Suggestions from the Manga Maven

The weather is turning cold again and for a lot of us, that can mean fewer spontaneous trips and a bit more time at home drinking warm liquids, watching Netflix, and reading.In preparation for this, I reached out to our friend and Manga Maven over at Comicopia, Morgana, for some titles that might be of interest not just to me but also for the LOC community.

Most of the titles here are on the newer side, so they should be easy to find. Remember, your local shops can help track these down for you as well. For the titles I’ve already read, I added a mini review for some extra info.

Morgana’s list:

Books that focus heavily on the lives of women:

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Satoko and Nada, by Yupechika; published by Seven Seas Entertainment 

Princess Jellyfish, by Akiko Higashimura; published by Kodansha Comics

Tokyo Tarareba Girls, by Akiko Higashimura; published by Kodansha Comics

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness (if you haven't read it already) and its sequel My Solo Exchange Diary, by Nagata Kabi; published by Seven Seas Entertainment -This book can be quite brutal in its honesty and might not be an easy read for some, but I'm happy to say that it really left an impression and I'm happy this book exists.

The Bride Was A Boy, by chii; published by Seven Seas Entertainment -This is a rather sweet and fluffy story that reads like an introduction to transgender and LGBTQIA issues in Japan. An enjoyable and quick read.

Intriguing shonen stories that aren't super-popular like My Hero Academia but deserve some love:

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The Promised Neverland, by Kaiu Shirai; published by Viz Media     -I flew through the first volume of this story in a night. It’s dark, filled with suspense, and had some truly scary monsters. If you like books that are on the darker side, you should look this one up.

Dr. Stone, by Riichiro Inagaki and Boichi, published by Viz Media

Sweet gay stories that aren't already covered by the first category:

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That Blue Sky Feeling, by Okura; published by Viz Media

Go For It, Nakamura!, by Syundei; published by Seven Seas Entertainment

I Hear the Sunspot, by Yuki Fumino; published by One Peace Books

Like these recommendations? Visit Morgana's blog at MangaMaven.com for more recommendations and a peek into the life of a comic shop manager.