Naerim Shin has been the victim of bullying since middle school. Between her introverted nature, her ‘gloomy’ appearance, and her mother’s work as a shaman, she’s been an easy target, and none of the adults in her life seem to notice or care. She dreads each day going to school, only to return to an empty home, as her mother’s work often is her sole focus.
An upcoming class means 48 hours with no escape from her classmates’ torment, and Naerim can’t help but wish for a knight in shining armor to come to her rescue. But when a group of girls force Naerim to break open a sealed wardrobe in an abandoned church, she ends up accidentally forming a contract with an ancient vampire instead.
The vampire, Fetechou Vlad, is bound to be Naerim’s servant in exchange for her “witch’s blood” in the hopes it will eventually make him human again.
Bloody Sweet is a manhwa (translated from Korean) originally serialized as a webcomic, with the first few installments available for free, and the rest locked behind a paywall. Yen Press’s edition is the first physical release of the english translation, with volume one currently available, and volume two set to release in 2024.
I set out really hoping to enjoy this title, and it definitely had a few things going for it. The art, published in full color, is lovely, and Naerim is a protagonist that is easy to relate to and root for- her struggles with depression, isolation and bullying are unfortunately all too common. Unfortunately, the story’s tone was incredibly inconsistent. Fetechou, the vampire, and really all of the paranormal elements, feel like they’ve been tacked on in a way that doesn’t mesh well with the rest of the story. The narrative swings wildly between intense scenes of bullying and suicidal ideation, and awkward, manic jokes about the vampire eating scabs, quoting snack commercials and acting like a puppy.
The story is strongest when it deals with real world elements, focusing on Naerim and the people in her life. She reconnects with a childhood church friend called Hyoyeol, who had been crushing on Naerim for years, and truly admires her as a person for her kindness. Hyoyeol is bubbly and bright. Because he is a year younger than Naerim, they don’t attend the same school, but he has huge potential to be a positive force in Naerim’s life, reaching out to include her and introducing her to others willing to accept her.
At the same time, one of the adults Naerim met at the church has also been hired at her school as a counselor, meant to help address bullying in the school. But whenever the story seems to really be hitting its stride, Fetechou returns with more false, overly cutesy energy and jarring sexual innuendo.
There are intense discussions of bullying, depression, and implications of an attempted suicide. (A bloody boxcutter is shown, as well as self-harm scars on the protagonist’s wrist). However, it is the prevalence of BDSM imagery and awkward sexual remarks (including those related to Naerim’s menstrual blood) that lead me to disagree with the publisher’s age recommendation of 13+. I would bump that up to a 16+ or even perhaps shelve this title with the adult collection. Libraries with a tight graphics budget could probably stand to skip this title entirely.
Bloody Sweet,Vol. 1 By NaRae Lee Yen Press, 2023 ISBN: 9781975366728
Publisher Age Rating: 13+ Series ISBNs and Orde
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18) Creator Representation: Korean, Character Representation: Korean, Depression
Bell and his friends (or Familia) have been working on fulfilling extra quests in the Dungeon of Orario in order to purchase a very expensive dress for their patron deity, Hestia, to wear to the Holy Night Festival. A member of the Familia, Haruhime, does not venture out of their home base often due to reasons explained in a different series set in the same universe, so Bell escorts her during the Festival so she can enjoy herself while feeling safe. While enjoying the scenery, they meet Tarvi, a mysterious stranger new to town who is also enjoying the Festival activities. It seems she is also trying to avoid some soldiers, so Haruhime convinces Bell that they need to help their new friend avoid being caught.
Tarvi and Haruhime have much in common and quickly become fast friends and we learn that Tarvi is from a small country outside of Orario called Beltane. When the truth comes out about the soldiers and their relationship to Tarvi, Bell and Haruhime join forces with them to keep both girls safe and out of trouble. Unfortunately, that is not easy when they’re trying to impress each other instead of paying attention.
