Category: Blog

Manga Haul December 2022

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About

This haul includes the manga I received as holiday gifts, as well as what I purchased on my own through Amazon and my local book store.

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 7

I love this series. Unfortunately, volume eight doesn’t come out in English until May. I have already read this book, and you can read the review here. If you’d like to start from the beginning, the reviews for volumes one through six are also available.

What is it?

A Chinese inspired historical mystery romance.

Chi’s Sweet Home, Vol. 1 (Japanese)

This is the Japanese print of Chi’s Sweet home. It’s supposedly a good series to read for beginners of the language. I found it highly recommended from several sources, so I’m looking forward to using it for some language practice in my Japanese learning journey.

What is it?

A cute series of adorable cat adventures and shenanigans.

How to Train Your Devil, Vol. 1

I added this to my to-read list this past summer. I don’t know much about it, yet. The description implies hero surrogate mother to a perverted baby Devil King.

Update: The review for this volume is now available.

What is it?

It’s supposed to be a lewd and funny fantasy.

Inuyasha VIZBig Edition, Vol. 3

I’ve already read the Inuyasha manga, but I’ve never had my own physical copies. I’m working on that with these editions. It’s not a high priority, though, so I won’t be getting them often.

What is it?

A Japanese time travel adventure romance with demons.

My Monster Secret, Vol. 1

I added this to my list around the same time as How to Train your Devil. It appears to be about a girl who is secretly a vampire. I won’t know any more than that until I read it.

Update: The review for this volume is now available.

What is it?

It’s supposed to be a funny romance from what I can tell.

Noragami Omnibus Vol. 2 (volumes 4-6)

I’m building a bit of a buffer before I delve into reading these. The anime is great, so I’m excited to start the manga. It kind of reminds me a little of Soul Eater, because people can become weapons or objects.

What is it?

An urban fantasy focused around gods and the spirit world, but also a bit silly at times.

Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 1-3

This is a great manga, and a great anime. Of course, the anime ends long before the manga and deviates a bit. A friend of mine was collecting the series back when I was in middle school when the series was still new to the U.S. I was able to read most of it back then, but not finish it. I’m looking forward to completing my own set and giving it a full read.

What is it?

A gender bend, slice of life, comedy, romance.

Skip Beat! Vol. 36-42

This fills the chunk I was missing. My collection is now up to current, and I can start reading them to review whenever. I’m looking forward to it.

What is it?

A revenge showbiz story with romance.

Light Novel and Manga Haul November 2022

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About

This haul size is closer to my average high end quantity. Usually I don’t even get this many. I’ve been buying way too many books lately, though, so they have not looked like this the past couple months. I’m going to try to use some self control to maintain a small reasonable amount of books each month, instead of the massive piles I’ve had.

Light Novels

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Ties that Bind

This finishes my collection of the Fullmetal Alchemist light novels. It’s volume five out of six, but I already have the rest. Next time I read the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, I will read these, too.

What is it?

Volume five of six non-confirmed canon light novel stories for Fullmetal Alchemist. Written by Makoto Inoue with the original concept from Hiromu Arakawa.

Manga

Black Cat, Vol. 13

Only seven more volumes to go after this one! Some of them are going to take some digging to find affordably. This series is pretty much exclusively available as used copies. I will read and review them at some point after I have them all.

What is it?

A former assassin turned bounty hunter adventure with some super powered villains.

Fruits Basket Collector’s Edition, Vol. 12

Complete! This is the final volume of the series. I will be reading and reviewing the series at some point. From here on out, I need to start getting Fruits Basket Another. I believe it’s still fairly new and releasing volumes. Volume four is the last one I saw come out, so I probably won’t rush to get going on that.

What is it?

A charming series about a girl who meets a family that turns into the animals of the Chinese zodiac when hugged by someone of the opposite sex.

My Hero Academia, Vol. 4

I’m way behind on this as both anime and manga. I love the series based on what I’ve seen. It’s wildly popular, though, so I probably don’t have to tell you how good it is. With this volume, I have one, two, and four. The store did not have volume three.

What is it?

A story about a rising hero in a world where almost everyone has super powers.

Skip Beat! Vol. 47

The latest volume that came out this November! I’m starting to get an itch to read the series, but I still have that gap to fill. Once I fill that gap of volumes I’m missing, I will probably read and review this at my earliest convenient opportunity.

What is it?

A revenge showbiz story with romance.

Tail of the Moon, Vol. 9

There are six volumes left after this one for a total of fifteen. I will definitely be reading and reviewing the series at some point after getting them all. I already know I like the series, because I’ve read a chunk of it before.

What is it?

