An Introvert’s Hookup Hiccups: This Gyaru Is Head Over Heels for Me!, Vol. 8

October 10, 2024 by Leave a Comment

By Yuishi and Kagachisaku. Released in Japan as “Inkya no Boku ni Batsu Game de Kokuhaku Shitekita Hazu no Gal ga, Dō Mitemo Boku ni Beta Bore Des” by HJ Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Satoko Kakihara.

I’ve talked before about how we, as the reader, are being driven absolutely mad by these two being both incredibly cute and incredibly horny at the same time, and yet somehow not even getting to kissing each other on the lips. Well, this volume is dedicated to the fact that we are not alone. It takes place almost entirely at the school, as it’s culture festival time, and everyone in the class is us, because all they can do is stare with their jaws dropped as Yoshin and Nanami do what they think is normal stuff that every couple does, and everyone else sees as the boldest, most shameless acts in the world. These two are in love with each other and it shows in everything they do, and frankly for high school kids that’s something to inspire jealousy. Which, well, probably explains the rumors that open the book…

There’s a rumor going round about Yoshin, and the rumor is that he has a harem. (Yeah, sorry, the idea of polycules is not a thing this series wants to deal with at all.) After all, not only does he have the incredibly hot Nanami as his named girlfriend, but he’s also hanging out with her two gorgeous best friends, AND he recently started hanging out with the class president, who also got a makeover just for him! What a player! This means that yes, Yoshin is dragged before the teachers as well, where he realizes the main reason that rumors like this gain traction: he’s only friends with girls. He needs to figure out a way to fix that. Before he can, though, it’s culture festival time, the class is doing a cosplay cafe, and Yoshin and Nanami are on the committee. Will they have time for the Best Couple Contest?

There are other things going on in this book, including an entire subplot about the class president and her tragic backstory, which turns out to be far more teenage than tragic. But for the most part we’re here for Yoshin and Nanami, and boy howdy does this book deliver on sweet romance. You’ll get diabetes. They discover the magic of falling asleep talking to each other on video call. Nanami wears a giant bunny suit to fake out the class, then shows off a playboy bunny outfit only for her boyfriend. Yoshin dresses up as a maid for the cosplay cafe, and everyone agrees that he looks really cute, much to his chagrin… but he’ll to anything for Nanami. The capper is the Couple Contest, when these two go above and beyond, essentially proposing to each other (again) and capping it off with the kiss we’ve been wanting to see. The whole book is there to make the reader go “squee!”.

The afterword promises the class trip next time. The cover of Vol. 9 has a sports festival, though, so buyer beware. Still buy it, though. This is the sweetest frosting around.

Filed Under: an introvert's hookup hiccups, reviews

Ayakashi and the Fairy Tales We Tell Ourselves

October 9, 2024 by Leave a Comment

By Kosuzu Kobato and Meij. Released in Japan on the Shousetsuka ni Narou website. Released in North America by Cross Infinite World. Translated by Dawson Chen.

This is one of those books that I probably would not have picked up if I didn’t already know the author. Kosuzu Kobato has basically never written anything I’d dislike, This is also complete in one volume, so it’s a good book to take a flyer on. And, unsurprisingly, I enjoyed it. The plot, though, actually ended up being a lot quieter than I expected. There were dark hints in this book that the heroine has bad ayakashi causing her harm (which leads to a reputation of being clumsy). There’s the heroine’s tragic past, as well as the hero’s tragic past. And there’s these weird ayakashi showing up away from the main house and acting, seemingly, menacing. It felt like it was building up to a big confrontation, or perhaps a kidnapping and rescue, or that sort of thing. But that’s not what happens here, and it’s not the point of the book. This book is about accepting your past, and it’s also about accepting that you don’t need to have your entire future mapped out by the time you’re fourteen years old.

Haruka has recently moved to the town, and is still settling in at school, though she has made two best friends. She’s a relatively shy, reserved person, and despite being exceptional at ballet and cooking she seems to regard herself as lacking in something. Then one day she runs into (literally) Ayako, a woman who was biking and not watching where she was going. Going back to her home to bandage Haruka’s scraped leg, she then runs into Takumi, who she doesn’t know but who clearly goes to her school. As the book goes on, and she stops by Ayako’s house more and more, it becomes apparent that she can see ayakashi, the mysterious spirits that litter the house. Takumi can see them too, and that fact has caused him grief throughout his life. Can these two damaged middle-schoolers be the best things that happened to each other?