This series could be read on its own without any knowledge of the original manga or anime; however, I would not recommend purchasing only this series since it is a spin-off. This first volume does include explanations of key terms such as “Familia,” “Deities,” and “Status” in between chapters or in exposition text boxes. All of the previous character development and relationship establishment is not explained in this volume. Some of it is alluded to if deemed important to explain the plot of this spin-off. As someone who has watched the four anime seasons and read a few of the spin-off manga, I had no problem following the relationship dynamics and personality traits of characters like Hestia, who has a super obvious crush on Bell, and Bell, who is oblivious to any female interest in him despite the name of the main series. I don’t think new readers to the world would be as enamored if they didn’t have this outside information.
For readers who are familiar with the world and established characters, this story introduces a new country and a new character who befriends Haruhime quickly. This spin-off looks like it might spotlight Haruhime a bit more and give her some room for growth and development on page, but that could change in the following volumes now that the new additions have been introduced. Tarvi is an interesting addition to the world and brings a new perspective from a country outside of Orario. I would recommend this series to libraries that cater to teen readers that enjoy the main Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Series. Please note that this series is also rated Older Teen by the publisher due to kidnapping with the goal of sexual assault and violence. No sexual assault takes place on page in the first volume.
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Memoria Freese, Holy Night Traumerei Vol. 01 By Fujino Omori Art by Yu Shiomura Yen Press, 2023 ISBN: 9781975366537
Publisher Age Rating: Older Teen Related media: Game to Comic
Known as the Silent Witch because of her ability to cast magic without vocal chants, Monica Everett leaves her secluded station to attend Serendia Academy. But she isn’t attending to learn, she’s there to secretly protect the second prince, Prince Felix Ridill at the behest of her colleague Louis, who was charged by the king to secure the protection. The prince would never suspect Monica as a spy sent to protect him since the reason she learned unchanted magic was to circumvent her inability to speak in front of others due to anxiety.
Shortly after arriving at Serendia Academy, Monica immediately discovers that something is not right. A noble is accused of embezzling from the student council funds, and a chance encounter with the second prince in the gardens ends with a potted plant being thrown at him from a great height. Despite this, Monica manages to make a new friend and get close to the prince to help with the investigation. All this with her cat familiar, Nero at her side.
Being the first volume in a new series, there were some cases of info-dumping exposition, but also new characters were given name and rank placards to help the reader identify the many characters featured in volume one. Luckily, none of these text boxes detract from the illustrations since they are lovely. The use of shading is used well in the absence of color to create plenty of contrast between locations and characters. And there’s lots of little details sprinkled throughout as well to reinforce that these students are nobility.
I personally enjoyed this series opener since it contains both magical school and dark academia tropes. The main character is quite powerful but is so shy that she comes across as a background character instead of a main character that demands attention. The story moves forward quickly for a first volume, answering a couple of questions while introducing plenty of others to keep the reader interested. This would likely do well in any teen collection and especially at any library where patrons are looking for more magical school or dark academia titles. There is also a light novel of the same name.
Secrets of the Silent Witch Vol. 01 By Matsuri Isora Art by Nanna Fujimi Yen Press, 2023 ISBN: 9781975365301
Publisher Age Rating: Teen
NFNT Age Recommendation: Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13) Creator Representation: Japanese,
Only the smartest, most capable mages work at Harré and that’s just what Nunnally Hel plans to do. After meeting a receptionist at the esteemed establishment, she is determined to follow the same career path. She studied hard and is now heading to the kingdom’s magic academy to continue working toward her goal. At the magic academy, Nunnally faces social challenges and, as the commoners and nobles clash, discovers her magic type and meets her nemesis, Lord Alweiss Rockmann. Rivalry arises between Alweiss and Nunnally as soon as they start school and remains constant throughout their six years there. They are the top two students in their class and Alweiss is always number one, driving Nunnally nuts. She questions her teachers, but never gets a clear answer.