A romance story about an incompetent ninja girl sent to woo Lord Hanzo.

Light Novel and Manga Haul October 2022

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About

Most of this haul is pre-owned manga. It’s going to take a while to finish some stuff I’m collecting, so expect to see some of the same series appear frequently in monthly hauls.

Light Novels

Spice & Wolf, Vol. 6 & 7

I love this series. I’m way behind the current releases, but I’ll catch up eventually. Volume twenty three, I believe, is coming out in the second half of November.

Reviews for volumes one through four have already been posted. Feel free to check those out. I will continue to review the series as I read it.

Update: The review for volume six is now available.

Manga

Black Cat, Vol. 10, 11, & 12

I absolutely love the Black Cat anime. I saw the anime before I read any of the books. Initially, I borrowed the first few volumes from a friend, but I didn’t get very far at the time. There are about twenty volumes, and I’m currently in the process of obtaining them for myself. This haul puts me about a little over half way through completing the series. Most, if not all, of them have to be purchased used these days. If you’ve also seen the anime, be aware the manga is a bit different.

Flame of Recca, Vol. 10 & 11

This is another of which I’ve seen the anime first. I love the anime because it is drastically similar to Yu Yu Hakusho. It has the same story formula, while being unique enough to capture my interest. I think there are thirty three volumes, so I’ve still got a long way to go to complete this one. I’m waiting until I complete it to read it. Like Black Cat, this one is mostly only available used.

Fruits Basket Collector’s Edition, Vol. 10 & 11

After these, I only have one more volume! I’m excited to be able to binge read the series soon. I’ll also be collecting Fruits Basket Another once this series is complete.

While I’ve been a fan of Fruits Basket for a long time, I haven’t been able to read it, and I’ve only seen the original anime. It’ll be nice to finally be able to read it, and I should get around to watching the new version of the anime at some point.

Tail of the Moon, Vol. 7 & 8 + Prequel

I read a chunk of this series before, but I can’t remember how much. I just know I loved what I read. There are fifteen volumes, plus the prequel shown here. I didn’t know the prequel existed until recently, so I made sure to grab it.

Light Novel and Manga Haul September 2022

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About

I’ve been over spending the past couple months. This haul is still bigger than my usual. I’m endeavoring to get better at taking pictures, but I have shaky hands and I’m not good at composing artful arrangements.

I am aware Inuyasha is not a book, but I got him this month, and thought he should be in the picture. He is a PopUp Parade figure, and I highly recommend that brand for quality affordable figures.

Light Novels

Spice & Wolf, Vol. 5

I love this series. Unfortunately, I discovered it a bit late, so I’m about twenty volumes behind the current releases. I’m sure I’ll catch up eventually.

Reviews for this series are already in progress, so feel free to check those out. I’ll include a link to volume one for people who’d like more information.

Update: The review for this volume is now available.

Manga

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 6

After having to wait a couple weeks for volume five, I’m making sure to get these as close to release day as possible. I love this series. It’s currently one of my favorites. This volume came out around September, 13th, and I already have a review done for it. I can’t wait for volume seven. Why does it have to be so far away?

If you’re new the the series, here’s a link to my review for volume one.

Black Cat, Vol. 8 & 9

I absolutely love the Black Cat anime. I saw the anime before I read any of the books. Initially, I borrowed the first few volumes from a friend, but I didn’t get very far at the time. There are about twenty volumes, and I’m currently in the process of obtaining them for myself. Most, if not all, of them have to be purchased used these days. If you’ve also seen the anime, be aware the manga is a bit different.

I can’t exactly recommend this series since I haven’t read it all myself, yet, but if you like gunfighting characters, this might be right up your alley. The main character is a former assassin turned bounty hunter who uses a pistol as his primary weapon.

If you like stories about secret organizations, super powered people, and human science experiments, this might also be for you.

Flame of Recca, Vol. 8 & 9

This is another of which I’ve seen the anime first. I love the anime because it is drastically similar to Yu Yu Hakusho. It has the same story formula, while being unique enough to capture my interest.

I have not read any of the manga, yet. Maybe volume one and two forever ago, but that’s about it. I have no idea how similar it is to the anime. My plan is to binge read all thirty three volumes once I have them. These are also generally only available used.

If you like Yu Yu Hakusho, and want a similar experience, consider checking this series out. You’ll likely have better luck finding it digitally, though.

Fullmetal Alchemist Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 18

I’ve already read the entirety of Fullmetal Alchemist years ago. I absolutely love it. It’s one of my all time favorites, and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

I never got to own the whole series before now. This volume completes my collection. Before this, I think I had volumes one through four of the regular editions. I found these gorgeous hardcovers around the time I was considering purchasing more of the series, so I decided to upgrade instead.

