comic review

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Lenni Reviews: “Pink Candy Kiss” Vol. 4, by Ami Uozumi

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

As Ema fulfills her dream of opening a cafe, Takara is still struggling to hold in her romantic feelings for her friend. When Ema’s mother shows up, taking cruel digs at her, Takara takes Ema on a trip to cheer her up.

We get the “only one bed” trope, but it doesn’t lead to anything other than a cute moment, in case you’re looking to avoid anything explicit or stories with cheating. Other than that, these two are a bit of a mess, and I’m baffled as to how this will turn out still. So far, the only clear-cut villain is Ema’s mother, who is a verbally and mentally abusive fuckwad who I wouldn’t mind never hearing from again. But since this trip they went on had all internal revelations, we’re still in the same place in Takara and Ema’s relationship, and while I would want to see a jump forward, I think slow and easy is for the best here. 3.9 out of 5.

 

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Lenni Reviews: “Something is Killing the Children” Vol. 8, by James Tynion IV & Werther Dell’Edera

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

This volume is an anthology, gathering different stories to explore Erica’s past.

Watching Erica work never gets old. I love how action-packed this volume is. It makes the quiet moments that much more impactful. Despite the volume being promoted as for even new readers, I think it does you a disservice to read this without the context of the previous volumes, especially given how volume seven ended. You might be annoyed that volume eight doesn’t jump right in to where seven left off, but I think these stories give some great insight into Erica’s training and her dynamic with the organization. She’s an awesome character, and this volume just lets her do her thing. 4.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Something is Killing the Children” Vol. 7, by James Tynion IV & Werther Dell’Edera

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After barely surviving the Duplicitype. Erica has to face the deeply unstable Cutter. With the situation dire, Cecilia shows up to help Erica defeat the creature wearing her face.

Oof, Erica just can’t catch a break. Even when I’m mentally prepared for things to go bad, I wasn’t prepared for how bad this got. I was hoping for a more positive outcome… What a downer. Scary, gripping, and amazingly drawn, but a downer. It can easily be summed up in this exchange:

Cutter: It doesn’t matter. You still lose.

Erica: Yeah. I’m fucking used to it.

I hear this series got picked up by Blumhouse, and I hope they do it justice. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reveiws: “Hirayasumi” Vol. 7, by Keigo Shinzō

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

The Asagaya Festival is on the horizon, but Natsumi isn’t feeling as close to her friends as before. Hiroto has a fight with Hideki about their movie and what they want to do with it, finally showing it to the public.

It’s clear that as life goes on, Natsumi and Hiroto have to grapple with the inevitable changes, which they do with a comforting amount of grace. I say ‘comforting’ because there’s still no long, drawn-out, angst-filled conflict. If you’ve ever screamed at a manga or anime (or any entertainment medium, honestly) that the characters just need to fucking talk to each other, this is a series where not only does the talking happen, it’s cozy and heartwarming. 4.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Fool Night” Vol. 7, by Kasumi Yasuda

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Toshiro and Hourai face Ivy and learn who Ivy was as a human, challenging Hourai’s firm belief in transfloration.

I am negative shocked that the doctor behind all this is a freakish mad scientist type. I do have to give credit to the creativity in this volume when it comes to the combat with Ivy and how Toshiro is able to see the thoughts of a transflorated person. Even though his life is shortened, he is determined to make a difference, and I do want to see what other things he can do and if these abilities will impact how or if transforation goes forward in the future. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Beast Complex” Vol. 4, by Paru Itagaki

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

This volume contains:

  • Black Panther and the Sea Otter
  • The Zebra and the White Tiger
  • The Snake and the Mouse
  • The Wolf and the Dog
  • The Iguna and the Penguin
  • The Rabbit and the Wolf

This is a fun collection. I love seeing more of this world and the very unique issues that are impossible to avoid with this setup. We also get to see more species, and the sea creatures are really interesting. And of course, that last story is a chance to see Haru and Legoshi again. This series is just a great way to expand this world and the beautiful art. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “My Noons and Midnights Are for You” Vol. 1, by Luria

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Mayu is a v-tuber who goes by “Mihiru” and while his online persona is outgoing, in real life, he is shy. His manager, Mr. Ogino, is under strict rules not to get involved with his client, and the company sets up same sex managers in order to maintain that, but that doesn’t work when Ogino develops feelings.

Okay, even the Goodreads entry references dubcon, kink, depression, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and alcohol use. I even felt blindsided by the first sex scene, which I thought was Mayu’s fantasy. He’s clearly depressed and anxious, isolated due to the nature of his job and past traumas. His relationship with Ogino is a bit toxic, but at least the manager is legit helping with some of Mayu’s depression behaviors, like taking care of himself and his living space. This is absolutely graphic smut with a plot that’s not your fluffy romance. It’s messy in multiple ways. Not for the faint of heart, but not super dark. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Boyfriend, Sometimes Girlfriend” Vol. 1, by Musawo

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Shishizaki is the prettiest and most popular girl in school, and while Akizuki feels he has no chance, he confesses to her. To his surprise, she accepts! But she is hiding a strange secret: her family is cursed.

Okay, soooo, this is some Ranma 1/2 shit going on here, only instead of using water, it’s a kiss that sparks the transformation. The tone swings from cutesy to “Kasane” levels of creepy (that’s a great comic, you should check it out). This smacks of YA romance, so I doubt it will get as dark as that series, but I can see Shishitaki’s ability used for some sick shit. Either way, this is a tepid opening and we’ll see if it gets better. 2.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Eternal Covenant” Vol. 1, by Haejin

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Ian Glauchester was abandoned by his parents and cursed with magic powers. Raised by Cardinal Brixton, Ian is now a decorated knight of the Knights Templar, keeping his powers a secret. That is, until he meets Jack, who has similar abilities.

This is an interesting start, setting up a lot of lore, a taste of a magic system, and some deep conspiracy. The art and pacing are very Webtoon, and let’s be real, these are paced and generally presented in a different way from something meant to be read all at once in a book or published in a magazine. Not as a detriment, it’s just designed to keep you scrolling, which doesn’t always translate fully to turning pages. Everything Is Fine is a good example, using the act of scrolling in the art (a great series). It still caught my interest, I’ll be there for volume 2. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Let’s Do It Already!” Vol. 7, by Aki Kusaka

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Yuri’s been working hard at her part-time jobs to save enough money to throw a birthday party for Keiichiro, but he declines, declaring his birthday cancelled. When she tries anyway, it all goes delightfully wrong.

It’s adorable that Yuri wants to do something nice for Keiichiro, and even though it gets wacky in a way only this manga can, the overall feeling is positive and romantic. It’s silly, cute, and has some comedic beats that really work. Not much forward progress, but it was still fun. 3.5 out of 5.

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