After their fifth year of school, all of the students participate in the Practical Magic Combat Tournament, which is observed by recruiters from Harré and other professional organizations. The tournament is divided by gender; Alweiss and Nunnally each win 1st place for their division and receive job offers pending their graduation. Alweiss is surprised to learn that Nunnally wants to be a receptionist, but doesn’t explain why. Even with job offers, feelings of competition continue between the two during their final year of school. After graduation, Nunnally heads off to begin her work at Harré. The book ends with a bonus classroom argument scene between Alweiss and Nunnally from their fourth year.
I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World, Vol. 1 is a pleasant read that left me wanting more. The story is well written. Mako does an efficient, natural job at giving the reader a good idea of the characters’ personalities. I found all of the characters interesting and would love to see more content with the background characters. Hopefully, that will come in subsequent volumes. Some character development among both the main and background characters is seen. Watching Nunnally’s relationships with her classmates develop and grow from enemies to friends is heartwarming and watching Nunnally and Alweiss become obsessed with each other is fun. It’s cute to see the reactions of the teachers and other students to their constant bickering. Even though Nunnally adds the goal of wanting to beat Alweiss, she admirably remains focused on her primary goal of working for Harré. The storyline is gratifying and motivating. Nunnally identifies her goal at the beginning of the story, and in each chapter the reader gets to see that she is closer to achieving her goal.
The story moves quickly, beginning with Nunnally as a young child and ending with her entering adulthood. I would have loved to spend more time witnessing her experiences in each year of school and seen her relationships develop more gradually. I would have enjoyed reading a more detailed account of events across five or six volumes. Rushing through so many years gives the impression that volume 1 is a prologue to the true story of Nunnally working at Harré and possibly falling in love with Alweiss. If that is the case, I am excited to read volume 2 and see Nunnally start her new adventure of working at Harré and potentially fall in love.
The artwork is beautiful, with lovely colors on the front and back covers. Even though the pages are black and white, the concept of color is expressed in an easy way for the reader to understand. In the beginning of the book, Nunnally’s love for the colors and magic in her world is translated into amazed facial expressions and stars, fireworks, and swirls in the sky. The reader knows that Nunnally has dark hair in the beginning of the book, due to shading. When her hair and eyes turn light blue, the shading reflects that. Her hair and eyes are suddenly shaded much lighter.
The facial expressions of the characters are fun to watch. When they feel extreme emotions, their features are simplified in a humorous way. When Nunnally is irritated or annoyed, her usually big, detailed eyes are drawn as little half circles with horizontal lines on top. Throughout the book, as the characters grow up, the aging and physical growth moves quickly with the story, and Yone and Maro implement each transition amazingly smoothly and subtly.
I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World, Vol. 1 will appeal most strongly to teens who enjoy fantasy stories. It takes place during high school years. Ages are not mentioned, but the art style of the characters changes throughout the book. The readers get to watch the characters grow from pre-teens to young adults. Thirteen-18 year olds will likely find those changes relatable and exciting.
I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World, Vol. 1 By Mako Art by Yone, Maro Yen Press, 2023 ISBN: 9781975352899
Publisher Age Rating: T NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16)
Saitou was a handyman in his old world, modern-day Japan, and now he puts his skills to the test with his party of fellow adventurers. Now in a fantastical world filled with wizards, fairies, monsters, knights, and more, Saitou is just the man for the job when a lock needs to be picked on a dungeon door or a treasure chest.
Handyman Saitou in Another World, Vol. 1 is an isekai, a genre of manga in which the protagonist is transported or reborn in a different world. Our main character, Saitou, starts the manga already settled into his new world working alongside a group of three other adventurers, the powerful wizard Morlock, who tends to forget how to cast his spells due to his advanced age, the warrior Raelza, who acts masculine but has a sweet side to her, and the fairy healer Lafanpan, who charges even her teammates for healing (unless it’s a matter of life or death). Each chapter focuses on the group’s various adventures, while periodically dropping clues about Saitou’s past life as well as the background of the other group members. Side story chapters introduce additional characters as well who inhabit the fantasy world as well.
