that far yet)

[edit2]
Shoutout to #1 girl. Cliche is that #1 girl gets all jealous and even violent when male lead so much as speaks to another girl, but in Gunota #1 girl is total opposite: she trust the guy not to cheat on her and even befriends other girls/women close to him.