So Many Manga Reviews! Doctorkev’s ANN Fall 2024 Manga and Light Novel Guide Review Contributions
Every six months, Anime News Network publishes an extensive Manga (and Light Novel) Guide that aims to cover all the newly-published manga/LN volumes for that particular season — usually either Spring or Autumn. It takes so much work that it would be extremely onerous to do every season, hence the limited twice-yearly format. Also, only first volumes or stand-alone volumes are included. This time, my fellow reviewers and I were faced with possibly the biggest list of books ever to cover. As I have a full time job, a family, a life, and a need to eat and sleep, I limited my contribution to twenty reviews, which is still a lot!
Despite the significant time commitment, manga guide is fun because I get a chance to read all sorts of random things I might never have even known existed. I definitely picked up some new favourites this time around. I’ll list all of my reviews below, in order of book publication date:
Manga Guide:
September:
UFO Mushroom Invasion does what it says on the tin. Great, weird stuff.
A classic from the author of Nana and Paradise Kiss. Read it.
October:
This Lovecraft adaptation has stunning art.
This Villainess story was better than I expected, and the currently-streaming anime adaptation is pretty decent too.
A super-grim sci-fi story, this reminded me more of French comics than manga. Good but depressing.
From the writer of Mob Psycho 100 and One Punch Man, Versus is excellent. So much fun.
November:
I cannot recommend Thunder3 highly enough. It’s absolutely bonkers, and absolutely not the kind of story the opening chapter lulls you into thinking it might be.
Unfortunately, this is a supremely boring, derivative 86 spinoff. Stick with the original light novels.
Cthulhu Cat is hilarious! Highly recommended.
Eden of Witches has an art style a lot like Witch Hat Atelier. It’s perhaps not quite as good, but I like it a lot!
I hated Happyland, and possibly gave it the most negative review I’ve ever given anything.
Light Novel Guide:
This light novel was fantastic, with a fascinating premise. It works well as an individual volume, but I’m keen to read the next few volumes in the series to see where the story goes.
Kevin Cormack is a Scottish medical doctor, husband, father, and lifelong anime obsessive. He writes as Doctorkev at https://medium.com/anitay-official and appears regularly on The Official AniTAY podcast. You can also find him on Twitter @Herrdoktorkev. His accent is real.