Even though this is the first volume, the reader is thrown into the mechanics of the fantasy world Saitou now lives in with little explanation other than the introductions of Saitou’s team members. The series presumes the reader is familiar with the isekai genre and is able to keep up as Saitou’s story is revealed through subtle and brief flashbacks. In addition, the story presumes that the reader is a least somewhat aware of gaming tropes and terms, particularly role playing games.
Despite the potential reader confusion, the characters are fun and are the main incentive to continue reading. Saitou, seemingly considered unimportant in his old world, finds a home with his team. Each team member is humorous and charming in their own right as more is revealed about them. Seeing how Saitou uses not only his handyman skills to be useful to the team but also his caring and helpful nature to support them (for example, he has memorized Morlock’s spells so he can recite them to the forgetful wizard during battle) is endearing.
Ichitomo’s art is well suited to the fantasy setting. It’s almost like a love letter to role-playing games. Everything from the characters to their armor and equipment to the monsters is highly detailed. The action flows well between panels and while some scenes cater to fanservice, each character is fully realized and conveys genuine emotion.
The manga is currently being translated into English. Though it has a publisher rating of Teen, the manga contains some lewd humor and derogatory insults, as well as on panel sexual intercourse, though it is not explicitly drawn. There is also some fantasy violence as characters are fighting monsters on their quests, though nothing too graphic. Due to some of these elements, Handyman Saitou in Another World, Vol. 01 may be suited for a more mature audience such as older teens and adults.
Handyman Saitou in Another World Vol. 1 By Kazutomo Ichitomo Yen Press, 2023 ISBN: 9781975364670
Publisher Age Rating: T
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18)
A Business Proposal is a comedic story about a sneaky plan, born from desperation, and carried out by two good friends.
The plan is proposed by Yeongsuh Jin, who cannot bear to go on another blind date set up by her father. She offers to pay her friend, Hari Shin, to impersonate her on the next blind date and act in such a way that the date will not want to marry her. Hari accepts the job proposal, because she desperately needs the money to save her family’s business. She has no idea that the blind date, Taemu, is the new CEO at her workplace.
Thus begins a series of scenes in which Hari, pretending to be Yeongsuh, behaves in what she believes is a terrible way, in order to push Taemu away, and the unbothered Taemu insisting on marriage. Meanwhile, the real Yeongsuh meets Taemu’s secretary, Sunghoon Cha, and through a misunderstanding believes him to be Taemu. Eager to see Sunghoon again, Yeongsuh calls Taemu and arranges a date. The date reveals that she had the wrong Taemu, and that Taemu had the wrong Yeongsuh. Hijinks ensue.
The writing includes many fun moments in which the reader becomes worried or frustrated for the main character. The storyline is engaging and hilariously tense. Hari’s character is fleshed out a comfortable amount for the first volume. However, a more in-depth description is needed for the other characters, especially Taemu. He is an expressionless workaholic without any backstory for explanation. Taemu’s expresses only that he wants to quickly marry in order to get back to work. Some character history providing a bit of context would have been helpful in creating a connection to the reader. Perhaps, the backstory and connection will come in the following volumes.
With the visuals, Narak creates a lovely, balanced atmosphere. Each page is beautifully detailed in soft, cozy colors and gentle lines. Both the colors and line art give the reader warm, pleasant feelings, even while emanating the feelings of stress felt by the characters.
Adults (18+) will find this book appealing, because the main characters are working adults trying to figure out and manage work life and love life. Many adults will find that content relatable.
A Business Proposal, Vol. 1 By Haehwa , Perilla Art by Narak Yen Press, 2023 ISBN: 9798400900334
Publisher Age Rating: OT NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+)
Cherry is a boy who has trouble communicating but has found a growing voice through the art of haiku. Smile is a popular streamer who wears a mask to hide her large front teeth. One day at the mall they have a chance meeting, or rather collision, that results in a budding friendship. As their bond grows, Cherry is able to talk more and more with Smile, and he finds that when he’s around her, “words bubble up like soda pop.”
