Tags: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Yuri, Slice of Life, School Life
Sub-Tags: Introverts, Misunderstandings
Cover Illustration for Volume 1
Synopsis:
Awkward, introverted Amaori Renako is leaving her lonely middle school life behind, determined to become an outgoing and popular high schooler. Glamorous, confident Oduka Mai is Renako’s total opposite: wealthy, carefree, and a literal fashion model. Against the odds, the two girls form an immediate connection. Renako thinks she may have found the best friend of her dreams…until Mai’s love confession sends her feelings into a tailspin. Renako wants to prove to Mai that being BFFs is better than being girlfriends, but Mai is dead set on convincing Renako that they’re destined to be lovers! (Source: Seven Seas)
A Competition Between Friends and Lovers!
Who Can Get A Step Ahead?
Renako is an introvert. Determined not to make the same mistakes of the past, she’s decided to change herself into a popular, outgoing high-schooler. Her new guise is a roaring success, and she’s managed to get in with the most-popular crowd in her year. Unfortunately, pretending to be popular drains a lot of MP, and that’s where this story begins as a misunderstanding leads the most popular student in school, Oduka Mai, trying to rescue Renako from falling off the school roof.
Clearing the misunderstanding leads to both agreeing to become best friends…or a least that’s what Renako got from the conversation. The heart-to-heart between the two has ultimately created an even bigger misunderstanding. Whilst Renako is happy creating a strong friendship with Mai, the lady in question seems to want a lot more, having fallen in love.
What follows is an opening volume filled with competition. With neither willing to back down on what they want out of their relationship, the two agree on a competition on where’s best to take their relationship, becoming best friends or becoming lovers.
Whilst Renako believes her position to be a slam dunk, Mai’s unyielding self-confidence and lack of self-awareness means that Renako’s heart is never far from danger. Whether it’s visiting a café, an amusement park, or visiting each other’s homes – Mai’s predatory instincts mean she’s always looking for an opportunity to change their friendship into that of lovers.
Same Definition, Different Term
All fun and games to start with, it’s Mai’s inexhaustible confidence that eventually becomes the deal’s undoing. With conflict comes some serious development as Mai pushing things too far reveals her unexpected fragilities.
Only being seen as her mother’s daughter and Renako’s subsequent admission to liking her for her, it is understandable where her aggressive relationship instincts draw from. Whilst the story draws a line clearly showing that her behaviour is not ok, it handles the communication gap between the main characters maturely.
As a result, the first volume’s climax sees Renako come to a positive decision despite their falling out. Not quite willing to become lovers yet, the two mutually agree to be something in-between, as the novel calls it, friends with Rena-fits.
Overall, I’ll Be Your Lover’s first instalment is filled with fun and games aplenty. Playing on the competitive couples trope, it breathes a breath of fresh air into the genre with the immense scale power level differences between the two main characters.
Furthermore, there’s more to the story than just comedy; there are numerous moments of seriousness and drama to enjoy as well. Mai’s burden as her mother’s daughter is a particular highlight.
There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Your Lover! Vol. 1
My Rating: 8.5/10
I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.
You can read the first volume of this series digitally or physically through the list of distributors on the Seven Seas website.
Two crises deep into Yotsuba’s fledgling three-way relationship with Yuna and Rinka, her love life is finally reaching equilibrium. Her girlfriends approve of the unusual arrangement they’ve settled into, her little sisters begrudgingly acknowledge it, and it seems like life couldn’t get any better…which, of course, means it’s time for a new disaster to shake things up all over again! For all the positive traits Yotsuba can’t bring herself to admit that she has, it’s undeniable that she also has a bad memory. Very bad. So bad that she just might’ve forgotten she had a childhood friend way back whenever, then failed to notice as said childhood friend became a nationally renowned pop idol, all to fulfill a promise she made with Yotsuba…which Yotsuba, of course, also forgot about. Their reunion could only possibly be more awkward if, say, Yotsuba’s old friend asked her for help faking a relationship…but what are the odds of that happening? (Source: J-Novel Club)
A Childhood Friend Crisis!
An Idol Issue
The third volume of Yuri Tama sees Yotsuba’s dating dilemmas continue into the second half of summer vacation. Moving on from school idols and sister issues, the latest volume in the series has Yotsuba dig a deep hole for herself when her childhood friend comes back to town.
Having a real, bonafide idol as a childhood friend promised and delivered on a whole new level of chaos for the series. Maki Amagi has come back to fulfil a long-forgotten promise, and she’s not taking no for an answer.
