The pros of conventions going virtual: safer for individuals in the current environment, more special guests from across the globe who wouldn’t normally be able to attend, not as many overlapping panels to worry about missing, etc.
Cons: forgetting about said event for one reason or another. This particular reason being my sister and I exploring the far reaches of space in No Man’s Sky for more than four hours. So imagine my surprise when I hopped on Twitter for my nightly scroll to see that Anime Expo Lite was heading into its second day. Panels and contests aside, what I was most interested in was the manga releases (and the thatgamecompany livestream but that’s not manga related so.) A spiral into several of the publishers’ feeds and I quickly spotted some manga titles hitting stateside that were quickly added to my ever-growing list.
Eniale & Dewiela
Another series from Witch Hat Atelier creator Kamome Shirahama following the wild hijinks of Eniale, a coy angel and Dewiela, a serious devil. Whether it’s wrecking New York for some famous cosmetics, sinking Tokyo because of a zombie outbreak or getting into car chases in Paris over a clothing quarrel, this otherworldly duo never fail to drag the whole world into their antics!
First, if you haven’t read Witch Hat Atelier, please do. Coco’s journey and the world Shirahama continues to create is nothing short of fantastical. I was excited to see Yen Press acquire the North American license for Eniale & Dewiela! Especially after seeing others talk about the possibility of an English release on Twitter a few months ago. It’s probably the title I’m looking forward to the most.
A Witch’s Love at the End of the World
In a world where magic rules from the shadows, there exists a school for witches. This mysterious academy trains witches to take vengeance against those who have wronged them. And Alice, a magical prodigy, has lived her life by this goal. That is, until Mari, a magic-less human, enters her life and her heart.
Not all witchy stories are created equally. But I’m a simple woman: I see a story about witches and I’m instantly interested. And if the story hurts me in the process I’ll have no one to blame but myself. I’m mostly diving in with what information was provided on the Yen Press page and nothing else. But, you know, witches.
Strawberry Fields Once Again
“I’ll never have a 3D romance!” is what the otome game-loving Akira says, so she’s caught off-guard when a new transfer student declares that she’s her future girlfriend! So begins the story of two girls who are more than friends but less than lovers!
I’ve read several chapters of Kinosaki’s other manga, The Duchess of Rosia- A Contract Marriage? How Did This Happen?! on the Renta! app. A comedy manga about a daughter of a destitute earl who marries the eligible duke of Rosia as a “pretend wife.” A promise of a comfortable life with the freedom to do as she pleases. A wife with benefits, if you will. Between my enjoyment of The Duchess of Rosia and the “future lover” proclamation in the summary, I have no doubt this tale of almost (?) lovers won’t disappoint.
And maybe I’ll take a peek at some of the other titles closer to release, Asumiko Nakamura’s A White Rose in Bloom and Kengo Hanazawa’s Under Ninja in particular also caught my eye. There are many titles that would do well in the U.S. I hope publishers pick up on readers excitement with this recent wave and really branch out to bring in even more titles.
Reading Rites 