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop Vol. 1 is the beginning of a manga series based on the 2020 anime film of the same name. The manga begins with Cherry on his way to his part-time job at day service at a shopping mall (in Japan, a day service is similar to a senior center—a place that has activities for elderly people). Cherry reflects on his inability to communicate with people. He wears a pair of headphones as a semblance of peace and to dissuade people from initiating conversations with him. However, he has found an outlet in the Japanese poem form of haiku, and he shares his creations on the social media site Curiosity. So deep is Cherry’s affinity for haiku that he carries a dictionary of seasonal words meant to help inspire poets.
Throughout the course of Cherry’s day at the mall, the reader is introduced to an eclectic cast of characters including Cherry’s coworkers at the day service, some of the elderly people who frequent the day service, Cherry’s friends Japan and Beaver, as well as Smile. Cherry and Smile’s friendship grows from there.
The art and writing combine to set the scene for a touching story between two people getting to know each other as well as themselves. One neat touch is that even Cherry’s internal thoughts are in haiku – using the 5-7-5 syllable format. The translation notes at the end are helping to bring context to the title, as Cherry sees a bottle of cider that inspired him to think up the phrase “words bubble up like soda pop,” as in Japan, “cider” indicates “carbonated beverage” as opposed to apple cider. The original title of the manga in Japan is, in fact, Words Bubble Up Like Cider.
The first page and the title spread of the volume are in color before transitioning to the traditional black-and-white palette of most manga.The characters are unique and easily distinguished from each other since the artist employs different facial features, hairstyles, and body shapes. When drawn, the backgrounds are detailed and help ground the characters in their environment. When there is a lack of background scenery, patterns, such as small dots, are employed to offset the character. The shading is clean and crisp.
Despite the unique situations in which Cherry and Smile find themselves, the two characters will resonate with teens facing their own challenges and insecurities. The romance is light in the first volume and seems accessible for young teens who may be new to the romance genre.
The manga is currently being translated into English. Due to the short length of the manga series and its appeal of being a media tie-in to the anime of the same name, Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop Vol. 01 is a good option for a teen collection, particularly collections needing more accessible manga for younger teens.
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop Vol 1 By FlyingDog Art by Imo Oono Yen Press, 2023 ISBN: 9781975364397
Publisher Age Rating: Teen Related media: Movie to Comic
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16)
Being reborn as a genius in a new world, Kanata can’t wait until the day she is able to choose her profession. Everyone expects her to choose the Saint option and is surprised when she chooses Beast Tamer instead.
Almost no one wants this profession due their statistics being lowered and most monsters won’t form contracts with you unless you can defeat them in your weakened state. This does nothing to deter Kanata because she grew up in isolation and never had the chance to come into contact with fluffy critters. She longed to feel their fur for herself, so when she was reincarnated, she was blessed with the luck, strength, and vitality she lacked in her previous life.
The first thing Kanata does after choosing to become a beast master is wander into the woods to find a fluffy creature to tame. She finds a small fluffy cat being attacked by two large bird monsters that had previously given full adventurer parties issue when passing through the woods. Kanata defeats them easily and forms a contract with the cat, who proclaims he is the Demon King Zaggiel under a terrible curse. The next step for Kanata is to join the Adventurers’ Guild and find more fluffy companions.
Although the manga market is flooded with isekai stories, where the main character is reborn in a fantasy world, there are still lots of readers who enjoy finding new spins on the classic trope. In this series, the main character is specifically interested in petting all the fluffy creatures she can find because she was denied that in her previous life of hospitals and isolation. It’s an interesting take on a trope that usually focuses on the main character’s power level because Kanata doesn’t care about that at all. Just the fluff!
The illustrator does a fantastic job creating all the action and emotion that moves the story along. There are two small scenes that might be of concern to parents and librarians. Namely a bath scene where the main character is covered in key areas with steam clouds, which isn’t meant to be sexy. The second scene is a bit more concerning as it depicts theoretical implied rape. It is only one panel and the act is not described in detail, but it might cause issues. For these reasons, I would place this in your adult graphic novel collection or upper teen/new adult. Otherwise, fans of isekai and humorous adventure will enjoy this series opener.
