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Genre Breakdown: Video Game Adaptations
These posts on video games and manga are co-written with Matthew Hawkins, a librarian and video game expert with a decades-long resume as a journalist, developer, and curator of video game-related art. As you might gather from the name, Matt is also my husband. Video game adaptations and manga about video games are such a…
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Manga Review: Chainsaw Man
Title: Chainsaw Man Mangaka: Tatsuki Fujimoto US Publisher: Viz Media / Shonen Jump Status: Ongoing- Now in Part II Age Relevance: Upper High School and Up How Essential Is It?: Must Have Curricular Connections?: Independent Reading Reader’s Advisory Tags: Horror, Action Anime: Crunchyroll Content Warnings: Gore, suicide, death, sexual innuendos, cannibalism, groping Publisher Synopsis: Denji’s a poor young man who’ll do anything…
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Manga Review: A Girl & Her Guard Dog
Title: A Girl & Her Guard Dog Mangaka: HATSUHARU US Publisher: Kodansha Status: Ongoing Age Relevance: High School and Up How Essential Is It?: Purchase if You Need to Burn Money Curricular Connections?: Independent Reading Reader’s Advisory Tags: Yakuza, Romance Anime: Coming in 2023 Content Warnings: Age gap, grooming, stalking behavior, kidnapping, assault, organized crime, attempted sexual assault Publisher Synopsis: Isaku never…
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Manga Review: Shuna’s Journey
Title: Shuna’s Journey Mangaka: Hayao Miyazaki US Publisher: First Second Status: Complete (Single Volume) Age Relevance: Elementary and Up How Essential Is It?: Must Have Curricular Connections?: Folk Tales, Independent Reading Reader’s Advisory Tags: Folk tale, Tibet, Studio Ghibli Content Warnings: Slavery, some thematic violence. Publisher Synopsis: From legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki comes Shuna’s Journey, a new manga classic about a prince on…
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Manhwa Review: Villians Are Destined to Die
Title: Villians Are Destined to Die Creators: SUOL (artist), Gwon Gyeoeul (writer), David Odell (translator) US Publisher: IZE Press / Tapas (Ongoing chapters) Status: Ongoing Age Relevance: High School and Up How Essential Is It?: Nice to Have Curricular Connections?: Independent Reading Reader’s Advisory Tags: Isekai, Romance, Reverse Harem, Otome Game, Villainess Content Warnings: Child abuse, bullying, slavery, violence against women…
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Light Novel Review: The Holy Grail of Eris
Title: The Holy Grail of Eris Author: Kujira Tokiwa US Publisher: Yen Press Status: Ongoing Age Relevance: Middle School and Up How Essential Is It?: Must Have Curricular Connections?: Independent Reading Reader’s Advisory Tags: Mystery, Ghosts, Romance, Pretend Engagement, Slow Burn, Revenge Manga: Yes! Review coming. Content Warnings: Discussions of murder, executions, illicit drug trade Publisher Synopsis: Never neglect to read…
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Manga Review: Horimiya
Title: Horimiya Mangaka: HERO, Daisuke Hagiwara US Publisher: Yen Press Status: Ongoing (Complete in Japan, should complete soon in US at 16 volumes) Age Relevance: Middle school and up How Essential Is It?: Must Have Curricular Connections?: Independent reading. Reader’s Advisory Tags: Romance, humor, relationships, friendships Anime: Crunchyroll Live-Action: Not available for streaming in US, but you can see the trailer…
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Manga Review: Drip, Drip
Title: Drip, Drip Mangaka: Paru Itagaki US Publisher: VIZ Media Status: Complete (Oneshot) Age Relevance: Adult How Essential Is It?: Nice to Have Reader’s Advisory Tags: Feminism, gender relations, sexuality Content Warnings: Gore, sexual content, generational trauma Publisher Synopsis: Whenever Mako Higari comes in contact with something she perceives as dirty, she gets a massive nosebleed. How can she find a…
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Manga Review: Dandadan
Title: Dandadan Mangaka: Yukinobu Tatsu US Publisher: VIZ Media (Shonen Jump) Status: Ongoing Age Relevance: Adult How Essential Is It?: Nice to Have Curricular Connections?: Not relevant to school collections; please select other titles! My suggestions: Assassination Classroom, Mob Psycho 100, One Punch Man Reader’s Advisory Tags: Aliens, humor, ecchi, absurdist Content Warnings: Sexual assault, crude humor, some violence. Publisher Synopsis:…
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Manga Review: Cat + Gamer
Title: Cat + Gamer (猫暮らしのゲーマーさん, Nekogurashi no Gēmā-san) Mangaka: Wataru Nadatani US Publisher: Dark Horse Status: Ongoing Age Relevance: Elementary & Up How Essential Is It?: Must Have (According to Me) Curricular Connections?: Independent reading. Reader’s Advisory Tags: Video games, cats, female protagonists, humor. Content Warnings: None! Publisher Synopsis: Riko, a twenty-nine-year-old office worker with an obsession for video games, finds…