manga review

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Lenni Reviews: “Centuria” Vol. 1, by Tōru Kuramori

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is suggested for mature readers due to violence and mild nudity.

All Julian has ever known is the brutal life of a slave. When he attempts to escape, he stows away on a slave ship in cursed waters. Julian encounters kindness and horror, resulting in his body being infused with the power of a hundred lives by a goddess and a newborn baby in his care.

It’s been a while since I dug into some high fantasy that’s not romance or slice of life. That being said, this is a pretty interesting yet standard-ish start to a dark fantasy. We’ve set up the small core cast and established some rules of this world and I would love to read more and get to know these characters more. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Sleeping on Paper Boats” Vol. 2, by Teki Yatsuda

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

Kei and Yoichi reunite after some time apart, helping to heal each other’s deep wounds and hopefully move forward towards a brighter future.

While the word “maudlin” is a perfect way to describe this book and what our couple goes through, I am happy to report it’s a wade through the muck to reach the light. In the end, it’s beautiful and not that explicit at all. If you’re looking for a m/m romance that focuses deeply on the characters overcoming what has weighed them down, this is a nice story that rewards the heartache you may feel. 4.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “A Man Who Defies the World of BL” Vol. 3, by Konkichi

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

In this volume, the tropes of paranormal, sports festival, cats, and punk characters are explored.

Our main character is kinda interested in Ayato’s budding romance, but other than that, I think my issue isn’t that he’s a straight guy dodging BL tropes; it’s that, in general, he’s detached from everything going on around him. I get this overall “blah” feeling. If he doesn’t care, why should I? 2 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Marriage Toxin” Vol. 11, by Joumyaku & Mizuki Yoda

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

Gero is with the Fire Clan when the heir to the clan is killed, and when Shizuku is blamed, he helps find the killer.

Mei is so interesting! I need to know more about him. These tiny drips of his lore are killing me in the best way. This probably won’t end up with Mei and Gero getting together, but I bet there’s so much more to Mei than we realize since he’s so chill about all this crazy master clan, powers, and battle stuff. Aside from me geeking out over Mei, the Fire Clan mystery was very interesting. Their leader is terrifying, and I wonder what the outcome of that story arc will have to do with the other clans. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Kagurabachi” Vol. 6, by Takeru Hokazono

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

Chihiro and Hakuri head to Kokugoku hot spring, where the enchanted sword bearer is being held. When they encounter Hiruhiko from the Hishaku, they end up in a tense battle.

This is an action-packed, angsty volume. There’s blood and body parts flying everywhere, giving us a chance to see some great swordplay and powers. It’s all very exciting, and Chihiro is an easy protagonist to root for. He has some AWESOME moments and fits right in with all the new characters. The world and cast are expanding and I love when a simple premise (get the swords back) branches off into something more. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Hirayasumi: Vol. 8, by Keigo Shinzō

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

Natsumi and her friends decide to go on a summer road trip and bring along a new person, Orui, who is a bit quirky and struggles to integrate with the activities.

It’s nice to see them all developing as the summer ends, but I didn’t expect such a sharp cliffhanger at the end of this. And not a silly one, it’s pretty serious. Uncharacteristically serious for this series so far. I mean, this has never felt like it would go to very dark places, but who knows? I’ve been blindsided by slice of life before. Hiroto’s maturity is still well balanced with his optimism, which keeps him as just a delight to read. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Dark Gathering” Vol. 17, by Kenichi Kondō

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

Now, we are in the final stage against Yin Jiao with one graduate left to face the god’s wrath. But even if they prevail, there are still greater threats around our main cast.

I have to wonder how the stakes will rise higher than “defeat a god’ but let’s go for it! I love this series! Tama’s backstory and association with the same curse that afflicted Ai, as well as Ai’s family history with the entity, is a great story. I love this deep dive into all the lore around this god. Now, the focus shifts to the spirits stealing bodies and going after the spirit that took Yayoi’s mother. These characters are so entertaining and I can’t wait to see what happens next. 4.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Boy’s Abyss” Vol. 12, by Ryo Minenami

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

Reiji and Esemori end their visit, but after, Reiji runs into Nago. Ms. Shiba finally realizes Yuko is unstable and is using Reiji’s older brother to interfere in the family even further.

The more we learn about Reiji’s family, the more I think he should change his name and vanish from all these people’s lives. Start over fresh somewhere else where nobody knows him. Every adult around this kid is sus, and even his friends suck. This poor kid man… He deserves so much better. I still wonder if this will turn around in some way because while I am curious enough to read this and it’s not BAD, it’s just circling around all this depression. 3.8 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Firefly Wedding” Vol. 5, by Oreco Tachibana

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

Satoko tries to convince the most popular prostitute on the island, Asagiri, to allow her contract to be bought out since she has turned down every offer so far. While running her errands for Asagiri, Satoko spends more time with Shinpei.

Their relationship is odd but sweet. Shinpei is still his cute/psychotic self, and we get more glimpses into Satoko’s past, where her sister still sucks. It also sucks that we’re still stuck on this island, but it was sweet to have Shinpei and Satoko get closer, hanging out and doing random things. Shinpei is still low-key terrifying, though. 4 out of 5

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Lenni Reviews: “Asadora!” Vol. 9, by Naoki Urasawa

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

Not 21 years old, Asa has founded a private airline: “Asada Asa Trading Company.” She is both manager and pilot. In her rare downtime, she has been meeting with an American deserter from the Vietnam War.

I do love how Asa fits into these major historical events happening around the world. Kinda gives me Forrest Gump vibes, but here we have sea monsters, secret societies, daring plane fights, and American spies. Absolutely fantastic. Asa’s character scratches the same part of my brain as Colette; just a decent, hardworking person doing their best. Granted, Asa is clearly dealing with much more danger. This series is a lot of fun and has a decent amount of intrigue and humor to keep things interesting. 4.5 out of 5.

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