Saint? No! I’m Just a Passing Beast Tamer! The Invincible Saint and the Quest for Fluff Vol. 01 By Inumajin Art by Falmaro Hollendonner Yen Press, 2023 ISBN: 9781975362492
Publisher Age Rating: Teen
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18)
Gorou Amamiya is an obstetrician-gynecologist is a small hospital. He develops an interest in idol star Ai Hoshino after a former patient shared her obsession. One night, he comes face-to-face with Ai, who is pregnant with twins but doesn’t want her fans to know because that would kill her career as an idol. He is murdered before Ai gives birth and is reincarnated as one of the twins named Aquamarine.
The other twin, named Ruby, is also a reincarnation, the same former patient who introduced Gorou to Ai. Neither of them knows who the other was before their incarnation as Ai’s twins, but they work together to help Ai achieve her goals. Several chapters are spent on slice-of-life activities to build relationships and character development.
Unfortunately, Ai is murdered by a fan who then commits suicide when the twins are only four years old. The twins are adopted by Ai’s manager, whose wife had been taking care of them publicly, and Aqua decides that the only way the fan could have known their address was from their biological father, who has always been a secret. The story then jumps forward twelve years.
I enjoyed the coupling of the glitz and darkness of the entertainment industry. I have no personal experience, so I don’t know how accurately it is portrayed; however, it does seem to match what actors and industry people in the United States have revealed in interviews and biographies. It was especially fun to look closer at idol groups, which are very popular both overseas and here in the US. Even if the premise is not based in fact, the storytelling is excellent and crafts a good balance between drama and character growth. This story would benefit from color art, but the illustrator does a good job setting the tone for scenes with the appropriate glitz or darkness.
If you have patrons who are enjoying the anime (available to stream on Hidive), the manga is an excellent complement to have in your collection. The first volume is featured in the extended first episode of the anime, but the manga includes one-page interviews between each chapter that give additional insight into the main story. I would recommend this series for teens or adults since there are some sensitive themes explored.
Oshi No Ko Vol. 01 By Aka Akasaka Art by Mengo Yokoyari Yen Press, 2023 ISBN: 9781975363178
Publisher Age Rating: Older Teen
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18) Creator Representation: Japanese,
Dr. Songsakdina “Bun” Bunnakit is a respected coroner. He is 31 and a closeted gay man who has kept his orientation a secret since his first and only attempt at romance with a man ended badly. Apart from some token attempts at retaining a girlfriend for appearances sake, Bun Is largely devoted to his work, with no real friends apart from the prosecutor Pued.
When Dr. Bun is brought in to investigate a young woman’s death, he is quick to dismiss the police theory of suicide. Bun is also suspicious of the young woman’s boyfriend, a teacher named Tan, who hardly seems upset at his girlfriend’s passing. However, as Dr. Bun is writing up his report, he is attacked in his home by a masked man, who says everyone around Dr. Bun will suffer if he doesn’t declare the death a case of suicide.
When Pued disappears shortly after Dr. Bun confides in him about the threats, he once again becomes suspicious of Tan, who is one of the few who knew of his involvement with the investigation. To Dr. Bun’s surprise, Tan comes to him with a solid alibi and wants to help find his girlfriend’s killer. Yet, there is still evidence Tan is involved in the case. More worrying, however, is the growing attraction that seems to be forming between Bun and Tan.
A graphic novel adaptation of a novel by Thai author, Sammon (which has also been adapted into a successful Thai TV drama), Manner of Death, Vol. 1 proves an exciting start to what promises to be an interesting thriller series. I hesitate to call it an erotic thriller, however, as this opening chapter is more focused on the logistics of Bun’s work as a coroner and his amateur detective work with Tan than it is the sexual tension between them. There are sex scenes, but they are tame things compared to the lion’s share of modern yaoi.
Manner of Death, Vol. 1 works equally well as a police procedural story or a romance, depending on which aspect a reader might be more interested in. The opening chapters lean more heavily upon Bun’s work, showcasing his analytic mind as he instructs a medical student in his charge on how a dead body can tell a story as vivid as one by a living person regarding how they died. The focus shifts more toward romance as the story progresses, with Bun battling his feelings for Tan, his own paranoia regarding loving a man, and his logical reasons to take anything Tan says at face value.