When Three Become Four?
Maki is a tenacious addition to the series, and with Yotsuba holding such a prized place in her heart, she quickly gets to work to make Yotsuba hers. As a result, the plan Maki puts in place has Yotsuba go on a fake date with her to stop the hounding paparazzi. This plan probably would’ve succeeded if Yotsuba hadn’t used her brain for the first time in the series.
Unlike in previous volumes, Yotsuba is quick to realise that Maki’s intentions seem suspect and asks for her girlfriends and Koganzaki’s advice on the matter. The sacrosanct agree to the fake date scenario setting clear boundaries for Yotsuba, but it’s Koganzaki’s reactions that once again need highlighting.
Continuing to be one of the only voices of sanity in the series, Koganzaki’s scenes are still some of the most hilarious in the series. Even after the events between the Sacrosanct and Yotsuba’s sisters, Koganzaki still can’t quite believe that one of the world’s most famous idols would have the hots for Yotsuba.
The climax of the volume sees Maki reveal the truth to Yotsuba about her memories. It’s one of the very few serious moments in the series and shows the effect of Yotsuba’s actions on a young Maki, who was struggling with her parent’s divorce at the time.
Overall, Yuri Tama’s third volume brings all the chaos of its previous volumes and more. Providing the series with a childhood friend character has given plenty of material for the series to run away with, especially with Maki being a proper rival character. With said character now a student at the school, there’ll be more opportunities for relationship development and chaos to erupt.
Yuri Tama Vol. 3
My Rating: 9/10
I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.
You can read the third volume of this series digitally on the J-Novel Club website.
Sub-Tags: Weak Protagonist, Misunderstandings, War, Introverts
Cover Illustration for Volume 3
Synopsis:
Can a murderer be a pacifist?
Komari has finally earned a vacation, and she’s soaking it all in at a beach resort. That’s when Nelia Cunningham, a commander from the Gerra-Aruka Republic, appears before her with an outrageous proposal: Together, they’ll take over the world.
At the same time, a commander from the Heavenly Paradise named Karla Amatsu shows up and offers Komari the exact opposite proposition: Together, they’ll usher in world peace. Before long, the two nations’ clashing agendas drag the whole world into war! Rudely pulled from her summer holiday, Komari holds the key to the conflict in her hands. Without it, the war may never end. (Source: Yen Press)
Komari Plans War with Pacifists!
An Undercover Mission
It took a while for me to get back into the rhythm of this series. Starting out the beginning of the third volume’s plot, I was worried that things would continue the way of Komari’s meeting with Nelia – relying on the same old routine that, at this point in the series, had started to become stale.
Thankfully, those feelings are put to rest as the story moves towards its goal – the real war with the Gerra-Aruka republic and the subsequent infiltration of their dark core zone.
What helps this series to stay fresh is Komari’s new role on the battlefield. No longer sitting on the sidelines, she’s asked to help a group of like-minded individuals infiltrate the dark core zone and expose the evils being performed by the Gerra-Aruka republic.
There’s more potential to be found within Komari’s character when she’s put into ever greater danger, and there’s no more dangerous a position than being deep behind enemy lines. Moreover, being put on a spying mission means more opportunities for different styles of comedy. A personal highlight involves Komari and Koharu being forced to wear a disguise whilst in enemy territory – Komari forced to become Nelia’s servant and Koharu wearing funny glasses and a moustache never failed to make me giggle.
Peaches and Kimonos
Koharu and Nelia also make their first appearances in the series. They are great additions and another reason why the series has managed to keep my interest. Koharu is essentially Komari in a kimono, except somehow even more clumsy. Although there’s little development on her character in this volume, that isn’t the story for Nelia.
Nelia has come to the same conclusions on war as Komari through life experience. A former princess, her position was demoted after a revolution ran through her country. Mixing her experience from her time as royalty, and the disgust she finds in their new leader’s blatant xenophobia and warmongering, her thinking has moved more toward one of coexistence and cooperation.
The two will likely make for great allies in Komari’s future.
The Power of Pacifism
The volume ends once again with Komari using her blood curse to defeat the enemy, this time feasting on Nelia’s blood. As a result, the Gerra-Aruka republic is defeated, and the people are finally free to elect a new leader.