I recommend this series to everybody. It’s absolutely amazing.

His Majesty the Demon King’s Housekeeper, Vol. 1

I already have a review for this. I grabbed it at my local bookstore because the cover caught my eye, and also because I saw the word library in the synopsis. Sometimes I choose books for purely impulsive reasons.

Maids and housekeepers have always been popular in anime and manga. I haven’t tried many with that theme, though, maybe a couple. This is definitely the first I’ve purchased. I saw a couple episodes of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, if you want to count that.

This is a rather wholesome isekai compared to the norm. Check out my review for more information.

My Happy Marriage, Vol. 1

I have a review for this typed up and ready to go for Wednesday, October, 5th. Because of that, I don’t want to say too much here.

I saw this book popping up in my social media feeds and at the bookstore, so I decided to buy it and give it a try. It released around the same time as The Apothecary Diaries volume 6, and it has a light novel version as well. Normally I would choose the light novel, but the manga was right in front of me at the store. The light novel is also fairly new, so it didn’t really matter which I started with.

Noragami Stray God Omnibus 1-3

I had heard of this series for a while, and only recently, sometime this year, got around to watching it on Hulu. I love the anime. It’s unfortunate it doesn’t have a real ending. It just kind of drops off and doesn’t get any more seasons. Regardless, it was enough to make me want to own the manga.

I did a little research on the manga before getting invested. Apparently, it’s better, but also darker, than the anime. That just further intrigues me.

The timing for this omnibus worked out great. It released the same day as The Apothecary Diaries volume six. I saw it on the shelf at my local book store and had to have it. Omnibus editions will probably make it so much easier to collect and read the series. The only downside is I have to wait for each volume to release.

SpyxFamily, Vol. 3 & 4

I have not started this series, yet. I’ve heard such good things about it, though, so I just went ahead and started buying it. My list of things to read is long, but I’m sure I’ll get to it eventually.

Light Novel and Manga Haul August 2022

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About

I went a little overboard this month. This is excessively more books than I usually obtain by the end of the month. I use books as a reward system for myself, and you can see the results. Obviously, I’ve had a productive month.

I didn’t mention it in my first haul, because there were only five books, and they were all new, but I frequently buy used. So if you see a haul with a discolored book, or volumes with stickers or damage, I likely bought it pre-owned.

Manga

Fruits Basket Collector’s Edition, Vol. 9

I’m collecting all of these so I can binge read them all at once. Back in the day, I wasn’t able to read them, so I’m collecting these editions. I’m up to volume nine. Only three left! Yes, I will also be getting Fruits Basket Another once this series is completed.

Headhunted to Another World, Vol. 1 & 2

I research new books all the time. This one sounds like it might be one of the more entertaining isekai, and the first two volumes were at my local bookstore, so I grabbed them to try. This series is not a priority for me, though, so I have no idea when I’ll actually get around to reading it.

Update: Reviews now available for these volumes, one and two.

Flame of Recca, Vol. 7

This is something I discovered in high school. It reminds me strongly of Yu Yu Hakusho, of which I am a huge fan. They seem to use the same story formulas. I haven’t read this series, yet, but I have seen the anime. These appear to be out of print, so I’m slowly obtaining used copies to complete my collection.

Skip Beat! Vol. 45 & 46

These volumes catch me up to current releases. I am still missing a gap (I think volumes 36-42), so I can’t actively read the series yet. It does, however, make it easier for me to keep up with current releases. I’ll be reading and reviewing all volumes of this series eventually.

Yagi the Bookshop Goat

I’m trying to expand on my yaoi collection, because I have virtually none. According to what people are saying, Tokyopop is doing well with their yaoi and BL releases recently. I also hear this stand alone story is good. While I have not yet read it, I have high hopes. It sounds adorable.

Update: The review is now available.

Tail of the Moon, Vol. 4-6

This is another series I started in high school and have never gotten around to finishing. I’m going to fix that. A couple more volumes and I’ll be about half way to completing the collection.

Otomen, Vol. 1 & 2

This purchase is from my local bookstore, where they occasionally get some pre-owned manga. I’ve read this before, the whole series, and I absolutely loved it. It’s a story where traditional gender roles are flipped around, and it’s absolutely sweet and hilarious. I intend to collect the whole series since I read it before but did not own it.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Vol. 2

This series sounds super good. I have the first volume, but have not yet read it. Sometimes it’s better to have two volumes to test a series, so I saw no issue in buying the second volume before reading the first. I have high hopes for this one.

Update: The review for this volume is now available, also see the review for volume one.

