Since I loved Kei Sanbe’s previous work, Erased, I immediately took note of The 13th Footprint being published by Yen Press earlier this year. Eager to see more of his writing, I went into this manga with higher than usual expectations for his new series.
Mysteries are one of my favorite genres, but the execution sometimes leaves me wary. Coming up with a compelling story which leaves you guessing isn’t easy. When I came across The Strange House, the cover of this manga immediately caught my attention as it had a blueprint of a house on the cover. Combined with the title, I wanted to find out what was so strange about this house.
While looking for something spooky to read this month for Halloween, I stumbled on the new manga release Monster and Ghost by Himemiko. The cover immediately captured my attention in addition since it appears to show a man kissing a spectral hand. I also wanted to learn more about the title. I ended up going into this fairly blind, choosing to avoid the summary before I started reading.
The breathtaking cover of Touch Within the Abyss immediately captured my interest and prompted me to purchase a copy. I almost found it impossible to believe this manga is the debut work of Moyori Mori. As I continued reading, I found myself swept up in a sweet and gentle story between two men who feel trapped by the world around them.
The meet cute is one of the most important parts of a story. It sets the tone for how two characters will interact throughout the rest. Whether they’re total strangers brought together by happenstance or they just happen to turn a specific way in a crowd and catch a special someone’s eye, the meet cute is the building block of any romance story.
But what happens when the meet cute builds a rocky emotional foundation for a relationship? For me, Beautiful Things by Nao Inui has one of the shakiest starts.
We don’t see many stories (yet) set during the COVID pandemic. Home Office Romance puts this world event front and center. This manga really excels at showcasing those earlier days of lockdown when everyone had to readjust to working from home. From rearranging a home office to enjoying an extra hour of sleep without having to deal with a commute, I think everyone who lived through this experience will appreciate all the slice-of-life details shown in this manga. This background paired with a sweet romance piqued my interest.