March is here! I’m so happy for Spring as my corner of the world has been battered down by a Winter Storm! I legit do not want to see snow or rain for a very, very long time but alas I know what to expect more of. This month sees the end of tear-jerker manga series, orange, and lots of titles for those who love romance and the spicier side of it as well. Jump in, and take a seat as we get into it!
For Those Who Dare To Love Genre-Blurring Manga:
ORANGE -TO YOU, DEAR ONE-
FINAL VOLUME! Don't miss the conclusion of the Eisner-nominated, bittersweet romance manga series that became an NYT bestseller—and inspired an anime!
Out today in print/digital! See RETAILERS section:https://t.co/thGxjdtawF pic.twitter.com/HfFCxCez8j
— Seven Seas Entertainment (@gomanga) March 7, 2023
Series: orange
Story & Art by: Ichigo Takano
Release Date: 03/07/2023
Price: $13.99
Format: Manga
Page Count: 216
Translation: Amber Tamosaitis
Lettering: Lys Blakeslee
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I have been on the late train because as of this week, I just read the sixth volume in this series! Blurring romance and sci-fiction, orange presents an incredible story of a teenage girl who receives a letter from her future self pressing her to save the life of a friend who dies young. Naho received a detailed letter from her future self. In it, she is told she must save Kakeru, an important boy in her friend circle who becomes very important to her. In later volumes, her friends come forward to reveal that they too received letters from the future from themselves.
I have cried so much with each volume as the kids all get closer and farther away in their united goals to ultimately save their dear friend. While my biggest criticism of the series is that…the science-y parts: how the letters found their way to their younger selves ten years ago isn’t elaborated on to satisfy readers, the climax of volumes five and six are good enough to complete the story. I will definitely read volume seven but in a way, I don’t feel I need to. What makes volume seven worth anticipating and reading is the twist in the original timeline where… not to spoil anything for those who have not read or caught up–just may have changed up things by doing the impossible.
I love stories with time travel and alternative timelines, branching new storylines and making a narrative fuller. orange is a manga that I would recommend for lovers of Shojo and Josei who love an emotional story that doesn’t complicate itself with its sci-fi handling (a small flaw in my eyes but not one to drop the series). This Eisner-nominated manga series has been a ride and one I look forward to completing with these darling characters I’ve grown so attached to. Final Volume, time!
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Condemned in the streets—a fierce heroine in the sheets! A Mature-rated bodice-ripper of an isekai romance manga for our Steamship imprint. 😳🔥
Pre-order THE VILLAINESS AND THE DEMON KNIGHT (MANGA) Vol. 1 (digital soon)! #PreordersLive #7SeasBookshttps://t.co/iOg8ufbtIt pic.twitter.com/VJrxcmAFha
— Seven Seas Entertainment (@gomanga) January 18, 2023
All the Romance, PLEASE!
Series: The Villainess and the Demon Knight (Manga)
Story & Art by: Nekota Seikan Asahiko
Release Date: 03/28/2023
Price: $14.99
Format: Manga
Translation: M. Jean
Adaptation: Molly Muldoon
Lettering: Giuseppe A. Fusco
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So I heard that this was a “Mature-rated bodice-ripper”, which were the key operating words that this was my jam! Another isekai romance manga for Steamship: the all-new Seven Seas imprint dedicated to sexy romance for women, The Villainess and the Demon Knight serves up some spicy romance I want to read more of. So as the story goes: an ordinary girl finds herself reincarnated into her fave otome game…as the villainess, noblewoman Cecilia. Yikes. She did a little work like not attending parties where her character harasses the heroine but she still is dumped by the Crown Prince! Her engagement is called off and she’s disowned by her family and kicked out. She’s sent to the nunnery–a godsend but soon kicked out cause of some higher-up’s ties to the heroine.
This is where the story gets more complicated and the narrative goes before the kettle to the fire: the reincarnated villainess gets kicked out of where the nuns reside and finds refuge in a…pleasure district? Yup and the first customer of hers turns out to be the debauched Leader of the Imperial Guard, Lucas Herbst. Context: he was raised as siblings with the heroine and he has always protected her in the shadows. He always has quite the rep for being…unhinged with his methods of violence and pulls strings here and there thanks to his lineage and reputation in society. Yikes. From the few pages that I’ve seen in the preview: the art is super pretty, detailed, and gorgeous even if some of these tropes in the TL/Smut category of manga sometimes make me uncomfortable. Lucas is billed as Mister “Tall, Dark, and Insatiable” and some of the dialogue so far made me laugh out loud. I’ll have to read and check back in but I know this one ain’t for the babies! Come on with a “Condemned in the streets, a fierce heroine in the sheets” tagline, this is for grown folks, only!
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I DIDN’T MEAN TO FALL IN LOVE (For Mature readers)
A self-contained Boys' Love/#BL manga! When a 30-year-old virgin falls for a charming flirt, could their awkward courtship simmer into something more?
Out today in print/digital! See RETAILERS section:https://t.co/9i0quNyimF pic.twitter.com/crbpqVvKH9
— Seven Seas Entertainment (@gomanga) March 14, 2023
Series: I Didn’t Mean to Fall in Love
Story & Art by: Minta Suzumaru
Release Date: 03/14/2023
Price: $14.99
Format: Manga
Page Count: 184
Translation: Philip Reuben
Lettering: Rina Mapa
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Oh, I love romance stories about late bloomers! So when I heard about the synopsis of I Didn’t Mean to Fall in Love, I was intrigued. On the surface Yoshino has it all: good looks and a great job, and yet he’s never fallen in love or had a boyfriend. He’s bummed out by it as he is about to turn thirty. On his birthday, he makes his way to a gay bar with all his courage mustered up. Yoshino meets Rou, a charming, silver-haired college student who is everything that Yoshino isn’t: mysterious, assertive, and experienced with both men and women.
Has this a 30-year-old virgin fallen for a flirt or has he found the fabled one? The two have chemistry, I’m loving all the little details like the rules of the gay bar and the small ways Rou stands out to Yoshino. Here’s another self-contained Mature-rated Boys’ Love romance I may end up reading and recommending to the girlies!
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WRAP UP:
Shout-out to everyone who was able to take advantage of the Barnes & Noble “Buy One, get the other 50% off sale” ( These ALWAYS come after I’ve made some big expense or gone to the dentist! BOO!) I know the sale covers manga but also includes light novels, danmei, manhua, + manhwa! If you missed it this time like me, may you be luckier next time! There’s also more danmei news on the horizon: I swear I can never keep up with the special editions and news but I do love seeing it!
More importantly, an update from some of our favorite folks: the Seven Seas Union! Their Twitter account has been quiet since last year, until this month when they posted an update on their own dealings and congratulated Comic Book Workers United for ratifying their contract! Sending them nothing but good vibes and they continue to make waves in the industry!
Ahoy! It's been a while since we checked in!
UW7S is glad to report that bargaining is well underway, and we are making progress. We've been discussing healthcare and wages and we are looking forward to our next meeting!
— United Workers of Seven Seas (@_UW7S) March 2, 2023
And that’s all for this month! Cheers! See you all next time!
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