This book sneaks up on you – it doesn’t really get into anything supernatural until about a quarter of the way in, and even then, the ayakashi end up being more of a spice than anything else – the book is solely about its two leads. Honestly, there were times when it felt like we were going to get more – Haruka’s childhood featured her being hospitalized, and the description of how it happened made me wonder if it was going to tie in with malevolent ayakashi impulsively seeking to harm her or something. But no, it was just a garden-variety horrible human thing. But that’s fine, as the book really excels in the two kids slowly recovering and looking forward to the future again. Haruka recalls her past, accepts it, and is able to move forward in being a blushing girl in love. Takumi realizes that despite everything that happened with his family, his father is trying to support him the best he can – he’s just horrible at emoting. The end of the book has them essentially becoming a couple without naming it as that, which fits the reserved tone.

It’s just a sweet little book. I wish there were more of it, but there isn’t. It’s a good read about some serious kids.

Filed Under: ayakashi and the fairy tales we tell ourselves, reviews

The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor, Vol. 6

October 8, 2024 by Leave a Comment

By Sasara Nagase and Mitsuya Fuji. Released in Japan as “Yarinaoshi Reijō wa Ryūtei Heika o Kōryaku-chū” by Kadokawa Beans Bunko. Released in North America by Cross Infinite World. Translated by piyo.

As I write this, we are less than a day away from the premiere of the anime version of this series. As such, I wish to make it clear that I am well aware of the problematic nature of this series. We’ve discussed it before. The series opens with incest, and then it ends up hitting “I’m going to marry a ten-year-old”. It is the definition of “oh dear”. And I am here to tell you that the author is absolutely reveling in it. Given a chance to, say, have a timeskip, or perhaps move away from the incestuous kingdom, she instead insists on doubling down on everything. This volume in particular talks about how awkward it is for Jill to be eleven years old multiple times, and it also manages somehow to double the incest! Unfortunately… or, well, fortunately, to be honest… that does not double the fun. I can tell you that both plotlines are for plot-related reasons, and the plot is insidious, and REALLY wants war.

After the relative light-heartedness of the last volume, we’re bundled back into political intrigue at Jill and Hadis’ home base in this volume. There’s been a poor harvest, and the three dukes whose support Hadis need are 100% ready to throw Jill under the bus at a moment’s notice. They propose an impossible task – revive the Dragon Flower Crown Festival, something which will require the help of all the other consorts who stay at the Empress’ palace. Unfortunately, they’re all (well, almost all) trying to sabotage Jill – clearly at the behest of some mysterious party. Oh yes, and Jill has been getting mysterious love letters confessing to her and urging that she meet in the Garden of Resting Dragons… a place well known for adulterous affairs. There’s a mad old man setting traps in the Dragon Consort’s Palace (a place Jill didn’t even realize was there). Oh yes, and Minerd’s back, and totally not planning something evil.

It’s refreshing to see this series come back to “at any moment, history will revert and Jill will die” territory again. We’re not quite there yet, but we’re one step closer to war, thanks to the events near the end of this book, which lean heavily on the squickiest of the series’ plotlines and rub it in our faces. it’s chilling. As for the actual bad guy, well, they’re rather pathetic and sad, but that’s the point, and fits pretty well with everything that we’ve heard bfeore. Much better are the other consorts, who theoretically present an enemy that Jill simply can’t beat to submission with her fists. She is being forced to actually think politically and scheme… and then, when that doesn’t work, she beats them to submission with her fists. Jill does not quite shout “IT’S CLOBBERIN TIME!” once a volume, but it’s not for lack of trying.

After that nasty cliffhanger, it’s a good thing we’ve got the next volume coming s–what’s that? Short story volume? Sigh. Of course. In any case, please enjoy this series, which rampages through its problematic aspects with TINY FISTS.

Filed Under: do-over damsel conquers the dragon emperor, reviews
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