Overall, this is a slightly weaker volume than those that have come previously. However, there are still great things to take away from the story, mainly the new characters and development in the setting. Whilst I’ll still be reading the series, come the next volume, unless there are major developments, I won’t be reviewing the series further on the blog.
The Vexations of a Shut-In Vampire Princess Vol. 3
My Rating: 8/10
I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.
You can buy the third volume of this series digitally and physically through the list of distributors on the Yen Press website.
Anisphia becomes the ruler of Palettia, but her fight with her younger brother, Algard, has caused all sorts of problems. Watching Anisphia slowly become more and more exhausted, Euphyllia finally decides to step in. But that is the last thing Anisphia wants, and she refuses to give up. The reincarnated princess and the genius young lady now have to face each other for their future together. (Source: Yen Press)
The Insecurities of a Princess!
First in Line to the Throne
Rounding off the series’ first arc, the latest volume in the story focuses almost exclusively on Anis and Euphyllia – diving deep into their characters. This volume deals directly with the aftermath of her brother’s exile and subsequent moving of her up to ruler in waiting.
This forced change in her position means more responsibility and an end to her magicology experiments. Whilst she wears a smile through the changes, telling everyone that becoming the next Queen is her responsibility, those around her suspect the truth of her feelings to be something entirely different.
For Anis, this volume results in a deep exploration of her character, bringing to light her issues and insecurities that have been slowly bubbling to the surface. Imposter syndrome and the need to live up to a parent’s expectations are all dealt with as part of the story, all of which are handled maturely through a multi-faceted approach.
Telling the truth, the story doesn’t just deal with Anis and Euphyllia exclusively, as the volume is a family affair as well. Reading how Anis wished to be the expected daughter talented with magic is an emotional affair. None more so than for her mother, who, after only recently seeing her son fall to ruin, is now facing the true extent of her daughter’s fears.
Furthermore, the emotions keep running as Euphyllia has her turn to make her feelings known. Subsequently, Anis reveals for the first time that she has memories of a past life and struggles with feeling like a fake. It’s an interesting look into how reincarnators fit into their new surroundings, a subject not often explored in isekai series.
For Whom the Spirits Shine
Euphyllia has demons of her own to deal with as part of this volume. Determination has been a big issue holding her back from seeking her own happiness. Anis’ new position makes for the ultimate test for Euphyllia, as a potential solution to both of their problems will require her to put her own selfish desires first.
Euphyllia has all the makings of a spirit covenantor. One of the only conditions that can circumvent the lines of succession as it leans into the legends of the first king of Palettia. Becoming a covenantor doesn’t come without drawbacks, and Euphyllia will need to make a choice about whether losing her humanity is worth saving Anis’ dreams and starting a new age.
A clashing of insecurities and strong ideals leads to Anis and Euphyllia becoming closer, opening up emotionally and learning to rely on each other. This scene is especially special and one I think audiences will be waiting for.
…Towards the Future
Founding a new era of cooperation between magic and magicology closes out the volume. After the heavy emotional subjects, this part of the story serves as a welcome light-hearted break.
To improve the lives of everyone is Palettia, they invent flying machines that’ll take everyone to the sky. A mark of progress and a potential source of joy for the future.
Overall, Magical Revolution’s third volume, and by extension, the first arc, is an overwhelming success. It is a series that deals with emotional and psychological issues with great maturity and blends these themes masterfully alongside its lighthearted comedic moments. There are very few light novel series that hits quite like this one.
Magical Revolution Vol. 3
My Rating: 10/10
I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.
You can buy the third volume of this series digitally and physically through the list of distributors on the Yen Press website.
Hello readers : ) A departure from my usual reviews and the first of three promised ranking posts. My latest blog article will look at some of the best continuing series that I read during 2022, highlighting some of these series’ best volumes beyond their opening act. These are in no particular order:
1. Full Clearing Another World under a Goddess with Zero Believers Vol. 6
Cover Illustration for Volume 6
Synopsis:
Makoto Takatsuki has proven worthy of his title as the Hero of Roses—not only did he save Macallan from a stampede of monsters and a powerful ancient dragon, but he also liberated Cameron from a blighted hydra. After those battles, Makoto hopes to catch a break, but a revelation from the goddesses sends him on the path to Springrogue. There are rumors that the Great Demon Lord’s resurrection might appear in the perilous Forest of Fiends, and Makoto’s party sets off to investigate. They make a stop in Lucy’s home village to meet her family, and they’re even lucky enough to encounter Lucy’s mother, the famed and powerful Crimson Witch! This comes not a moment too soon—one of the Great Demon Lord’s subordinates, Bifrons, the Undead King, is amassing an army of demons to lay waste to Springrogue. The stage is set, and the demons have launched their war against humanity. Can Makoto and his allies send the Undead King back to his grave? (Source: J-Novel Club)
First on the list is a volume that features the full package. Action, comedy and romance, the sixth volume blends these genres masterfully, ensuring the series continues to be enjoyable even as the story reaches its mid-point.
