She may be one of the greatest mages of the modern age, but Frieren will never be a First-Class Mage by the Continental Magic Association’s (read:  Serie’s) standards.  So it’s a good thing that Fern has what it takes, along with no lasting enmity between her and her judge.  She’s not alone in passing the […]

Why yes, it has been a while since we’ve checked in with this series.  Consider this the start of a digital manga catch-up week around here. You’d think that I’d have wanted to follow-up on the adventures of Kafka Hibino sooner, what with vol. 4 leaving off with him having to prove that he’s still […]

Mob meets and rescues the Prime Minister of Japan at the start of this volume.  That may sound like a big thing, but it’s a minor footnote compared to what happens next.  While that immediately involves the title character learning the tragic backstory and taking on Serizawa, the last of the Ultimate 5, the real […]

I don’t want to compare my interest in this series to the grip that Seiichi’s mom has on him, but it’s really starting to feel similar.  Even ten years on, our protagonist still can’t take control of his own life without facing the specter of his mother.  As for me, while I can’t quite say […]

All of the setup in the previous volume felt like it was leading to a big battle, and that’s what we get here.  Two, in fact, with the first involving a clash of 250,00 Lusitanians against 100,000 Parsians.  It sounds like a very lopsided battle – and the Parsians don’t even have the strategic genius […]

It’s safe to say that in the last volume shit got real.  Phobos’ programming was re-written by Poseidon’s leader and she was sent to attack Nene and Clarion.  The latter was doing her best to fight off her sister’s assault, but it wasn’t enough.  Facing imminent defeat partway through this volume, she looks into her […]

We reach the climax of this arc towards the end of this volume, but before we get there we’ve got to spend some more time with Philomela.  Not that it’s a bad thing as the saga of this poor, put-upon, and deprived girl has been one of the strongest plot threads of the “College Arc.”  […]

The dungeon has a new master.  It’s not Laios, though.  Marcille has taken the position all to further her grand goal:  Adjusting the lifespans of all the races so that one doesn’t live longer than the other.  Her hand may have been forced in this matter by the Canaries, but when we catch up with […]

Vol. 28 was a fun distraction as the series geared up for its endgame.  Vol. 29 sees “Golden Kamuy” head full steam into its final act as the main cast arrives at Goryokaku, site of the (first) Battle of Hakodate.  While Sugimoto, Asirpa, and company believe that they’ve got just enough time to find the […]