The Hero Life of a (Self Proclaimed) “Mediocre” Demon, Vol. 1

This is not high on my list of priorities, but it was at my local bookstore, so now it’s on my shelf. It sounds like it might be funny. I don’t know when I’ll get around to it.

Update: The review for this volume is now available.

Light Novels

The Invincible Shovel, Vol. 1

I see the manga for this everywhere, and I hear it’s a comedy. Typically, the light novels for things are better than the manga, so I made sure to get the light novel, which was surprisingly more difficult to locate.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Under the Faraway Sky

This is volume four of the Fullmetal Alchemist light novel series, yet another series I started in school and did not have the opportunity to finish. The second editions for the six novel series are currently releasing. The final release is around the end of September. I’m getting the second editions despite having a copy of the first edition for volume one, because they changed the spines for the second editions, and volume six only got an English release as second edition. I want mine to match.

Spice & Wolf, Vol. 4

I love this series. Unfortunately, I discovered it a bit late, so I’m about twenty volumes behind the current releases at this point. I’m sure I’ll catch up eventually.

Reviews for this series are already in progress, so feel free to check those out. I’ll include a link to volume one for people who’d like more information.

Update: The review for this volume is now available.

Log Horizon: The Beginning of Another World, Vol. 1

The anime for this is amazing. I’ve only seen the first season or two, but I loved it. I hear the light novel is a little taxing to read with all the descriptions in volume one for introducing mechanics and stuff, but I’d like to judge that for myself.

Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest, Vol. 1

This is much thicker than I expected, but that’s not a bad thing. The premise sounds interesting. Instead of a single person or small group sent to another world, it’s a whole class. I hear the recommendation is to read one through seven, then start the prequel. I hope I like it, because this implies I might have a series to last me a while. Long running series are great as long as they don’t get boring, and I love it when books have spin-offs and prequels to expand on the world.

Manga Haul July 2022

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About Hauls:

I can’t guarantee I’ll always have a manga haul to post every month. If I don’t, it might be every two or three months. I want to be sure I’ll have at least four before considering it a haul. Hauls for regular novels will be posted separate from manga. Light novels will be included with manga. Pictures are not my strong suit, but I will try to get better at getting clearer images.

I don’t know what people usually say about their hauls. I’ll just put a personal touch on this, and go over what I got, and say something about it.

About this Manga Haul:

I love Skip Beat!. My collection started in high school when I got the first volume at a book fair for $2.50. I’ve fallen behind a bit, and I’m excited to get caught up on volumes (I think there are 46 right now, and no, these two volumes do not represent where I’m at in the series. I grabbed what I saw, so there’s a gap between volumes 35 and 43 on my shelf.). My plan is to re-read all of it from volume one to review and get caught up. I don’t have an ETA on that.

Spy x Family has been hugely popular. I haven’t read the first volume, yet, but I’ve seen volume two has been sold out in a lot of places for a while. With that in mind, I was motivated to grab it when I saw it. I look forward to starting this series.

The Apothecary Diaries…I was hooked on this after reading the first volume. My plan is to re-read from volume one, and keep up with releases and reviews for this series. I have 1-5( up to date) and will be making reviews for them soon. I would love for the light novel to get a physical release.
Update: Reviews for this series are now available Those mentioned here, and more. One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

I’ve been putting off Attack on Titan for a long time. The omnibus editions will be my go to for the series. Omnibus editions are a bit more expensive, so I won’t be buying them as often. This first one was about $5 off on sale, so it was a good time to grab it.

Content Buffering…

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Building content takes time, you know, because it takes time to read. While I’m working to expand on that, I figure it might be a good idea to show more about what kind of content you can expect. So I took the time and sweat to go through my shelves and grab as many of the books that are likely to make their way into reviews(mostly the first volumes of things I intend to start), and took a picture(to the best of my ability, I’m no photographer) to show you. Feel free to take a look and browse the titles, assuming they’re readable enough. I do not guarantee that every book in this photo will make it into a review. If you see something in the picture you for sure want me to review, feel free to contact me and I’ll try to bump it up on my list.

As of current, I can assure you The Apothecary Diaries is on my short list and will be reviewed soon. I plan to stay up to date on that one. Rosario+Vampire is also on the short list. I relatively recently finished my collection for it, and intend to read and review all of it. Everything else is up in the air and likely depends on my mood.

Welcome!

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Hello, and welcome to Fantastic Fictions! We’re a book review blog, and we’ve just launched. We have a few reviews already done to get started, with more on the way. The first several will likely be light novels and/or manga while we build content. Feel free to take a look around. Maybe check back later for more content. Follow us on twitter (@FantasticFics).