Part of what makes this volume a cut above its predecessors has to do with the well-balanced development in each of the series’ different sub-plots. No longer dealing with growing pains, the subplots, from romance and world-building to demon lord extermination have come to a point where they flow naturally into their next twists and turns.
The series’ romance for example. Far from its will they won’t they beginnings, Makoto is now in a fully-fledged relationship with Lucy and Aya and is a fiancée to Sophia. This volume showcases yet another development in their relationships by visiting Lucy’s parents, which obviously ends up being hilarious.
These growing pains are also shown to be dissipating within the central plot of the story. Demon Lords and their servants have begun to reveal themselves and the true endgame is in sight. Furthermore, this is on top of Makoto’s latest attempts at gathering allies – Springrogue’s hero and some of their strongest fighters will likely be a good resource against the final demon lord fight.
Other volume highlights include Lucy’s mother and her reckless free spirit, and Furiae’s perspective on Makoto’s new divine powers. Watch out for potential romantic development to happen between them in the future!
Read the series digitally on the J-Novel Club website.
Everything changed for the imperial court’s most beloved consort-in-training, Kou Reirin, when she switched bodies with the devious Shu Keigetsu. But now the secret of their swap is out…to none other than Reirin’s head court lady, Tousetsu! It’s not long before even Prince Gyoumei and guard captain Shin-u have started puzzling out the answer to their many questions. Could this spell the end of Reirin’s thrilling new life as she knows it? (Source: Seven Seas)
Second on the list is a volume that I vociferously praised when it was first released.
Inept Villainess’ second volume took the series to new heights as the mystery aspect was put into full swing. Curses are popping up all over the place and the author made a good point in having friends and enemies alike come together to find and expose the culprit before the Empress succumbs to their deadly curse.
Both Reirin and Shu Keigetsu are standouts making a great team together. Reirin’s can-do attitude and Shu’s knowledge of venomcraft are essential in getting a good ending.
Shu’s character in this volume is especially interesting. Veering away from the clichéd villainess portrayal, the author does a fantastic job adding layers to her character – from environmental circumstances to her defensive tsundere-isms.
Moreover, the end of this volume makes for a satisfying conclusion to the series’ first arc. Plotlines have been tied up and each of the main characters has reached satisfactory progression points to where rivalries and deep seated hate could necessarily have been sated.
Read the series both digitally and physically through the Seven Seas website.
3. The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Vol. 2
Cover Illustration for Volume 2
Synopsis:
A RIFT IN THE ROYAL FAMILY!
With the help of her assistant—the genius young lady Euphyllia—Princess Anisphia has successfully subdued the dragon that attacked the Kingdom of Palettia. Nonetheless, the furor over Euphyllia’s canceled betrothal continues. To make matters worse, Anisphia discovers a devastating secret about Lainie, who holds the key to the prince’s strange decision. And that’s not the only secret—it’s just the beginning of a grand plot enveloping the entire royal palace! (Source: Yen Press)
Sparks fly in this volume dedicated to sibling conflict!
There’s a great deal of maturity to be found in Magical Revolution’s second instalment that makes it a standout amongst villainess/Otome regulars. Inferiority causes a rift between brother and sister that, over time, became too large to overcome, resulting in the volume’s overall tragedy.
This measured look at complex family dynamics is accompanied by some of the best actions and fights in the series so far. Building on the dragon fight foundations of its first volume, it’s elevated here with more at stake as the siblings fight to the death at the end of the volume. It’s an all-out magic battle that has irreparable consequences for everyone involved.
Pairing mature and emotional character drama, and heaps of fantastic action scenes makes Magical Revolution’s second volume the best in the series and one of the best light novels of 2022.
Read the series both digitally and physically through the Yen Press website.