The artwork by Yukari Umemoto is good and matches the story. Umemoto utilizes varied character designs to keep the characters from being confused for one another. They are also very good at blocking the book’s many fight scenes.
This volume is rated for ages 16 and up. I feel this is an appropriate rating, given the mature subject matter. There is no outright nudity, and the sexual elements of the romance are relatively tame for this sort of comic. Yet with a storyline centered around violent deaths and flashbacks dealing with suicide and child abuse, this is not a comic for the weak of heart or of stomach.
Manner of Death Vol. 1 By Sammon Art by Yukari Umemoto Yen Press, 2023 ISBN: 9781975352080
Publisher Age Rating: 16+ Related media: Book to Comic
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18) Creator Representation: Thai Character Representation: Gay
her mother’s work as a shaman, she’s been an easy target, and none of the adults in her life seem to notice or care. She dreads each day going to school, only to return to an empty home, as her mother’s work often is her sole focus. 
very expensive dress for their patron deity, Hestia, to wear to the Holy Night Festival. A member of the Familia, Haruhime, does not venture out of their home base often due to reasons explained in a different series set in the same universe, so Bell escorts her during the Festival so she can enjoy herself while feeling safe. While enjoying the scenery, they meet Tarvi, a mysterious stranger new to town who is also enjoying the Festival activities. It seems she is also trying to avoid some soldiers, so Haruhime convinces Bell that they need to help their new friend avoid being caught. 
Known as the Silent Witch because of her ability to cast magic without vocal chants, Monica Everett leaves her secluded station to attend Serendia Academy. But she isn’t attending to learn, she’s there to secretly protect the second prince, Prince Felix Ridill at the behest of her colleague Louis, who was charged by the king to secure the protection. The prince would never suspect Monica as a spy sent to protect him since the reason she learned unchanted magic was to circumvent her inability to speak in front of others due to anxiety.
Only the smartest, most capable mages work at Harré and that’s just what Nunnally Hel plans to do. After meeting a receptionist at the esteemed establishment, she is determined to follow the same career path. She studied hard and is now heading to the kingdom’s magic academy to continue working toward her goal. At the magic academy, Nunnally faces social challenges and, as the commoners and nobles clash, discovers her magic type and meets her nemesis, Lord Alweiss Rockmann. Rivalry arises between Alweiss and Nunnally as soon as they start school and remains constant throughout their six years there. They are the top two students in their class and Alweiss is always number one, driving Nunnally nuts. She questions her teachers, but never gets a clear answer. 
Saitou was a handyman in his old world, modern-day Japan, and now he puts his skills to the test with his party of fellow adventurers. Now in a fantastical world filled with wizards, fairies, monsters, knights, and more, Saitou is just the man for the job when a lock needs to be picked on a dungeon door or a treasure chest.
A Business Proposal is a comedic story about a sneaky plan, born from desperation, and carried out by two good friends. 
Cherry is a boy who has trouble communicating but has found a growing voice through the art of haiku. Smile is a popular streamer who wears a mask to hide her large front teeth. One day at the mall they have a chance meeting, or rather collision, that results in a budding friendship. As their bond grows, Cherry is able to talk more and more with Smile, and he finds that when he’s around her, “words bubble up like soda pop.”
former patient shared her obsession. One night, he comes face-to-face with Ai, who is pregnant with twins but doesn’t want her fans to know because that would kill her career as an idol. He is murdered before Ai gives birth and is reincarnated as one of the twins named Aquamarine. 
Dr. Songsakdina “Bun” Bunnakit is a respected coroner. He is 31 and a closeted gay man who has kept his orientation a secret since his first and only attempt at romance with a man ended badly. Apart from some token attempts at retaining a girlfriend for appearances sake, Bun Is largely devoted to his work, with no real friends apart from the prosecutor Pued.