Still in his first year at Tsukuyomi Magic Academy, Kousuke Takioto continues his freewheeling routine of clearing dungeons with the heroines between bouts of training. However, his tendency to cut class isn’t lost on the other students, who now view him as a slacker. Despite this, Yukine Mizumori can’t help but marvel at how none of this seems to phase our hero. But Kousuke isn’t content leaving things there—this time, he’ll settle for nothing less than achieving the fastest dungeon clear time in the Academy! (Source: Yen Press)
The final entry is also usually considered one of the most light-hearted series on this list.
More of a departure from its usual eroge madness, the series’ third volume takes a deeper look at determination. Both protagonist and heroine, Yukine, have their determination put to the test to move forward in their goals in this more serious addition to the series.
With Yukine having to fight her own insecurities to move out of her older sister’s shadow, and Takioto going beyond his own abilities to defeat the school’s dungeon. It adds new levels of depth putting the entire series up in my own estimations.
Volume 3 showed that the series is more than just a bit of ecchi, comedy fun, but has the character development necessary to become a long-running series.
Read the series both digitally and physically through the Yen Press website.
Yotsuba Hazama has it made. Summer vacation is just around the corner, and this year she gets to spend it with her two girlfriends, Yuna and Rinka! Sure, she’ll spend it doing makeup lessons instead unless she passes all her finals, but how hard could that be? And her girlfriends’ fan club is a ticking time bomb in the background of her school life, but it’s not like that has any chance of causing her problems! And, yes, her little sisters have been treating her with an inexplicable mixture of contempt and suspicion lately, but there’s no way that’ll go anywhere unpleasant! On second thought, let’s start over: Yotsuba Hazama is in way over her head! Her first-ever summer with her new girlfriends is in peril of flunking-induced cancellation, her social standing at school is dangling by a thread, and she can’t even figure out what’s wrong with her relationship with her sisters, but it’s definitely going to be a problem! Who knew having two girlfriends could be this difficult?! (Source: J-Novel Club)
A Tale of Three Sisters!
Moving on to the second pre-pub review of the week, this latest review focuses on the sequel to a chaotic yuri love story!
Yuri Tama’s second volume sees Yotsuba’s romantic endeavours once again derailed, this time from a source a little closer to home. Thinking she can keep her three-way relationship with the sacrosanct a secret, she’s about to learn that it’s a lot harder than it looks and can come with deadly consequences.
As a result of her carelessness, both of her younger sisters realise what she’s been up to forming a massive rift between them. Now, in hopes of finding a way to fix their relationship, Yotsuba may yet get the answer she seeks from a family trip to a hot spring, although perhaps it won’t be the answer she’s expecting…
A Sister Issue
After finishing the second volume, I’m glad to say that this series still continues to bring its own signature brand of chaos. Ramping it up a notch from its premier outing, this volume sees Yotsuba face all sorts of trouble when her sisters find out she’s dating two people.
Whilst you may expect that what follows is some heartfelt drama the series instead takes a route down to the bizarre creating one hell of a crazy ride.
Rather than contempt or disappointment, her sister’s feelings take them on a new path, one which involves taking Yotsuba away from her girlfriends to have an impure love story all on their own – just the three sisters together. This makes for a rather eventful hot springs trip later on in the volume as the two younger sisters plan their attacks, leading to a double confession.
Exploring the subject of forbidden love in this volume may not be for everyone, but the author handles it with their signature wacky styling and a surprising amount of maturity. For once, Yotsuba can’t hide behind her airheadedness, using the memories the three of them share to convince her younger sisters that regardless of whether she’s dating someone, she’ll always love them.
An Unexpected Star
Solving their sisterhood problem didn’t just take Yotsuba alone. Setting her on the right path and offering advice, Koganezaki really becomes the unexpected star of the volume.
Away from her family and dating troubles, Koganezaki acts like a shining light of sanity in the endless pool of chaos that is Yotsuba’s life. In this volume, she solidifies herself as a great friend for Yotsuba. She’s not overly judgemental and genuinely wants Yotsuba to succeed in overcoming her issues. I only hope that the author gives her more page time as the series continues.
Concluding, Yuri Tama’s second instalment continues to bring the wild ride and chaos that makes this series so special. This time however, the series adds new layers; beyond the comedy, the series grows with more interesting characters and a new fore into mature scenes.
Yuri Tama Vol. 2
My Rating: 9/10
I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! You can also help support my work by buying me a coffee over on my Ko-Fi account.
You can read the second volume of this series digitally and in Pre-pub format on the J-Novel Club website.
When Komari unintentionally disrespects one of her fellow Crimson Lords, Flöte Mascarail, things escalate until she finds herself pitted against the other generals in a deadly competition where the loser gets fired (read: blown up).Though most of her opponents are as tough as nails, Komari finds an unlikely ally in Sakuna Memoir, a newly appointed Crimson Lord who shares both her timidity and love of reading. If only Vill weren’t so jealous! But while all this is playing out, a sinister plot involving the assassination of key politicians in the Empire brews. With so much going on, will this shut-in vampire ever get a moment’s peace?! (Source: Yen Press)
Komari Makes a New Friend?!
Our favourite woe-laden vampire shut-in returns and things are starting to heat up, or more accurately, reaching sub-zero!
Vampire Shut-In’s second volume continues its hilarious assault on Komari’s peaceful life with several life-ending problems. For starters, a terrorist is on the loose altering people’s memories and Komari alongside new Crimson Lord Sakuna have been put on the case.
If that wasn’t enough, Komari can’t stop making new enemies. Offending a fellow Crimson Lord, doubt is sprung on Komari’s vampiric abilities leading to a trial and eventual battle royale, all of which could see her Crimson Lord title taken away and lead to her exploding. And yet all of this will pale in comparison to her brigade’s new plans to create creepy Komari merch!
As part of the second volume, we’re introduced to a new supporting character and possible friend to Komari, Sakuna. She’s teamed up with our titular shut-in vampire to capture a horrifying terrorist who’s killing and altering people’s memories.
Whilst Komari getting a new friend is great, what I think most readers will enjoy is the dynamic between Sakuna and “sicko maid” Vill. Both Komari obsessives, there’s an instant rivalry between the two that causes nothing but trouble for Komari.
Sakuna just so happens to be Komari’s biggest fan, as indicated by the mountains of black-market Komari merch. This isn’t the only strange thing about her as she also happens to be the aforementioned wanted terrorist. Forced into Inverse Moon as a child, she uses her core implosion to search victims’ memories for information on the dark core.
Hers is an overall tragic story with a pretty good ending, finally gathering the courage to rebel thanks to Komari’s actions.
If the terrorist wasn’t enough to deal with, Komari also ends up fighting the rest of the Crimson Lords after offending Flöte Mascarail. As she lucks her way through both a trial and battle, Komari’s constant babbling fear is used to great effect and it’s only helped by both Vill’s and the Empress’ constant teasing.
As for the fights, they’re well directed on the whole and the best moments come as Komari unlocks new levels of her Core Implosion. Included are new ice abilities that help to freeze Odion’s plans of becoming a Luna.
Overall, Shut-In Vampire’s second volume continues the hilarious antics of the first. Adding a host of new wacky characters and powers alongside some fun bits of interaction between Komari fanatics has constantly kept me engaged and excited for the next volume.
The Vexations of a Shut-In Vampire Princess Vol. 2
My Rating: 9/10
I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments!
You can read the second volume of this series both digitally and physically from the list of distributors on the Yen Press website.
Tags: Comedy, Romance, Harem, Yuri, School Life, Slice-of-Life
Cover Illustration for Volume 1
Synopsis:
Yuna Momose and Rinka Aiba were made for each other, and their whole school knows it. Between Yuna’s princess-like elegance and Rinka’s prince-like charm, all their classmates see them as the ideal couple. Yotsuba Hazama is no exception to that, but she is exceptional in another way: she’s somehow managed to become fast friends with both of them! Having the whole school’s favorite ship as her two best friends isn’t exactly easy, though. Not only does it make everyone treat Yotsuba like a particularly obnoxious third wheel, it makes her feel like one too! Or at least it does, until one day, Yuna asks her out. And then Rinka asks her out too! And Yotsuba, whose social anxiety never seems to kick in until after she’s already messed something up…says yes to both of them, without sparing so much as a single thought for the consequences. Oops! Now Yotsuba only has one choice: keep her accidental two-timing under wraps and make both of her new girlfriends as happy as she possibly can! (Source: J-Novel Club)
Yotsuba’s Dating Disasters!
From the same mind that brought us, Sidekick Never Gets the Girl, comes a new series which is just as chaotic as the first!
Trifecta stars Yotsuba, a self-confessed average girl who’s friends with everybody’s ideal couple nicknamed the Sacrosanct. Thinking she’ll never be more than friends with them, everything suddenly changes when not only Yuna asks her out but Rinka too. Ultimately saying yes to both, Yotsuba’s life becomes a lot more chaotic as she juggles two-timing with trying to make her girlfriends happy.
If you’ve ever read any of Toshizou’s other series before, you’ll likely find something to love in this series. It seems the author works best writing hilarious disaster comedies, this being no exception.
Yotsuba is the highlight of the series so far. She’s an airhead and easily flustered, which makes for some fun reading as she tries to escape the trappings of a normal rom-com series. From planning separate dates to keeping it on the down-low in front of the fan club everything for Yotsuba could fall apart at any second.
From the first volume, I particularly enjoyed the confession scenes where Yotsuba consults her angel and devil, neither of whom, however, can stop her from rushing head first into accidental two-timing. Furthermore, we get some great scenes at the end of the novel during the amusement park date. At this point, the pressure of two-timing has become too much leading to her telling both of her girlfriends the truth. This would usually end in a good bit of drama, however, in this series both the girls already know and have accepted the situation leading to some nice out-in-the-open fluffy rom-com moments.
Talking of the two girlfriends, Rinka and Yuna are interesting characters in their own right. Two unique individuals who’ve used their good friendship as a defence against the leering eyes of others. The author does an adequate job of dispelling the Sacrosanct image for the audience and Yotsuba. I suspect we’ll get a lot more of their anachronisms as the dating between the three of them gets more serious in the next volume.
One group that still views the Sacrosanct in the same manner, however, is their fan group. The adoration they have for the two has led to problems for Yotsuba on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, ever since she started dating both of them in secret their actions have only gotten crazier and crazier as they sense a disturbance in force between Yuna and Rinka.
If Yotsuba thought that two-timing was difficult to maintain, the fan club will only make it harder with their kidnapping ways. Hopefully, in the next volume, we have more dedicated to dealing with the group as their actions could get old fast.
Overall, JNC’s latest yuri series is fun, crazy and chaotic and with all the dating members up to speed, I can’t wait to see what the author will throw in next alongside the fluffy romance aspects.
Yuri Tama Vol. 1
My Rating: 9/10
I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! The next review will be My Quiet Blacksmith life vol. 4.
You can read the first volume of this series in pre-pub format on the J-Novel Club website.
With the help of her assistant—the genius young lady Euphyllia—Princess Anisphia has successfully subdued the dragon that attacked the Kingdom of Palettia. Nonetheless, the furore over Euphyllia’s cancelled betrothal continues. To make matters worse, Anisphia discovers a devastating secret about Lainie, who holds the key to the prince’s strange decision. And that’s not the only secret—it’s just the beginning of a grand plot enveloping the entire royal palace! (Source: Yen Press)
A Conflict Between Brother and Sister!
A new day and a new review, this time we’re catching up with one of my favourite series, Magical Revolution.
Upon dealing with a dragon threat in the previous volume, there’s no let-up for Anisphia and Euphyllia in volume 2 as they deal with the fallout from Euphyllia’s broken engagement. Discovering the existence of vampires, a ministry of the arcane scheme and a plot that could shake the country’s foundations lying beneath the surface, it seems their days will be busier than ever.
Volume two has three ongoing plot lines that keep a good pace to the series and keep the action up with intensity. The first revolves around the fallout after Euphyllia’s engagement was broken off by Prince Algard. Anisphia is given the job of searching for the truth of the situation. Determined, her investigation is railroaded after it’s discovered that Lainie, the girl Euphyllia is said to have bullied, has an unconscious vampiric nature.
You can tell almost immediately just how much thought the author has put into fitting vampires with their fantasy world. From how they occur due to magicite within the body to how this magicite transfers memories of vampiric abilities and the general purpose of their creator. It’s also nice to see that this light novel strays away from the use of the game’s original heroine being the villain. Lainie is a sweet and misunderstood girl who’s desperate to stop people from fighting over her. An ability she’s now able to control thanks to the theories and experimentation done by Anisphia and Tilty.
The second plot involves Euphyllia. Still struggling to find her new place in life, it’s through Tilty’s goading and a search for what makes her happy that finally solidifies her place by Anis’ side. Through her speech directed to the ministry of the arcane, she’s found a way to use her queen training and love of magic and magicology to bridge the gap and convince those who believe its study as heresy. It’s with this newfound confidence that she’s able to finally stop a deadly fight between siblings at the end of the volume.
Finally, the third plot encompasses a revolution led by Algard. Twisted through his royal training and hate of his sister, he takes Lainie’s magicite to become a vampire, aiming to turn the kingdom on its head. What follows is a battle, not only of fighting prowess but of ideals. This fight between siblings is uncomfortable yet satisfying to read as both regrets the things they could have, no perhaps should have done. Everybody is hurt and affected by the events as Algard is sent to live in exile whilst the position of the throne is left hanging in the air.
Overall, Magical Revolution Volume 2 is a fantastic sequel. Filled with excellent character development, an intense plot and a fresh re-imagining of the Otome genre, it’s a series that should be on the top of any light novel readers to read list.
The Magical Revolution Vol. 2
My Rating: 10/10
I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments!
You can purchase the second volume of this series both digitally and physically from the list of distributors on the Yen Press website.
Toru Aikawa is a university student who spends his days going through the motions of attending school and working at a local convenience store. The only time he really feels alive is when he’s playing the massive multiplayer VR game Real World Online. One day, he has a stroke of luck: he’s hit by a runaway bus and reincarnated as his game character. But something’s gone wrong… Instead of the invincible warrior he mains, he’s in the body of Nacht Schatten, the alluring dragon princess he made as a joke! Nacht’s build is anything but optimised—she would never survive in the cutthroat world of an isekai story! And more to the point, she’s a girl! But perhaps things aren’t as bad as they seem. Perhaps Nacht Schatten is more capable than she appears. (Source: J-Novel Club)
OP Adventures with a Side of Yuri!
A new week sees a series of new licenses from J-Novel Club. The first of which, Reincarnated as a Gag Character, sets us off on a strong start combining OP characters mixed with a bit of yuri fluff and comedy for flavour.
The story sees Toru Aikawa reincarnated and gender-bent as his joke vrmmo character, Nacht Schlatten into a world that definitely isn’t Real World Online. Pretty accepting of the entire ordeal, he, now she’ll explore this new world crushing bandits, monsters and demons alongside her trusty maid Aisha.
If you couldn’t tell already, this is primarily a comedy series, which I think is done well overall. Alongside the comedy that comes from the reactions to Nacht’s OP abilities, something that is par for the course of this type of story, I think the comedy shines best in the interactions between Nacht and Aisha. There’s instant chemistry between the two and their banter with each other does well to break up some of the more action-heavy and darker moments within the series. This is also helped due to Nacht’s tendency to lack common sense in the world.
When it comes to Nacht, she’s one of the more interesting aspects of the series. After Toru gives in and becomes Nacht in both body and soul, there’s a noticeable personality change. Whilst Nacht usually lacks common sense and spends most of her time doting on Aisha, she does make some interesting, perhaps even controversial choices in the face of tragedy. This includes allowing the new demon lord and her maid to go free even though it may spark a war and forcing someone to live to care for someone else.
Beyond the comedy and characters, there are some surprisingly good battle scenes. The final battle of the volume against the demon army is a specific highlight as not only does it have Nacht at full power but also takes its time to develop Aisha’s magical abilities. Mostly defenceless throughout the first volume, the final battle finally showcases the elf’s abilities – summoning powerful water spirits.
Unfortunately, there is one thing I’ve left out and specifically chosen to talk about last because I think it’s something that the reader needs to be aware of before reading. Your reaction to this will likely rely on your tolerance of the subject and its portrayal within the text. For me, I have little tolerance for it anyway and mixed with the way it’s handled left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
I’m talking about the heavy references to rape and sexual assault that make up a good third of the novel. This, on its own likely, wouldn’t be a point of contention, however, the fact that this series is primarily a comedy and the fact that there is a lot of joking around as both Nacht and Aisha are in an area filled with women who had been raped and tortured feels off and in bad taste.
This isn’t the first time that I’ve read a light novel that wanted to mix rape and comedy and it certainly isn’t the novel to have handled the subject the worst. I think it’s quite a low bar to pass.
Generally, Gag Character makes for a good start to the new series of pre-pub releases from J-Novel Club. It’s pretty fun and manages to handle both slice-of-life and action scenes well. Moreover, the main character stands out from the crowd given her character is unlike most in Light Novels. It does have one, glaring problem, however, which I’ve talked about but thankfully it doesn’t appear again throughout the volume and will hopefully not feature heavily in the second volume.
Reincarnated as a Gag Character Vol. 1
My Rating: 7.5/10
I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! The next load of LN reviews will be pre-pubs from J-Novel Club with Isekai Tensei and Now I’m a Demon Lord.
You can read the first volume of Gag Character in pre-pub format on the J-Novel Club website.
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